Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ I Hate Him ❯ They believe in geisha dreams ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: All characters and belong to WeiB Kruez and Koyasu Takehito...

Except Sebastian, but who wants him anyway?

Yohji grunted as he haphazardly hauled the new door in through the back door, bracing his boot to keep it from swinging shut on him. It had been a pain to pick the thing out with how insistent Aya was in getting the exact same door. There was a crumpled post-it note in his pocket with written instructions, explicit to the point of the obvious. Aya had put down exactly what store, a clear physical description of the door, the aisle and even the invoice item number Yohji should look for.

The little shit must have called ahead. Aya had refused to go along with the blonde, not about to go to a busy store even if it meant being separated for a while. Yohji hadn't wanted to leave Aya alone, but supposed it would be a stupid thing to get in a fight about. Aya could have a little more time with his sister this way. Aya-chan and Sebastian were supposed to be on an afternoon flight tomorrow, leaving for what Yohji hoped would be a very long time. He didn't want to see that English bastard face for a long time or Aya-chan either. She was just as big of a pain in the ass as her boyfriend.

"Hey, a little help here?" Yohji yelled out into the house, irritated nobody was helping him get through the door. He was struggling with a grip on the door loud enough to bring some attention. Was there even anyone in the house? There was silence for a while before Ken head poked around the corner, curious to see who had come home.

"Yohji. What's up?" Ken asked, ignoring the heavy door held awkwardly in his arms. Yohji irritably sucked on the half-finished cigarette between his lips, waiting for Ken to realize he could use a hand. Yohji sunglasses were falling halfway down his nose and he couldn't spare a hand to them push them back up. Ken waited for an answer as Yohji panted, scrabbling with sweaty hands as the door started to become slippery.

"Need help?" Ken asked slowly, not taking a step near Yohji. The brunette waited for Yohji answer in a pair of loose cargo pants and a black hooded sweater, his feet bare on the kitchen tile. He lounged against the door of the kitchen, obviously wanting to go back to watching television. Ken was very predictable like that; proving Yohji correct as he leaned back into the living room to catch whatever was playing on the TV.

"Yes!" Yohji hissed, wanting to drop the door and slap Ken soundly across the face. Ken shrugged at the attitude, taking his own sweet fucking time in walking over. Yohji blew a fresh stream of smoke right in the brunette face when Ken came close and took one end of the door. Ken choked and glared at Yohji while sounding like he was coughing up a lung.

"Christ, Yohji, not everyone wants to die young," Ken snapped, shaking his face to get rid of the smoke. Yohji only smiled with satisfaction that he had gotten Ken back for taking so long. He should have been a little more prompt to come and help him. Hopefully Ken would keep this in mind next time Yohji came in with a door. Ken walked the door backwards through the kitchen and with Yohji holding the other end as they went toward the stairs.

"Where's Omi? Yohji asked, when the blonde didn't make an immediate appearance by Ken's side. Usually they were so close it was like the two were connected at the hip. It wasn't at all like how Aya followed Yohji around while acting like he would rather be anywhere else. Ken and Omi just wanted to be with each other all the time. They were more like best friends then lovers.

"He's helping Aya-chan and Sebastian start packing," Ken explained, looking backwards at the stairs as they started to climb up. Yohji opened his mouth to ask about Aya, but closed it when he saw the said man standing at the top of the stairs with his arms crossed. Ken nodded at Aya but didn't say anything, concentrating on backing up the stairs. Aya didn't move to help them as he watched their progress balefully from the top.

"Don't worry, Aya, we got the door," Yohji yelled up sarcastically at the redhead making no move to help them. Why wasn't anyone being nice today? Aya merely stepped aside as Ken hauled the door past. He didn't say anything to Yohji as he passed, but Yohji supposed it was too much to expect a 'welcome home' from Aya. The redhead only followed behind as Ken and Yohji carried the door bedroom.

Working together, they leaned the door up against the wall with Aya acting as supervisor. With that done, Ken cracked his neck while Yohji plucked the finished cigarette out of his mouth, both taking a mutual break. How miserable to be inside where Aya was starting to insist he not smoke. Yohji was going to have to find an ashtray, walking into his room to toss the butt in his trash can. Aya would have a fit if he threw it in the potted plant in the hall. He didn't want to get yelled at again. Thankfully Aya hadn't said anything when he walked in, seeing Yohji already had his hands full.

The bedroom was surprisingly clean. Aya must have straightened the place up while Yohji had been at the store. The top of his dresser was tided up, all the small mementos he kept on display dusted and polished. All the clothes had been picked up off the floor and perhaps if Yohji was lucky Aya might even be doing laundry. He knew that Aya only cleaned his room because the redhead couldn't stand messes, not out of a gesture of love. Aya had probably trying to keep himself busy more then anything until Yohji got home.

"We're ready out here, Yohji," Ken sang from outside in the hall. Yohji looked back to see Ken holding up a screwdriver and bolts for the door in his other hand. Aya must have pulled the old ones out from the broken door. He had been quite the busy bee while Yohji was gone. It made him wonder just how nervous Aya had been if he had to keep up and about. What had Aya not wanted to think about? Yohji knew Sebastian and Aya-chan put Aya on edge. What if Sebastian had tried something while Yohji had been out?

"Aya, are you okay?" Yohji asked suddenly, going breathless at the thought of Sebastian pulling something with Aya while he had been out. How could the model even dare to touch Aya? Yohji knew the second he left Aya, all bets would be off and that disgust piece of work Aya-chan called a boyfriend would be all over Aya. Yohji would kill him. There was going to be no doubt about it this time. He would tear Sebastian apart, slowly and as painfully as possible.

"Yes. Are you?" Aya returned irritably, not looking pleased with Yohji asking unnecessary questions. Aya didn't like inquiries into how he 'felt.' Aya looked no more pissed than usual. So maybe Sebastian hadn't attacked him. Aya was likely just in a foul mood this morning. Surprise, surprise. Yohji couldn't guess what side of the bed Aya woke up on until the redhead was screaming in his face.

"I'm just peachy, doll-face," Yohji smiled as one of Aya's brow twitched in anger. Aya voiced his dislike of nicknames constantly, mainly because Yohji never listened to him. It was humorous to see the redhead get so easily undone just by being called some silly, affectionate name. It was only payback for all the times Aya had berated Yohji after a mission and made him feel like a complete idiot.

"Come on, Ken, we've got more in the truck," Yohji ordered, waving at the door.

"Aya, you come and help since you're in here all the time," he said back to the redhead as Ken walked out to the hallway, grumbling about not being a professional mover. Yohji didn't feel sorry for him. Ken would probably be watching TV if he wasn't forced to do this. Yohji wouldn't want his dear friend to waste away on the couch, even if Ken was more physically fit then Yohji could ever be.

"I am not in here all the time," Aya hissed angrily. The man visibly gritted his teeth behind the tight line of his lips, glaring hard at Yohji. He was mad that Yohji had said something about them being together in front of Ken. Aya didn't want anyone to find out about them. It wasn't like the brunette didn't know. All Ken had to do was look their way and he would know.

"Yes, you are. You might as well move in here, Aya. You sleep here-A Yohji started.

"I do not!" Aya snapped, denying what were obvious facts. Yohji glared right back at Aya, both of them ready to fight the other before Aya dropped back first, his face blushing a fierce red. He looked down at the floor, no more arguments offered, suddenly seeming very shy. Yohji didn't know what he had done to make Aya lose his temper so quickly. Now, Aya was acting like an embarrassed child, trying to look everywhere in the room but Yohji.

"You want me to?" Aya asked in a voice that was barely steady and confident. It wasn't a tone Yohji was used to hearing coming from the redhead. He didn't know why Aya constantly doubted that anyone had any feelings for him. Ken and Omi obviously cared for Aya. They wouldn't have put up with living in the same house with him for over several years otherwise. Yohji couldn't understand how it wasn't completely obvious that he loved Aya more than he had anyone in his entire life, and Yohji could count the times they had sex on one hand. Who knew that he could control his libido?

"I just said so. You can move your things in here. Hell, we could make your room into a study. You always wanted one, right?" Yohji asked, thinking back to when they decided on what to do with the mission room. They had argued over what to renovate it to, but three votes for a lounge beat out one for an office space, no matter how fearsome Aya was. Democracy was a wonderful thing. Aya looked like he had been poleaxed and was waiting for Yohji to add a finishing blow.

"You don't mind?" Aya asked in that same soft voice again, like Yohji would change his mind in the next few seconds. Aya wasn't ready to believe that he was being asked to move into Yohji's room. Yohji had already made up his mind up to ask Aya long ago. It had just been a matter of when he got the balls to actually see if Aya wanted to as well. Yohji figured it was good idea since the only time Aya ever managed to have a good night's sleep was in the same bed with Yohji. He didn't care what it took, but he wouldn't let Aya wake up screaming in the middle of the night any more.

"Of course I don't. Come on, Ken's going start thinking something's up if we take any longer," Yohji ordered, hurriedly walking out into the hallway and leaving Aya stunned in the middle of the room. Why didn't Aya just understand that Yohji really did love him, as unconditionally as he promised? He wanted Aya to stop questioning him all the time. Yohji had noticed with no small amount of jealousy that the two had already moved into Ken's bedroom weeks ago.

Aya doggedly followed him down the stairs, not about to let Yohji out of his sight now that he returned home. Yohji had taken almost an hour at the store despite Aya's written list. One of the customer service people had been a pretty, older woman who still had a dynamite figure. They had struck up a conversation and Yohji found out that the woman was just as much an old hand at flirting as he was. He had ended up talking with her for almost the entire time, lazily going up and down every aisle so it would look like she was working. He never even caught her name.

"What more did you get then a door?" Aya asked his back, probably curious as to how much money he had spent. Aya offered to give Yohji money for the door, but he refused to take anything, retorting that he didn't want any money from Aya's job. The redhead had looked hurt for a moment, but nodded. He understood that Yohji didn't want to touch any of the cash that Aya had earned through prostitution and there was no way to assure him that the money was from his fares at the floral shop.

Yohji had gotten quiet a few things, actually. He had bought a new bed stand and lamp to replace the ones Aya had broken, as well as a new ashtray. Nothing would ever be quite the same though. That would be all right. Yohji was looking forward to any changes in his room, as long as Aya made them.

By the time they got back outside to the truck, Ken had already dragged out two of the heavy bags out of Seven's small trunk space. Yohji had managed to get the door by propping it behind the front seats and a good amount of luck, since it hadn't fallen out on the drive back. Aya went forward and grabbed the lighter bag with the ashtray and various bolts that Yohji had been ordered to get for the door.

Yohji took that from the redhead before Aya even realized it was out of his hand. He wouldn't let the man carry anything. Not yet. Aya still wasn't back to his original health and Yohji would be damned if he risked the redhead's feeble healing process. Aya was rather accident-prone, though few were actually his fault. The man attracted trouble and Yohji wasn't about to risk Aya falling down the stairs because he overbalanced hauling up something too heavy.

"I can carry it by myself," Aya snapped in an arctic tone, angry that Yohji thought he couldn't hold a bag. It wasn't that Yohji doubted Aya had the muscle to do it. He would just prefer it if Aya didn't carry anything at all. Was that really so much to ask?

"Don't worry about me guys. I'm fine," Ken said loudly as he walked past them. Yohji thought those words sounded familiar. Oh, yeah. He had been asking Ken for help only minutes ago and the brunette had responded as quickly as a turtle. Yohji didn't feel sorry for Ken who was more then strong enough to carry the large bags upstairs. The soccer player was by far the most physical fit of them all. He was the one running through the park every day. Yohji just sat around the house and gave Aya second-hand smoke.

"Well then, if you say so," Yohji returned, ignoring the sarcasm. Ken growled something to himself as he waited for Aya to walk up and open the door with his two free hands. Aya held it open for both Ken and Yohji, looking displeased at being forced into a doorman. The redhead probably thought the task was below him as he slammed the door shut after Yohji.

"You didn't have to take the bag from me," Aya said in a deadly monotone voice, not about to let the matter drop. Aya was always the most enraged when he tried to pretend like he was calm. Yohji found no comfort in the redhead's lack of emotion on his face. It only meant bad things were coming. Ken winced up ahead, feeling the storm brewing behind him as Aya glared at Yohji.

"I heard the door so I came down to see what's going on," Omi announced as he entered the kitchen. Yohji could have kissed the boy. Nobody could fight when Omi was in the room. How could someone when the blonde would start to cry? Omi smiled at them all in greeting, always cheerful when everyone was in the same room together. The boy was wearing a large grey T-shirt that was certainly Ken's, and a pair of old loose jeans with both knees ripped out. Yohji wondered if Omi meant to go for the trashy, orphan look today as the boy's brows drew up in concern, looking exactly like a child in Aya-chan's commercials.

