U N D E R C O V E R : the week before
DISCLAIMER: The characters DO NOT belong me. They are copyright to someone else, and I just borrowed them for a while. This fic is MINE, but the characters are not however much I wish they were... ^_~ So, suing me will bring you nothing.
ABOUT THIS FIC: This fic has YAOI implications. It's not safe for kiddies to read, but other then that, anyone can read it. If you want... oh say, something MORE interesting *as if this one isn't... ^^;;* , hit the back button on your browser NOW or follow this link back to Angel Black.
This fic takes place about a year after the original TV series. Weiss still work at the flower shop, and Aya-chan's fine. Schwarz are alive and well. Enjoy! ^_^
[Prologue: The Initiation]
"You're INSANE!!"
Youji's voice echoed through the ceiling into the flower shop above it, one octave higher then usual. Omi had just returned from the local library; no school for him now that they have all been legally dead for nearly half a year. "I am NOT gonna be in on THIS! Not in a million years!"
"Eh? " The blonde youth dropped his bag on the table, heading downstairs into their head quarters to investigate. "Youji-kun... Aya-kun! What happened? I could hear Youji-kun from upstairs." After all this time, the guys still thought of him as Aya, not Ran.
Youji received Ran's patent ‘I'm-too-cool-to-care-about-petty-insignificant-things-like-you' glare. He was still staring down the taller man before he turned to give Omi an answer. "We've received instructions to bust a large triad operation at a night-club. Targets have not been identified as yet, but every one of them will be there. The job is to be done tonight." His voice was calm, chilling as always.
Nevertheless, Omi still did not see what was wrong until Youji then added, "As strippers in a gay bar."
"Aya-kun!" Omi's baby blues grew round as saucers. Ran's expression had not changed.
"Omi, you're not going; you're underage. But we need at least three people so Youji and Ken and I are going."
"I Am NOT!" Yohji cut in. "Does Ken even know about this? I mean, I know Ken and I hardly ever agreed on anything, but as enthusiastic as he may be for our missions, Ken would never in his right mind-"
"He's already agreed."
"Nani?!"
"Ken-kun agreed?" An image of clean, naïve Ken 'teaching children my favourite game, soccer, is my life' Hidaka posing half-naked on stage gave Omi a nosebleed, effectively distracting the boy from whatever else he was about to say. Ran quietly handed him Kleenex. "Th..thank you..." The young boy settled onto the couch and proceeded to watch their numero uno playboy's face turn blue, green, and finally stark white.
Omi looked as though he was about to say something when the last member of Weiss stepped down the stairs, a cheerful bundle of energy as always. "Yo guys, I'm back!" In his hand, he held a fat, brown paper bag, contents unknown, which he handed to Ran with a dazzling smile, noticed by all but Ran himself.
"Domo."
"My absolute pleasure, Aya-kun! You know I'll do anything for you…" Youji paled even more, and Omi was thrown into a laughing fit. But no one in Weiss ever pays attention to him outside of missions, so the adorable brat didn't get bopped.
"Ken!" Yohji cried out as he grasped Ken's shoulder, steering him away from him love interest. "Aya said you agreed to take the mission. It's not true, is it?"
It took a moment before Ken realised it was not his Aya holding him in his arms. "Youji-kun... yeah, that's right. Why?"
Youji released Ken, shoulders drooping. 'What is this?' He thought. 'It's two against one! Omi can't go and Aya... he won't let me drop out on this one… and I have to... strip in front of... Men.' The feminist wailed in the centre of the room. "My life is over!"
[Mission: Kitty's Katwalk]
Three lithe and lust-attracting men stood poised at the back door of the nightclub. "What kind of a name is 'Kitty's Katwalk'?" The taller trenchcoat junkie sneered. All of them seemed equally disturbed.
"Aya-kun..." Ken's voice, out of career habit, was carefully low and whispery. "Are you sure we just...?" *ahem* Now… 'Knocking' was not something the three had ever done before as part of their assassin's career; it was always, steal in, slash apart... or to ribbons depending on one's mood, and walk out. But Ran, as always, ignored the small talk. He stepped up to the door and was about to knock when suddenly the door opened by itself and a fat, sagging face appeared behind it, knocking the redhead off balance by it's ugliness. Ran tumbled off the steps.
Ken gasped and caught his beloved leader before he fell into the gutter and refused to let go even when he found that Ran had been knocked unconscious by the horrible sight. Youji just stared, thinking, 'I knew Ken was different... I always knew... just how different!'
"Yous three must be da new uns." The fat face had an equally fat body to match. "Come in, already. Let Hands take a good look at yous." Saying that, Hands, apparently the fat man's name, looked them up and down.
Youji had soft wavy hair that framed a long face and an amazing pair of green-gold eyes. Hands knew nothing about gene pools and the like but he'd seen that colour before; he knew where this man came from. On closer inspection the man self-consciously pushed his sunglasses up again but Hands reached up and took them off completely, giving the man a long, squinted stare before continuing on with the other two. "The hair's fine," Hands said as he gave the unconscious man a particularly intense look. "Da clothes hav ta go, and whaz that?" He finally said, pointed at Ken's Bugnuk. "Ya inta baseball or sump'tin'?" Ken, with his hands full, had to muster every bit of will power in himself just to keep them from turning into fists.
Promptly deciding that the tallest man was the leader, Hands turned to Youji. "Clearly dressed da kill, eh?" Hands barked a laugh that made Youji cringe. The deep ugly voice was driving him up the wall. "The assassin's get-up's gettin' old. 'nother four guys did that last week... naw.. three… da Japs-ie kid couldn't, he just stayed to watch."
