Disclaimer: Ansatsu Kyoushitsu / Assassination Classroom is property of Matsui Yuusei.

Our only departure

The first time he saw him, Gakushuu thought it would be the last.

Or at least he hoped so. Because if it wasn't, that guy could bring him many problems.

He didn't know how long he had been there, standing motionless in place and looking at the boy with indecision in his eyes, while his mind was torn between what he should and shouldn't do.

He rarely had been at that crossroad. And that, he wanted to or not, he was afraid of.

The dim lights of the streetlights barely illuminated the alley, which was away from everything and in nobody's view. The fine rain that covered the city, wetting the floor of the place, making it dirty and nasty, making garbage, containers and waste that had spread there, didn't do anything but contribute to the tense and dark atmosphere of the place.

Gakushuu sighed heavily, swallowed in order to get rid of the knot that was forming in his throat and tried to ignore the unpleasant characteristic smell of the alley. With his wet and dirty clothes, strands of his hair cluttering his vision and his gun gripped tightly in his hand, the boy looked with decision at the person lying in front of him.

"Eliminate them."

His father's words echoed in his head, impeding him from reasoning or even thinking.

Raindrops fell incessantly, echoing, forming a sinister melody along with the blowing wind, making him lose focus. He couldn't think straight, everything around him was distorted, her heart started beating fast and his hands began to tremble. He sighed with difficulty trying to calm down, trying to stifle his thoughts, but he couldn't.

"Eliminate them."

Eliminate all of them, wipe them off the map. Until there is no one left, not one. Aiming his guns and those of his men to the head and bodies of their enemies, so they learn the lesson, until they know who's boss in that part of the city. Without a shred of empathy or compassion. That was the objective of his mission. That was they had ordered him, maybe that was even the reason of his existence.

Then...

Why was he so nervous? Why was he unable to do it?

"Kill him." He thought, grabbing the gun and pointing the other boy with it.

He had no choice, he really did not. His hands and feet were bound, always had been. If he didn't obey the orders of his father, who would?

Gakushuu was the boss's son, he couldn't fail.

It was his first mission as successor of the family, if he failed now, what would become of him? He had to follow orders, disperse that opposition group that sought to usurp the territory of his family and prove he was worthy of belonging and continuing the "family business".

And he was willing, indeed he was. He and his men had attacked one of the meeting points of the enemy and had managed to hurt someone. And although they had fled, more than one couldn't survive.

Among them, that redhead who now was lying on the floor of the alley.

It was clear that after the shooting he had managed to escape to that place, but that was it, they had shot him and he couldn't go any further. Now he was there, leaning against the wall, breathing hard, with his blood spilling on the floor and leaving a pool of crimson, trying to lessen his pain, barely, by squeezing his hand against the bullet wound in his stomach. He was unable to utter a single word about the fact of being pointed at with another gun, he couldn't even keep his eyes open, his consciousness gradually faded.

"Kill him, it's your mission, put him out of his misery. Kill him!" Thought Gakushuu more insistently.

But he couldn't. His body wasn't responding to his thoughts, it ignored him. No matter how many times he repeat himself what to do, his subconscious reminded him what he thought in reality. Because that mission, those thoughts... Were they his, or his father's?

What did he really think about this?

He wasn't sure, but he knew that if he really agreed with his family's choice to eliminate anyone who got in his way, he wouldn't be shivering in the rain and confused to the point of being unable to pull the trigger.

He knew it, he was aware. There were many things Gakushuu didn't agree with, things that he didn't want to do and preferred to avoid.

Killing that boy while he was weak and unable to defend himself was one of them.

For that reason, before realizing it and without thinking it through, he had lowered the gun. His mind calmed down, at least a bit, and Gakushuu ended up turning his head to both sides to ensure that no one would witness the madness that he was about to do.

Locking his gaze onto the figure of the other boy, he kept his weapon in hand as he crouched in front of him. He decided to ignore the unpleasant scent of blood and took his jacket off, along with his white shirt. Beginning to shiver from the cold and feeling the raindrops wetting his body, he tore his shirt into tatters to improvise bandages for the boy.

If someone asked him why he was helping, he really wouldn't know what to answer.

Perhaps he didn't want to become a cold-blooded killer like his father. Perhaps because he didn't agree with those gang wars in which only senseless deaths were happening. Perhaps because so many people were right and he was a weakling with feelings, incapable of murder and had the need to help someone who was hurt, even when he was his enemy. Or maybe because those amber eyes of the boy had seen him from underneath in a way that surprised him, and impeded him from thinking of anything else but saving him.

