The dark room was his own small piece of heaven.<br/><br/>Marco would inch open the door, long digits spider-scuttling across the wall until they found the right light switch, let the door swing to, plunge himself into momentary darkness then, like a grand unveiling, slowly flick the switch.<br/><br/>The sink, the chemicals, the reams, the drying rack, like Gods commandments it dawned into view.<br/><br/>There was a deep sigh from the bottom of Marco's lungs as he slunk over to the processing corner and started to unwind the film from his baby, clicking open the back of the camera with all the care and attention he'd never shown any of his models.<br/><br/>He'd have this one.<br/><br/>This kid was pure, untainted gold. He was beautiful. Cat-like in build and grace, his face set in all the right proportions, lashes thick and dark like the wings of a moth, eyes long and gentle, lips curved sensually, brow regal and shaped. Like a butterfly trapped in amber. Marco. Would. Have. Him.<br/><br/>A crooked grin tipped the corners of the photographers dark lips. He threw a hand excitedly through his hair-- jet black with no breaks for any light under the eerie red glow of the room.<br/><br/>It must have been... oh, ten minutes into his work when something struck Marco like a dagger to the back.<br/><br/>Silence.<br/><br/>Twisting, screeching, painful silence.<br/><br/>His eyes darted, a scowl coming on thick and heavy. He had to check. Just had to, "Ryuu?"<br/><br/>The call was met with enough quiet that the Titanic of dread sunk in his stomach, "Ryuu, kid, you'd better not be playing games with me!" tentatively he set down his papers in the sink, new shots, the ones of his pet, "Because," he turned on his heel, silently creeping out, "I," he inched open the door, "Always..." scoped the room....<br/><br/>... the room... was barren.<br/><br/>"win?" He couldn't have gotten out! Could he? Marco scanned the flat again, panic roaring through his veins in place of blood-- the door-- oh FUCK!<br/><br/>"Bastard!! Fucking shitting bnaaaygh!" One leather boot met the leg of the chair with such force the wood splintered. The door as it were, was open a crack, "FOR FUCK SAKE!!" He kicked off into a short sprint across the room, bunny hopping the couch and snatching up the phone, swearing viciously every time his panicked fingers mis-dialed.<br/><br/>What if he went to the police?<br/>--- the gentle cooing of the dial tone met his ears from the white hunk of plastic and button in his hand.<br/>Fuck! He already had enough on his record to make it-- well-- kidnap would LOOK believable!<br/>------<span style="font-style: italic">ring ring</span><br/>That was HIS pet! How dare he!! Ryuu was ending up back there! If it was--<br/>------<span style="font-style: italic">ring ring</span><br/>- the last thing he ever did!<br/><br/>"Allo?" The voice that fought with the static was scrap dog rough. It was a booming bass of a voice and a horrible, half-arsed lilt of an accent. Marco hated dealing with him, but then thugs were three classes below Marco, they turned his stomach.<br/>"Johnny I have three thousand cash muddying my wallet and a big favour to call in,"<br/>There was a pause down the other end. A long, considering pause.<br/>Not that Marco didn't know how to deal with thugs, a whole other life time ago baby Marco had been one himself, trick was you got straight in with the bait, give it time to sit on their fancies.<br/><br/>"What do you want doing, Cutie?" there was a deep shudder down the line.<br/><br/>Marco could have thrown up, "I have... a dear cousin,"<br/><br/>An amused chuckle bucked the line, "Oh yeah? And what's this 'cousin' of yours done? Somethang bad? You want him knocked o--"<br/><br/>"No," Marco snapped, "He's ran away. I want him brought home safely, I can't emphasize that enough. Reckon you can do that... big fellah?"<br/><br/>The wickedly gleeful chuckle shuddered up again like an old motor starting, "And what does 'cousin dearest' look like?"<br/><br/>Marco begrudgingly passed on Ryuu's details. He could hardly stand the idea of leaving such a cute creature in the rough hands of a gang, but-- well he wanted him quick and there was no wider spread search party than a couple of paid off nutters.<br/><br/>Shit, he wasn't gonna set himself down 'til he knew Ryuu was in one peace. That's how nice he was!