Saigo no Bansan - Theme Song is: "Crash and Burn"-- Savage Garden
It was Christmastime again at the Koneko no Sumire. which may or may not have been a good thing. This was especially true for Aya and Youji, because both of them had just gone through painful breakups. actually, Youji went through a breakup almost once a month with great regularity, but most of the time it was he who was doing the breaking-up, not the other way around, and he was taking it badly. Aya, on the other hand, was almost the exact opposite as far as breakups went. He almost never had a girlfriend to break up with in the first place, and when he did, it often happened that the girl thought he was too cold, or some such "fault," so she broke up with him. So like I said, it was Christmas again at the Koneko, and both Youji and Aya were off sulking. Omi, being the kind of guy that he is, was decorating the apartments and the shop. Ken was. uhh. *trying* to help, but he just wasn't any good with those things, so he went out to get the groceries for the day. Omi continued acting disgustingly cheerful and humming along with the wacked-out gaijin Christmas music, which he actually seemed to enjoy. Youji was sitting outside in the snow, smoking under the awning that they put up when there was inclement weather, and looking really depressed. No one blamed him. that last girl had really been something special, but still, thought Ken from his vantage point across the road, it was fun to tease Youji-kun. Ken started across the street, juggling paper bags full of food. Youji didn't stir even when Ken made all that racket, where he normally would have been on Ken's case in an instant. Ken clomped up, making a ton more noise than he usually did in an effort to alert the sullen figure that he was coming. Youji barely glanced up.
// Geez // thought Ken. // This guy is so totally immersed in depression, nothing will get him out of it but some serious drinking. then again, I'll bet that in this state Yo-tan turns out to be one of those depressed drunks like Aya. Speaking of Aya, there he was. //
Aya was sitting inside on the comfortable-looking couch, reading a novel. Ken peered more closely at the figure on the other side of the glass, trying to determine the type of book that Aya was reading. Ken leaned closer and closer to the glass, not realizing that Youji had returned from his former spaced-out state of mind, and was staring at Ken like he was doing something really strange.
"Ken?" said Youji, sounding inquiring, but effectively startling Ken enough out of his spying to fall face first against the clean glass.
"whaddayawantanyway, asshole?" Ken muttered somewhat indistinctly from somewhere near the pavement.
"What are you doing?" Youji asked innocently. Ken lifted a feeble finger and gestured towards the book Aya was reading.
Youji, too, leaned towards the glass until his nose was pressed against it, creating a small cloud of mist on the window.
"It would appear that Aya is reading a novel," commentated the taller man while Ken recovered from SD. "It would also appear to be.." At this point, Youji took off his dark glasses in order to see better. ".. it would appear to be.." At this point, Youji squawked loudly and made an undignified and hasty retreat from the window. Ken looked very interested in what his co- worker and friend had to say.
Youji spluttered for several seconds, trying to regain his famous composure and failing miserably. "R-r-r-RACY ROMANCE NOVEL!!!!!!!!!!" he shrieked, acting uncharacteristically freaked-out.
Ken just stared at the other guy. Aya and a RACY ROMANCE NOVEL, no less. Ken then and there decided that he really, really didn't want to know, while at the same moment Youji decided that he absolutely had to know. They both made a bolt of the door to inside, jostling each other in the process and getting stuck in the doorway. Aya looked up from his * ahem * book and stared at the very odd scenario of Youji and Ken stuck in a doorway in their hurry to get to him. The scene was made even weirder than it already was by the fact that both Ken and Youji started to babble at him at the same time while still trying to squeeze through the doorframe. Was this some sort of strange confessional? Aya was most definitely puzzled, but made his decision about whether or not he wanted to know faster than either Youji or Ken had.
"Go away," Aya quipped calmly, and started reading again. Youji all of a sudden slithered himself somehow out of the traffic jam and snatched Aya's book from his hands. Aya screeched unhappily and tried futilely to get his novel back. Youji, a triumphant grin on his face, held the book high above his head (a good way up from the ground) and started to read the title.
