Chapter Two: Weclome

There's a ringing in his ears, piping hot bullets sit placidly to the ground crowding his boots. Removing the magazine, double-checking the remaining load before sliding the clip back in.

Alec's clicking his tongue, standing from the ottoman, being Ki's right-hand man the Blood Brother has never left his leader standing alone. Adjusting his top, he's handing Ki a new gun and taking the empty magazine from the other.

The warehouse, the shots ring out through the stone room, gold capsules shatter to the floor still piping. The stash house, otherly known as the second home to the Blood Brother's, where production begins and just a fraction of their chaos starts at. Its steel rust-like structure gives the abandoned impression, surrounded by high weeds, thorny vines it's a gem hidden in the middle of nowhere.

Many have attempted to break in out of desperation, Alec smiles reminiscing. Foolish kids wanting to be the next boogie man of the city, it's overplayed act one the Blood Brothers never quite get tired of. Alec's sharpening the blade that never retires from his ankle. Showing mercy is a fairytale in this world whether a child is fresh from the womb or family is caught in the wrong strings the law of the streets is cruel but it's black and white as well.

You don't show sympathy or spare a life that could put yours closer to hell.

Ki's coughing, swatting the gun powder that's collected around him before glancing towards Alec. He's throwing back familiar little yellow pills ones the leader tends to keep close.

They've been in the basement of the warehouse since dawn, surrounded by gun powder destroying cutout after cutout while discussing the toy Ki took from last night's collection.

The toy with no memories, Alec can't help but laugh.

The gods always know how to bless them.

Ki's sealing his pistol to his back, running his hands through dark blonde locks kicking at the empty shell cases. He's explaining to Alec how tonight's shipment might need to be pushed left for a few days, stating something along the lines of clustered overdoses all being in the Lotus Spring.

He's trailing upstairs with Alec just a couple of steps behind. "I can't have the DEA tracing it back here, not with one of the clubs already being raided," Alec agrees, stating he'll make contact with the rookies tonight about drops.

"They are becoming too close, we'll need to make move to remind them why our name haunts this city,"

Alec smiles with night already here Alec knows the chances of Ki trailing the city like a wolf out for blood is high, with the man's already itching for a hit back. Ki's face is famous in the city and knows leaving the Blood Brother to travel alone is a recipe for danger. Though their leader is well equipped for anything, their name has been in the news far too much this week.

"Are we hunting brother?"

Ki's brims are rising to his cheeks, he can feel static-like feeling running through his veins - excitement knowing he'll be out in the night with an appetite for destruction. "Of course, and I have the perfect target for the night,"

The temperature in the room drops as they enter the main floor. The fear that wraps around them like a brewing storm. A cloud of death lingers just steps behind their strides as they move through the flooring well aware of the dreadful glimpse and timid stares the laborers give them, how they briefly cease their work ahead.

Their hands are chaffed, and bones are brittle from the lack of rest they are given. Many of them die here, if not from exhaustion or dehydration it's from Alec's fragile temper and the unstable games Ki enjoys playing with them.

The two are walking time bombs with plastered crooked grins. Perhaps the gods were angry when creating them, maybe the vile thoughts that possessed them are the same wicked ones running through the veins of the Blood Brothers.

"I assume it was Link's idea to keep the little doll for himself tonight," He scoffs, the younger Ryu doesn't even know how to tip a stripper let alone get involved with a pet.

Ki's chuckles, the relationship between Alec and his brother is thick, something they never truly attempted to hide. Though it's well known through the organization that Link is solely part of the Blood Brothers because the lineage running through his veins is Ryu; Alec has never thought the younger brother was Blood Brother material.

"Consider it treading lightly,"

Ki's knocking the head of one of the laborer's bold enough peer towards him, chuckling at the small plead slipping from her mouth. "His memories can be triggered at any moment, by any sort of noise or smell," With the wave toxins flooding the air, it sends a familiar vibrating twitch through the leader's frame.