He was an idiot. Gakushuu had condemned himself and he knew it. If someone in his family found out what he was doing, he would be killed without hesitation. Betrayal was the worst in a mafioso could commit. But he didn't regret what he was doing.

Moving the boy abruptly, he began wrapping his makeshift bandages around his torso, ignoring how the other complained about pain because of his sudden movements. His hands and pieces of shirt were stained with blood quickly, but he didn't care, the other would be able to survive even if it was just long enough for his teammates to find him with life and save him.

"Why?" He heard the weak and troubled boy's voice.

Gakushuu froze for a moment, trying to find a reasonable answer to give. He raised his head and his eyes met those of amber color, which looked at him slightly confused and clouded by pain.

It was normal that he didn't understand what was happening, the son of a headman should never have compassion for one of his enemies.

"Consider it a miracle." He answered coldly as he tied hard the last band.

The boy didn't answer, he only looked at him with attention and a lost expression, as if he had a lot more to ask.

He didn't, and Gakushuu didn't let him.

Without looking at him one last time, Gakushuu turned around and left by the back of the alley, leaving behind him what was one of the few kind acts he had done in his life, and it was only a sign of weakness that he struggled to hide.

Yes. The world of the mafia was too cruel to be compassionate to anyone.

And Gakushuu knew at that moment he might have dug his own grave.

~0.0~

The second time he saw him, Gakushuu had mixed feelings.

Months after helping him, he decided to forget that red-haired and all that had happened in the alley. After being wary of each and every of the movements of his enemies, he concluded that the boy had either died, or kept his help secret. Because if anyone had heard about what he did, they wouldn't have left him alive a single second more, or at least that was what he thought. However, there weren't any suspicious movements, or rumors, or anything to be alarmed of, so Gakushuu assumed that he wouldn't have to think about that anymore.

He knew how wrong he was in one of the etiquette parties of his father.

Personally, he hated those parties, he couldn't bear them. All the hypocrisy and selfishness of the world in which he was born was reflected in these events.

Capos and tycoons who hated each other holding hands, sworn enemies smiling politely at each other, murderers and manipulators pretending to have a shred of humanity and empathy. All of them decked in expensive suits, with their exclusive jewelry, cars and companions, showing off something they have gotten with their hands full of blood and through the suffering of others. Most of them smiling and talking to him with respect, hoping to gain his trust and then take advantage of it the moment he takes the place of his father.

He couldn't bear it and therefore he tended to dissapear. A few minutes with influential people was enough to give a good impression, he had proven that long ago. So, when attention was directed back to his father, Gakushuu didn't hesitate to go to the stairs and walk through the rooms of the place until the party ended, nobody reproached him anything or followed him, because he had already given them what they wanted.

The only difference this time with other events, was an amber-eyed boy who hadn't gotten everything he wanted from him. That is why he didn't hesitate to follow him.

When Gakushuu turned one corner of that desert corridor on the second floor, arms that took him unaware cornered him against the wall, causing him to be slightly startled. His first instinctive movement was raisng his hand to get rid of the arms that had been positioned on the sides of his head, but when his violet eyes met those amber orbs, his mind went blank.

The redhead who he had given up for dead smiled with superiority.

"Do you remember me?" He asked with amusement.

It was uncomfortable for him, very much so.

Not only because of the fact that he obviously remembered him, but because of the strange closeness the boy had to him.

Being the capo's son, he wasn't used to have people get close to him with such familiarity, even his closest friends. And now, the redhead was corralling him against the wall, leaning forward to look at his eyes, with their faces too close and their bodies almost touching.

It was very strange and Gakushuu was starting to feel bothered by it. However, in the face of the somewhat confused and serious expression that he gave to the redhead, said redhead just seemed more amused, which left him surprised for a few seconds. It was obvious that the boy was very different from the image that Gakushuu had of him, after all the first and only time they met, he was bleeding on the floor, but he couldn't imagine him so... Brash? He didn't know how to describe it, but that sly smile was confusing him and making him look at the other more intensely than he should.

"Have I made you speechless?" Asked the redhead getting closer to his face.

"What are you doing here?" He said coldly.

Rather, it was equivalent to a "Why are you still alive?" But it would be redundant to ask knowing that was thanks to him. Despite that, it was rare that being the enemy he could walk into that party, it would be rare that no one would have noticed.

