Stripped
Pairing: Kasumi/Ryu
Rating: M (to be Safe)
Warnings/Spoilers: Slight Sexual situations but nothing to graphic.
Author Note: First fanfic, wrote this piece a couple of months ago.
Summary: It was Jann Lee who told him of a stripper who looks like Kasumi, but even still he never imagined the girl working in a place like this.

He was never the type of person to attend strip clubs.

He silently knows the only reason why he is attending "Seventh Heaven" is because Jann Lee. Saying something along the lines he could have sworn that he saw Kasumi working here.

He has to admit a part of him is surprise about that, but at the same time it sense. After all she did disappear a couple of years ago, and a part of him is relived about that.

It had force her brother to claim she is dead and he didn't need to waste precious manpower to send assassins after her. Of course a part of him knows that if she tries to show her face in the village again Hayate will be forced to kill her.

Even Ayane gave up the search for her half-sister, something that surprise him greatly considering the strong resentment she has for Kasumi, but after three years with no sign of Kasumi he supposes that she started to believe that she was dead as well.

He had been the only one to think differently, but never voicing his thoughts out loud fearing the search will start again. He knows that Hayate will obligated to kill Kasumi if there is any sign of her being alive so he is silently grateful that Kasumi went into hiding.

It was Jann Lee who sent him a message to come to China saying something along the lines there is something that he wanted him to see. A code for sure, he knows that other DOA fighters have probably heard of the assassinations orders on Kasumi.

Something that probably caused a rift between the fighters' especially between Hayate and Hitomi. Despite Hitomi's affections for Hayate she did have a strong friendship with Kasumi as well when the two of them cross paths at the next DOA tournament she instantly slapped him. Of course it probably didn't help matters that they had to fight against each other during the quarterfinals. It was obvious that Hitomi was still pissed at Hayate.

As for the rest of the fighters a few of them (mostly the females) saw Kasumi as a close friend, but they didn't necessary broadcast their anger towards Hayate or Ayane for that matter the same way Hitomi. Of course neither of them were necessary torn in the same matter as Hitomi, and he was really the only one who understood how Hitomi felt.

Realizing his own feelings for Kasumi and feeling the need to still be loyal to his best friend. Even if he did disagree with him sending assassins to kill Kasumi.

He silently glances at the club noticing it was full of male customers getting drunk and pretty much gawking at the female strippers. All of them were beautiful in their own sense and dress in revealing clothing.

It was Jann Lee who told him of Kasumi's possible stage name "White Blossom" but he has to admit he was surprise Jann Lee when he notices him working Seventh Heaven. He was under the impression of him working at as a bouncer at some dance club, but then again Jann Lee wasn't the type of person to attend strip clubs if it wasn't for work.

He can see why Jann Lee might think "White Blossom" was Kasumi similar build and facial features only slight difference was her hair color was black instead of copper brown color and her eyes were an emerald green instead of amber but those things can easily be altered with hair dye and a pair of colored contacts but it was her.

She was dress in long white robe silk robe with small cherry blossom across the silken surface. It will only be a matter of seconds before the robe is discarded on the stage revealing the white and pink thong beneath and a matching bra that barely covered her breast.

Her body slowly almost sensually moving to the beat to some song he doesn't even know as she moves towards the pole. He watches her sensually grind her barely clothed body against the pole.

He honestly had to resist the urge to grab her and teleport her, doing that will probably reveal unwanted attention to her and him.
Instead he will buy his time until she is alone before talking to her.

He did see a brief glance of recognition and possibly fear cross her face when she notices him. Fear that he will ruin her life her here or report her being alive to Hayate.

While he isn't particularly fond of her working here, he isn't going to report her being alive to Hayate. The dance was over in a couple of minute much to the male customers' disappointment for sure. For one brief moment he thought that Kasumi was going to run from this place, run from him, but when he notice her walking out of the changing room dress in a semi revealing black top with a short black skirt.

She instantly grabbed his arm indicating she wanted him to follow her. She probably didn't want to cause a scene inside the club, fearing she will lose her job here.

"Did Jann Lee tell you I'm here?" she demands taking a slight moment to glare at the Chinese male who seem oblivious to her glare.

"He did," he agrees. "But to Hayate's you are dead."

"Are you going to tell him," she half accuses causing him to shake his head.

"I made a promise to protect to you," he replies. Knowing that Kasumi will know of the promise he was referring to.

"I think your promise to my brother was nullified when I became a nukenin," she responds after a moment, and a part of him knows she is right.

"I have my own reason to protect you," he responds causing a small blush to cross her features.

"What reasons might those be?" she questions.

"Have you been here the entire time?" he questions ignoring her previous question.

"I traveled a bit the United States, England, until finally settling down in China working at Seventh Heaven as a second job," she admits softly. "After a month of working there Jann Lee was offered a job there and he instantly recognize me. He told me of the DOA tournament that year seeing you, Hayate, and Ayane and how I was pronounced dead in Hayate's eyes but I am surprise he told you considering your connection with Hayate."

"For the past three I have been looking for you," he admits after a moment. "Even when you were pronounce dead by Hayate."

"Why?" she questions.

"Because I love you," he remarks and for the first time that evening he saw a bright smile appear on her face that reminded him of the Kasumi he knew five years ago. The next thing he knows his lips crashing against her in a passionate kiss.

His search for Kasumi is over.

-the End