Like a Demon

The end of the arguments that rang out the night of Dex’s “Chopsticks Fail” brought relief to all parties. Kaoru and Die would cover for Dex until he was healed enough to play, and Akuma would continue to tour. No one was used to the relationship between Jayne and Kyo, and neither singer was very excited about everyone knowing about them; especially not with the way they had found out. Thankfully, Ray was asleep when they were found, and had no questions as to what had been seen.

After a day away from EVERYTHING, Jayne was walking back up to the stage to perform again. Die was holding his guitar and waiting for the rest of Akuma, who were more nervous now than they were for their first show of the tour.

“First we have to explain why YOU are standing up there instead of Dex, then I get to explain why MEI hit him in the first place, and how he has the WORST luck of ANYONE I’ve ever met! My god our band is cursed!” Jayne ranted, pacing circles around her band, and Die.

“Chill, you count as always, the lights go up, you scream, then you speak.” Dex shrugged, completely relaxed, and still drugged.

“I’m going to slap you.” She muttered, rolling her eyes and walking up to her mark. Drew started the countdown, holding four fingers above his head. Mei followed, holding up three and returning her attention to her bass, Die held up two and smiled supportively at Jayne, when whispered “one” as the lights kicked on and the crowd cheered, screaming MUCH harder after realizing that Die was standing in Dex’s place.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering about our guest guitarist,” she nodded as the crowd quieted down, “and the truth is, Dex is unable to play for at least three weeks, because he put a set of chopsticks in his nose, and one got stuck. He had to go to the hospital to have it removed.”

To her surprise, and shock, the crowd was silent.

“She isn’t lying. I hit him in the back of the head, and he hit the table at dinner. One of the sticks got lodged into his nose; we couldn’t pull it out.” Mei continued, and a few members of the audience started to laugh.

Once the set started, things started to ease up slightly for Akuma, but they still couldn’t quite get it right. Something was off, and that something was the rock star standing where Dex should have been. Akuma had a system for dealing with being nervous. When Jayne started to choke, Mei would take over and sing with her. When Drew would miss a beat, Dex and Jayne would start playing with each other’s guitar skills. When Mei’s nerves got the better of her, Dex would start showboating and distract the audience. The bottom line, and most important thing they had though, was a connection at the most basic level of energy; the members of Akuma just fit. As much as they loved Die, and as much of a friend as he was to them, it just wasn’t the same.

After finishing up the set, Jayne left the stage as quickly as possible, and slid down the wall to sit on the floor as soon as she was out of the crowd’s sight.

“I can’t believe you didn’t play the new song!” Dex ranted as soon as his band was fully present.

“You mean that new song that we wrote this week, that you sing in?” Drew demanded.

Dex hung his head and looked down. “I’m sorry I’m screwing everything up.” He muttered. Mei sighed and kicked Dex from where she was sitting on the floor beside Kaoru’s feet, and Jayne giggled weakly as he apologized quietly.

“Look, you’re not screwing anything up. You just have no form of good luck.” Mei laughed while Ray climbed into Jayne’s lap and started playing with her hair as she held him.

“She’s right. You’re too guilty. This was Mei’s fault anyway.” She nodded over Ray’s head.

“You’re such a bitch!” Mei spat in Japanese, making Robert sigh since he knew he would no longer understand the conversation, and catching the attention of the nearby Dir En Grey members.

“Language, Mei. We all know it is your fault anyway.”

“It was not! It was his stupidity! That idiot!” she argued, pointing to Dex.

“That idiot can understand you! Kaoru taught me that word.” He pouted.

“Shut up Dex, you are an idiot!” Drew huffed; rolling his eyes while Robert struggled not to laugh.

“We will see you all after the show. Good luck with… this.” Toshiya nodded, grinning while gesturing to the entire room before grabbing his bass and going on stage with the others. “GOOD LUCK!” Mei and Jayne shouted after him. They could see him laughing as the crowd screamed and their first song began.

After Dir en Grey got off the stage, they expected to see Akuma waiting for them as always, but this time they were nowhere to be found. They followed their usual path to the dressing room, where the others would sometimes wait with food and drinks, usually getting into some insane game that would strike all five Japanese men with confusion when they walked through the door, but again, Akuma was nowhere. Kyo, Shinya, and Kaoru went to clean themselves up a bit, use bathrooms and such after that, and left the searching for their friends up to Die and Toshiya.

