TITLE: Gambling My Freedom Away

CHAPTER: One

BY: Simply Kim

GENRE: Yaoi (Angst/Humor/AU)

CAST: Guys from Weiß and Schwarz... Oh yeah, and maybe the Crashers too if needed... heh, I really don't know...

DISCLAIMERS: The series I'm referring to do not belong to me… ^_^ only the weird story does.

CHAPTER 1: MASQUERADING

Here he was, standing in front of the very same building that took his family's life. Well, not exactly his family's life... more like livelihood, still, it took out the hope every member had that they would revive from the slump they underwent for the past few years.

It was no secret to everyone that subsequent to the Asian Financial Crisis that hit a few years back; Kamikaze Estates Inc. began experiencing its downfall. Losses were incurred, leaving them down to nothing but a liquidated business and a compulsive gambler who was his father.

The gambling problem started after his otousan won a card game against idiotic businessmen, giving him enough money to return home and use for the family's needs. Then, the idea that he could win so much more burned into his mind, making him lust for the thought of incurring more cash to prevent his company from liquidating.

At first, he was successful. He found a real knack in playing blackjack and was considered almost unbeatable...

Or so they, including him, perceived he was.

This claim was disproved when he played against the owner of gambling parlor he was acing in.

First, he lost half of his winnings, then, the half of the other half, and then, on the third day, the winnings were spent off, leaving the family with nothing but a bunch of boiled potatoes for dinner.

The worst thing was, he was playing with a man in his late twenties.

Pure humiliation.

Without money, without dignity, without success, and without any source of livelihood, he decided to take a break - for good. Less than a week after, he was comfortably laid in an oaken casket, eyes closed forever to the world.

And that was only the beginning.

His mother got sick, and being the only one old enough to work without being dragged off to some "home for abused children", he worked as a waiter in one of the posh places in his area. That job, however, was short-lived when his mother decided to join his father up in heaven. She died of cancer.

Just when he thought things were not going to slide down further, his sister managed to make herself sick. It wasn't the usual sickness that constitute the symptoms of a flu... it was morning sickness.

His sister was pregnant.

His precious younger sister, Aya-chan, was pregnant.

Turned out, she sold herself when he was out in his night jobs as a waiter, offering her pale young body to men who lusted after youthful meat. She did not have enough sense in her head to get some protection. She got herself pregnant.

She did not know who the father was.

Tears stung his eyes as he remembered the suffering face of his sister as she had a miscarriage in her fourth month. He closed his eyes, trying to get the vision away from his mind, however it did not vanish. It stayed, mocking him, telling him that he was so idiotic as to just stand there and do nothing but stare at her while she cried out in sorrow and defeat. She wanted the child too, and he knew that. Even without the knowledge of who knocked her up, she insisted on keeping the kid growing inside her. He thought it was probably an anchor to her sanity... and he was right.

She was sent to the local mental institution three days after her miscarriage.

And he hadn't seen her since.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, staring at the huge sign that glowed bright in the night... the neon sign making ribbons of hatred course through him with unprecedented ease.

He hated this city.

He hated this place.

He detested gambling houses.

Taking a deep breath to somehow alleviate the fury that ran deep into his veins, he stepped forward.

There was no turning back.

* * *

Calm... stay calm. He thought, his features contorting into one of distaste as a meaty hand groped his ass for the second time that night - in just a span of five minutes. He knew it was not the bartender, since he was left with an aching arm after he whacked the perverted fingers as he felt the violating intrusion into the crack of his bottom. No use in killing this guy off... I have to damage only one person... only one...

He quickly turned and gave the drunken man a menacing glare, effectively making the latter whimper in surprise and in the promise of a slow painful death in those glittering slitted eyes.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he continued his search for the person he was looking for. One of the serving girls told me that he was in a private booth, dressed impeccably in a white collared shirt and playing with another gentleman.

Another victim. He thought with disdain. He was assaulted by a vision of an oily man in his early thirties, smoking a thing cylinder of cigar, and fanning out a full house while his opponent groaned in defeat. He must look like that for all the inconsiderate effort the guy put in bankrupting his family. The guy sure would be really ugly.

He finally saw the lone private booth, and sauntered forward carelessly as if he owned the world. His acting was perfect, he knew, since he even convinced his best friend, the German merchant who calls himself Schuldig. He almost stuck out his tongue in disgust as he remembered the groping he received as he perfected his act. He vowed never to do it in front of the hormone-happy fiend.

The minute he stood in front of the gaming table, he vowed to kill the serving girl he had asked for directions.

Both men were wearing white collared shirts.

Groaning inwardly, he cleared his throat, hoping to get the attention of the two battling it out in a game of poker. He succeeded in making one look at him.

Unfortunately, that person went back to looking at his cards after two seconds of surveillance.

He felt a blush spreading on his cheeks as he was ignored. He felt like hitting the pig!

Pig?

He immediately scrutinized the one who glanced at him. Sure enough, the man fit into the features he had conjured up in his mind for so long. He was an oily man who looked as if he's in his early thirties and was smoking a thick cylinder of cigar.

Coincidence?

He shook his head slightly and cleared his throat again.

At that, the one he was surveying a while ago looked back at him with irritation evident in his beady eyes.

"What do you want? You're bothering me!"