Before further contemplation, they were ushered into an empty dressing room, where the ugly man told them to get changed into a more 'colourful' getup. As soon as Hands closed the door there was a collective sigh of relief. Ken looked like he wanted to punch something, and Youji could only complain that “He touched my sunglasses…"
Ken was that close to resuscitating Ran when the redhead finally came to. After a brief explanation of what's been going on Ran quickly shifted through a rack of costumes, stopping once or twice when he came across some costumes that actually looked good to him, that is, on Ken.
Ran looked up from the clothes rack suddenly, looking straight at their youngest present team-member. "Ken, take off your clothes." He heard two sharp gasps.
"Aya-kun!?" Ken's cheeks bloomed bright rose. Ran said nothing more but pulled out a particular suit from the clothes-rack, handing it to Ken. The boy looked down at the white, brown and black speckled, velvet costume... at the tail hanging loosely in the air. "A... a cat...?"
"This way you can keep your weapon by your side on stage." Was the only explanation the redhead gave.
"Wait a minute, Aya, you said we didn't have to get onto stage!"
Ran stared at Youji darkly. "I said that there is a chance we don't have to if we see the targets before we go on."
"Man, you're soooo reliable."
Ran ignored that last comment yet again and turned his attention to Ken, who was pulling the halter top over his chest. "Aya-kun, this is kinda tight..."
Indeed it was; Youji cast a look and averted his eyes immediately; the top had moulded itself to the outline of Ken's finely chiselled chest, nipples hard as rock half due to tension, and the conveniently high setting of the air conditioning in the room. 'So hot...' Youji gagged at his sudden reaction to that particular specimen of the male body.
Ran, a major in leather and belt fetishes, proceeded to help Ken buckle a mass of belts around the hips, placing them loosely in an ultra cool, drool inducing fashion. Ken stood blushing as Aya snapped the costume collar around his neck with a click.
"...Nani?" Youji stared at the collar, the chain in Ran's hand. "Aya, I never knew you were into this sorta thing."
Again, the redhead ignored his team-mate's useless remark. "Put on a suit or I'll choose one for you." The older man irked and obeyed.
***10 minutes later***
Youji stared at himself in the mirror. "This is ridiculous!" He muttered. He had actually found a black suit similar, yet obviously sexier and tighter in the right places, to what he used to wear when he was a private detective. He silently wondered if he'd ever be able to look at that old suit with much pride again, though he never really prided it to begin with. Not to mention that it was all because of Asuka's bad taste that he had to wear it in the first place! Oh, but he was so much in love with her at the time. Then she forgot about him and became the body guard aka. bed-warmer of some sorry fuck that happened to be a Weiss target, causing him no ends of misery for, oh, nearly six months.
The door opened with a groan, and that ugly man came in again. "Good, you're ready! Where are ta other two?" The assassin looked around. Strangely enough, Ken and Ran were missing.
Youji did not like this.
Hands pulled him out of the room. "No time, pretty eyes. You're on in two minutes."
Youji really didn't like this.
***
Back at the shop, or underneath it, a young boy sat in front of the computer screen, checking his watch every so often. Omi didn't even have time to tell Aya earlier that he was, in fact, legal... or going to be in about half an hour or so...
'As if they'd give a damn about my birthday though!' Youji-kun would probably laugh and say their little bishounen can finally go out and date real women and Ken-kun would want to celebrate somehow. He'd most likely invite all those kids he coached soccer to. 'It would drive Yohji-kun insane.' And Aya… 'Would Aya care?'
But Omi wasn't gonna stay down here and celebrate his birthday alone, not tonight! He'd never refused a mission before, so tonight he'd decided to go to that bar whether Aya-kun liked it or not! Personally, he had never been to one of those places before; it might even be fun!
Something caught his attention in the screen, as he was about to leave. The blonde stared into the glowing plane, wide-eyed. "He's still..." He muttered to himself. He checked the time once more before he pulled on his cap and his night-vision enhancement unit, that thing a certain technology illiterate baka called Youji referred to as swimming goggles. As he headed for the door he noticed a fat, brown paper bag sitting comfortably sitting on the table, next to his old school bag. "Must be Aya-kun's..." He picked it up and, without looking inside, hurried off into the night.
***
Ran peeked out from behind the changing room curtain, as the door slammed shut. He didn't have to play striptease for with a bunch of losers he was about to kill. As to whether or not Youji was gonna forgive him though; Ran didn't really give a damn. Sacrifices had to be made in the name of Aya-chan, as far as he was concerned. He was about to tell Ken what to do next when he finally realised. He had knocked the boy out when he pulled him into the room. Our pretty boy lay there in a tangled ball of fur and belts, the tail perpetually swinging loosely over his thigh like a loose string of yarn.
><; Ran did not have time for this. Ken looked so sweet ;_; He had to identify the target(s) and dice 'em to pulp. >,<; Ken was so kawaii - and so very vulnerable. T-T; Aya had human sushi rolls and KANE(money) to make! $_$
But Ken was lying there, unconscious, beautiful, begging to be touched. >__<;;
He tried desperately to focus his mind on what was THE most important in his ENTIRE existence.
Kinsen(money)KinsenKinsenKinsenKen! No! KinsenKinsenKinsenKen. Fuck no! KinsenKinsenFuckKen~!* @.@!
***
Moments later, Omi ran back again; he'd forgotten to lock the doors. The young boy had a very clear idea of what a certain redhead katana-wielding assassin would do with said katana if a theft ever occurred while they were out on a hacking spree. Bodily harm was not among the top of the boy's favourites list. In fact, it rated just above death, incest and 'Ugh, Celery!'
