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Yuu's place

Yuu was happy to finally be walking into her apartment building rather than the Grand Piazza. Having signed the papers for the delux apartment in one of the buildings built by Dani's company, she graciously allowed the doorman to open the front doors for her.

Her heels clicked across the marble floors as she headed to the large bank of elevators. She briefly considered slipping off her shoes right there in the large capacity elevator, but just slumped against one of its walls. Checking her watch, it told her in all its fancy that it was just after midnight. Detective Patrone insisted on taking her out to dinner and subsequently tried to bed her, to which she not ungraciously denied.

It was a short walk to her apartment door as she dug for her card key in her briefcase. It was quiet and at this time of night, the lights were dimmed but not so much that there were shadows for anyone to hide in for an unsuspecting assistant district attorney. Finding her key she stuck the card in and entered.

It was a three bedroom, office loft design. Her furniture had been delivered that day and her parents had provided a designer to set everything up just the way she'd like it. Her clothes had been moved from the hotel and even the fridge was stocked. Throwing down her briefcase, she kicked off her heels, one in one direction - another flying into the hallway to the kitchen. She plopped down on her soft white couch and sighed.

Ichiro Taiji 18 years ago
Finding the place had been relatively easy; the difficult part was the fact that he was doing something he knew for a certainty Ellis would not approve of. He'd meant to check in on Yuu after bringing her home from the hospital though, and things were... largely unfinished between them. Or were they? Perhaps this was why he was here, to find out.

Tai didn't like feeling as though he was missing something. Any relationship he'd ever had with anyone was based strictly on what was to be gained with the association. Sure, Yuu was the ADA and she'd been an unexpected ticket to the ball, but he was unsettled to even consider the fact that he enjoyed her company. That made him uncomfortable.

He heard her come in, heard something drop in the hallway, and made his silent way out of the kitchen into the living room. Nice condo, he mused for the second time since letting himself in.

The thing in the hallway was a shoe. An expensive one. Completely scuffed after that throw. Yuu's back was to the hall, so Tai simply walked up behind her and curved his arm around her shoulder, offering her the martini glass he held with little fanfare and less noise.

"Rough day at work? I know the feeling."
Yuu 18 years ago
She let out a yelp and sat forward almost knocking the drink out of his hand. Yuu turned and immediately froze. His voice was like butter and she immediately became annoyed that it still did that to her. Taking the drink she stood up and faced him. Yuu stared at Tai for a long time. Finally she looked at her drink and took the olive out.

'So the tattoos aren't just for fun. I wondered why any idiot would suffer through that many tattoos, if not for a damn good reason.' Sticking the olive in her mouth, she chewed the little fleshy green bit angrily. 'What do you want?'
Ichiro Taiji 18 years ago
Ah, that dulcet voice.

Tai easily swung the martini glass away when Yuu let out the expected cry of surprise, returning it after the initial shock had passed, leaving her standing on the opposite side of the couch staring at him.

Ignoring Yuu's comments about his tattoos, for he surely was no idiot and she certainly hadn't complained about them during any of her prior opportunities to view them, he hopped over the back of her couch and settled himself comfortably on it, stretching out his muscular legs, crossing them at the ankles, and favoring Yuu with an insolent grin.

"I did promise I'd check up on you. Self-preservation told me to wait until you were damn well healed, so I wouldn't be dodging any of your most precious belongings as they were hurled affectionately at my head."

Having removed the only object between them, Tai spread his arms wide as if to indicate himself. "So here I am."
Yuu 18 years ago
'You'd think coming after I was healed would better the odds of a large ashtray being hurled at your rather bald head.'

She finished her drink in a gulp and made a face. 'Thanks for the drink. Again I ask, what do you want because you don't exactly portray yourself as a helpful kind of guy, especially to people hanging off of broken bannisters?' Yuu crossed her arms and gave him a rueful smile. 'That's just a wild guess though.'

The thought occured to her just then that maybe he was there to kill her, but then he could've done that as easily and as quietly as he had given her the martini. Unbuttoning her jacket and slipping it off, she threw it on the couch next to Tai. Again she shrugged at him and waited, her eyebrows perked and waiting.
Ichiro Taiji 18 years ago
Tai crossed his arms over his chest laconically, ignoring Yuu's jibes regarding ashtrays or shaved heads. He couldn't repress a surge of irritation for her ungratefulness, however.

