Title: Ribbons of Moonlight

Author: purpledragon42

Fandom: Weiß Kreuz

Rating: PG-13 (with a possible alt. R version available on request) ^_^;

Pairing(s): Schu X Yohji, Ken x Aya(Ran's sister), possible Omi + Nagi & Brad + Ran

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Warning(s): AU, possible OOCness, (Also, despite how the poem ends, I promise NOT to kill off Yohji or Schu. So, have no fear!)

Prompt(s): Prompted by Aflred Noyes' poem The Highwayman and Loreena McKennitt's song based off of the same poem.

Disclaimer: If I owned these guys, I would have MUCH BETTER THINGS TO DO than write fan fiction about them. *evil grin*

Summary: Yohji knows the dangers of loving Schuldich, a professional thief and highwayman, but he can't stop himself. Somehow the brash redhead has worked his way into the younger man's life and now Yohji can't imagine life without him. But when the authorities come knocking, just how far will Yohji be willing to go to keep his lover safe?

A/N: The idea for this is a very old one - old enough that I contemplated switching out the characters and replacing them with a newer fandom before writing it. However, when I started to plan things out, the Weiß Kreuz characters were the only ones that really fit the bill (in my mind) so I kept them. I'm honestly not even sure if anyone reads WK fan fiction anymore, but this has been begging to be written for awhile now, so I'm gonna get started and see where it takes me.

Also a note on the genre label - "historical fantasy" - it basically just means I took some liberties with our world's timeline. Although very similar in feel and appearance, this story IS NOT set in 1700's England, like the poem is. Why? Because when it comes to historical detail I tend to bog myself down in it and it takes me 10 times as long to write something. So, by labeling it with the fantasy tag all I'm asking you to do is suspend your historical disbelief ever so slightly. If there's something that really bothers you anyway, please feel free to say so...I'm a very open-minded person and if you state your case with facts and intelligence, I can promise to listen to what you have to say. ^_^ Thank you for your understanding!

And finally...I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of uber-uke Yohji...that gave me a lot of trouble as I wrote because he's basically playing a girl's role in this fic. I did my very best to keep him "manly" and somewhat dominant without messing with the overall plot too much. I hope I succeeded, but please feel free to tell me if there's any section you think might need work in regards to this - I'll be more than willing to listen. :D

"Ran...we just had another complaint - he's doing it again."

The red-head cursed under his breath as he swooped past the young waiter and headed for the kitchen. This was the last straw! If Yohji Kudou couldn't get his head out of the clouds long enough to cook even a single decent meal Ran was going to fire him on the spot. He stormed into the inn's ample kitchen to find the older man, honey blond hair pulled neatly back into a short ponytail, absent-mindedly stirring a pot of stew and staring with a worried expression out the window.

"If you don't start cooking and stop...mooning I'm going to disembowel you and serve up your innards to the customers!" Ran snapped, his violet eyes icy with disdain.

"Maa...Ran, you wouldn't do that," the other man chuckled, coming out of his daze. "Innards just aren't that appetizing."

"Anything would be better than the slop you've been cooking all night! Where is your head?" But before the blond could answer, Ran continued, "No, never mind - I know where it's been! You've spent the entire evening thinking about him!"

Yohji suddenly refused to meet his friend's eyes, guilt now at war with the worry from earlier. "He's late, Ran..."

The redhead sighed softly, giving his cook (and oldest friend) a withering glare. "He's always late...and you always worry...and if something doesn't change soon the two of you are going to put me out of business." Ran stepped forward and grabbed the ladle out of the blond's hand. "Now sit, before you overcook yet another order."

Doing as he was told, Yohji sat himself at the kitchen's small table with a long, drawn-out sigh as the younger man checked the stew. "I know he's been late before...but never this late - always before sundown. What if..."

"What if what?" Ran snapped, feeling himself getting angrier. He wasn't sure who he hated more, Yohji for doing this to himself, or that thieving bastard for making his friend act this way. "What if he's finally been captured by Taketori's men? What if he's laying in the road somewhere with a bullet through his heart? You've always known the risks, so why...?"

"That doesn't mean I'm not going to worry!" Yohji protested, getting a bit angry himself.

"Then you should have thought of that before you slept with him!" the redhead growled, his voice getting louder.

"Dammit, Ran! I..."

