TITLE: Gambling My Freedom Away

CHAPTER: Two

BY: Simply Kim

GENRE: Yaoi (Angst/Humor/AU)

CAST: Guys from Weiß and Schwarz... Oh yeah, and maybe the Crashers too if needed... heh, I really don't know...

DISCLAIMERS: The series I'm referring to do not belong to me… ^_^ only the weird story does.

CHAPTER 2: LOSING MYSELF

Youji was trying not to spook himself as he rested in his rocking chair in the veranda. He had just watched a horror flick with his brother, Omi, and wasn't quite ready to admit that he peed in his pants the moment the lady monster popped out from under the blankets she and the protagonist had shared for a steamy night. The thought of that happening in his past conquests in a middle of a hot fucking session gave him chills - right to the marrow of his blessed bones.

He got up, his mind again on overdrive, and was about to step inside his room when he heard something slithering in the gardens a story below.

A shiver went up his spine.

What in seven hells was that?

Slowly, he peered over the veranda's protective blocks, trying to gauge the size of whatever it was that was making the disturbing noise. He had to make sure what it was before he suffers from lack of sleep after hallucinating about flying spirits (just like in the movie) shrieking their woes around him. Then, without warning, a pale face shot out from the bushes, a bleary defeated look aimed directly at him.

"EEYAGH!" He shrieked, sounding much like a frightened little girl. He ran around in circles the minute he shut the glass doors of his room behind him. The fact that the doors were made of glass did not do well in comforting him. He panicked, his eyes trying not to linger at the darkness visible beyond the veranda. His shrieks made Omi, who was in the other side of the hallway, race toward his room in alarm.

"Youji-niichan!" He exclaimed, taking in the disheveled and shaking figure of his older brother. "What happened? Are you alright?"

Youji could not speak. Shaking like a leaf, he pointed to where he saw what he presumed was a monster.

Frowning, he carefully moved towards the window and peeked, his blue eyes trying to make out the vision that contributed to his brother's horrified face.

He blinked.

And blinked again.

"Ah, niichan?" He gazed perplexedly back at the terror-stricken Youji. "It's Ran-kun"

Youji's eyes widened, then, he let out an agonized wail that rivaled the clash of an overpowering thunder. "NOOOOOOO! Ran's DEAD!"

* * *

"I'm going to kill you Youji..." Schuldig grumbled as he held an ice pack on his forehead. "I'm SO going to kill you..."

"Really Youji-niichan, you're a grown guy and you still believe in ghosts more than I do!" Omi piped up, tucking his brother safely to bed. "I knew I shouldn't have let you watch the movie with me."

"I'm not afraid of ghosts!" The older blonde protested, clawing at the blanket being tucked under his chin.

"Yeah, tell that to someone who didn't see the trick you pulled a while ago." Schuldig retorted, throwing him a pillow in irritation. "You scared the shit out of my fuck-buddy."

"Oi, watch your words, we have a minor here." Youji glared at him. "And, for the second time, I'm NOT afraid of ghosts!"

"Oh, my poor ears..." Omi whined in mock vulnerability. "My poor, innocent ears..."

"See what you did?" Youji growled, giving Schuldig a mean stare. "Leave the sexual things outta the conversation when he's around! What are you doing here anyway? With your... your... your PARTNER no less! You're desecrating our home!"

"Oi, you're the one who told me that I could crash here for a few days, or at least after my house's repainted again!" The German glared back at him, ice pack still pressed on his forehead. "If you weren't such a scaredy-cat you would remember that!"

"Hoo-boy." Omi whistled as he pushed Youji down on the bed again. "Will the two of you please stop arguing? Ran-kun's with us!"

He was not paid any attention.

"I'm not a scaredy-cat!" Youji yelled, sitting up in a sudden motion.

"You are a scaredy-cat!" Schuldig yelled back, the ice pack finally falling down on the carpeted floors with an unceremonious thud.

"I'm not!"

"Are too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

Ran groaned, burying his face on his arms that were folded on the back of the chair he was straddling. "I'm going to die and the two of you are arguing on who's the scaredy-fat!"

"Scaredy-CAT." Youji shifted his evil glare at him.

"Cat, fat, whatever!" Ran let out his breath in a loud whoosh as he slumped further. "I'm gonna die!"

"Gomen ne, Ran-kun." Omi conceded, casting a warning glance at the two who were about to start their fight again. "What happened to you? How did the game go?"

Ran's face was the perfect picture of defeat. Youji felt icy shivers up his spine. He hated it when people look at others like that.

"I lost." The redhead moaned, burying his face deeper until his nose was squished on the wooden surface of the chair's back.

"What?" Youji cried out in disbelief. He could not believe what he was hearing. How could Ran lose? He was adept in playing cards! Hell, he even won over him, the 'Master Gambler' a few times when they were practicing months before! Maybe he wasn't such a good gambling teacher after all... "Crawford-san beat you in a game of CARDS?"

