Amethyst, Tiger's Eye & Jade [NOT FOR PUBLIC!]

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Inoue, Age Unknown (Image (c) Wingless 2005)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v345/freeflyingluciddreaming/youma/Un.jpg



Takiyama nodded, understanding and almost agreeing. He didn't want Koji to go home; he wanted more time with the young Don. Sighing, he squeezed Ethan tighter and looked down at Koji. "I want more time; we have a lot to discuss but if your safety is a concern than that is it. I can't argue with him and I won't; I want you alive so we can discuss and enjoy our time together."

Placing his hand under Koji's chin he leaned down and kissed his lips. "My arm will heal and you haven't effected our relationship any by it. If you had come at me in a similar fashion, I would have reacted the same. Give me a few months and I will come to you in Japan. We will spend time together, work out or differences and see what else we have in common." He winked at the teenager before him before brushing his lips against Koji's lightly.


Koji stole a few quick kisses from Takiyama before nodding. "I know," he mumbled, reaching for his clothes and starting to pull them on quickly. He dressed in minutes and was finishing the outfit by strapping his holsters back to hips and thighs as he glanced over at Inoue and offered a warm smile. "Thank you," he said softly. He was truly grateful; none of the men back in Japan would have done that for him, and it felt wonderful to have somebody on his side who wasn't obligated to be. The Yakuza Don blushed slightly and bowed before Inoue, then hurried down the hall in his singed clothes to find the nearest phone that hadn't been blown up.

It was time to go to Japan... it was time to go home for now, and he was instilled with far more confidence and courage now that he had Takiyama on his side. The white-haired Don strode through the halls with pride, shoulders square and back straight. Things might just work out.


Inoue watched the teen leave and turned to Takiyama, reaching out and drawing the boy out of his arms. Inspecting him closely, he nodded in approval of the bandaging and first aid care the boy had been given. That Don knew what he was doing when it came to wounds and that spoke volumes about the child to Inoue. The assassin put his young charge down and pulled off his own jacket, letting it drop on the floor with a wet slap and cracking his neck. There was even more work ahead of him than he thought-- the guard around this place was shit to say the least. He would have to interview and screen the security members himself and already from the little he had seen, a lot of the staff members around here were going to be fired.

Reaching out, he wrote 'Get to the hospital' on the child's arm with his finger, then walked out of the room swiftly and silently, off to resume inspecting the building as he'd been doing when he found the device that had wrecked a good portion of the house.


When Koji was gone he finally let that choking lump in his throat relax a little. His attention was brought around when Ethan was taken from his arms, and he watched Ethan's eyes open in horror as he was handled by Inoue. The boy was going to fear him and it was all Takiyama's fault-- another thing that had gone wrong so far in his life. On the other hand Ethan might listen more often and do as he was actually told; he'd hate to do it but Inoue could be used as an effective parenting tool for now.

Ethan grabbed onto him as soon as Inoue put him down. Both of them looked at the jacket as it hit the floor, staring at it for nearly a minute before looking up to see Inoue disappear into what was left of the hallway. Looking down at the child he smiled and shook his head. "I know but he is the best at his job. He's scary now but soon you won't even know he's around. Come let's go to the hospital and then stop for ice cream. I hear they have a bubble gum type now; you can even get three scoops."



Three Weeks Later


Heavy black boots moved swiftly over expensive tile, but didn't make the slightest sound. The man with red hair walked down the hallway at the same brisk pace that he always did, violet eyes moving quickly over his surroundings as he walked, inspecting every last detail and memorizing them as he went. The guards did not look at him or even acknowledge his presence; they stood firm and alert, backs straight and expressions serious-- these were all men that had passed Inoue's inspections and judgement, and many of them were ones he'd hired himself after getting rid of seven eighths of the men Takiyama had kept around. These men knew what they were doing and they knew how to keep mouths shut and complete an order.

