I hereby declear my school hiatus to be OVER!! \^__________^/ *dances and throws candy*
...Okay, so I have 5 essays to finish in two months and have only gotten as far as halfway on one. That will be interesting >.< Why, oh why did I take on so many courses this year?!
A lot has happened during the past few months I've been away, but I won't bore you with any details and just get on with the posting. Sorry for not updating in a long time and for missing Kame-chan's birthday <3 At least Jin remembered it well with his post declearing the release of Eternal and how it is a song that can be sung on birthdays and anniversaries and such <3 Yes, no one noticed you wrote that on Kame's bday ^^
Title: In his Care
Chapter: 82/86
Pairings: Akame, TxT, KinKi Kids, TomaPi, RyoUchi, YunJae and many more. This whole fic is totally gay.
Fandoms: JE, wFL, random Jboys, random Kboys and hints of tenimyu and dramas
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: please pay attention to possible separate warnings (e.g. spoiler warnings) posted at each chap, overall warnings for non-con, violence and language. In this chapter I guess I don't need to warn that much, but there are things from Maou, Majo Saiban and 1 Pound Fukuin.
Disclaimer: I own only the story.
Summary: AU. Kame's two years in prison and his life after that. In this chapter Kame tries to be equal to Jin and rivals him in different areas of Jin's life...
I'd like to point out once more that my knowledge in law resembles that showed on Ally McBeal and Legally Blonde, so please be kind law students (if there are such readers ^^).
[Phase one]
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 [Phase two]
Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 [Phase three]
Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 Chapter 70 Chapter 71 Chapter 72 Chapter 73 Chapter 74 Chapter 75 Chapter 76 Chapter 77 Chapter 78 Chapter 79 [Phase four]
Chapter 80 Chapter 81 Cata, darling, you are simply the best <3 She saved me from publicly humiliating myself again with some stupid typos and so and she did a fast job in getting the fic back to me ^_____^ I love you, aikata!! ;D
Since there is a big chance that I'll be going in exchange to Japan starting September, I will try to finish this fic this summer ^_____^ That leaves me three months and (at least) 4 more chapters to go XDv With my update speed it could prove to become an interesting challenge and I recall having had this same goal some summers before ^^; But it's not like I don't owe you wonderful readers (who are still with me ^^) faster updates. Ganbarimasu! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 82
Predictably enough as soon as the defendant party was whole again the trial continued.
Ohno and Masa's lawyer Kumada opened this session also by standing side by side, arguing whether or not this case was even worth having.
“There is a lack of evidence to support Takasugi-san's case.” Kumada insisted.
“We can prove that our client was at Kitagawa's club in America. We have footage from surveillance cameras around the block.” Ohno was just as persistent.
“That does not support him being abused in any shape or form in Johnny Kitagawa's club.” Kumada went on.
“We have a medical certificate signed by doctor Aizawa Kousaku in America that proves that our client was in fact sexually harassed and tried to be forced into sexual activities the night our footage shows he had been seen in your club.” Ohno stayed firm and Jin shot Yamapi, a.k.a. doctor Aizawa Kousaku, a knowing look.
“That still doesn't prove the harassment took place in my client's club.” Kumada argued. “This case is filled with holes.”
“Leave that to the judges and lay judges to decide.” Ohno insisted. “And we'll be more than happy to fill those holes when we bring out our second witness, who has firmer evidence as he used to be an employee in Johnny's club.”
“A witness, whom you won't reveal.” Kumada reminded him.
“Yes, because he is in protected custody right now.” Ohno replied. “This case has already been accepted and is therefore to proceed.”
And the case did, but it wasn't going to be an easy win and that was because the real fight took place outside of court and concerned the judges. And then there was the even more difficult fight that concerned Jin and Kame.
Jin's eyes snuck over to the other party, mainly to Kame, who in turn was eyeing one of the judges. He wished he could make Kame look at him instead. He wished this whole stupid trial would be over already so he could punish Johnny and Masa for everything he had had to suffer because of them and that wasn't sexual harassment, it was waking up alone with a cold empty space next to him.
Before the court adjourned for the day it was decided that the evidence would first be presented and they would then listen to the witnesses, him and Miyavi's.
Jin had barely gotten up before a hand firmly grabbed his shoulder.
“I don't think Masa will let you kidnap his lawyer-in-training a second time without any consequences, so let's try a different approach.” Yamapi said, letting go only when the opposite party had made it to a safe distance from Jin. “We’ve been looking into the judges' weaknesses. The first one's is money and I think Johnny has him in his pocket already. The second one's, very obviously, is sex. And I think that the woman's is- Hey! Where are you going?” Yamapi asked as he made the mistake in taking his eyes off Jin for a second and the other leader was already on his way somewhere he shouldn't be - into the area strictly reserved for judges and lay judges. The older boy didn't as much as bother to answer. “Son of a...” Yamapi muttered as he set after the reckless leader, cautious not to be seen.