"It's a party and everyone is invited. Wouldn't it be impolite to kick me out? It would give you a bad image." He answered mischievously, he probably had prepared that answer.

"What do you want? Get to the point, I don't have time to this." Said Gakushuu angrily.

It was clear that the boy had gone there only to see him. Please, a simple soldier and doggy of the high command of the mafia would never lay foot on that party, at least without the permission of his boss, so he wanted to see him if he had decided to sneak into the party and searched for him among the people. Even moreso to follow him.

"My, how cold." Answered the redhead pretending to be offended. "Is this how you treat all your guests?"

"Only those who sneak into other people's houses to corner me against the wall."

"What a surprise, so the capo's kitten has claws."

The last thing he whispered in a soft voice, smiling even more and bringing his face closer slowly, all in order to make him nervous. It may work, because Gakushuu had to hide the way he tensed when he noticed the boy's breath against his cheek.

"The capo's kitten is going to tear your eye out if you get any closer." He said trying to hide his nervousness.

"Does my closeness make you nervous?" He asked feigning indifference.

Of course it did, he was very close, too close. At this point he should already kick him, he didn't know why he hadn't done it. Perhaps out of curiosity, because the "unease" that he used to always feel around people, was very different than what he felt at that time. But he wouldn't answer him.

"What do you want?" He asked again to avoid the other question.

This seemed to work, as the amused smile that the redhead directed at him was replaced for a serious expression, while the eyes which watched him with amusement, narrowed and locked on him with intensity, examining him and watching impassively. Gakushuu shuffled in place without intention to look away, if he did he would lose, but the way those eyes looked at him and embarrassed him as they did that night months ago, didn't go unnoticed.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Asked the redhead seriously.

That's it. That's the question he asked himself everyday when he woke up.

"How would it have benefitted me?" He said in reply.

This seemed to surprise the redhead, because he didn't do much to hide the way his eyes widened slightly and his arms tensed.

"I'm your enemy, I was wounded and on the verge of death." He said angrily. "You could have just shot me again and end all, but instead you helped me. Why?"

"Why not?" Gakushuu said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Killing someone like you, who is nothing more than a pawn for them, wouldn't have helped. Your insignificant death wasn't worth it."

"Do you realize that I could betray you at any time?" Reproached the boy with superiority. "Your pride and that stupid reasoning have only managed an enemy like me to be able to witness the betrayal of your family. With one phone call I could make you get shot, for being an idiot."

"No, you wouldn't."

"How do you know that?"

"If you wanted me dead, I would be already. You wouldn't have bothered to sneak into this party, search for me and corner me this way, don't you think?"

The redhead's eyes narrowed as he clenched his fits, quietly agreeing with Gakushuu. What he said was true, both of them knew it. It had been months since that event, if the guy really wanted to give him away he had plenty of time to do so, and yet he had not. He doesn't even seem to want to do it at that time.

"If you've finished, I have things to do." Muttered Gakushuu raising his hand to get away from the other guy.

However, he wouldn't let him.

Grabbing his arm and placing it on the wall again, the redhead gave him a sly smile as he approached his ear and began to whisper.

"You're not going to get rid of me so easily, you know."

That whisper said in a husky tone, the warm breath of the guy crashing into his ear, coupled with the way his other hand blatantly stroked strands of hair from the back of his head, made an unexplainable tingling flow through his spine and made Gakushuu stiffen while repressing a whimper in his throat.

He heard the faint laughter of the other and a snort of amusement at his reaction, as he felt his stomach twist and his face heated up. Too strange, this wasn't normal.

The other boy broke away to look into his eyes and with all the naturalness in the world he placed a finger on his lips, caressing it, appreciating its softness and staring brazenly with something that Gakushuu could distinguish as a hungry or irrational desire. Their eyes met again and he didn't know what to feel, it was as if a hunter was awaiting his prey, waiting the moment to pounce and devour him fiercely.

"I like you." He ended up whispering with amusement. "Just for that, I'll keep quiet and this whole thing will be our secret."

"I don't care." Said Asano trying to pretend that he wasn't affected by the realization of how the other watched his lips intently as he talked. "You were never a threat to me."

"Ah, my name is Akabane Karma." He whispered moving closer to him, with the clear intention of kissing him. "Although you'll remember it in bed, when you're screaming my name."

Enough, he had had enough.