"Uh...guys..." another voice interrupted tentatively as Omi, the inn's only waiter, popped his head in through the kitchen doorway. "The guests can hear you out front."

The redhead shot Yohji another glare. "If we lose any more customers, I'm going to start taking it out of your pay. Now, get back to work...and at least try to keep your mind on the food." Then he stalked out of the kitchen and back into the dining area where Omi was now waiting for him.

"Schuldich..."

"Don't say that man's name in my presence!" Ran interrupted the younger man, as he continued to fume. "I don't want to hear it right now."

Omi sighed. "You can snap at me all you want; I know you're worried about him, too."

"Why on earth would I be worried about that no-good thief?"

"I meant Yohji," the young blond replied with a small chuckle.

Ran sniffed, saying nothing.

"Maybe it would be best to give him the rest of the night off..."

"I can't be giving him time off whenever that red-headed moron wants to play Robin Hood! It'd be like I didn't have a cook at all!"

"Um...pardon me," a soft voice interrupted.

The two men turned to find themselves staring into the delicate face of a dark-haired, dark-eyed young man who couldn't have been more than 14 or 15. Ran cocked an eyebrow at him curiously. "May we help you?"

"I'm Nagi...Nagi Naoe - uh, Ken's friend..."

Recognition finally dawned in Ran's eyes. "The orphan? The one Ken saved from the fire?"

"Ran!" Omi hissed as the boy nodded and looked down at his feet. "Have a little more consideration!" Holding his hand out, he continued, "Hi there! Welcome to the Catscratch Inn!" Nagi shook the offered hand carefully, as the blond continued, "I'm Omi Tsukiyono - waiter and general handyman. Just ignore Ran...he's in a bit of a mood. Follow me, I'll show you around a bit and..."

"No, you won't," Ran interrupted, giving Omi an adamant look. "I need you here keeping the customers happy. Yohji can show him around."

"But..."

The red-head raised one eyebrow, giving Omi a cool look. "Weren't you just saying I should give our absent-minded cook a break?"

"Well, yes...but..." Omi glanced at Nagi, who's eyes were back on his feet and then looked imploringly at Ran, as if to say a moping Yohji was the last thing Nagi should be exposed to.

The innkeeper chose to ignore the pouty look forming on his friend's face. "No buts - the two of you will be sharing a room, so you'll have plenty of time to talk later. Now, get back to work - I'll introduce the kid to Yohji - he can take him out to meet Jei."

Omi grimaced. "Are you sure? You know how Yohji feels about..."

"If the man is going to burn my food, he's going to suffer the consequences," the redhead responded with an almost feral grimace. "Now go...or do you want me to think you're slacking off, too?"

Omi sighed, the pout deepening and making the blond seem much younger than his 17 years. "Fine..." He glanced at Nagi one final time before hurrying off to answer a customer's call.

"Hey, kid," Ran said, getting the boy to finally look up again. "You won't learn anything with your eyes on the ground. Things move fast around here, so make sure you pay attention, got it?"

Nagi's eyes widened and he gave a small nod. "S-sorry," he whispered.

The redhead started at him for a minute as if wanting to say something more, but instead he turned away and merely said, "Follow me."

With quick compliance, the boy followed him into the kitchen where a dark smoke was emanating from a bubbling...and forgotten...pot.

"Dammit, Yohji!"

Nagi watched in fascination as the man named Yohji bolted out of the chair he'd been sitting in to finally attend the remains on the stove. "Tch - sorry Ran! I just..."

Rubbing the bridge of his nose fiercely, the redhead interrupted him. "Forget it, I have another job for you anyway."

"Huh?" Yohji asked, obviously surprised to not be getting another lecture.

The innkeeper gestured to the boy hovering silently at his side. "This is Nagi Naoe, the kid Ken said he was sending. I want you to show him around, explain about his duties and then take him out to meet Jei..."

"Woah their, Ran - I don't have a problem with the first two, but I'm not..."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" the redhead interrupted again, glancing purposefully at the charred food on the stove.

Yohji sighed...knowing he wasn't going to get out of this. "Alright, alright. C'mon, kid."

As Ran busied himself with the remains on the stove, Nagi shuffled quickly over to Yohji who was making his way toward a small door at the back of the kitchen.