In one of the rooms in that specific area a voting took place. The topic was whether or not Johnny Kitagawa's firm was to be held responsible for the claims presented or not.
“Definitely, yes.” Sakurai Sho, a.k.a. Kamiyama Satoru, answered and raised his hand.
“I say yes too.” Ueda, a.k.a. Amamiya Kuniyasu, agreed, also raising his hand.
“I vote no.” Noguchi Seigo said. “There's a clear lack of evidence.”
“I vote no too.” Furuya Keita replied.
“I vote yes.” Ikuta Toma, a.k.a. Yoshioka Toru, answered, raising his hand too and so the eyes turned to Tachibana Keita being the only one not having cast a vote yet.
If not a little hesitantly Keita replied, “I vote no.”
“So the opinions split in half.” the older male judge said. “This isn't an easy case, but be objective in your judgement.”
Like he was one to talk, Kusano and Matsumoto, the two reserve lay judges, thought sending each other a look. That man could so easily be bought and from the looks of it in court Masa's team was already trying to buy him using Kame-chan, so nothing very objective there.
“We'll meet here again before the next trial.” the judge added and the meeting was over.
As soon as the three judges had taken their leave, Sho spoke, “Not guilty? Really?”
The three wFL lay judges turned towards him.
“You know Johnny’s up to no good in America, right?” Sho continued. “You shouldn’t be helping him do to others what you’ve been through yourselves.”
“We’re not helping him, we’re helping Kame-chan.” Seigo insisted.
“And Kame-chan is helping him.” Matsumoto pointed out the obvious.
“He must have a reason.” Furuya Keita replied.
“So you don’t know anything either?” Ueda concluded.
“Or do you just not feel like sharing?” a voice from the open doorway came, earning the attention of everyone in the room.
“Takasugi-san, I’m sure you’re not supposed to be here.” Seigo said, about to take his leave together with the two Keita:s, but Jin refused to move from the doorway.
“We need to talk. Gather all your members from all three groups and meet us in the S club.” Jin said.
“Do you really think we’d enter your blocks willingly?” Seigo replied. “We’re not that stupid. We heard what you did to Kame-chan. Just try and do the same to one of us and you’ll risk losing your case. Masa will not let his lay judges be taken by you and even if we were to mysteriously disappear there are plenty more of us to take our places.”
“Kame’s in trouble.” Jin said and the three boys studied him, obviously not trusting him that easily. “You know he’d never help someone like Johnny Kitagawa if he had a choice. Help us rescue him.”
“You would rescue him?” Seigo asked. “You, who got him into this mess in the first place. If you had just kept him for a month like any other boy toy he would never have had to suffer as much as he has.”
“I’ve always wondered why it was that Kame-chan was never kicked out even when you thought the guys of News had touched him.” Furuya Keita joined in. “You kicked me out for similar reasons.”
“I can’t undo what I did, but I can make sure Kame doesn’t go down like this.” Jin replied.
“Can you?” Seigo asked, skeptically. “Can you really do anything for him? Or does it simply annoy you that you have no control over him right now and you want to force him to do it your way? But with Johnny and Masa standing in the way you can't touch him, so you're desperate enough to come ask for help from other former boy toys? Well, now you know what it feels like to be powerless.”
“You held more power over those who ruled you than you'll ever know.” Jin replied, taking both ex-boy toys aback by his answer.
“Let's go.” Seigo said to the others, pushing his way past Jin, and Furuya Keita followed in his steps while the second Keita delayed, giving Jin a look before exiting the room too.
“It's no use talking to them, we already tried.” Matsumoto said. “As long as Kame-chan is on Masa's side they will be too. We have to win Kame-chan over or come up with a hell of a good reason why we think Kame-chan's former master would be the better option over someone as powerful as Johnny Kitagawa.”
“Yeah, I know.” Jin muttered.
“So do something useful and focus on that last judge.” Yamapi spoke from behind Jin, who obviously hadn't even noticed his presence there. “If we find her weakness, we can persuade her. We can't sway those three lay judges, so we need to focus on the real judges to win this trial.”
“Why can't I take the one Kame-chan's targeting?” Jin wanted to know.
“Because Kame-chan's targeting him.” Yamapi said. “You won't be able to make a rational decision. You'll get jealous, furious, punch the judge and molest Kame-chan.”
Jin hated to admit how Yamapi always hit the nail and sometimes he wondered if the other leader knew him better than he knew himself. Crossing his arms he muttered, “So what's your strategy then?”
“Kame-chan may be giving the judge fantasies, but he can't fulfill them. He's just teasing, he won't sleep with the man and that won't be enough to win over this judge.” Yamapi explained.
“You're not saying one of us should sleep with that judge instead, are you?” Kusano had to ask.
