No Way Out - Chapter two
“Jin?” he heard the voice but he couldn’t respond, as guilt and disappointment began to surge through him. He dressed quickly and crouched in the corner that he deemed to be furthest away from Kazuya. “I…” the gangster looked awkward as he struggled to sit up. “I’m sorry.” The man struggled back into his trousers. “You don’t have to worry, I won’t tell anyone that…”
“I don’t care about that!” Jin snapped. Kazuya frowned but didn’t say anything. Jin sighed; he knew that he wasn’t being fair. “I let myself down.” He admitted, surprising himself by how weak his voice sounded suddenly. “I’ve been trying to…to…quit.”
As expected he was met by a look of ultimate confusion. “Quit?”
He could feel his cheeks growing red as he nodded. Was he really about to confess? “I…” he stammered, “I…when I said that…I…sex isn’t a hobby of mine…it’s an addiction.”
Kame didn’t look convinced as he raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. “You some kind of nut?” It wasn’t exactly the response that Jin had been expecting.
“No!” He realized just how defensive he sounded, “I’m serious.” Somehow admitting his worries to someone who only hours ago had been a complete stranger made him feel lighter. He pulled his hand through his hair, “I had a special arrangement with some people…people like me…we’d meet up a few times a day and just…” he trailed off. Why was this so embarrassing? “Sometimes that wasn’t enough and I’d find others to fuck, or to fuck me…” he exhaled, “it was an obsession, and it was completely taking over my life, so I put a stop to it.”
“That’s…um…good?” it was obvious that Kame had absolutely no idea how he was supposed to react.
Jin frowned. “That was almost two weeks ago!” he snapped. “It was all going fine, until you.” He turned away in disgust.
What he hadn’t been expecting was the laughter. Eyes that only moments earlier had been full of lust now glittered mockingly. “It’s not my fault that you can’t keep it in your pants!” Even the man’s voice sounded different as he turned away, “I didn’t force you. Sometimes sex just…happens.”
Jin was on his feet in a heartbeat, holding Kame against the side of elevator before the man had time to react. “Shut the fuck up!” he snarled. “You…you…” he could feel unwanted emotions tearing through him. Who was this guy? How was he doing this to do him?
“It’s not my fault!” Kazuya’s voice sounded weaker this time, his face no longer malicious but sad. “That was the first time that I ever…” he turned away and began to struggle against Jin’s hold. “Just leave me alone,” he snapped, “we can both forget this ever happened.”
“First time?” Jin blinked, “you’re not a…”
“Of course not!” Kame seemed to be getting more and more distressed, “but I never just met somebody and…” he seemed to be growing pale, “oh…what have I done?” he pushed Jin away and staggered across the small space, “he’s going to kill me if he ever finds out.”
“He?” Suddenly his own issue seemed ridiculous and childish, “you have a…a boyfriend?” He couldn’t understand why the possibility hurt him so much.
Kazuya laughed, low and bitter. “Not exactly.” He sighed, glancing at Jin’s face suddenly. “It’s none of your business anyway!”
“I told you my secret!” Jin defended, feeling more hurt than he would have liked by the man’s hostility. “That’s not something I want spreading around, you know.”
Kame looked thoughtful. “I’m a gangster.” He said quietly.
Jin rolled his eyes, “you don’t say.” he muttered.
Kame looked genuinely taken aback, “you knew?” he asked. Jin nodded. “And you still…” he blushed, “I thought that you hated gangs.”
“I do,” Jin shrugged, and began to search around for his cigarettes again, “but there’s something different about you.”
Kame shook his head and smirked, “you don’t understand as much as you think you do.” He sounded almost disappointed, “I’m a nobody, bottom rank,” he pursed his lips, “I have to do whatever my boss tells me to.” His cheeks were definitely taking on a darker tone, but he attempted a quiet laugh, “I’m basically his bitch.”
It took Jin a moment to catch onto the hidden implications. “You mean…you let him…” Suddenly he felt queasy.
“Yes,” Kame said firmly, obviously fighting to meet his eyes, “I have no other choice.”
Jin couldn’t decide what disgusted him more; the story or the beaten down man’s attitude. “There are always choices,” he said calmly, “don’t ever let anyone put you down.”