The tension between them seemed go up to the clouds with those words, and the way the redhead's breathing mingled with his as he leaned in was too much for Gakushuu.

"Get out." He said flustered while his hands slapped him away with some force.

Karma only smiled when separating himself while Gakushuu was trying to compose himself, he knew he could have reacted better if he hadn't been so nervous or confused, but the reactions his body had had from feeling the touch of the other boy were very confusing, so he couldn't help behaving abruptly.

"See you later, kitten." Karma said with amusement as he winked and turned around to leave.

"Never." Gakushuu answer angrily. "I wish you'd die from another shot."

Both knew that the statement was not true, but it was easier to say that, to recognize the strange attraction that they had developed towards the other and the excitement that came from keeping that little secret between them.

~0.0~

The third time he saw him, they ended up as he feared. And to his surprise, like the night he saved him, he didn't regret it at all.

His friend Ren was of those who openly enjoyed his life and the world in which he had born. He didn't worry about the intricacies of his family, gang fights, where his family got the money from or the responsability that would fall on his shoulders one day.

No.

Ren enjoyed the luxuries that his family gave him and if he could drag him, even better.

So when he appeared at the door of his house that night saying that they would go to a club, Gakushuu knew it wouldn't be worth answering because Ren didn't accept "no" for an answer.

The whole affair ended with both of them well dressed and in a luxury club full of rich kids who used their status to have fun and do what they pleased there. Personally he wasn't surprised, it was not the first time that his friend dragged him to those kinds of clubs or discos and although he didn't enjoy it at all, sometimes it distracted his mind from what was like being the undisputed son of the biggest capo in the city, it was necessary.

Although after all, he knew he'd end up as always: Sitting at the bar, drinking something while he enduring the noise and bustle that was in that place and looking how Ren flirted with every girl in the club.

He didn't mind it, it was like a routine. Plus it's not as if he felt like doing something better, he knew he could, but he didn't want to. So it was alright to sit sipping his drink instead of approaching anyone or show off the fact that he was the son of who he was.

He wasn't proud of anything, it was as if Karma's blood that stained his hands that night had done away with the little desire he had of belonging to the world of the mafia. And that desire was really small to begin with, honestly.

Although, speak of the devil.

"What's up kitten? Aren't you going with your friend to impress those girls?" Someone whispered in his ear.

Recognizing that voice and the strange tingling that it produced in him, he inmediately turned to find Karma's face close to him.

What did he do to get into those sites? Seriously. Who was in charge of the security there? How did that guy follow him to those places so easily? It was really a mystery. Although the question he had asked him and the way he had approached him, prevented him from thinking about those things.

He made him very nervous. And not a very innocent kind of nervous, he had to admit it. That gleam in his amber eyes along with the touch of his body when he cornered him in the hallway, had tortured him in every possible way for weeks.

"Seriously?" He asked angrily. "What the hell is wrong with you? You're obsessed with me, you don't do anything that's not following me."

Karma gave him a grin as he sat in the chair next to him and he made a simple gesture to the waiter. Then he looked at him with a raised eyebrow and shot back.

"It's not my fault that you decide to party the same day as me."

"You're really smug, aren't you?" Karma said with annoyance. "Look at you, with those clothes and that pretty face, surely you came with the intention of taking two or three girls to bed tonight."

"No, I don't have to, I don't need it." He replied raising his head proudly. "Besides, what I would want two or three girls for, when I have a stalker who chases me around all the time?"

"Well, maybe this stalker only wants to be near his little miracle." Karma said winking.

Gakushuu looked away and felt embarrassment flooding him. Who does he think he is? It had to be unashamed to say things like that. The worst part is that he didn't really hate him, he had even dared to use the words he had whispered when he helped him that night, it was like cheating. Of course, maybe it also had something to do with the way his red hair shone under the club lights, how his eyes examined him cheekily as he smiled with gallantry and the fact that a couple of buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned revealing pale and seemingly smooth skin.

It was when he realized those details and how much affected him, coupled with the way in which he recalled the touch of his hands in his hair and his breath brushing his lips, that he wanted to get up and run out of there.

To his misfortune, before he could do it, the waiter came and placed two glasses on the bar. One in front of him and one in front of Karma. He looked suspiciously at his, and Karma gave him another smile, so that was what he had asked the waiter for when he sat down.

"It's my treat" Said Karma animated as he took a sip from his glass.

Asano looked him with some distrust, causing the other to repress a laugh.

