Disclaimer: I don't own Weib or the kawaii(cute) guys in it (I wish...), but, I do own Kasumi Minamoto/Russian.
Characters:
Japan:
Weib, good assassin group out to rid Japan of its scum -
Aya Fujimiya, aka Abyssinian (real name: Ran) - katana(sword)-weilding redhead
Youji Kudou, aka Balinese - wire-handling blonde with green eyes
Ken Hidaka, aka Siberian - tiger-claw user with brown hair and eyes
Omi Tsukiyono, aka Bombay - arrows/bow gun/darts user with blonde hair and blue eyes
Persia - leader of Weib
Birman - Persia's secretary
Kasumi Minamoto, codename: Russian (Blue) - acrobatic assassin who uses a stiletto and twin admantium fans
Aya-chan - Aya/Ran's comatose younger sister, who'd been ran over by Takatori; the reason for Aya's joining Weib, he has taken on her name and wears one of her earrings to remind himself of her
Sakura - a young woman with a past involving Weib; she has a striking resemblance to Aya's younger comatose sister, Aya-chan, as well as, a crush on the really kawaii redhead
Asuka - Youji's former crush who he thought had died when they were working together as private detectives; apparently, she lost her memory and joined the female assassin group Schreient; when the two groups fought each other, Youji was forced to kill her
Retribution III
"Russian."
"Yes, Abyssinian," Kasumi answered.
"Two of our targets are heading your way. Think you can handle them?"
"You think?"
"Balinese is your backup."
"Gotcha."
She looked below from her position in the rafters of the warehouse, two businessmen entered and headed for the contraband weapons. Weib's mission was clear. Kill the men behind the imports and destroy the weapons. She thought that it was a waste of weapons, but they couldn't exactly send them to the military as an early Christmas present.
She leapt down onto some wooden crates and from there to behind the unsuspecting pair. She silently broke the neck of the slower one and then stabbed the other one. Balinese left his look out post and helped her drag the bodies behind the crates. They watched from the shadows as the remaining targets entered. By the time they realized that something was wrong, it was too late. Abysinnian and Siberian made short work of them. Soon after, Bombay came out of the offices where he'd been hacked into the warehouse's computer to get the shipment files. Then, they set up the explosives, leaving before they could go off. They watched from a nearby building as the warehouse exploded. Then, they disappeared into the shadows. Their work was done.
Alone in her own room, she peeled off the black bodysuit that she wore on missions and wiped off her black face paint. She turned on the shower and waited for the water to reach the right temperature before stepping into the warm spray. Massaging her tired arms and shoulders, she took a long, leisurely bath. She carefully scrubbed herself clean, wishing that she could just as easily scrub away the guilt and pain she felt.
Another job successfully accomplished, another man's blood on her hands. Somewhere a child had lost a father or a father a child. But, that was the way of the world.
She'd been with Weib for a year now and had taken on the codename Russian from the cat Russian Blue. She found it funny that her codename was the same as her nationality, not that anyone would know upon meeting her. After living in Japan under the care of her adopted father, she seemed like just another Japanese. Only her blue eyes could give her away, but being with guys who had purple, green, blue, and brown eyes helped.
And no one would ever suspect she wasn't really Japanese from the way she spoke the native tongue fluently and with no accent whatsoever. Not that she'd forgotten the tongue of her motherland, but that could be easily brushed off by others as just another of the languages she spoke fluently. A linguist, she spoke Russian as well as English, French, and German.
Languages was just one of her talents. She was also proficient in the fields of martial arts and acrobatics. The team had found her talents useful in the field. Off the field, however, when they worked by day as florists, she was silent and aloof with a woman's natural flair for floral arrangements. She worked in the background with Aya, silent but alert.
She finally stepped out of the shower and turned off the water. Watching the water go down the drain, she slipped into a warm and comfortable woolen robe. She cleared the fogged up window and began to towel her hair dry. Upon hearing a knock on the door, she left the bathroom to open it. She was only mildly surprised to see Youji, who flushed slightly upon seeing what she wore. She absently wondered if he'd really been a playboy before she'd joined Weib.
"I thought you'd like some coffee," he said almost shyly, handing her a steaming mug of the hot liquid.
"Thanks, Youji," she said with a small smile. He nodded and opened his mouth as if to say something more, but instead he shook his head and turned away.