***
"And NOW, gents and lady-wannabes, it's time for some flesh new faces, eh?" Yohji's heart stopped. "We all remember last week's guests, don't we?" Cheers erupted from the crowd of half drunken... Men. There was someone shouting for that hot, German redhead from last week, along with his suave, polished boyfriend. Another voice wanted to know if it had been real blood. Something almost clicked in Youji's mind but all he could think of was that Hands was dragging him up to the pits of hell... and somewhere along the way, the poor man's logic and rationing had been uprooted and twisted into some billion tiny knots. Yes, he was being... pushed now… up a few steps, and yes, it was hell. He was soooo in hell...
And Hell was a bright platform lighted with a maddening barrage of alternating reds, violets, blues and greens, and beneath that platform there were these disgusting shadowy creatures, better known to our self-proclaimed heterosexual Youji as 'perverted Men'. A nasty, nagging voice told him that Ken should be the one on stage. 'He's always more agreeable with people in general. He's the one with that preference. Heck, he's even in the right costume, dammit! I'm gonna kill him if I survive this...'
But he knew those Men were going to watch him strip every millimetre of fabric off his body, then eat him up alive for dessert.
"Yes, siree, last week was WILD~~ but, never fear! This week will definitely top lasts!!" As the spotlight focused on that tall, new face, the audience grew silent in anticipation.
***
Said hot, German redhead from last week was having dinner with his brilliant beau when he suddenly laughed for seemingly no reason at all. "Brad, I think I'm beginning to miss that old litter box."
The other man sighed, catching his lover's drift, not to mention a glimpse of the near future. "I see..." Beside them, their newly adopted son and rabid bloodhound looked up, oblivious...
***
'Kitty's Katwalk' screamed out at him; its vivid array of neon lights just beckoning him to go through its doors. Omi looked at his watch again. "I'm late!" He could have arrived sooner if he hadn't forgotten to lock the door. 'Twenty-seven point three three seconds past my birthday', he thought, 'Hope he's not there yet...' Omi contemplated on his plan of action.
It wouldn't really seem so unusual to walk in through the front doors now, would it? 'Assassins do that, don't they?' He laughed at his own trail of thoughts. 'I've been in the business long enough to know.'
Taking a deep breath, the boy placed his hand on the door, and gave it a push.
***
'It can’t be happening', thought the tall assassin. 'It isn't true.' There was actually someone in hell that looked just like Omi. 'Hell, it IS Omi!' Poor Youji just WISHED he could hyperventilate and faint, though he knew full well he was too freaked to even consider fainting in the presents of a pack of man eating... men!
***
Just as Ran was losing his mind, when he had made up his mind, Ken stirred. "Aya-kun..." The redhead tactfully avoided his partner's costume is such a way that any passer-by would know what he was NOT looking at. Thank Aya-chan that there isn't a slightest chance for a passer-by to pass on by and look into a changing room.
***
The guards had spotted him, were asking the boy for age verification. What was a legally dead teenage schoolboy turn assassin to do? Someone was calling his name from on the stage. His jaw fell slack. His eyes widened immensely.
Youji-kun always liked being in the spotlight, didn't he?
"Omi?! What the hell are you doing here?"
As the guards puzzled over what to do with the boy, the place filled with suggestions. "Hey, what's a girl doing here?" "Baka yaru (You are stupid) ; it's a boy!" "Get the kid outta here!" "Jerk off! He says he's 18. The kid stays!"
Suddenly the entire club was chanting "The kid stays! The kid stays!" The guards had no choice but to satisfy customer demands, shoving the 'kid' on stage with his older acquaintance.
"You old man!" Only Youji heard the annoying whine. "How could you do this to me?"
"Me?" He whispered back. "You shouldn't be here in the first place!"
At that, the youth smirked. "What? And miss your performance on my eighteenth birthday?"
Youji stared at the boy for a moment, speechless, before he collapsed out into a jumble of tears and laughter. "And to think you can finally date real women!" He folded his arms, a malicious smile on his face. "Looks like you're gonna give quite a performance tonight, birthday boy!"
***
Aya hadn't laid eyes on him ever since he awoke to find them both in the changing rooms. Ken wanted to know just how he got there, but the gorgeous redhead refused to tell him. "Balinese is stalling for us." That was all Aya had said.
They slid easily through the shadows of corridor after dark corridor, searching for their targets. Ran was always in front, his gaze resting on everything but Ken. The boy was still brooding on what he had done wrong to make his beloved leader act so coldly when Ran suddenly stopped. Ken's goggles banged into the back of Ran's head, earning him a good, but short-lived stare from the older man. Ken didn't have to be reminded to savour it either. 'I will find that hot, passionate side of him somehow! Before anyone else! I swear!'
" Siberian," Ran whispered sharply. The redhead gestured around the corner where there seemed to be life. "There."
"Aa," He breathed back softly, his healthy heart pumping away at sonic speed. Aya was looking his way! His beloved Aya-kun was finally looking his way at last! ^0^
"I need you to do something for me, Siberian."
The boy absolutely melted, all but literally, on the spot. "Hai, anything!"
"Seduce him." It couldn't very likely have been a her!
o_O;; "Aya-mmph!"
"Quiet!" His beloved leader pulled him close and held him down firmly, a warm, gloved hand over his lips.
Soft lips, the redhead mentally noted. It wasn't the time for this, he told himself. And, honestly, it never was. "Ken...", He breathed into the boy's ear. "That could be a target. Go and check if the proprietors are near by. If they're there, lure them over here so we can kill them."
Oh, this was not going well for Ran, whose body was pressed in a most comfortable position behind his young admirer... And that tail... He suppressed a moan and withdrew his hand as soon as an unwanted bodily reaction made itself known to him.
"Aya-kun... isn't that like... Lying?" The young man turned to face him; his expression was one of doubtfulness.
"Nani? I'm not asking you to lie."