"True Love's Touch." He smirked and read on while Ken and Omi rolled on the floor laughing and Aya stood there stiffly, a light blush coloring his cheeks and anger sparking in his eyes.
"You let go of that, Kudou Youji!" snapped Aya furiously. "It's my book, and I was reading! Doesn't anyone give anyone else any privacy these days?!"
"No," chorused Omi, Ken, and Youji at the same time. Aya seized the book and a comforter he had been curled up in and stomped off to his room. Omi looked concernedly after him, but not too concernedly; Aya did that kind of thing a lot, and it was just so funny. Youji and Ken were gasping for breath and gesturing helplessly at one another. Periodically one would try to say something. The other would understand exactly what he meant, and they would then commence to laugh even harder than before. Pretty soon, Omi had joined in and forgotten totally about Aya.
The afternoon passed as it usually did during the holidays, with Omi finishing the decorating with Ken and Youji cooking something tasty for lunch. Early in the evening, Omi invited Manx and Birman over for an impromptu gathering. Omi had an idea for this Christmas: He wanted to have everyone pick a 'Secret Santa,' someone to give little gifts to during the week of holiday time, then reveal themselves to each other with a big gift on the night before Christmas. When six o'clock rolled around, Manx and Birman showed up, taking off their hats and scarves. Aya still hadn't come downstairs, but no one was worried - he often wanted independent time, and if anyone disturbed him he was a total bastard about it. That being so, the little holiday party among good friends continued, everyone drinking eggnog and hot cider. When there was a lull in the conversation and laughter, Omi decided to bring up his thoughts about Secret Santas. Everyone, thank goodness, thought it was a great idea. Youji went into the kitchen to get pens and paper, and Omi grabbed a hat (it turned out to be Birman's). They each wrote their names on two slips of paper and put both into the hat. Ken picked first, and although no one was allowed to tell anyone else who their Secret Santa was, for the purposes of the story you get to know who picked whom. Ken got Birman. He looked thoughtful as he stuck the little slip of paper into a pocket. Then, Manx went. She drew Omi, and frowned as though really trying to figure out what to get him. Omi went then, and drew Ken. Omi only smiled secretively to himself. obviously he knew what he was about. Birman went then, and when she picked Manx she grinned (they were like sisters). Finally, Youji drew the last slip of paper and burst out laughing. It was Aya! Youji guessed that Omi had written down an "Aya" paper, too, so everyone would have a Secret Santa. Shaking his head, the tall, thin member of Weiß went into the kitchen to get the soup for everyone. The party continued, each buddy thinking over good presents for their "victim." Everyone liked Youji's soup. Birman flirted unashamedly with Youji, Ken, and even Manx, but had to flirt at Omi. As the evening wore on, people began to drift off into corners, talking in pairs. Youji flirted some more with Manx, chatting companionably for a while, but all of a sudden she grinned at him in a weird sort of way and walked away. Youji, puzzled, walked after her and asked, "Um, Manx, weren't we just having a conversation?"
Manx looked up at him, feigning a bit of surprise. "We? I was trying to have a conversation with you, but you? Your mind's a million miles away, Yo- tan. I know a guy with something on his mind when I see one, and you are it." Manx smiled teasing at Youji while he stared at her, open-mouthed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go cheer up our resident kid." Manx gently disengaged herself from Youji's hand on her shoulder and walked over to a morose Omi, who had no one to talk to. Youji was still in shock, his hands hanging limply by his sides and his mouth still opening and closing like a goldfish's. Finally, he let out a gusty sigh and headed over to the couch to ponder what on Earth he could have been thinking about instead of Manx, since he couldn't recall the last time he didn't pay attention to the girl he was talking to, especially Manx or Birman. And she took it so well! Youji tucked his feet underneath himself and leaned on the arm of the sofa to think. Several times he tried to remember who or what he was thinking about at the time, but he kept on spacing out, staring out the windows at the snow falling from the heavens outside. His eyes glazed over, and he had to be shaken several times by Birman to get his attention when she and Manx wanted to say goodbye. "Youji? Youji, what is up with you? Manx and I are going home to our beds now, don't you want to say goodbye?" Birman sounded slightly concerned that Youji had slipped something into his own eggnog or something.