She'd only started to call them by their first names recently as they'd gotten closer. Aya'd even let her call him by his real name, Ran. However, only she had that privelege and the others continued to call him Aya. Youji used to wonder if Aya liked Kasumi because, like another girl called Sakura, she reminded him of his innocent younger sister. Now, however, he doubted it because Kasumi had long lost her innocence. At times, she could be as cold and unfeeling as Aya was.
Sakura, on the other hand, retained her innocence despite the incident that led them to meet her. It had been before Kasumi. Sakura had been the victim of a doctor who stole people's organs to sell on the black market. She'd been fortunate not to lose a vital organ, although she hadn't had the same stamina as before when she was a track runner. She obviously had a crush on Aya from the start, but Aya'd ignored her and she later left to study abroad on a scholarship. They hadn't heard from her since then.
As Youji walked towards his room, Aya walked past him and stopped at her door, knocking on it. Youji said nothing, but his heart ached. Although he knew that the relationship between the two was completely platonic, he couldn't help but feel jealous of the close bond that they obviously shared. And sometimes, when he lay in bed alone, he wondered if there was something more going on between the two.
Aya entered the room at the sound of her soft voice. She sat dressed in a soft robe on the couch, a cup of hot coffee held tightly in her white hands. He sat down next to her, putting a arm over her shoulder as she rested her head on his shoulder. Then, she began to speak. Usually she spoke about her life before Weib or simple things that had happened that day. When she'd fininshed, he'd talk about his family and his sister.
Both of them enjoyed those talks after each mission. They somehow found it therapeutic. A way to salve the pain of taking away another person's life, no matter that the person deserved it. Although neither would admit it, they knew that they needed these talks in order to keep on going. She needed someone to comfort her as much as he needed someone to comfort, like he had in the past with his sister.
And so the night wore on, but the morning found all of Weib fast asleep in their own beds...with the exception of a tall blond man as he smoked yet another cigarette in the quiet of his room.
Kasumi's long, delicate fingers selected another long-stemmed white rose and carefully added it the wedding arrangement she was making. As she worked, her pale hands never still, she watched out of the corner of her eye the tall blond man, who watered some orchids.
She and Youji had become closer since they'd first meet, but there was still a wall between them and she couldn't help but feel that it was her fault. Oh, she knew that it WAS her fault. She herself had put up the wall in order to protect herself from getting hurt again. But, she hadn't realized until now that she was hurting him, too.
She'd noticed that although he was charming and a complete gentleman to the girls that came to the shop, he never flirted with any of them. He was quiet and withdrawn, which according to the others was unusual for Youji. Even Birman had commented on it and Kasumi had not missed the slight flush that colored his cheeks when Birman had teased him about having a secret unrequited love.
She knew that she was tormenting him with the close relationship she shared with Aya. Youji probably suspected that they were more than close friends. That wasn't true. But it wasn't like she'd done anything to suggest otherwise. Aya, although he'd noticed the change in Youji, hadn't realized that it was because of them. But, SHE knew and still she did nothing.
Her head jerked up in surprise and her hand paused in midair when Aya knocked over the vase he'd been using. She automatically caught it before it could crash to the floor, then looked to see what had caused his distress.
She blinked in surprise to see a girl that could easily have passed as her twin sister. Long dark hair in a single braid down her back. Big blue eyes. Tall and slim with a fair complexion.
The other girl's pale cheeks had a rosy glow to it and Kasumi put it down as coming from a stay in colder climates. The girl stopped directly in front of Aya, ignoring Kasumi's presence completely.
"Sakura...it's been a long time...." Aya said slowly.
Kasumi couldn't help but smile at his well-hidden nervousness. No one but she could notice it. Sakura must be the girl that Aya'd told her about in passing. So, Aya wasn't exactly indifferent to the girl after all. He'd probably pushed her away, thinking that it was for the best if she didn't get involved with Weib.
"Yes...well, I just came back from England today and I thought...I thought I'd drop by and see how you were doing."
"I'm fine...oh, and this is Kasumi Minamoto. She's new here."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Sakura said haltingly, obviously unsure what to make of the other girl's presence. The look of jealousy that quickly flashed in her eyes was not completely lost on Kasumi.
"The pleasure's all mine. I'm so glad to finally meet you. Ran's told me so much about you."
"He has?" Sakura blushed with pleasure, looking at the equally flustered - though not showing it - Aya.
"Yes. Now, I'm sure that you have a lot to catch up on. Why don't you go out for lunch together? Go on."
"Well..." Sakura said looking nervously at Aya.