“Good! You’re off the stage! Security is terrible here; we have to go to the hotel. Don’t ask questions, I’ll only get yelled at because of it.” Carl shouted as he jogged over to them, “The van is already started and waiting. Let’s go. Where are Kyo, Shinya, and Kaoru?”

“Using the bathrooms. Have you seen our friends in Akuma?” Die asked calmly.

“Don’t worry about that. Just move please, I don’t need to get lectured again tonight. The other crewmembers will get them out of here too when they get Akuma to the hotel.” He sighed, glancing over to the door behind him that led to the outside.

“Then I suppose we should be going.” Toshiya nodded and started walking for the door, but was grabbed by Carl.

“Not that door. This way. Just follow me and please, for the sake of anything good, please just come this way.”

“What is going on? Now I know that something is wrong; where are Jayne and Ray?” Die demanded as Toshiya pulled away, refusing to move.

“I don’t give a FUCK what you say, you worthless bitch! I have rights goddamn it!” Thomas’ voice roared as the door that Toshiya had originally gone towards was thrown open, and Dex stormed through it with fury in his eyes. Thomas was right behind him trying to get at Mei but Drew and Jayne were standing between them, and beside Robert who was just as furious as everyone else around the frustrated man. Ray was standing off to the side with Mei, who had him in her arms and was glaring at his father, while he pleaded to know who the yelling man was, and why he was so mad at his mama.

“Is everything all right?” Die questioned, giving Thomas a look just as dirty as everyone else’s was towards him. “It’s fine, he won’t do anything. If he does, he’s dead.” Jayne spat, while Mei held Ray tighter as they walked away from Carl, who sighed heavily and rolled his eyes, knowing that there was no stopping them from joining the fight.

“Who is he?!” Ray demanded once again, shouting loud enough to be heard by his mother, and the man who was trying to get past Robert and Drew.

“Ray,” Thomas sighed, turning away from Jayne and taking a few steps toward the apprehensive child, “Do you know who I am?”

“A bad man! You make Mama cry, go away!” he yelled.

Thomas laughed a bitter, and angry, forced laugh that made Die and Toshiya both move closer to Mei and Ray, so that if he tried anything to hurt them, they could defend them easier, while Jayne shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself, watching helplessly from her place beside Drew, who started hugging her to comfort her.

“I’m not a bad man,” he frowned, “I’m good. I’m just hurt, by your mommy. She said some things that hurt my feelings, and is keeping me away from someone I love very much.”

“Bullshit! Get the hell away from him!” Robert spat, but was ignored.

“Ray, I’m your daddy.”

“Are not, I don’t have a daddy.” He frowned, kicking his legs until Mei finally relented and let him stand on his own. “My daddy doesn’t love us, and ran away from Mama before I came here. You’re a liar and lying is bad!”

“Damn straight, Ray!” Dex nodded proudly, standing behind everyone since he had been ordered to go out with Dir en Grey due to his condition.

“Shut the fuck up!” Thomas snapped, turning and glaring at Dex for a second before turning back to Ray. “Please, just listen to me, I’m your daddy. I love you Ray.” He begged, reaching out to touch him but Die grabbed his wrist and growled a threat before he could reach his son.

“He says if you touch me, or my mama, or my family, you’ll die.” Ray translated.

“A better translation would be ‘I’ll fucking kill you.’” Mei nodded as he went from glaring angrily at Die, to staring at her before pulling his hand away from the pissed off rocker and focusing on Ray again. “One chance, I want to be a family. I love you, AND your mama. Don’t you want a real family?” he pleaded.

“I have a real family! This is my family, go away!” he yelled again, stomping his foot though he was still very afraid of Thomas.

“DON’T yell at me! I AM your father, you RESPECT your parents!” he barked, making Ray jump subconsciously closer to Toshiya.

“Fuck you.” He retorted, making Jayne smile and Thomas growl. Her motherly instincts kicked in, alerting her that her son was in danger a second later, but she couldn’t move fast enough. Thomas’ hand had already made hard contact across her son’s face, sending him falling to the ground. Mei had a three second debate with herself over what she should do, kill Thomas, or tend to Ray. Her choice was made for her when Toshiya grabbed him by the hair and pinned him to the wall, at the same time as Die grabbed him and pulled him towards him. Toshiya’s grip was a little stronger, forcing Die to lose the short game of tug-of-war, and stand beside him. Toshiya was yelling at him in rapid, furious Japanese, but Die wasn’t satisfied with his approach, and took control by grabbing him by the throat and SCREAMING at him similar threats and curses to what Toshiya was yelling. Banging his head against the wall every so often to make points while Toshiya kept a hold of his shirt.