“Of course not.” Yamapi replied, giving his gang mate a long look. “I'm saying that Kame is just the appetizer and the perfect weapon against Jin in court. All your focus goes on watching Kame watching that judge, which is exactly why we can't have Jin target the same judge.”
“What if Kame-chan would really sleep with the judge?” Matsumoto asked, immediately receiving a dangerous look from Jin. “Who knows what's happened to him over the past year.”
“I don't believe he could go that far.” Jin was glad to hear Yamapi reply. “We'd see signs if he had changed that much. He's toughened up a bit, but his new party tricks are limited.”
“Besides Johnny's Entertainment clubs will have plenty of companions to choose from.” Kusano pointed out.
“However I'm not saying Kame-chan is harmless. He awakens the judge's interest, lures him over and someone else takes care of the old man. We need to keep them apart so the judge won't go over to their side while Jin takes care of the female judge.” Yamapi explained, turning towards Jin then. “Do I have you with me on this?”
“Fine.” Jin muttered. “All I need to do is flirt with her, right? Then I'll be going at the old dude, so you better get him away from Kame-chan before that.”
“I have a plan.” Yamapi said. “It's hardly the first time this judge would use his position to get ahead, or get head, so we dig and see what skeletons we find in his closet, then use it and blackmail him.”
“Oh, so the good old blackmailing approach.” Jin said. “And if we don't find anything?”
“Then we just follow him for a day, take pictures, let him see them so he'll know he's being watched. Then he won't dare to accept any sweet deals from Masa or Kame-chan in fear he'll be caught with his pants down on our candid camera and end up on youtube.” Yamapi replied.
“Let me handle that one.”
The gangsters turned surprised to see a man strolling down the hallway.
“Tsuyoshi?” Toma said. “You were here to watch the trial? I thought I spotted you in the audience.”
“Sorry, but this is our plan. Our players will handle this.” Jin replied and Tsuyoshi slipped past him, taking a seat in one of the judge's chairs. “I know everyone's itching to play a part, but you guys come up with something else to do to annoy Johnny.”
“I have a history with this judge.” Tsuyoshi said. “He was one of the three that convicted me to the death sentence. Besides, I think I owe you one.”
“Fine.” Yamapi said. “We'll let you handle this.”
“This has better work.” Jin said, before turning on his heels adding a short, “I'm off.”
“Where's he going at this time?” Matsumoto asked.
Yamapi smiled. “He's not exactly the most patient type...”
Jin walked in quick steps down the hallway he wasn't supposed to be in. The area was practically empty of people due to the late hour, so where could a successful woman, probably not as successful in her love life, be hanging out at?
He exited the courthouse and stopped by the nearby bar, smiling for himself as he looked in through the window. How predictable. He pushed the door open and walked inside.
The bar practically screamed high class, where high-ranked business men came to have a drink after work or to discuss deals. It wasn't really that he suited the crowd, dressed in jeans and a plain shirt and a jacket. Tonight the place was only half-filled. Only a woman of high rank, looking to fill a social void in her life with a high ranked man, would come here in the middle of the week.
He left one chair empty between himself and the female figure as he took a seat by the counter.
For a short while he just sat there, seeing her send him a look and he let her catch him sending her one.
He didn't have time to do this how he usually would: enjoying every moment of the game and slowly luring his prey into his trap. He just wanted this over and done with so he could move onto more important things. He gave the silver ring a look before making his move that would break the ice between him and the woman next to him.
“Let our bodies do the talking.” Jin said for himself, but loud enough for the woman next to him to overhear and she turned her head in his direction.
“Excuse me?”
Jin gave her a sheepish smile. “I'm sorry, somehow as I sat down here and saw you, I suddenly came up with the missing lyrics for my new song. I feel so inspired.”
Although she couldn't formulate an answer, he clearly saw a spark in her eyes that said more than words ever could. She mustn't have gotten attention from a man in a long time if she was that flattered by his words.
“Can I buy you a drink?” he offered and saw her hesitate with her answer once more.
“We shouldn't be talking. You're a witness and I'm a judge.” she said and Jin gave her another look.
“Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you without your clothes.” he apologized and the woman sent him a shocked look. Jin smiled, “I mean, the robes you judges wear.”
“Oh,” she smiled, not being able to help it, and turned her head in the direction of the counter in an attempt to conceal it.
This was all too easy, seeing as she was there because she wanted to be picked up by someone, and it suited him well. He profiled her in a second: career woman, who secretly yearned for love behind the facade of a strong woman. She had to be to survive in a man's world, meaning she had learned how to be tough enough to have climbed this high.
“Seeing as we're both already here, can I buy you that drink?” Jin offered again and as she met his eyes he widened his smile.
“Sure.” she ended up saying.