"But..." Ken bit his lip lightly. A nervous gesture made Ran itch in both the right and wrong places. "If we're gonna kill them, they should know why they're to die, ne? Otherwise... "
Ran was having a hard time just listening to Ken's soft, inviting voice in the dark. It was a sudden dose of vanilla and musk, innocent, yet infinitely seductive. 'Aya-chan...' Ran shook his head to clear his distracting thoughts. "You said you'd do anything for me, Ken."
Bright blue eyes shone with happiness. "You actually listened?"
"Kitto." He couldn't help but feel a little guilty of preying on Ken's affection towards him, but he felt it necessary for the sake of their mission.
"Oh, AYA-kun..."
"Ken! Stop drooling on my trenchcoat!" The pretty kitty found himself shoved abruptly round the corner.
"Ken! Is it really you?" Both assassins froze in their tracks. Blue eyes widened in surprise as they gazed upon a set of brown ones, the same brown eyes that he had killed so long ago. "Fancy meeting you here. Long time no see." He had the same mesmerising, innocent eyes and the short, dark-blue hair that fell in a soft wave on the left side of his face.
"It's not true..." Ken managed to blurt out.
***
"Aya did what?!"
"You make it sound as if it's my fault he dragged Ken off!"
"Hey!" Screamed one of their pretty much bored and restless audiences. "Start stripping or we'll drag you off stage and do it ourselves!" There were a few grunts and shouts of agreement throughout the crowd, and the 'strippers' began to panic.
At that moment, the door opened and a young looking boy, even younger then Omi, stepped into the club. Surprisingly, no one stopped to question his age. "What's all the commotion?" He asked one of the bouncers quietly. But on hearing his voice, everyone's eyes turned to his direction. Youji looked as though he had seen a ghost, yet Omi actually smiled, blushing. ‘I knew it was you...’ he had seen the same face on the computer as he was cruising through the history files of the bar.
***
"Kase..."
Ran internally freaked when he heard his partner's words.
"You thought you killed me, kitten?" The man chuckled, shaking his head with a sad smile. Kase shrugged. "I survived, but I had thought that I had managed to stayed low enough..." His eyes scanned up and down Ken's body, assessing the whole delicious package appreciatively. "So, what brings you here?"
"I... I have a job to do here..." 'That IS true... -_- Oh, gomen, Kase!' Ken felt his body going numb, due to the painful shock of seeing the man who he thought was his best-friend still alive, and to the immense happiness that Kase wasn't dead after all. "Is this real?"
Ran could hear the rapture in the young man's voice. He felt robbed of attention. 'Damn you, Kase Ko-chiro! Stay dead', ><; the redhead thought to himself. 'Why can't you stay dead?!' His hand tightened on the hilt of his katana.
"I'm very much alive and real, Ken. I guess I hate hell as much as you do." Kase was about to take a step closer to the other man when his eyes rested on a pair of disturbing familiar gloves. He made a mental note of it and stayed where he was. "Ken, I had so much I wanted to tell you." Kase was buying time to figure out what job this soft hearted flop of an assassin was actually here for. "Only after you found me and left me again did I finally understand what you were to me."
Ken found himself blushing as he remembered what they used to be when they were still together, when he still thought that he meant anything at all to Kase. There was a flicker of hope in his heart that Kase was his friend again even when he never thought so himself. "And., what am I to you?" He ventured.
Ran realised that he had been holding his breath. 'You aren't attracted to Ken', he told himself. 'Ken's the one who's attracted to you! Ken just happens to be in a skin-tight getup that makes you want to jump him, undress him and fuck him every time you lay your eyes on him. Why, Kase's probably thinking the same thing!' O_O
"Oh, I love you, Ken."
Kase scoffed at himself for the pathetically touching lies that he knew Ken could believe. "I never came to terms with myself until I saw that look in your eyes as you gave me this." He slid one hand into his open shirt and pulled it away to reveal a set of scars on his otherwise smooth chest.
Kase chuckled to himself as he watched the young man's face pale, then redden all over again. 'Still so stupid. How could you have survived so long in this world?' He couldn't help but bitterly answer his own thoughts. 'Because Ken's always better then you. Ken was better at soccer, making friends, better at cooking, karaoke, and sex... Damn him, Ken even looks better... and, let's not forget from past experiences, the boy's extremely well endowed!' Images of obscene perversities flashed through Kase's head as his eyes focused on Ken's suggestive wears, not that the man really minded them.
As though the redhead could read Kase's thoughts, Ran was boiling with barely checked rage.
"Kitten," Kase licked his lips, stepping closer cautiously. "You have that look in your eyes now."
Ken clutched his hands to his chest as though to keep his heart from jumping out. Of course, his fingers subconsciously kept themselves from springing the mechanism in his gloves as not to leave permanent holes in his lungs. "Kase, I wish I can believe you again."
Kase smiled. 'It looks as though you already do, kid. You haven't changed much, have you?' "That's perfectly understandable." He told Ken as he carefully made another stepped forward. "Should have known better then to cheat a friend." Kase almost laughed; he was quoting from the tune in the gent's room. "I've wasted the time that I've been given before, but Ken, would it be too much to ask you to give me a second chance?"
From around the corner, Ran silently screamed and phantom hacked at the bastard for abusing the copyright regulations and being an absolute fraud, though Ken seemed to believe everything he said. Incidentally, George Michael's "Careless Whispers" is one of his favourites.
He could feel Ken's guard weakening. The younger man took a step back, as though he was afraid, then looked up at him once more, remembering Aya and the mission. "But what are you doing here? You're not part of the triads anymore, are you?" There was a look of dread on Ken's face as he anticipated Kase's answer.
