A/N: Okay so I wrote this story when I was in a really, really bad mood. It's very dark and sad so if you don't like that kind of story then don't read further. It will make you hate Youji.
Disclaimer: I don't own Weiss and if you plan on reading the story you'll be glad I don't lol.
He'd thought he'd never feel this pain again. The last time he'd felt it was when he was trapped under the burning debris of his house and watched his sister crushed by a car. All of that was over now. He'd gotten his revenge and his sister was out of her coma. She hated who he'd become, but oddly it didn't hurt. It would have been strange if she'd approved, and anytime he wanted to talk to her he could just pick up the phone and call. She and Sakura were rooming together at their high school dorm. He had the money to send her to the best places, but she'd chosen the same school as the girl who'd helped save her life. Ran understood that, he was helping Sakura pay for her schooling too. He loved them both and he wanted them to be happy. He wanted them to have what he never could, and now the one thing he wanted, the man who'd taught him how to love again; had betrayed him. Ran couldn't breathe as he watched them. He was with a woman, their limbs entwined, mouths open, in the throes of passion. He couldn't feel his heart beating anymore. There was nothing left inside of him. He dropped his coat on the floor and turned to leave. "Shit, Ran." He heard his lover gasp, but didn't bother to look back as he walked out. A familiar hand grabbed his. Aya spun balling his free hand into a fist and punched Youji as hard as he could in the jaw. The taller man fell to the floor with a grunt of pain. He quickly sprang back to his feet coming towards the redhead. Ran grabbed up one of the daggers Omi had left lying around and held the point to Youji's throat; stopping the older man's advance.
"Don't even try to explain." He hissed. "I don't want to hear anymore of your lies."
"Ran-" Youji pushed the blade aside and reached for him.
"Touch me and die." Ran spat shoving him away and storming out of the room. He passed Ken and Omi just coming in.
"Ran?" Omi looked confused as the swordsman practically ran past him out into the alley outside the Koneko.
"Ran, wait!" Youji shouted, but Ran sped up running out into traffic to the other side of the street. He glanced back briefly to see Youji rolling off the hood of a car. The blonde jumped back to his feet but Ran was already out of sight. He ran until he couldn't and collapsed in an alley breathing hard and trying not to cry. He should have seen this coming. Youji had been avoiding him for the past month, and now he knew why. The swordsman got back to his feet and started running again. He didn't care where he was going, only that it was far away. He was soon lost in the streets of Tokyo, it was then that it started to pour and he realized he'd forgotten his coat…and shoes.
Omi watched Youji come back in. The girl that had come out of his room was seated at the kitchen table with Ken standing behind her, arms folded. "So are you going to explain, or should we believe her lame story?" The brunette spat.
"That depends on what she told you." Youji replied mimicking Ken's stance.
"I told them the truth, that you're my college tutor and we were studying." She said calmly.
"You can leave now." Omi glared at her. "You've done enough." She rose with a sigh. As she passed Youji she laid a hand on his arm.
"Call me." Then she was gone. Omi pointed to a chair.
"Sit." The older blonde groaned but complied. "Now, what the hell happened? Ran wouldn't take off like that if you two had been 'studying' like she said you were."
"That depends on the subject doesn't it?" Youji grinned.
"Are you fucking insane?" Ken shouted. "You cheated on Ran! He's going to kick your fucking ass."
"Ken." Omi frowned. "Shouting isn't going to help, what we need-" He cut of with a squeak of surprise as thunder crashed outside. Rain began to pelt the windows. A look of horror crossed his face and he rushed out of the room. Ken frowned following, but he came running back in pulling on his coat and holding an umbrella. Ran's black coat was draped over his arm. "Get your car Ken, we have to find him!" He stooped down to grab the redhead's boots. Ken grabbed his keys coming to the same realization his partner just had. Ran was out in this weather with no shoes or coat, and from what he remembered about the swordsman's outfit he knew it wasn't suitable for this kind of downpour. Youji rose from the table worry in his eyes. Ken glared at him following Omi outside. "We have to find him."
"I know, we will." Ken jumped into the driver's seat as Omi climbed in on the other side. As he started the car Youji got in the back.
"Call his cell." He said nervously. Omi glared but pulled out his phone and dialed. Faint music issued from the pocket of the coat in his lap.
"Shit."