“Today was supposed to be my big chance, all I had to do was deliver that,” Kazuya nodded at the discarded briefcase as though he hadn’t heard Jin’s words of advice, “to Nishikido at exactly 2am and then I was to be promoted.” He scowled, “I don’t even want to think about what’s going to happen now that I’ve failed.”
Jin, who had an unlit cigarette poised an inch away from his lips froze. “Did you say Nishikido?” His eyes shot in the direction of the briefcase and then back to Kazuya’s face. “What the hell are you delivering?”
“I don’t ask questions!” Kazuya seemed to be prickling with irritation, his hands balled into fists as he prowled the elevator. “I just do as I’m told.”
“Who do you work for?” Jin scrambled to his feet, discarding his cigarette as he did so. He wished that he could explain the build-up of anxiety that the beautiful young man was causing him.
“I…I can’t tell you that.” Kame staggered back until he collided with the wall, eyes large and suddenly afraid. Jin moved closer, unwilling to drop the matter. “Please!” he raised his hands defensively as though expecting to be struck. “Don’t…don’t…” he seemed to be close to tears as Jin wrapped his hands around the man’s smaller fingers.
“Calm down,” Jin felt as though his insides were being torn up as he watched the man falling apart, “I’m not going to do anything.” But Kazuya didn’t seem convinced as he began to shrink into himself. “I’m trying to help you.”
“You’re trying to con me!” a definite sob, as Kazuya sunk to the floor, forcing Jin who held onto his arms to kneel also. “That’s what you do, right?” the trembling man couldn’t meet his eyes. He took a deep, shuddering breath and wiped his lowered eyes. “And that’s fine…I mean it’s none of my business…but I’m already in so much trouble…” he raised his head and chuckled bitterly, “you don’t need to hear this…”
“Kazuya,” Jin squeezed his hands, in a way that he hoped was comforting, “I’m not trying to con you, I swear.” He shifted from a crouching to kneeling position. “I’m trying to help, but you need to trust me.”
Kazuya snorted in response. “Trust you? Give me one good reason why I should!” He pulled his hands back. “You might think that you’re something special but you’re not!” he spat, pulling himself back up to his full height, “you’re scum! Just like me and Nishikido and Yamash…” he grew pale as he realized his mistake. “I mean…”
“Yamashita?” Jin was on his feet in a heartbeat, “you work for Yamashita? As in Yamashita Tomohisa?” He grabbed Kazuya’s arms again except this time he was far from gentle in his approach. “Tell me!” He shook the other.
“Why do you care?” Kazuya yelled, struggling against his hold. “It’s got nothing to do with you! I have nothing to do with you! We’ll be out of here soon and you can carry on with your celibate, gangster-conning existence!” The man’s face was ablaze with emotion; rage, sadness, fear, “let go of me!” He screamed.
“Fine,” Jin felt his patience run out, “this is the thanks I get for trying to help? Nishikido is welcome to your ass!” He turned and retreated back to the other side of the elevator.
“You haven’t tried to help!” It seemed that Kame hadn’t finished arguing yet, “all you want is information!”
“I already have the information!” Jin snapped, “I know more about these gangs than they know about themselves! You’re the one that’s uninformed.” He grabbed his discarded cigarette and proceeded to light it.
“What are you talking about?” Jin didn’t fail to detect the heightened pitch in Kazuya’s voice, betraying his anxiety.
Slowly exhaling the smoke, Jin allowed himself a few moments to calm down before answering. “What do you know about the relationship between Yamashita and Nishikido?” he asked quietly, gazing steadily at Kame, who returned his stare blankly.
“Nothing,” he admitted, “I’d never heard of Nishikido until yesterday.”
Jin shook his head, “what sort of gangster are you?” but upon seeing the look on Kazuya’s face, he immediately waved his hand, “don’t answer that.” He sighed. “Basically, Yamashita owes Nishikido, and when I say owes I mean owes.” He took another drag. “Yamashita might be a big-shot now but a few years ago he was a no-body. A squirt, trying to make it on his own.” He grinned, “Even you must know that it’s not easy for a new gang to earn respect.” Kazuya nodded heavily. “Well, just as he was getting on his feet, Yamashita was attacked. His men murdered and his building burned to the ground.” Jin laughed lowly, “you should have seen the look on the bastards face…”
“You were there?” Kame interrupted.