"What is this?" He asked suspiciously.

"Please, it's a simple mojito." Answered the redhead. "It's not poisoned, I didn't even have time to touch the cup."

"So you're going to get me drunk and then take advantage of me." Claimed Asano waiting for him to take it as a joke. He wouldn't admit that most of his wet dreams over the last few weeks had been precisely about it.

"As long as the bathrooms of this site are clean." Replied Karma mischievously.

Well, yes.

The bathrooms of that club were more than clean until they decided to dirty them on their own.

It would be easy to blame it on the alcohol, the three or four mojitos that they drank in the bar or the heavy and intoxicating atmosphere of that club that enveloped them, with the music, the people dancing and the sweat and breathing all mixed.

But that way they would be lying to themselves and to everyone. Because it was not the club or the alcohol. Perhaps, that last one helped them jump in, but still they could have done it without it.

It was them who slowly got close to each other, who were carried away by the smiles, the touches and the looks from the other. It was them who ignored who they were, the secret they shared and the huge mess they could get into if anyone found out what they were about to do. The excitement of the danger, breaking the rules, flirting and doing something wrong with precisely the least indicated, the guilty pleasure produced from being caught and the gallant and attractive expression of the other, making that them lose composture in one of the cubicles in the bathroom of that club.

With the music of the dance floor resonating a few meters away, their breaths collided, lips devoured each other, hands caressed their skins and they both concentrated solely on the moans and movements of the other, as if nothing else existed. Their hands were lost in the clothing, skin and other body warmth to caress where they could, without any control or desire to restrain themselves. Listening to the voice of the other steeped in pleasure while biting, sucking or touching everything in their path, only encouraged them to continue with more intensity. Closing their eyes, they were carried away without worrying about all that would come later.

Even though Karma had no opportunity to make Asano scream his name, he knew that sooner or later he would; And although Asano had been reluctant to do so from the beginning, after what he felt and thought after their second meeting and that act in the bathroom, it was almost certain that Karma would eventually get what he wanted.

The didn't know why they did it, really, they didn't have a specific reason. But they seemed to know it since they met at that label party. In which Karma said "I like you" and he was right, he liked the way Asano was breathing heavily and sighing against his shoulder because he was ashamed to show his flushed and adorable face and the softness and taste of those lips. In which Asano said "Never", but internally he knew that his meeting had been interesting and he wouldn't mind repeating it, and he wasn't wrong, because seeing as Karma squinted and hugged his back to have something to hold on to, gave him a strange satisfaction.

So at the end of the night, Ren disappeared from the club by the arms of a couple of girls and Asano ended up kissing Karma desperately in the club bathrooms.

It hadn't been bad, really. There was nothing to lie about there, they were almost adults and they had enjoyed it.

And though his little secret ended up being bigger than they thought, Karma had no qualms in giving Asano his phone number and telling him to call him as he gave him a short kiss on the lips. Although Gakushuu too, said that he would and he grabbed his shirt to kiss him again.

Yes. No doubt that they were getting in trouble, but they didn't seem to mind. At least for the moment.

~0.0~

After that, Gakushuu lost count of the times they met.

Their encounters with an interval of months, became few weeks. And those few weeks, became a few days. All without them noticing.

Sometimes it was Karma who appeared out of nowhere to look for him and other times it Asano was who came with the intention to find him. It could be anywhere, often in the club where it all started, others in the shed of Asano's house; in a room whose motel they had known thanks to their "profession"; the alley where they met or, when they were sure that nobody would catch them, in Gakushuu's room.

At any time and at any hour, whenever they wanted, there were no rules, after all they were already breaking all of them, they didn't have to worry that much.

The only question that they had to done, is at what time they became more than just lovers. And when they found the answer, they didn't care, because they had already admitted that there were feelings involved and it was too late to fake it.

Probably it started when they realized that their encounters had become a necessity.

A necessity, like the air they breathed, like the water they drank. They had to know of the other at least once a day or they would imagine the worst. Being in the arms of the other became like a drug, one which didn't sate them enough, it was as if they never were satisfied. No matter how many times they did it, or where, or how, the next day they ended up looking for their phones and contemplating the need to escape to met again. It was sick even, thinking of the other constantly, daydreaming about their meetings at any time of the day and remembering the touch of the other, the scent of their sweat and their panting voices in their loneliest hours. They seemed to only count the minutes remaining until they met again, lock themselves in somewhere and eagerly kiss with passion, as if they hadn't seen each other in months.