“Enough, hey! ENOUGH!” Robert ordered, physically prying Die off of Thomas while Ray sobbed uncontrollably, and Jayne held him while Mei held her. Dex and Drew were in a state of shock and frustration. Toshiya let go of Thomas, letting him fall to the ground in a heap of bruises and blood, still ranting and threatening him, and Die was breathing very hard, harder than he had been when they got off the stage, staring at him with a look that read simply “I want to rip you to pieces”.

“Let’s go,” Drew breathed finally. Dex nodded and walked to Carl who was staring in awe as the others followed. Jayne was a mess and couldn’t carry Ray, so Mei walked closely beside her to help her support his weight as he clung to her and cried.

“Don’t fucking walk away from me! I’ll make sure you see it! We’ll be a family, Jayne!” Thomas shouted, but was cut off by Toshiya “accidentally” stepping on his hand as he walked after the women.

When they got back to the hotel Mei carried Ray up to take care of his eye, which was already turning colors; he would for sure have a black eye, and probably bruised lip form Thomas’ hit. Dex went for a hot shower, and Drew followed Robert, Toshiya, and Die to Jayne’s room before taking Robert drinking. It wasn’t a surprise that Toshiya and Die took her to Kyo’s room as soon as she changed out of her stage clothes and into her pajamas.

As soon as his door opened, she fell into his arms and broke down, clinging to him as he held her tight enough to let her know that she was safe. “What happened?” he demanded, looking from her to his band members when she didn’t answer. Toshiya huffed angrily and invited himself into the room to sit in one of the chairs, and Die gritted his teeth while rubbing his knuckles. Kyo guided Jayne into the room, allowing Die to follow and nodding to him to close the door before repeating his demand.

“Thomas tried to take Ray.” Jayne muttered in a monotone answer, staring at him once she finally calmed down.

“Where is he?” he demanded, though she, Die, and Toshiya weren’t sure if he meant Ray or Thomas.

“Well, Ray is with Mei and she is treating his eye and lip. Thomas… I’m not sure where he is; we left him at the venue.” Toshiya answered as someone knocked on the door.

“Kaoru. His room is beside this one; he probably heard her crying.” Kyo nodded as Die answered, stepping aside and letting the guitarist in, followed by their concerned drummer.

“What’s wrong?” Shinya questioned as Die closed the door, but Jayne didn’t want to answer again.

“There was a fight with Thomas.” Die nodded, taking over for her. Kaoru and Shinya both looked from him to Toshiya, both noticing the blood that stained their clothes. “What happened?” Kaoru demanded.

“Does EVERYONE have to ask that question?” Jayne asked bitterly, but her demand was ignored, as they all knew she was stressed beyond reason at the moment.

“Don’t worry; it isn’t our blood. It belongs to Thomas.” Toshiya grinned, “He hit Ray.”

“He what?” Kyo interrupted.

“He was trying to take Ray, and we found him because Ray started screaming for us to help him. Then he tried convincing Ray that I’m the bad one, and that all he wants is a family with us, because he loves us. When Ray wouldn’t listen to him, he got angry, and the more his plan failed, the angrier he got. He yelled at him, and it scared him, but then he recovered and said ‘fuck you’ in a tone that I can only describe as turning him into a smaller version of Kyo, and then Thomas hit him.” Jayne explained quietly.

“Jayne-chan,” Shinya frowned as she broke down again and Kyo tightened his grasp on her, hushing her and rubbing her arm as she cried.

“I couldn’t protect my son; I didn’t do anything to protect him!” she sobbed.

“No, you were afraid to move to him. I saw the look in your eyes, and I had the same fear. If you did move to protect Ray, the outcome could have been much worse. What if he had a weapon?” Die explained supportively as she shook with her sobs, trying to get them under control.

“Enough crying; you need to be strong for your son. You have nothing to be afraid of; I promised I would protect you. I have no intent to go back on that promise.” Kyo muttered with his lips against her head, just above her ear. “I wasn’t there to help you this time, but I swear it will never happen again.”

Jayne just clung tighter to him as she cried, letting him hold her securely in his protective embrace as his band watched silently. After a while she calmed down and thanked him by kissing his lips so lightly Toshiya wasn’t sure if they even touched. His reply was to pull her back for a proper kiss, holding her very firmly. Some would even think him to be abusive by how controlled the kiss was, but Jayne melted against his grasp perfectly.

“Kyo,” Die called after clearing his throat, snapping the singers out of their act and back to reality.