"But, Kasumi..." Aya protested, a look of panic in his eyes.
"Oh, come on, Ran. When was the last time you went out? I can cover for you. Don't worry," she said pretending to misunderstand his panic at being alone with Sakura for a worry about leaving the shop.
"Kasumi's right, Aya," Omi said in agreement as he rang up an order. Ken nodded from behind Omi as he wrapped up the order of brilliant purple irises.
Finally, Aya left with one last nervous look at Kasumi. All the while, Youji watched in silence from his place among the flowers. His lingering doubts about Aya and Kasumi being more than friends slowly died. As he looked intently at her smirking face, she suddenly turned to meet his green eyes with her blue ones. The smirk quickly faded from her face as she flushed under his unwavering gaze and her eyes lowered. She quickly turned away to fumble with the unfinished flower arrangement, his gaze never leaving her.
"Oi(Hey)! Watch it will you!" Omi shouted as the watering can sprayed cold water on him.
"Sorry, Omi. it's just that you're so pretty that I thought you were another flower," Youji teased Omi's cute blond looks, trying to cover his inattention.
"Right, Youji. We ALL know what pretty flower you were really thinking about." Ken smirked as Youji turned red and Omi laughed.
But, none saw the pleased smile on Kasumi's own flushed face.
Just when things were looking good, they started going down the drain. If their previous mission had gone without a hitch, their next one was a bloody mess. There wasn't enough information to begin with. Then, the weather disrupted their communications and they couldn't coordinate with each other.
"What's that, Siberian?" Russian asked.
"...targets...behind...the schedule..."
"What?" She couldn't understand what he was saying over the cackling of the frequency and the booming thunder.
"...targets..."
She suddenly whirled around from her position at the roof of the building across the targeted building. Back flat against the short concrete edge of the building, she warily studied her surroundings with her night vision goggles, rain blurring everything.
There were times that she heard faint voices in her head, alerting her to things before they happened. It had first started at the age of twelve when her mother had died of cancer. Refusing to believe she was crazy, she'd kept it to herself, but listened to the voices never knowing them to be wrong. Up to now, no one knew about them. And now, they told her that something was wrong.
"Russian!"
"Abysinnian! What's wrong?"
She looked back down below at the opposite roof where Abysinnian was supposed to be. A flash of lighting illumined the roof. She looked across, straining to see despite the pouring rain. There was no one there. She looked wildly around. Where the hell was he?
"Abysinnian? Where are you?"
"...abort...abort..."
Shit. What the hell had happened? She went down the roof, using a line similar to the one she used the night she killed Kamikaze. With her dark suit, she was practically indistinguishable in the dark. When she got to their meeting point, she found Ken and Omi kneeling on the ground, blocking her view of something...no someone.
"Ran..." Fear was clearly written on her face. No...not again... Flashes of memory ran through her mind. Her father's gun-riddled body in the car. The figures that rode off in another car, while she ran towards her father. The scream that would not leave her lips and the knowledge that it was too late...too late for her to do anything. The old sickening feeling of helplessness overwhelmed her, making her want to vomit.
"Kasumi..." Youji grabbed her by the arm before she could get close to the others.
Pulled back to reality, she roughly pulled away from him, her face now a mask of stone. She forcefully shoved the memories away to the back of her mind. They were forgotten for now. She pushed Omi aside and examined Aya. He leant against a wall, face pale and drawn in pain. His left arm hung uselessly at his side, blood giving his torn black trenchcoat a shiny gloss. His attempt to smile became a pained grimace.
"Ran no baka (Stupid Ran)," she chided grimly. "How could you get yourself shot?" She ignored his protests as she tore her suit and bound his wound tightly with the torn cloth to stop the bleeding. "I can always get a new suit. Can you get up?"
He nodded, leaning against the wall for support. Ken moved forward to offer help that was waved away. Then, Aya slumped forward and almost fell. This time he didn't protest when Ken and Omi went to help him. The two carefully laid him in the backseat of the car and Kasumi got in after him, resting his head on her lap. She brushed away a stray red lock from his pale face. Her forehead was wrinkled with worry and her eyes ran over his body with concern, noting where another bullet had grazed his neck.
Ken and Omi squeezed in with Youji at the front. No one spoke as Youji drove them back to the shop and their rooms above. The raging storm outside was nothing compared to the turmoil inside the silent assassins.
...no...not again...