After admitting how much they needed to meet up, everything went downhill, leading them to a spiral of feelings that lead them to admit that they were just stupid kids pretending to be tragic lovers like Romeo and Juliet.

It began with a caress on the hair, face, back, chest, a simple and selfless tender touch while they were carrying out their "friends with benefits" activities. A touch that they shouldn't have and shouldn't enjoy, but they did and continued, because it seemed to become one of the things they needed to do when they were together; The passionate and sometimes rampant kisses were becoming cautious and tender, as if they feared harming the contrary, as if they needed a break and simply kiss calmly to calm down, transmitting a feeling that they clearly didn't know, but began to accept; Hugs came more naturally than they expected, they didn't even seem to notice, just one day they woke up in the warm embrace of the other and decided on their own that would be like that from now on, because somehow it made them feel full and less lonely than they were already; Casual talks in some of their encounters also occurred, bringing up any subject and being able to talk for hours, discussing, pulling their temper sometimes even, but unconsciously memorizing the expressions and gestures of the other with some enthusiasm and a silly smile.

By the first night they made love, they were more than sure what really happened between them.

They didn't need to say anything, they tried to put it in each and every one of their actions. In the way in which their naked bodies sought intertwining between the sheets, in which their caresses swept everything in their path gently and delicately, in which their lips kissed with sweetness, in which they whispered their names with patience and allowed themselves to be intoxicated by their feelings. The warmth of their breaths, butterflies in their stomachs, sighs, whispers, smiles, the tenderness with which they did; they didn't need anything else to find an answer.

They felt like an incomplete puzzle which had finally found the missing piece to be happy. And they felt like that. Even if that piece couldn't be at his side and was always destined to be his enemy because of an absurd war between mafias.

That was rather cruel, from Asano's father, and from any illegal group in the city's, part.

They didn't consider that mobsters could also fall in love with each other. Regardless of the side.

~0.0~

"Let's run away." Whispered Karma against his chest.

Asano turned his head on the pillow and lifted lazily to look at him carefully.

It was one of those nights in which his father had gone to an important "business" meeting and left him alone and unsupervised in that huge house where he lived. Which meant that as soon as his father was gone, Karma would appear beneath his window throwing stones at his window and looking from below with amusement.

Had plenty to say upon entering his room, they had done what they used to do. Although unlike other days, Karma was more mellow than he used to, something quite rare. Now the redhead hugged him tightly as he rested his head against his bare chest and Asano was beginning to fall asleep, but Karma muttering those words he had caught his interest.

"What?" He asked a little confused.

"Let's run away." Repeated Karma watching him from below intently. "Let's run away together from this world, escape from this."

Asano had to supress a sigh and opened his mouth, thinking of an answer. He would be lying if he said that he hadn't thought about escaping with Karma and leaving that dark world that they no longer wanted to belong to.

It would be the best decision that they could make. Because Asano didn't want to be someone like his father and Karma lost his interest in continuing in that when he was shot in that ambush. To their misfortune, both knew it was impossible.

"We can't." He said sadly. "They would find us."

"Let's run away." Repeated Karma in a kind to appeal as he buried his head in his chest. "Now, at night, or at any time when no one could see us."

"The second we put a foot outside the city, they would look for us. And you know very well what would happen if they find us." Asano reproached with concern as he stroked his red hair calmly. "I'm the capo's son and you're one of those on the other side, we would have all mafia against us and they could execute us."

"But we could be together." Karma whispered with a silly smile. "We could live together and get a normal job, go on as we could... It would be fun, right?"

"Yes, it would."

After that response, Asano felt how the other writhed in his embrace and then look sideways on the bed, his face next to him and still in his arms. Helplessly, his eyes fell to his abdomen, which could see the scar from that gunshot wound which made him the night they met, possibly being responsible one of his men. Without much thought, Gakushuu raised his hand to that place to caress that wound gently, which had coincidentally been the culprit that they were in that position now. He heard Karma sigh and felt his hand touch his cheek.

"You were a miracle." Whispered Karma fondly. "You really were."

That was possibly one of the few phrases that Karma had said a sincerity and genuine feeling. And that was saying a lot. This is why he didn't hesitate to raise his eyes and lock them on his, to make sure that the guy really was fine. And he wasn't, none of them were. Gakushuu wasn't surprised to see how Karma's amber eyes shone with sadness, surely his eyes did too.