He stared straight at Ken, analysing the anxiety in the boy's expression and body language. He gave Ken his best trusting gaze. "You know something, Ken." He walked up to Ken, gently cupping the shorter man's face in his hand. Half of him told him to forget it and make Ken his again, while the other half was still so very bitter with hatred for being maimed by the boy. He was cast out of his position after his last encounter with that miserably attractive child. 'It's all your fault!' He tilted Ken's chin up and captured his gaze. "You're my friend, Kitten. So what are you keeping from me?"
***
"Kid!" Hands pushed his way over to the boy with excitement. "Glad yur're here. 'S yur dad comin' too? We've got amateurs here who need help." He gestured at said amateurs. The boy nodded as three other lithe and lust-attracting men made an appearance behind him.
"Gute Abend, Yohji..." (Good evening, Youji...) The redhead leered, his unsaid thoughts racing through Youji's mind.
'No! No, this isn't happening! I finished you off! You're dead! No!! I'm... I'm hallucinating, aren't I?! Shit... This can't happen to me..." All that was going through their minds as Schuldich gazed at the panicking man on the stage.
"You poor thing..." Schuldich made his way to the stage, leaving Crawford and the rest behind. "Yohji, I'm here to help." He finally told him as he took full control of the man's body.
***
"Kase, answer my question!" Ken moved back away from him. "And since when did you start calling me 'Kitten'?" Ken's demeanour became defensive again when Kase hesitated, much to Ran's consent.
"Gomen, Ken. I didn't mean to offend you in any way." Kase quickly tried to bridge the gap between them. "I decided that I should wash my hands of the triad business, after seeing what how badly I had hurt you. I'm trying to make a business deal with this bar's owners. The man who hired me is interested in turning this area into a shopping complex. I'm just here to negotiate, but..." His eyes softened, like they were on the verge of tears. "I never thought I'd see you again, let alone meeting you in some place dressed like this." He eyed Ken's costume specifically.
Ken heaved a sigh of relief; Kase wasn't their target anymore. As he followed his friend's gaze, he grew self-conscious of his appearance once more. "It's just for the job." There was what seemed to be concern in Kase's eyes. The older man came closer again, resting his hand against the back of Ken's neck.
'I should kill you right now when I have the chance.' But Kase couldn't, because he wanted the boy alive to torture. "I've answered your queries Ken. Now, will you answer mine?"
The shorter boy flushed red as he recalled the question that seemed so far away and unreal. "You want me to give you a..." His lips trembled as he stumbled on the words.
Kase repeated, showing his most genuine-looking smile that Ken had once told him as the most honest, beautiful smile on the world. "A second chance, Ken. That's all I could ever ask for." 'Before I lock you away into my apartment and have my way with you, Kitten,' he silently added.
Under Ran's surveillance, their lips were barely touching. 'He's sashimi!' Ran growled.
"Ko-chiro! Shi-NE!"
There was a flash of cold steel. The Japanese sword came down. Kase moved away at the last moment. Ken screamed. Ran turned to thrust the blade into warm, pliant flesh. There was a cruel twist.
Kase stared blankly as Ken crumpled to the floor.
***
Youji was quite unsure of what Schuldich meant when he said he'd "help", and personally, he didn’t think he wanted to know, but he found out anyhow as he realised that he could not move. "Fuck. What are you doing to me?!" Though his outward appearance grew serious and calm, inside Youji was falling apart in genuine fright.
In a mock-theatrical voice, the German announced "Let there be music" and, lo and behold, there was music. A strong rhythm beat through the air like a pulse, like Youji's violent pulse. Everything became pitch-black and a wild scream ripped across the vast of blackness. A spotlight fixed upon the ex-detective swaying to the music as the words began.
I may run and hide
When you're screamin' my name, all right
Youji's head was turned to the right, eyes focusing on his fellow team-mate as he moved. Omi was the one who wanted to run and hide as Youji winked at him. The older man's left came up to the black hat, running his thumb and index finger along the rim to the right. He pulled it all the way back to the left as the right hand came up to replace where the left has stopped. He flipped the hat off and held it over his chest, not taking his eyes off Omi in the process. 'No... what the hell?! Not in front of Omi! Oh God, he's really going to make me stri-' He threw the hat off stage to the left before turning fully towards the young boy.
Despite the shock and panic caused by Youji's disturbing actions, Omi had recognised the song at once. It was the Backstreet Boy's "Larger Than Life" and it made him wonder if Youji was what the song title implied even as the older man danced towards him. 'Wait, what's that look in his eyes?' "Youji-kun..." As he searched for a way out, his gaze locked onto Nagi's.
But let me tell you now
There are prices to fame, all right
Schuldich was having the time of his life, playing Youji like a puppet. 'Now who's pulling all the wires, hotshot?' Youji's left hand pulled open the suit jacket in a swift, fluid motion. His other hand loosened the tie around his neck. The distraught man was screaming in silence, while the other boy was suddenly distracted by... "Nagi?" The kid was smiling at Omi in manner Schuldich could only describe as suggestive. What was the Japanese kid thinking even as Youji was flinging the jacket off stage?
'I'm gonna eat you alive, Omi. First time we're alone, I'm gonna force you up the wall, rip off those pants, and blow your-'
Youji nearly had a chance to regain control. "Brad', Schuldich mentally informed the American. 'We have a very sick child in our hands.' The tie joined the jacket in the dark hell below.
All of our time spent in flashes of light
Youji's fingers began working at the buttons of his shirt. The lights flashed on and off with the music, emphasising the flawless planes of his chest as more of it revealed itself inch by inch with each observable instant. His eyes seemed to gleam with an eerie green and golden glow. Despite his commitment to Brad, Schuldich felt himself become aroused. It also helped that Youji was still struggling against all odds to free himself. 'I'll fucking kill you, Schuldich! You're gonna die for this! Stop it! Stop it!' Schuldich did stop - for a millisecond or two - for the music's chorus was beginning.