"You're right, I guess I only portray myself as helpful when I'm rescuing my date and saving her ass from being burned to death on the balcony. You've a funny way of saying thank you. Should I have left you there to figure it out for yourself?"

At the moment, Tai didn't much care if she knew about his ulterior motive or not. "It was you or him, Yuu. I'm not superman. I only have two arms, and they were pretty much occupied."

For fuck's sakes, who'd expected he'd catch so much grief over it the one time he saved a life rather than taking it? Yuu was the last person he'd thought would mind having to step over someone on her way out, particularly where her own life was involved.

And why the hell did she still look adorable, standing there all pissed off? Tai let one side of his mouth curl up sardonically. "What exactly are you looking for Yuu? Did you want me to beg you not to tell anyone my deepest darkest secrets? Because we've hardly even begun to go into those. Another drink?"
Yuu 18 years ago
'Superman? No, you don't have the chin for it. Yakuza killer, uh...me thinks yes on that one. What, were you needing me to say thank you? Fine. Gosh. Thanks. But let's not pretend that you even considered saving Hiroshi. That must've just been perfect for you. I mean the opportunity was right there...hell I appreciate you taking a moment and helping me. I should be grateful. Gosh, I am so sorry.'

Sarcasm was flowing quite freely at this point now. As if he had a choice. The only choice he had was which hand to let go of first. She waved off the drink and walked around the coffee table her legs kept bumping up against. Sitting at the couch across from him, she again sat down and crossed her legs, ignoring the hem of her skirt travelling dangerously close to her upper thigh. Let him see some leg - it's not like he'd be getting any of it.

'Let's talk deepest darkest secrets, Tai. Like how all your trips out of Japan coincided with major Yakuza figure heads suddenly dying. Or we could touch upon your whereabouts now in Nachton now that you're suddenly very interesting to the State Department. Granted you have me to thank for that.' Smiling prettily at him, Yuu gave him a wink.

'Let's share, shall we?'
Ichiro Taiji 18 years ago
"Wait a minute."

Tai drew himself up, leaned forward, and rested his forearms on his legs as he stared penetratingly at Yuu. He suddenly realized what sort of digging she must have done to come up with that, when she could have reached the conclusion far more simply.

"Don't tell me you had to do serious research to solve that mystery, Holmes."

His face split into a cocky grin and he added, "You could have put two and two together far earlier on, or did you not notice the heavy Japanese accent and the ankle to neck tattoos while we were fucking? I'll take that as a compliment, thank you."

The smile faded fairly quickly though. "Of course I took the opportunity. That's what I came here to do."

The idea that she'd turned the authorities onto him was equally annoying, although perhaps not as alarming as it could be. He knew Yuu was a bitch. Hell, it was one of the things he liked... or had liked... about her. "There's nothing to share," he said. "Your expert sleuthing has figured it all out. You called it, I'm agreeing."

He would have told her in the hospital if she'd asked. Tai would have told her any number of things at that time. Before meeting Ellis. Before... a lot of things.

Yuu
You're my hero.


Tai blinked. Back in the hospital. He'd thought about trusting her then. So while he was considering trusting her, was she considering betraying it before it had even been given?

He shrugged it off, mentally and physically. "So now you want all the details, is that it? What I got on my first grade math test, what could possibly have made little Taiji into the vicious monster that sits before you today?"

Tai shook his head with another chuckle. "We do what we're good at, Yuu. Where would people like you be without people like me? You want me to say I was forced into it? I had no other choice? I was young and needed the money?"

He made a derisive gesture. "I'm Yakuza. Or I was, until a little while ago."
Yuu 18 years ago
Her sarcastic grin slowly faded as he so eloquently called her an idiot, but when he brought up the tattoos she mentally argued that Yakuza tatt's were all the rage. Hell she even knew a guy in college, a white boy, who had them. An asian man with head to toe Yakuza was just pretentious to her, not dangerous. Not actually a 'yakuza'. He knew that and he let her assume anything she wanted...even during the fucking which made her shiver slightly with goosebumbs just recalling it. Maybe that's why she was so pissed off, the fact that he was best fuck she had had since college. How depressing was that?

