0.623 « blood sugar » (1/7)
Jan. 6th, 2011 01:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
awesomechick15title: 0.623 « blood sugar »
author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
awesomechick15
pairing: Kame/Jin
rating: R
genre: drama, romance, violence, angst, AU
disclaimer: I don't own Akanishi Jin or Kamenashi Kazuya. However, I do own the story, my own characters and you.
warnings: Not into fighting rings, blood or bones cracking? Don't like cages or pretty men getting roughed up? Don't read.
summary: Illegal fighting is a rather crappy and painful job. Kamenashi Kazuya doesn't give a damn. Akanishi Jin does, and falls for his own prey.
A/N: I CAN EXPLAIN. It's quite simple.
This fic is the result of following equation: Tumblr + Pendulum +ddddara , so I guess you can blame them. Tumblr keeps brainwashing me no matter how hard I try to resist, and Pendulum just simply amazes me time after time. And Jessica... Well, she helped too, alright. :D:D
This was supposed to be a simple PWP one-shot, but before I realized it, it already had a will of its own. So fuck yeah, seven parts (WHERE'S YOUR GOD NOW, JESSICA) - I haven't written a proper multichapter in about a year, so publishing this will probably be very interesting, in a way or another. There will be lame scenes, lots of bad grammar, my own weird-ass terminology ("ring barrier", "guards", "betters", wtf srsly) and just general fail, but I still kinda have a good feeling about this.
So umm. Hi. OH AND BTW THIS IS MY FIRST UPDATE SINCE, WHAT, NOVEMBER, SO OMG HAI YOU GAIS HOW HAVE YOU BEEN.
Jin hates this. Hates this so much he wants to punch something.
He has no idea where he is. All he knows it's still in Ueda's building, probably the upstairs of the same smoky club one floor higher than the fighting ring. The room he's in is ridiculously small and dark, only one dying candle giving him proper light. There isn't much to look at – only the bed he's currently sitting on, an uncomfortable, wooden chair and a little table with the candle on it. The door is closed and no matter how hard he tries, Jin can't hear any noises.
He doesn't know how long he's been there. Those guards weren't exactly what one would call nice, sensitive or careful. They literally threw him into the room and one of them pressed him painfully against the bed as the other one handcuffed him, locking him to the bed end's bars. Both of them looked like they could've beaten the shit out of him by any time, so Jin didn't say or do anything until they were out the door.
He is very possibly screwed. The worst part is, someone has actually hung the keys to his handcuffs on the wall, making him incredibly frustrated. His access to freedom is so close, yet so far away he wants to punch something again.
He's not completely sure himself what happened in the ring. He doesn't even fully remember what he did, but he does remember taking the blade and trying to stab Kamenashi. Almost succeeding, actually. Why, he has no idea – it was like something came and overtook him, used his body as a weapon. Things like that have happened before, but not once with a blade or anything like it. Jin's not designed to kill, only to damage. He swallows and closes his eyes: this isn't going to make Takki happy. He should be able to control himself in a situation like this.
He opens his eyes, biting his lower lip as he wriggles a little on the bed, pulling his hands and grimacing at the pain the handcuffs cause. He doesn't know a thing about Ueda's policies. Could he get away with it? Probably not, not with the way he injured the fighter before Kamenashi. Then what is going to happen to him? Will he be erased?
The thought makes Jin shiver. Some ring leaders do the decision of killing off the fighters too dangerous to use. It is useless to release them or transfer them to other rings since they are nothing on their own and would just continue their behavior in someone else's hands. Jin is on his own, and that fact makes him even more worried than he already is. There will be no one to save him if Ueda decides to take action, not at least on time.
Jin sighs and presses his head against the cold wall. Someone will come for him sooner or later, it's only a matter of time, but until that he has absolutely nothing to do. His injuries hurt – Kamenashi wasn't that useless after all. It's hard to concentrate on anything and sleeping is out of the question.
He has to wait.
Kame is still confused when he's sitting in the preparement room for fighters. Koki has crouched beside him, trying to stop him from flinching while trying to disinfect the cuts on his collarbones. Kame isn't sure if he should think his friend's obvious hatred of what just happened is adorable or painful, because even though Koki means to help, there is an angry strength to his movements that makes Kame's injuries hurt more.
“I'm going to kill that bastard where he stands,” Koki huffs and moves to take care of Kame's legs. His trousers are dirty and there is a bloody tear in the fabric around his left knee. Kame hisses when Koki heartlessly pulls on the fabric, making the tear wider and then applies the disinfectant, his motions still sharp and jerky.
“Where is he?” Kame asks and grimaces as Koki taps his knee for the last time before putting on a band-aid.
“I don't know,” the blonde shrugs. “I was there until the club lobby, but then turned back. Nishikido and Okada led him after that. Good thing, actually, apparently I was a bit... harsh with him.”
Kame doesn't say anything, only hems and pulls his leg slowly away from his friend's touch.
“Thanks. I'm off now.”
“You sure you're okay?” Koki asks with a worried frown. Kame smiles.
“Yeah. Take care.”
His shoulders feel heavy as he walks across the preparement room. It's a bit like locker rooms in high school, the ones he remembers loving back in the day. Low ceiling, thick air, long, wide benches and packs of people everywhere. Some are practicing, some talking, some taking care of their injuries. From the corner of his eye Kame sees how a young boy steps out of the front doors to the ring room. Before the doors close, Kame also notices the boy being pushed into his cage. He shivers unconsciously.
At the back of the preparement room is another pair of doors leading to 12 o'clock's back room. It's a rather popular night club for more grown-up customers, one of those places where smoke covers people's eyes and smiles disappear around the edges of vodka glasses. No thumping music or trashy bunches of teenagers. Classy, but casual. Ueda Tatsuya is good friends with the owner of the club and has the permission to hold his (illegal) fighting ring in the cellar spaces of 12 o'clock. He also has one floor above the club itself in his total use, which makes many think he's probably sleeping with the owner, whoever that person is. That's where he hosts his best fighters, Kame being one of them. No need to get your own apartment as long as Ueda likes you.
And he sure does like Kame. Kame's been in his ring for nearly three years now, which is quite a long time for someone like him. He's not sure what Ueda finds so enticing about him, but the man has been training him for all those years, giving him a home and a family. Kame's not in the place to complain, so the thoughts of demanding Akanishi's removal or erasing (there's a difference) fade from his mind as he pushes the back doors open and walks up some stairs, arriving in the back room.
No matter how much Ueda might favor them, he has given strict rules to all his fighters. When you walk in or out the ring area, you're invisible. You won't stay and hang out at the club in your fighting clothes (which usually don't match up with the dress code), especially after a fight. You go straight upstairs or out the back door. You don't talk to anyone, you don't make eye contact. You don't run or press against the walls either, because that evokes suspicion, but you're as unnoticeable as possible. If there's an injury that needs medical treatment, the ambulance will be called one block away. If someone who lives in the building is in a condition where he needs someone to assist him, they'll have to be extra careful. Ueda can seem absent-minded and falsely cute, but when it comes to business, he shows his true form.
Many complain about his attitude, the way he's so neurotic about his fighters and is mad even if they go to the club in proper clothes, woundless, any other day than Friday. But Kame gets it, gets why Ueda is so cautious. Even the smallest things can be noticed by someone, and a police raid is the last thing they need.
There's no one in the back room. It's filled with things like straw boxes and broken blenders, halogen lights making it look almost ghostly. Kame limps through the room and steps in the dim, red hallway, immediately clashing into a waiter, who's apparently going to get something from the back room. The young woman gives him a strange look but doesn't stay to say anything but mandatory apologies, leaving Kame alone in the corridor.
After that it turns out to be quite a task to get upstairs without causing commotion. Kame looks like he's just been badly beaten up (which is the truth, actually) and definitely doesn't match the dress code. In fact, he looks like he's a homeless hobo from the street who has sneaked in. He tries to blend into walls as he walks to the stairs. Some customers walk by and look at him for a long time, but he avoids eye contact as much as he can. Sometimes he hates his position.
When Kame finally gets there and pushes the doorknob down, something begins to pool in his stomach. It's like a distant pull, an echo coming from somewhere far away. For a moment Kame stills, but then shakes the feeling off. He bites his lip, opening the door with more force than he intended to use.
The sound of a door closing behind him calms his nerves.
Kame tries to hold himself back, he really tries. But when he is lying on his bed in that desolate room, the temptation starts to crawl back to him. He turns around, presses his face against the cheap sheets and tries to think of happy thoughts. What he will do with his fighting money, where will he go, what he'll buy. He thinks of his friends and the warm fall they have been having in Tokyo. He thinks of his adorable niece, dreams about a new car, about learning French, about having a week off sometime and just going somewhere completely new.
But it doesn't help.
Kame isn't a masochist. He isn't dumb, either. Yet he finds his thoughts constantly wandering off to Akanishi. What does it take for a person to become like that? What kind of things does Akanishi think about? The look in his eyes, it was tormenting. Kame is sure he has the right to talk to the man who has almost killed him. Something about Akanishi is simply haunting.