He didn't know where he was, Tokyo was so goddamn big and easy to get turned around in, but he didn't really care. The heavy rain beat down on him. He was numb inside and out, and he wanted to go home. Not back to the Koneko, that had never been home to him. Home was where he lost his parents. Home was where he'd died for the first time. He finally stumbled onto a familiar street and got his bearings. He only had three more miles to go. His thoughts returned to Youji as he began the long trek home. Youji had been the one to bring him back to life. Before he had come along Ran was just going through the motions of living. The only thing he had lived for was revenge, when he got that he was left with nothing. That's when Youji had saved him. He'd shown Ran that his heart was still beating, that he could still feel. Ran clutched at his hair as an agonizing scream ripped from his throat. He threw himself into a run. He had to get away. He had to run; escape all that he was feeling. It was too much. He ran blindly, tears mixing with the rain on his cheeks. He ran till all the breath left him and his legs threatened to collapse, but he kept running. Somehow he made it to the right street. He stumbled through the gate into the overgrown yard and collapsed on the burned out remains of the house, where what he had been trying to escape from caught up with him. He laid there screaming into the night. Why couldn't Youji have just let him be? At least before he hadn't felt this pain. It tore at him. He felt as though he was being ripped apart. He was dying all over again, and it was worse this time. Death he could deal with, but not this, God anything but this. He writhed in agony pulling at his hair and clawing his face. Why was this happening? Was it punishment for all those lives he'd taken? Why would Youji…Why? What had Ran done wrong? He'd given Youji everything he had left. He'd given the whole of his being, his body, his heart, his soul. He'd trusted Youji and now the man he loved had betrayed him. There was nothing left for him in this world. As he came to that realization the tears stopped. No. He had Aya. She still loved him. He needed to see her. Slowly he got to his feet. Aya. For so long he had gone by that name to keep her alive. Then when she'd awoken, despite everything the doctors had told him, he'd given it back. He had become Ran Fujimiya again, and now that man was dead. For the second time in his life he was empty. He needed to call her first, but he'd left his phone at the Koneko. Down the street was a payphone he could use, he'd at least managed to keep his wallet in his pants pocket. He dropped in the yen and dialed her number. After a few rings a groggy female voice answered.
"Moshi, Moshi."
"Aya?" He whispered.
"Ran?" The voice gasped. "What's wrong? Are you ok?"
"No." Fresh tears slipped down his cheeks.
"Where are you?"
"I went home."
"The flower shop."
"No." Ran let his head fall against the glass of the booth. "Home."
"Honey, it's not there anymore." Aya sighed. "Its just a pile of burned wood and furniture, I went by there a few months ago."
"Its still home." He replied.
"Are you still there?"
"No."
"Ran!" She was getting frustrated.
"I'm at the payphone down the street."
"Ok, I'm coming to get you." She sighed. "Don't you move an inch."
"I-"
"You hear me? Not an inch!"
"Ok."
"I'll be there in five minutes."
"Ok."
"Not an inch!" She hung up. Ran sank to the floor of the booth tears pouring down his cheeks.
Aya sped through the streets. She'd only recently gotten her license and didn't want a ticket, but Ran was in trouble. She didn't think he was hurt, but something was terribly wrong. He didn't sound right. She thought about calling Youji or Omi, but decided against it. As soon as she had Ran and he told her what was going on, then she'd call. She screeched to a halt in front of the booth Ran had said he was at. She could see him sitting on the floor inside of it. Her eyes widened. He wasn't wearing any shoes and he was huddled in on himself leaning against the glass. She pulled up her hood and got out, running to him. "Ran!" He didn't even raise his head. "Ran!" She called again and gasped as she got closer. Not only were his shoes missing, his coat was also and he was soaked to the bone. He sat there shivering and…was he crying? She grabbed him by the shoulders and finally he raised his head. Aya's stomach dropped and she felt as though she couldn't breathe. Tears were pouring down his cheeks and his eyes were full of so much pain that she could feel it just looking into them. She pulled him into her chest holding back tears of her own. He clutched at her sobbing and shaking uncontrollably. "Oh, honey what happened?" He shook his head pressing it into her shoulder. She held him for a few minutes as he cried then helped him into the car. "I'll drive you home." He shook his head. "You're soaked though, you need a bath and clothes."
"I can't go back there." He whispered hoarsely.
"Ok, you have some clothes at my place."
"A hotel is fine. You could drop me-"
"Don't even finish that sentence." She snapped starting the car and heading back to the apartment. "I'm not leaving you alone."
"Its ok Aya, I-"
"Shut up." She glared at him and all the fight left his body. He slumped in his seat, his eyes brimming with tears. She called the lady in charge of the building to let her know what was going on then Sakura so she could help her get Ran upstairs. She looked over at her brother and felt her heart break all over again. He just sat there with his head against the window staring at nothing, and not making a sound while tears slipped down his cheeks.