“I apologize,” Jayne blushed, making Die almost giggle at her.

“Don’t apologize, Jayne-chan.” Shinya smiled while standing up and walking towards the door, “Who are we to keep you apart if you are in love?” he nodded kindly before leaving. “I’m going to go as well. I’m sure there are things you want to do that I don’t want to see. Unlike these perverted men.” Kaoru nodded teasingly, and followed suit.

Die and Toshiya both laughed and stood up to follow. “As much as I’ve often thought about seeing you naked, HE isn’t a pretty sight. I suggest turning the lights off.” Toshiya smirked and closed the door after himself and Die. Jayne was blushing deeper than ever.

“He says things like that because he is ashamed of what he doesn’t have.” Kyo informed, making her snort in her awkward laughter.

“I can honestly say I didn’t need to picture that.” She giggled as he leaned back, letting them lay together on the bed as he held her.

“Of all members of my band, you are picturing Toshiya naked now? I should be offended.”

“No! It was your fault anyway! Don’t do that to me, Kyo!” she defended quickly, making him give a sort of sighed chuckle while pulling her closer to him.

“I was only kidding, don’t worry.”

For half an hour they sat still, and for twenty of those minutes she cried into his shoulder all of her fears and worries. Each one he would chase away by holding her tighter and repeating his promise to keep her, and more importantly Ray, safe. When he had finally chased her fears away long enough to allow her to calm down, he followed his actions by kissing away her tears until she was just lying beneath him, taking in the moments that they had together instead of worrying about Thomas.

She wanted to put her arms around his neck like they do in the movies and stories, and bring him closer to her, but he was once again being dominant. She never thought that she could enjoy being controlled so much, but with Kyo it wasn’t something that hurt her. He made her feel safe when he was in control. She knew that she was protected.

She couldn’t help but to moan when he bit down slightly where her neck and shoulder met, arching her back as he held her hands firmly to the bed, letting her return his grip will all of her strength as he continued to make her forget about everything for the moment. The only thing he wanted on her mind now was him.

“Your hands are so warm,” she breathed as he slid one of them up her shirt, wanting to feel more of her baby soft skin.

“I was about to say that your skin is very cold.” He smirked through his kiss. She again tried to move her arms but the hand he was using to keep her firmly held tightened its grip, doing its job without flaw. “Stop moving.” He ordered, making her giggle an apology as she tried her best not to arch her back when he returned his lips to her neck and shoulder.

“Kyo,” she breathed, once again biting back a moan and fighting movement when he skillfully removed her bra with one hand and began to fondle her. “This isn’t fair, I want to feel you too.” She pleaded, refusing to let him know that another reason she wanted her arms released was that they were falling asleep. He smirked and let go, using that arm to pull her closer to him as she wrapped hers tightly around his neck and back.

He unzipped her pants and slipped his hand down, lightly rubbing her most sensitive places, but her reaction wasn’t what he was hoping for. Instead of kissing him with the same passion he gave her, she tightened her grasp on his arm and pulled his hand away from her. “Please don’t,” she whispered, unable to look him in the eyes.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked worriedly, lightly turning her head to force her eyes to meet hers. She remained silent and shook her head as a few tears welled in her eyes. “It was him then, wasn’t it? That bastard who hurt you before.”

“The only time someone has touched me this way until you, were Thomas and his friends. After that, I was alone and I had to take care of a baby! I don’t want to lose you, please forgive me.”

“Why should I forgive you, Jayne-chan? You’ve done nothing worth asking forgiveness.” He sighed, resting his head against hers for a while before she stirred again, and moved out from under him.

“I need to check on Ray.” She explained while putting her bra back on, “Do you mind if we stay with you tonight? Ray will want to sleep with me, and I don’t want to sleep by myself. It’s all right if you say no, I can probably stay with Dex or Drew as well.”

Kyo was silent for a while as he thought about his answer. On one hand he had no problems allowing Jayne to share his bed, but on the other he wasn’t so keen on letting the four-year-old sleep with him.

“That’s all right. Forget I asked; it wasn’t really my place.” She nodded quietly and walked for the door, surprised to find that he was following her.

“You can stay. Both of you.” He answered, making one of the most beautiful smiles he had ever seen spread across her face.

“M-Mama,” Ray sniffled as they joined the others in her room.

“I thought you had gone to bed.” Kyo smirked at Shinya, who was holding him while Mei continued to tend to his eye and lip.