Tears began to stream down her cheeks unnoticed as the realization that she could lose Aya sunk in. She sat silently by his unconcious form. He'd gone into shock soon after they'd arrived. Fortunately, Omi had the presence of mind to call Birman and ask her to send a doctor in league with them.
The doctor's face had been grave as he examined Aya. He'd bandaged the wounds properly and inserted an IV in Aya's arm to help him recover sooner. It turned out that Aya'd lost a lot of blood and the doctor wasn't sure when he'd come back to conciousness.
Kasumi held his hand tightly, her long, bloodstained fingers intertwined with his. She hadn't changed since they'd come back. Her bodysuit tainted with blood - his blood - went unnoticed. Her hair had come loose from its bun and tumbled down onto her shoulders.
The old memories came back to haunt her.
...the ride in the ambulance next to her father's bleeding body...so much blood...too much blood...the shouts of the blue-clad doctors and nurses as he was rushed into the emergency room...the bright lights and the swinging doors...shutting her out...leaving her alone...alone in the empty waiting room...white washed walls...the long hours of waiting...just waiting...the young doctor...too young...his soft, gentle voice...the blood spattered on his blue mask...her father's blood...so much blood...too much blood...what was he saying?...he was dead...her father was dead...she was alone...alone...no father...no mother...not even a lover...only a traitor...the face that had looked back in the speeding car...his face...her lover's face...Mikagami...Kamikaze...one and the same...it hurts...make the hurt stop, daddy...daddy...daddy, where are you?...I don't want to be alone...
Her gaze didn't leave Aya's face as Youji silently entered the room. He placed a mug of steaming coffee on the table next to her, looking at her with concern. Her face was pale and drawn with worry for the redheaded man. He quickly pushed away the sudden feeling of resentment and jealousy for the other man. He knew the truth. He knew that Aya and Kasumi weren't more than friends, but still he couldn't help envy their closeness. He felt shut out. There was something between them that he could never share or understand. And there was nothing but friendship between him and Kasumi. He wanted so much more than she was willing to give.
"He'll be alright, right?" Kasumi suddenly turned to look up at him, her eyes rimmed red from crying.
"He'll be alright," he reassured her, pushing the mug closer to her. "Drink this. It'll make you feel better."
"Thank you," she said before taking a sip. She turned back to look at Aya as Youji moved behind her, squeezing her shoulders comfortingly. He was surprised when she leant against him. Then, noticing her tension, he massaged her shoulders in an attempt to relax her.
"Why don't you go and take a bath?" He asked softly. "You need to change and relax a little. You won't do much good just sitting here. I'll stay here if you want and call you if there's a change in his condition."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
She sighed softly then got up, accepting a brief hug from him before she slipped away. Taking her seat by the bed, Youji whispered.
"You don't know how lucky you are, Aya."
Light creeped into the room through the closed blinds, waking Kasumi where she rested. Curled up in Aya's armchair, she yawned and stretched out to see Aya wide awake in bed, a slight smile on his face. She smiled back, relaxing once more under the warmth and comfort of Youji's coat. She turned to see Youji's sleeping figure on the couch behind her and smiled fondly.
"He loves you, you know," Aya said, his voice cracked.
"I know..."
"You can't be afraid forever, Kasumi...you shouldn't be afraid to live...and to love. He's hurting...just like you. You need each other."
She nodded as she watched the steady rise and fall of the sleeping man's chest. Then, she smiled slyly and looked back at her redheaded friend.
"Like you need Sakura."
He closed his eyes wearily and softly repeated.
"Like I need Sakura..."
Kasumi bit her lip, trying to keep from laughing out loud. But, Youji and Aya were so cute when they were nervous!
The two guys had asked her and Sakura out on a double-date. Considering that it was the first real date for both couples, they all thought that it would be a good idea. So, here they were in a romantic restaurant at the water-front. Seated by the window, they had a beautiful view of the water lighted by the starry night. Not that anyone was enjoying the view.
The guys, even the reformed playboy Youji, looked like they were going to have heart attacks. They'd mumble unintelligibly and looked anywhere but at their dates, picking at the tempura they'd ordered. Kasumi was starting to believe that their faces were permanently red in color. She could hardly repress her laughter, while Sakura wasn't any help at all. She just sat still, face flushed and eyes lowered.
Finally, Kasumi cleared her throat and everyone looked expectantly at her.
"So...how did you like England, Sakura?"
The other girl looked gratefully at her, having been given the opportunity to speak about a safe topic in which she was knowledagable.
"It was beautiful. The architecture was magnificent and the gardens were wonderful."