Making a sharp turn, he moved up a set of stairs, then another, and several more flights until he was on the penthouse level. Entering the suite, he moved past a small closet and into a concealed hall, opening a door and heading up a new set of stairs into the attic. There, he opened a new door and stepped into the vast spans of hardwood flooring, covered in monitors, computers and all sorts of sensors, glowing bright in the windowless dark. The assassin took a seat in the middle of the floor and picked up a keyboard, fingers flying over the keys for a few minutes and checking system updates and changes around the house. He watched the guards all switch places when one would go off duty and a new one would replace him-- each set of guards had partners and they took turns one after the other throughout the day switching off shifts, never all at once.

He watched them execute their switches flawlessly and acknowledged their obedience in his head even though his expression didn't change and his body didn't move. After a few more minutes of ensuring they were moving smoothly, he switched his attention to the surveillance monitors around Takiyama's bedroom. The sensor light hadn't gone off-- that meant that the man hadn't opened the door or left the room yet, and it had been well past four hours since the last time that sensor had gone off. This was unusual for Takiyama's habits-- he did not usually spend great amounts of time alone in his quarters in the middle of the day. Getting up, Inoue moved swiftly and silently out of the attic and back down the way he'd come until he reached Takiyama's floor and moved into the bedroom, opening the door without a sound and entering the room.

Amethyst eyes settled upon the man laying on the floor, a small pool of blood around him and his eyes closed. Inoue's gaze moved along the scene quickly, evaluating-- blood on the corner of the desk, brandy spilled on the floor, book beside the man... Takiyama had been reading when he dropped the glass and book, pitched forward, and hit his head on the desk. This was not an attack; this was accident. Moving forward, Inoue crouched down and lifted the Don up easily in powerful arms, turning him over and standing once more, carrying the man bridal-style out of the room. When he made the appearance in the hall with Takiyama in his arms, the guards moved immediately as Inoue had trained them to-- two came to escort the assassin out to the car and two covered them in case of a mishap, and finally two more went to inquire about the status of the house and if there had been anything unusual about Takiyama today.

The assassin placed his charge in the town car and got in after him, sitting beside him with back straight and eyes forward as they headed to the hospital without the man having said a single word.


Opening his eyes, he had the sense of movement around him. The last thing he remembered he was reading and drinking his brandy... He tried to move and a hand kept him in place, and so while groaning he followed the arm up to a shoulder then to a face. "Where?" Lifting his arm, his head hurt and he drew away from it with blood tipped fingers. Staring at them he wondered if he'd been attacked.

His head swam and a chill rushed through him as he curled on the seat. He finally looked out the window and knew he was in the car, but headed where? Glancing over at the other seat, he didn't see Ethan with them. Where was the boy? They wouldn't leave the house unless absolutely necessary. Something was severely wrong.


Inoue had known for about two weeks now; he'd demanded blood samples from both Ethan and Takiyama and he'd done the tests himself. He knew exactly what was wrong with Takiyama, but he hadn't expected it to be this far in swing already-- the man was still very healthy and young for his age. It was likely stress that was pushing the illness along, then-- there wasn't really any other explanation for it. The assassin pursed his lips as he thought over possible strategies to reduce this man's stress levels. He did not think of these things because he cared about Takiyama and wanted the man to have peace in his life, no; he did it because being a bodyguard meant keeping your charge alive and healthy to the best of your ability, and protecting him from whatever harm may come, even if the one doing the harm was the charge himself.

They pulled up to the hospital as the assassin continued to think and remain silent, and he turned, picking the Don up once more and carrying him out of the car and into the hospital without batting an eyelash.

Placing the man in one of the beds provided the moment they had entered the hospital, Inoue reached into his jacket and fished around for a small pouch as Takiyama was given immediate attention since everyone here seemed to know who he really was. Doctors came in and examined his pupils and asked him questions as nurses tried to make him comfortable, and finally Inoue found the pouch sewn into one of the pockets. He ripped it out and opened it, pushing aside a few vials and pulling out the one he needed containing the man's blood within. He handed this to the doctor with a serious expression, and the doctor accepted it, looking at the writing on the side of the vial before his eyes widened slightly.

