Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ The Hand of Fate ❯ The Hand of Fate ( One-Shot )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

THE HAND OF FATE
A Weiss Kreuz Song fic

Witten by Miyu, Vampire Princess
A Studio X Fanfic




******************************************** **************
One step hesitation, one step into the night
Don't mind the weather, it's raining in my heart tonight
Much more to living, two wrongs don't make a right
You're gonna regret it, when your looking back on your life
**********************************************************


The sun was hidden behind gray clouds all afternoon. One drop, then another
began to fall, marking the ground where it landed. Soon the drops of water
saturated the earth below, drenching everything in its wet embrace. People on
the street began to run for cover, raising their shirts, jackets, newspapers and
magazines over their head for protection. Lightening flashed. Thunder rolled
in the distance, a dull roar against the numbing hum in a young man's ears.

He walked slowly in the pouring rain, not bothering to seek shelter with the
others. The water caressed him, dampening his hair and pasting it to the sides
of his down-turned face. His brown jacket turned black and his denim pants
turned a darker shade of blue. The white sneakers on his feet squeaked as he
walked, the fabric of his socks soaking up as much of the water on the ground as
possible. Aimlessly he stepped forward, not knowing where he was going or why.

Why? It was such a generic question, filled with too many 'what ifs' and 'buts'
that it made his heart heavy. He frowned, pulling his jacket tighter around
him. Would have, should have, could have. The possibilities were endless.

So why did fate choose this one?


******************************************************** **
Don't go away. Make the most of this love I'm giving
Don't go away. Hey take another look at my face
You can be what you wanna be
But don't go away
**********************************************************


The day had been like any other.

"Omi, could you wrap these for me?"

"Kawaii! I'll take one of those, onegai."

"It's always a lucky day when the four of them are working together."

"We're doubly blessed today."

The Kitty in the House Flower Shop was bustling as always. Scores of young
schoolgirls piled into the tiny store everyday, and today was no different.
School had let out early for the winter break, and none of schoolgirls were
willing to go home quite yet. They stood in the shop, gazing at the flower
arrangements and various little decorations, chatting amongst themselves. But
most of their attention was focused on the four young men working there.

Aya rolled his eyes. The tall redhead stood behind the counter, ringing up a
customer. He knew he should've been used to the attention the schoolgirls gave
them, but his tolerance and patience only held out for so long. Why did they
have to hang out there? Wasn't there a perfectly good ice cream shop down the
street?

He forced a half-smile, handing the customer her change. The small, elderly
woman thanked Aya with a smile and carefully picked her way out of the shop with
her new arrangement. The smile faded as he turned his back on the rest of the
shop and finished his work on another arrangement.

Omi managed to stave off three overly excited schoolgirls, wrapping a small
bundle of carnations for one of them. He had to sneak behind Aya to get to the
register, muttering an apology for bumping into the young man. They truly
needed more room to do their work. The arrangements were normally done in the
back, but an over-shipment of goods caused them to use up the space for
inventory.

The girls stared at him all googly-eyed as he rang the purchase. Omi tried his
best not to flush with embarrassment, but a small tint of pink crept to his
cheeks as he handed the bundle to the girl who bought them. She thanked him,
squealing in delight before she and her friends finally left the shop.

Youji, accustomed to the attention (and lavishing in it as always), was busy
placing his completed arrangements in the cooler. Five girls managed to
surround him there, striking up any conversation they could think of. He smiled
politely at them, joining in the chatter from time to time.

He smiled. He laughed. And the girls went nuts. It was an everyday occurrence
at the shop, and Youji was a flirt. Not that he had any intentions of dating
any of the high school girls that stopped by the shop, but there was nothing
wrong with a little harmless teasing, was there?

Ken stood on the opposite side of the shop from Youji, watering a stand of
potted plants near the window. The chatter around him was barely above a
whisper in his ears. He drowned them out, humming a tune in the back of his
mind. His eyes remained focused on the pots in front of him, although sometimes
straying towards the counter. His thoughts consumed with only one thing.

Or rather, someone.


**************************************************** ******
Some dream of fortune, others dream of fame
Seconds after leaving, life will never be the same
Fell for temptation, it didn't mean a thing
We'll last forever if you turn around once again
**********************************************************

"Oy, Ken-kun?"

The young athlete looked up at Omi, unaware of what he had done. "Nani?"

Omi smiled as he walked away from the counter and towards the front of the shop
to resume his sweeping. He nodded to the stand Ken was working on as he passed.
"You aren't trying to drown those poor daisies, are you?"

Ken looked down at the pot he was currently watering. The pot was overflowing
with water, more than the plant could handle. It spilled out of the edge of the
pot in little waterfalls. Ken looked at it in surprise, before realizing what
he had done.

"Oy, gomen nasai!" he shouted, more for the plant than to his fellow coworkers.
He pulled the watering can away from the pot, pouring water on himself and the
floor. He quickly set it aside, frowning at the mess he had made.

"You're clumsier than usual this week, Ken-kun," Youji said with a small smile.
"You feeling all right?"