"No, no, I'm just fine, sorry I spaced out. You want a hug?" Youji sounded apologetic enough, but still spaced. Birman accepted his hug, still puzzled at Youji's odd behavior. Normally, he would have been all over either she or Manx the whole night, but here he was, acting like ha actually had other things to think about on his leisure time. Manx was not so puzzled, at least, but she still had no idea what her friend was so hooked on thinking about. He'd been this way since the drawing of Secret Santas. Something to think about when she got home. Then Youji gave Manx a hug, too, and the other members of Weiß waved them out the door. Youji sat back down, but then got up again quickly and walked off to his room for a coat, scarf, and some shoes. The other guys had no idea what was wrong with Youji; they were off in a corner talking quietly about the party and having a few more drinks. Youji, usually one to join in with such carousing, shoved his feet into the shoes and put on his coat and scarf. When Omi asked where he was going, Youji was so preoccupied that he almost forgot to answer Omi's question.
"Youji-kun? I asked you where you are going."
"Um- I'm going to straighten up the flower shop."
Youji came back forty minutes later, about nine o'clock. He came in the door, his shoulders dusted with snow, which quickly melted in the heat and stamped his feet to get the snow off his boots and grinned, just because winter is his favorite season. No one would have suspected it from looking at what he wore in summer, though. all of those clothes were very skimpy. In Youji's arms was a bundle of roses and cattleyas, along with some other assorted orchids scattered among them, their brilliantly-colored petals no match for the smile Youji now wore. All the other members of Weiß had gone to their rooms a while before, so Youji had no one to bug him when he walked in. Flowers in hand, Youji padded, catlike, up the stairs and along the hall, surpassing his own door and heading farther down the hall. When he reached the end of the hallway, the most slender member of Weiß slipped soundlessly around the corner and up to the door of the team's leader. Youji carefully turned the doorknob and slid into Aya's apartment. Youji didn't know where Aya was in his apartment, so he had to be very careful.
Youji crept cautiously into the other man's apartment, holding the flowers clutched against his chest. Youji peered into the first doorway he came to, checking for the presence of Aya. Nope, just a bathroom. Next door was a bedroom, and Aya wasn't there, either. The end of the hall was approaching, and at this point Youji had to assume that all the apartments were the same, because there was a light on at the end of the hall, and in Youji's apartment that meant a big room without a door. The invader stepped even more softly than he had before, and peered around the corner. It was, indeed, a large room with no door. Aya had divided it up into sections using an ingenious arrangement of furniture and pillows, with plants in one corner and pillows and bookshelves in another. Youji's gaze was immediately drawn to that corner of the room, because Aya was there, reading and sipping fragrant tea out of a cute little kids' mug with a clown on it.
// I wonder where he got that? // Youji thought to himself. Thankfully, Aya's back was to Youji, so if he was quiet enough, Youji could sneak into the kitchen and put the flowers on the table without Aya noticing a thing.
// Make a dash for it when he turns the page // And then Youji crouched down as far as he could and traversed rapidly and silently towards the kitchen door. Aya glanced up once, but assumed it was nothing and went back to reading. Youji made it to the kitchen, waited to hear cars go by outside, and placed his secret burden on the table. This time Aya glanced up more sharply, but he still had no idea what was going on. Youji then took a deep, silent breath in and let it out just as silently. Everything was going as planned, and maybe, just maybe, his first present as a Secret Santa would actually be anonymous without getting him killed. Youji prepared quietly for his mad dash across the floor, and a mysterious force of goodwill somehow backed up his preparations when the French windows next to Aya's pillows blew wide open. When Aya muttered a curse and ran over to them, making a lot of noise, Youji took his chance and ran for the door, just barely making it out in time. He turned and shut the door quietly behind him and sagged against it, breathing heavily. Slowly, Youji pushed himself off the door, turned around to look at it, then turned and walked away, heading for his room. Youji wore a huge grin, he felt free and good and whole like he hadn't for weeks and believed again. in life, love, and the reality of human goodness.