"Yes." Came the muffled answer.

"Why did you let that happen?" Schuldig finally found his voice. It was the first time that he had known anyone, under the tutelage of Kudou Youji, fail in winning a game of cards. It was impossible! Maybe the bastard cheated! Maybe...

"Schu-kun, stop that, it wasn't his fault..." Omi chastised gently, minding the depressing stance of his friend. His eyes shifted towards his brother, and widened visibly in alarm as he saw the tall blonde slump down on his bed, his hands gripping the pale green silken sheets. "Youji-niichan, daijoubu?"

Sweat marred the older blonde's brow, his wavy hair falling down his face. His eyes were half-closed. The toll of the fright he had before, coupled with the rise in blood pressure after quarreling with Schuldig as well as the news of Ran's loss wore him down. His heart was aching. It hurt like hell... "Water, onegai..."

"Wait here, I'll get it!" Schuldig ran with impressive speed. In a span of three minutes, he had the water up in Youji's room.

"Here... Yotan, sorry about earlier... I didn't mean to..." He apologized, concern marring his usual smirking features.

The blonde smiled after drinking the water given him. "It's alright. It made me feel alive when I'm quarrelling with someone else other than Omi."

"Hey!" Omi protested indignantly. "What do you mean by that?"

Youji let out a choked laugh. His chest pains were finally easing up. He took a deep breath and gave the German a wan grin. "I'm fine Schu, no need to worry... come to think of it... I never knew you cared." The teasing glint was once again in his emerald eyes. It was probably that glimmer that convinced Schuldig that Youji was indeed alright.

He smiled back; his tensed muscled finally relaxing. "Good."

Ran, who was watching the whole exchange along with Omi. He got up from his seat and plopped down on the edge of Youji's bed. He looked at the others and smiled slightly. "Can I talk to him alone for a while?"

Omi nodded, but Schuldig looked a bit doubtful if it would be fine to leave.

Amethyst met Jade, and a string of understanding passed through.

Schuldig finally nodded and let himself be hauled out by Omi with a calm smile on his face.

Don't worry too much Schu; I will not hurt him anymore.

* * *

Ran gazed in amusement at Youji's blushing face.

"Yotan, why won't you tell him?"

The blonde sighed and met his eyes. "I - I can't."

Ran's pale hand sifted through the tangled strands gently. "Why not?"

Youji smiled weakly, closing his eyes as he felt the comforting warmth of his surrogate brother's "He deserves someone better than I am."

The hand stilled and finally fell away. He wanted to protest from the loss of warmth and he opened his eyes, willing himself to do so. He was about to speak up when he saw the look Ran was giving him. "What -"

The redhead raised a hand, and the blonde actually thought he would strike him. He closed his eyes and shrank away a bit, waiting for the blow to land. There was nothing.

There was nothing but the feel of a comforting hand pressing slightly against the top of his head. The manner was quite condescending, but he did not pay any heed to it. All that mattered to him was the feeling of being protected.

"I know you love him Yotan." Ran said softly. "I've known ever since the last of my family vanished in front of my eyes and you took me under your wing."

"I -"

"I knew even before he became my best friend, I knew even before I finally accepted you and Omi as my only family."

"Ran..." Youji opened his eyes, gazing softly at the smiling face.

"He's such a pain in the ass, but still..." Ran chuckled. "Still, he's got something good inside him. I just know it." He stared into Youji's eyes. "And I know that you know what I'm saying more than anyone, because you were with him longer than I was."

Youji's emerald eyes glazed over in recollection.

<FLASHBACK>

"Oi, gaijin! Get out, or I'll kick your ass straight to heaven! NOW!"Youji growled angrily as he glared at the European businessman looking around in fascination at the displays in his flower shop.

He had his share of rude foreigners, and he had a sudden inkling that this person is no less rude than the others who came before him. It took just one look at the way the person carried himself, and for Youji, it was enough to make him annoyed as hell. He was about to tell the guy off again when said person turned around and looked at him straight in the eye.

All words were stuck in his throat as he took in the other's appearance. Youji had never seen eyes as beautiful as the other's. People wonder about his eyes most of the time, and upon looking at the mirror, he KNEW his emerald eyes made him stand out and look positively delicious, but this one... his eyes were burning Jade. A shade of green he had never seen before on anyone.

Instead of retorting in an obnoxious manner, the foreigner just smiled at him disarmingly. "Hey, Is that your way of treating a first-time customer?"

For the first time, in his life, he could not speak.

<END FLASHBACK>

Youji chuckled at the memory and nodded at his surrogate brother. "You're right." He conceded. "But that doesn't mean that I should say whatever it is that I'm feeling to him. He'll just laugh at me."

Ran's brows furrowed. "Eh? Why? He's not that callous, you know!"