~*~*~*~
During the following session in court Jin could already see the fruits of the other evening paying off. As he met her eyes, the judge could only look at him for that long. And even better, he could see from the corner of his eyes how Kame's gaze first set on him before following his to the woman in the black robe. Kame spent the rest of the session being more interested in the female judge and not giving the older male judge as much as a look. It was a double victory for him. Not only had he charmed the female judge last night, but now he was making Kame jealous too and that meant Kame spent less time on that old fart.
Jin's eyes narrowed as he watched the judge sitting in the middle, who soon declared the court to be adjourned. Said judge then got up and left, followed by the female one, who couldn't help sending one last look in his direction.
“You seem to have made a good start. Maybe you're not as rusty as I thought you were.” Yamapi said approvingly. “You've gained her attention, now go get her.”
He was going to get someone else.
“You're going the wrong way!” Yamapi yelled after him, as he was on his way out the room.
Jin turned back momentarily to answer. “You know how this works, I can't just suddenly be everywhere she is. I gotta give her time to want to see me again…in private.”
“Knowing you, you'll be giving her lots of time to miss you! Don't think I don't know where you're going off to!” Yamapi called after the other leader again, but this time Jin didn't bother to turn back and answer.
~*~*~*~
“Wanna run by me again why I have to come with you?” Ryo asked, as they were risking themselves by sneaking out of the blocks on a quest to find the Holy Grail - and since it was Jin’s quest they were looking for Kame.
“You complained about not to get any action, so shut up when I’m offering you some!” Jin replied, not adding how Yamapi would probably have said no if he had asked him. Yamapi would only have tried to stop him from going after Kame in the first place. The bastard seemed convinced he had no control over Kame, but he’d show that guy! He’d show them all what he could do! If he got Kame to his side, there would be no one in court to draw the older male judge's interest to Masa's team. As far as he was concerned he would be doing everyone a favor and making Tsuyoshi's job a lot easier.
“Sorry, Akanishi. He’s out for a run.” a tall man said, as the two gangsters peeked into a gym.
Ryo noted how this dude knew Jin’s name. This was hardly the first time Jin was there then. Also, Jin's bike seemed to be parked outside it. Jin wasn't even being very subtle about tailing Kame.
“Ah, thanks. I know the route he usually takes.” Jin replied and they set off down a small sand road.
“You know the route?” Ryo asked.
“He’s been training at this gym ever since he came back.” Jin said.
“Why, haven’t you done research on him after all~” Ryo teased. “That’d a boy!”
“I followed him down this route a couple of times to figure out where he goes.” Jin said. “But once he almost discovered me so I had to lie under a pile of leaves and wait for him to run past.”
“Akanishi…I am not hiding under a bunch of stupid leaves. You can count me out.” Ryo clarified.
“Yeah, yeah…” Jin said, trailing off and stopping so abruptly Ryo nearly bumped into him.
“What’s wrong? Do we need to take cover already?” the Osaka man asked, immediately looking for a pile of leaves to dive under despite his earlier comment, noticing then Jin’s gaze was stuck somewhere and following it he saw Kame standing outside some gates. “A convent? Has he turned religious now? At least he understood to become a nun and not a monk. The monks would find celibacy to become quite the hard task if he lived among them. You know, I’m really starting to believe he’s had enough of you. Maybe you got rusty during the time you were living in celibacy - well, are living in celibacy…like a monk…or a nun.”
“What is he doing there?” Jin asked, ignoring Ryo’s comments. “Doesn’t he know those religious people would never approve of us being together?”
“Maybe he really gave up on you.” Ryo offered as a rational explanation.
“Sister Angela!” Kame called.
“Why does he know her name?!” Jin demanded to know. “Thank God Sisters have to live in celibacy!”
“Looks like that one over there, this Angela or what’s her face, has doubts…” Ryo teased.
“Shut up!” Jin barked. Why did what’s her face have to have such a pretty face too?
“Whatever.” Ryo sighed. “I’m out of here. Thanks for the tour.”
Jin was getting slightly irritated by his friends that were constantly abandoning him, but right now it was all for the best since he had some things to say to Kame regarding nuns.
He followed Kame back to the boxing club and once the coast was clear and they were alone he made his appearance.
“So this is where you get so strong~” Jin said as he strolled over to where Kame was punching the sack, seeing the figure tense and stop laying punches.
Kame sighed, turning towards him. “You followed me? Come to kidnap me again?”
Jin noted Kame was on the alert, probably afraid that his guess would turn out to be true. “I’m tempted, but I actually came to get my bike you have parked outside.” Jin said, stretching out his hand. “Key, please.”
Slipping past him, Kame disappeared into the locker room, returning shortly after with a small item. Doubtfully he stretched his hand out to give the key back to Jin, pulling his hand back as soon as the exchange was completed.
Jin shot the key a look before putting it into his pocket. “It looked as if you were pretty comfortable on the bike. You’ve been riding without me?”
“It’s not like I was cheating, we had already broken up.” Kame replied.