"Let's run away." Gakushuu whispered helplessly.

It was his greatest desire at that time and he was sure that he wasn't alone. Both would do anything to fulfill it.

"I wish we could." Karma answered with a sad smile as he hugged him tightly.

Yes. He wished they could, too.

~0.0~

Strong blows resounded on the door of his room, making him suddenly open his eyes and sit up in bed startled.

Gakushuu looked around, confused, trying to accustom his eyes to the darkness of the night. The clock on his nightstand marked the half past three, but although he should be surprised for those blows and screams, and the time, he soon heard the noise that seemed to occur throughout the house.

"Asano! Get up! Asano!" Shouted one of the subordinates of his father behind the door.

Identifying the alarmed tone of the man, a lot of thoughts flooded Gakushuu's mind while he took off the sheets to jump out of bed and open the door quickly.

He didn't know what might have happened, or what was going on. His father had an important dinner that night and he didn't know where he was, and he was lucky because if Karma and he had seen each other that morning, they could have caught them.

"What?" He asked as he swung the door open.

"They've intercepted your father. The enemy has infiltrated the precinct, they planning to enter the house and their target is you, you have to leave now." The man spoke nervously.

"What?!" He asked confunsed.

His father, intercepted? People slipping into the compound? When? How?

The arms of the man held him tightly to his shoulders and shook him to take him out of his thoughts while he shouted. It's true that time wasn't suitable to stay thoughtful.

"You have to get out of here! The priority of your father is your security!" He exclaimed alarmed.

"I'm not running away." Asano reproached courageously. "I'll stay and defend myself."

That was the answer and the most logical action for him. He had been fighting and training all his life. Did they want to kill the capo's son? Well, let's see if they were able to put a finger on him.

And yet, the other man only seemed more alarmed.

"You can't!" He shouted scared.

"Why?"

"They're the group that we tried to bring down months ago, they want revenge and they have no qualms with anything." Explained the man nervously. "The God of Death is with them."

Gakushuu's world was frozen for a moment. The mere mention of that name was devastating for anyone, not even his father dared to name him. How could the God of Death be behind him?

He opened his mouth to ask, but a roar followed by all foundations of the house shaking, interrupted him. The window panes breaking, exclamations and cries of some of his men opening fire, the start of a shootout and anything else he couldn't distinguish between the scandal that were heard.

Gakushuu felt how the man pushed him aside, forcing him to go the opposite way to the stairs leading down to the first floor and urging him to flee.

"Get out!" He shouted insistently.

"I can't! I have to stay!" Gakushuu cried almost desperately.

Even if he was the target, even if the enemy did all of this to kill him, even if the God of Dead had been willing to kill him, he was unable to leave his men fighting to defend him as he fled. It was dishonorable and very cowardly to do so. In addition, the mere fact that the God of Death was there, it was taken for granted that everyone was going to die, there was no way out. And he couldn't do it, if he left there he would bear the weight of their deaths all his life, at least if he survived.

"They're orders of your father." Said the other man seriously.

Gakushuu had to suppress his anger at that and he decided to shut up at those words.

Of course.

His father's orders, huh?

All they would find out how much he cared about his father's orders.

With his thoughts spinning through his mind like a hurricane and an anger that he couldn't control, Gakushuu ignored the request of the man, the cries of the others on the floor below and how much his heart pounded in his chest, and began running down the hall to a very specific place: his father's office.

It was too late to go to the shed or armory, the only place where he could find a gun and defend himself was his father's office. He was one of the few who knew where that room was, among the many which were in the house, allowing him to get faster than his enemies, who hadn't ascended up the stairs yet, or so he thought.

Breaking into that room, Gakushuu hurried to the huge mahogany desk of his father. He opened the drawers one by one hard, as fast as he could, until he could find what he wanted.

He held the small revolver from his father tightly and had enough time to load it with two or three bullets. It wasn't much, he knew, maybe even useless, but it was better than nothing. He expected at least could shoot someone and steal his gun, however ignoble as it sounded, he needed it.

That was the kind of thing that he thought as he walked toward the office door, before hearing a small "click" in front of him.

Gakushuu froze, lifted his head to stop looking at the revolver and realized the person who had entered the office quietly.

Karma's eyes didn't seem to have a glow or light under the moonlight which was shining through the windows of the office. Serious and even carrying a desolate expression while pointing his gun (already loaded and ready to shoot) at him, made him doubt many things, including his apparent intention to kill him.