"Oh, Ken-kun! Do you need some help?" he asked, looking at the heavy plastic bags in each fist. Ken nodded to his boyfriend and Omi was quick to rush over and take the lamp in both hands. Yohji looked over at Aya's profile as the man walked past him. Would Aya ever help him out with hauling in groceries or such like Omi did for Ken? There was probably no chance in hell for Yohji after how annoyed Aya got when he took the bag from him.

"Thanks, love," Ken said to Omi before he kissed his lover quickly on the cheek. Omi laughed and took a bag out of Ken's hands, giving him a kiss of his own, except Omi needed to stand of the tip of his toes to reach Ken. Once again, Yohji thought that he might be sick from their displays of love. And of course, he felt the same old burning jealousy that they could be so open. Just because they got along like newlyweds didn't mean they had to rub Yohji and Aya's faces in it.

Yohji looked over at Aya, recognizing the same disgust if hidden a bit better than him. Aya glanced to Yohji as he noticed he was being examined, but kept one eye fixed on the sickening sweet love Ken and Omi emanated. Yohji felt like he lived with two actors on a cheap soap opera. He never would have thought Omi had the endurance to keep up with Ken, but the two went at it like bunnies. Aya's thoughts were obviously running along the same line and he smirked along with Yohji.

"What's so funny, you two?" Omi asked curiously, which only made Yohji burst out into laughter. Ken raised an eyebrow and looked to Omi in confusion, wondering what he had said to make them laugh. Aya might be laughing as well, but he was hiding it by looking away and covering his mouth as he coughed lightly. Or perhaps Aya was really laughing. It had been so long since Yohji had heard Aya laugh that he had forgotten what it sounded like.

"You guys are weird," Omi stated finally before turning to head up the stairs. Yohji shrugged, figuring that might just be the case. So what? At least Omi had grouped Aya and Yohji together. Could it be a sign that he and Aya could make a real couple? Yohji wanted to take Aya out to dinner. Aya moving into his room couldn't be a bad thing, could it?

"Aw, Omi, lighten up. Aya and Yohji are always weird," Ken laughed from the top of the stairs. The brunette best thank his lucky stars that he was out of range for a firm beating. Yohji wasn't about to let Ken tease Aya to his face, knowing how sensitive Aya could be even if he didn't show it. Yohji opened his mouth to say a few choice words to the brunette, but someone else beat him to it.

"Yohji's not weird," Aya defended him unexpectedly from behind. Yohji didn't think Aya cared that much. Here he had been thinking that Aya must really hate him and the redhead came to his defense. Yohji looked over his shoulder at the redhead in surprise, not sure if he should say 'thank you' or not. Would Aya even want Yohji to bring attention to him by saying anything?

Omi turned around to look at Aya as well, a stunned expression painted all over his face. It was probably the first time Aya had ever come to someone's defense before. Even Ken grunted in confusion as he stared at the redhead. They were all silent, taken back by the Aya that actually gave a damn, and it was over Yohji as well. Maybe Aya did feel something in that cold heart of his.

"He's just a pervert. And, I wouldn't call someone weird, soccer freak," Aya added as he looked up, a bit of a gleam in his eyes. Yohji could swear that Aya enjoyed being an asshole. His face fell at the turnaround, back to square one with Aya ever saying something nice to him in public. Yohji should have known better then to think for a moment that Aya might actually be doing something nice. He wasn't sure if he should still be pleased or not. It seemed a deflated victory. The joy he had felt was already dead and gone as he continued to tread up the stairs after Ken and Omi.

"I'm not a soccer freak. I'm an enthusiast of the game," Ken replied snottily ahead of them in the hallway, pointing his finger like he was teacher clarifying on a lesson. Yohji raised his eyebrow in disbelief, not buying that explanation for a moment. He had never seen anyone more absorbed in a single sport before in his life. Aya also looked doubtful of this defensive comment as well, sighing and crossing his arms in disappointment that they would mess around in the hallway rather than get to work.

"What kind of enthusiast sleeps with a soccer ball before a game?" Omi asked in a deceptively innocent voice. Anyone who thought Omi was a shining example of the golden rule was very wrong. Omi could be just as mean when it came to teasing as the rest of them. Ken blushed and stammered trying to defend himself, but no real words came out.

"Omi! You said you wouldn't tell anyone," Ken moaned, looking back at Yohji. Ken could sense that the blonde was cooking up something in his head. He should expect something very soon, being the butt of Yohji's many practical jokes and teasing. Ken was always good for a laugh, even if Aya had screamed at Yohji all day long. This new little bit of information would be stored away for later use, like the next time Ken accused him of raping Aya.

"Nice one," Yohji complimented Omi as the four of them entered the bedroom. Omi and Ken sat their bags down on top of the made bed despite the irritated look Aya shot at their backs. Yohji knew how much Aya liked to keep everything tidy, having caught Aya's wrath before when he heedlessly fell down on a nice and neat bed. Aya didn't say anything to Omi or Ken like he would if it was Yohji. Was it a good thing to be the only person Aya trusted enough to yell at?

Omi pulled the box for the bed stand out of a bag and set it down on the floor top put together. The boy plopped down on the carpet and started to pull back the cardboard flaps laboriously, his fingers scrabbling for a hold on the edge. Ken reached into his own bag and pulled out a simple round red lamp with a white shade. Aya couldn't find possibly anything to complain about!

Yohji held up his own bag to place on the bed as well when Aya snatched the bag from his hand as he walked past. Yohji didn't even have the chance to grab for it again because Aya was already dumping the bag out on the bed without a care to sort through the screws and bolts that rolled across the comforter.

"Hey, be careful! Don't break my ashtray again," Yohji begged, not wanting to use a coffee mug anymore. Aya huffed and ignored him, sorting out where the three bolts for the door and holding them up for Ken with a cross look on his face. Ken stared at Aya's hand without making a single move to take them, a confused expression on his face. The poor guy probably didn't even know what Aya wanted.

With a hiss, Aya shoved the bolts into Yohji's hand since he was the closest, the skin of his fingers amazingly soft in Yohji's palm. Yohji could imagine Aya doing many different things with his hand, but the redhead would likely kill himself before doing what Yohji fantasized about every hour of the day, every damn minute he was around Aya's.

"Okay, then I guess we can do the door," Yohji figured as he looked over to Ken. The brunette shrugged with a glare for the broken door leaning against the wall and the new one as well before looking down to the boy sprawled on the carpet. Omi laid out the separate parts of the bed stand, completely absorbed in reading the directions and identifying the wooden boards in a large messy circle around him.

"Why do I get the door?" Ken moaned, obviously wanting to help his boyfriend with the bed stand. Just because Ken liked Omi didn't mean they were going to be partners in everything they did. Yohji sighed, not sure how to break it to Ken that when Aya made a decision, one usually abided by it. He may not have out right told them, but it was very clear that Yohji and Ken were in charge of the door when the redhead sat down on the carpet next to Omi, his legs folded underneath gracefully.

"Because you do," Aya snapped simply, not letting Ken argue any further. The brunette shook his head, still not pleased with the situation. Yohji wasn't that bad a guy to work with. Was he? Why was Ken still trying to get out of it? Whatever show he had been watching on television must have been good, or he didn't want to work with Yohji. Ken was probably scared Yohji was going to mention something about sleeping with a lovely young soccer ball.

"But, Aya!" Ken whined like any child that wasn't getting his way would. Except, Aya wasn't like any father because he sent a glare in Ken's direction so cold and fierce that the brunette immediately shut up and backed down. Aya held his frown for a while longer just to make sure that Ken got the point that he was to fix the door without complaint. Aya had no patience for whining when he had already made a judgment, which in this case was exactly which slave labor they would be forced to do.

"Damn. Whatever. I'll take the old door to the dumpster," Ken offered moodily, scuffing the carpet with his foot. Omi handed Aya the instructions and grabbed what must be the first board from his left. Aya picked up a sidepiece and held it up for Omi to attach to his. Ken stared at Aya as he picked out the screws needed and held them out for Omi with the screwdriver, stunned that Aya would have any practical knowledge of construction. The two were clearly ignoring Ken's pout.

"DON'T have too much fun. I'll be right back," Ken snapped angrily, his feathers ruffled that nobody cared. He stalked past Yohji to grab the old door awkwardly in both hands. Yohji didn't offer to even cheer Ken on. He had to haul the thing all the way across the parking lot and out of the car. He felt no pity for Ken as he dragged the door loudly out in the hallway and down the stairs, cursing the whole time.

Yohji turned back to Omi and Aya on the floor; both of them silent as Aya held the skeleton of the bed stand up while Omi fit a shelf inside. The two seemed to work well together, even though they weren't talking. It grated on Yohji's nerves to see Aya not even have to say a single word for Omi to pass him the screwdriver when he was done with the shelf. Aya lined up the backboard of the bed stand and began to secure it into place, their teamwork flawless.

"You two suddenly got really fucking handy," Yohji snapped as he leaned against the wall. He had nothing better to do then watch Omi and Aya put the cabinet together, but it was pissing him off. How did Omi and Aya work in complete silence when he and Aya always ended up yelling at each other? Omi didn't even care that Aya didn't say 'thank you' as he passed back the screwdriver. Aya's stoic manner didn't upset Omi, probably because the kid didn't know what Aya was trying so hard to hide underneath that attitude.

"It's's a hidden skill, I guess. Right, Yohji-kun?" Omi asked as he spun the Philips screwdriver in his hand like it was a dart, skillfully turning it between his fingers. Aya ignored them both as he studied the back piece, making sure that his work was absolutely flawless. Yohji could have killed something. Did Aya even know that he was pissed? Could the redhead even recognize another person's emotion?

"Yohji, why don't you move the old bed stand?" Aya ordered suddenly. Yohji shrugged; secretly glad to have a task to distract himself from the two. Yohji didn't like how much angry he was just because Omi and Aya got along. Aya had yet to raise his voice at the boy, and they had been in the same room for more than two minutes. Perhaps it was that Omi never opened his mouth and told Aya exactly what he didn't want to hear all time.

"Anything for you, babe," Yohji agreed as he walked over to the bed. He didn't even have to look back to see Aya's angry face and hear the offended growl. Yohji chose to ignore it instead, feeling a little better now that he had company in his irritation. He hefted up the old bed stand, not minding the box of Kleenex and bottle of aspirin on top.

Yohji dragged it over to the side, hopefully far enough out of the way. He turned back to watch Aya's back as the man bristled over the new bed stand. Omi had a sick smile on his face, trying to stay cheerful as Aya looked ready to explode over Yohji calling him 'babe.' Yohji knew where each and every button Aya had was, having stumbled over them many times before.

Aya checked the door in the front of the cabinet to see that it opened like it was supposed to. Omi set the screwdriver down on top of the instructions now that the both of them were done. Yohji would have never guessed that the two would be able to make a bed stand, even if it had come out of a box. Not only had they managed to construct the bed stand without breaking anything as Aya tended to d when he was frustrated, they had done it quickly. You learned something new every day, Yohji reminded himself with a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair.

Aya and Omi stood up at the same time without saying a word to each other. They both picked up an end of the bed stand and moved it together, suspending it between them as they shuffled to the bedside. Yohji stood back, trying not to be in the way until Aya and Omi finally set it down.

"That was fast," Ken said in an awed voice from the doorway. The soccer player gaped at the bed stand as he strode into the room, impressed that the two had managed to put it together so quickly. Omi beamed, quite proud of himself as he smiled at Ken's praise. Aya didn't care, as usual, glancing at Yohji briefly with nothing showing on his face before looking away again.

"Are you ready for the door now?" Yohji asked Ken, now that he had returned. Ken smiled and gave the thumbs up, ready for any kind of challenge. Yohji left Aya and Omi for clean up of their building mess on his floor while he joined Ken on the other side of the room. Ken automatically helped Yohji take the new door to the hallway by picking up one end while Yohji took the other.

They got the doorway before Yohji's worst nightmare showed up.

"And what are you blokes doing here?" Sebastian drawled in English, leaning in the doorway and looking directly at Ken, the only one that knew enough English to have a conversation. At least as far as Sebastian knew. Aya looked up from screwing a light bulb into the new lamp, glaring at his sister's boyfriend with a look he would fix on someone that beat up helpless old women. Omi didn't have a smile for Sebastian as he hesitated in crumpling up the used instructions, none of them happy at all to see him.