It was Christmastime again at the Koneko no Sumire. which may or may not have been a good thing. This was especially true for Aya and Youji, because both of them had just gone through painful breakups. actually, Youji went through a breakup almost once a month with great regularity, but most of the time it was he who was doing the breaking-up, not the other way around, and he was taking it badly. Aya, on the other hand, was almost the exact opposite as far as breakups went. He almost never had a girlfriend to break up with in the first place, and when he did, it often happened that the girl thought he was too cold, or some such "fault," so she broke up with him. So like I said, it was Christmas again at the Koneko, and both Youji and Aya were off sulking. Omi, being the kind of guy that he is, was decorating the apartments and the shop. Ken was. uhh. *trying* to help, but he just wasn't any good with those things, so he went out to get the groceries for the day. Omi continued acting disgustingly cheerful and humming along with the wacked-out gaijin Christmas music, which he actually seemed to enjoy. Youji was sitting outside in the snow, smoking under the awning that they put up when there was inclement weather, and looking really depressed. No one blamed him. that last girl had really been something special, but still, thought Ken from his vantage point across the road, it was fun to tease Youji-kun. Ken started across the street, juggling paper bags full of food. Youji didn't stir even when Ken made all that racket, where he normally would have been on Ken's case in an instant. Ken clomped up, making a ton more noise than he usually did in an effort to alert the sullen figure that he was coming. Youji barely glanced up.
// Geez // thought Ken. // This guy is so totally immersed in depression, nothing will get him out of it but some serious drinking. then again, I'll bet that in this state Yo-tan turns out to be one of those depressed drunks like Aya. Speaking of Aya, there he was. //
Aya was sitting inside on the comfortable-looking couch, reading a novel. Ken peered more closely at the figure on the other side of the glass, trying to determine the type of book that Aya was reading. Ken leaned closer and closer to the glass, not realizing that Youji had returned from his former spaced-out state of mind, and was staring at Ken like he was doing something really strange.
"Ken?" said Youji, sounding inquiring, but effectively startling Ken enough out of his spying to fall face first against the clean glass.
"whaddayawantanyway, asshole?" Ken muttered somewhat indistinctly from somewhere near the pavement.
"What are you doing?" Youji asked innocently. Ken lifted a feeble finger and gestured towards the book Aya was reading.
Youji, too, leaned towards the glass until his nose was pressed against it, creating a small cloud of mist on the window.
"It would appear that Aya is reading a novel," commentated the taller man while Ken recovered from SD. "It would also appear to be.." At this point, Youji took off his dark glasses in order to see better. ".. it would appear to be.." At this point, Youji squawked loudly and made an undignified and hasty retreat from the window. Ken looked very interested in what his co- worker and friend had to say.
Youji spluttered for several seconds, trying to regain his famous composure and failing miserably. "R-r-r-RACY ROMANCE NOVEL!!!!!!!!!!" he shrieked, acting uncharacteristically freaked-out.
Ken just stared at the other guy. Aya and a RACY ROMANCE NOVEL, no less. Ken then and there decided that he really, really didn't want to know, while at the same moment Youji decided that he absolutely had to know. They both made a bolt of the door to inside, jostling each other in the process and getting stuck in the doorway. Aya looked up from his * ahem * book and stared at the very odd scenario of Youji and Ken stuck in a doorway in their hurry to get to him. The scene was made even weirder than it already was by the fact that both Ken and Youji started to babble at him at the same time while still trying to squeeze through the doorframe. Was this some sort of strange confessional? Aya was most definitely puzzled, but made his decision about whether or not he wanted to know faster than either Youji or Ken had.
"Go away," Aya quipped calmly, and started reading again. Youji all of a sudden slithered himself somehow out of the traffic jam and snatched Aya's book from his hands. Aya screeched unhappily and tried futilely to get his novel back. Youji, a triumphant grin on his face, held the book high above his head (a good way up from the ground) and started to read the title.
"True Love's Touch." He smirked and read on while Ken and Omi rolled on the floor laughing and Aya stood there stiffly, a light blush coloring his cheeks and anger sparking in his eyes.