"Hai, but you know that guy... he'll think I'm just goofing off or probably he'll consider it as a payback in my part for all the headaches he gave me for the past eight years."

The redhead chuckled. "Probably... but it doesn't hurt to try."

"No, you're wrong about that Ran... it would end a friendship… a precious friendship." Youji's eyes were somehow lost. He shook his head and grinned weakly at the redhead. "And it would only end in a lot of disappointment and heartbreak."

Silence.

Finally, after a few minutes, the blonde spoke in hushed tones. "So, enough about me... how about you? What happened? Why did you lose?"

Ran sighed. "I failed my family again... present and past." He murmured, hanging his head in shame.

He could feel Youji's eyes boring into his face. "People lose all the time. Maybe he cheated."

"In a way, yes, he did." Purple eyes cowered at the memory. "He made me think he didn't have enough to form a twenty-one by taking more cards and then discarding them. I was such a sucker."

"Don't put yourself down." The older blonde scolded him. "Be like Schuldig, you know, very confident that he will gain the upper hand the next time he and his opponent meet."

"I know, think positive and all that... but it's easier said than done..." Ran sighed again. Giving Youji a pitiful look. "I just have to accept it... I always fail."

"Don't think like that, baka." Youji chastised, swatting him playfully on the head. "Anyway, what was the wager?"

"The winner gets what he wants from the other, no holds barred."

There was something in Ran's tone that stopped Youji from asking another question. Something that bears a semblance of... confusion?

"And what did he get from you?"

* * *

Crawford's eyes glittered as he gazed absently at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He closed his eyes and licked his lips, searching for an aftertaste.

He could still see the beautiful amethyst eyes widening in shock, could still feel the velvet wetness of the lone tear that fell down a pale cheek, could still smell the fragrance of alabaster skin... could still taste the flavor of cherry lips.

Fujimiya Ran.

It was the other's consequence, and he could not say that he, as the winner, did not enjoy administering it, because honestly, he did. He enjoyed himself as he clutched the redhead close.

Slowly, he opened his eyes again, the golden brown orbs glistening mischievously under the cozy lighting fixtures of his private bath.

"I will see you tomorrow, kitten"

* * *

"Uh, Youji... are you sure he's alright?" Schuldig waved a hand in front of the immobile face, his Jade eyes peering into the glazed purple orbs.

"I don't know Schu... he seemed out of it... he answered my question on what Crawford-san wanted of him, you know, the details I gave the two of you a while ago... and then... and then he went catatonic!"

"Lets talk to him about it, maybe he'll snap out of his reverie." Omi rationalized, plopping on the bed beside Ran. "Youji-niichan, you better start."

The older blonde breathed deeply. "So, Ran, you said he kissed you and then told you to meet him same time to play again tomorrow."

"Hai."

The three exchanged surprised looks.

"Erm, so, you're going tomorrow?" Schuldig asked next after clearing his throat.

"Hai."

"Even if he kisses you again?" Omi asked, blushing at the thought. Youji swatted him with a pillow.

"Hai."

"Are you sure?"

"Hai."

"Really sure?"

"Hai."

Schuldig peered at the redhead's eyes suspiciously. "Do you understand what we're asking you?"

"Hai."

"Okay, if you do, then tell me who I am."

"Hai."

Youji slapped a hand on his forehead, groaning inwardly. "Great. Now what are we going to do?"

Silence.

"Hai."

And Omi thought Schuldig and his brother were creepy...

Now, Ran was on his list.

* * * * * * * *

TBC

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A/N: Hey guys, another chapter for all of you! Hope you enjoyed reading it! Reviews everyone! ^_____^

* * *

BRAD: That was it?

AUTHOR: Yes, why?

BRAD: I appeared only once! *Pouts*

AUTHOR: So?

BRAD: *glares* I demand to appear more than once next chapter!

AUTHOR: *glared evilly back* Make me.

BRAD: *Full assassin mode* SHI-NE! *Waves gun in the air*

AUTHOR: AAAAAH! HELP! ANYBODY!

SCHU: Uh, Crawfish, you might not want to do that...

AUTHOR: Schu... my hero! *Huggles*

BRAD: *stops charging and glares at Schuldig* Why?

SCHU: *Tries to break away from author's deadly bear hug* because...

BRAD: <...>

RAN: Because if you kill her, she'll never write a fic about you anymore, coz she's dead, baka gaijin!

BRAD: *eyes widen in realization* Oh, right. Sorry about that...

AUTHOR: Brad, why are you apologizing to him instead of me?

BRAD: <...>

RAN: Simple! Because I'm more beautiful than you are!

AUTHOR: *sniff*

SCHU: *Still trying to break away from author's deadly bear hug* <note to self: never go near Brad, Ran, or the author... they're psychos. >

FARFARELLO: Someone called me?

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