Trying to push the thoughts away, Kame just breathes against the mattress. He doesn't know how long he lies there, but when he gets up, it's fast. He nearly breaks his neck while jumping out of the bed, proceeding on pulling on some jeans and a new T-shirt. His muscles are aching and his head feels fizzy, but nonetheless he continues his ministrations and leaves the room, trying to make his steps as quiet as possible.
He has a pretty good idea of where Akanishi is being kept. There aren't many free rooms left upstairs, so he's probably either in the old storage room or the only free bedroom. Kame decides to try the storage room first, since Nishikido wouldn't put someone he dislikes in a comfortable place.
Kame feels like a kid doing something strictly forbidden. It sounds kind of stupid to look for someone who has tried to stab you and possibly has no interest whatsoever of meeting you, but Kame makes an admirable effort at not thinking about his own idiocy. Instead he concentrates on counting the doors as he paces through the corridor.
Jin snaps his head up when he hears someone shove the door open. He isn't sure if he's happy about it or not – on the other hand, the incoming person could be giving him some bad news or worse, erasing him. But then again, even being pulled to the floor or downstairs and being shot to the back of his head would be better than staying in that upright, uncomfortable position with his wrists twisted nearly unnaturally, handcuffs abrading against his skin.
He's unable to hide his surprised expression and the rise of his eyebrows as he sees the person stepping in the room. It's Kamenashi, the guy he fought earlier. There's a weird look on the man's face, one that makes Jin wonder if Kamenashi's there for revenge – but he doesn't seem like someone who would do that. He was too defending in the ring.
Jin gets over his surprise quickly and tries to make his face as deadpan as possible. Kamenashi pushes the door shut behind him and the quiet sound of it closing makes the awkward silence around them even deeper. When it starts to become suffocating, Jin opens his mouth and lets his words pierce the air, enjoys the way their suddenness makes Kamenashi flinch.
“Why are you here?” Jin asks, his tone cold and unimpressed. “Didn't I fuck you up enough before?”
Kamenashi looks taken aback. Jin feels relieved: faster the guy is out of his room, better. Now is not the time to hear some butthurt fighter complain to him. Human contact is overrated.
“You're not exactly the one to talk,” Kamenashi retorts, recovering astonishingly quickly. “They handcuffed you to a bedpost.”
“Thank you for informing me, wouldn't have realized it otherwise,” Jin spits out and scowls at Kamenashi. He doesn't want any reminders of his unfortunate situation.
“No need to be so bitchy,” Kamenashi says, his voice a little lower but still loud enough to hear.
“Just tell me what you wanted to say and fuck off,” Jin sighs and turns his gaze away from the other man, staring at the ugly, nearly broken chair instead.
“Why did you try to stab me?”
It's so blunt and simple Jin automatically turns to look at Kamenashi again. The man looks serious, standing in the middle of that stupid little room, his eyes fixated on Jin. All of a sudden Jin feels like suffocating again and has to take some deep, tremoring breaths before he can say anything.
The truth is, he wants to know as badly as Kamenashi does. The blade he has is for self-defense only, and that most certainly wasn't a situation he would have been allowed to use it. This has happened earlier, this isn't the first time, but Jin has never attacked anyone with a weapon. Not until now. Takki has told him it's probably some kind of anger issue he needs to work out, but Jin doesn't feel like he has any issues. He's not angry. It's not him.
These aren't things he's going to tell Kamenashi, though. The fact he owes the guy big time and has almost killed him doesn't change the fact Jin doesn't want to talk to that stupid guy with his crooked nose and dark hair. It's not anything personal, really, but Kamenashi is not on the list of the people Jin wants to get to know while his stay at Ueda's ring.
“You have funny ears,” he answers saucily. Kamenashi's eyes narrow dangerously and Jin understands this isn't the time to mess around.
“You tried to fucking kill me,” Kamenashi punctuates, his voice now low and sharp around the edges, making Jin shiver without realizing it.
“But I didn't,” Jin points out and tries to answer to Kamenashi's glare with grace.
“You would have,” he standing man states, “if the guards didn't stop you.”
That's something Jin can't argue.
There's a silence. Kamenashi obviously notices Jin doesn't have anything to say, but he doesn't force the conversation to go on. He seems suspiciously relaxed altogether, straightforward and confident, especially when considering he's in the same room with someone who almost stabbed him a few moments earlier. Then Jin remembers he's handcuffed – something Kamenashi has probably realized too.
“Why?”
Kamenashi repeats his question, but Jin can't bring himself to answer with anything sarcastic or snarky. Instead he tries to look as intimidating as possible, but has a feeling he fails at it big time.
“Just go away,” he finally gives a sigh. “I don't even know you. You're obviously fine, so just suck it up like a man and fuck off.”
Jin can see from the movements of Kamenashi that those words were badly phrased. He nearly flinches at the way Kamenashi's eyes narrow and begin burning with a piercing stare, almost shivers when he sees how the man stars to look taller, stronger, faster. He suddenly feels threatened, and the fact he can do absolutely nothing if Kamenashi decides to beat the living daylights out of him, doesn't exactly loosen him up.
“Don't you dare to talk back to me,” Kamenashi growls and takes a step closer. “Don't. You. Dare.”
“Why the hell do you care so much,” Jin grunts, surprised at how straightforwardly he can still talk, considering his inner terror. “You've been in this business for a while, you know how it goes. Things like these happen.”
“That's the point. They don't,” Kamenashi notes. “You weren't trying to bluff or defend yourself. You were literally trying to kill me. Not even fight, just kill.”
“You don't know that.”
His voice is quieter, lower, and he realizes he's completely lost control over it.
“I do. You do understand you're clear to read? You're like an open book, Akanishi. You wanted to kill me.”
Jin does his best. He bites his tongue, tries to close his ears, tries to concentrate on something else. He sings songs in his head, thinks about clouds and sunshine. None of that works. When he notices it, he has already pulled his head up and fixed his look on Kamenashi, opened his mouth and started talking.
“You don't know anything. You don't know me. You're just a child.”
“A child you tried to stab to death.”
“You know nothing! Get the hell out!”
“I want you to answer me!”
“Here's an answer: get out!”
It works. Like on a spell, Kamenashi scowls at him for the last time and turns around. Jin can't move until the man is out the door, banging it closed much more loudly than what is necessary.
If Jin isn't going to get erased, he is going to hear from Kamenashi. He's not sure which one is worse.
There's a cold breeze of wind hovering over his nape. He shivers slightly and turns quietly to look around, only to see that the closest window has been left open. He huffs, making his way through the dark room, keeping his steps as light and silent as possible. Sometimes there's a noise coming outside the room, and he jumps at every single one of them, preparing to either hide or run. Usually he hates escaping, hates the feeling he gets when he doesn't face something, but now is not the time to complain. Not one soul is supposed to see him.
He tries to discern the vague features of the room as he smoothly shifts over the floor. A smug smile curls around the corner of his lips as he finally finds what he's been looking for, and tentatively he places his hand on an old drawer. It's right in the corner of the room, out of most people's sight. He knocks on the wood before impatiently drawing out the first box.
It's hard to see anything in the dim lightning, so he has to feel his way around. No cash, nothing made of paper, only little objects such as keys and a notebook. For a second the thought of stealing it crosses his mind, but then again it's probably nothing important. Only a moron keeps important things in the first drawer box, and Ueda is actually a little too bright to suit his tastes.
He pushes the box closed and opens the second one. He's in the middle of feeling up a small envelope with his fingers when he hears noises outside the room. At first he still, freezes on the spot, but as his ears focus on the sounds, he realizes they're footsteps. Biting his lip, he continues his ministrations and opens two other boxes, searching around them desperately as the steps get closer and closer.
When he can hear two people talking outside the door and someone fumbling for the key, he stands up and looks around. He doesn't care to push the boxes closed and hurries through the room, trying to find somewhere to hide. The doorknob pushes down and a small trace of light appears on the floor. He throws open the closest doors he finds and steps into a closet or a cabinet of some sort, slamming the doors shut again as quietly as possible and holding his breath as he hears someone step in the room.
There's a shriek and an incoherent shout of someone's name. He can hear more sounds, a few more people coming in. Then someone talks, but he can't make out the words, they're all muffed by the thick wood of his closet. He starts unconsciously trembling when the people start searching around the room, probably trying to find out if anything has been stolen. He swallows with difficulty when a pair of steps stops in front of his cabinet, but then there's a shout coming down from the corridor. The steps disappear and so do all the other sounds.
The people have left.
He smiles.
author:
awesomechick15 pairing: Kame/Jin
rating: R
genre: drama, romance, violence, angst, AU
disclaimer: I don't own Akanishi Jin or Kamenashi Kazuya. However, I do own the story, my own characters and you.
warnings: Not into fighting rings, blood or bones cracking? Don't like cages or pretty men getting roughed up? Don't read.
summary: Illegal fighting is a rather crappy and painful job. Kamenashi Kazuya doesn't give a damn. Akanishi Jin does, and falls for his own prey.
A/N: I CAN EXPLAIN. It's quite simple.
This fic is the result of following equation: Tumblr + Pendulum +
ddddara , so I guess you can blame them. Tumblr keeps brainwashing me no matter how hard I try to resist, and Pendulum just simply amazes me time after time. And Jessica... Well, she helped too, alright. :D:DThis was supposed to be a simple PWP one-shot, but before I realized it, it already had a will of its own. So fuck yeah, seven parts (
So umm. Hi. OH AND BTW THIS IS MY FIRST UPDATE SINCE, WHAT, NOVEMBER, SO OMG HAI YOU GAIS HOW HAVE YOU BEEN.