“I'm the only one who gets to take you for a ride and we are not finished.” Jin clarified, but Kame ignored him.
“Don’t you have more important things to do like win a trial?” Kame asked, fixing his gloves back onto his hands.
Jin smiled. “I’m more interested in winning you over.”
“Oh really?” the boy mumbled, laying one punch. “Your chances of winning the trial are better and they are pretty slim too.”
“Your attempts to brush me off only makes me more excited. It’s thrilling how you’re making me chase you again.” Jin said, catching the sack and forcing Kame to stop punching and focus on him instead. “It’s a real challenge to catch you. Just when I think I have you right where I want you, you go slipping out of my chains and riding off on my bike.”
Kame sighed in defeat, knowing too well his peaceful training time was ruined. He loosened his gloves, taking them off again and Jin enjoyed this gesture that meant he had won. He was just about to suggest other activities to Kame when they were cruelly interrupted.
“Oh, hi there, Akanishi!” Ueda greeted in a cheerful voice, as he and the other boxers entered the room. Jin didn’t need to see Kame’s face to know the boy was surprised that his boxer buddy knew Jin. “I see you found Kamenashi.” Ueda decided to make it worse.
Kame's spiky gaze was creating a hole in Jin and the smaller boy was very much interested in knowing how many times Jin had been hanging out there without him knowing it.
“Oh, so you're Akanishi?” Ishizaka said and Kame couldn't believe even the stoic Ishizaka had known before him about Jin sneaking around there. “Kamenashi’s really good. He’s got a strong straight right.”
“Straight? You obviously don't know that his right hook is way stronger.” Jin snorted, as his gaze fell upon a man he hadn't seen there before. “Huh?! Todoroki’s Tanabe?”
“Tanabe?” Ueda repeated, looking at their fellow boxer confused.
“Kurogin’s...Akanishi Jin?” the boxer in question replied.
“You must be mistaken. His name is Kojima, Jin.” Kame added, but judging from the look upon Jin's face Jin was not mistaken and Jin clearly had something against this man. “Do you two know each other?”
“I remember your face. You went to Todoroki High, didn’t you?” Jin asked, not giving the other one any time to answer. “You laughed at Tsucchi’s plans to find a job and then you picked a fight with us, you and your class.”
“I don’t use that name anymore.” Kojima tried to explain. “After we graduated, I still hadn’t decided what to do and I ended up in some really bad company, which eventually resulted in me getting involved in a robbery and taking one office lady hostage. A detective by the name of Yukihira stopped me. She kicked my ass and I was caught. After having paid for what I had done, I changed my name and started anew. In the ring is the only place I ever fight anymore.”
Everyone in the room was silent, though Jin still looked like he had a lot he wanted to say.
“I’m sorry, everyone.” Kojima apologized. “I wasn’t as brave as Kame-chan to tell you everything from the start.”
“Yukihira, you say?” Jin repeated, seeing something flash in Kame's eyes as he said that name. Kame knew he had a history with this policewoman and it obviously bothered the boy. The urge to tease Kame was stronger than holding a grudge against the two-named man and Jin added playfully, “Yeah, she’s pretty tough. I’ve dealt with her a couple of times…”
He stole another look at Kame, pleased with what he saw.
“S-senpai!” another boxer then said, catching Jin's attention and Jin had to wonder if he knew this person who was calling him a 'senpai'. He didn't look all that tough so the boy couldn't be from a rival school gang. “Do you remember me too? It’s an honor to meet you again.”
“Again?” Jin repeated, clueless, and Kame hoped it wasn’t a boy Jin had done and forgotten about.
“I’m Horiguchi…” the boy said. “I went to the same school as you. I’m friends with your little brother, Reio…”
Realization dawned upon Jin's face. He hadn't seen any of his little brother's friends in years. He hadn't even seen his little brother in a long time.
A little embarrassed, Horiguchi continued, “I’ve secretly always admired you, Akanishi-senpai. In school, you were always so strong and led your whole class, having the guts to stand up against the teachers and even the principal. I…started boxing, because I wanted to be as strong as you. Would you…mind having a match with me someday?”
“Sorry, but boxing really isn’t my thing.” Jin replied.
“Please, senpai!” Horiguchi asked. “Just once.”
Jin was about to deny the request again when his eyes landed on Kame’s. There was a look in them he couldn't figure out and it led him to rethink that answer.
“Fine.” he replied and he didn't know why Kame's eyes showed more excitement than Horiguchi's did. Those dark orbs studied him carefully as he took his place in the ring.
Kame had a feeling Jin got some extra kicks out of him watching this match, but he couldn't remove his eyes from the scene in front of him. He hadn't seen Jin fight in a long time and Jin won pretty easily. Kame couldn't help but be amazed. Horiguchi had only managed to land a few single blows on Jin, but those blows had only made Jin stronger and more motivated to win. To add to it Kame doubted Jin had even been half as serious as Horiguchi had been. Just how much stronger was Jin really? He couldn't take his eyes off Jin even as the two retreated to the dressing room to take off their gear.
