The next day after I spent most of it asleep, I called Miya as I ate. I told him how much I missed him, how I wished I was home. Which was all true. But then later that same day I would be messing around with Akio which really didn't improve the situation any better. At the time I wasn't think clearly of future consequences. I had separated work and home. Work life and home life were two different things. Home life was Miya, being home, being nineteen, doing stupid teenage shit were I was just Jo. Work life was Akio, was being out there from seven at night till four in the morning, walking and driving anywhere and everywhere, dropping everything at a moments notice, carrying a gun, a blade and always looking over your shoulder, where I was an adult now and I was Akui, Venom, marked forever with the name on my wrist. I was working now...so I was everything but Jo to these people. I woke up that late afternoon after sleeping for the whole morning and most of the afternoon. I only woke up when I heard my cell phone ringing and I turned and answered. I cleared my throat as I said,

"Hello?"

"Hey Aka-chan."

"Hi Akio. What's going on?"

"I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Be where?"

"Your place. I'm gonna come get you. You have the car remember?"

"Oh...right."

"Did you just wake up?"

"Yes."

He laughed as he then said,

"So hurry up. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Okay...later."

I hung up after he said bye and rolled out of bed. I needed to change my sheets, they stank of Ryuhei as if I'd slept with him. Anyway after a quick shower and getting dressed, I slicked my hair back, waiting for it to dry as I then grabbed my things. I heard my cell phone ringing as I ran down the stairwell. I answered it only for it to be Akio. He was already downstairs in the lobby. I told him I was on my way down and hung up as I finished running. Once there, I saw Akio standing near the doors of the lobby, a cigarette in his hand, unlit as he saw me. He waved me over as I went to him and said,

"You're on time."

"Gotta be on time in our line of work."

He nudged me as we went out to the parking garage where I left the car. We both got in as I lifted the visor down and grabbed a CD I had there as I stuck it in the player. A Vision by Luna Sea came on as I then peeled out, speeding through the parking lot as Akio said,

"You don't have to speed everywhere you know."

"Bad habit. It's all I ever learned to do. I think I only drove the speed limit once."

He laughed as I pulled into the streets, making a sharp turn that made the tires screech, nearly hitting the car beside us as I floored the petal and kept driving. Anytime I would see traffic forming ahead, I made a turn, cutting through allies and back ways of New York until we got to Jia's building. I made a slick parallel parking job right in front of the building as I sung along to Shout at the Devil by L'arc~en~ciel. Akio looked at me as he smiled and said,

"And not a single ticket huh?"

"Not a one."

He laughed as we got out and went inside. I hit the alarm on the car as we went in. I saw Ryuhei laying asleep on the couch, his legs drawn up as he rested on his side. He looked really peaceful again despite the black eye make up on the lids of his eye. His perfectly done eyebrows relaxed, his whole body relaxed though incased in fitted tan leather pants and black long sleeved shirt which was actually kinda baggy for once. His frayed dark brown hair was shaped around his face as usual as he slept soundly, peacefully. It was almost a shame to wake him. Within a few minutes, I saw Tai and Gabriel. Tai went up to Akio and I as Tai said,

"Good, glad you're here. Jia wants you to take over looking after Ryuhei. He had a long night."

I looked at Ryuhei, not really surprised if Jia did fuck him. Tai shook his head, almost reading my mind as he said,

"He was working with Tsubasa and Takeo almost all night. Ryuhei didn't get a chance to do anything but sit there. Jia himself didn't sleep much."

I nodded, figuring that made sense too. Not that he would want to take him to the apartment him and Toki shared. Hm...that's a name that should be sleeping on the other couch. But when I peered over to look he wasn't there. I thought for a moment as Akio said,

"So what, we take him somewhere?"

Tai shook his head, his chin length black hair that he always had parted to a side fell slightly down the sides of his face as he said,

"No, Jia wants him to stay here. When it gets darker, he's gonna go out to find Keiishiro. Word is already out about Ryuhei being Jia so... we should have problems tonight."

"But shouldn't we be working?" Asked Akio.

Tai shook his head as Gabriel said,

"Jia's got enough people out. He doesn't think Keiishiro will be that difficult that he needs to send all nine of us out."

We nodded as Tai and Gabriel went back upstairs and Akio and sat down on the couch across from Ryuhei. We watched him sleep for a while, noting how peaceful he looked. Akio sighed, leaning back on the couch, his hair falling over the sides of his face as he said,

"Baby sitting. I can't believe we have to baby sit."

"At least we're not alone."

"True. I would be bored off my ass if you weren't here."

"What did you do before me?"

"Usually partnered with another group. I was always the odd man out. Unless Jia didn't go. Then I went with Toki."