Sebastian only grinned at the icy welcome with Aya-chan nowhere in sight. She must still be packing. Lord knew they had enough crap to fill an entire plane. Yohji didn't know how they were expecting to take so much back to England with how much they had bought during those trips into town. Wasn't there a law about how much you could take out of the country? Aya-chan and Sebastian were definitely breaking it if there was.

"Well?" Sebastian demanded angrily when Ken only crossed his arms and glared. Sebastian was wearing a tight blue v-neck that shaped the muscles on his arms. The man's curly, wild locks were brought back in a loose ponytail now that he was no longer trying to hide the split cheek with his hair. There probably wasn't a photo shoot today or Sebastian was planning not to go outside today. He would have dolled himself up even more than Aya-chan if he were. The jeans he wore were so tight that even Yohji wouldn't wear them Unless if he was going clubbing, and even then it would be a reach?! No, actually, he wouldn't wear them at all simply because Sebastian owned a pair.

"Ken, tell the jerk to leave," Yohji ordered in Japanese, pointing at Sebastian's confused face. The shit head would have to know he was talking about him since Yohji was pointing at his ugly face, but still had no clue what he had said. Spoken languages really were a wonderful thing. Stupid people were nothing more than a pain in the ass, as was Sebastian.

"Yohji," Aya growled a warning as he finished putting the lampshade on. All right, it's shut-up time. I get the message, Yohji thought as backed off, shoving his hands into his pockets. Aya held his gaze on Yohji for longer than necessary, his eyes flicking over to Sebastian once. Yohji didn't like how uncomfortable Aya was. He wanted to throw Sebastian out the window for making the redhead nervous.

"Asshole," Sebastian said suddenly in perfect Japanese. Yohji swirled around on the man. He had actually spoken in Japanese, and cursed Yohji out nonetheless. There was no doubt the Sebastian had been referring to him as the model flipped him off before Yohji could get his jaw to close. Omi stood up from the carpet, his eyes wide at Sebastian's newfound proficiency in slang.

"Aya-chan taught me a few things, chum. She knows what you're planning," Sebastian explained in English, pointing a finger at Yohji's chest. He felt like he had a gun trained on him, looking down the perfect manicured nail at the end of the finger. Yohji didn't know what Aya-chan thought he was 'planning.' He had nothing wrong, beyond trying to be good for Aya's sake alone, but it pissed him off to be accused like this. Sebastian grinned, switching his gaze to Aya and leering like an old man with a bottle of Viagra.

Aya ignored him at first to turn on the lamp to make sure it was working properly. The bulb flicked on and Aya turned around to face Sebastian slowly, the bright light behind him outlining Aya's shoulders and caught on the lighter streaks in Aya's hair, making him look like a fallen angel. Aya's eyes immediately narrowed as he returned Sebastian's gaze, a hunter looking upon prey. He locked eyes with Sebastian for a quiet, tense moment, his eyes shining with anger. The redhead didn't know what Sebastian was saying, but he could see by Yohji's face that it wasn't good.

"Don't you dare even fucking think about him," Yohji hissed in English, stomping forward and grabbing the front of Sebastian's shirt in both fists. Sebastian didn't have the right to meet Aya's eyes evenly. He hauled Sebastian close, their noses almost touching as he tried hard not to adjust the grip so he could choke the little shit. Sebastian didn't even try to push Yohji off, going quiet and scared at the sudden threat to his personal well-being.

"You speak English!" Sebastian cried, his lips curling up in disgust that Yohji had hidden his second language this whole time. He shoved Yohji's hands off, regaining his senses as Ken stepped forward to separate them.

"You knew the whole time!" He roared in English, indignant that he had been fooled the entire vacation. There was a soft noise from Omi that might have been a laugh, but the boy managed to hide it as though he was coughing. Sebastian knew better than to yell at Omi with Ken standing so close, one punch enough to learn his lesson.

"OF course I can, you dumb fuck," Yohji snapped, no longer trying to hide his English. He wanted Sebastian to know that he could understand every single insult and slur that the bastard had flung around. Yohji shoved Sebastian back; a little satisfaction found in the way the Englishman stumbled before finding his balance. He wanted to punch Sebastian right across his goddamn beautiful face. He needed another wound to match the one Ken had given him.

"Dumb fuck? Who's the one thinking with their dick all the time?" Sebastian returned, pointing a finger at Aya now. So, picked up on that finally? Yohji reached out and grabbed the man's wrist before Omi even had a chance to yelp, turning around and twisting Sebastian's arm behind his back painfully, knowing full well that a little more pressure could pop the joint out of place. The boy dropped the screwdriver in shock that Yohji would suddenly be so violent with Sebastian. Omi obviously hadn't expected him to become so easily enraged by the man, even if it was Sebastian. Yohji was known for keeping his cool all the time, not flipping out and trying to break someone's arm

"I told you to leave him alone," Yohji reminded Sebastian hotly even though he wasn't really mad. Actually, he was ecstatic that the man had finally given him a reason to attack. Yohji wanted to break the man's arm and Sebastian had given him a perfect excuse. He had given Sebastian a warning, after all. Pointing a finger at Aya was the same as hitting him. Yohji tightened the grip with a grin, squeezing the bones in Sebastian's arm.

He was sick of being too late to protect Aya. Yohji would be damned if he let another prick ruin Aya's life in their own house, regardless of how impolite it might be. Yohji could nip this in the bud before it even thought about blooming into a problem. Sebastian would not be allowed to frighten Aya, even if the redhead was still standing by the bed stand with one eyebrow raised in unimpressed distaste or was it humor?

"Let go, you bloody shit head!" Sebastian cursed, almost foaming at the mouth in his anger. Fat chance of mercy. If Yohji thought Aya had been had been threatened in any way, he would have no hesitation. How could he not be a little overprotective when it came to dealing with Aya? Sebastian had fucking pointed at Aya. It was more than enough reason to try and break every bone in Sebastian's body. And Yohji did very much want to try.

Aya was watching lazily, not at all interested in brawls even if it was for his sake. Yohji wished Aya would act a little more concerned. The fight had started over him in the first place. The man could be so cold and uncaring sometimes, especially when Yohji tried to do nice things for him. Ken had only given Sebastian a little tap on the cheek. Yohji didn't intend to let the little asshole live through the night.

"Yohji, let him go!" Ken demanded. The brunette put a hand on his shoulder in warning, attempting to get Yohji to back off without violence. He knew Yohji was just as likely to attack him now for trying to pull him off. That gave Yohji the sense of mind to realize how ridiculous it would be to attempt murdering his lover's sister's boyfriend in his own bedroom. There was a lot he could try and get away with, but Yohji doubted if this stunt would be one of them.

"Count yourself lucky," Yohji leaned forward to hiss into Sebastian's ear in English. He didn't want the model to think that Yohji Kudoh made false threats. Omi sighed in relief as he released Sebastian's captured arm and shoved him for good measure. Sebastian stumbled before regaining his balance and swirling back around. He was livid with his pale, foreign skin flushed the color of a tomato. It was nothing at all like Aya's delicate features when the redhead became angry. Then again, Yohji was probably the only one who thought Aya was gorgeous when he was in a particularly intense rage.

"Damn you to hell!" Sebastian tried to insult them again, louder this time as if it would make a difference. He had already been taken down a notch or two and there was no way to regain some dignity. Sebastian glared at Yohji, infuriated that he had been in an arm lock only moments ago. Yohji didn't care as he placed himself carefully between the model and Aya. No reason not to be careful when someone looked pissed, especially fuckers like Sebastian. People tended to do unpredictable things when they got humiliated.

"You," Sebastian hissed, turning around on Ken. "You wanna go at it? Huh?" Sebastian questioned, suddenly focusing all of his anger on the brunette. Ken blinked in confusion, not quite sure what he had done to deserve Sebastian's wrath. Omi put a hand on Ken's arm, trying to protect his older lover even if this wasn't a very serious situation. They only reason Sebastian was still standing upright was because his death would upset Aya-chan, and that would upset Aya. None of them wanted Aya angry, knowing very well not to piss the redhead off if it could be avoided.

"WE'RE racing," Sebastian stated firmly, not allowing any questions about it. Ken opened his mouth to argue but the model cut him off viciously. "You're jealous. I saw you looking at my bike. Tomorrow at noon, outside. We're racing down that bloody street out there."

"WHAT?" Ken's eyes were wide as saucers at the challenge, clearly not willing to be drawn into this race. Yohji didn't blame him. Who wouldn't look a little frightened at racing with motorcycles down the most prominent business street in town, right around lunchtime traffic as well? Yohji couldn't figure out if Sebastian was crazy or as stupid as he looked.

"You better pray to just see my smoke," Sebastian threatened, snickering at his plan. He thought he was very clever, like a little evil genius announcing his plan. Who gave a fuck? Ken should just ignore him, like he should have ignored the bullies when he was younger. There was no reason to risk getting in a fight to prove who was the most stupid, reckless idiot of the household. Ken had already taken that title.

"You're on," Ken agreed hotly as Omi threw his hands up, recognizing a lost cause. Ken had just taken the award for being the most hotheaded as well, yet again. He ran on almost animalistic instinct, but it had proved useful before. Just not right now when he agreed to stupid motorcycle races.

"Care to wager?" Sebastian smirked, knowing he had the upper hand now that Ken had fallen into the trap like a child. Omi shook his head 'no,' looking at Ken in desperation. The brunette was ignoring his younger lover, too busy with glaring hard at Sebastian and refusing to turn his attention elsewhere. Yohji sighed, unable to do a thing about it. Ken was an adult and could choose his own battles.

"Whatever you want, you piece of shit," Ken returned dangerously with his hands turning into fists. Yohji saw the telltale signs of one of Ken's berserker rages. Sebastian didn't have the slightest clue as to how fine of line he was walking. Yohji wanted to be the one to kill Sebastian, not Ken, who was looking fit to do so now. Omi tugged uselessly on Ken's arm, trying to stop him from agreeing to something he would regret later.

Aya stepped forward to stand beside Yohji and get a better view of the action, despite Yohji's hiss to stay behind him. Sebastian smiled suspiciously, his focus turning on the redhead like a wolf spotting a tasty sheep. Ken froze and blinked at the sudden shift in attention. Omi stopped whispering that he was an idiot and looked at the model with big wide eyes and he realized just who was being stared at. Sebastian looked down his nose at Aya with a horribly familiar, perverted grin on his face.

Aya didn't even flinch, returning the look with one twice as hard and cold. Yohji could swear he saw icicles form in the air. Sebastian shook his head a bit, taking one shaky step back. Yohji wanted to dance around the room because Aya hadn't shied back when that lusty look came onto Sebastian's face. It would have sent Aya running only weeks ago, cowering and at the same time pretending he was doing nothing of the sort.

"The winner gets a kiss from the fag," Sebastian sneered as he insulted his girlfriend's older brother without a care. He might as well of dropped a bomb for the ringing in Yohji's ears. Omi and Ken's jaws dropped at the same exact time, the two turning even more and more alike with similar stunned looks. Aya's face didn't change, still as emotionless and arctic as ever. That was probably because he didn't understand a word of what Sebastian was demanding.

Yohji saw his world narrow down to Sebastian's throat, wishing that he could take the man's life. It would save them a lot of time and grief to just kill him now. Actually, screw trying to kill Sebastian. Yohji wouldn't give him a quick and easy death. He would torture him alive until he was dead. How could Sebastian even imagine asking that? Of course, the model didn't shave a clue to what Aya had been through, Yohji roughly reminded himself. Sebastian didn't know what Aya had done for Aya-chan. Sebastian was only concerned with getting into Aya's pants. He didn't give a damn about the person inside. The pretty little shit had been absent for anything that would have told him anything about Aya's personal life. He hadn't stayed around for that talk in the kitchen and had left long before Yohji had come to pick Aya up for their date. It was just as well, because he probably would have ruined everything if he had been there.

"What? No way! I am not agreeing to that crazy load of crap!" Ken denied, trying to back out of what he had already agreed to. 'Whatever you want' had been the soccer player's exact words. Yohji could kill Ken for allowing this to happen. He secretly knew that Ken hadn't expected Sebastian to demand something so outrageous, but that didn't help the anger he felt. Ken better fix this, now. No matter how angry Yohji got or how much he wanted to protect Aya, he couldn't say a word. This was a duel between Ken and Sebastian alone. Even Yohji had a sense of honor.