“Thank you so much, Akanishi-senpai!” Horiguchi said with a bow as he thought it was just the two of them. “You’re really something.”
Jin didn't respond to that, undoing one glove before asking, “So you’re…still friends with my brother?”
“Uh, yeah.” Horiguchi answered. “We attend the same university together. He’s not interested in boxing, though.”
“How’s he…how’s he doing?” Jin tried to ask as nonchalantly as possible, undoing the second glove.
“He’s fine. He’s still good in school and he works with Shirota-san.” Horiguchi replied and doubtfully added, “He talks about you sometimes.”
Jin put the gloves away, not wanting to respond in any way to that comment.
“I know he thinks about you more than he admits.” Horiguchi continued and Kame frowned, where he watched the show from a small distance by the open doorway. Jin seemed different somehow. The aura around the older boy wasn’t its usual self-assure one. “I’m pretty sure that he…misses you…from time to time.”
“Oh?” Jin tried to appear like he didn’t care and Horiguchi decided to back away, already having said too much in his own opinion.
“I should go and train some more. We’re going out jogging.” the boy said. “Thank you for the match. It taught me some really important things.”
With a bow the boy exited the room and Kame shot Jin's back one more look and hurried after the boxer before Jin would turn around and find him standing there.
“Horiguchi-san.” he said and the boy stopped, turning around to eye him curiously. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure, but won't you come out with us? We're going out for a run.” Horiguchi said.
“I think I'll stay and train here.” Kame said. “I just wanted to ask... What was Jin's relationship with his brother like before? You've known Jin since high school. He never really talks about his family or that time.”
“I know only what Reio’s told me, but…apparently Akanishi-senpai…was not so good in school, actually he was never really interested in school and Reio was and that caused some conflict between them. Then when Akanishi-senpai turned away from them and started living in those blocks his relationship with Reio got even worse.” Horiguchi explained. “But Akanishi-senpai always had a lot of influence on others. He quickly drew people to him, people like himself, who had some reason to fall behind the other students. From the moment he came to that school, Reio told me he was immediately popular, but not among the students who wished to keep their good reputations. You see, Kurogin was fighting with its reputation as a good school, so those ‘trouble students’ were arranged into the same class.”
3D. Jin’s class from school. Kame remembered having met all those guys.
“But despite all of that they're still brothers. I know Reio thinks more about his big brother than he lets out. I know he still looks up to him too.” Horiguchi added.
“Thank you, Horiguchi.” Kame said. “I won’t keep you any longer from your jogging.”
“What is your relationship with Akanishi-senpai?” Horiguchi then asked him and Kame hesitated to answer.
“We were...cellmates.” he replied.
Horiguchi looked like he wanted to say something, but then changed his mind quickly and added a fast, “Talk later, Kamenashi-kun!” before jogging away towards the other boxers that were waiting for him by the door.
As Kame turned around, he understood why the boy had been so fast on his feet. He startled. When had Jin come there and so silently?
“Collecting more information on me for Masa?” Jin guessed. “If you so badly wanted to get to know me better you could’ve just asked me.” Jin added, taking a step forward so that he could reach out and play with the strings on Kame's boxer pants. “After all, you do know how to make me talk…”
Kame slapped the hand away.
“Let's get a wet towel for that bruise of yours.” Kame said and led the leader back into the dressing room.
“I’m causing you trouble by being here, aren’t I?” Jin said and Kame gave him an inquiring look. Jin grimaced as he pressed the towel against a bruise on Jin's face.
“What are you talking about?” he asked and Jin nodded in the direction of where the other boxers had gone off to.
“If they figured out I’m an ex-convict and a criminal…” Jin said.
“They know my background.” Kame replied, pressing the towel a little more gently against Jin's bruise.
“Still, if they found out we’re dating.” Jin continued and Kame met his eyes. “It could prove awkward for the rest of the boys.”
“We’re not dating and even if I dated another guy it shouldn’t make anyone else feel awkward because it’s not any of their business.” Kame replied, adding a little more pressure and Jin winced.
“Ow, my beautiful face…” Jin groaned. “This is why I don’t box.”
“Only fight with your bare fists and it has pretty much the same effect, if not worse…” Kame said.
“That is different.” Jin insisted and Kame removed the towel from Jin’s face.
“Would you fight me someday?” Kame asked, slowly looking at Jin again. “In the ring.”
Jin studied him for a while before giving a rather straight reply, “Definitely not. I could never go seriously against you. I can’t punch you.”