Jin felt his face drop. He sighed. “I was the one that did it.” He flexed his fingers. “Not alone, of course, I was a member of Tanaka’s gang at the time.”
“You were in a gang?” Kame didn’t look convinced.
“Sure,” Jin shrugged, “until I tired of all their bullshit.”
“How did you get out?”
Jin smirked as the memories floated over him. “I think that’s a story for another time.”
Kazuya nodded and said nothing.
“Anyway, Yamashita somehow escaped the raid, but no-one was really worried. We all expected that he’d just fade out.” Jin laughed, “How wrong we were…”
“What happened?”
“He turned to Nishikido for help.” Jin took another long drag, “none of us knew that the two of them were connected, but I guess they were and Nishikido invested a fortune in Yamashita.”
“That doesn’t make sense!” Kazuya seemed confused and suspicious, but his hysteria seemed to have abated “Why would a gang leader help to set up a rival gang?”
“Who said that Nishikido’s a gang leader?” Jin said seriously, “he’s a pimp, Kame, and a drug dealer.”
“A…what?” Kame was beginning to look pale.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!” Jin pushed his cigarette into the carpet, adding another scar to its growing collection. “It’s taken Yamashita years to pay off his debt to Nishikido, and it’s not only cash that he demands. Tell me, how did you come to be a part of Yamashita’s gang?”
Kazuya looked terrified as he lowered himself to the ground next to the briefcase. “My parents…” he faltered, “they…they owed Yamashita…he said that if I became a part of his gang then their debt would be erased and they could continue with their lives.”
“And they gave you up?” Jin didn’t bother trying to conceal his disgust.
“In a heartbeat.” Kazuya rubbed his arm, ashamed.
“How long ago was this?” Jin tried to sound gentle but his blood was boiling. He wanted to shield this beautiful young creature from the cruelties of the world.
“Almost a year ago,” Kame’s voice shook as he answered, “just after my eighteenth birthday.” He tilted his head back and stared up at the lights that twinkled above. “I tried to escape,” he explained quietly, “but Yamashita caught me.” He swallowed. “Life got a whole lot harder for me after that.”
Jin couldn’t take it anymore. Pushing himself onto his knees, he crawled forward. Kame looked unsure but didn’t pull back as he reached out to him. “I’ll help you.” Jin was almost afraid to speak the sentimental words. “Trust me and I’ll protect you.” He lifted his hand slowly to cup the tear-stained face. “I’m not perfect,” he could hear his voice shaking, “but I’m trying to change.”
Kame shook his head, and Jin felt a crack forming in his heart. “You’ll use me,” the frightened man whispered, “you already admitted that you can’t control your urges.” His eyes were darting around Jin’s face, as though desperately seeking an element of hope. “What difference will it make? If you’re right about Nishikido then he’ll use me; if I go with you then you will; if I return to Yamashita then he will.” The gangster looked utterly lost.
“I won’t,” by this point even Jin couldn’t disguise his hurt, “please, give me a chance!”
“I don’t even know you!” Kame counteracted.
“Then get to know me!” Jin couldn’t remember the last time that he’d felt so desperate. What was happening to him? “I like you, and for some crazy reason, that I can’t explain, I find myself caring about what happens to you!” He could feel his cheeks growing hot as he confessed. “What do you have to lose?”
Kame lowered his eyes and fell silent for a moment before raising them again and opening his mouth to respond. But what he was going to say, Jin would never know, as the elevator chose that moment to spring into life. Kazuya yelped and tightened his hold on Jin, too on edge to immediately understand what was happening. Jin smiled and kissed the smaller man’s hair. “It’s going to be ok, Kame.” He whispered, “just come with me and everything will be fine.”
“You promise?” Kazuya began to straighten himself up.
Jin smiled and leaned closer, capturing the frightened man’s lips with his own. “I promise.” He whispered. “Maybe I was supposed to find you here today.” He touched Kame’s hair gently and smiled. Kazuya hesitated and then returned it, with a little uncertainty. Jin felt his chest swell. Perhaps he would even grow to love this Kazuya-character. Previously he’d never imagined that such an emotion could be possible but suddenly it didn’t seem quite so ridiculous.
The elevator doors opened.