"Did you just stay in England or did you go around Europe too?"
"I went around. I went to the Kremlin in Russia...the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame in France... It was great...but I still like it here the most. I went to bed at night thinking about the cherry blossoms in the spring...the green tea ice cream in the summer... I missed a lot of things."
"And people," Kasumi slyly added. Sakura blushed again, peering at Aya from under her lowered eyelashes.
"Yes... So, how did you meet Aya and the others, Kasumi?" Sakura asked in an attempt to change the subject.
Kasumi's smile slipped for a moment before it quickly returned brighter than before.
"At the circus...I met them at the circus. You see, I was in the circus for a short while as an acrobat, like my parents before me."
"Oh, what was it like?"
"Fun...and tiring. It reminded me of when I was a little girl, living with my parents in a trailer as we traveled all over Europe. We were always traveling...didn't have a real home...but we were happy..." She didn't realize that her voice had become soft and wistful or that tears had come to her eyes.
"Kasumi?" Youji asked worriedly.
"I'm alright," she said trying to laugh it off as she brushed away the tears. "Silly me! I can be so sentimental."
She knew she wasn't fooling anyone as Youji continued to frown and Aya gave her a look of understanding, even Sakura squeezed her hand comfortingly. She forced herself to smile and slowly it became a real one. The past was the past. It was best left alone. To be remembered not relived. The present was for her to live in with her friends. Aya...Youji...Ken...Omi...even Sakura.
And the future...the future held so much more.
Kasumi walked causally down the rail of the cliff overlooking the water, while a wary Youji watched, afraid that she might fall and hurt herself. She smiled mischievously at him, doing a piroutte on the narrow rail and causing his eyes to widen.
The other couple walked behind them at a much slower pace, heads close together as they spoke softly. The dinner had ended pretty well considering its embarrassing beginning. Now, they walked at a leisurely pace towards their parked car.
Kasumi leaped lightly to the ground, landing next to him. Putting an arm over her shoulder, he pulled her close.
"Kasumi," Youji suddenly said softly.
"Nani(What)?"
"Aishiteru(I love you)."
She froze, the old fear slowly growing inside her. She felt like she was drowning and couldn't breathe, the fear stifling her. He stopped walking and pulled her closer, lightly kissing her on the forehead before burying his face in her hair. He whispered so that only she could hear.
"You don't need to say anything, Kasumi. I know it's too soon, but I needed to say it...needed to let you know."
The fear died down a little, allowing her to breathe once more. But, still it remained, a cold reminder of a past betrayal...and perhaps an omen of a future one.
Although the night was warm, she shivered.
Aya silently slipped into her room. He knew her door would be open. She sat on the couch in the dark dressed only in her nightgown and a robe. Her violin case sat open atop the coffee table in front of her, but the violin itself lay untouched in its resting place of dark blue velvet. He joined her on the couch and pulled her close.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm scared."
"We're all scared at one time or another. It's just one of those things that makes us know we're human. It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"What if he hurts me...like HE did?"
"Then, I'll run him through with my katana."
"Ran," she chided poutingly. "I'm serious."
"So am I." She sighed softly and buried her head in his shoulder. "...You can't be sure he'll hurt you if you don't give him a chance."
"What if he only sees me a replacement for another girl?"
Aya stiffened next to her and she looked up at him, puzzled by his reaction.
"You know about Asuka?" He asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
"No."
"Then, how did you know..."
"Woman's intuition. ...So, there was someone else. He lost her didn't he?" Aya nodded. "That's why he was such a playboy...to try and ease the pain."
"'Was' being the operative word. He hasn't been the same since you came. Kasumi...you don't need to tell me...but what exactly did he tell you tonight?"
"He told me he loved me."
Aya sighed. He hadn't expected Youji to move so fast. Youji must really be in love with her.
"Then, the question is do YOU love him?"
"I don't know, Ran. I don't know."
