Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Aged to Perfection ❯ Ran's POV ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Same as in previous...

Pairing: Yohji + Aya
Warnings: Shounen-ai, Language, Ran's POV

He never says a word about it. I come in, stay for a few months, and then disappear again. He never asks where I've been or what I was doing. To some, that would come across as uncaring, but not to me.

To me it shows trust.

He knows I'll come back. He knows I will keep coming back. I can't stay away from him. He's still so beautiful and, after all these years, so full of life. He's changed so much since our days back in Weiss.

His brown hair isn't all brown anymore. In the past, he would have dyed it, but not now. Yohji's gotten used to the idea of getting older, I think, and he doesn't worry about his own vanity as much. Little streaks of silver shoot through the shining mass of waves. They glitter in the right light. It makes me smile, not that he's ever seen it.

I've taken to standing by the window, looking outside. He has good taste. The view here is beautiful. I find myself daydreaming there a lot. I imagine that he and I aren't just friends. I imagine that we share more than just living space. I dream that he'll hold me and comfort me and make the past we shared disappear.

Sometimes, he stands with me. Both of us stay quiet, never saying a word. Like now. I came back in this morning, as soon as the winter storm had given me a chance, just so that I could spend the rest of the day basking in his warm presence.

One night, back when we were still killers, we made a promise. We both were drunk, the alcohol being the only thing we had to kill the pain of our injuries, and we were both wounded from a mission. I remember that night clearly, despite the numbing qualities of the strong liquor.

"Aya," he'd started, his voice slurred. "What are ya gonna do when this is over?"

"Dunno," I'd answered. "Mebbe I'll travel."

Yohji had snorted at that. "I don' wanna travel. Mebbe I'll jus' get a nice place in the mountains. I've always wanted something like that… peace and quiet…"

"Sounds good," I'd said. I looked at him, my eyes nearly crossing. "Mebbe I'll come live with you then."

He'd laughed outright. "Oh, wouldn't that be good… You an' me, living together as old guys…" Yohji had stopped laughing then, getting so serious, I'd thought he'd sobered up. "Sure… if we don't have anyone else… why not?"

I didn't even think about my response before giving it. "Fine. When we start gettin' old, we'll keep each other company."

His chuckle was deep, rumbling. "I'll hold you to that, Aya."

A promise kept… and I would have given him so much more if he'd asked. I never let on. How could I? He wasn't interested in keeping a steady relationship back then. I didn't ever fault him for his life after that.

I knew, somehow in the deepest recesses of my heart, that we would end up like this.

It's times like this, though, that I wish I'd said something. I regret that I never told him how much I cared about him. How much I wanted to be held by him. Nothing more than just having his long arms wrapped around me and keeping me warm against my own inner demons.

I break the silence. "Yohji, do you have any regrets?"

He doesn't say anything for a few minutes. I guess he's doing what I've been doing every time I stand here. Thinking it over. From the corner of my eye, I see him open his mouth to speak.

"Yeah," he whispers back. "Just one, though. Maybe it was the most important of all."

That puzzles me. I close my eyes and think about it. What could Yohji have regretted that would be so… important to him? My train of thought is derailed as he moves so he's standing behind me. I'm even more startled by his arms coming around me, holding me, bringing our bodies close together. I lean back, my head resting on his shoulder, and close my eyes again. This is… nice.

I bring my hands up and lace our fingers together. This is so… comfortable. I could stand like this all night if he'd let me. Someone sighs, and I'm not sure who. I find myself not caring. This is perfect. A perfect moment of time that no one else will ever see or intrude on.

I turn around, needing to see the look on his face. It's more peaceful than ever. I like that. His green eyes are bright and warm and I can see my reflection in them. So many emotions that he's never really hidden are right there, just below the surface. Longing, love, trust, happiness… it's like he's been wishing he could do this for years.

He makes me feel so much younger with the look in his eyes.

"Yohji," I breath out softly. "Thank you… for keeping the promise." I kick myself because what I really wanted to say, I can't yet.

He smiles and nods his head. "Welcome home, Ran." That drunken promise had made all the difference and, now, when we're starting to turn gray, it's become like wine. Perfect body, perfect heart, perfect soul.

All of it. Him. Me. The promise.

… All aged to perfection.

Mishaela: This is the end. I'm sorry to all those who enjoyed reading my fics. If you wish to keep in contact with me, I can be reached a variety of ways. E-mail at mishaelamk@yahoo.com, AIM: Mishaela, YM: mishaelamk, and ICQ: 117075006. I also have a mailing list... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MYPML/

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