Ken nodded, the frown still on his face. "I'm just easily distracted is all."

"You should pay more attention," Aya said, his back still facing the others.

Ken blinked then blushed in embarrassment, the thoughts that consumed him
previously returning. He glanced at Aya, a flash of something indescribable
tingeing his brown eyes before placing his gaze on the mess on the floor.

Youji and Omi smiled at each other.

"I'll clean this up," Omi offered, stepping towards the back of the shop to get
the mop.

"The mess can wait."

Above the chatter and hopeless murmurs of the schoolgirls came a distinctly
feminine voice. Omi looked up from where he kneeled on the floor. Youji turned
away from the cooler, a smile on his face. Ken ran a hand through his hair,
still embarrassed by what he'd done. Even Aya turned away from his arrangement
to look towards the front of the shop.

Framed in the doorway was a tall, beautiful red-haired woman. She was dressed
in business attire, appropriate for her job at the police precinct. She smiled
at the boys as she entered the shop, weaving her way through the sea of gathered
schoolgirls with a manila envelope neatly tucked under her arm. To anyone else
she was just a common customer. But to Aya, Youji, Ken and Omi, she was someone
else entirely.

Another life.

"Konnichi wa, Manx-san," Omi greeted with a bright smile.

The fangirls were chased out and old Momoe attended the shop as the boys
retreated to the basement of the shop with Manx. She outlined their next
mission briefly. It was a dangerous one from the looks of it. Two of them would
be required to go undercover. Aya immediately accepted one of the roles.
Without hesitation Ken volunteered for the other, shocking Omi and Youji.


****************************************************** ****
Don't go away. Make the most of this love I'm giving
Don't go away. Hey take another look at my face
You can be what you wanna be
But don't go away
**********************************************************


It should have been routine, the young man told himself. It was routine. The
briefing was the same as always. The information they were given was good. The
four assassins spent a good hour reviewing their mission, memorizing every last
detail. It was a mission like any other.

So why did he feel so strange?

Aya. The older assassin whom he looked up to for so long. Admired for his
strength and courage. The redhead was like a god in most respects to the young
man, something to be revered. But all the while they were being briefed, he
couldn't take his thoughts away from his teammate.

These were not normal thoughts, either. Flashes of pale skin, naked to the
touch. Amethyst eyes that flashed like lightening in wild abandonment. Red
hair as fine as silk caressing cotton pillowcases. No, he told himself, these
were not normal thoughts. But he couldn't hold them at bay. Not anymore.

He just wanted to touch him, hold him. Wanted to show him what is was like to
be loved, and teach him how to love in return. In his mind, Aya glowed in the
darkness, bathed in a golden light. But in reality Aya was a fortress, stony
and cold. Yet the young man could not envision him any other way.

How did one tell a God that they worshipped him?

How could he break through Aya's iron defenses?

He and what army?

There seemed to be no other recourse than to remain where he was. Keep his god
at a distance and continue to watch over him like an angel.

But he could always hope.


******************************************************* ***
Wanna be more than a picture, hanging on the wall
Something to remind me how it all went wrong
Do you wanna be more than a number, guarded in a book
Holding something special
Take another look
**********************************************************


Sunset. Omi climbed into Youji's car and they headed for their destination.
It was an hour's drive, several miles outside the city. The warehouse they were
to stake out was in the middle of a field, seemingly out of sight of anyone
passing by on the street. The car was parked half a mile from the warehouse,
deeply imbedded in the woods. They walked the rest of the way.

Aya and Ken were already at the warehouse. They stood outside, hidden by the
trees, dressed in their gear. Aya sat silently in the branch of a tree while
Ken leaned against the trunk. They'd spent a lot of time together in one week.
They were able to infiltrate the enemy. Had it in good with most of the other
members of the mafia. No one suspected a thing.

Except perhaps that Ken had a crush on his colleague.

They had gone undercover as rogues, two young men trying to start their own
business. Aya had agreed only to stick close to Ken incase of danger. But he
found himself slowly warming up to his teammate. He learned things about the
young man that he'd never learned before, and probably never would. Yet, his
mind was on the job, and he remained oblivious to Ken's affection.

Ken fidgeted under the tree branch where Aya was sitting. He'd been wanting to
say something to the redhead all week. But they'd been so busy, Ken just
couldn't find the right time. All the while those nasty little thoughts played
in his head. It made him smile brielfy. But the smile faded as he heard Aya
whisper.

"They're here."

Everything was going according to plan. Youji and Omi arrived at the appointed
time. They nodded their silent greetings as they approached the tree. There
was no talking, only action. As a team, the infiltrated the compound.

The information on the security system had been correct. Omi hacked into it by
remote, shutting it down quietly. There were only two security officers, one in
the front and one in the back of the building. The four assassins split into
two teams. Youji and Omi would enter from the south entrance, while Aya and Ken
moved in through the west entrance.

Youji and Omi had no problem making it their intended destination. There was
very little resistance, which had been expected. They moved swiftly towards the
center of the building, leaving no office, cubicle and conference room
unchecked. But there was no sign of their target.

