It had to have been around 5 o' clock in the morning, but the only light that could be seen around the once wealthy suburb left to rot were the flashes of gunshots from the beach to center of the neighborhood. Certain gangs came across each other and attempted to settle their disputes right then and there. Many of them were caught off guard by the sudden open fire, including a certain blonde megane. Fortunately, he avoided getting offed like his company and, after noticing way too many guys were after his pale skin in particular, decided to leave the scene as quickly as he could. He'd recognized the faces of several dimwits he easily outsmarted before, and clearly they were looking for revenge. The only thing he could give them that would pay for the torment he caused them would be his life, and he was still using it.

After running into one of the abandoned houses, though it looked more like a violently ransacked manor, Ranmaru collapsed onto the floor, his gun clattering down next to him. Every time he heard another gunshot, he flinched, raising his hands up to his ears. He'd honestly thought any of them could burst through that fragile door and end him, and while he's been in similar situations before, he couldn't understand why he felt so fearful now. Maybe he was still startled by how sudden it'd been, or by just how many men were after him, or the pure hatred he saw in their eyes. He didn't know what it was. All he knew was that he wanted the sound of those guns to go away, at least for a few seconds so he could collect himself. Then he would deal with each of them accordingly. But now... Ranmaru shut his eyes tightly.

Only for them to fly open again when he felt a sharp pain on the top of his head. He looked up to see Takuto, as if his day couldn't get any worse. Ranmaru thought he saw a flash of sympathy in those sharp red eyes for just a second, probably from how hard he flinched from his touch. He was the last person he expected to see anyway. The last time Ranmaru and Takuto met up with each other must have been weeks ago and they didn't exactly leave off on a good note; the bruises have healed up though.

"Shin...dou," he muttered absently. Too many thoughts were going on at one time.

"I'm talking to you," Takuto said before calmly walking around Ranmaru to pick up the gun he dropped earlier. Ranmaru assumed he'd never get that back.

***

"You picked a fine time to sit on your ass doing nothing."

At some point they found themselves lying in bed together in that red room. It would seem each of them only wanted to take a rest. The other wasn't invited, it just ended up that way. They rested on their sides facing each other. The only reason this level of peace was possible between them was because they had both been up the entire night and were, as they would put it, tired as shit.

Ranmaru didn't reply to Takuto's statement. His face was buried in his arm, and Takuto could sense his worry. "Give it back," he muttered under his breath.

Takuto figured he was referring to the gun he stole from him earlier. "I'll give it to you when you need it."

Ranmaru became incredibly irritated from just that one sentence; he felt like a child. He clenched his fists before raising up on his elbows. "If they find me, what am I supposed to protect myself with?" Takuto blatantly ignored his question. He wanted to smack him on the head just like he'd done earlier, if only he had the energy. "Shindou!" He demanded an answer.

"Quiet down," he finally responded. His arm covered his face so Ranmaru couldn't make out his expression. "The only one allowed to kill you except me. I'll strike down anyone who gets in my way." His voice had this noble tone to it, as if he didn't threaten to murder him.

Ranmaru lay back down, his eyebrows were furrowed. "So that's all I am to you?" He bitterly chuckled. Takuto wondered if he was hurt by his words, though he couldn't imagine why. "I'm basically like cattle to you." He also wondered if they were lying closer than before.

"That's ok." He murmured, making himself comfortable as if he could ever get any sleep now. "It actually makes me feel a little bit better."

"It shouldn't."

Ranmaru opened his eyes again. "But it does. I know you're all despotic and pointlessly cruel, but I also know there's a heart in there somewhere." He poked the other in his chest where he assumed there was a heart. "Even if it is all black."

"I'm not surprised. I've come to expect such foolishness from you."

"Am I wrong?" His pink lips formed a wide smirk. "I mean if you really wanted me dead you woulda blew my brains out when my back was turned. You certainly caught me off guard."

"That's hardly honorable."

"Honorable?!" Ranmaru briefly thought back to all the fight's he had gotten into with this man. While they may have started out looking like an intense battle between two skilled combatants, it eventually devolved into unsightly brawls that could be called anything but honorable. Not that they cared at the moment.