The blond opened the door to reveal a small, narrow set of stairs. "Whenever we've got people staying in the rooms, these are the stairs we use. It's not wrong to use the main staircase...but this has easier access to all the places you'll need to get to, got it?"

Nagi nodded solemnly, and Yohji just stared at him a moment, wondering if the kid ever smiled. Then, shaking off the thought, he trotted up the stairs to give the boy a tour of the rest of the inn. The Catscratch had been in Ran's family for a very long time. It wasn't a huge money-maker by any means, but it kept the four men who worked it fed and clothed with a bit of cash to spare. As the blond walked their newest employee through the hallways and rooms, he did his best to cover all of Nagi's duties. The truth was everyone usually did a bit of everything. Yeah, they each had their specialties - he cooked, Omi made repairs, Jei tended the horses, and Ran managed the finances. However, everything else was fair game. The dark-haired boy would be taking over a portion of that on his own, but Yohji made sure to explain that they were all there to help each other. He didn't want the kid to feel over-whelmed, after all.

For as long as possible, the cook put off going out to the stable...but he knew he couldn't avoid it forever. Generally, the blond got along with everyone...but there was something about Jei...something he'd never quite liked. Yohji tried to think about what it was that bothered him so much. It wasn't the scars that covered the other man's body, or his white hair and pale skin...maybe it had something to do with the way he always seemed to be silently watching...waiting...but for what the blond couldn't be sure.

Before heading out, the older man gave Nagi a quick talking to. Something about the boy just made Yohji instinctively want to protect him. "Listen, kid," he said, softly. "I'm gonna warn you now about Jei...he's a weird one...and it's not just about the way he looks. We're gonna go meet him, cause Ran said to...but do yourself a favor and stay out of his way after this if you can, alright?"

Nagi just nodded, eyes a bit wider than they had been before and the cook had to resist the urge to reach out a ruffle the boy's hair.

"Okay, c'mon, let's get this over with." With a sigh, Yohji led the kid out back, resisting the urge to walk faster than Nagi's legs could keep up. Once inside the stable, the blond quickly scanned the lantern-lit darkness for the other man. Not seeing him, the older man called out, "Jei? You here?" Suddenly, the crunch of hay sounded from close behind them - the man and the boy both whirled and Nagi instinctively latched onto Yohji's side with a small gasp. He couldn't really blame the kid...the Catscratch's ostler was more than a little intimidating - a patch covered his left eye, scars both large and small were scattered across his colorless skin, not to mention the knife that never seemed to leave his hands.

The cook growled. "Dammit, Jei! How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me!"

Instead of speaking, the white-haired man darted his single, golden eye back and forth between Yohji and Nagi. He was twirling a small hunting knife deftly between his fingers, but never took his eyes off the the cook and his young charge. Needing to break the silence, the blond finally cleared his throat and said, "This is Nagi - Ken sent him over. He's gonna be helping out around the inn from now on."

From somewhere Nagi seemed to regain some of his courage. Releasing Yohji, he nodded to the scarred man and said, "V-very pleased to meet you, sir."

Jei's eyebrows rose and the knife stopped moving as he looking over at the blond with a mocking grin. "Did you hear that? The boy called me sir." Turning the grin on Nagi, the yellow-eyed man continued, "No need for that...we're all friends here." He winked at Yohji, and the grin almost became a leer. "Right, Kudou?"

The cook forced a tight smile and subconsciously placed a protective hand on Nagi's shoulder. "That's right...friends...well, we better be getting back now."

He steered the boy towards to door and they were almost outside when Jei called out, "Oi, Kudou...there's a horse that's not here yet - weren't we supposed to have one more guest tonight?"

Nagi felt the older man stiffen next to him, gripping his shoulder almost painfully before finally relaxing it and saying, without looking back, "That guest is running late - he'll be here."

Mock concern filled the ostler's voice. "I certainly hope nothing's happened to him...I've heard highwaymen travel these roads at night."

"He'll be here," Yohji said again, pushing Nagi back towards to house. But his words, so adamant with belief, were whispered quietly enough that even Nagi didn't hear them over the sound of Jei's chuckle behind them.

Once back inside, Yohji handed Nagi over to Omi, so he could watch the older teen's interactions with the customers. Heading back to the kitchen, Yohji found Ran cleaning up the last of his mess from earlier. "Ran, listen..."

But the redhead interrupted him with a weary sigh and an unexpected question. "We're friends...aren't we?"