Kame leans against the cold metal grating of his cage. He tries to take a deep breath, but heavy dust and the scent of freshly bled blood push into his lungs with the hot, stuffy air he's inhaling, making him cough slightly. He hasn't been out of his cage even once that night, but others have left the room uncomfortably warm, nearly suffocating, and sweat is already pushing to the surface of his skin, gluing the strands of his hair together. He shifts a little, feeling the cage shake with his movements, and stretches his neck as an attempt to revive his sore muscles.
Kame can hear the last sounds of the on-going fight. Even though he doesn't see them, he can hear the betters' raw, incoherent yells as they're trying to push their fighters towards victory. Some shouts are louder than others, they have a desperate edge to them. Kame knows what those voices mean. They belong to the betters that chose wrong tonight. Someone is banging the ring barrier, someone screams in despair. For a split second Kame wonders why that is, but then he can hear a strong wail and something, probably a chair, breaking.
The yells turn into a tangled sea of noises, and Kame can hear the judge stepping over the ring barrier, can hear the barked calls he's making – 10, 9, 8, 7 – and the soft, but surrendering wail of the losing opponent – 6, 5, 4, 3 – alongside with the nearly maniac laughter of the surviving fighter – 2, 1, 0 – and the final call that gets washed over by the sounds of the crowd.
Kame doesn't look when three people go past his cage. He doesn't need to watch to know that it's probably the guards dragging the loser away from the ring and furious grabs of the supporters who lost money because of him. A few years back Kame would have shuddered at the pained wails and gasps issuing from the fighter's mouth, but now he just presses a little harder against the grating wall of his cage and takes another deep breath.
For the next moments Kame loses his grasp of reality, of time, and when someone suddenly kicks at his cage, he flinches without a clue of how much time has passed. The crowd has settled again and the air is a little clearer, but Kame's muscles complain vigorously when they're suddenly forced to move. The someone, who turns out to be one of the guards, opens the top grate of Kame's cage and scowls at him.
”You're out there in five,” he grunts and turns away, leaving the cage open.
Kame stands up and stretches his legs a little before stepping away from his cage. It's ridiculously small and doesn't have much space to move in, but he's not keen on complaining. Instead Kame looks around and sees the familiar ring, the crowd gathering around it again and in the gray area – a territory for only the fighters – a few more cages. Kame jumps up and down a few times. There is no proper floor, only sand. There are no windows either, and only two passages – the large, doorless hallway for audience, and sad attempts of doors for the fighters. Kame punches air as a test, already feeling the eyes of the crowd settling on him, as they're waiting for him to step in the ring.
Kame feels someone knock on his shoulder and turns around. It's Koki, a blonde ring guard with enough tattoos to form a map and a bloody bruise on the side of his lip. Kame is about to open his mouth and ask where the cocky guard got his injury, but Koki tells without questioning.
”That damn psycho hit me,” he hisses and glances at the fighters' doors, like the earlier winner could hear him through them. ”I was trying to guide him out of the ring and he hit me. And that was not just because of extra adrenaline, he literally tried to beat the shit out of me! He had already pushed me to the floor when Nishikido came to pull him away! He's a fucking nutcase!”
”Who is he?” Kame asks, not sure if he's getting excited or wary.
”A new one,” Koki sighs. ”But not just anyone. We got him from Takki's ring, this is his first night here. Name is Akanishi, apparently practically destroyed at his home ring.”
”Oh,” Kame simply answers. ”So he's good then?”
”More than good,” Koki phrases. ”You should've seen the match earlier, he made Masuda look fucking ridiculous, and he's one of our best. But a total nutjob, continued fighting even after the duel had ended.”
”That was Masuda?” Kame exclaims, not able to hide his surprise.
”Yep,” Koki grimaces. ”Poor bastard. Which reminds me... Akanishi is going to be against you next.”
Kame isn't sure if he's happy or scared shitless. On the other hand, he loves a proper challenge, loves the feeling of fighting. But he also is still sensible, he knows the risks and apparently Akanishi is not just any kid one can beat up when feeling like it. Kame is confident, but listening to Akanishi's results makes him restless. He looks at the ring, but to his relief doesn't see any blood in the sand or damage to the strong ring barriers, created to protect the audience. That should be a good sign.
Illegal fighting is a rather crappy job – everyone avoids going to the hospital or police until the end. The ring nights are decided and announced quietly, from mouth to mouth. Salary comes only if you win battles – if you don't, you get nothing. If you're beaten up to the point you need hospital treatment, you're not only going to lose your job and your contacts to your old home ring, you're also paying for the costs yourself. It's not possible escape injuries, but it is necessary to treat them alone. Most of the fighters live with their manager or at least close by, but ring nights are spent in cages to avoid chaos.
Kame is good for his age, one of the most talented fighters in his ring. His winning rate is high and the base of supporters wide. Still there's a reason to be nervous. Masuda is one of the most experienced fighters in Ueda's ring, and the fact he's completely beaten up by a stranger promises no good.
Koki has obviously noticed Kame's concern, and a slight frown is forming between his brows.
”Be careful, okay?” he says, his tone softer than before. ”I'd hate to see you ending up the same way Masuda did, even though you're stronger than him. Don't overdo yourself.”
”I know my limits,” Kame reassures his friend.
The fact is, Koki is quite kind-hearted once you get to know him. Underneath all the ink and American-styled clothing he's not actually all that bad-ass. Kame doesn't have the heart to break the fact to him, though. Koki seems to hang on his image tightly.
Someone calls Koki's name and the man leaves with a rushed goodbye and a wish of luck. Kame bites his lip and looks around. He hasn't seen Akanishi once, and tries to imagine what he could possibly look like. Who is Kame actually standing against?
He pictures in his mind a large man. Koki said nothing about Akanishi's age, and in Kame's mind he's around his thirties. Maybe western. He is tall, much taller than Kame, and has meaty muscles and a lot of mass. Yet he has the perfect body control, so he doesn't probably have the traditional motorbike gang -body type. What could be his weak points? Damn, Kame should have asked that from Koki. The young man tries to find his friend with his gaze, but Koki is already long gone.
The judge, Nakamaru, a wimpy man who obviously loves to step on the fighters who are too exhausted and in pain to stop him, walks up to Kame without a word. Kame doesn't resist when he's pushed to the ring. He stands on the mark in the middle of it, not daring to look at Nakamaru, who is talking over the barrier to one of the remaining guards. The idea for ring barriers came from boxing, but they're a lot different. The ring at Ueda's is round and high, made of wood. There is only one entrance and nowhere to escape. Kame has always hated that ring, but he has nowhere else to go.
The lowly talking crowd suddenly gets quiet when the fighters' doors open. Kame stirs his eyes to see who's coming out. He can recognize Koki and Nishikido, guards who usually bring the opponents in. They're walking a man who has a sharp look in his eyes. Kame can see that even though they're trying to look as calm as possible, Koki is almost squeezing Akanishi's arm and Nishikido's hand wavers around his hips, obviously waiting for the moment he's allowed to pull his gun out.
But Koki and Nishikido are not the part catching Kame's main attention.
He feels like staring, but controls himself gracefully. Akanishi is nothing he expected. Actually, without the creepy look in his eyes, Kame wouldn't have guessed he'd just beaten a top fighter. Akanishi is Japanese and around Kame's height, maybe a few centimeters taller. He's also around Kame's age, though obviously a few years older. He's not bulky and doesn't have much muscles. In fact, he doesn't look like a fighter at all (though Kame can imagine Nishikido's snarky retort, more than you, Kamenashi – the grumpy midget never gets tired of commenting on Kame's slender body type).
Akanishi's body has things an experienced fighter doesn't. Curves and movements not made for attacking alone. His legs are long and his slightly curly hair reaches his shoulders, framing his face. He has baggy, dirty jeans with a belt and a sleeveless, white shirt. The legs of his jeans are pushed inside military boots. He does have muscles, yes, but not outstandingly, more like any well-exercising young man in their twenties.
Kame doesn't know what to think. He can't deny Akanishi isn't attractive on some level, but considering him as a fighter? Never. There are many types of fighters, quite often opposites of each other. Some can be stereotypically big, bulky and meaty, like wide cupboards come to life, some can be smaller, more slender and usually faster and more technique-based. Some are experts on self-defense techniques no matter what size, some take advantage of weapons (they're luckily forbidden in Ueda's ring, though). Basically many kinds of people can be successful fighters. But for some reason Akanishi doesn't look like a fighter at all.
It gives Kame a little more confidence, but he's careful not to let himself get too sloppy. Akanishi is still obviously worth the fear, because Koki looks about nauseous when he backs out of the ring with Nishikido.
Akanishi walks in front of Kame and turns to face him. He locks his gaze with Kame's, who doesn't resist – instead he looks back, tries to examine the feelings in Akanishi's eyes and at the same time look as intimidating as he can. Not that it's very useful. Many opponents take him for granted after one look – Kame is thin, almost scrawny to some people, and does not have the build of an athlete, but looks can betray you. Most of the opponents looking down on him lay on the ground ten minutes later.