Characters:
Japan:
Weib, good assassin group out to rid Japan of its scum -
Aya Fujimiya, aka Abyssinian (real name: Ran) - katana(sword)-weilding redhead
Youji Kudou, aka Balinese - wire-handling blonde with green eyes
Ken Hidaka, aka Siberian - tiger-claw user with brown hair and eyes
Omi Tsukiyono, aka Bombay - arrows/bow gun/darts user with blonde hair and blue eyes
Persia - leader of Weib
Birman - Persia's secretary
Kasumi Minamoto, codename: Russian (Blue) - acrobatic assassin who uses a stiletto and twin admantium fans
Aya-chan - Aya/Ran's comatose younger sister, who'd been ran over by Takatori; the reason for Aya's joining Weib, he has taken on her name and wears one of her earrings to remind himself of her
Sakura - a young woman with a past involving Weib; she has a striking resemblance to Aya's younger comatose sister, Aya-chan, as well as, a crush on the really kawaii redhead
Asuka - Youji's former crush who he thought had died when they were working together as private detectives; apparently, she lost her memory and joined the female assassin group Schreient; when the two groups fought each other, Youji was forced to kill her
Retribution III
"Russian."
"Yes, Abyssinian," Kasumi answered.
"Two of our targets are heading your way. Think you can handle them?"
"You think?"
"Balinese is your backup."
"Gotcha."
She looked below from her position in the rafters of the warehouse, two businessmen entered and headed for the contraband weapons. Weib's mission was clear. Kill the men behind the imports and destroy the weapons. She thought that it was a waste of weapons, but they couldn't exactly send them to the military as an early Christmas present.
She leapt down onto some wooden crates and from there to behind the unsuspecting pair. She silently broke the neck of the slower one and then stabbed the other one. Balinese left his look out post and helped her drag the bodies behind the crates. They watched from the shadows as the remaining targets entered. By the time they realized that something was wrong, it was too late. Abysinnian and Siberian made short work of them. Soon after, Bombay came out of the offices where he'd been hacked into the warehouse's computer to get the shipment files. Then, they set up the explosives, leaving before they could go off. They watched from a nearby building as the warehouse exploded. Then, they disappeared into the shadows. Their work was done.
Alone in her own room, she peeled off the black bodysuit that she wore on missions and wiped off her black face paint. She turned on the shower and waited for the water to reach the right temperature before stepping into the warm spray. Massaging her tired arms and shoulders, she took a long, leisurely bath. She carefully scrubbed herself clean, wishing that she could just as easily scrub away the guilt and pain she felt.
Another job successfully accomplished, another man's blood on her hands. Somewhere a child had lost a father or a father a child. But, that was the way of the world.
She'd been with Weib for a year now and had taken on the codename Russian from the cat Russian Blue. She found it funny that her codename was the same as her nationality, not that anyone would know upon meeting her. After living in Japan under the care of her adopted father, she seemed like just another Japanese. Only her blue eyes could give her away, but being with guys who had purple, green, blue, and brown eyes helped.
And no one would ever suspect she wasn't really Japanese from the way she spoke the native tongue fluently and with no accent whatsoever. Not that she'd forgotten the tongue of her motherland, but that could be easily brushed off by others as just another of the languages she spoke fluently. A linguist, she spoke Russian as well as English, French, and German.
Languages was just one of her talents. She was also proficient in the fields of martial arts and acrobatics. The team had found her talents useful in the field. Off the field, however, when they worked by day as florists, she was silent and aloof with a woman's natural flair for floral arrangements. She worked in the background with Aya, silent but alert.
She finally stepped out of the shower and turned off the water. Watching the water go down the drain, she slipped into a warm and comfortable woolen robe. She cleared the fogged up window and began to towel her hair dry. Upon hearing a knock on the door, she left the bathroom to open it. She was only mildly surprised to see Youji, who flushed slightly upon seeing what she wore. She absently wondered if he'd really been a playboy before she'd joined Weib.
"I thought you'd like some coffee," he said almost shyly, handing her a steaming mug of the hot liquid.
"Thanks, Youji," she said with a small smile. He nodded and opened his mouth as if to say something more, but instead he shook his head and turned away.
She'd only started to call them by their first names recently as they'd gotten closer. Aya'd even let her call him by his real name, Ran. However, only she had that privelege and the others continued to call him Aya. Youji used to wonder if Aya liked Kasumi because, like another girl called Sakura, she reminded him of his innocent younger sister. Now, however, he doubted it because Kasumi had long lost her innocence. At times, she could be as cold and unfeeling as Aya was.
Sakura, on the other hand, retained her innocence despite the incident that led them to meet her. It had been before Kasumi. Sakura had been the victim of a doctor who stole people's organs to sell on the black market. She'd been fortunate not to lose a vital organ, although she hadn't had the same stamina as before when she was a track runner. She obviously had a crush on Aya from the start, but Aya'd ignored her and she later left to study abroad on a scholarship. They hadn't heard from her since then.