"You let go of that, Kudou Youji!" snapped Aya furiously. "It's my book, and I was reading! Doesn't anyone give anyone else any privacy these days?!"
"No," chorused Omi, Ken, and Youji at the same time. Aya seized the book and a comforter he had been curled up in and stomped off to his room. Omi looked concernedly after him, but not too concernedly; Aya did that kind of thing a lot, and it was just so funny. Youji and Ken were gasping for breath and gesturing helplessly at one another. Periodically one would try to say something. The other would understand exactly what he meant, and they would then commence to laugh even harder than before. Pretty soon, Omi had joined in and forgotten totally about Aya.
The afternoon passed as it usually did during the holidays, with Omi finishing the decorating with Ken and Youji cooking something tasty for lunch. Early in the evening, Omi invited Manx and Birman over for an impromptu gathering. Omi had an idea for this Christmas: He wanted to have everyone pick a 'Secret Santa,' someone to give little gifts to during the week of holiday time, then reveal themselves to each other with a big gift on the night before Christmas. When six o'clock rolled around, Manx and Birman showed up, taking off their hats and scarves. Aya still hadn't come downstairs, but no one was worried - he often wanted independent time, and if anyone disturbed him he was a total bastard about it. That being so, the little holiday party among good friends continued, everyone drinking eggnog and hot cider. When there was a lull in the conversation and laughter, Omi decided to bring up his thoughts about Secret Santas. Everyone, thank goodness, thought it was a great idea. Youji went into the kitchen to get pens and paper, and Omi grabbed a hat (it turned out to be Birman's). They each wrote their names on two slips of paper and put both into the hat. Ken picked first, and although no one was allowed to tell anyone else who their Secret Santa was, for the purposes of the story you get to know who picked whom. Ken got Birman. He looked thoughtful as he stuck the little slip of paper into a pocket. Then, Manx went. She drew Omi, and frowned as though really trying to figure out what to get him. Omi went then, and drew Ken. Omi only smiled secretively to himself. obviously he knew what he was about. Birman went then, and when she picked Manx she grinned (they were like sisters). Finally, Youji drew the last slip of paper and burst out laughing. It was Aya! Youji guessed that Omi had written down an "Aya" paper, too, so everyone would have a Secret Santa. Shaking his head, the tall, thin member of Weiß went into the kitchen to get the soup for everyone. The party continued, each buddy thinking over good presents for their "victim." Everyone liked Youji's soup. Birman flirted unashamedly with Youji, Ken, and even Manx, but had to flirt at Omi. As the evening wore on, people began to drift off into corners, talking in pairs. Youji flirted some more with Manx, chatting companionably for a while, but all of a sudden she grinned at him in a weird sort of way and walked away. Youji, puzzled, walked after her and asked, "Um, Manx, weren't we just having a conversation?"
Manx looked up at him, feigning a bit of surprise. "We? I was trying to have a conversation with you, but you? Your mind's a million miles away, Yo- tan. I know a guy with something on his mind when I see one, and you are it." Manx smiled teasing at Youji while he stared at her, open-mouthed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go cheer up our resident kid." Manx gently disengaged herself from Youji's hand on her shoulder and walked over to a morose Omi, who had no one to talk to. Youji was still in shock, his hands hanging limply by his sides and his mouth still opening and closing like a goldfish's. Finally, he let out a gusty sigh and headed over to the couch to ponder what on Earth he could have been thinking about instead of Manx, since he couldn't recall the last time he didn't pay attention to the girl he was talking to, especially Manx or Birman. And she took it so well! Youji tucked his feet underneath himself and leaned on the arm of the sofa to think. Several times he tried to remember who or what he was thinking about at the time, but he kept on spacing out, staring out the windows at the snow falling from the heavens outside. His eyes glazed over, and he had to be shaken several times by Birman to get his attention when she and Manx wanted to say goodbye. "Youji? Youji, what is up with you? Manx and I are going home to our beds now, don't you want to say goodbye?" Birman sounded slightly concerned that Youji had slipped something into his own eggnog or something.