~*~*~*~
A/N: This story is way longer than it was meant to be. I’ll have the next part up within the next week though. I promise! It’s a long time since I’ve written Akame. Let me know what you think? Comments are <3
“I don’t care about that!” Jin snapped. Kazuya frowned but didn’t say anything. Jin sighed; he knew that he wasn’t being fair. “I let myself down.” He admitted, surprising himself by how weak his voice sounded suddenly. “I’ve been trying to…to…quit.”
As expected he was met by a look of ultimate confusion. “Quit?”
He could feel his cheeks growing red as he nodded. Was he really about to confess? “I…” he stammered, “I…when I said that…I…sex isn’t a hobby of mine…it’s an addiction.”
Kame didn’t look convinced as he raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. “You some kind of nut?” It wasn’t exactly the response that Jin had been expecting.
“No!” He realized just how defensive he sounded, “I’m serious.” Somehow admitting his worries to someone who only hours ago had been a complete stranger made him feel lighter. He pulled his hand through his hair, “I had a special arrangement with some people…people like me…we’d meet up a few times a day and just…” he trailed off. Why was this so embarrassing? “Sometimes that wasn’t enough and I’d find others to fuck, or to fuck me…” he exhaled, “it was an obsession, and it was completely taking over my life, so I put a stop to it.”
“That’s…um…good?” it was obvious that Kame had absolutely no idea how he was supposed to react.
Jin frowned. “That was almost two weeks ago!” he snapped. “It was all going fine, until you.” He turned away in disgust.
What he hadn’t been expecting was the laughter. Eyes that only moments earlier had been full of lust now glittered mockingly. “It’s not my fault that you can’t keep it in your pants!” Even the man’s voice sounded different as he turned away, “I didn’t force you. Sometimes sex just…happens.”
Jin was on his feet in a heartbeat, holding Kame against the side of elevator before the man had time to react. “Shut the fuck up!” he snarled. “You…you…” he could feel unwanted emotions tearing through him. Who was this guy? How was he doing this to do him?
“It’s not my fault!” Kazuya’s voice sounded weaker this time, his face no longer malicious but sad. “That was the first time that I ever…” he turned away and began to struggle against Jin’s hold. “Just leave me alone,” he snapped, “we can both forget this ever happened.”
“First time?” Jin blinked, “you’re not a…”
“Of course not!” Kame seemed to be getting more and more distressed, “but I never just met somebody and…” he seemed to be growing pale, “oh…what have I done?” he pushed Jin away and staggered across the small space, “he’s going to kill me if he ever finds out.”
“He?” Suddenly his own issue seemed ridiculous and childish, “you have a…a boyfriend?” He couldn’t understand why the possibility hurt him so much.
Kazuya laughed, low and bitter. “Not exactly.” He sighed, glancing at Jin’s face suddenly. “It’s none of your business anyway!”
“I told you my secret!” Jin defended, feeling more hurt than he would have liked by the man’s hostility. “That’s not something I want spreading around, you know.”
Kame looked thoughtful. “I’m a gangster.” He said quietly.
Jin rolled his eyes, “you don’t say.” he muttered.
Kame looked genuinely taken aback, “you knew?” he asked. Jin nodded. “And you still…” he blushed, “I thought that you hated gangs.”
“I do,” Jin shrugged, and began to search around for his cigarettes again, “but there’s something different about you.”
Kame shook his head and smirked, “you don’t understand as much as you think you do.” He sounded almost disappointed, “I’m a nobody, bottom rank,” he pursed his lips, “I have to do whatever my boss tells me to.” His cheeks were definitely taking on a darker tone, but he attempted a quiet laugh, “I’m basically his bitch.”
It took Jin a moment to catch onto the hidden implications. “You mean…you let him…” Suddenly he felt queasy.
“Yes,” Kame said firmly, obviously fighting to meet his eyes, “I have no other choice.”
Jin couldn’t decide what disgusted him more; the story or the beaten down man’s attitude. “There are always choices,” he said calmly, “don’t ever let anyone put you down.”
“Today was supposed to be my big chance, all I had to do was deliver that,” Kazuya nodded at the discarded briefcase as though he hadn’t heard Jin’s words of advice, “to Nishikido at exactly 2am and then I was to be promoted.” He scowled, “I don’t even want to think about what’s going to happen now that I’ve failed.”