As Youji walked towards his room, Aya walked past him and stopped at her door, knocking on it. Youji said nothing, but his heart ached. Although he knew that the relationship between the two was completely platonic, he couldn't help but feel jealous of the close bond that they obviously shared. And sometimes, when he lay in bed alone, he wondered if there was something more going on between the two.
Aya entered the room at the sound of her soft voice. She sat dressed in a soft robe on the couch, a cup of hot coffee held tightly in her white hands. He sat down next to her, putting a arm over her shoulder as she rested her head on his shoulder. Then, she began to speak. Usually she spoke about her life before Weib or simple things that had happened that day. When she'd fininshed, he'd talk about his family and his sister.
Both of them enjoyed those talks after each mission. They somehow found it therapeutic. A way to salve the pain of taking away another person's life, no matter that the person deserved it. Although neither would admit it, they knew that they needed these talks in order to keep on going. She needed someone to comfort her as much as he needed someone to comfort, like he had in the past with his sister.
And so the night wore on, but the morning found all of Weib fast asleep in their own beds...with the exception of a tall blond man as he smoked yet another cigarette in the quiet of his room.
Kasumi's long, delicate fingers selected another long-stemmed white rose and carefully added it the wedding arrangement she was making. As she worked, her pale hands never still, she watched out of the corner of her eye the tall blond man, who watered some orchids.
She and Youji had become closer since they'd first meet, but there was still a wall between them and she couldn't help but feel that it was her fault. Oh, she knew that it WAS her fault. She herself had put up the wall in order to protect herself from getting hurt again. But, she hadn't realized until now that she was hurting him, too.
She'd noticed that although he was charming and a complete gentleman to the girls that came to the shop, he never flirted with any of them. He was quiet and withdrawn, which according to the others was unusual for Youji. Even Birman had commented on it and Kasumi had not missed the slight flush that colored his cheeks when Birman had teased him about having a secret unrequited love.
She knew that she was tormenting him with the close relationship she shared with Aya. Youji probably suspected that they were more than close friends. That wasn't true. But it wasn't like she'd done anything to suggest otherwise. Aya, although he'd noticed the change in Youji, hadn't realized that it was because of them. But, SHE knew and still she did nothing.
Her head jerked up in surprise and her hand paused in midair when Aya knocked over the vase he'd been using. She automatically caught it before it could crash to the floor, then looked to see what had caused his distress.
She blinked in surprise to see a girl that could easily have passed as her twin sister. Long dark hair in a single braid down her back. Big blue eyes. Tall and slim with a fair complexion.
The other girl's pale cheeks had a rosy glow to it and Kasumi put it down as coming from a stay in colder climates. The girl stopped directly in front of Aya, ignoring Kasumi's presence completely.
"Sakura...it's been a long time...." Aya said slowly.
Kasumi couldn't help but smile at his well-hidden nervousness. No one but she could notice it. Sakura must be the girl that Aya'd told her about in passing. So, Aya wasn't exactly indifferent to the girl after all. He'd probably pushed her away, thinking that it was for the best if she didn't get involved with Weib.
"Yes...well, I just came back from England today and I thought...I thought I'd drop by and see how you were doing."
"I'm fine...oh, and this is Kasumi Minamoto. She's new here."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Sakura said haltingly, obviously unsure what to make of the other girl's presence. The look of jealousy that quickly flashed in her eyes was not completely lost on Kasumi.
"The pleasure's all mine. I'm so glad to finally meet you. Ran's told me so much about you."
"He has?" Sakura blushed with pleasure, looking at the equally flustered - though not showing it - Aya.
"Yes. Now, I'm sure that you have a lot to catch up on. Why don't you go out for lunch together? Go on."
"Well..." Sakura said looking nervously at Aya.
"But, Kasumi..." Aya protested, a look of panic in his eyes.
"Oh, come on, Ran. When was the last time you went out? I can cover for you. Don't worry," she said pretending to misunderstand his panic at being alone with Sakura for a worry about leaving the shop.
"Kasumi's right, Aya," Omi said in agreement as he rang up an order. Ken nodded from behind Omi as he wrapped up the order of brilliant purple irises.
Finally, Aya left with one last nervous look at Kasumi. All the while, Youji watched in silence from his place among the flowers. His lingering doubts about Aya and Kasumi being more than friends slowly died. As he looked intently at her smirking face, she suddenly turned to meet his green eyes with her blue ones. The smirk quickly faded from her face as she flushed under his unwavering gaze and her eyes lowered. She quickly turned away to fumble with the unfinished flower arrangement, his gaze never leaving her.