"You sound lonely sometimes Akio. Did I ever tell you that?"

"How can someone sound lonely?"

"The tone of your voice. Kinda like you wish you had company around you sometimes."

He gave a weak smile as he said,

"Sometimes. Sometimes I could deal without too."

I nudged him slightly as he nudged me back.

Within a few minutes, Ryuhei yawned and stirred, raising his arms over his head as he turned on his back and stretched his limbs out, his long legs going over the other arm of the couch, his platforms weighing his feet down as his low rise pants and short shirt gave way to the black flame tattoo on the front of his pelvis and the rest of his skin. He looked so flawless...innocent almost. He reminded me of Miya sometimes. He then turned, his always seductive eyes turned to us as he said,

"Hey. What time is it?"

I checked my watch as I said,

"Almost seven."

He smiled and said,

"You two make a cute couple."

Akio and I looked at each other as I said,

"What do you want Ryuhei?"

"Something to eat would be nice."

"This isn't a hotel." Said Akio.

"I don't mean a five course dinner, I mean like a simple piece of bread. Something. I'm starving. You know, Jia didn't feed me last night either. He was working all night."

I was almost sure Takeo must have noticed him. Akio did too.

"What about Takeo?"

"Oh, he was nice to me. Soft hands."

He gave a smile as he tilted his head to the side. Akio sighed as he said,

"Figures. Takeo could never keep his hands to himself. What do you want to eat?"

"Whatever's close."

"You got money?"

"Some..."

"Enough to pay for this yourself?"

"You're making me pay?"

"I'm not getting anything from you I don't see why you shouldn't pay your own way."

Ryuhei pouted as he said,

"I only have three dollars."

"What do you do with the rest of the money you get from everyone?"

"Clothes. Myself. I'm not usually thinking about food later."

Akio rolled his eyes as he used his cell phone and called for some take out. Ryuhei eventually sat up as he said,

"What's going on?"

"We're waiting for Keiishiro to be killed. We're keeping you here until everything is done."

"Being protected again?"

"Not in so many words."

Within time the food came and Akio paid for it as Ryuhei ate. We watched over him for a few hours, patiently waiting. I realized how being out of actions sucks. It's like being the driver all over again. We watched Ryuhei eat for a while, noticing how clean he was when it came to eating, nothing dropped or spilt. It was almost eleven at night when Akio got a call. He answered his phone right away as he spoke. He sighed in relief as he said,

"Fuckin finally."

He hung up as he said,

"Keiishiro was taken care of."

I sighed as I stood up and so did Akio as Ryuhei said,

"So, am I good to go?"

We both looked at him as Akio called Jia and asked him about Ryuhei. He nodded as he hung up and said,

"Yeah, you can go. But for Christ's sake Ryuhei, stop whoring yourself to yakuza!"

"I was actually about to agree to that. Takeo made me a nice offer."

He smiled as Akio sighed and said,

"Again...figures."

We walked Ryuhei outside as Akio then notioned to me that we had to go pick up a few of the upper heads from Brooklyn where all this had taken place.

We drove in silence, me speeding as usual, Gravity by Luna Sea blasting out of the radio as Akio lit a cigarette. He sighed as he said,

"Hungry?"

"A little."

"We'll eat after this."

"Sure."

He smiled as he rolled down the window slightly to let the smoke leave. We arrived in Flatbush sometime later, and saw Aoki, Aya and Toki standing by the curb. Aoki leaned down to talk to Akio from outside as he said,

"Ne, Akio let Aya sit in, you gotta help me."

Akio nodded, getting out of the car as I turned the volume down and Akio smiled, saying he would be back in a minute. Aya got in his place as Toki flicked a cigarette into the street and started walking with Akio and Aoki. I saw Jun leaving the building as he went to the driver's side as he said,

"Want something to eat?"

"I'm catching something after this."

"Okay. I'll be back."

I nodded as he crossed the street and I saw some of the Yami standing out there, Jiki was still standing outside with Ai'iro as Akio, Toki and Aoki talked with them for a moment before the approached the door. I leaned back in the seat, looking away as I saw Mikkie walking up the street, his hair was pulled up as he had his hands in his pockets as he got closer. I yawned as Aya said,

"What song is that?"

"Gravity. By Luna Sea."

He nodded as he said,

"Good song."

That was the last thing I remember before the entire car was rocked and a loud noise echoed through, the windows of the car shattering as I felt intense heat. I gasped as I leaned against the car door and looked up, feeling blood run down my face as I saw Aya beside me, his head down as he remained motionless. I started to shake him as he looked up slowly and we both turned to see a blazing fire coming from the building.

There had been an explosion. It wasn't over yet.