"Er. Uh, Mr. Aikawa sir, I think we might need to do some blood tests," the doctor said immediately, handing the vial to a nurse who also looked surprised and hurried off. Inoue folded his arms and remained standing by Takiyama's side, eyes watching every movement around this place, because one just never knew who was going to strike and when.


Takiyama hated nurses and doctors and he hated hospitals. No one ever told you the full truth it was only half truths the rest you had to get on your own. Growling as the nurse ran off he wondered what the vial read and why Inoue wasn't telling him what he knew. He'd hardly ever been sick in his life and recently he'd been getting more and more sick-- most of the time it was just a headache but lately it had been amounting to full blown fevers.

"Get out all of you except Inoue. I want you out!" When everyone ran from the room except Inoue he sat up and glared at the man. "Tell me what's wrong. You know what it is Inoue and you haven't bothered to say anything. If it was something simple I could understand but the way those two looked..."

Takiyama didn't want to be sick; he didn't want anything else going bad. He'd been through hell and back; scrapped his way to the top and clung to it. Now that everything was seeming to work out something else had to go wrong. Ethan had fallen into line; things with Koji were panning out and even the small gangs around New York were quiet for once. It was obvious to him that the Fates didn't want him to have a happy easy life-- ever.


The assassin was not one to pull punches. "You have Lymphoma," he said in his usual monotonous voice. "Mild, but it's there." That was all he had to offer on the subject, and so he fell silent again, his expression still emotionless as he stood beside his charge and waited for the usual dramatic reaction.


Sitting back in the bed he fell silent for a long period of time. His mind was frozen even when the nurse came and hooked up a bag to the IV. She said something about antibiotics before leaving them alone quickly. Sitting up in the bed he pulled his knee's up. "Treatments?"


Inoue shook his head. "Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or blood and bone marrow transplants," he said blandly. It's not like he was diagnosed with rapidly spreading brain tumors or something-- the man was taking it pretty badly. He still had years and years ahead of him with Inoue taking care of him, responsible eating, healthy living and exercise. Looking around, he stepped outside for a moment and came back with a brochure from the nurse's desk, tossing it on the bed beside Takiyama. It was entitled 'Living With Lymphoma' and would hopefully prevent the man from having to be all over Inoue for these annoying questions. Certainly the assassin was a multiple PhD but that didn't mean he liked playing doctor. At least, not like this.

"I checked on your father's medical files," the assassin added monotonously. "He has it as well; you inherited the vulnerability, the dice was thrown and you happened to lose."


He barely glanced at the pamphlet; his eyes were lit with anger as he glared at Inoue. "One thing you must never ever do around me is discuss or even mention that man. I have no parents, do you understand Inoue? Never mention them to Ethan. As far as he knows they are dead-- they will stay dead and they will always remain dead."

The pain of them not coming to Shiori's funeral was fresh in his heart. She'd talked him into at least speaking to them before her murder, but with her death and no reply from them he was back to the beginning. He hated them both; he hated his father more than anything.

Picking up the pamphlet, he snapped it open, reading through it. Since he had a mild case he had hope that maybe they could treat it and he'd never get it again. He wouldn't want to do a blood and bone marrow transplant... that would mean disturbing Koji and having to let him know. This was something he wanted to keep absolutely quiet-- only a few people would know.

So. It was radiation or chemotherapy if it was bad enough. He'd wait to see what the doctor said before he made his final decision.


"Alright Mr. Aikawa," a man with sandy blonde hair and a southern accent said gently as he entered the room and looked at the chart in his hands, "We have some good news and some bad news. Which would you prefer first?"


Looking over at the window he sighed. What did it matter good or bad his life seemed to never really get any better. "Either it doesn't matter. Just give it to me straight with no lies."