It's the sweetest scent to Ki and one of the best products to ever hit this city's streets. Shoveling the snow-like substance the male isn't shy in blowing out a line. Alec's is matching his footing, it's a risky habit the two tend to share. Knocking on death's door every day if it's not their fickle lifestyle, it's their fatal routines that'll truly take them out.

Grasping the debris clinging to the male he stares towards sharp curved eyes in question. "And The Oath? It doesn't look well on your brothers to have an unmarked member in our organization,"

Ki twirls the cigarette between his tips. The Oath, he thinks, leaning into the wide-wing chair, his hand naturally goes to the stamp charred into his skin where the repeated scripture lies. If there was one way to distinguish a Blood Brother from any regular thief, it'll rest in the chest.

Though he and his brother have already discussed the issues at bay the boy may cause with The Oath, Ki's well experienced in insignificant objects and their worth, and the thought of marking a frail trivial boy into The Oath is brash.

Exhaling out the cloud of toxins, his eyes square to Alec, not missing the hint of glee in his eyes. "He will not break The Oath, he'll remain in the position I placed him in,"

Alec's grabbing a scotch from the bar cart. "Which is?"

Ki grins.

_____________________________________

Sunny's grabbing the sheets, tugging them to his chin with a groan as the sun peeks its way through the windows. He can feel the stretch in his bones as he drags his frame out of the warm shackles. He slept alone - in peace, the dark was discomforting but he wasn't frightful, not nearly as much as Ki explained to him he was.

Pushing the thoughts Ki being wrong, he makes his way to the shower to get ready for his day. The clothes are drenched in Ki's scent, but it's a comforting feeling as it steals the chilly air from his frame.

Link had received a phone call late last night stating Ki will be back by morning though the clock on the nightstand reads a little after ten a.m, the house sits in silence. Grabbing a pair of slippers the boy makes his way out to find familiar faces.

Gripping at the railing of the wide staircase, Sunny can't help gulp down at the high scale. Ki told him his memory loss came from losing his footing on the staircase one night. It makes him frown.

The amount of unskilled accidents blocked away in his memory core must be piled and ponders about his scars once more.

Perhaps it was himself who caused those marks.

Halting on the center of the staircase, gripping at the railing he looks around hoping for a sound of a voice, or even an echo of a footstep but comes up with silence before continuing. He knows Link resides somewhere in the ample dwelling, according to the brother, the two live together.

" He's here somewhere," he mumbles, eyeing the open area his frame sits between two heighten archways with a feeling of lost - like a rat trapped in a maze, unsure to which turn to take.

The entertainment room can be seen to the right of him, peeks of the dark decor sit vacantly and the bar-room sitting to the left of him is still without a glass of scotch to pour. Sighing, he can't help but press down on his temples in shambles.

He can feel the rush of his blood, the ponding his heart. His fingertips begin to feel numb, a sense of lightness fills through his frame before a faint echo of a name slips through his conscious. Fear vibrates through his body, a woman's voice is telling the name to run, pleading the name to run.

His head hammers in pain and the voice is deafening, echoing throughout his consciousness. He strides to the front door, grasping at the handle desperate for the noise to silence the fresh air hits at his face just as a palm grips at his shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

The hold makes the boy grasp out, his frame is cold but the voice is gone.

The front door is slamming shut with Ki pinning him down not missing the look of disarray the boy shares. He's panting as if he's been in a sprint, gripping onto the criminal as if his life was in danger.

"What were you doing? Were you trying to leave after everything I've done for you?" The boy cowering in his hold, nodding his head to the side with a soft "No."

There's a knot forming in his throat when the male continues to tower over him, vile stench wrinkles at his nose and Sunny knows the scene didn't look good, but the voice wouldn't stop. He wasn't attempting to run away from the estate he was running from voice.