"You already did," Sebastian said with a sneer. Yohji hated Sebastian more than ever as he winked at Aya, wanting to tear out those horrible eyeballs. Sebastian ignored Aya's emotionless, deadpan reaction and Yohji's obvious anger. Yohji realized he was shaking, but could do nothing to stop trembling with rage. Yohji didn't like trash to hang around his lover.

"Ken-kun?" Omi asked uncertainly, unsure about Ken's mood with his ashen face staring at Sebastian's departure. Aya looked lost, confused about what was going on though he wasn't showing it. The redhead was watching Sebastian warily, like one might observe a wild animal that was known for mauling people. Yohji had thought that putting his body between Sebastian and Aya would be enough to keep the model's attention off of him, but Aya had brutally ignored that gesture away when he stepped forward. Yohji hadn't been able to distract Sebastian, but how could one be pulled away from someone as glorious, wonderful, fucking unique as Aya?

"Noon," Sebastian reminded Ken coldly as he exited the room, leaving them all speechless. Ken stared at the Englishman's exit, silence filling the heavy air. His mouth was open to argue, but Sebastian was already long gone. Yohji was quiet, trying to not say anything to Ken because whatever came out of his mouth wouldn't be nice or polite. Why stir this miserable situation up even more? Ken had the decency to look guilty as he scratched the back of his head. Aya was silent as he waited for an explanation, without a single damn clue to what just happened. If he had known what a single word meant, Yohji doubted Sebastian would have been walking out of the room alive.'s

How could Yohji tell Aya that he was the prize? The redhead would flip to say the least. Ken was going to win, period. Because, if he lost, Yohji would do Ken the favor of killing him so that he would never make such a goddamn stupid mistake ever again! Ken didn't move, too busy staring at the floor in shame to try and apologize to Aya. Had he even thought to say 'no?' Had either of them asked Aya if he would be all right with being the trophy for this race? Fuck Ken and all of his rashness. It got them into trouble more often then not.

"Yohji-kun?" Omi asked, now noticing the angry look that had snuck across his face. Yohji shook himself out of imagining all the ways he could kill Sebastian and Ken to deal with the situation now. They needed to fix this problem first before he could have revenge on the two motorcycle-obsessed fools. What had happened was said and done and there was no way to change it, even if Yohji wanted to rearrange Ken's face.

"You better win," Yohji hissed in an icy manner that promised death if Ken didn't. He had probably picked it up from Aya. The redhead stared at Yohji, wondering why he would be so vehement. Ken nodded to Yohji, not about to loose to an asshole like Sebastian, especially when Aya was at stake. The soccer player turned around, raising a hand to his chin as he started to look like he was trying to plan something out. It better be how to win the race or get Aya out of being the prize, because anything else would call for Yohji to make certain heads roll.

"Yohji-kun, what about Aya? He didn't agree, right? He didn't say 'yes!'" Omi asked, hoping to find a way out of this mess, Ken was no help as he lapsed into uncharacteristic silent thoughtfulness. Maybe he could figure something out all by himself. Aya looked to Yohji patiently, waiting for explanation to the strange questions Omi was asking. How could Yohji tell Aya what Sebastian had set as the prize? All hell would break loose when it was translated to Aya. Yohji was going to need a second to tape the windows against a full-blown Fujimiya rage, just as one would protect the house from a hurricane.

"He wants a kiss from Aya," Ken explained before Yohji could open his mouth and try to sweet-talk Aya out of wanting to know what Sebastian had said. Ken tried to look Aya in the eyes and failed. Ken looked at the door instead, as if he could bring Sebastian back and try it all again. Life didn't shave a rewind button for them. Yohji had accepted it and learned to play with the card he got dealt.

Aya was silent even though he should have had the most words to say. He had closed his eyes underneath his perfect red bangs as he tried to reject the current reality. Except, there was no way to escape. Even Yohji had to admit it. He wanted to travel back in time and stop Sebastian from ever opening his filthy mouth. He should have broken Sebastian's arm back then. At least they wouldn't be dealing with this now.

"Aya-kun?" Omi asked slowly and carefully, the first one brave enough to speak when Aya's face darkened. Aya remained silent, his eyes hidden by the shadows of his long red bangs while Ken looked ready to take a blow. Omi only crooked his head, not so sure of the redhead's current feelings toward them all. It could be tipping between homicidal or an explosive, destructive rage. Yohji was tempted to take a step back in self-preservation.'s

"Fine. Fucking fine! Ken will win," Aya snarled as if it was already a proven fact, his eyes narrowing even further than the usual fine slits as he looked at the brunette in question. Omi didn't look so assured as he turned to Ken, worry written all over his face. Ken had better fucking win, because Yohji would kill him if Sebastian got close enough to even smell Aya. Just because Aya thought Ken would win didn't mean shit.

"You damn well better win," Yohji hissed. If Ken lost this stupid bet he had thoughtlessly agreed to, Yohji would personally make sure that Ken didn't see the next sunrise. Aya wasn't something you put up for a wager. Aya was much more then a bartering piece. Even Yohji could see that after dating thousands of men and women. Aya was special, rare with that hair and eye color and lily white skin. It almost made him hard just thinking about it.

"I'll win," Ken promised, bringing up a fist. He looked so confident and sure that Yohji wondered what he had been worried about. Of course Ken wouldn't lose to an asshole like Sebastian. Ken was even faster than Omi when he got on a motorbike. He would die before he let Sebastian win Aya. He better be ready to, because Yohji would split Ken's skull if he couldn't keep his word.

"Aya, I will win," Ken said again, more firmly when Aya said nothing, surprise clear on his face that Ken would care so much and try to reassure him so fiercely. Aya seemed to think he had absolutely no value as a person, something that Yohji tried convince him he was completely wrong about. Why should Aya think it was strange to see them coming to his defense? Only a year ago when they had been on active mission duty, Aya wouldn't have doubted that they would risk their lives to save each other. Now he seemed to think that those feeling had disappeared entirely, just because of a night job they hadn't even known about until a few weeks ago. Yohji didn't know how Aya couldn't see that they all cared about him, like a family.

Omi smiled at his boyfriend's bravado, assured that Ken would win just because he said so. Yohji wished it was that easy to assure Aya, feeling a bit of jealous at Ken and Omi's easy and relaxed relationship. That would never be the case with Aya. Yohji wouldn't be able to say something that boisterous and Aya believe him just because it was him. Aya would arch one eyebrow and shoot him down hard.

Aya didn't acknowledge Ken's words. Instead, he turned back to the new lamp on the bed stand, pushing it over to the left just slightly, fixing the small imperfections that only he saw. Nobody would ever be able to tell what the man was thinking as his thin and elegant hands reached out and adjusted the lampshade on top. Aya's nails were their normal color, the ends trimmed and filed. He had removed the fake nails sometime last night, much to Yohji's disappointment this morning.

"Aya, I'm sorry," Ken tried, uncomfortable with the silence that descended on the room. Aya didn't even acknowledge the fact Ken had spoken, his back turned to them all. Was he pissed? Who could even tell with Aya? As much as Yohji hated to admit it, Aya-chan would probably be the best person to tell them what the redhead was thinking. He was her brother after all. Would that give her a little more insight? Yohji was at the end of his rope. He didn't know what Aya could possibly be thinking, once again left outside.

"It's fine," Aya said shortly, his tone of voice saying that it was anything but. Omi tried to smile and say something, but stopped when he realized it wouldn't help. Even Omi was unable to try and cheer Aya up. The redhead was angry with good reason, and there was nothing any of them could do about it. Ken's expression changed to a pained, guilty look as Aya said nothing else. He should feel so after agreeing to Sebastian ridiculous bet! How stupid could you get?

"Ken-kun," Omi said softly as he put his hand on Ken's arm again. This time Ken shook it off, too mad to have comfort right now. He was not pleased with his actions, blaming himself almost as much as Yohji was. It still wasn't enough guilt by Yohji's standards. Ken should be outside digging his own grave in the backyard to save him the work when Yohji killed him later.

"I said, 'it's fine,'"Aya snarled, his face darkening as he turned away from the lamp. "Are we going to fix this door?" Aya demanded loudly, throwing up a hand to gesture at the empty doorway. Aya looked fit to murder the next person to dare speak. He was no longer allowing any argument, changing the conversation with as much grace as an avalanche. Ken and Omi nodded, not wishing to aggravate the situation anymore than possible.

"Sure, fine. Whatever the fuck you want," Yohji returned, not about to back down just because Aya was upset. He had weathered worse storms than this. Ken and Omi wisely backed away from Yohji when they saw Aya's expression get even angrier, trying to distance themselves from the target as quickly as possible. They knew when to give up when Yohji continued on without a thought for his life. He only dug himself deeper into the hole as Aya flushed red in fury, his fine brows drawing together. Yohji returned the look, angry that Aya was trying to pretend like it didn't matter to him that Ken had put him up on the block to be a race prize.

"Aya-kun, Yohji-kun, shouldn't we take a break for lunch?" Omi tried, hoping to distract the two of them from their fighting. Aya and Yohji both swirled their gaze on the poor boy, glaring at the lame interruption. Omi squeaked and put his hands up in surrender, not wanting to start any fight. Ken coughed and smiled, quickly turning his thoughts from the mess he made to the prospect of food.

"Yeah, yeah! Can we do BLTs?" Ken asked excitedly to their blank faces. Yohji and Omi stared at Ken, not believing that he would try and change to conversation. Aya said nothing as he walked over to Omi and picked up the screwdriver that the boy had dropped moments ago. Yohji could only watch in amazement as Aya bent at his knees and gracefully lowered down to pick the tool up.

"BLT?" Omi echoed back. "What's that?" the boy questioned Ken as he was faced with a food to cook that he had never even heard of. Aya didn't seem to even be listening as he went to put the screwdriver on the dresser like that was where they always put it. Yohji wasn't sure of what a BLT was either. Who cared about food when there was a motorcycle race tomorrow? Shouldn't Ken be practicing instead of thinking about his damn bottomless stomach?

"Fuck!" Aya exploded, throwing the screwdriver violently against the wall. It bounced back and clattered loudly to the floor, rolling to a stop in front of Omi's feet. Omi stopped asking questions and stared at Aya in shock at his sudden rage. Yohji was used to Aya throwing tantrums so they didn't faze him much anymore. Ken and Omi weren't so used to it, staring fearfully at Aya like deer in the headlights, knowing that trouble was heading straight at them like a sixteen-wheeler with no brakes.

"I'll make it, damn it!" Aya bellowed furiously as he stomped out of the room loud enough to make his precious lamp shade tilt to one side. The three of them stayed frozen as Aya's loud footsteps out the hallway and down the stairs echoed through the house. Nobody wanted to say a word until Aya was safe enough distance away. None of them were stupid enough to break the silence and risk Aya coming back to verbally tear him all a new asshole.

"Well, I guess that settles that," Ken laughed nervously, trying to break the dangerous atmosphere. Yohji glared at him, figuring that it was probably Ken that had made Aya throw the screwdriver in the first place. Immediately Ken wisely shut up, looking away from them with an expression so miserable that Yohji could almost feel sorry for him. Almost. Omi just stared down at the tool at his feet, his blue eyes wide from Aya's sudden temper. After a few years, you'd think one would be able to adjust to Aya exploding over the smallest thing, but it was still a shocker every time.'s

"Oh, Ken-kun, you should have never agreed to race him!" Omi moaned, putting a hand to his head in frustration. Omi was probably angry with Ken for getting caught up in fighting with Sebastian, but the boy had been better at hiding it than Yohji was. Omi had at least waited for Aya to be out of the room. Yohji was more inclined to throw things right out in the open so people could know exactly how displeased he was. Omi had a little more tact than him.

"Good one, Ken," Yohji snipped sarcastically, like the man had scored a goal at one of his games. Ken's expression was so miserable it looked like he might try to melt into the floorboards. Yohji didn't feel the least bit sorry for the rash bastard. Ken should have thought about Aya's own feelings before he went off and agreed to sell a kiss from the man. It was no better then if Yohji found Aya outside the store looking for some prospective job for the night with Ken watching from the alleyway.

"I will win," Ken swore again, looking up into Yohji's face. Those determined green eyes promised him that Sebastian would not be allowed to win a kiss from Aya. Yohji wished he could trust Ken, but the risk was too great. It may just be a kiss to anyone else, but with Aya it was the equivalent of having sex. Touching lips with the redhead needed a great deal more trust then anyone could imagine. Yohji wasn't about to let any ground he had gained be endangered by Sebastian, Ken, anyone.