"No, no, I'm just fine, sorry I spaced out. You want a hug?" Youji sounded apologetic enough, but still spaced. Birman accepted his hug, still puzzled at Youji's odd behavior. Normally, he would have been all over either she or Manx the whole night, but here he was, acting like ha actually had other things to think about on his leisure time. Manx was not so puzzled, at least, but she still had no idea what her friend was so hooked on thinking about. He'd been this way since the drawing of Secret Santas. Something to think about when she got home. Then Youji gave Manx a hug, too, and the other members of Weiß waved them out the door. Youji sat back down, but then got up again quickly and walked off to his room for a coat, scarf, and some shoes. The other guys had no idea what was wrong with Youji; they were off in a corner talking quietly about the party and having a few more drinks. Youji, usually one to join in with such carousing, shoved his feet into the shoes and put on his coat and scarf. When Omi asked where he was going, Youji was so preoccupied that he almost forgot to answer Omi's question.
"Youji-kun? I asked you where you are going."
"Um- I'm going to straighten up the flower shop."
Youji came back forty minutes later, about nine o'clock. He came in the door, his shoulders dusted with snow, which quickly melted in the heat and stamped his feet to get the snow off his boots and grinned, just because winter is his favorite season. No one would have suspected it from looking at what he wore in summer, though. all of those clothes were very skimpy. In Youji's arms was a bundle of roses and cattleyas, along with some other assorted orchids scattered among them, their brilliantly-colored petals no match for the smile Youji now wore. All the other members of Weiß had gone to their rooms a while before, so Youji had no one to bug him when he walked in. Flowers in hand, Youji padded, catlike, up the stairs and along the hall, surpassing his own door and heading farther down the hall. When he reached the end of the hallway, the most slender member of Weiß slipped soundlessly around the corner and up to the door of the team's leader. Youji carefully turned the doorknob and slid into Aya's apartment. Youji didn't know where Aya was in his apartment, so he had to be very careful.
Youji crept cautiously into the other man's apartment, holding the flowers clutched against his chest. Youji peered into the first doorway he came to, checking for the presence of Aya. Nope, just a bathroom. Next door was a bedroom, and Aya wasn't there, either. The end of the hall was approaching, and at this point Youji had to assume that all the apartments were the same, because there was a light on at the end of the hall, and in Youji's apartment that meant a big room without a door. The invader stepped even more softly than he had before, and peered around the corner. It was, indeed, a large room with no door. Aya had divided it up into sections using an ingenious arrangement of furniture and pillows, with plants in one corner and pillows and bookshelves in another. Youji's gaze was immediately drawn to that corner of the room, because Aya was there, reading and sipping fragrant tea out of a cute little kids' mug with a clown on it.
// I wonder where he got that? // Youji thought to himself. Thankfully, Aya's back was to Youji, so if he was quiet enough, Youji could sneak into the kitchen and put the flowers on the table without Aya noticing a thing.
// Make a dash for it when he turns the page // And then Youji crouched down as far as he could and traversed rapidly and silently towards the kitchen door. Aya glanced up once, but assumed it was nothing and went back to reading. Youji made it to the kitchen, waited to hear cars go by outside, and placed his secret burden on the table. This time Aya glanced up more sharply, but he still had no idea what was going on. Youji then took a deep, silent breath in and let it out just as silently. Everything was going as planned, and maybe, just maybe, his first present as a Secret Santa would actually be anonymous without getting him killed. Youji prepared quietly for his mad dash across the floor, and a mysterious force of goodwill somehow backed up his preparations when the French windows next to Aya's pillows blew wide open. When Aya muttered a curse and ran over to them, making a lot of noise, Youji took his chance and ran for the door, just barely making it out in time. He turned and shut the door quietly behind him and sagged against it, breathing heavily. Slowly, Youji pushed himself off the door, turned around to look at it, then turned and walked away, heading for his room. Youji wore a huge grin, he felt free and good and whole like he hadn't for weeks and believed again. in life, love, and the reality of human goodness.