"Then what were you doing,"

His grip tightens around the hold growing in strength, not once leaving Ki's gaze. He can see the bags underneath his eyes are darker than yesterday as if he's been up all night and his clothes look as if they've been gripped at for mercy, stained in dark amber.

The alarm is going off in his head once again, its flashing neon light warning him of the danger that's up ahead, and every ounce of him is telling him to lie to the face barring down at him but his lips won't let him.

"I-I heard a voice," He confesses and it seems to puzzle the male in front of him. "I think .. I think it was a memory, but I don't understand ..." He bites at his brim and he can feel the pounding in his head returning.

"I don't understand an-anything," Gnawing down on his quivering lip he looks up to the male, a shuddering frame and a pained head. "You-You shouldn't have left me alone. I'm not supposed to be alone ... It wouldn't have happened if I wasn't alone."

He gasps, grasping at his temple hoping it'll somehow stop the ache. "Please, help .. help my head won't stop ... hurting,"

Flinching when the male grips at his hands, pulling them from the boy's bandage he picks up Sunny's frame, hooking his arms underneath his legs before taking the boy upstairs with a sigh in annoyance.

Link wasn't supposed to leave him alone, he was supposed to stay near him at all times to prevent any memory triggers or to be present during them. Kicking the double doors open bypassing the crying that comes from the boy cradled in his arms, Ki's barging through the younger Ryu's room watching the male scramble for his gun before halting at the trigger.

"Get your ass out of the fucking bed, Link" The younger brother doesn't need to be told twice, grabbing Sunny from Ki he checks the boy's frame for any damage before placing him on the bed.

Ki's grabbing his old medicine bag from the closet and Link's catching it with ease. "What happen?"

"You were supposed to watch him -"

"And you were supposed to come home last night," He eyes Ki's wardrobe, scoffing at the familiar stains. "If my memory recalls, 'Sunny' was supposed to be the reason you stopped your late-night activities,"

Ki smiles, gripping at the back of his brother's nape. He can hear his brother snarl as he pushes back an attempt to get out of the hold and it makes the older Ryu chuckle. Link has always come up short in his fighting skills.

"I haven't slept in the last twenty-four hours attempting to get the DEA off us, perhaps we can save this conversation for another time, hmm?" Shoving Link forward, he nods towards the teary-eyed boy.

"He said his head is in pain, he also may have had a small memory within the same time,"

"It's his memory core attempting to remember more, the pressure of trying to pull more from his head when there is nothing else there is causing the pain. If we're being technical, he's doing it to himself," petting the boy's head, he can feel the sweat that's has begun. He's cradled to a fetal position that makes him look fragile, pleading for the pain to go away.

Link looks into his old aid bag. "It comes down to a simple headache, I can give him some acetaminophen,"

Ki's running his hands through his locks with a tired sigh. Unfastening the rest of his buttons on his shirt he nods towards the bottled tablets Link shakes for approval. " Give him something to sleep, I need to rest and you are unable to carry out a simple task,"

Link bypasses the comment. "I'll add some diphenhydramine as well,"

"Excellent, give him the medication and drop him off in my room,"

Link's hand pauses briefly on the bottle of diphenhydramine, glancing up to his brother, he warns his brother any sexual activity advanced towards Sunny can cause him to pull away from them. The statement seems to make the older Ryu laugh, adding something along the lines of not wanting to break the boy so soon.

Removing his shirt with a smirk, the signa of The Oath shines bright just above an amber gash. His brother's always been fond of fighting, whether he's beating some poor bastard lights out or stifling some whore to the bed. To see the light - the innocence - that his victims once possessed slowly extinguish out like a single flame is exhilarating to Ki.

Ki's tossing the soiled fabric to the floor, leaning into the chaise lounge with a yawn, releasing the air that rests tightly in his bones. Sunny's grasping the medication with a small sniffle and Ki expects the boy to hesitate, perhaps even fight, and sits up but the boy swiftly swallows it and Ki can't help but ease into the chaise with a smile.