But Akanishi's different. Kame tries to find something else but pure, raw rage out of his eyes, but can't see anything. No fear, no condescending, no exhaustion, nothing. Something in Akanishi's being makes Kame lean unconsciously away from him.
Nakamaru, who's standing next to them, starts calling out the beginning. Kame can feel his heartbeats setting down with the pace of the numbers. 10, 9, 8, 7. He doesn't know what to expect from the fight. They're not wrestling, not boxing – the point of these fights is the fact you're allowed to do anything, use any tactic you want as long as it doesn't involve guns. Some rings allow small weapons such as blades or chains, but most have the policy of bare hands.
4, 3, 2.
With the scream of zero Nakamaru backs down and literally jumps over the barrier. He's too much of a coward to do anything in the ring while the fighters are at it. Thankfully that's why they have guards, to stop them if things get too violent or harsh. Or someone (like Akanishi) decides to practically kill their opponent where they stand.
Kame's not sure why he enjoys fighting. It's painful, most of the time borderline dangerous, and doesn't take him anywhere. Yet he can't help the sweet adrenaline rush everytime Nakamaru's call is out and his heart sinks as the fight has officially started.
Usually he likes to wander around a little at first, see what his opponent is like, but this time he doesn't have time for that. The moment the crowd starts screaming again, the sharp, furious look in Akanishi's eyes changes. He's not only enraged anymore. He's hungry.
Kame doesn't even have the time to stop the other man as Akanishi suddenly rushes towards him, throwing him against the ring barrier with brutal force. Kame can feel air escaping his lungs, but he stands up and ducks down as Akanishi attempts to kick him, pressing against the man and curling his arms around Akanishi's waist, pushing him down to the ground. If it's going to be like this, there's no reason to hold back.
Akanishi's answer is another kick. He grabs Kame's shoulders and tries to change their position, but Kame punches him twice with his right hook – he's quite fond of it, as it's one of his best hits, even though it makes his fist ache. Koki taught it to him years ago and he's improved since then. Akanishi, who looks a little shaken by the strikes, suddenly grabs Kame's wrist instead and twists.
The younger man wails in pain and loses his focus, giving Akanishi the opportunity to overtake him, pinning him down against the sand. Kame can hear the crowd yell once again, that primitive rush of noise, as Akanishi curls his fingers around the throat of the man lying under him. Next Kame can feel painful punches and tries to gasp for air without success, feeling uncomfortably dizzy. There's a pulsating, sharp pain in his cheek and lip – he can feel blood already dribble on the surface of the wounded skin. As he cracks an eye he can see Akanishi's hand forming another fist and his arm tensing, obviously ready for another punch. At the same time Kame can feel the man's fingers tightening their grip, preventing any inhaling of oxygen.
Before Akanishi can even start the trajectory of his punch, Kame has already gathered the last straws of strength he has without air. It would be downright humiliating to lose this early, despite the smoky red dancing in the corners of his eyes. Kame grabs Akanishi's hand and pushes his bend feet against the ground, bouncing up, bringing Akanishi with him. The older man releases his grip in surprise and stumbles confusedly backwards.
A smug smirk forms on Kame's lips as he finally breathes in some air, panting lightly.
He's not taken aback at all when Akanishi rushes towards him again, obviously attempting to knock him down. Kame stretches his left leg and when Akanishi is close enough, he lifts his leg with speed and force in an upright kick. It reaches Akanishi's face easily, and Kame can feel how it hits his jaw with so much power Kame's sure he hears a crack of bone. He can quickly see how Akanishi is thrown away from him, to the ground, but then the force of the kick makes Kame turn around as his leg hits the sand again. He stumbles a little, still back turned to Akanishi.
Soon Kame learns that turning your back on that man is the worst thing you can do. When he stands straight, something suddenly tackles him from behind. It doesn't take much to realize Akanishi has jumped on his back, arms surrounding him and nails clawing his chest. Kame gasps, feeling Akanishi's hot breath on his neck, body pressed vigorously pressed against his back.
“You're a tough one,” Akanishi whispers as he rakes his nails against Kame's black shirt, and when he reaches skin, he leaves clear cuts on Kame's collarbones. “Too bad I'm going to destroy you.”
“Less talking, more fighting,” Kame hisses, but he doesn't have time to do anything, because in this section, Akanishi is faster than him.
The man's nails stop abusing Kame's skin as Akanishi retreats and then smashes himself against Kame's back as hard as he can, making the man fly on his face. Akanishi follows, pressing his hands to keep Kame on the ground. The latter coughs as sand gets in his mouth and tries to turn around, roll under Akanishi and get away from him. Kame doesn't manage neither of those things, for Akanishi abruptly takes a handful of his hair, pulling his head up, making him grit his teeth in pain.
He can now see the faces of the crowd and quickly closes his eyes. Those faces are not something he wants to see. Their sounds are already enough, he doesn't need another reminder of the fact he's going to be utterly and completely ridiculed, not to mention hated, if he gives up now. He doesn't fight for the audience, not for his supporters or anyone else, but their reactions disgust him, make him feel sick.
So he pulls his head forwards, away from Akanishi's grip, and changes their position by rolling over. He presses the shrieking man down with his elbow and then jumps up again, not minding if he accidentally hurts Akanishi in the process. The older man soon follows his suit, also standing up, his clothes covered in sand.
Kame almost gets scared again when he happens to look at Akanishi's eyes. He certainly doesn't like what he sees in them. Akanishi is literally trembling, but not out of physical pain – out of anger. Kame doesn't even realize when he takes an uncertain step back. There is something intimidating about Akanishi, but Kame can't quite put a finger on it. He's not sure what it is about the other man that makes him lean away from that person, be automatically suspicious, but whatever it is, it's strong.
Akanishi notices his reaction. This time it's his turn to smirk, but the expression is downright creepy on his face. Kame bites the inside of his mouth to keep from taking any steps back. His muscles are tense, there's a hitch in his breath and he's ready to answer to Akanishi's attack at any moment. What distracts him the most is the fact Akanishi just keeps standing there, keeps smirking at him, not doing anything. He seems confident and relaxed, no tensing, no sudden movements – like his wounds or injuries don't hurt at all, like he's already won. An attitude like that would normally make Kame angry and have him attack, but this time it terrifies him. Something about Akanishi is not normal, and Kame's not talking about looks or personality. Something about Akanishi is badly off.
That's pretty much exactly when Akanishi moves.
At first Kame doesn't see it coming, doesn't register the way Akanishi reaches for the pocket of his jeans. When he understands what the man is doing it's already too late, Akanishi has pulled his hand away. The crackling light shines off the blade Akanishi's holding all of a sudden. Kame flinches back, but doesn't have the time to retreat or defend himself before Akanishi is already running towards him, a wide smile on his face.
Kame backs down and feels the ring barrier against his back. The crowd screams even louder and seconds seem to slow down. Kame can see Akanishi reaching him, the blade coming closer and closes his eyes as he feels it touching his throat, tracing the lines of his veins.
Then the touch suddenly disappears and Kame opens his eyes, feels time rushing on him like a wave.
Guards have stepped in the ring and are now holding Akanishi back. Koki, who looks simply furious, closes a metal collar around his neck. Someone has snatched his blade, probably Nishikido. Before Kame can take it all in, he's surrounded by people, mostly guards. Akanishi screams in a way that makes shivers go down Kame's spine.
He flinches against the ring barrier when Akanishi suddenly rushes towards him, but he's pulled abruptly by a chain attached to his collar. Koki pulls him back and for a second Akanishi looks intolerably outraged.
He's quite a sight. Dark eyes with a sharp look, graceful features and soft, full lips leaving deep pants. There's an ugly bruise on the corner of his mouth, probably left by Kame's leg, and his other eye is slowly turning blue. There are little cuts all over his arms and body, caused by the coarse sand. Kame can see a drops of sweat glistening on his skin, can feel his eyes fixated on his opponent. Akanishi is now on the ground on his knees, not trying to fight the collar anymore.
Koki snorts unapprovingly and pulls Akanishi harshly up by his chain. Koki, Nishikido and two other guards escort him to the fighters' doors and Kame follows them with his gaze. He has forgotten all about his own injuries, the way his body is still trembling with tremor, isn't aware of a clear, nearly unnoticeable cut on his throat.
He shivers when Akanishi looks at him over his shoulder as he disappears behind the doors.
Kame can hear the last sounds of the on-going fight. Even though he doesn't see them, he can hear the betters' raw, incoherent yells as they're trying to push their fighters towards victory. Some shouts are louder than others, they have a desperate edge to them. Kame knows what those voices mean. They belong to the betters that chose wrong tonight. Someone is banging the ring barrier, someone screams in despair. For a split second Kame wonders why that is, but then he can hear a strong wail and something, probably a chair, breaking.
The yells turn into a tangled sea of noises, and Kame can hear the judge stepping over the ring barrier, can hear the barked calls he's making – 10, 9, 8, 7 – and the soft, but surrendering wail of the losing opponent – 6, 5, 4, 3 – alongside with the nearly maniac laughter of the surviving fighter – 2, 1, 0 – and the final call that gets washed over by the sounds of the crowd.