Aya entered the west entrance first, followed by Ken. They knew exactly where
they were going in the darkness. The layout of the warehouse was very familiar
to them now. There were a number of rooms they needed to check before heading
towards the storage rooms. Their target remained unfound.

"Youji, this is Aya. We're moving into the storage rooms. Start moving towards
the north face of the building."

"Hai," was the older assassin's curt reply.

The hallway leading from the front offices into the back of the building was
immense. Aya had told Ken to take the point, follow the hallway until it went
no further. They spilt up half way towards their objective. When Ken had
reached a dead end he turned and went back. Knowing full well that he was
supposed to return to the safety point at the north face of the building, Ken
detoured down the hallway Aya had taken.

'Hidaka no baka,' the young man berated himself. 'What could you have possibly
been thinking?!'

Ken caught up to his teammate. Aya had found their target and was positioning
himself to get the jump on him. But what the older man didn't see was the goon
on the catwalk. He had his gun raised, leveled at the redhead. Ken opened his
mouth, but couldn't find the courage to scream. There were five more guards
standing on the floor. He stood little chance of outrunning all of their guns
if he gave away his position.

But in the end, it mattered little.

BANG! BANG!

The gunshots rang in Ken's ears before he finally mustered the courage he needed
just moments before. He darted from his hiding place, ignoring the guards as
they drew their weapons. Oblivious to the gunshots that missed him by mere
millimeters. His focus one just one thing.

The young man falling to the ground just feet away.

"AYA!!!!"


************************************ **********************
You're gonna regret it when your looking back on your life
Don't go away. Make the most of this love I'm giving
Don't go away. Hey take another look at my face
You can be what you wanna be
But don't go away
**********************************************************


Ken continued to walk, the concrete turning into wet grass and mud as he walked
up a hill until he reached the very top. He had not consciously thought to come
here. He had not wanted to come to this place for more than a week now. But
his thoughts and his body had betrayed him.

Perhaps it was for the best.

He had been a recluse for the better half of a week. He didn't even attend the
funeral. Weiss had managed to terminate their target. Ken had seen to that
himself. But it was little comfort, knowing that the one he loved had been
taken in exchange.

Luckily there was no one around because of the rain. It seemed to pour harder
now. Was it trying to punish him? Was he finished punishing himself?

His feet stopped several yards from a fresh mound of soaked dirt. His eyes
immediately began to tear up, fighting the urge to cry. A large stone lay at
the head of the mound. The words carved into the gray stone only served to make
him want to cry more.

Ran Fujimiya
Beloved Brother and Friend
You Shall Be Missed

Ken couldn't fight a sob as it escaped his throat. Pulling his sodden jacket
tighter around him, he allowed a single tear to fall. It mixed with the
pounding rain, falling down his cheek as part of the waterfall yet to come.

'Gomen nasai, Aya. I should've told you.'

'Should've told you what I thought.'

'Should've told you what I felt.'

'Should've told you that I loved you.'

But now it was too late.


******************************************************* ***
Take a look, take a look, take another look on your way
Take a look, take a look, take another look on your way
(Please don't go)
**********************************************************


Ken kneeled, hands braced against the headstone. He allowed himself to cry, to
get it all out of his system. What he should've done days ago...nay WEEKS
ago...finally coming to bear on him. His emotions poured out of him like the
rain pouring down on him. Tears mixed with rain, gliding gracefully down his
cheeks.

"Why did you chose to be an assassin?" Aya had asked him once.

Ken shrugged. "I'm not sure," he had answered honestly. "I want to help
people."

"Even if it means your life?"

"Hai."

"Does your life mean nothing anymore?"

'It hadn't meant all that much until I got to know you, Aya.'

"If you have no wish to live, then you should not be protecting others," Aya had
said. "That is not what our job is all about."

'I wanted to live for you, Aya.'

"No matter what happens, Ken. Do not give up hope."

'I won't give up, Aya. For you, I won't.'

He remained kneeled in front of the headstone until he could cry no longer.
Leaning forward he hugged the gray slab tightly, one cheek pressed to the cold
stone. As he released it, he turned his head, briefly pressing his lips to the
wet headstone. He leaned backward, sitting on his heels. The tears had
subsided even if the rain had not.

Finally he stood. He continued to stare at the grave until his heart could no
longer bare it. Fighting the pouring rain, he turned and left. His footsteps
were heavy in the wet grass and mud. As heavy as his heart.

As he reached the edge of the cemetery he gazed upwards at the sky. The dark
clouds were turning to gray. In the distance the clouds were beginning to thin
out, separate from each other, leaving a small clearing of sky.

Would have, should have, could have.

The hand of fate was a cruel one indeed.

But there was always hope.




~~FIN~~


DISCLAIMER:
I don't own Weiss. They belong to Project Weiss and their associates. No
permission was asked for their use. No money is being made from the production
of his fanfic.

The song "Don't Go Away" is from the album "Cruel Summer" by Ace of Base,
(c)1998 Arista Records Inc.

The Hand of Fate (c) 2001, Miyu, Vampire Princess and Studio X