His plans for the boy may move faster than planned.

"It was a reporter," He confesses. Link's arching his brow confused by the statement but Ki's directing towards his stained shirt.

Link's fists are closing without command. "What happen to laying low, getting our name out of the news for a while,"

"One of our locations was raided," He's picking the grim from his nails, briefly glancing towards the younger brother in fatigue. "Not to mention one-fourth of the city is overdosing on our product,"

"Then we pause production, send laborers home, and take rookies out the street -"

Ki's scoffing, almost finding his brother's advice humorous. "You are absolutely clueless on the effect that'll have on us. We will look spineless being run off by the jurisdiction, do you not understand that?"

"You're putting your brothers necks out," He protests, angered by his brother's way of controlling their exposure from the media. "Killing that reporter is only furthering our problems,"

Ki chuckles with a comment of his brother being a foolish child himself. "Slaughtering the reporter was to put fear in them. It'll have them think twice before airing our name so graciously, wondering if perhaps they'll be next."

Unbuttoning the jeans molded into his frame, exposing the abrasions just stamped below his brother's waist. The scene of the woman pleading for help plays in the younger brother's mind causing his chest to rise before glaring towards his older brother.

"You did it for yourself -"

" Don't flatter yourself. I don't enjoy seeing my face plastered all over these imbeciles tv screens. I make my decisions with my brothers in mind, especially you,"

Link's gnawing at the inside of his cheek, a habit he's developed when wanting to stop himself from getting hit by his older brother.

Glancing at Sunny's slumbered frame, he can see the medication given to the boy is in full effect. With the taste of iron starting to fall from his cheek, he props the boy's legs so they crowd onto the bed before going back to his brother.

To say Ki has never put him before his own safety would be a tale for the stories. It's true, Ki's protected him his whole life, from every scrap that's landed on his knee as a child to Max attempting to steal him away from the Blood Brother's.

He was dragged into this world, despite his efforts to keep distant Ki was always there, and though his older brother vowed he'll never force him into this organization, he knew one day his brother would come knocking in demand.

Ki is picking Sunny's slumbered frame pulling Link from his memories, the boy's head crashing into his chest with ease and Link can't help but see the innocence embedded in the boy.

"I need you to stop by JP's, relatively soon,"

"Regarding?"

Staring towards the boy, his arms have subconsciously swaddled his brother's neck as of they've known each other for years. In full trust.

"Sunny?"

Ki nods. "Today shows his memories are attempting to peek through and we'll need to be prepared if they do. The paperwork we'll need to be in order to ensure the boy's loyalty remains with us,"

_____________________________________

The human mind is truly the scariest.

He can feel his palms sweating in the grip he longs to, moon-shaped eyes sing-song his worries away as he steps through the darkness - blinded by the cloak that steals his light. He should trust the stories his mind attempts replay for him, how it flashes of valentine brims gripping at his soul - sprinting away with his judgment and he can't even question as to why.

There's an echo in the forest telling him not to leave his side in a tone that sounds as if it'll break his brittle bones if he was to deny it. His footing matches the ones ahead of him, a hold on his wrist pulls him deeper into the skeleton-like trees, they sway like they're celebrating his welcoming swaying to the side in cheer.

His mind is crying - pleading for him to stop his movements and its familiar tone that puts a jump to his chest, but the glow of smile in front of him slithers through his conscious like a spell not allowing his steps to halt.

"You'll live forever by my side,"

He wants to respond but his lips feel as if they've been stitched, unable to speak. He's being pulled deeper into bleakness and the hold on his wrist is lacing up his arm - strengthening its clutch.

"If you leave, death will wait for you,"

"It'll wait for you,"

"A painful death,"

He gasps out grasping at the sheets in a pant, his frame is drenched, cold in sweat. He attempts to sit up but he's wrapped in a chain-like clasp is crossed to his waist while soft snores vibrate through his ears. He can feel his body still trembling, shaken up from his nightmare.