Startled, the blond was silent for almost too long. "What? Yeah, of course we are..."

"Then can I say something to you...as a friend?"

Yohji only nodded, a bit surprised by Ran's serious tone and expression.

Violet eyes pierced his emerald green ones. "You have to stop." The older man opened his mouth to protest, but his friend silenced him with a hand. "I'm not saying this because of the cooking - I'm saying this because of what it's doing to you...what HE'S doing to you. Please Yohji - it's not healthy...I'm worried...Omi is, too."

"What do you want me to do?" the blond asked, feeling mentally defeated. "Maybe it started out as just a little bit of fun...a little bit of danger, but now...God, Ran...I think..." Yohji ran his hand through his dangling bangs, not quite comfortable with admitting his true feelings for the thief who'd literally fallen into his life. "I don't know what to do..."

The younger man sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't have any answers for you; this is something you need to decide for yourself. But no matter what you choose, please know that Omi and I are always here for you, okay?"

Yohji just nodded, unable to say more.

Ran eyed his friend carefully. "Why don't you take the rest of the night off? Do some thinking, alright?"

The blond didn't argue; he just nodded again and headed upstairs to his room. In his mind there wasn't anything to think about. He couldn't end things with Schuldich...he just couldn't - the man meant far too much to him. So what other options were there? Yohji's gaze settled on his four poster bed, a luxury he'd saved up for over a year to possess. Unbidden, images rose in his mind - sapphire eyes twinkling mischievously through a curtain of orange hair, calloused fingers tracing gently across sensitized flesh, the scent of cinnamon before needy lips crushed passionately against his own. The blond let out a soft groan, feeling himself begin to stiffen. Damn that bloody German! Where WAS he?

Frustrated in more ways then one, Yohji began to pace, listening only half-heartedly to things wind down below him. He barely heard Omi sending off the last batch of customers, hardly registered Ran counting out the money and bolting the doors. The blond finally stopped in front of his single window, and glared defiantly out at the moonlit road, but nothing moved aside from the wind gusting through the trees. Anger was beginning to overtake worry; Yohji slammed his palms against the sill and moved away, deciding to go ahead and get ready for bed. Stripping, he stepped over to the pitcher of water on his dresser, poured it into a bowl and proceeded to scrub forcefully at his skin, Once finished, he put on a pair of simple drawstring pants and then loosened his hair from it's ponytail. Running his hands back and forth through his shoulder-length locks, the blond tried not to think about how, if Schuldich were here, he'd run his fingers slowly and gently across Yohji's scalp, then his neck and shoulders, traveling down his back until...

The cook suppressed a shiver, telling himself it was just the chill of the water on his skin, then he flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, counting cracks. At some point he must have dozed off, because suddenly he jolted upright in the bed...not sure what had roused him. The oil lamp on his nightstand was burning low as he glanced at the pocket watch resting next to it - a little after 2 a.m. Something must have woken him...but what? Striding to the window he peered out into the moonlit darkness, straining to see. Was that a shadow in the courtyard or were his eyes playing tricks? No - definitely real - a figure at the rose trellis directly beneath him - climbing. Heart beating wildly with both anger and anticipation, Yohji threw the window open just as his lover's face appeared from below.

"Ran is going to strangle you for trampling his roses," the blond told him with a smirk.

Schuldich pretended to pout. "Then he shouldn't have locked me out."

Yohji chuckled, but made no move to allow the older man entry into his room.

Outside his window, the thief snagged a rose and brushed it playfully across his lover's chest. "Aren't you going to let me in?"

Shivering at the touch of the petals on his skin, the blond tried to stay angry. "You're late..."

"I ran into a bit of trouble along the way," Schuldich whispered, ghosting the rose across one of the younger man's nipples.

As his knees buckled slightly beneath him, Yohji tried to keep his composure, replying, "When you run into a 'bit' of trouble half of Taketori's men are usually after you."

His lover chuckled and the blond reveled in the sound. "Nothing that bad, love. Let me in and I'll regale you with the story."

Instead of stepping away the younger man leaned further out the window, capturing Schuldich's lips in a searing kiss. Breathless, he eventually broke away, and said, "Talking was the last thing I planned on doing tonight."