"Well," the man said slowly, "I'm afraid the bad news is that you have Lymphoma; it's basically a sort of cancer of the blood and bone marrow. It isn't rapid spreading and it isn't necessarily an end to your plans for the distant future either-- which is where the good news comes in. It is treatable, and you can still have a very long and productive life with just a few minor changes in diet and lifestyle. On top of that it says here in your file that you know a donor that can supply the blood or marrow-- that's excellent. With a few immediate transfusions and transplants there is even a chance of curing you within the year so that it never comes back."


"No. I won't let you bother the donor he is not to know. No one is-- those files will be sealed; Inoue see to it that this does not get out. I will do everything except bother him in the slightest." His brow furrowed as he looked over at Inoue wanting to get that clear to everyone. He knew Inoue would do as asked and make sure everything was kept silent unless necessary, and he hoped Inoue would not contact Koji. "Start whatever treatments you think are the best except the transplant."


"I suppose if you're refusing transplant and transfusion," the doctor said slowly, a little hesitation in his voice, "The next options would be the chemotherapy and radiation thera--ghk!" The doctor struggled as a hand closed at his throat and he was lifted off the ground.

"No," Inoue denied immediately, his voice deeper than usual and his eyes flashing viciously. "Those two treatments do far more harm than good. I will take care of this from now on. You are to leave." He dropped the man on the floor, and the doctor hurried off, bellowing for security at the top of his lungs. Inoue turned to look at Takiyama firmly. "You are a fool," he said pointedly, though his face still registered no emotion other than the regular frown.

He began to disinfect and clean the man's head wound immediately with alcohol and gauze, saying nothing more on the subject. Reaching for the medical tray, he picked up a needle and a few bottles, looking over the labels before dropping all but one. He pushed the tip of the syringe into the lid and drew out some clear liquid, then turned to Takiyama, placing one hand on the man's head to keep it still and moving forward with the needle, touching the tip into the man's forehead and injecting little amounts at a time around the wound where he'd struck his head on the desk.

When the local anaesthetic was taking effect Inoue put the needle down and picked up stitching equipment, lacing the needle with the medical thread and sewing the wound up with three small stitches. Finally he cleaned the wound once more and touched it up with a little anti-scarring cream before placing a square of gauze over it and taping it down. Drawing away as security rushed the room, Inoue turned and lifted his leg in one swift movement, delivering a roundhouse and cracking three men's skulls together, sending them to the floor like rag dolls. He scoffed under his breath and kicked them out of the way so that Takiyama had a clear path out of the room, stepping aside and waiting for his charge to get off his ass so they could leave this place.


Pursing his lips he stayed where he was in the bed, looking out the window again. Inoue thought he was a fool; the doctor thought he was making a bad decision. He didn't want to worry the Japanese Don or anyone else, but then why was he a fool? Swinging his legs off the bed, he stood before walking to the door and slamming it, then turned around and looked at Inoue.

"If you are to be my bodyguard I want a full and honest opinion from you. I don't want you giving me part of what you think I want it all. You don't handle anyone with kid gloves so don't you dare handle me that way. Why am I a fool Inoue, what should I do? What do you think is best for me?"


Amethyst eyes turned to look at the Don and the assassin folded his arms over his chest. "Kidnap the Yakuza Don, keep him alive, drain and re-drain him of marrow and blood for a full year, give them to you, cure you of the cancer and never worry about it again. Keep the child chained in the dungeon and keep him alive just in case you ever need blood, tissue or bone from him again." There; nothing held back.


Inoue shook his head. He knew the man would never do what was best for himself and that was why he'd never said a word-- it was an exercise in futility and he hated wasting his breath and his time. "Japan, Miami or California," the assassin said blandly. It was obvious which one would be easiest for all three parties involved but he didn't think the Mafia Don so base as to need a thorough explanation. He continued to stand there, waiting for Takiyama to get out of this temporary stupid mode and leave the hospital so they could get on with kidnappi-- talking with the Yakuza Don.

Briefly Inoue wondered if Takiyama had ever looked at the Yakuza Don's medical charts. There was some interesting information in there.



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