All you people can't you see, can't you see
How your love's affecting our reality
Youji's fingers stopped as they unbuttoned the last one above his belt. He turned around, his hips swaying slightly with the beat. His back was facing the audience, and thankfully, Omi, who wasn't really paying attention anyway and was staring off stage somewhere with a silly grin on his face.
As if in accordance to the lyrics, Crawford could really see something very wrong with his lover's actions below stage. Schuldich's hands clutched his chest, as if trying to steady his ragged breath. His eyes had fixed on the fine curves of Youji's butt and legs. Farfarello took the chance to get closer to Schuldich, giving him some interesting suggestions of how to strip Youji. Crawford found it all extremely wrong indeed. 'Why the hell do I listen to that shameless, horny bitch?'
'Because I'm a shameless, horny bitch, Brad.' Came the silent, teasing rebuke.
Every time we're down
You can make it right
"You. Are. So. HOT." Schuldich moaned. He tactfully ignored his puppet's pathetic, noiseless cries of mercy as Youji's hands ran up his thighs to the white shirt, pulling it free in one swift motion. The shrug of his shoulders brought the shirt sliding downwards, stopping as it catches at Youji's shoulders.
Brad glared at the redhead. Although he agreed that Youji was quite a specimen, he himself found no need to voice his opinions so openly. Besides that, Crawford was, in fact, a jealous boyfriend type. 'What does he have that I don't?' Schuldich pretended he didn't hear anything and screamed along with the crowd.
And that makes you larger than life
Meanwhile, as the chorus ended, Nagi comfortably seated himself at the reserved table; he was a regular customer. His gaze never left Omi's body. 'I'm surprised you can still fit your tight ass into those shorts, pretty boy.' He shot Omi a come hither glance, and the boy wasted no time in locating the steps off stage.
Schuldich was already panting as the sleeves slide down Youji's arms so the shirt rested over the tall man's bottom, leaving the bronzed, beautiful skin of his bare arms and back exposed. Part of his excitement was also to do with the fact that Farfarello was so close that he was blowing in his ear. The German could barely contain his self-control, but he persisted on pushing Youji to his limit. 'This is better then sex!' He informed Youji.
That his puppeteer was getting off on torturing him was not something Youji wanted to hear.
Looking at the crowd
And I see your body sway, c'mon
Youji stared at the crowd. He stared at Schuldich. His body swayed to the beat of the song he had now come to hate, and most of all, Youji wanted to die. First, he had to kill the fag that has caused him the suffering. However, although Schuldich could hear Youji's every thought, he couldn't help but fantasise about being onto the stage with him. The redhead always knew he was a bit of an exhibitionist at heart. Off came the shirt, flung away into the darkness, along with its companions in hell.
Crawford smacked his forehead and looked away, just catching a glimpse of Nagi and Omi making out over at their table. There was a crowd gathering to watch. The fat, brown paper bag sat on the table top, forgotten.
Wishin' I could thank you in a different way, c'mon
'Cause all of your time spent keeps us alive
'Oh, I'll thank you for making me strip all right, Schuldich! I'll thank you by giving you a slow, agonising, painful death!' Youji's mind screamed.
Schuldich laughed, leaning against Farfarello. 'So you're a closet sadist, huh, Youji? I'd love to take you up on that offer.' Farfarello always knew Schuldich would never love him back, but it did not stop him for making the best of what little he got of Schuldich. His arms fastened around the redhead, who didn't really mind, for his thoughts were already elsewhere.
Faced with the choice of saving his 'son's' virtue or not losing his lover, the Great leader of Schwarz lost his cool. He never could think as efficiently when there were personal issues at stake. A flying leather belt struck the rim of his glasses, knocking them onto the dark, crowded floor. 'Fuck.'
***
He looked into Ken's eyes, a trail of blood rolling down from the corner of his lips. Perhaps Ken didn't know what was going on. Or maybe the boy did learn from his past mistakes. Either way, Kase knew that, this time, he really was going to die. He wanted so much to hurt Ken. "You... traitor." The last thing he felt was a sharp, painful twist in his guts.
After a long silence, Ken finally spoke. "You killed him."
Ran watched the blood drip down, spreading in the carpet floor. His eyes were cold, burning. Ken cried in pain as Ran jerked the sword out of Kase's lifeless body. When the man slid to the floor, Ken crawled towards him, reaching a hand out as if to touch him. Instead, he found that he could not. He could not do so after Kase's accusation. In his heart, he knew he was somehow the cause of Kase's death - again.
'But why did Aya kill him?', Ken asked himself. He tore his eyes away from the body of his ex-best friend. "Why?" Ran did not answer. Ken stumbled towards the older man to stand facing him. "Aya-kun! Tell me! Please! Why did you have to kill him? Why!"
Finally, the redhead spoke. "He should have died a long time ago." Ken's expression was that of shock. "Why fool yourself, Ken? Kase was a lying bastard. And he was still lying to you in his last breath."
"He's changed! He told me as much! Aya..." He felt so weak after what he had just gone through. The man leaned back against the wall for support.
"You believe that he's interested in building a shopping complex on his side of the city?" He turned from Ken when the ther man did not answer, starting back the way they came. "Get out of here as soon as you find Youji. He'll probably thank you."
"Aya!" Ken's voice needed his attention. "What about you?"
The older man looked over his shoulder. "Don't look for me. I'm find my own way out." He disappeared down the dark corridor, leaving Ken alone to brood over his words.
'If Aya killed Kase for me,' Ken reasoned, 'then... why? He couldn't have been... Aya couldn't possible be jealous...'