"You better, or else you won't live long after the stupid race if you don't," Yohji snapped back. He didn't want to say anything like 'of course you will!' or 'you can do it, Ken.' Yohji had seen Ken ride his bike before. He would like Ken to win, but if Sebastian tried to cross the line first, Yohji would definitely kill both of them before the Englishman could get within eyesight of Aya.

"Aya-kun's really upset. What're you going to do, you big idiot?" Omi sighed heavily to Ken with his hands on his hips, looking all the world like an upset mother trying to protect her child from bullies. Except the child was Aya and the bully was Sebastian. Yohji was going to kill him. That was the only possible option. If Sebastian was dead, how could he possibly race against someone? Hmm Yohji paused as he thought about a future without Sebastian. He could make it look like the bastard had left Aya-chan and hide the body. Maybe he should take the time to develop this into a more serious plan.

"What was that?" Ken cried, jumping on top of Omi's back and earning a yelp of surprise from the smaller blonde. Immediately the brunette started to tickle the poor boy, sending the helpless blonde into a set of giggles. Omi squirmed wildly and struggled away from the tickling at his side as Ken laughed manically, following to do worse.'s

"Whenever you two are done, come downstairs," Yohji ordered as he walked out of the room. He didn't want to see two grown men fall over each other like children. Though Yohji did wish he could try and tickle Aya. Hell, he didn't even know if Aya was ticklish. He hadn't mustered up the courage to try and find out. Again, jealousy hit hard as Yohji walked down the stairs. It just wasn't goddamn fair. He wanted to touch Aya like Ken easily played around with Omi. They were always comfortable, almost too much so with each other. That would never be the case for him and Aya, at least for a long while. It would take a lot of patience and time for Aya to become completely comfortable with Yohji. With anyone.

Yohji heard Aya angrily banging around in the kitchen before he even got all the way down the stairs. Yohji walked in the kitchen to see Aya slam the cupboard door closed so hard that it bounced back and swung open as. Yohji jumped at the loud noises as Aya furiously threw a flat frying pan on the stove before biting his lip and breathing heavily over the counter. Yohji could already tell that Aya was in a full-blown temper tantrum. There was no other word for it with the redhead's face flushed almost as red as his hair. Yohji didn't know what to say when Aya turned around on him, fuming and absolutely livid, looking for a target.

Yohji froze, hoping that if he didn't move he might avoid drawing attention to himself. Aya didn't say anything, like a wild animal trying to decide if it should attack or not. They heard Ken's laughter before the man came into the room as he ruffled Omi's hair beside him. Aya's glare turned on them and Ken's laughter turned weak before it completely stopped. The soccer player didn't look so sure if he wanted to eat anymore. If it were him, Yohji would be suspicious that Aya would try to poison him.

"What do you need, Aya-kun?" Omi asked as he went to the refrigerator and opened the doors to try and pull out something for the redhead and help out. It was typical of the boy to ignore Aya's temper and pretend like they were all getting along fine and dandy as he dug through the refrigerator without a clue as to what Aya was going to use for ingredients, polite when Ken was still standing in the doorway scratching his head lazily. He was probably still thinking about the mess he had made.

"I can do it by my own goddamn self!" Aya roared loudly, turning a murderous glare on the boy for trying to help out. Omi squeaked and paled, closing the door in a rush and taking a step away. Yohji felt his jaw drop at the sudden flare of temper and defense that Aya was showing, like a wounded animal trying to make itself seem bigger by arching up its back and spitting with rage. Oh, Lord. Aya was most definitely not fine with being put up a prize.

"Aya! Don't yell at him! Omi's just trying to help, you prick!" Ken snapped, not about to let Omi's sad face go unnoticed as the boy looked apologetic. Omi shook his head, trying to stop Ken from getting into a fight with Aya. The boy was always the peacemaker. There had already been enough yelling in the past few days to last a lifetime. Even Yohji was getting sick of the fighting. Aya looked at them all, alone because of his outrageous behavior. Yohji wanted to defend Aya, knowing that Ken's yelling hurt his feelings more than he would ever let the brunette think, but couldn't even approach Aya right now for fear of getting his head bitten off.

"Shut up, Ken! You're already said more then enough today," Aya hissed coldly, referring to the brunette's earlier blunder. Ken didn't look happy at Aya's reference to his hotheaded decision with Sebastian. His face darkened and his mouth opened to say something they all knew he would regret later. If Ken didn't feel sorry immediately, Aya would make the poor man feel so in no time at all.

"Aya! Calm the fuck down! You're acting like a goddamn child," Yohji yelled, stepping to the foray headfirst without a second thought. Yohji was used to Aya being angry with him. He could step in and take Aya's anger off of Ken. Having Aya pissed off at him would be nothing new. Ken may be a stupid, unthinking jerk-off, but he didn't deserve the misplaced brunt of Aya's temper right now.

"What did you say?" Aya asked in his cold, frigid bitch voice that spoke volumes for Yohji's future lifespan. He looked ready to kill Yohji and flee the scene to escape Ken and Omi, no longer comfortable when he had lived them for years now. Aya had one white-knuckled grip around the pan as he glared at Yohji like he was considering slamming it against Yohji's prided playboy face. Ken was staring at Yohji in disbelief that he would face the lion head on, one hand on Omi's arm to squeeze reassuringly. Aya threw around a lot of insults these days to hide the fact he had nothing to back it up anymore. Behind the defenses was someone that had completely shattered and broken, but heads would roll before anyone beyond Yohji ever found out.

"I said you're acting like a fucking spoiled child throwing a tantrum!" Yohji roared much more loudly and clearly so that there would be no mistaking him. Ken moaned and put a hand to his forehead, already knowing that nothing good would come from the outburst. Omi winced and pulled away from them, clearly expecting physical violence very soon. Yohji didn't scare. In fact, he felt mother fucking fantastic about telling Aya off. The man couldn't get away with taking his anger out on anyone unlucky enough to walk by, especially poor Omi. He was the baby of the group and Yohji couldn't help feeling a little defensive for the boy, even if it was Aya he was yelling at.'s

"I'll kill you," Aya promised in a whisper, already pushed to his limits. Yohji believed the claim as he looked into the redhead's blank, hard eyes. Those were the kind of eyes Aya had on missions, completely sealed off and untouchable, feeling no remorse for anything he did. Aya wouldn't pull the shots anymore now that he was in a full rampage. Yohji hadn't seen a temper like this since Aya was hair-triggered when they were on entire night duty with killing and blowing up things to be followed with a full day of taking care of a floral shop.

"I'm sorry," Omi said softly, his voice full of tears. "I'm sorry. It's my fault," he sobbed miserably and brought a hand to cover his face. The boy looked away from the three shocked men, his sobs getting louder even though he was vainly trying to hold the tears in. Aya had really hurt Omi earlier with his sharp order to back off. Yohji didn't know how Omi came to the conclusion that he was the source of the argument, but seeing the boy sniff and try to hold back his tears sobered him up fast. Omi was the only person who had done nothing wrong.

They all immediately fell into a guilty silence punctuated by Omi's soft tears. Who wouldn't feel like the most despicable villain in the history entire fucking universe after making innocent little Omi break down and cry? Ken walked over to his lover and enveloped the boy in his arms, hugging him while Omi wailed, absolutely miserable when the boy usually didn't even complain. The fight had stopped quickly as if someone had hit the pause button. Omi's tears had that effect on people.

"It's okay, Omi. Nobody's fighting, it's not your fault," Ken assured as he brushed his fingers through the boy's hair, combing it back into place as he hugged Omi close. Yohji didn't know what to say, struck into an awkward silence. Even Aya looked a little guilty, his face twisting up into something that might have been a distant physical pain as he watched Omi try to stop crying in Ken's arms. For Aya to let that much emotion into his face, he must feel like he wanted to die. Yohji was ready to dive and tackle Aya if the redhead went for any of the knives right now. Aya's suicidal intentions were 'if-y' at best, Yohji frozen with his mouth open when he caught Aya running a razor experimentally across his thumb only a few weeks earlier.

"Right?" Ken asked Yohji and Aya with a pointed glare over Omi's head. Both of them were silent and looked guiltily away from each other, anywhere but Ken and Omi in the middle of the room. Yohji felt like a parent caught fighting in front of their children, wishing he had never been so stupid and pressed Aya when he was already badly tested with Sebastian and Ken's prominent race waiting tomorrow. Omi sobbed out what might have been another apology, but it was so tearful and hitching that Yohji couldn't make out a word. He felt like shit.

"No fighting here. It's just like being married, huh, Aya?" Yohji snapped sharply in Aya's direction even though he should be speaking to Ken. The redhead stiffened and looked back at Yohji, his eyes narrowing in insulted silence. Yohji flipped the man off and Aya's nostrils flared before the man snapped away, obviously try to be the bigger person and ignore Yohji. He smiled at the lack of retaliation, feeling like he had come out on top of this little battle for the first time in a long time.

Thankfully, Aya and Omi didn't see this little exchange, both of them too busy with feeling sorry for themselves at the moment. That was just as fine, because those two were the ones who would yell the most at him. Omi and Aya had berated him hundreds of times over for slacking off, flirting, showing up late to work, and not coming back until the next morning without so much as a note.

Ken, however, did see it and he glared at Yohji with eyes one would set on a child molester. Yohji just looked away, not about to explain himself to Ken when the guy had put Aya up for bet only minutes ago. Aya stomped between their glare and over the refrigerator so aggressively that Ken shifted and hunched over Omi protectively. The redhead didn't say a word to Ken at all, even when Ken shot him a dirty look as he pulled out a pack of bacon from the refrigerator without a word. Just who the hell had been glaring at Yohji for provoking Aya only a second ago?

Aya was still pissed, tossing the meat on the cutting board with a growl. Yohji groaned, starting to regret the middle finger he had given Aya as the redhead yanked opened one of the drawers as grabbed a pair of scissors. The redhead's foul temper was only getting worse onto apocalyptic measures as he cut open the fresh package of bacon fiercely. Yohji was not looking forward to talking to Aya later on today. He's probably get the chew-out of his life.

Ken was ignoring them to murmur something no doubt sweet and sugary into Omi's ears as he squeezed the boy's shoulders, trying to soothe Omi's diminishing tears. The boy nodded weakly and Ken wiped at the blonde's face, gently drying the rest of the crying. Yohji looked over at Aya's tense backside as he started to angrily separate the slices of bacon in the package, being violent and rough with and the thin strips of meat that just couldn't take his temper and ripping easily into halves. Aya ignored it, throwing the pieces into the stove without heed until he seemed to think it was enough and w"Shed his hands in the sink.

Aya said nothing as he took out a spatula and began to nurse the bacon in the pan and Yohji wasn't about to change that by opening his mouth. A silent Aya was better than a loud, corrosive Aya. Ken continued to talk to Omi quietly and by the time the pan had started to sizzle, Omi was done crying. In the loud silence Yohji himself was responsible for, a tear fell into the hissing pan. The small drop of water popped loudly as it boiled in the grease, catching his attention. Yohji slowly, warily moved closer to Aya like one might approach a large feral dog. There was a painfully small sniff as Aya tried to hold his emotions in, but Yohji put a hand on Aya's tense shoulder and there was no noise for a moment beyond the bacon sizzling in grease as Omi and Ken noticed him touching Aya and were silent, watching in confusion.

"Aya?"

The soft utterance of the name made Aya break out into tears. The spatula he held dropped loudly into the pan as Aya covered his face with his hands, trying to hide the crying. Aya sobbed loudly behind his palm, unexpectedly falling apart in the middle of the kitchen for the second time after he had been so furious only a moment ago. He shook off Yohji's hand violently, snarling something incomprehensible as he tried to hide his face from Yohji's eyes.

Yohji could only watch as tears leaked out beyond Aya's control as the man shook with the crying. The blinding red hair shone in the soft light coming through the kitchen windows as Aya scrubbed roughly at his face with his back turned to them all, trying to stop the sobs but failing. Aya didn't want anyone to see him cry, no matter what the reason. Yohji couldn't even phantom what had brought this on, but Aya was still crying either way. He was weeping over the bacon like someone close to him had died, abandoning all his pride and face that he tried to keep in front of Ken and Omi to fall tears. The two were stunned, caught with their jaws hanging whenever Aya finally broke out into showing his emotions, honest to God hurt that he usually disguised better than this complete failure of his act.