Kame doesn't look when three people go past his cage. He doesn't need to watch to know that it's probably the guards dragging the loser away from the ring and furious grabs of the supporters who lost money because of him. A few years back Kame would have shuddered at the pained wails and gasps issuing from the fighter's mouth, but now he just presses a little harder against the grating wall of his cage and takes another deep breath.
For the next moments Kame loses his grasp of reality, of time, and when someone suddenly kicks at his cage, he flinches without a clue of how much time has passed. The crowd has settled again and the air is a little clearer, but Kame's muscles complain vigorously when they're suddenly forced to move. The someone, who turns out to be one of the guards, opens the top grate of Kame's cage and scowls at him.
”You're out there in five,” he grunts and turns away, leaving the cage open.
Kame stands up and stretches his legs a little before stepping away from his cage. It's ridiculously small and doesn't have much space to move in, but he's not keen on complaining. Instead Kame looks around and sees the familiar ring, the crowd gathering around it again and in the gray area – a territory for only the fighters – a few more cages. Kame jumps up and down a few times. There is no proper floor, only sand. There are no windows either, and only two passages – the large, doorless hallway for audience, and sad attempts of doors for the fighters. Kame punches air as a test, already feeling the eyes of the crowd settling on him, as they're waiting for him to step in the ring.
Kame feels someone knock on his shoulder and turns around. It's Koki, a blonde ring guard with enough tattoos to form a map and a bloody bruise on the side of his lip. Kame is about to open his mouth and ask where the cocky guard got his injury, but Koki tells without questioning.
”That damn psycho hit me,” he hisses and glances at the fighters' doors, like the earlier winner could hear him through them. ”I was trying to guide him out of the ring and he hit me. And that was not just because of extra adrenaline, he literally tried to beat the shit out of me! He had already pushed me to the floor when Nishikido came to pull him away! He's a fucking nutcase!”
”Who is he?” Kame asks, not sure if he's getting excited or wary.
”A new one,” Koki sighs. ”But not just anyone. We got him from Takki's ring, this is his first night here. Name is Akanishi, apparently practically destroyed at his home ring.”
”Oh,” Kame simply answers. ”So he's good then?”
”More than good,” Koki phrases. ”You should've seen the match earlier, he made Masuda look fucking ridiculous, and he's one of our best. But a total nutjob, continued fighting even after the duel had ended.”
”That was Masuda?” Kame exclaims, not able to hide his surprise.
”Yep,” Koki grimaces. ”Poor bastard. Which reminds me... Akanishi is going to be against you next.”
Kame isn't sure if he's happy or scared shitless. On the other hand, he loves a proper challenge, loves the feeling of fighting. But he also is still sensible, he knows the risks and apparently Akanishi is not just any kid one can beat up when feeling like it. Kame is confident, but listening to Akanishi's results makes him restless. He looks at the ring, but to his relief doesn't see any blood in the sand or damage to the strong ring barriers, created to protect the audience. That should be a good sign.
Illegal fighting is a rather crappy job – everyone avoids going to the hospital or police until the end. The ring nights are decided and announced quietly, from mouth to mouth. Salary comes only if you win battles – if you don't, you get nothing. If you're beaten up to the point you need hospital treatment, you're not only going to lose your job and your contacts to your old home ring, you're also paying for the costs yourself. It's not possible escape injuries, but it is necessary to treat them alone. Most of the fighters live with their manager or at least close by, but ring nights are spent in cages to avoid chaos.
Kame is good for his age, one of the most talented fighters in his ring. His winning rate is high and the base of supporters wide. Still there's a reason to be nervous. Masuda is one of the most experienced fighters in Ueda's ring, and the fact he's completely beaten up by a stranger promises no good.
Koki has obviously noticed Kame's concern, and a slight frown is forming between his brows.
”Be careful, okay?” he says, his tone softer than before. ”I'd hate to see you ending up the same way Masuda did, even though you're stronger than him. Don't overdo yourself.”
”I know my limits,” Kame reassures his friend.
The fact is, Koki is quite kind-hearted once you get to know him. Underneath all the ink and American-styled clothing he's not actually all that bad-ass. Kame doesn't have the heart to break the fact to him, though. Koki seems to hang on his image tightly.
Someone calls Koki's name and the man leaves with a rushed goodbye and a wish of luck. Kame bites his lip and looks around. He hasn't seen Akanishi once, and tries to imagine what he could possibly look like. Who is Kame actually standing against?
He pictures in his mind a large man. Koki said nothing about Akanishi's age, and in Kame's mind he's around his thirties. Maybe western. He is tall, much taller than Kame, and has meaty muscles and a lot of mass. Yet he has the perfect body control, so he doesn't probably have the traditional motorbike gang -body type. What could be his weak points? Damn, Kame should have asked that from Koki. The young man tries to find his friend with his gaze, but Koki is already long gone.
The judge, Nakamaru, a wimpy man who obviously loves to step on the fighters who are too exhausted and in pain to stop him, walks up to Kame without a word. Kame doesn't resist when he's pushed to the ring. He stands on the mark in the middle of it, not daring to look at Nakamaru, who is talking over the barrier to one of the remaining guards. The idea for ring barriers came from boxing, but they're a lot different. The ring at Ueda's is round and high, made of wood. There is only one entrance and nowhere to escape. Kame has always hated that ring, but he has nowhere else to go.
The lowly talking crowd suddenly gets quiet when the fighters' doors open. Kame stirs his eyes to see who's coming out. He can recognize Koki and Nishikido, guards who usually bring the opponents in. They're walking a man who has a sharp look in his eyes. Kame can see that even though they're trying to look as calm as possible, Koki is almost squeezing Akanishi's arm and Nishikido's hand wavers around his hips, obviously waiting for the moment he's allowed to pull his gun out.
But Koki and Nishikido are not the part catching Kame's main attention.
He feels like staring, but controls himself gracefully. Akanishi is nothing he expected. Actually, without the creepy look in his eyes, Kame wouldn't have guessed he'd just beaten a top fighter. Akanishi is Japanese and around Kame's height, maybe a few centimeters taller. He's also around Kame's age, though obviously a few years older. He's not bulky and doesn't have much muscles. In fact, he doesn't look like a fighter at all (though Kame can imagine Nishikido's snarky retort, more than you, Kamenashi – the grumpy midget never gets tired of commenting on Kame's slender body type).
Akanishi's body has things an experienced fighter doesn't. Curves and movements not made for attacking alone. His legs are long and his slightly curly hair reaches his shoulders, framing his face. He has baggy, dirty jeans with a belt and a sleeveless, white shirt. The legs of his jeans are pushed inside military boots. He does have muscles, yes, but not outstandingly, more like any well-exercising young man in their twenties.
Kame doesn't know what to think. He can't deny Akanishi isn't attractive on some level, but considering him as a fighter? Never. There are many types of fighters, quite often opposites of each other. Some can be stereotypically big, bulky and meaty, like wide cupboards come to life, some can be smaller, more slender and usually faster and more technique-based. Some are experts on self-defense techniques no matter what size, some take advantage of weapons (they're luckily forbidden in Ueda's ring, though). Basically many kinds of people can be successful fighters. But for some reason Akanishi doesn't look like a fighter at all.
It gives Kame a little more confidence, but he's careful not to let himself get too sloppy. Akanishi is still obviously worth the fear, because Koki looks about nauseous when he backs out of the ring with Nishikido.
Akanishi walks in front of Kame and turns to face him. He locks his gaze with Kame's, who doesn't resist – instead he looks back, tries to examine the feelings in Akanishi's eyes and at the same time look as intimidating as he can. Not that it's very useful. Many opponents take him for granted after one look – Kame is thin, almost scrawny to some people, and does not have the build of an athlete, but looks can betray you. Most of the opponents looking down on him lay on the ground ten minutes later.
But Akanishi's different. Kame tries to find something else but pure, raw rage out of his eyes, but can't see anything. No fear, no condescending, no exhaustion, nothing. Something in Akanishi's being makes Kame lean unconsciously away from him.
Nakamaru, who's standing next to them, starts calling out the beginning. Kame can feel his heartbeats setting down with the pace of the numbers. 10, 9, 8, 7. He doesn't know what to expect from the fight. They're not wrestling, not boxing – the point of these fights is the fact you're allowed to do anything, use any tactic you want as long as it doesn't involve guns. Some rings allow small weapons such as blades or chains, but most have the policy of bare hands.
4, 3, 2.
With the scream of zero Nakamaru backs down and literally jumps over the barrier. He's too much of a coward to do anything in the ring while the fighters are at it. Thankfully that's why they have guards, to stop them if things get too violent or harsh. Or someone (like Akanishi) decides to practically kill their opponent where they stand.
Kame's not sure why he enjoys fighting. It's painful, most of the time borderline dangerous, and doesn't take him anywhere. Yet he can't help the sweet adrenaline rush everytime Nakamaru's call is out and his heart sinks as the fight has officially started.
Usually he likes to wander around a little at first, see what his opponent is like, but this time he doesn't have time for that. The moment the crowd starts screaming again, the sharp, furious look in Akanishi's eyes changes. He's not only enraged anymore. He's hungry.