Kame didn’t like that answer, disappointed he turned his back at Jin as he put the towel away. Jin still thought of him as weak and he felt he needed to defend himself, “Why not? I’m as good as Horiguchi. I’ve been practicing a lot…”
He felt Jin's eyes on him. “I still couldn’t go up against you. Unless of course you want to do other things in the ring than box, then I’d be happy to be your opponent.”
“Yeah, I bet you would...” Kame muttered, about to go past Jin and go for a good and very long run himself, when the boy grabbed his arm.
“Hey, you know this isn’t only a fling to me.” Jin said and Kame pulled his arm to himself, ignoring that statement.
“So this Yukihira was the one you bumped into when you were calling yourself Kurosawa Akihiko?” Kame said then, changing the subject.
“Jealous?” Jin teased and Kame didn’t answer this time either. “She’s a homicide cop. She’s pretty good.”
“Yeah, I’ve read all about it. Though I’m curious to as how a thief came to know a homicide cop?” Kame wanted to know. He didn't know which he hated more, seeing Jin flirt with another guy or seeing Jin flirt with a woman...like that judge.
“She has the tendency to stick her nose in where it doesn’t belong. Not the type to look past a crime…” Jin added and Kame crossed his arms in front of his chest. “She’s one of the only ones who have actually dared to step onto our territories alone and gotten out of there unharmed, but then again we don’t like to beat up women. She’s the only cop I know who's been brave enough to investigate murders that have taken place in the Entertainment circles. Then I ran into her when I was doing this gig with Pi in an office and she had happened to go there undercover, too. Almost got us busted.”
“And you had to split and decided to rendezvous at Tokyo tower, but you got lost on the way.” Kame added.
“You’ve really been studying me, haven’t you?” Jin said. “I would’ve found it, I swear! I was just a few…districts away when I accidentally took a wrong turn and ran into her instead.”
“I see…” Kame replied and could feel Jin inch closer to him.
“Don’t be so jealous.” Jin purred into his ear, hands sneaking around his waist. “It would never have worked out between me and her anyway. She would bust me in a heartbeat. She’s dangerous even in her sleep-”
“I don’t want to know.” Kame cut off and pulled out of Jin’s embrace, and left the room.
“Shall we hit the shower now?” Jin asked, cutting off his path. Kame didn't like the way Jin's eyes roamed over him and followed as one pearl of sweat ran down his bare chest.
“Actually I am more in the mood for a match.” Kame said, making his way to the ring, stopping outside of it to send Jin an inviting look.
“Seeing you like that makes me in the mood for other things.” Jin replied, following Kame there.
“Sadly though this is all you’re going to get.” Kame said, picking up his gloves.
“You want a match with me?” Jin said.
“Don’t you want to know how far I’ve come?” Kame asked and Jin stepped closer. It wasn’t like they hadn’t almost had one without gloves a few times before.
“I think you’re the one keen on knowing how far you’ve come and you think you can use me as measurement.” Jin said, grabbing the rope on each side of Kame and leaned in. “Sadly though that is something you’re not going to get.”
Kame pouted a bit. “I’ll let you in on some inside information about our case if you have a match with me. You were going through my files quite eagerly when you kidnapped me, but do you really believe I’d be as stupid as to walk into a room filled with thieves carrying important inside information?”
Jin leaned in even closer. “I told you, I don’t give a damn about the case, but I’ll fight you if you sleep with me.”
Kame eyed him rather surprised.
“Yeah, I've changed my mind.” Jin answered his unspoken question. “I’d be more than happy to pump you for information. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you turn back to my side. Drag you, kidnap you, and gladly squeeze everything I can get out of you.”
Kame finally had to pull back a bit, not that he could very much with the ropes behind him.
“Seems as though that’s not an option for you.” Jin said then, giving Kame the space he needed as he turned around and started to walk while adding, “I bet it’s because you know I’ll see you through completely, so you don’t want me in under your skin…”
“If you fight me in the ring, I promise not to see the older judge.” Kame said and Jin paused in his steps.
He knew Jin’s weak spots. If not sex then it could only be this. What Jin hated more than not having sex was the thought of Kame having it with someone else. This was his last resort. This and only this could make Jin face him in the ring.
Jin turned back towards him. “What?”
“You heard me.” Kame answered and as much as Jin wanted to just take that bet he couldn't help but wonder why Kame would so willingly back off from the judge just because of a fight. Kame was hardly the type to back off when it came to something the boy wanted to accomplish and Kame seemed firmly committed to this case.
“Why is it so important to you to fight me in the ring?” Jin asked, but Kame didn’t answer. “I don’t want to hit you. Even with safety equipment on.”
“Pretty please?” Kame asked and Jin crossed his arms suspiciously.
“Why do you have such an urge to beat me up?” Jin asked a little insulted.
“You’re one of the strongest fighters I’ve ever seen. You always know what to do and you’ve always taken care of me, I just-” Kame hadn’t meant to say those things, they had just come out because he wanted so badly to at least once to stand in the ring as Jin’s equal. He had trained hard a whole year for an opportunity like that.