So that's what it came down to, she decided. She lost the best thing that had come her way in a long long time. People like her need people like him - he had no idea. Then he said the curious thing. That he was no longer Yakuza...hmm, she thought. Interesting.

'No longer Yakuza? Find faith, did we?' She blinked slowly, draping her arms over the back of the couch. In a soft, nonthreatening voice - one that could have been miscontrude as compassionate, maybe because she really did care, deep down inside, Yuu asked, 'Then what are you.'

Yuu wanted his answer to be honest and to involve her...somehow. She wanted this man across from her, she thought, behind bars but she was seriously considering offering her bed or even the floor at this moment. He was a fucking dick...and she loved it. Part of her wanted to love him, maybe part of her did. It's a fine line between love and hate and with her experience lacking in the love department - she went with what she knew best. Regardless, she had considered saying those three words to him and not having any qualms about it. But things change. They always do.
Ichiro Taiji 18 years ago
Tai was more uncomfortable with this softer Yuu now than he was with the pissed off bitch from five minutes ago.

Find faith... hah, hah.

"Something like that," he relied, unable to look away.

Why did she have to go and ask questions like this? How come she couldn't accept that he was what he was and she was... well, whatever, and then they could... do what? Fuck? Kiss and make up? Live happily ever after?

He closed his eyes now, made some kind of grimace, and then re-opened them. There were too many conflincting images in his head. He didn't even know what the hell he was. He'd been one thing when he'd arrived in Nachton. Then he'd met Yuu and thought he could be something else. And then he'd met Ellis, and now he really was something else.

From assassin to hero to fantasy monster in just a few weeks.

He opened his eyes again and looked at Yuu, his thoughts clarifying for one instant. "You know what I am," he said. "All I can tell you is I'm something better than that when I'm with you."

Tai had told Ellis everything about Yuu. And here he was again, endangering her. But Ellis wasn't here, didn't keep tabs on him 24/7. And Tai had wanted a glimpse of sanity again. Maybe that's why he'd come. It didn't change the fact that, regardless of what it was he felt, he still felt something for Yuu, and that was more than he could say for anyone else he'd ever known.
Yuu 18 years ago
Yuu brought her hands down onto her lap and laid them there for a moment. Taking her eyes off him, she looked at the hem of her skirt, suddenly aware of the skin showing. Tugging at the skirt, she sighed wistfully.

'Yeah.'

Four years of college, another three for law school and an internship at one of the finest law firms in Los Angeles and 'yeah' was the best she could come up with. Blushing softly she felt her tears well up into her eyes. Swallowing the large lump in her throat, she kept her eyes averted.

'I don't know what pisses me off the most,' she said quietly. 'The fact that I love you or the fact that I love you and can't have you.' Yuu couldn't look up at him, she just...couldn't. Smoothing her skirt, she readjusted her legs and laced her fingers together. He could do whatever he wanted with that information. Take it, leave it - stay or go, but she was figuring he'd leave regardless and this knowledge welled up in her chest like fire.

She rolled her thumbs for a moment and opened her mouth, but couldn't think of anything else to add. Instead she looked back down at her hands and took deep breaths to hold back the tears.
Ichiro Taiji 18 years ago
Tai had no idea how to deal with this. He didn't know why or how Yuu made him feel the way she did. Her expression was, for a moment, like the little girl he'd pulled off the streets a few nights ago. He hadn't known then why he'd done it... had she reminded him of Yuu?

He crossed the room, going around the table to crouch in front of Yuu, since she wouldn't look at him.

"Yuu."

If she would let him touch her, perhaps for just a moment he would be the good guy again. He hadn't minded it so much, at the Mayor's ball. And she couldn't know how her words affected him. Tai didn't even know how her words affected him. Except that they did, and that was something interesting in and of its own.

"Yuu," he repeated, hoping she might look at him. "I can't change what I am or what I've done."

He gave her a sardonic smile. "I plan to keep pissing you off, too," he added. "But please don't stop being a snarky bitch just because of me."