Kame doesn't even have the time to stop the other man as Akanishi suddenly rushes towards him, throwing him against the ring barrier with brutal force. Kame can feel air escaping his lungs, but he stands up and ducks down as Akanishi attempts to kick him, pressing against the man and curling his arms around Akanishi's waist, pushing him down to the ground. If it's going to be like this, there's no reason to hold back.
Akanishi's answer is another kick. He grabs Kame's shoulders and tries to change their position, but Kame punches him twice with his right hook – he's quite fond of it, as it's one of his best hits, even though it makes his fist ache. Koki taught it to him years ago and he's improved since then. Akanishi, who looks a little shaken by the strikes, suddenly grabs Kame's wrist instead and twists.
The younger man wails in pain and loses his focus, giving Akanishi the opportunity to overtake him, pinning him down against the sand. Kame can hear the crowd yell once again, that primitive rush of noise, as Akanishi curls his fingers around the throat of the man lying under him. Next Kame can feel painful punches and tries to gasp for air without success, feeling uncomfortably dizzy. There's a pulsating, sharp pain in his cheek and lip – he can feel blood already dribble on the surface of the wounded skin. As he cracks an eye he can see Akanishi's hand forming another fist and his arm tensing, obviously ready for another punch. At the same time Kame can feel the man's fingers tightening their grip, preventing any inhaling of oxygen.
Before Akanishi can even start the trajectory of his punch, Kame has already gathered the last straws of strength he has without air. It would be downright humiliating to lose this early, despite the smoky red dancing in the corners of his eyes. Kame grabs Akanishi's hand and pushes his bend feet against the ground, bouncing up, bringing Akanishi with him. The older man releases his grip in surprise and stumbles confusedly backwards.
A smug smirk forms on Kame's lips as he finally breathes in some air, panting lightly.
He's not taken aback at all when Akanishi rushes towards him again, obviously attempting to knock him down. Kame stretches his left leg and when Akanishi is close enough, he lifts his leg with speed and force in an upright kick. It reaches Akanishi's face easily, and Kame can feel how it hits his jaw with so much power Kame's sure he hears a crack of bone. He can quickly see how Akanishi is thrown away from him, to the ground, but then the force of the kick makes Kame turn around as his leg hits the sand again. He stumbles a little, still back turned to Akanishi.
Soon Kame learns that turning your back on that man is the worst thing you can do. When he stands straight, something suddenly tackles him from behind. It doesn't take much to realize Akanishi has jumped on his back, arms surrounding him and nails clawing his chest. Kame gasps, feeling Akanishi's hot breath on his neck, body pressed vigorously pressed against his back.
“You're a tough one,” Akanishi whispers as he rakes his nails against Kame's black shirt, and when he reaches skin, he leaves clear cuts on Kame's collarbones. “Too bad I'm going to destroy you.”
“Less talking, more fighting,” Kame hisses, but he doesn't have time to do anything, because in this section, Akanishi is faster than him.
The man's nails stop abusing Kame's skin as Akanishi retreats and then smashes himself against Kame's back as hard as he can, making the man fly on his face. Akanishi follows, pressing his hands to keep Kame on the ground. The latter coughs as sand gets in his mouth and tries to turn around, roll under Akanishi and get away from him. Kame doesn't manage neither of those things, for Akanishi abruptly takes a handful of his hair, pulling his head up, making him grit his teeth in pain.
He can now see the faces of the crowd and quickly closes his eyes. Those faces are not something he wants to see. Their sounds are already enough, he doesn't need another reminder of the fact he's going to be utterly and completely ridiculed, not to mention hated, if he gives up now. He doesn't fight for the audience, not for his supporters or anyone else, but their reactions disgust him, make him feel sick.
So he pulls his head forwards, away from Akanishi's grip, and changes their position by rolling over. He presses the shrieking man down with his elbow and then jumps up again, not minding if he accidentally hurts Akanishi in the process. The older man soon follows his suit, also standing up, his clothes covered in sand.
Kame almost gets scared again when he happens to look at Akanishi's eyes. He certainly doesn't like what he sees in them. Akanishi is literally trembling, but not out of physical pain – out of anger. Kame doesn't even realize when he takes an uncertain step back. There is something intimidating about Akanishi, but Kame can't quite put a finger on it. He's not sure what it is about the other man that makes him lean away from that person, be automatically suspicious, but whatever it is, it's strong.
Akanishi notices his reaction. This time it's his turn to smirk, but the expression is downright creepy on his face. Kame bites the inside of his mouth to keep from taking any steps back. His muscles are tense, there's a hitch in his breath and he's ready to answer to Akanishi's attack at any moment. What distracts him the most is the fact Akanishi just keeps standing there, keeps smirking at him, not doing anything. He seems confident and relaxed, no tensing, no sudden movements – like his wounds or injuries don't hurt at all, like he's already won. An attitude like that would normally make Kame angry and have him attack, but this time it terrifies him. Something about Akanishi is not normal, and Kame's not talking about looks or personality. Something about Akanishi is badly off.
That's pretty much exactly when Akanishi moves.
At first Kame doesn't see it coming, doesn't register the way Akanishi reaches for the pocket of his jeans. When he understands what the man is doing it's already too late, Akanishi has pulled his hand away. The crackling light shines off the blade Akanishi's holding all of a sudden. Kame flinches back, but doesn't have the time to retreat or defend himself before Akanishi is already running towards him, a wide smile on his face.
Kame backs down and feels the ring barrier against his back. The crowd screams even louder and seconds seem to slow down. Kame can see Akanishi reaching him, the blade coming closer and closes his eyes as he feels it touching his throat, tracing the lines of his veins.
Then the touch suddenly disappears and Kame opens his eyes, feels time rushing on him like a wave.
Guards have stepped in the ring and are now holding Akanishi back. Koki, who looks simply furious, closes a metal collar around his neck. Someone has snatched his blade, probably Nishikido. Before Kame can take it all in, he's surrounded by people, mostly guards. Akanishi screams in a way that makes shivers go down Kame's spine.
He flinches against the ring barrier when Akanishi suddenly rushes towards him, but he's pulled abruptly by a chain attached to his collar. Koki pulls him back and for a second Akanishi looks intolerably outraged.
He's quite a sight. Dark eyes with a sharp look, graceful features and soft, full lips leaving deep pants. There's an ugly bruise on the corner of his mouth, probably left by Kame's leg, and his other eye is slowly turning blue. There are little cuts all over his arms and body, caused by the coarse sand. Kame can see a drops of sweat glistening on his skin, can feel his eyes fixated on his opponent. Akanishi is now on the ground on his knees, not trying to fight the collar anymore.
Koki snorts unapprovingly and pulls Akanishi harshly up by his chain. Koki, Nishikido and two other guards escort him to the fighters' doors and Kame follows them with his gaze. He has forgotten all about his own injuries, the way his body is still trembling with tremor, isn't aware of a clear, nearly unnoticeable cut on his throat.
He shivers when Akanishi looks at him over his shoulder as he disappears behind the doors.
* * *
Jin hates this. Hates this so much he wants to punch something.
He has no idea where he is. All he knows it's still in Ueda's building, probably the upstairs of the same smoky club one floor higher than the fighting ring. The room he's in is ridiculously small and dark, only one dying candle giving him proper light. There isn't much to look at – only the bed he's currently sitting on, an uncomfortable, wooden chair and a little table with the candle on it. The door is closed and no matter how hard he tries, Jin can't hear any noises.
He doesn't know how long he's been there. Those guards weren't exactly what one would call nice, sensitive or careful. They literally threw him into the room and one of them pressed him painfully against the bed as the other one handcuffed him, locking him to the bed end's bars. Both of them looked like they could've beaten the shit out of him by any time, so Jin didn't say or do anything until they were out the door.
He is very possibly screwed. The worst part is, someone has actually hung the keys to his handcuffs on the wall, making him incredibly frustrated. His access to freedom is so close, yet so far away he wants to punch something again.
He's not completely sure himself what happened in the ring. He doesn't even fully remember what he did, but he does remember taking the blade and trying to stab Kamenashi. Almost succeeding, actually. Why, he has no idea – it was like something came and overtook him, used his body as a weapon. Things like that have happened before, but not once with a blade or anything like it. Jin's not designed to kill, only to damage. He swallows and closes his eyes: this isn't going to make Takki happy. He should be able to control himself in a situation like this.
He opens his eyes, biting his lower lip as he wriggles a little on the bed, pulling his hands and grimacing at the pain the handcuffs cause. He doesn't know a thing about Ueda's policies. Could he get away with it? Probably not, not with the way he injured the fighter before Kamenashi. Then what is going to happen to him? Will he be erased?
The thought makes Jin shiver. Some ring leaders do the decision of killing off the fighters too dangerous to use. It is useless to release them or transfer them to other rings since they are nothing on their own and would just continue their behavior in someone else's hands. Jin is on his own, and that fact makes him even more worried than he already is. There will be no one to save him if Ueda decides to take action, not at least on time.
Jin sighs and presses his head against the cold wall. Someone will come for him sooner or later, it's only a matter of time, but until that he has absolutely nothing to do. His injuries hurt – Kamenashi wasn't that useless after all. It's hard to concentrate on anything and sleeping is out of the question.