He doesn't remember coming to bed nor does he remember his clothing being removed when he feels the flesh of Ki's palm, how they seal to his hips as if they belonged to him.

He can feel his cheek blush in heat at thought of the two bodies being entangled together, rash hands and dire brims impatiently marking flesh as if it was property for sale.

His breath hitches attempting to calm his beating heart, glancing towards the slumbered frame the boy ponders exactly how long the male will keep his patience with him and if he can extend it one way or another.

Staring towards the foot of the ample bed, the memory of him searching the mansion for Link comes to mind following the pain his head had brought him. How Ki pinned him to the door, he remembers his eyes beamed in anger demanding answers the boy couldn't quite answer because of the pain his head at brought him but is having trouble remembering what exactly occurred.

The sound of his stomach crying for food sounds through the room pulling him from his thoughts and reminding him he's hasn't eaten in the last forty-eight hours. Gnawing on his cheek, his eyes go to the bedroom door and back to the frame embracing him, wondering if he can make it without awakening Ki.

Taking a deep breath he lets his body move sway slightly to the edge keeping his eyes steady on the figure gripping at him. The male looks deep in sleep, steadily still giving Sunny enough confidence to hover over his wrist, eyes carefully on Ki before warily capturing the wrist that holds at his hip.

"Are attempting to leave me - again?" His tone is spent, sharp curved eyes red in fatigue as he pulls his frame away from the edge. It's enough to seize Sunny's movements all at once. "Where were you going now Sunny?"

His fingers graze down his cheek, cupping at chin mimicking ice causing his frame to become stiff. His throat feels knotted up and the eyes Ki keeps on him is causing his words to get lost on his tongue.

"Food," He mutters, unable to look towards the view directed towards him. "I … my stomach, it's empty,"

He can hear the male sigh followed by a quiet chuckle and Sunny thinks the chain around his waist will loosen but it tightens. Gasping, the boy's taken back when Ki's pulling him to the center of the, pinning his hands to his head before climbing above him with a smirk.

"Hungry?" Sunny nods, his cheeks are flush and he can't stop lips from allowing a cry to slip, but it seems to bring the male above him joy.

His legs are being widened by his knees and before Sunny could plea a single syllable, Ki instructs him to practice silence causing the boy to swallow his coming words of when he could get food. With valentine-like brims travel to the edges of his neck putting his nerves in a frenzy and Sunny can't stop his lips from crying out from the odd sensation.

Tugging at the hold pinning down his wrist Sunny attempts to maneuver his body when a cold touch wanders down his thigh, gripping at his flesh to widen his legs.

"W-Wait …"

Ki seems to find humor in his comment but nonetheless stops himself from going further. Hovering over the boy, he keeps the boy nicely laced below him. Ki can't help but enjoy the image of fear embedded in his face and ponders how Sunny would look tied up, hysterically gasping his name and pleading for more.

His tongue clicks. "Exactly how long shall I wait, hmm?" He lets his hand run through the boy's locks, tugging on them before tracing down his cheeks. "It may help with your memory,"

Sunny's gnawing at his lip in doubt as Ki's thumb are pressing into his bottom lip, releasing the his hold his teeth once had. He's closing the gape between them and the thought of the two relationship being closer then Sunny expected slips into his conscious.

Ki's eyes are sealed to the pink plush lips below him, bypassing the stiffness his body seems to have to grown as he leans closer.

"Don't be scared, Sunny," His voice is soothingly sweet, calming the beating of his irrational heart. The smell of cigeratte and alcohol touch just at the brim of his nose. "I don't bring you fear, correct?"

"… N-No," And it almost the truth, indeed Ki doesn't bring him fear - his actions, the way he moves and changes his tone in seconds is what frightens him.

His answer seems to make him smile as he traces the outline of his lips.

"Then you should trust me,"