Around the corner, he heard the quick sweep of flesh and bone being carved by metal.
***
The song was running nicely along and Youji was soon down to tiger-print satin boxers and his white cotton socks. Crawford was on the floor searching for his lost glasses, and generally being stepped on.
'Someone save me!' Youji begged his hands moved swiftly to the elastic around his waist. His prayers were answered when his knight in shinning trenchcoat suddenly burst onto the stage, slammed into him and pulled them both off, falling directly inline for Crawford just as the man put on his glasses again.
"Damn!" Schuldich hissed as his fun had been interrupted. It was even worst for him when he read Crawford's thoughts of being underneath two strapping, young bishounen. "Oi, get off my man!" Farfarello was about to suggest that he could take Crawford's place if Schuldich wanted, but the German wasn't paying attention and pushed the younger man aside, rushing to free his candyman. 'You're enjoying this far too much, Bradley!'
Schuldich was going to heave the unsuspecting men up in the air when unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Schuldich accidentally pulled Youji up by the boxers, exposing a hell of a lot to see. This resulted in momentary dizziness and extreme heat, on Schuldich's part, where the man was hit with a wave of amnesia. This, apparently, was reason enough for him to ignore his boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend as the case may be, and drag the horrified Youji out of the bar, cackling like a madman.
At last, Ken last found his way on stage by following Ran's trail of death and obstruction. 'Aya had his reasons..."
Below stage, Kitty's Katwalk looked like it just got itself a mascot. Cat calls and wolf whistles coloured the filthy air. "Yo, pussy-cat, come down and play with us, eh?" "Yeah, you wanna be petted?"
"Uh..." Ken looked around, tense. "I'm looking for someone."
"Looking for a master?" "What about someone to play with?" "We'll play with you all right!" "Come down and be our friend!"
As Ken looked out at the intimidating crowd, his eyes rested on the figure of Ran sprawled across some man's body, and from Ken's point of view, it looked all too indecent. "Aya-kun! How could you?" Kitty leapt off the stage, landing on his feet, of course. With tremendous strength, he hurled Ran far away from him. His feelings had been hurt when he found what seemed to be Aya making out with some stranger. 'No wonder he told me to leave without him!' Ken's eyes watered, with heartache and misery.
Ran was still holding his katana when he was flung into Farfarello, who was just recovering from a fall himself. He nearly had a heart attack when he realised how close Ran was to castrating him.
Crawford was busy feeling sorry about his life when he heard the sound of crying close beside him. He got up to see the most gorgeous creature in all his existence and all thoughts of lover and son flew out of his system. "Ken? You're Ken, right?" He knew before the boy looked up at him.
"Crawford?" Ken was in no mood to fight and all he wanted was a shoulder to cry on, which was just what he did. "I don't care what you guys are up to anymore! I don't wanna fight! Especially not when my loved ones have all abandoned me!" He flung himself into Crawford's eager arms, ready to pour his tales of woe.
"There, there, this has been a bad day for me, too." Crawford replied, smiling reassuringly. "Maybe we can find some place quiet to sort out our feelings?" In Ken's vulnerable state of mind, he would even agree to resurrect Kase, if it was possible.
The first thing Ran's eyes focused on was Farafarello's face as he tried to regain his footing again. "You know, Fujimiya." Farfarello's voice was oddly calm and menacing at the same time. "I've never been afraid of anything in my life. You've just made me very, very afraid." It gave Ran a sinking feeling that there was going to be consequences for obtaining Farfarello's frightened attention.
Nagi surfaced for air. He gazed into Omi's eyes voluptuously as he slipped his hands under the older boy's shirt. He bent his head down to kiss again when Omi tried to sit up. His grabbed the edge of the table for support but it over balanced. Both fat, brown bag and table toppled onto the floor with a loud crash.
"Self-destruct sequence initiated." All eyes fell in the direction of a female voice. "Countdown from: 10... 9... 8... " Brad's eyes grew round with what looked like fear, as did the rest. Never did the sound of Birman's voice manage to instil so much terror into the hearts of man.
Ken cried out over the counting. "Aya! The bomb!" As soon as those words left his lips, the sober members of the club ran for cover, if not the exit. Brad pulled him towards the door.
"5... 4..."
Ran yanked his katana out of the floorboard. "2... 1..." A white light flashed above Omi.
"Ka-BOOM!!"
[Epolgue: The Aftermath]
He felt cramped and his muscles screamed out for oxygen. Ran finally opened his eyes. He blinked. And blinked again. He was alone and hanging upside down in mirrored a room.
Farfarello couldn't help but smile as he watched the redhead struggled to loosen the straps of his custom-fit straight jacket. He studied Ran's trenchcoat. It was surprising to him that it fit so well considering their slight difference in height. "Take your time, Fujimiya." He muttered under his breath. "It's near impossible to get out without help." Farfarello turned from the glass, picking up the katana in its container. He walked out into daylight, on the empty street yet to be filled with people, a free man.
***
The first thing he noticed was the smell of a cigarette. Youji woke up to find himself lying on the double bed of some hotel room. He yawned and stretched lazily, wondering about what he had been doing last night when fragments of those past events surfaced. "Ohiyo!" ^_~ Schuldich was wide-awake, leaning against the headboard, a lively abundance of zest and vitality after a tiresome night. Youji stared at him in disbelief. "There's no need to check, Yo-tan." He told him, putting down the cigarette, but Youji looked under his sheets anyway.
"Oh... My..." He swallowed his words and grimaced at the taste in his mouth. He looked back at the redhead in dread. 'We didn't.' He tried to lie to himself.