"When I kill you, I want it to be a fair fight. Everyone deserves the chance to defend themselves."

"You're such a gentleman." Ranmaru scoffed before rolling over close enough that their noses brushed. "I could beat the shit out of you." He breathed, looking down after his statement.

"Really?" Takuto looked unimpressed. "You're like this big." He made a lifeless gesture as if to emphasize his point.

"Doesn't make a difference," He scooted back a little and settled in again. At this point he was completely calm. It was really tempting to just let himself drift off to sleep, though there was a chance he would never wake up again if that happened. "Fighting has to do with skill, you know. That's all there is too it."

"It must take a lot of skill to beg for mercy like that." He received a kick to the shin which probably hurt the blonde more than it did him.

"You wouldn't let go, what was I supposed to do?" Ranmaru buried his face back into his arm. It looked like the conversation had ended and he was back to his terrible mood from earlier. Takuto looked out the window behind him; the sun was just beginning to rise so the old town was bathed in a dull blue light. It was pretty peaceful if you ignored the faint sound of gunshots in the distance.

"Who was that girl?" Ranmaru spoke again. Takuto looked back at him. His hair was covering his eyes so he couldn't see his expression.

"Hm?" Takuto slowly lifted his hand up to the other, brushed a few strands of hair back before touching his ear. He was still thinking back to their last chance encounter. He ran his fingers gently over the spot where he bit him before. Yes, he bit Ranmaru. It was meant to irritate him, though Takuto suspected he may have liked it.

"That woman I saw you with last time. She was very cute. Though I can't help the feeling I saw her somewhere before...a long time ago," his emerald eyes looked up in thought.

The redhead knew who he was referring to but he kept silent. Ranmaru continued on his own, his voice nice and perky.

"Remember when we were little and we used to play together?" He rolled onto his back and looked blankly up as if the scene he was remembering was right before his eyes. "We would always play with those soccer balls in the street. It was best when we got to play on the actual field. We were running super fast and when you kick the ball into the goal you'd here this loud sound like wheeeeeee--!" He let out a heavy sigh, and all the cheer left his eyes. "I miss my childhood days..." Takuto thought that age 19 was way too early to start "missing your childhood days".

"How did we run into something like this?" Now his gaze was directed towards the rising sun.

Takuto wanted to say something. The pout on the other's face made him want to say anything, even if it was a condescending taunt. It would at least bring back his usual coy smirk. However, there was something more important that he had to tell him right now.

Ranmaru snapped back to reality when he felt something heavy drop onto his stomach. He looked up to see the gun he lost earlier. He also saw Takuto loading several guns. He wondered where he even kept all those.

"They're here," he stated before slipping back into his shoes walking towards the door. Ranmaru sat up staring at him. It looked as if he actually intended on keeping his word and wasn't just giving an empty threat. He felt weird. Did that mean that, at least for now, that they were allies? He wouldn't ask for clarification however, at risk of being called foolish or worse.

"You can probably take out the guys in the back just from this window. Careful not to get your head blown off though. I'll handle this one." Ranmaru was still wondering about how Takuto could have gathered that much information already while he hadn't noticed any sign someone finally found him.

Suddenly they both heard a large crash from the floor below. Ranmaru perked up; Takuto didn't move an inch.

"RISE AND SHINE, PRETTY BOY! YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD HIDE, BITCH!" They could barely hear the rest of his words over the sound of dozens of bullets hitting the ceiling. Ranmaru gritted his teeth nervously. He knew exactly who that was and really didn't wanna deal with him right now. Apparently, Takuto did too, for he gave the other a look of disbelief before rolling his eyes and heading out the room.

Not soon after he heard the other's heavy steps fade away did Ranmaru hear the maniacal laughter from the floor below cease abruptly, as if they got caught in the man's throat. He smiled at that. Something about Takuto's fearlessness motivated him to do his best as well. After tossing aside the gun he was given, he turned and pushed aside the tattered curtains to open the window, and the morning sunlight shone in. He could see about seven guys below, probably there to make sure he didn't try to escape through the back.

Still grinning, in a much better mood than before, he reached back behind the collar of his own off-white jacket and pulled out a rifle.