Surprised at the sudden outburst, he stared in disbelief that such person could be so rude... he was obviously disoriented. It took him a few seconds before he could compose himself. He was so sure that it was the owner of the lot so he squared his shoulders and gave him his meanest glare. He knew it would work, since it had worked a million times before.

And it did.

He was just very much surprised when the man whimpered and scooted back, his hand trying to locate something in his coat pocket.

It made him angrier when the man did that.

How could an inconsiderate person shy away from a mere deadly glare?

Fueled with this fact, his anger rose to a crescendo, making his act more brash - arrogant. Practiced act forgotten, he glared some more. "Oi, you are the owner of this place, aren't you, old man? I challenge you to game of cards. Whoever wins gets to name his prize."

The look of utter confusion in his opponent's eyes was what spurred his mind to action... however, before he could even think of the reasons why, a deep, calm voice issued out on his other side.

His breath caught and he shifted his eyes in surprise as he realized his mistake.

His eyes were caught in an intricate web of fervor meshed into intense golden browns.

"I believe you've got the wrong person... I am the owner of this place. I'm Bradley Crawford."

He knew he was gaping like an idiot, but he couldn't help it... it was just so... shocking.

An amused smile.

"I've been expecting you... Fujimiya Ran."

* * *

Crawford wanted to laugh out loud, but he knew it would further anger the dumbfounded man standing in front of him.

So... this is Fujimiya Soichiro's eldest child.

Funny, he doesn't look a thing like him.

He watched in amusement as an assortment of emotions flashed in the boy's eyes.

The boy's beautiful, purple eyes...

The chandelier lights played on the boy's fiery red hair, giving it a picture of a raging inferno in a dark starless night.

Beautiful... so very beautiful...

He must admit that he was mistaken when he first saw the boy. He cast a small glance at the corner of his eye the first time Fujimiya made himself known. He thought he's a girl underneath his casual clothes. However, with the boy's way of holding himself up, and that unquestionably melodious voice, he was disproved.

His amusement escalated at the way his gambling opponent shriveled under the Fujimiya Death Glare.

Ah, that's the common thing father and son shared.

The infamous Fujimiya Death Glare.

He shook his head, trying to control the mirth bubbling up his throat, as the boy was momentarily shocked.

He had finally raised his eyes and relieved his opponent of the frightening stare before he had a heart attack. Doctors are highly priced these days. He did not need extra expenditure in his account books.

"I believe you've got the wrong person... I'm the owner of this place. I'm Bradley Crawford."

No reply.

"I've been expecting you... Fujimiya Ran."

Giving the boy a through look, Crawford smiled quite condescendingly.

"You seem surprised."

"I - I was not aware that you're this young..."

He laughed at that, standing up next to the boy, noting that he was taller and bulkier in built than him. After all, the boy was almost as thin as a scarecrow. He wondered if he could span that waist with two hands... "Hey now, I'm not that old... I'm only thirty two, you know." He turned his back on him and gave his assistance to his former gambling opponent.

"Ah, Mr. Aoi, I'm really sorry for this intrusion... I forgot my appointments; your skills are very distracting. Do come back, perhaps tomorrow so that we could continue this again."

The heavyset man nodded, casting a wary parting look at the young Fujimiya.

"Aa, I 'm going to return tomorrow, same time Crawford-san."

With that, he set off.

"Another one of your victims?" The redheaded boy spat scathingly. "Another toy to play with for your benefit?"

He went back to his seat and looked up at the furious features.

"Actually, yes." He admitted, discarding the used cards into the bin and opening up a fresh deck. "Who am I to refuse, he wanted to gamble." He raised an eyebrow, his hand gesturing towards the recently vacated seat across him. "Do sit down. You said you wanted to challenge me, right?"

The boy nodded his acquiesce.

"Okay, whoever wins the hand names his prize - whatever it could be, no boundaries... am I correct?"

He nodded.

"So, you cut and shuffle the cards and then distribute. What game are we playing again?"

"Blackjack."

"Ah, the simple gambler's game. Okay then, first to twenty one."

Another nod.

And the game began.

* * *

Ran turned up his cards, and almost sighed with relief as he encountered an ace and a ten.

No one can compete with that. He already had twenty points.

"Taking any card?" Crawford asked calmly.

"No."

He saw the other take a card and place it face up in front of him. A three of spades. Low card.

Figures.

The other repeated the act thrice, and placed them all face up in front of him.

A five, a six and an eight... What are his cards? How come he keeps on taking a card? It must be so bad a hand that he keeps searching for one who could complete a twenty-one...

The thought gave him a delicious thrill.

He would finally get his revenge!

After weeks of hard work in perfecting this game for a sure win - he finally succeeded!

He was startled out of his reverie when his opponent gave him a sheepish smile. "I'm finished, you show your hand first"

Ran narrowed his eyes. "No, you show it first."

"Ah, not entirely trusting." Crawford quipped. "Okay, we'll show them at the same time, agreed?"

Ran nodded almost stoically.

"Okay, one, two, three."

Silence...

Then tears slid down Ran's shocked eyes.

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N: Oooh, not many reviewed the first part *sniffs* But it's not wrong to say that maybe this one would get more, ne? ^___^ I hope so! Well, this is it guys, reviews reviews! ^____^