Jin, who had an unlit cigarette poised an inch away from his lips froze. “Did you say Nishikido?” His eyes shot in the direction of the briefcase and then back to Kazuya’s face. “What the hell are you delivering?”
“I don’t ask questions!” Kazuya seemed to be prickling with irritation, his hands balled into fists as he prowled the elevator. “I just do as I’m told.”
“Who do you work for?” Jin scrambled to his feet, discarding his cigarette as he did so. He wished that he could explain the build-up of anxiety that the beautiful young man was causing him.
“I…I can’t tell you that.” Kame staggered back until he collided with the wall, eyes large and suddenly afraid. Jin moved closer, unwilling to drop the matter. “Please!” he raised his hands defensively as though expecting to be struck. “Don’t…don’t…” he seemed to be close to tears as Jin wrapped his hands around the man’s smaller fingers.
“Calm down,” Jin felt as though his insides were being torn up as he watched the man falling apart, “I’m not going to do anything.” But Kazuya didn’t seem convinced as he began to shrink into himself. “I’m trying to help you.”
“You’re trying to con me!” a definite sob, as Kazuya sunk to the floor, forcing Jin who held onto his arms to kneel also. “That’s what you do, right?” the trembling man couldn’t meet his eyes. He took a deep, shuddering breath and wiped his lowered eyes. “And that’s fine…I mean it’s none of my business…but I’m already in so much trouble…” he raised his head and chuckled bitterly, “you don’t need to hear this…”
“Kazuya,” Jin squeezed his hands, in a way that he hoped was comforting, “I’m not trying to con you, I swear.” He shifted from a crouching to kneeling position. “I’m trying to help, but you need to trust me.”
Kazuya snorted in response. “Trust you? Give me one good reason why I should!” He pulled his hands back. “You might think that you’re something special but you’re not!” he spat, pulling himself back up to his full height, “you’re scum! Just like me and Nishikido and Yamash…” he grew pale as he realized his mistake. “I mean…”
“Yamashita?” Jin was on his feet in a heartbeat, “you work for Yamashita? As in Yamashita Tomohisa?” He grabbed Kazuya’s arms again except this time he was far from gentle in his approach. “Tell me!” He shook the other.
“Why do you care?” Kazuya yelled, struggling against his hold. “It’s got nothing to do with you! I have nothing to do with you! We’ll be out of here soon and you can carry on with your celibate, gangster-conning existence!” The man’s face was ablaze with emotion; rage, sadness, fear, “let go of me!” He screamed.
“Fine,” Jin felt his patience run out, “this is the thanks I get for trying to help? Nishikido is welcome to your ass!” He turned and retreated back to the other side of the elevator.
“You haven’t tried to help!” It seemed that Kame hadn’t finished arguing yet, “all you want is information!”
“I already have the information!” Jin snapped, “I know more about these gangs than they know about themselves! You’re the one that’s uninformed.” He grabbed his discarded cigarette and proceeded to light it.
“What are you talking about?” Jin didn’t fail to detect the heightened pitch in Kazuya’s voice, betraying his anxiety.
Slowly exhaling the smoke, Jin allowed himself a few moments to calm down before answering. “What do you know about the relationship between Yamashita and Nishikido?” he asked quietly, gazing steadily at Kame, who returned his stare blankly.
“Nothing,” he admitted, “I’d never heard of Nishikido until yesterday.”
Jin shook his head, “what sort of gangster are you?” but upon seeing the look on Kazuya’s face, he immediately waved his hand, “don’t answer that.” He sighed. “Basically, Yamashita owes Nishikido, and when I say owes I mean owes.” He took another drag. “Yamashita might be a big-shot now but a few years ago he was a no-body. A squirt, trying to make it on his own.” He grinned, “Even you must know that it’s not easy for a new gang to earn respect.” Kazuya nodded heavily. “Well, just as he was getting on his feet, Yamashita was attacked. His men murdered and his building burned to the ground.” Jin laughed lowly, “you should have seen the look on the bastards face…”
“You were there?” Kame interrupted.
Jin felt his face drop. He sighed. “I was the one that did it.” He flexed his fingers. “Not alone, of course, I was a member of Tanaka’s gang at the time.”