“I was going to, but she needed help with him. He hasn’t stopped crying; he’s terrified.” He explained, standing beside him once Jayne took her son from him and kissed his eye lightly as he started to cry again, holding onto her for dear life as she started singing softly to calm him down enough to let Mei finish her first aid. “I want to let you know that out of everyone, he seems to see you as the strongest father figure. Please don’t disappoint him.” He sighed.

Kyo gave his friend a questioning look that was waved off by the drummer as he took his leave. “Drew and Robert are still out drinking. Your management has already come and gone and set up guards outside the doors that will be here soon. Dex is knocked out from his night-medicine, and I have to stay with him incase something happens. According to Drew, he woke up but was still dreaming in the middle of the night last night, and thought he was back home; he tried breaking into Die’s room thinking it was the pantry at Tochikura’s.” Mei announced, standing up from kneeling in front of Jayne and Ray.

“He did mention something about him picking the lock, and searching for rice balls.” Shinya chuckled.

“The issue isn’t Dex searching for food in your luggage, though. It’s them.” She sighed, nodding to Jayne and Ray. “I don’t want to leave them to deal with this on their own.”

“They aren’t dealing with it on their own. They are staying in my room, with me.” Kyo replied.

“You only have one bed.” Shinya reminded.

“I’ll sleep on the floor if I have to, but I doubt it’ll come to that.”

“Kyo, I know you like the idea of cuddling with Jayne all night, but you do know that Ray will probably end up in the middle, don’t you?” Mei questioned, receiving a sort of blank look from the rock star. With a heavy sigh she looked back at him with a smile, “Most little kids end up BETWEEN the people they are sleeping with. When he has a nightmare and is staying with Michio, and myself he comes knocking at our door and I let him crawl into bed with us. It never fails; he crawls to lie between us. He feels safer that way. When he sleeps with Jayne and the guys, he sleeps between her and one of the guys. If he sleeps with you, to hold Jayne you’ll have to hold him as well.”

“You wanted a relationship with her, you have to take on the responsibilities of caring for her child as well.” Shinya added firmly, making Kyo sigh.

“I already agreed to let them stay, and I never expected to leave him out of the bed.”

“You did expect him to be on the other side of her, didn’t you?”

“I hadn’t really pictured this with him there.”

“Don’t worry about that, though. You’re a young rock star, at what point in this touring life of being musical gods are you supposed to see yourself taking care of a four-year-old?” Mei questioned, amusing both men with her use of “young”. They were each at least three years older than she was.

“I don’t want to go to sleep, Mama! What if he gets me?” Ray pleaded, during their silence, making Mei sigh sadly and turn around to see Jayne walking over to them with him in her arms.

“He won’t get you.” She promised before Jayne could answer.

“But you aren’t there to save us!” he cried.

“But I will be.” Kyo nodded, catching Ray’s attention as he looked up in confusion. “You and your mother are staying tonight in my room.”

“Like a sleep over with Dex and Drew?” he questioned.

“Not exactly. We are going to SLEEP in his room. No games, no messes, we are going to lay down and go to sleep.” Jayne smiled, kissing his head, “And while we are sleeping, Kyo is going to stay guard to keep us safe.” She added, sending her smile now to the man in front of her.

“And, there are going to be big, strong guards outside your door to keep you safe too.” Mei added enthusiastically. “And if anything happens, I’ll use my secret to protect you myself. That man doesn’t stand a chance to hurt you, or Jayne.”

“Really?” he gasped, looking from her to Kyo, to Shinya for an answer.

“Would we lie to you?” Shinya asked honestly.

“Yes! Die and Toshiya told me that there was a monster in the closet at the last place we lived at, and it wasn’t!”

“Die and Toshiya… but we aren’t Die and Toshiya.” He smiled.

Ray thought for a minute and nodded happily, leaning out of Jayne’s arms to hug Kyo around the neck. “Thank you.” He smiled as Kyo took the rest of him and started carrying him to his room.

“What do you think of their family?” Shinya questioned as he and Mei walked to their rooms together, since they were side by side.

“I think they worry me, and Thomas worries me the most. You know that if he EVER tried to hurt them while he was around, Kyo would probably be charged with murder, don’t you?”

Shinya was silent for a while before laughing quietly, “No, he wouldn’t.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because, unless she was injured to the point she couldn’t speak, or if she were dead, she wouldn’t let him kill Thomas. He is still Ray’s father, and I believe a small part of her still loves him. A very small part.”

“Shinya, that part of her is so tiny we would need the highest magnification technology to see it. Luckily, we ARE in Japan.” She giggled and retired to her bedroom, leaving him to go to his with another quiet laugh.