AN: Hello again, look! I'm actually updating super fast! Happy early Christmas present~ That is, if you like it of course. X)

I must warn everyone that the story will begin going down a darker and cruel path so if you are faint of heart, then read on at your own discretion. This is just the beginning but it will get hard to bare! So beware!

Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own anything to do with the Vocaloids except for this story :)

Chapter 10: Torn Bonds

Recap: "No problem, love." Mikuo replied quietly as he started down the opposite road, giving a smirk in the direction where Gakupo was hiding before he disappeared behind a corner.

"That sonofa-" Gakupo clenched his fists as he fumed for many reasons. 'Could he see me? Did he know I was here? Did he do all that while knowing I was here?!' Questions began to pile up inside Gakupo's head, along with a sliver of doubt of his lover's affection for himself.

'Why would he meet up with that bastard and try to hide it from me? What were they talking about?'

Gakupo continued home, his mind so deep in thought that he just continued to walk past all his fans who wanted his autograph.

xXx

"I'm home." Gakupo called out with fatigue as he threw off his shoes.

"W-welcome home, Gakupo!" Gakupo looked up to see Kaito run over to the doorway, looking a little tense.

'Hmph, I wonder why.' Gakupo couldn't help the jealousy and suspicion that lingered from earlier.

"Um, Gakupo. C-can I speak with you for a minute before you go rest?"

"Sure, Kaito." Gakupo tried to stay calm, wanting to hear what Kaito had to say.

"Um, yeah, so.." Kaito sat on the edge of his bed, his eyes averted away from Gakupo's piercing gaze. "Uh, yeah, I finally found a job today!" Kaito looked up more cheerfully, hoping to see Gakupo congratulate him. However, he was only met with the same cold gaze, something he wasn't used to. "U-uh, yeah, so um, I-I wanted you to be the first one to know about it."

"Uh huh." Gakupo crossed his arms and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"Huh?" Although Kaito knew that Gakupo didn't know anything about the deal, he still felt very nervous when Gakupo asked the question.

"A-actually, there was something else I wanted to tell you about..."

"What is it, Kaito?" Gakupo waited patiently for Kaito to bring up the taboo subject.

"W-well, the project that I'll be working on is a fashion shoot for this company's magazine-"

"Uh huh."

"A-and it seemed pretty nice, I even recognized some of the models."

"Yeah."

"A-and.." Kaito hesitated before bringing up the name that always brought tension between them.

"And?" Gakupo urged him.

"… Um, I was just really excited for it and I wanted to tell you!" Kaito shot up from his seat, his face betraying his words as it was filled with guilt and worry, and the words just wouldn't come out of his mouth.

"I see." Gakupo's eyes narrowed, his mind beginning to fill with anger and jealousy, knowing that Kaito was keeping something hidden from him.

"Well, if that's all you have to say, I'm pretty tired now so I'll be going."

Kaito reached his hand out after him, trying to hold on to him, to tell him everything. But no sound escaped his throat and he watched with pleading eyes as Gakupo whipped around and stepped out of the room without looking back. There was no yelling, no fighting, not even a slamming of the door, but they both knew that a rift had formed between them.

Kaito just sat back on his bed quietly, staring blankly at the door, as if he was expecting Gakupo to walk back in any minute. He felt a tear run down his face and clenched his fists, upset with himself for being such a coward.

Back in his own room, Gakupo was struggling with conflicting thoughts in his head, thoughts of betrayal and jealousy threatening to win over his trust of Kaito's devotion.

'I'll give him some time.' Gakupo told himself after he slumped into bed.

'I'm sure he isn't trying to hide anything from me. He's just- himself. I'll wait.'

Gakupo cooled down his head and went straight to sleep, not wanting to deal with any more thoughts of what and why Kaito was keeping things from him.

xXx

"Alright Kaito, good work today!" Mikuo called out for the staff to begin clean up.

"Thank you, Mikuo-san. It's only because you're a great photographer." Kaito blushed at the compliment as he began taking off his outfit top.
"K-Kaito-kun, how many times have I told you to change in the dressing room?!" Ia, Kaito's supervisor for the project sent from the company, reminded him as she pushed Kaito towards the change room.

"But Ia-san, I'm a guy! It's not like I was taking my pants off." Kaito tried to argue back, but he was promptly pushed into the room.

"You need to be more aware of your surroundings, Kaito-kun." Ia scolded him over the door.

"I still don't see a problem." Kaito just muttered as he quickly changed into his jeans and black shirt.

"Okay, thank you everyone for your hard work! I'll be on my way then."

"See you Kaito-chan," Mikuo waved as Kaito disappeared past the studio doors.

"You know Mikuo," Ia glowered over at the turquoise-headed male. "I see the way you're looking at him and you'd better not scare him away, you hear? You don't know how hard it is to get a hold of him, let alone get him to agree to such a long project! I'll come over and strangle you myself if you mess this one up!" Ia practically growled at Mikuo, warning him that their jobs were on the line.

"Yes, yes, don't worry Ia-chan, I'll take good care of him." Mikuo dodged just in time as Ia attempted to jab him in the side.