Yohji put both arms around Aya, damning it all to hell if Ken or Omi wanted to make a deal about it or if Aya was embarrassed. He held Aya close, wondering how it had gone from teasing to wanting to be responsible for the man's entire well-being. Aya was certainly doing a shit job of managing his own life, so Yohji had decided to butt in appreciated or not by Aya. He didn't want to sit back and watch as Aya self-destructed. Aya gave up his rights to 'keeping his dignity as the redhead liked to excuse it sometimes, even though it was no more than him hiding the anguish from them when he felt like crying. Keeping this kind of emotion inside did no good. Yohji knew that especially well. He had tried to the whole's one wolf idea that Aya had tried to perfect. It got you nowhere but further down the drain of this whole miserable fucking pathetic swirling of life.

This must have been building up for a few days, probably ever since Sebastian and Aya-chan had shown up if Aya was going to cry over making bacon. Yohji was damned if he knew what sparked it, but he could make a guess that the final straw had been Ken's agreeing to that damn bet. Aya's hands dropped away from his face as Yohji hugged him like Ken had been holding Omi earlier before, revealing the wetness underneath his eyelashes before tears spilt down his cheeks. Aya didn't reach up to hold onto Yohji, but fell forward instead to bury his face in Yohji's chest as the crying got louder.

Ken and Omi had the same identical astonished and stunned expressions on their faces. Was it so strange to see Aya break down and cry? Why was it shocking to see Aya let the ice melt? The redhead had feelings as well, no matter how buried, repressed, well-hidden and just plain fucked up they were. Aya falling into helpless sobbing happened in more of the past few weeks than Yohji had ever imagined would have happen in Aya's whole life, before he got to know just how hurt Aya was inside his shell.

The doorbell to the house rang out loudly at the most inappropriate time. Aya's crying wasn't abating a bit, still broken sobbing as the buzzing echoed through the house. Ken and Omi looked at each other, both debating if they should answer the door when Aya was this upset. Yohji looked down at the redhead in his arms, wondering what should he do? He couldn't tell Aya to stop crying right now, that was for fucking sure. But, what should he do with Aya to hide him from whoever the guest was? What should they do about the cooking bacon, browning as it was ignored and forgotten by Aya? It wasn't like any of them would want to eat now after both Omi and Aya crying.

Yohji didn't even get a chance to try and held as Aya pushed Yohji away as the sound of the doorbell being rung a second time. He didn't even bother with turning off the stove but turned tail and ran for the stairs with an energy Yohji had never seen before. The blonde couldn't blame him, though. They had company coming and over-emotional displays would raise more questions then Aya would want to deal with. He was probably embarrassed as all hell for breaking down like that in front of Ken and Omi, and humiliated by giving into the comfort Yohji offered. Now that the redhead had started crying, it would be a long time before he would regain his composure. Aya could cry for hours on end, Yohji being there to sit through most of them with him. Leaving Aya alone so he could calm down a bit sounded good to Yohji. He did not want to deal with a pissed-off, teary, moody-swinging Aya. Yohji liked his body the way it was right now. He didn't want to risk losing a limb.

"Answer the door! What the fuck are you waiting for?" Yohji ordered as Ken and Omi stood there dumbly, waiting for Yohji to rush off after Aya like there was time to chase after him now. They had to get rid of these unwanted, unexpected visitors first. Yohji would need peace and quiet to deal with Aya after this debacle in the kitchen, or at least no one who would care that two grown men were screaming and throwing things around the house when they 'talked out' their problems. Ken and Omi were used to it by now.

Omi was the first to follow Yohji's instructions even though the boy had been crying only moments ago. He was already running past the stairs Aya had recently d"Shed up and going to answer the front door. Ken was left with his mouth hanging open, looking at Yohji in shock. His face told him that Ken hadn't invited anyone over for this morning. They didn't shave very many friends. Who the hell could it be?

"Cops!" Omi alarmed from the door as he recognized the defenders of the city paying a visit from the other end of the house. Ken groaned and smacked his forehead with his palm why Yohji winced at the boy's warning. Thanks for yelling it as loud as you possibly fucking could! Now they know we're suspicious we're yelling out things like this. Shit. Yohji pulled out a half-empty pack of cigarettes from their hidden spot in the kitchen drawers, right behind the wax paper that no one used. Omi may have cleaned out his alcohol stash, but Yohji still had cigarettes. Besides, he planned to make the distressing little fact nothing but a small dot in the history of alcohol consumption in the house by the next visit to the grocery store. He had enough time to light the end of the stick before Aya-chan and Sebastian came down the stairs and looked at Ken in a silent, uncomfortable 'hello.' She smiled at him in greeting, but Yohji knew that it was a glare.

Aya must have somehow avoided being seen by his sister when he went upstairs because she didn't look the least bit upset. If Aya-chan had seen her brother run by crying, she wouldn't have continued to walk down the stairs like nothing was wrong. Not even Aya-chan would do that. She may be a bitch, but she wasn't pure evil. Only a little bit. Yohji silently laughed to himself at his thoughts. Who was he kidding? Aya-chan was the devil incarnate from her cute little pigtails to the Armani shoes.

"Yohji!" Aya-chan exclaimed out loud, like she didn't expect him to be alive. Aya-chan was wearing a long-sleeved white wool turtleneck, the heavy cable-cord stitch weaving down her average sized chest and a pair of neat, black slacks. It was by far the most conservative thing Yohji had seen her wear the entire visit. She had changed her outfit for what would be the first time today. Yohji knew there were several more changes coming. Aya-chan had suddenly become a very high-maintenance woman. He could remember the days when she used to take only a backpack for a three-week tour in Africa. She used to be more simple and practical then Yohji would ever have personally dared to be. Visit a continent that had absolutely no nightlife or clubs? That wouldn't be happening a very long time. In fact, it would never happen.

"Hey, chum. I'm looking forward to our little bet. You are too, huh? You'd like to watch after I win, eh?" Sebastian sneered, speaking English to Yohji now that he knew the playboy understood it. Yohji hated him. He had never outright despised anyone more then the pretty boy standing before him. Even when he had killed all of Aya's old pimps and various attackers, he didn't hate them as much as he did Sebastian. Maybe it was because Yohji had been able to kill those men. When dealing with Europe's biggest shit head, all Yohji could do was fantasize. That might end soon with the way the annoying couple constantly pushed him.

He wanted to kill them so badly. The murderer in him called for it. Yohji wanted to wrap his wire around both of their necks and merely flick a finger. That would end everything nice and easy with a big ass ribbon on top. He looked into his double victims eyes, grinning maliciously at the thought of their future deaths. He wanted to kill them so bad he had a sick taste in his mouth. Yohji could do it so quickly, so easily. His hand slipped down his other arm silently, inconspicuously to Aya-chan and Sebastian's large, innocent eyes. They looked like lambs, completely helpless. They were living only by the grace of how much time it took to get the wire out. It had been too long since Yohji had seen blood. He missed the bright red spray that flew off from a fresh kill. It was his secret obsession to see that incredible color bleed out all the life and sin of another person. Maybe that was why he was so attracted to Aya and his flaming red hair. It wasn't exactly the color of blood, but close enough to be a fine substitute.

He suddenly wanted to screw Aya as hard and furious as he could manage, but thankfully the man was upstairs right now. Sometimes Yohji got these desires, usually. The desire to kill and fuck was making his nostrils flare. He had to make the decision now of how fast he could murder Aya-chan and Sebastian. If he got one order of business done, he would be able to concentrate better on the other. Like finding Aya and making love so hard that the redhead wouldn't be able to sit for a week.

"Oh, Aya-chan! Sebastian-kun! I thought you two were going to finish off the last of your shopping today," Omi greeted the two as he walked into the kitchen. Yohji guiltily snapped his hand away from his watch. Omi and Ken always had the worst timing. It was like they had a skill for it. Oh, well. He might get another chance later to kill Sebastian, who shook his head at Omi's question, Aya-chan and him for once managing to keep from shopping for 'souvenirs' for England. First, he would have to deal with the company Omi and Ken had brought in with them, trailing behind in a searching and suspicious manner.

It was two policemen, both of them looking very muscular and fit in the clean, pressed black uniforms with badges shining brightly in clear sight. Why did Omi invite these people in and not even ask for a warrant? One was slightly taller and older looking than the other, with grey peppering his hair that was neatly slicked back. The older officer had on a pair of silver sunglasses that were so large Yohji could see his face in them across the room. The man in extremely good shape for his age had a sour expression on his face as he surveyed the kitchen without apologizing for his unexpected presence. Yohji recognized the man as the kind of cop who loved to ruin other people's lives because he was so miserable with his own.

The other officer was obviously a rookie. He was young and fresh, still beaming with the ideal that after graduating whatever piss-ant nationalist academy he came from he would make some changes in the world. How little the kid really knew. Law enforcement meant dealing with the shit leftover from society and never getting any appreciation beyond being ridiculed quietly as soon as they passed by. It wouldn't take long for this kid to get as jaded as his grim partner.

"Oh, we were just about to leave, but Yohji here started talking and we couldn't get him to stop!" Aya-chan laughed, looping an arm easily through one of Sebastian's as they both smiled at the offices in a fake apology. Sebastian patted Aya-chan's hand and smirked at them like the useless trophy boyfriend he was. Aya-chan was playing the poor bastard like a fiddle with the way she had him wrapped around her little finger and he still thought he was in control. Yohji didn't feel sorry for Sebastian. The little prick deserved every bit of pain and discomfort that came his way.

"Nobody is leaving," the older officer stated as he pulled his sunglasses off dramatically, like a cop of one of those law enforcement TV shows Ken liked so much. The man had probably seen too many American cop movies as he regarded them all with hard, sharp black eyes hardened by years of employment. It was nowhere near the literal wall Aya could put up with his eyes.

"I've got some questions to ask all of you," he asked in a serious manner that set Yohji's blood cold despite trying to seem like he wasn't affected. He thought they had already sealed the case about the car! Why did it have to be brought up again? Yohji didn't like it at all. Were they going to arrest him? Yohji didn't scare so much beyond the fact that Aya-chan would be there to watch. He didn't want her to see him get cuffed. Aya-chan would get too much enjoyment out of it.

"What? You can't keep us here. Let's see your warrant," Aya-chan demanded smartly, not about to be kept from shopping. Sebastian leaned toward her ear, hissing at her to translate what was going on. The older policeman's eyes narrowed at the foreigner in the kitchen, distaste not even hidden. Oh, shit. The hard-ass cop was probably someone who didn't believe in allowing people to come into Japan from other countries. It was incredible but some backwater assholes like this one still existed in today's age, and they got to wear a badge. It was just their fucking luck to get him as a cop.

"I don't need any warrant. I'm asking the questions here, so just speak when spoken too. Do. You. Understand?" the officer snapped like a drill sergeant right in Aya-chan's scared and quickly paling face as she shrunk back against Sebastian. He stared at the older policeman in bewilderment, not comprehending the words but recognizing the irritation in the cop's face. Even Sebastian looked a little frightened and he didn't shave a clue as to what was going on. Yohji smiled at Aya-chan as she stared at the cop in shock over his rudeness, gaining a small amount of satisfaction from it all. He could have kissed the typical bad-guy cop for scaring the two of them.

Ken and Omi looked startled as well, quite shaken that a police officer would be so curt with a cute girl like Aya-chan. This was just first impressions. The officer wasn't going to get to know the bitch underneath the act and didn't think to look deeper past that innocent smile. Aya-chan was confident that she had done nothing wrong so there was not reason to be scared, unlike the rest of them who were wise enough to not even flinch wrong. Aya wasn't moving around upstairs either, probably trying to hide his presence from the guests that he didn't even know were police.

"Well," the younger cop coughed politely into the silence the gruff older policeman had made, adjusting his own well-starched and clean shirt. "I'm Officer Mori, and this is Lieutenant Samura," he introduced, pointing first to himself and then to the older cop. He dug out a small notepad and pen from his pockets, eager to take notes and be a good cop while Samura put his huge glasses into an expensive-looking protective case. It was almost as bad as Aya-chan.

"We get a Lieutenant? Well, officers, I wonder what could make this visit so important?" Yohji drawled, lazily blowing several perfect circles with his cigarette smoke in a row. Samara's eyes narrowed at Yohji's impertinence and unaffected demeanor while he continued to smoke in front of the policeman without a care. Yohji couldn't give a rat's ass for both of these officers should both know it by now. He had better things to do, like seeing if Aya was bawling his head off upstairs. Ken shook his head behind the officers backs, trying to tell Yohji to shut the hell up without saying a word.

"Yohji-kun! Shh!" Omi admonished, raising a finger to his lips as he tried to shush Yohji in vain. Mori laughed slightly at the boy's distraught face, unable to resist the 'Omi charm' as Ken called it before Samura shot a pointed glare at him. Immediately the younger man was silent, looking down carefully at his empty notepad. This was definitely not an equal partnership. The older man was the leader of the two, probably been teamed up with the younger cadet out of some incredible blind sight by the powers that be.