But Gakushuu couldn't blame him. He was in the other side, he was his enemy. Somehow or another, they were destined for this.

"So... Here ends the game of cat and mouse, right?" Joked Gakushuu feeling like he was crumbling little by little.

The fact that they knew that this had to happen, didn't make it less painful. On the contrary, the two were dying inside. Karma didn't want to show any emotion because he knew that if he did, he would end up backing off from his mission. And Asano just didn't want to die with tears in his eyes, if he was killed by the redhead, he'd let him do it with his head held high.

"Aren't you going to defend yourself?" Karma asked without emotion.

"No." Asano answered simply. "I'm not going to shoot you."

Karma's eyes narrowed as he examined him. Asano would like to have lied about the last, but it was true. Even taking his father's revolver in his hands, he hadn't thought of shooting Karma or defending himself, in other circumstances and with other people maybe he would have, but not with Karma. Not like this.

"What if I want to you shoot me?"

That question left him completely disturbed, making open his eyes in surprise and looked at Karma with his mouth slightly open. The revolver in his hand seemed much heavier than before and Asano didn't know what to say. The voices and shots of his men and Karma's were heard in the distance, without being able to interrupt his thoughts.

"Why would you want that?" He asked seriously.

"Because it would be our only departure." Muttered Karma outlining a sad and desolate smile.

Asano looked at him stunned as he assimilated the meaning of those words, recalling his past conversations and other request that Karma made him at that time.

When he realized what he was asking of him, his eyes seemed clouded with tears which he had trying to keep and his mouth went dry. He heard a sigh from Karma and his voice as he spoke soothingly.

"Let's run away, Gakushuu." Said Karma. "Let's run away together to the only place were they can't follow us or find us."

Yes, he was right and Gakushuu knew it. His only way out, the only chance they had to run away together and end that miserable life in that dark world that none wanted to stand.

The only place where the could run away to be together: Death.

It was sick just thinking about it. It was toxic to suggest it. What kind of dysfunctional couple were they, that they contemplated together the idea of suicide as Romeo and Juliet did in their day? They were sick. Pathetic.

And yet, the way that Gakushuu smiled and placed the gun in his hand, implied that he was agreed to finish all that way.

"We had our days counted either way, right?" Gakushuu whispered pointing the gun at Karma and loaded it with decision.

Yes, they had from the beginning.

Gakushuu had to die that night, no matter what. Because if Karma didn't shoot him now, it would be the God of Death who did and no one wanted that possibility; And Karma should have died months ago, in that alley. He didn't because the mere and simple existence of Gakushuu helped him get ahead, for that reason he had the necessity to continue living at his side, at least to show him how important was his miracle for him. So if Gakushuu died, Karma had to die with him. Because the blessed couldn't live without his blessing.

"Do me a favor." Karma murmured sadly.

"What?"

"If we reincarnate and we meet in another life, please don't be so tight and let me take you to bed the first night." He said faking a mocking voice.

Gakushuu smiled fondly as he felt his arm began to tremble with nervousness. Despite what the redhead said didn't sound good, both knew that was the equivalent of "I want to see you again, even in another life, but I want to."

"Okay, I'll do it." Replied Gakushuu continuing the joke with a sadly tone. "As long as you haven't gotten into trouble and I have to rescue you, as always."

Karma smiled and a solitary tear ran down his cheek as he murmured sincerely:

"I love you."

Asano couldn't contain another tear to respond.

"Me too."

The triggers were pulled, two shots were heard at once in the room, blood was splattered and two bodies fell almost simultaneously on the ground, rumbled and leaving a puddle of their dark and red blood.

The next morning, when Asano Gakuhou entered his office after covering what little was left of his home, he couldn't help feeling miserable when he found the body of his son and his lover lying on the ground, both with a smile of happiness in their pale faces.

Hello ~

Well, here's my second one-shot for the Karushuu Week. The word of this day was "Mafia" and it's obvious so I think I don't have to explain nothing xD They are mobsters, Gakushuu is the capo's son and Karma an... ¿Normal mobstier? You understand (?) If anyone thought on it, yes, Karma's band was the E class, but I think that's obvious when the "God of Dead" was named later, so (?) I ended up killing them, yes, in my defense I'll say that I always wanted to write this kind of angst, so here's it, sorry not sorry xD

I hope that someone liked it, and please don't kill me (?)

See you tomorrow (~*-*)~ ~(*-*~)