He has to wait.
* * *
Kame is still confused when he's sitting in the preparement room for fighters. Koki has crouched beside him, trying to stop him from flinching while trying to disinfect the cuts on his collarbones. Kame isn't sure if he should think his friend's obvious hatred of what just happened is adorable or painful, because even though Koki means to help, there is an angry strength to his movements that makes Kame's injuries hurt more.
“I'm going to kill that bastard where he stands,” Koki huffs and moves to take care of Kame's legs. His trousers are dirty and there is a bloody tear in the fabric around his left knee. Kame hisses when Koki heartlessly pulls on the fabric, making the tear wider and then applies the disinfectant, his motions still sharp and jerky.
“Where is he?” Kame asks and grimaces as Koki taps his knee for the last time before putting on a band-aid.
“I don't know,” the blonde shrugs. “I was there until the club lobby, but then turned back. Nishikido and Okada led him after that. Good thing, actually, apparently I was a bit... harsh with him.”
Kame doesn't say anything, only hems and pulls his leg slowly away from his friend's touch.
“Thanks. I'm off now.”
“You sure you're okay?” Koki asks with a worried frown. Kame smiles.
“Yeah. Take care.”
His shoulders feel heavy as he walks across the preparement room. It's a bit like locker rooms in high school, the ones he remembers loving back in the day. Low ceiling, thick air, long, wide benches and packs of people everywhere. Some are practicing, some talking, some taking care of their injuries. From the corner of his eye Kame sees how a young boy steps out of the front doors to the ring room. Before the doors close, Kame also notices the boy being pushed into his cage. He shivers unconsciously.
At the back of the preparement room is another pair of doors leading to 12 o'clock's back room. It's a rather popular night club for more grown-up customers, one of those places where smoke covers people's eyes and smiles disappear around the edges of vodka glasses. No thumping music or trashy bunches of teenagers. Classy, but casual. Ueda Tatsuya is good friends with the owner of the club and has the permission to hold his (illegal) fighting ring in the cellar spaces of 12 o'clock. He also has one floor above the club itself in his total use, which makes many think he's probably sleeping with the owner, whoever that person is. That's where he hosts his best fighters, Kame being one of them. No need to get your own apartment as long as Ueda likes you.
And he sure does like Kame. Kame's been in his ring for nearly three years now, which is quite a long time for someone like him. He's not sure what Ueda finds so enticing about him, but the man has been training him for all those years, giving him a home and a family. Kame's not in the place to complain, so the thoughts of demanding Akanishi's removal or erasing (there's a difference) fade from his mind as he pushes the back doors open and walks up some stairs, arriving in the back room.
No matter how much Ueda might favor them, he has given strict rules to all his fighters. When you walk in or out the ring area, you're invisible. You won't stay and hang out at the club in your fighting clothes (which usually don't match up with the dress code), especially after a fight. You go straight upstairs or out the back door. You don't talk to anyone, you don't make eye contact. You don't run or press against the walls either, because that evokes suspicion, but you're as unnoticeable as possible. If there's an injury that needs medical treatment, the ambulance will be called one block away. If someone who lives in the building is in a condition where he needs someone to assist him, they'll have to be extra careful. Ueda can seem absent-minded and falsely cute, but when it comes to business, he shows his true form.
Many complain about his attitude, the way he's so neurotic about his fighters and is mad even if they go to the club in proper clothes, woundless, any other day than Friday. But Kame gets it, gets why Ueda is so cautious. Even the smallest things can be noticed by someone, and a police raid is the last thing they need.
There's no one in the back room. It's filled with things like straw boxes and broken blenders, halogen lights making it look almost ghostly. Kame limps through the room and steps in the dim, red hallway, immediately clashing into a waiter, who's apparently going to get something from the back room. The young woman gives him a strange look but doesn't stay to say anything but mandatory apologies, leaving Kame alone in the corridor.
After that it turns out to be quite a task to get upstairs without causing commotion. Kame looks like he's just been badly beaten up (which is the truth, actually) and definitely doesn't match the dress code. In fact, he looks like he's a homeless hobo from the street who has sneaked in. He tries to blend into walls as he walks to the stairs. Some customers walk by and look at him for a long time, but he avoids eye contact as much as he can. Sometimes he hates his position.
When Kame finally gets there and pushes the doorknob down, something begins to pool in his stomach. It's like a distant pull, an echo coming from somewhere far away. For a moment Kame stills, but then shakes the feeling off. He bites his lip, opening the door with more force than he intended to use.
The sound of a door closing behind him calms his nerves.
* * *
Kame tries to hold himself back, he really tries. But when he is lying on his bed in that desolate room, the temptation starts to crawl back to him. He turns around, presses his face against the cheap sheets and tries to think of happy thoughts. What he will do with his fighting money, where will he go, what he'll buy. He thinks of his friends and the warm fall they have been having in Tokyo. He thinks of his adorable niece, dreams about a new car, about learning French, about having a week off sometime and just going somewhere completely new.
But it doesn't help.
Kame isn't a masochist. He isn't dumb, either. Yet he finds his thoughts constantly wandering off to Akanishi. What does it take for a person to become like that? What kind of things does Akanishi think about? The look in his eyes, it was tormenting. Kame is sure he has the right to talk to the man who has almost killed him. Something about Akanishi is simply haunting.
Trying to push the thoughts away, Kame just breathes against the mattress. He doesn't know how long he lies there, but when he gets up, it's fast. He nearly breaks his neck while jumping out of the bed, proceeding on pulling on some jeans and a new T-shirt. His muscles are aching and his head feels fizzy, but nonetheless he continues his ministrations and leaves the room, trying to make his steps as quiet as possible.
He has a pretty good idea of where Akanishi is being kept. There aren't many free rooms left upstairs, so he's probably either in the old storage room or the only free bedroom. Kame decides to try the storage room first, since Nishikido wouldn't put someone he dislikes in a comfortable place.
Kame feels like a kid doing something strictly forbidden. It sounds kind of stupid to look for someone who has tried to stab you and possibly has no interest whatsoever of meeting you, but Kame makes an admirable effort at not thinking about his own idiocy. Instead he concentrates on counting the doors as he paces through the corridor.
* * *
Jin snaps his head up when he hears someone shove the door open. He isn't sure if he's happy about it or not – on the other hand, the incoming person could be giving him some bad news or worse, erasing him. But then again, even being pulled to the floor or downstairs and being shot to the back of his head would be better than staying in that upright, uncomfortable position with his wrists twisted nearly unnaturally, handcuffs abrading against his skin.
He's unable to hide his surprised expression and the rise of his eyebrows as he sees the person stepping in the room. It's Kamenashi, the guy he fought earlier. There's a weird look on the man's face, one that makes Jin wonder if Kamenashi's there for revenge – but he doesn't seem like someone who would do that. He was too defending in the ring.
Jin gets over his surprise quickly and tries to make his face as deadpan as possible. Kamenashi pushes the door shut behind him and the quiet sound of it closing makes the awkward silence around them even deeper. When it starts to become suffocating, Jin opens his mouth and lets his words pierce the air, enjoys the way their suddenness makes Kamenashi flinch.
“Why are you here?” Jin asks, his tone cold and unimpressed. “Didn't I fuck you up enough before?”
Kamenashi looks taken aback. Jin feels relieved: faster the guy is out of his room, better. Now is not the time to hear some butthurt fighter complain to him. Human contact is overrated.
“You're not exactly the one to talk,” Kamenashi retorts, recovering astonishingly quickly. “They handcuffed you to a bedpost.”
“Thank you for informing me, wouldn't have realized it otherwise,” Jin spits out and scowls at Kamenashi. He doesn't want any reminders of his unfortunate situation.
“No need to be so bitchy,” Kamenashi says, his voice a little lower but still loud enough to hear.
“Just tell me what you wanted to say and fuck off,” Jin sighs and turns his gaze away from the other man, staring at the ugly, nearly broken chair instead.
“Why did you try to stab me?”
It's so blunt and simple Jin automatically turns to look at Kamenashi again. The man looks serious, standing in the middle of that stupid little room, his eyes fixated on Jin. All of a sudden Jin feels like suffocating again and has to take some deep, tremoring breaths before he can say anything.
The truth is, he wants to know as badly as Kamenashi does. The blade he has is for self-defense only, and that most certainly wasn't a situation he would have been allowed to use it. This has happened earlier, this isn't the first time, but Jin has never attacked anyone with a weapon. Not until now. Takki has told him it's probably some kind of anger issue he needs to work out, but Jin doesn't feel like he has any issues. He's not angry. It's not him.
These aren't things he's going to tell Kamenashi, though. The fact he owes the guy big time and has almost killed him doesn't change the fact Jin doesn't want to talk to that stupid guy with his crooked nose and dark hair. It's not anything personal, really, but Kamenashi is not on the list of the people Jin wants to get to know while his stay at Ueda's ring.
“You have funny ears,” he answers saucily. Kamenashi's eyes narrow dangerously and Jin understands this isn't the time to mess around.
“You tried to fucking kill me,” Kamenashi punctuates, his voice now low and sharp around the edges, making Jin shiver without realizing it.
“But I didn't,” Jin points out and tries to answer to Kamenashi's glare with grace.