"This is a serious matter and I would appreciate it if you would treat it as such!" Samura snapped at Yohji's comment. Aya-chan needed no instruction to quietly take the empty chairs at the kitchen table, grabbing Sebastian's wrist and whispering to him in English. The two of them obviously didn't wish to be yelled at again and Aya-chan was trying to get Sebastian to sit down and shut up so there would be no further problems. Omi and Ken followed behind the couple to sit at the table, occupying all four seats at the table while Yohji leaned against the counter and the officers stayed standing to question them all. That was just fine with Yohji, who would prefer to keep his head above these numbskull officers even if it was by natural height alone.

"Now then, if Lieutenant Samura is finished, I'd like to address the reason for our visit," Mori said out loud, looking at them all for an equal amount of time in a respectful manner. It was like he was fresh off the lesson course for the humanitarian police approach. Even his older partner groaned at the rookie's courteous manner, looking up to the ceiling for divine help. Yohji absently took another drag and blew out more circles with his smoke, wishing the man would just hurry the fuck up. Aya was upstairs, up to Lord knew what. Yohji should go up and check on him, just to make sure the redhead wasn't slitting his wrists out of embarrassment that Omi and Ken had seen him crying. Aya had a tendency to be dumb like that.

"You see, we received some calls and were alerted to the fact there was a somewhat violent situation," the officer paused, waiting for them to fill in the details. The silence was deafening, punctuated only by the sink dripping once every second into an empty sink. Aya must have cleaned all the dishes. Aya-chan's eyes got wide as saucers while Sebastian inattentively rubbed at the bandage on his cheek. Yohji hoped it would scar that pretty face of his. Ken and Omi only nodded like students waiting to be reminded of the lesson while Lieutenant Samura growled like a watchdog barely held in check. Yohji felt like he was in danger of being mauled over the interrogation while that over-grown, over-aged asshole that had entered their house. Yohji would scream his personal rights to high heaven and sue the shit of these two if they tried to even sneeze. He was in no mood to be pushed around right now.'s

"Actually, we were waiting for you to report the incident, but since we got no phone calls from the store, the station decided to send someone down and check things out," Officer Mori laughed alone in the room at how long it had taken for them to pay a visit. The police must have gotten phone calls about the shooting that had happened only days ago. It seemed so much longer to Yohji's numbed brain. Ken and Omi stared blankly at the officer, neither coming with some miraculously clever fast talk. They looked stunned that it had even been brought up. One word came to Yohji's mind: screwed.

"Would you all identify yourselves?" Lieutenant Samura asked shortly, a man of obviously small patience and already at his limit with Yohji smoking. Everyone blinked and looked around the room at each other, asking the same question silently. Who would come up with a story? What lies could they spin with Aya-chan and Sebastian as witnesses? How could they keep Aya out of this? Yohji found his mind on big blank board, nothing coming up to tell the police. He needed Aya-chan and Sebastian gone so he could finally get some time just to think.

"I'm Omi Tsukiyono," Omi introduced himself merrily despite all the drama, buying some time for Ken and Yohji to cook up something. The boy's face was lighting up like a goddamn light bulb, so warm and welcoming to the complete strangers that were questioning them in their own kitchen. Omi was always at his happiest when he met new people, even if it was the police. Yohji furiously sucked down the last of his cigarette, trying to think of an alibi as quick as possible. Why would someone fire a gun? He could say it was an argument over the price of gardenias that turned ugly. Somehow Yohji didn't picture Lieutenant Samura swallowing that one whole.

"Ken Hidaka," Ken said with as much relish as someone being burned at the stake, not wanting to get involved. Ken had enough with the police and media from that entire racket after the drug setup in the J-League. Yohji had heard about the name Hidaka before the man even joined the team from the newspapers and magazines at the checkout stands in grocery stores. Ken started a strong glaring match with Lieutenant Samura, both men growling and bearing canines like wild dogs. Yohji didn't even give a shit as he ashed the cigarette in a fresh coffee mug he pulled out of the cabinets despite Omi jumping up and yelling 'no!'

"Sit down! I don't want to have any more disruptions or else I'll arrest you all and question you at the station," Lieutenant Samura roared, short on his temper. The threat was an empty one and Yohji only shrugged in the reddening face of the officer as he pulled out another cigarette from the pack left out on the counter. Ken, Omi, Aya-chan, and Sebastian glared at him, all of them accusing Yohji wither their eyes of trying to cause trouble with the cops. He was having a smoke in his own fucking home! What was everyone's problem these days?

"And you are?" Samura sneered, sensing a punk with serious disrespect for authority. Yohji should have offered a man a smoke for finally realizing it. Yohji had been stared down at before by people who thought they were better than him, and this policeman's gaze was no different. To show just how much he cared, Yohji pulled out his trusty Zippo and lit the cigarette up. He hated the cops for ruining every good party he had ever been at. All Yohji wanted right now was for this to speed the hell up. He wanted to excuse himself to run upstairs, hold Aya and promise that everything was all right. He desperate wished to comfort Aya and say anything it took to stop his crying, making up lies that could sometimes even coax a slight grin out of the redhead.

"Yohji Kudoh. Pleased to meet you," Yohji grinned as he introduced himself and winked at Mori. The younger officer blinked at the strange eye contact before looking away and blushing lightly, much to Yohji's surprise. There was a definite innocence and naivete about this man that could be exploited to no ends. Officer Mori may be their ticket to getting out of this whole mess, if Yohji could bring him over to their side. Mori seemed like he would be sympathetic to them, if they could get Omi to milk the story enough. It would be a lost cause to appeal to Lieutenant Samura, who was definitely not the warmest, most understanding guy in the world.

"Oh. Yohji Kudoh. Lisa told us something about you," Lieutenant Samura said mysteriously with a slight smirk on his face. Yohji stared at the man blankly while the pieces of his memory clicked into place. Lisa... Lisa... Of course! Lisa! Lisa the dispatch girl Yohji had met at a dance club a few months ago when he had still been going out to party. She had been a deliciously young, long-haired blonde exotic American beauty that had transferred departments to Japan from some police station in the states. Yohji had been more then willing to show her a few things about his native country, like some romantic tour traps and a nice little bar as well as a few new things in bed from Japan.

"Oh, Lisa! What did the lovely dear have to say?" Yohji asked, grinning even wider like the tomcat he was now that he knew whom they were talking about. She was no doubt desperate to hear from him after the night they had. He expected some kind of dinner invitation or a phone number. Lisa must have heard the flower shop's name over the radio lines and turned these two into her messengers to him for her. Of course, Yohji would have to politely decline her offer. He had Aya now but he would miss Lisa's spectacular thighs. It was hard to go steady.

"She told us to book you with anything we could find, from minors to marijuana," Lieutenant Samura smiled as Yohji's face fell. Even Ken barely managed to muffle his snort, trying to hide his laughter from the cops as Officer Mori looked back at him curiously. Omi smiled in apology and glared at Ken, trying to get him to be quiet while Aya-chan raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation to this all. Sebastian didn't even matter enough to look at.

"She also did some homework and found that you had also been recently involved in a car theft. Do you know what your position is right now, Mr. Kudoh?" Lieutenant Samura threatened needlessly, throwing around his weight as an officer for no good reason. Yohji hated him even more now. It hurt that Lisa would be so bitter over one fantastic night. Why did some people get so upset when love was fleeting? Yohji had made it clear there were no longer term plans and had never even regretted it before he met Aya. The stupid girl should have figured that he would leave her sooner or later. Yohji was too fucking good for that sweet-mouthed little snake.

"Oh, Yohji, sounds like another great relationship of yours has ended," Aya-chan crooned in a mocking sympathy, her eyes hard as she silently laughed at his expense. The cruel smile was just as powerful as her brother's glares, Aya-chan insinuating much more with her words than anyone could take from them. She wanted Yohji to know that she thought him unfit for her brother, too loose and uninhibited for a respectable man like Aya. What did she know, when she didn't even have a clue to how much work and love Yohji gave to Aya? The man was above their heads, crying somewhere, and they were sitting in the kitchen bickering. Yohji hated her.

"Great job you do with the ladies, mate. No wonder you turned to little fags like Ran," Sebastian said loudly in English as he crossed one leg over the other underneath the table, looking incredibly bored with a messy nest of curly hair on his head. The officers stared, not comprehending his English as Aya-chan hissed and punched her boyfriend soundly in the arm for being so rude. So even Aya-chan wouldn't allow her boyfriend to slander her brother. Those family ties were a little firmer then Yohji had thought they were nowadays, but that still didn't stop him from clenching his teeth around his cigarette. Why was she only punching him? Sebastian should be kicked out into the street, hopefully in front of a speeding car as well.

Yohji grabbed the front of Sebastian's overly tight shirt and dragged the man out of his seat, sending the chair onto its back before Aya-chan could even start to scream. Ken yelled, trying to stop Yohji, but it was far too late. Sebastian should have thought about the consequences of his words before opening up his mouth. Yohji let his fist fly and felt the satisfying crack of his knuckles on Sebastian's one unmarked cheek. The man flew backwards into the cabinets underneath the sink with a grunt as Omi jumped up to yell at Yohji to stop. Yohji brushed his thumb with his nose, glad to finally let go like this. Maybe he should just beat Sebastian to death right now in front of the police.

Sebastian landed heavily in a pile of limbs with Aya-chan screaming in Yohji's ear for hitting her boyfriend. Yohji felt pleasure from blood welling up in the split skin and bruising raising up on the clean side of Sebastian's face, opposite of the punch Ken had delivered. Lieutenant Samura roared at Yohji for physically attacking another person, red in the face with no clue to what Sebastian had said about Aya in English. The policemen hadn't understood enough of what Sebastian spewed out to hurt other people. Samura didn't know that Sebastian was a guest that everyone could hardly wait to get rid of. If he had tried to be nice and hospitable to the two people in his own house when they insulted his lover, regardless of what sex they were, Yohji was sure Samura would have let fly as well.

Aya-chan ran over to her boyfriend's side to help him up from the floor and get Sebastian sitting upright again. She flickered her eyes back to Yohji once, throwing his hair back with an angry toss of her head so she could give Yohji a hate-filled glare. He had managed to make her hate him even more now, not just for stealing her brother away but now attacking her new boyfriend. Sebastian he shook off Aya-chan's worried hands to stagger up and wipe at his cheek experimentally. Sebastian glared at Yohji, panting hard, livid with anger from being hit. Yohji didn't expect the man to be able to stand, judging from the way he had taken all the other punches.

Oh, Jesus Christ and anything that was mother fucking holy. Yohji had finally managed to push Sebastian past his limits and really make the man mad. Ken had punched Sebastian before, but he hadn't been conscious to be angry with the brunette afterwards. Now Sebastian looked fit to kill, his pasty white skin flushing red in anger. He was insulted because Yohji had treated him the exact same way Sebastian treated everyone else, doing everything short of actually pissing on them.

"I slipped," Yohji excused his punch to the enraged boyfriend. He smirked as widely as any criminal had smiled before and without missing a beat he took another long drag from his cigarette. Beyond having yet to deal with Aya's emotional meltdown, today was looking up to be a damn fine day. At least he had finally gotten a chance to deck Sebastian.

"If you slip one more time," Lieutenant Samura hissed coldly, obviously not believing the lie Yohji had come up with more then anyone else. "I'll make sure that you land right inside a nice and cozy jail cell," he threatened, leaning forward into Yohji's personal space. He stared evenly right back at the officer, not about to back down. Lieutenant Samura reached up and pinched the remaining cigarette so hard that tobacco and the other important chemicals fell out onto the kitchen floor.

"You all may sit down!" Lieutenant Samura ordered them like they were his own personal military. Yohji blew the rest of the smoke he had from his last drag exactly into Lieutenant Samura's face and open mouth. The officer glared silent at Yohji as Aya-chan helped Sebastian back to his chair.

"Now, your name," Officer Mori asked Sebastian in his mutilated English with an accent so strong Yohji could barely understand the man. Sebastian looked up from pressing the edges of his fresh split cheek and at the policeman in a bit of confusion. Aya-chan handed Sebastian a folded paper napkin to hold against his cheek. She whispered something into his ear that made Sebastian smile and nod. It was amazing how such bitter and hateful people could love each other so much.