Tai had no idea how to apologise, or what he was apologising for, or why the hell he felt like he ought to apologise for something in the first place... but damn it, he hadn't saved Yuu's life to make her cry.

Next time just leave her in the fucking fire, a little voice said. You'd sleep better.

But it was all right because Yuu wasn't in the fire, she was right there making him think more clearly than he had in days. So he just kissed her.
Yuu 18 years ago
Yuu closed her eyes and smiled when he called her a snarky bitch. That's her boy, she thought and any tears threatening to fall fulfilled their threats when he grabbed her face and kissed her softly. She felt a small sob rise up at the touch of his lips when her tears ran down her cheeks and onto her neck. Tai was on his knees in front of her, pleading with her, saying her name. Her heart broke at his touch and she leaned into him, softly crying.

'God damn you,' as she pulled away and looked at him, cupping his face in her hands. Any other time they were this close, it led to massive mind blowing sex but this time - this time she just held him there and looked at him with pained eyes. Yuu wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close, letting out another small sob. What she did next confused even her snotty sensibilities.

She begged.

'Tai don't leave me, please.' Yuu pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes as she pleaded with him. She needed him but in her heart of hearts knew she couldn't.
Ichiro Taiji 18 years ago
Tai actually felt fortunate to have eaten already that night; holding Yuu was nothing short of delicious, but for some reason he didn't want to bite her.

She went from snarky back to tearful, an event that had him wondering, but in the end she just stayed there with her arms around his neck and her forehead pressed to his. It was no stretch to wrap his own arms around her waist and shake his head slowly against hers.

What the hell was he thinking? He was dangerous to Yuu in many more ways than just one. At the same time though he could get a handle on things when she was near, bitchy or not, and he wanted to keep that tenuous grasp on sanity.

They shouldn't be together in any way. At any moment Ellis could come down on her, he could come down on her, the Yakuza could come down on her. And the authorities could find him, the Yakuza could find him... they were bad for each other. But so very good.

He tilted his head and kissed her again. "I won't leave you, Yuu."
Yuu 18 years ago
It didn't take long for things to pick up where they had left off. In a heartbeat Tai picked Yuu up as if she were a feather and carried her down the opposite hallway to her bedroom. The obligatory clothes coming off in a hurry led to long, soft wet kisses.

During intermissions, Yuu ran her fingernails along the tattoos on Tai's chest as she looked at him. More soft murmuings of promises and a frenzied end to a long night of love making left Yuu exhausted but satiated under her covers. She inhaled deeply, smelling his scent on her sheets. Yuu smiled happily as she dozed off to sleep, one of his arms draped around her waist and the other curled around her neck, playing with her hair.

These moments would be few and far between, she realized that with Tai being a 'person of interest' now. Yuu was happy just to take them when she could get them.
Ichiro Taiji 18 years ago
Tai didn't sleep much; a light doze was enough. He wanted to stay. He found himself wishing he could be there when she woke, but things being as they were it was an impossibility. Why was it he could think clearly when Yuu was nearby?

He watched the sky outside the window go from inky black to a lighter, mottled grey-midnight. He had to leave. He had to go back to Ellis. He didn't necessarily want to; it was like willingly walking back into the fog.

But even if Ellis hadn't been around, Tai wouldn't have risked Yuu's being seen with him. She'd turned the authorities onto him, being seen would make life a lot worse. Tai supposed he ought to be miffed about that, but could he really blame her? Besides, he wasn't too afraid. Even in Japan he didn't think he was wanted anywhere outside of the yakuza, a tight-knit organization.

He finally, reluctantly, left Yuu's bed, brushing his fingers across her cheek. Locating a pen and some paper, he began to write in angular letters reminiscent of Japanese characters,



I told you I wouldn't leave you, and so I haven't. I will be back in a few nights. Leave the window open... it's quite the climb.

Yours,


Tai signed his name in kanji and left his email under that, trusting Yuu wouldn't use it unless she absolutely had to. He looked in on her one last time, then left the note on the table in the living room and went off to find a meal and return to Ellis, and another world entirely.

((ooc: Tai out))