"We did." Schuldich licked his lips and bent down to kiss his new found lover to emphasis his point. At that, Youji was swept into tears. Schuldich moved back, watching him intently. "It wasn't so bad now, was it?" He already knew Youji's answer, but he wanted the guy to admit it first.
"I've never felt more like a woman in my entire life!" He cried, evading the truth. His tears fell from his lashes with each shaky sob like transparent pearls. 'Guys don't cry', he scolded himself. He didn't want anyone to see him so vulnerable, but there was no other place to hide.
Youji's arms wrapped around his neck. His face was tucked under Schuldich's chin and Schuldich could feel the warm tears joining their flesh. He could hear Youji's shame and guilt. 'I enjoyed it! But we're men! We're two grown men... I'm not gay... I'm not!' Schuldich knew that he was responsible for causing Youji's doubts and self-blames.
"Youji. Hush..." He brushed the man's soft, shorter locks, half-heartedly comforting him. "It's my fault, really. I let my libido get ahead of myself sometimes." Then, as an afterthought, he added, "You can be on top next time." The other man stiffened in his arms.
Wretched sobbing echoed through the entire floor of the hotel.
***
For the first time since they had entered his flat, Omi wondered about the time. He looked across at his friend. "Ne, Nagi, isn't it lunch now?"
"Already?" Nagi looked down at his watch, hand still clutching his host's joystick. "Yeah. Order takeout?" He jerked the stick up and pressed his fingers into the side, hard.
"Ooouu… Itai!" Omi saw an explosion of colours before his very eyes.
"Gomen." The cordless telephone floated by his side. An unseen force pressed the buttons.
Omi pushed himself up, curious. "How'd you do that?"
"It's a long story. Can you please concentrate on what we're doing?" Nagi turned his attention to the phone receiver. "Yes, Pizza Hut? I'd like to order..."
"Concentrate? What about you?" Omi paused, staring at the other boy in disbelief. "Nagi! I know you saved us both from that explosion, but we've been at this all night and day!" The young boy turned to him and pressed a finger to his lips for quiet before asking Omi what he wanted to eat.
Nagi replaced the telephone and continued to play, making Omi whimper and moan. The doorbell rang just as they finished their session and Nagi headed for the door, leaving the older boy spent on the floor.
The delivery girl blinked in surprise when a stranger opened the door. "Um... this is for Omi-kun and his... friend." Only one adjective came to mind as she looked at the boy and that adjective was 'beautiful'. She silently wondered who he was as he took the food and asked her how much it cost. She found herself staring into the boy's enchanting, emotionless blue eyes, speechless. 'Oh, he looks like a character out of some shounen ai story!'
More implications entered her head as Omi appeared behind him, his hair ruffled and his shirt slightly crimped at strange places. She blushed as they greeted each other and the boys debated over who was paying.
"No, it was your birthday last night and I didn't get you anything. I'm paying."
"Nagi-kun, we've just met again last night! Besides, it was my birthday, and you're in my home so I should be paying!" Omi handed over the cash before Nagi could say anymore and the girl took it as her cue to leave the two alone.
"Ah! Happy belated birthday, Omi-kun. It's nice to meet you, Nagi-kun. I'll be leaving now." The part-time delivery girl and full-time anime otaku hurried away with a deep blush and smile on her face.
As they shut the door behind them, Omi told him, "Remind me never to play Street Fighter with you again."
***
Sunlight streamed through the tan curtains, onto the bodies of two men on a tan coloured bed. Crawford stirred in the warm sheets, feeling the grip around his waist tighten. He opened his eyes, treated to the becoming sight. A brown furred kitten lay next to him, firm but soft limbs wrapped securely to his. The American sighed lazily, still half in sleep. "Ken..."
Long, black lashes fluttered open, revealing soft blue eyes. "Ohiyo,' the kitten purred. Ken bolted up in bed when he recognised Crawford. "Brad!" Memories from last night came back to him in a rush and he relaxed in the sheets once more.
The other man yawned, stretching as he sat up. "Morning." He cast his eyes over the alarm clock beside him and chuckled. "It's 2:30 already. How long did we sleep?" Ken looked at him, perplexed. He was aware that the two of them weren't completely naked and thankful to Crawford for not taking advantage of his jumbled mind last night. 'Don't yesterday's events bother him at all?'
"About yesterday," Ken began. "Thank you for saving me. And for offering me shelter... and listening to sad stories." He gave the other man a weak smile, before looking away.
Crawford bent down close and brushed a hand over ken's cheek. "It was my pleasure," He assured the other man. He held his gaze long enough to see his image in Ken's pupils before sitting up again. "How are you feeling now?"
Ken felt something he didn't quite understand. It was a familiar feeling, like what he felt for Ran and Kase, but different. He flushed. "I feel... fine, thank you."
"Good." The older man smiled warmly at him and got out of bed. "I think I'll go take a shower now." It was an unspoken invitation and Ken willingly accepted.
***
Month's later, a new shopping complex had risen out of the remains of the Kitty's Katwalk, among other bars and clubs. Someone had managed to buy out the entire area through various means, torn them down, and moved them over to a new area in the city. In the top floor of the building was the boss' office. The man was comfortably seated behind a rich oak desk overlooking a beautiful view of sky and sea. His exotic, pretty kitten straddled him on his lap, licking away at the champagne in his glass. "Oh, Brad, you're too brilliant," Ken purred.
The American smiled and took a sip from his glass. "Cheers to Lane Crawford."
"Cheers."
[ End ]
It's finished! Ha! From 8/14/99 to 11/27/99 ^__^ phew... hope you like it! C&Cs welcome! ^__~
All Weiß Kreuz stuff (c) Project Weiß 1998, 1999. The original content belongs to
your friendly neighborhood web mistress, reflection unless otherwise specified.
Return to Angel Black