"Sebastian Andrieu," he answered, obviously expecting his name to be recognized. Unfortunately for the simple minded little model, most Japanese policemen didn't give a shit about hot shot European assholes. Mori nodded and wrote down the name, glancing over at Aya-chan next. The smile on his face grew as she blinked innocently and blushed lightly at him. Ugh. Yohji thought he might be sick from Aya-chan's false cuteness.

"Aya Fujimiya," she told them with a wink and toss of her hair. To Yohji's surprise, Mori didn't blush like he had at his introduction. Even Yohji had to admit that Aya-chan's flirting should have been a hit. Instead, the officer's face fell as he wrote down her name. Lieutenant Samura looked at Aya-chan in a bit of curiosity, but not the worry Officer Mori was showing her.

"How are you doing? Are you managing to handle it?" Officer Mori asked in serious concern as he looked at Aya-chan in sympathy. The rest of them looked at Officer Mori like he was crazy. Well, everyone except Sebastian who didn't even understand 'hai' but could call Yohji a motherfucker in Japanese. Yohji hated him, the two officers in their house, and above all he hated Aya-chan.

"I'm fine. Thank you. What do you mean, 'handling it?' What are you talking about?" Aya-chan asked in a high, confused voice. Officer Mori and Lieutenant Samura looked at each other with puzzled looks on their faces. Ken and Omi were silent as they waited for an explanation, both of them not ready to stick their heads out incase they got bitten off again. Sebastian smiled even though he had a napkin pressed to his face, thinking that Aya-chan had said something real smart or eloquent by everyone's expressions.

"So, you weren't sexually approached by a man yesterday?" Officer Mori asked slowly as Aya-chan's mouth dropped open like a bomb had been dropped on top of her head. Ken and Omi were completely frozen as they stared at officer Mori in astonishment. Then the two of them began to laugh, howling at the idea of someone else in the world desiring Aya-chan beyond Sebastian.

"What?! No! Of course not! I would never! I... I can't believe you asked that!" Aya-chan screamed over Ken and Omi's giggling, offended that the police had even suggested it. Aya-chan glared hard at the officers, all friendless and courtesy gone like it had never been. It was like they had been accusing her of being loose in her choice of sexual partners. Yohji didn't know why she found it so offensive when her older brother had gone through it hundreds of times.

Yohji could understand the officer's confusion though. After all, Aya-chan was the only female in the house. Sexual attacks only happened to women. That was the way the world worked Except for Aya. Aya was male, but that hadn't kept him from being raped. His gender had done nothing to stop the attackers. If anything, it made everything worse for Aya. Aya felt shame for allowing it to happen to him, because he was a man and should have been able to fight back. That guilt he carried made no sense, but it didn't stop Aya from getting torn up inside. This whole thing might still prove to be something the man couldn't handle. If only he would let someone get close again. Someone like a pathetic former playboy who was completely obsessed over the redheaded basket case.

"Well, we received reports from several witnesses that a man fired gunshots in your store and... ahem," Officer Mori paused to clear his throat, coughing and looking down at the floor. "Well, that... An employee was sexually assaulted."

He might as well of announced that they all were going to die from the silence that fell upon the kitchen table. Even Ken and Omi shut up for once, abruptly stopping their laughter and falling into a stunned, guilty silence as they remembered. There would be no quick ideas from these two about how to explain it. Aya-chan's mouth was still gaping open as if she was trying to catch all the bugs in the air. Sebastian hissed as he pulled away the bloody napkin, checking the paper to see if the bleeding had stopped yet.

"Was it Ran? Tell me it wasn't Ran," Aya-chan demanded of them, her eyes ablaze with anger. She was not a happy sister, looking fit to kill them all. Yohji almost automatically took a step back in self-preservation. Lieutenant Samura's eyes narrowed as he heard a new name and saw no one there to claim it. Even the dumbest, most prejudiced cop could pick up on details like that.

"And just who is this Ran?" Lieutenant Samura asked eagerly though his stoic expression didn't change one bit. Yohji wished for what must have been the hundredth time that feral dogs would burst through the door to tear Aya-chan limb from limb. Aya's real name didn't even need to be thought about in front of these men. Aya didn't need questioning right now. He shouldn't even be alive as far as these men should know and here Aya-chan was telling anyone who asked that she had a traumatized older brother.

"Ran? He's my brother," Aya-chan exclaimed like they should know this obvious fact. Yohji wished he still had his cigarette because he would like to put it out on Aya-chan's forehead. A nice big burn mark might help her improve her looks and teach her to shut her big mouth sometime. Sebastian yawned as he continued to nurse his face, bored.

"He's my lover!" Omi suddenly cried out. All eyes snapped to Omi in surprise as the boy stared right back. Yohji blinked, so shocked at the claim he wondered if it might be true. Omi had been very attentive and patient with Aya as they nursed him back to health. At times, Omi had been the only person who could stand Aya long enough to care for him.

"What? Omi, what are you talking about?" Aya-chan questioned, one eyebrow raised in doubt. Despite her unruffled expression, Yohji could tell there was fear in her eyes. Aya-chan most certainly did not want this to be true. Yohji didn't think she'd be able to handle her brother having not only one but two gay lovers. She had barely accepted Yohji and Aya's relationship, but that didn't mean she liked it.

"Aya... I mean, Ran-kun and I... Well, you know," Omi trailed off flirtatiously, grinning in faked embarrassment and ducking his head. Lieutenant Samura's eyes got wide, but that was all the reaction he gave. It was probably the most his face had moved in years, Yohji mused darkly. Officer Mori was silent as he thought about Omi's words before realization finally hit and his eyes got large as saucers. Another blush blossomed across his cheeks as he gaped at Omi in a new light.

"So, 'Ran' and you are an established couple?" Officer Mori stammered as he licked his lips. Ken wasn't saying anything as he pressed his left set of knuckles against his mouth. His eyes were closed and the soccer player looked like he might actually be in pain with the way his brow was set. Yohji knew Ken was trying very hard not to laugh out loud. He would give the man points for trying to keep the giggles in, but he had lost so many earlier that Ken might never gain it back.

"Well, I'd say so! You can't really get more established than... heh," Omi giggled, pausing until he was sure he had everyone's undivided attention. "We're lovers. Of course we're established," Omi laughed as he slapped his hands on the table in amusement. Officer Mori blanched at the thought of two men having sex while Lieutenant Samura might be on the verge of arresting them all just to not hear anymore. It seemed the acceptance of homosexuals wasn't as widespread as Yohji liked to think it was.

"So, then, would you care to explain what happened the day before yesterday at Kitten In the House?" Officer Mori made the store name into a question. Yohji never did like the name, thinking it was a little much for four guys working in a flower shop. Nobody that visited them for floral business had a clue about their mission names, so the whole cute inside joke was one big fucking mistake when Yohji tried to explain it to girls.

"Oh!" Omi's face lit up like he had won a prize on a game show. "Yesterday was awful! Didn't you have a bad day yesterday?" Omi asked Officer Mori, his gaze intently fixed on the man's still blushing face. Yohji had to admit that Omi had a certain social flare that allowed him to patch up any conversation. When the boy was in a good mood, he could talk circles around the best of them. It looked like today was an extremely fine day for the boy.

"No, it was alright," Officer Mori answered. Omi nodded and put his chin on his palm as he propped his elbow up on the table, all ears like he even gave a damn if this man was to live or die. He was a complete stranger and Omi was paying attention to the cop like he was an estranged son. That was a part of Omi's appeal, Yohji supposed. If nothing else, Omi was genuinely kind to all people, no matter who they were or where they came from.

"Mori! This is a questioning, not a luncheon!" Lieutenant Samura snapped, reminding the officer of his duty. Mori shook himself out of Omi's spell of friendship, looking at the other people in the room like he didn't even know they were still there. He coughed and flipped through the pages of his small notebook like it would help him regain his composure.

"Omi, when did you and Ran... What's going on?" Aya-chan moaned, raising a hand to her head as she stared forward blindly. She was obviously at a loss, believing in Omi's little ruse. Sebastian gamely patted her shoulder, not sure how he should comfort her. It wasn't like he even knew what was going on, the dumb prick.

"Please, tell us what happened," Officer Mori asked very nicely. Lieutenant Samura looked down at his fellow officer, his eyes narrowing in distaste at the man's politeness. The Lieutenant probably thought that being a policeman made him some kind of god that put him above common courtesy. It made Yohji's jaw clench as he tried not to say anything that he wanted to out loud. No need to get arrested again.

"Well, what happened the day before yesterday... right?" Omi questioned, his eyes darting around the room as he tried to cook up some story. Lieutenant Samura tapped one finger against his crossed arms, not waiting very patiently for Omi to speak. Ken was starting to shake, trying to remain quiet so he wouldn't ruin the boy's show.

"Um... It's kind of embarrassing, you know?" Omi asked, still trying to buy time so he could think of a story. Lieutenant Samura shook his head while Officer Mori held his pen poised above the notepad, ready to record Omi's account. Samura probably never even thought about two men being in love unless it was to slander. He looked like a bigot, through and through.

"Continue," Lieutenant Samura ordered, shooting a look over at Yohji like he could read the blonde's thought. It wasn't like Yohji had been making a great effort to hide his distaste of the man either. Omi glanced to Yohji as well, looking a bit pale but still smiling even though he was on the hot seat.

"Ran was the one attacked," Ken butted in, no doubt trying to save Omi from Lieutenant Samura's interrogation. Omi didn't deserve to get questioned by those two jerks all by himself. Yohji groaned at Aya-chan's whitening face as she said nothing, practically hunched over the table waiting for Ken to say more. Yohji shot him a glare and Ken clamped his mouth shut, choking on saying too much yet again. Hopefully the cops would think that he was very upset about remembering the incident.

"By Omi's ex-boyfriend," Ken finished lamely, still running at the mouth. Everyone stared at him, Omi not looking pleased with this new story. Lieutenant Samura turned his attention back onto Yohji, since the playboy seemed to be the one who would be talking the most about the incident. Officer Mori turned back to Omi, who had already switched his angry face for a beaming smile.

"Yes, that's right," Omi agreed like one might affirm that it was indeed Wednesday. Lieutenant Samura glanced back at Omi, sending him a disdainful look. However much Omi had impressed them before by being such a nice host didn't matter now that he was assuredly gay. Samura sniffed at Omi's cheerful manner and looked back at Yohji, staring pointedly at the jeans low on his hips and the tight, sleek black muscle t-shirt.

Yohji took pride in the fact that he looked damn good and was as charming as any sin. To have this man look down on his taste in clothes was almost more then he could take. He was dressed up to look good because he did, and this fool in a uniform shouldn't even be looking at him like that.

"I need to turn off some lights upstairs. You can hear the rest from Omi. Will you excuse me, Lieutenant?" Yohji made the last part breathy and invitingly. He looked at Samura from behind the fall of his hair and winked suggestively. Lieutenant Samura blanched and nodded, not looking at all comfortable with having a gay man even pretend to be seducing him. Like the prick was even his type. Yohji liked redheads, not pencil dick police officers.

"Yohji-kun, will you check on the kitten upstairs also?" Omi asked, obviously meaning Aya. So, the boy was just as concerned about Aya as he was. Ken punched himself in the leg next to Omi, trying to keep himself from laughing still. Yohji nodded, heading toward the stairs eagerly. He wanted to make sure Aya was all right, especially after that little outburst before.

"You have a kitten? When did you get that?" Aya-chan screeched as Yohji climbed up the stairs. The blonde grinned, glad that he had gotten out of the kitchen. At least he wouldn't have to deal with Aya-chan and Sebastian. And those goddamn cops. Whenever the authorities came, be it the police or doctors, they were always nothing but bad news.

AUTHOR's NOTE: Totally NO construction knowledge beyond making hasty repairs to things so no one will know it's broken. Did everyone mail rice to Bush? I don't want to go to war with Iraq. Hopefully, he won't get reelected. I can't believe America, the majority of them are SOOOOO stupid(except anyone reading this, then you've gotta have some kick-ass taste and intelligence!). For anyone following up on my health, I got bronchitis once AGAIN!!! Except now it triggered asthma as well. I'm so frustrated and I feel like a damn hallmark special, because 'I won't let asthma ruin my life' and keep running every morning, with as LEAST an hour of dance dance revolution!! Heavy mode sucks major titty_ If you haven't already, watch M. Butterfly the movie (it had Jeremy Irons in itY weird), I swear to God you won't be disappointed___ And crappity-doo, my computer had a brain fart and I lost all these basic programs like word and paint, so none of the files really transferred right and I have to go through and fix... EVERYTHING!!!

>-< WAAAHHHH! At least finals are almost over!