"I'm serious! You can say good bye to your camera if you creep him away!" Mikuo just waved to the small fuming female as he walked away.

"And you guys too! Quit just laughing there, I see the look on your eyes too! All of you are perverted creeps!" With that, Ia chased after the other workers, everyone running in fear.

'What does she mean don't creep him away?' Mikuo scratched the back of his head as he headed down the dark hallway.

'He'll practically be begging for me.' A wide grin crossed his face as he disappeared into the darkness.

xXx

"Ne, ne, Kaito-nii, when will your magazine come out?" Miku hopped up and down excitedly.

"Haha, it'll still be awhile Miku-chan. I just started the photoshoots." Kaito petted her bobbing green head.

"Is everyone there nice to you? You just let me know if anyone picks on you, okay? I'll come right over and-"

"There's no need, Miku-chan. Everyone's very nice to me. Trust me, okay?" Kaito chuckled.

"Fine, if you say so." Miku gave Kaito a big squeeze before she ran off to hang out with Rin and Len.

"So.. I hear the shoot went well?" Gakupo came up from behind Kaito, and grimaced slightly when he noticed Kaito tense up.

"U-um, yes, it went fine." Kaito replied shakily. "I-I better be going-"

"Did you meet Mikuo?" Gakupo asked nonchalantly.

"Eh?" Kaito's eyes widened at the sudden question and he unconsciously backed away.

"I asked if you met up with Mikuo." Gakupo kept up his non-caring attitude.

"W-well, that is.." Kaito looked away, panic overcoming him as he was lost on what to say.

"Oh, I have to make a call. I'll talk to you later, Kaito." Gakupo didn't give Kaito time to finish and just walked away to his room.

Kaito let out a big sigh as his back rested against the wall and he just slid down to the ground.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." Kaito brought his legs close to his body, wanting to cry.

'Why can't I just tell him the truth? I don't want to hurt him by telling him I went to see Mikuo-san.. but I'm just hurting him more by keeping it from him. It's just… I'm so scared..'

Kaito hid his face in his arms, his hands clenching tightly.

'I'm such a coward.'

xXx

Almost a month had passed since Kaito had started the project with Mikuo, and Gakupo was not happy. Even his previous attempts to try and give Kaito the chance to tell him the truth had failed, and now Kaito seemed to be avoiding him altogether. Gakupo's head was filled with so many mixed emotions that he felt it would just burst.

'I can't take this anymore. I need to talk to him.'

Gakupo had heard from Miku where the photo studio was, so he decided to meet Kaito on the way as he finished up work.

'I don't get why he can't tell me. I mean, he's never hid anything from me before, and definitely not about that Mikuo bastard. So why now-'

As he approached the corner, he heard familiar voices ahead and quickly hid himself behind the wall.

'There's Kaito, and-… He's with that bastard.' Gakupo held back from jumping the laughing man and just clenched his fists as the blood drained from them.

"Thank you for the work today, and you didn't have to walk me this far, Mikuo-san."

"No, no, I couldn't take no for an answer. The sun's already starting to set earlier with the weather getting colder. I can't possibly let my model get hurt by tripping over something." Mikuo grinned.

"Well, thank you for your concern-"

"Also, today's a very special day for me."

"Eh?"

Before Kaito could respond, Mikuo grabbed Kaito's arm and pulled him into a hot kiss, immediately slipping his tongue into the other's mouth. Kaito was too shocked to move and was promptly pushed back against the wall, and finally regaining his senses, he frantically pushed against Mikuo's body. To his dismay, Mikuo wouldn't budge, and just when he was about to knee him right between the legs, Mikuo let off, licking his lips with a grin.

"You just made my day, Kaito-chan." Then he leaned in again, whispering into his ear, "There were some shady guys following us so I wanted to show them that you had your back covered."

Kaito just stared back shocked, then flinched back as Mikuo dived in for one more quick touch of their lips and turned to walk away.

"That was my reward!" Mikuo waved and walked in the opposite direction.

"Wha-what just… happened." Kaito's knees gave out on him as he flopped to the ground, not sure whether he should be upset about the sudden kiss or understand it as a gesture of help.

'How am I supposed to face him after this.' Kaito could feel himself tear up, his already troubled head now filled with even more things to worry about.

xXx

As Mikuo leaned back in, Gakupo whipped away and stormed back home, not daring to look back, not noticing the victorious smirk underneath the green bangs. The only thought that occupied his mind in that instant was betrayal.

xXx

"You seem happy." A deep voice called out from the darkness of the basement.

"Of course. I just sent out my declaration of war~" Hands with green nail polish caressed the poster tenderly, as though the figure inside the picture was present in front of him.

"I couldn't just let an anniversary of my love for him slip by me without any sort of celebration." A dangerous smile slowly formed across the man's face.

"So what do we do now?" The figure leaned against the wall with his arms crossed across his chest.

"We wait for our prey to stumble right into our claws."

xXx

"I'm home." Kaito trudged into the doorway, all the thoughts in his head weighing him down and filling him with fatigue.

"Welcome home, Kaito-nii-"

"We need to talk."