“You would have,” he standing man states, “if the guards didn't stop you.”
That's something Jin can't argue.
There's a silence. Kamenashi obviously notices Jin doesn't have anything to say, but he doesn't force the conversation to go on. He seems suspiciously relaxed altogether, straightforward and confident, especially when considering he's in the same room with someone who almost stabbed him a few moments earlier. Then Jin remembers he's handcuffed – something Kamenashi has probably realized too.
“Why?”
Kamenashi repeats his question, but Jin can't bring himself to answer with anything sarcastic or snarky. Instead he tries to look as intimidating as possible, but has a feeling he fails at it big time.
“Just go away,” he finally gives a sigh. “I don't even know you. You're obviously fine, so just suck it up like a man and fuck off.”
Jin can see from the movements of Kamenashi that those words were badly phrased. He nearly flinches at the way Kamenashi's eyes narrow and begin burning with a piercing stare, almost shivers when he sees how the man stars to look taller, stronger, faster. He suddenly feels threatened, and the fact he can do absolutely nothing if Kamenashi decides to beat the living daylights out of him, doesn't exactly loosen him up.
“Don't you dare to talk back to me,” Kamenashi growls and takes a step closer. “Don't. You. Dare.”
“Why the hell do you care so much,” Jin grunts, surprised at how straightforwardly he can still talk, considering his inner terror. “You've been in this business for a while, you know how it goes. Things like these happen.”
“That's the point. They don't,” Kamenashi notes. “You weren't trying to bluff or defend yourself. You were literally trying to kill me. Not even fight, just kill.”
“You don't know that.”
His voice is quieter, lower, and he realizes he's completely lost control over it.
“I do. You do understand you're clear to read? You're like an open book, Akanishi. You wanted to kill me.”
Jin does his best. He bites his tongue, tries to close his ears, tries to concentrate on something else. He sings songs in his head, thinks about clouds and sunshine. None of that works. When he notices it, he has already pulled his head up and fixed his look on Kamenashi, opened his mouth and started talking.
“You don't know anything. You don't know me. You're just a child.”
“A child you tried to stab to death.”
“You know nothing! Get the hell out!”
“I want you to answer me!”
“Here's an answer: get out!”
It works. Like on a spell, Kamenashi scowls at him for the last time and turns around. Jin can't move until the man is out the door, banging it closed much more loudly than what is necessary.
If Jin isn't going to get erased, he is going to hear from Kamenashi. He's not sure which one is worse.
* * *
There's a cold breeze of wind hovering over his nape. He shivers slightly and turns quietly to look around, only to see that the closest window has been left open. He huffs, making his way through the dark room, keeping his steps as light and silent as possible. Sometimes there's a noise coming outside the room, and he jumps at every single one of them, preparing to either hide or run. Usually he hates escaping, hates the feeling he gets when he doesn't face something, but now is not the time to complain. Not one soul is supposed to see him.
He tries to discern the vague features of the room as he smoothly shifts over the floor. A smug smile curls around the corner of his lips as he finally finds what he's been looking for, and tentatively he places his hand on an old drawer. It's right in the corner of the room, out of most people's sight. He knocks on the wood before impatiently drawing out the first box.
It's hard to see anything in the dim lightning, so he has to feel his way around. No cash, nothing made of paper, only little objects such as keys and a notebook. For a second the thought of stealing it crosses his mind, but then again it's probably nothing important. Only a moron keeps important things in the first drawer box, and Ueda is actually a little too bright to suit his tastes.
He pushes the box closed and opens the second one. He's in the middle of feeling up a small envelope with his fingers when he hears noises outside the room. At first he still, freezes on the spot, but as his ears focus on the sounds, he realizes they're footsteps. Biting his lip, he continues his ministrations and opens two other boxes, searching around them desperately as the steps get closer and closer.
When he can hear two people talking outside the door and someone fumbling for the key, he stands up and looks around. He doesn't care to push the boxes closed and hurries through the room, trying to find somewhere to hide. The doorknob pushes down and a small trace of light appears on the floor. He throws open the closest doors he finds and steps into a closet or a cabinet of some sort, slamming the doors shut again as quietly as possible and holding his breath as he hears someone step in the room.
There's a shriek and an incoherent shout of someone's name. He can hear more sounds, a few more people coming in. Then someone talks, but he can't make out the words, they're all muffed by the thick wood of his closet. He starts unconsciously trembling when the people start searching around the room, probably trying to find out if anything has been stolen. He swallows with difficulty when a pair of steps stops in front of his cabinet, but then there's a shout coming down from the corridor. The steps disappear and so do all the other sounds.
The people have left.
He smiles.
* * *
A/N: Yes, there's a club named 12 o'clock. No, I don't have any imagination whatsoever.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-01-19 10:47 pm (UTC)Really, really interesting! ...Well, honestly, I saw the word "cage" so I hurried to read just because of that-- XDD
I WANT MORE *_______* Oh my god are you a genius or what?! And I was supposed to take a break from LJ but here I am commenting skjdfhkjsdfh. AHH.
“You have funny ears,” he answers saucily.
SJKDFHJDSF. XD ♥
Btw, you, LINK YOUR TUMBLR. NOW. ME WANT.no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 03:34 pm (UTC)YOU'RE BEING TOO NICE TO ME. though I kind of knew that anything with words 'cage', 'handcuffs', 'bondage' etc etc would attract your attention and actually laughed at the thought a bit......... HELI, YOU'RE TOO PREDICTABLE.
but but but thank youuuuuuuu. ♥ and sdlwjesfdkljdf TOO DEMANDING. HERE (http://sundayroads.tumblr.com/). I'VE HAD IT ALMOST FOR A YEAR BY NOW (THOUGH I STOPPED USING IT FOR A WHILE AND FOUND IT AGAIN IN, LIKE, THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY).
no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 03:37 pm (UTC)♥
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Date: 2011-01-20 04:03 pm (UTC)Wait, what, are you saying that I'm a pervert? Why do everyone keep saying that nowadays :((
'Cause it's true? But who in this fandom isn't...ANYWAYS IT'S NOT LIKE THAT I JUST LIKE CAGES....................................Yes.
AND AND AND HAHA FINALLYYYY. Why are you always so... so... You never tell me anything! :( But I followed you on tumblr YOU CANNOT ESCAPE ME ANYMORE. Don't tell me you have a secret twitter too...
no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 05:14 pm (UTC)YOU SOUND SO CREEPY FEFSFÖSEF :DDD and I don't even know, I just... it feels so stupid to just suddenly jump in front of you and be all like "OHAI I JUST MADE A TUMBLR/TWITTER/LJ/HABBO HOTEL/SOMETHING" :(
and the twitter thing........ well... I kind of did.........
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Date: 2011-01-19 11:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 04:36 pm (UTC)I'm glad you enjoyed it, dlawjskdae more'll be coming soon. :---3
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Date: 2011-01-20 12:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 04:37 pm (UTC)ps your icon. ASERDSFJF;; ♥
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Date: 2011-01-20 01:22 am (UTC)i want more please?? ♥
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Date: 2011-01-20 04:38 pm (UTC)more coming soon! :D
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Date: 2011-01-20 01:43 am (UTC)I like the whole concepts which screams on danger, violence, interesting characters and especially an interesting plot.
I am definitively looking forward to hear more of those twos background stories. ^^
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Date: 2011-01-20 04:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 03:04 am (UTC)Thanks for sharing!
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Date: 2011-01-20 04:53 pm (UTC)the next chapter will be coming soon, please stay tuned (:
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Date: 2011-01-20 03:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 06:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 04:30 am (UTC)I really like your style of writing, how you describe things and the characters are very interesting.
I'm so curious what's behind Jin's behavior.
There's a constant tension laying in the air and you can really let yourself get dragged into the story.
I like the setting in it's beautiful rawness. (don't know if I'm even making sense here)
Can't wait for more!
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Date: 2011-01-23 03:31 pm (UTC)jin's behavior will be explained.. well, if not fully, then at least somehow in the next chapter(s). coming soon ♥
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Date: 2011-01-20 05:38 am (UTC)it's cool!!!!!!!
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Date: 2011-01-23 03:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 07:06 am (UTC)Wow, I like this type of fic ~ Woww! OMG, I gotta say I love your work!*hug you tight*
Can't wait for the next chapter!
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Date: 2011-01-23 03:33 pm (UTC)next chapter is coming in a week or two :)
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Date: 2011-01-20 08:14 am (UTC)is kame trying to steal the key from ueda?
Thank u fir sharing
I like this story a lot:)
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Date: 2011-01-23 03:36 pm (UTC)thank you for reading & commenting!
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Date: 2011-01-20 11:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-23 03:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 07:50 pm (UTC)im ur number one fan, u know it. this is awesome, me wannnnts moaaarrr.
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Date: 2011-01-23 03:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-21 02:03 am (UTC)great fic so far, love it, so intense XXDD curious as to who is the person at the end! so many questions about Jin and Kame, can't wait to read the next part XD ♥♥♥♥ ^__^
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Date: 2011-01-23 03:41 pm (UTC)haha, thanks! :D the person will be revealed soon~ thank you for reading and commenting! ♥
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Date: 2011-02-20 06:34 am (UTC)Hmm...