And golden eyes watched. Far beneath the men a dangerous mind plotted, while nimble hands played lazily with a sharpened blade. A flash of silver on flesh - something so hypnotizing about the way it split in two beneath the gleaming metal - immediately welling with blood - running down his arm in chaotic rivulets of expiring life. A chuckle built up in his throat, but he suppressed it. Being discovered now - when he was so very close to achieving his goal - that just wouldn't do. It wouldn't be long - soon everything he'd dreamed would come to fruition - everything he wanted would be his - and no one else's. So, eyes of gold watched patiently as the two men embraced; the blond pulling his lover through the window with gentle ease. Soon - so very soon...

"So, you don't want to hear about my daring escape?" Schuldich whispered into Yohji's ear as the blond helped him into the room.

"Later," he growled softly, pushing the older man neatly back onto the bed. "Right now you are wearing far too many clothes." Schuldich looked away with a guilty expression, and Yohji felt the mood falter. "What? What's wrong?"

Hiding beneath his mane of orange hair, the thief mumbled something incoherent.

Anger and frustration returning, the younger man crawled quickly onto the bed, straddling his lover and bringing them nose to nose. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," he whispered, just a hint of threat in his voice.

Schuldich spoke again, wincing at his own words. "I can't stay."

Glaring, the blond tightened his hold on the older man. "And who says I'm going to let you leave?"

With a chuckle, the thief lightly rubbed his nose against his lover's. "You never cease to surprise me, Kudou...I think that must be why I've kept you."

It was the wrong thing to say.

"Kept me? KEPT ME?" The blond leaped from the bed, anger and hurt etched across his face. "I AM NOT your pet!"

"Yohji..."

"Just go..." Then, anger suddenly overruled by concern, he asked, "It's another job, isn't it?"

Schuldich sat up on the bed, but made no move to stand. "The biggest one yet! I was hoping...that you'd wish me luck..."

With a sarcastic snort, the younger man crossed his arms over his chest. "I wasn't aware pets could talk."

"You know I didn't mean..."

"Fine, I'll do it."

"Wait...what?" the older man stuttered, surprised by his lover's sudden change of heart.

"On one condition."

Schuldich's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And what would that be?"

Yohji paused for a minute. Was this really what he wanted? Once he spoke the words there would be no going back. But this was the only way, deep down in his heart he knew that. So, he steeled himself with determination and said, "I want this to be your last robbery."

The thief's mouth dropped open in complete shock. "...What?"

And the blond was regretting his words already. "I...don't want this anymore - always worrying about you, always waiting...being left behind. I don't want to be just a part of your life - I want to BE your life. So, you have to choose. If you can't leave your thievery behind...then when you step out that window..." Yohji took a deep breath...not sure he could continue. There was this sudden ache in his chest that wasn't going away. But he had to finish - he had to give Schuldich an ultimatum. "When you step out that window...don't bother coming back."

Staring at his lover in surprise, all the older man could think to say was, "I thought you were happy with our arrangement."

Yohji looked stricken and lost. "I was...but now...things have changed. It used to just be us fooling around, having fun..."

"So, you're not having fun any more?" Schuldich asked, feeling the pit of his stomach lurch in an unexpected and unsettling way.

"No...I mean yes...of course I'm..."

Sighing in frustration the blond strode back over to the side of the bed and took his lover's head in his hands. "Dammit, Schu, what I'm trying to say is that I love you!" Then Yohji kissed him in a way that left the older man completely stunned. Their lips crushed together with passion and longing, fear and hope, sadness and elation. All of that and more came smashing and roiling through that one unexpected kiss. The blond's emotions immersed them both, pulling Schuldich into a level of pleasure he'd never experienced before. What was this? Surely another person's feelings didn't have the power to do this on their own. But then...what did that mean? Rather than think about it too closely, the thief pulled the other man closer, choosing to lose himself in the sensation...he'd worry about the implications in the morning.

As the sun began to edge the horizon Yohji woke to a very rumpled and very empty bed. He cursed as a feeling of indelible loss washed over him. What had he done? Was Schuldich lost to him for good? Then he saw the small note resting on his nightstand, placed carefully underneath the pocket watch to keep it from fluttering away. The blond picked it up, reading the words over and over again, not quite believing his eyes. They said, simply, "Look for me by moonlight." A grin spread foolishly across the cook's face as he continued to re-read. Starting tonight, everything was going to change!