Before Len could finish, Gakupo walked in between them to grab Kaito's arm and dragged him away towards his room.

"I-I'll talk to you later, Len-kun." Kaito tried to wave back assuringly so as not to worry the little one.

"O-ow, Gakupo, that hurts-" Kaito yelped as Gakupo roughly pushed him into his bedroom wall.

"Shut up." Gakupo's voice was full of hostility, and Kaito just looked up silently, his eyes full of fear.

"Just shut up. Just shut up, shut up, shut up!" Gakupo smacked the wall with his fist as his voice rose to a shout.

"Don't you dare let another word slip out of those sly lips if you're just going to keep tricking me with lies."

"What-"

"I said SHUT UP!" Gakupo's fist slammed into the wall, dangerously close to Kaito's face, leaving a slight indent.

Kaito didn't know what to do. He didn't know the man who was standing before him, vicious malice radiating from his glare. Gakupo had never once even raised his voice against him, and now, it was more than he could take. Kaito could feel his face get hot, his legs feeling weak and a headache surfacing.

"Tell me what you've been doing this whole time." Gakupo's voice had leveled again.

"I had the photoshoot and came straight home." Kaito couldn't look Gakupo in the eyes anymore and just stared at the ground.

"I asked you to tell me everything you've done today."

"I-I told you, I went to get my photoshoot today, then came home after-"

"Quit your damn lying!" Gakupo threw another punch into the indented wall.

"I-I'm telling the truth! I didn't stop by anywhere today, I just came home after the shoot!" Kaito began to tear up. His own fists were clenched now, Gakupo's attitude and aggression against him too confusing to follow.

"So then why the hell were you fucking around with him?" Gakupo was now looking down at him with a look of contempt, his eyes glinting dangerously.

"Who-" Kaito froze midway through his sentence when realization hit him.

"W-wait, Gaku-"

"Why the hell was his tongue down your throat?!" Gakupo grabbed Kaito's shoulders and shoved him into the wall again.

"Gakupo, please listen to me! It's not what you think!" Kaito grasped the sleeve of Gakupo's shirt, trying to get the enraged man to listen to him.

Gakupo just threw the hands off of him and stepped back, only to insult him again.

"I told you already. Just shut up. I don't need any of your petty excuses. You've just been sleeping with him all this time, haven't you? Oh, and I suppose that's how you were able to get this project too, right? What's this, you're just a whore, aren't you?"

Kaito just stood against the wall, listening silently to the accusations made against him, doing his best to hold back the tears that threatened to pour out from his injured heart.

"Did I hit the spot? You can't even bother to fight back because everything I said is true, can you? You just used your pitiful look on me last time to get out of this too, didn't you?"

Then, as he said these words, his own expression changed into one of agony, a slight tremble heard in his last few words. 'Please tell me it's not true. Get mad at me. Hate me. Look insulted and disgusted. Hit me with all you've got. Please. Just please knock some sense into me. Please. Please… Look into my eyes and tell me I'm wrong.' Gakupo's chest tightened as he waited for some form of retaliation, in the hopes that Kaito hadn't actually betrayed him.

"Mikuo-san's… not that kind of a person." Kaito slowly spoke, his eyes dull and a sad smile gracing his face as he continued to stare down. "He's been very kind to me until now, and aside from having saved me, he's also been a very good friend. So please, don't insult him in such a way."

Gakupo just stood still feeling like his heart had dropped from his chest, as his lover defended the man whom he hated instead of defending himself.

"Although you may not like him, he is a dear friend to me."

Then he raised his head, sadness still in the blue orbs. "But that's all he'll ever be to me. For me, the only one-"

Gakupo walked up to Kaito and slapped him across his face, shocking himself as his hand moved on its own. With the sharp sound of flesh hitting flesh resonating throughout the room, the tears that had been locked away streamed down Kaito's face, caressing the red blossoming on his cheek as they trickled down. Gakupo inhaled sharply when he realized what he'd done. The red mark screamed angrily at him, making the already pale skin appear even paler, and he stopped his hand from reaching down to wipe the tears and instead stormed out of the room.

Alone, Kaito gently touched his cheek with the tips of his fingers and knelt to the ground, clutching himself and letting the tears silently fall.

"The only one I'll ever love is you."

xXx

Gakupo slammed his fist into the wall as soon as he rushed into his own room. "I'm a bastard." Gakupo gritted his teeth as he dug his fist deeper into the wall.

Once he'd calmed down, Gakupo sat on the edge of his bed, running his fingers through his hair and gripping them tight, barely keeping himself from ripping them right off his head. 'Why can't I just control my fucking jealousy and listen to him?! I just can't stop the my stupid mouth from ranting out my frustrations and hurting him. I love him, so much. So why am I hurting him? Is my pride that important to me?'

A single tear dropped into his open hand, and he clenched it closed. 'I even hit him with my own hand. How can I face him again...'

Your reviews always warm my heart and keep me going, so please feel free to leave a review with how you like the story so far! Please? X3 If you really don't want to then you don't have to but.. I can't lie that I don't love reading each and every one of them :)