They didn't find him. Omi was beside himself with worry and they were heading back to the Koneko, despite his protests, when his phone rang. Before he could say anything Aya's voice began screaming at him. "What the hell have you people done to him?"
"Aya, what are you-"
"Its Ran!" She burst into tears and then Sakura was on the line.
"Omi?" She asked quietly.
"Yeah, its-"
"What happened? Ran's here, but he-"
"Ran's there with you?" He cried sitting up.
"Yeah, he called Aya from a payphone near their old house and she went to pick him up, but something's wrong with him. We got him a bath and into bed, he's finally sleeping, but he wouldn't stop crying." Omi's breath caught. "Did something happen with Youji?"
"Yeah." Omi glanced at the culprit then at Ken. "Ran caught him with a woman."
"Fucking bastard!" She exclaimed angrily. "No wonder Ran-" There was the sound of the phone being grabbed and Aya's voice came back on the line.
"Put that prick on." She snarled. Omi handed the phone to Youji.
"It's for you." Youji put it to his ear and promptly pulled it away from it again. They could all hear Aya's screaming.
"You fucking bastard! I'm going to kill you, have you got any idea what you've done?" Her voice broke. "You people are never getting him back, he's done with you!" There was a loud click. Youji just stared at the phone. Omi plucked it from his fingers.
"At least we know where he is." The blonde sighed feeling a little relieved. "I'll go over there tomorrow."
Aya sat next to the bed watching her brother sleep. She couldn't believe what she'd heard. How could that bastard do this to him. Ran loved him, more than anything. It was a different love than what he had for her or Sakura. It went deeper than blood or friendship, it went to his very soul. Her brother had been a broken man when she'd woken from her coma, but slowly, with Youji's help, he'd began to put the pieces back together. He'd begun to smile, and laugh like he'd used to. He'd crack jokes and tease her. They went to festivals together, just the three of them and she could see the in Ran's eyes how much he loved Youji. Sakura touched her shoulder. "Go get some sleep in my room." She whispered. "I'll sit with him." Aya shook her head then crawled into bed with Ran.
"I need to be here if he wakes up." She put her arms around him and bit back tears as he whimpered in his sleep and curled into her. Sakura crawled into the bed as well and they both held him as they slept. The next morning Aya woke to Sakura shaking her.
"Omi's here." Aya was instantly alert, and angry. She got out of bed and stormed into the living room where Omi was standing with a large duffle bag. She paused looking at it. Omi looked up at her with sad blue eyes.
"I brought him some clothes, and other stuff." He held out the bag to her. "There's some shoes in there, and his coat. His cell phone is in the side pocket." She took it from him murmuring a thank you. Omi licked his lips nervously. "How is he?"
"Asleep."
"Can-"
"I meant what I said Omi." She snapped, her eyes filling with tears. "He's not going back." Sakura rushed into the room.
"He's awake." She gasped then ran back. Aya dropped the duffle following. Ran's eyes were open and he was just staring listlessly at the ceiling.
"Ran?" She took his hand. Slowly his eyes moved to her face. "Are you hungry?" He shook his head then looked away to stare out the window. Any other attempt at conversation was met with silence. Aya finally gave up and turned to Sakura. Omi stood with her near the doorway. She glared at him but Sakura gave her an admonishing look.
"He's not the guilty party here Aya-chan." She frowned. "He and Ken drove around for hours last night looking for him after he ran out of the house. He's been worried ever since, and he's just as mad at Yo-" She stopped, inhaling sharply. She glanced at Ran then grabbed Aya's hand and dragged her into the living room, motioning for Omi to follow. Once they were all out she closed the door. "He and Ken are just as mad at Youji as we are." Aya tensed.
"Then kill him." She snapped at Omi. "That's what you guys do right? Kill the bad guys?" Omi opened his mouth to respond when there was a knock at the door. Aya stormed over to it throwing it open. Youji stood on the other side. "What the hell are you doing here, you bastard, haven't you done enough?"
"I need to see him."
"No!" Aya shouted moving to slam the door. Youji caught it and pushed it open, walking in. "Get the fuck out-"
"Aya." Something in Sakura's voice made her turn. Ran stood in the door way of her room leaning against the frame. He was paler than normal and his hair hung around his face since she hadn't put it back into the braid he normally wore.
"Ran, I-" Youji started but the younger man shook his head.
"No more lies." He whispered disappearing back into the room. Youji ran after him.