“You were in a gang?” Kame didn’t look convinced.
“Sure,” Jin shrugged, “until I tired of all their bullshit.”
“How did you get out?”
Jin smirked as the memories floated over him. “I think that’s a story for another time.”
Kazuya nodded and said nothing.
“Anyway, Yamashita somehow escaped the raid, but no-one was really worried. We all expected that he’d just fade out.” Jin laughed, “How wrong we were…”
“What happened?”
“He turned to Nishikido for help.” Jin took another long drag, “none of us knew that the two of them were connected, but I guess they were and Nishikido invested a fortune in Yamashita.”
“That doesn’t make sense!” Kazuya seemed confused and suspicious, but his hysteria seemed to have abated “Why would a gang leader help to set up a rival gang?”
“Who said that Nishikido’s a gang leader?” Jin said seriously, “he’s a pimp, Kame, and a drug dealer.”
“A…what?” Kame was beginning to look pale.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!” Jin pushed his cigarette into the carpet, adding another scar to its growing collection. “It’s taken Yamashita years to pay off his debt to Nishikido, and it’s not only cash that he demands. Tell me, how did you come to be a part of Yamashita’s gang?”
Kazuya looked terrified as he lowered himself to the ground next to the briefcase. “My parents…” he faltered, “they…they owed Yamashita…he said that if I became a part of his gang then their debt would be erased and they could continue with their lives.”
“And they gave you up?” Jin didn’t bother trying to conceal his disgust.
“In a heartbeat.” Kazuya rubbed his arm, ashamed.
“How long ago was this?” Jin tried to sound gentle but his blood was boiling. He wanted to shield this beautiful young creature from the cruelties of the world.
“Almost a year ago,” Kame’s voice shook as he answered, “just after my eighteenth birthday.” He tilted his head back and stared up at the lights that twinkled above. “I tried to escape,” he explained quietly, “but Yamashita caught me.” He swallowed. “Life got a whole lot harder for me after that.”
Jin couldn’t take it anymore. Pushing himself onto his knees, he crawled forward. Kame looked unsure but didn’t pull back as he reached out to him. “I’ll help you.” Jin was almost afraid to speak the sentimental words. “Trust me and I’ll protect you.” He lifted his hand slowly to cup the tear-stained face. “I’m not perfect,” he could hear his voice shaking, “but I’m trying to change.”
Kame shook his head, and Jin felt a crack forming in his heart. “You’ll use me,” the frightened man whispered, “you already admitted that you can’t control your urges.” His eyes were darting around Jin’s face, as though desperately seeking an element of hope. “What difference will it make? If you’re right about Nishikido then he’ll use me; if I go with you then you will; if I return to Yamashita then he will.” The gangster looked utterly lost.
“I won’t,” by this point even Jin couldn’t disguise his hurt, “please, give me a chance!”
“I don’t even know you!” Kame counteracted.
“Then get to know me!” Jin couldn’t remember the last time that he’d felt so desperate. What was happening to him? “I like you, and for some crazy reason, that I can’t explain, I find myself caring about what happens to you!” He could feel his cheeks growing hot as he confessed. “What do you have to lose?”
Kame lowered his eyes and fell silent for a moment before raising them again and opening his mouth to respond. But what he was going to say, Jin would never know, as the elevator chose that moment to spring into life. Kazuya yelped and tightened his hold on Jin, too on edge to immediately understand what was happening. Jin smiled and kissed the smaller man’s hair. “It’s going to be ok, Kame.” He whispered, “just come with me and everything will be fine.”
“You promise?” Kazuya began to straighten himself up.
Jin smiled and leaned closer, capturing the frightened man’s lips with his own. “I promise.” He whispered. “Maybe I was supposed to find you here today.” He touched Kame’s hair gently and smiled. Kazuya hesitated and then returned it, with a little uncertainty. Jin felt his chest swell. Perhaps he would even grow to love this Kazuya-character. Previously he’d never imagined that such an emotion could be possible but suddenly it didn’t seem quite so ridiculous.
The elevator doors opened.
~*~*~*~
A/N: This story is way longer than it was meant to be. I’ll have the next part up within the next week though. I promise! It’s a long time since I’ve written Akame. Let me know what you think? Comments are <3