“Alright.” he heard the older boy said and he lifted his gaze back to Jin's eyes. “One round. No knock-outs, we’ll only spar.”
“No knock-outs?” Kame had to tease and Jin sent him something resembling a glare.
“The only place I want to knock you out in is in bed and believe me I won’t have to lay one punch on you to achieve that.” Jin shot back.
“I don’t believe even you are that good and I should know.” Kame said, fixing his gloves and Jin wondered if Kame was making him irritated for a reason so that he wouldn’t hold back.
“I’d be more than happy to prove you wrong then.” Jin replied, stopping before Kame and Kame had to admit he had never been so nervous facing someone in the ring. Not even during his first match. “There is still a thing or two I’ve held back when with you.”
That played with Kame's nerves, as Jin holding back was the last thing he wanted right now. The thought of Jin only toying with him also in this ring made him frustrated and Jin noticed pretty quickly he couldn’t go too easy on Kame. He had to test Kame first and see just how strong the boy had become during this past year. To add to it Kame also had this unpredictable side. That all made Kame better than Horiguchi.
Slowly, but surely he drew Kame into a corner, but just as he thought he had him Kame pulled a familiar rope-a-dope on him and made it out of the corner.
Jin knew that move. It was his. How did Kame know it? Had Kame copied it from him?
“You are surprisingly strong.” Jin said, moving his feet to test Kame's footwork and the boy followed his steps pretty well. “Not many let me fight like this. Stamina is one of your qualities, believe me I know this.” And not only in bed. Kame had always found ways to make his master work to stay in power and still there had been no ordering Kame around when Kame was on a quest of righteousness or whatever. “And so is your willpower. You hate to lose.”
And there was another move of his. An awful thought hit him. If Kame had told Masa everything they had told Kame, then had Kame also told Masa how the boy had seen them fight? The boy seemed to remember everything about them. Jin had to know. He had to get Kame back over to their side and fast. If the others would learn Kame had studied them this thoroughly Kame would get into serious trouble with them.
Since Kame was pulling so many of his own moves on him, Jin knew how to counter them and saw them through immediately. This allowed him to move in closer, dodging a blow and grabbing Kame by the waist while adding, “The Kazu-chan I know has always been like that.”
In an attempt to get free Kame ended up on the floor, as Jin tripped him and didn't even let him get up, using his bigger body to pin him to the ground.
“This isn’t wrestling.” Kame protested, as Jin kept him on the ground. “This is against the rules!”
“You know I never follow any rules and you ask me to start now?” Jin replied and Kame managed to struggle his way out from under Jin's two-man manpile.
Jin's style of boxing broke quite a few rules and Jin was definitely making him more and more irritated. Even when Kame managed to ignore how Jin was verbally trying to get to him he still couldn’t pinpoint where Jin would make his move and once Jin made it he found himself desperately trying to keep the leader at a distance, but Jin rendered all of his attacks useless and eventually got close enough to pin him against the ropes this time and to his frustration kiss him. His face flushed an angry color of red as he was released.
“Would you concentrate on the sparring?!” Kame demanded and his answer came as Jin flipped him off his feet, before he could even catch a good foothold and he found himself pinned to the ground again. Kame moaned, too tired to struggle against the weight of the boy hovering above him.
“Satisfied?” the leader asked.
Kame was far from satisfied and he hadn’t wanted the match to end so fast, but he knew he couldn't make a comeback anymore when Jin would never let him as much as get up to his feet. Jin had won too easily, but he guessed there was no point in trying to win anymore, so he slowly nodded.
“Let's go for something to eat then.” Jin said as Kame admitted defeat and the leader jumped to his feet.
“Tonight?” Kame asked. “I’m rather sweaty and beaten.”
“But you know how much I love bruises.” Jin murmured.
“I wonder if you would if you had another one right in the face.” Kame mumbled, as Jin pulled him to his feet as well.
“Such a sore loser.” Jin tsked.
“I wouldn't have lost that easily if you had given me a fair fight by actually following the rules of boxing!” Kame snapped.
“How do I benefit from fighting fairly?” Jin asked. “It's not like anyone will fight you fairly on the streets. They will use any measures available. Get used to it, if you plan on staying involved in our affairs with Johnny.”
Kame didn't reply, hitting the shower and only letting Jin enter after he was done. He tried to ignore how shamelessly Jin walked into the room dressed in one of his towels, removing it before he had even left the room.
Kame waited for Jin by the ring, not even sure why he didn't just take the opportunity to leave instead. Was it the sparring that had the blood in his veins bumping so fast? Or was it what he had seen when Jin had faced Horiguchi?
Jin looked pleased, as he joined him, obviously satisfied by the outcome of their sparring and the fact that he knew Kame was standing there thinking about him.
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