"Oi(Hey)! Watch it will you!" Omi shouted as the watering can sprayed cold water on him.
"Sorry, Omi. it's just that you're so pretty that I thought you were another flower," Youji teased Omi's cute blond looks, trying to cover his inattention.
"Right, Youji. We ALL know what pretty flower you were really thinking about." Ken smirked as Youji turned red and Omi laughed.
But, none saw the pleased smile on Kasumi's own flushed face.
Just when things were looking good, they started going down the drain. If their previous mission had gone without a hitch, their next one was a bloody mess. There wasn't enough information to begin with. Then, the weather disrupted their communications and they couldn't coordinate with each other.
"What's that, Siberian?" Russian asked.
"...targets...behind...the schedule..."
"What?" She couldn't understand what he was saying over the cackling of the frequency and the booming thunder.
"...targets..."
She suddenly whirled around from her position at the roof of the building across the targeted building. Back flat against the short concrete edge of the building, she warily studied her surroundings with her night vision goggles, rain blurring everything.
There were times that she heard faint voices in her head, alerting her to things before they happened. It had first started at the age of twelve when her mother had died of cancer. Refusing to believe she was crazy, she'd kept it to herself, but listened to the voices never knowing them to be wrong. Up to now, no one knew about them. And now, they told her that something was wrong.
"Russian!"
"Abysinnian! What's wrong?"
She looked back down below at the opposite roof where Abysinnian was supposed to be. A flash of lighting illumined the roof. She looked across, straining to see despite the pouring rain. There was no one there. She looked wildly around. Where the hell was he?
"Abysinnian? Where are you?"
"...abort...abort..."
Shit. What the hell had happened? She went down the roof, using a line similar to the one she used the night she killed Kamikaze. With her dark suit, she was practically indistinguishable in the dark. When she got to their meeting point, she found Ken and Omi kneeling on the ground, blocking her view of something...no someone.
"Ran..." Fear was clearly written on her face. No...not again... Flashes of memory ran through her mind. Her father's gun-riddled body in the car. The figures that rode off in another car, while she ran towards her father. The scream that would not leave her lips and the knowledge that it was too late...too late for her to do anything. The old sickening feeling of helplessness overwhelmed her, making her want to vomit.
"Kasumi..." Youji grabbed her by the arm before she could get close to the others.
Pulled back to reality, she roughly pulled away from him, her face now a mask of stone. She forcefully shoved the memories away to the back of her mind. They were forgotten for now. She pushed Omi aside and examined Aya. He leant against a wall, face pale and drawn in pain. His left arm hung uselessly at his side, blood giving his torn black trenchcoat a shiny gloss. His attempt to smile became a pained grimace.
"Ran no baka (Stupid Ran)," she chided grimly. "How could you get yourself shot?" She ignored his protests as she tore her suit and bound his wound tightly with the torn cloth to stop the bleeding. "I can always get a new suit. Can you get up?"
He nodded, leaning against the wall for support. Ken moved forward to offer help that was waved away. Then, Aya slumped forward and almost fell. This time he didn't protest when Ken and Omi went to help him. The two carefully laid him in the backseat of the car and Kasumi got in after him, resting his head on her lap. She brushed away a stray red lock from his pale face. Her forehead was wrinkled with worry and her eyes ran over his body with concern, noting where another bullet had grazed his neck.
Ken and Omi squeezed in with Youji at the front. No one spoke as Youji drove them back to the shop and their rooms above. The raging storm outside was nothing compared to the turmoil inside the silent assassins.
...no...not again...
Tears began to stream down her cheeks unnoticed as the realization that she could lose Aya sunk in. She sat silently by his unconcious form. He'd gone into shock soon after they'd arrived. Fortunately, Omi had the presence of mind to call Birman and ask her to send a doctor in league with them.
The doctor's face had been grave as he examined Aya. He'd bandaged the wounds properly and inserted an IV in Aya's arm to help him recover sooner. It turned out that Aya'd lost a lot of blood and the doctor wasn't sure when he'd come back to conciousness.
Kasumi held his hand tightly, her long, bloodstained fingers intertwined with his. She hadn't changed since they'd come back. Her bodysuit tainted with blood - his blood - went unnoticed. Her hair had come loose from its bun and tumbled down onto her shoulders.
The old memories came back to haunt her.
...the ride in the ambulance next to her father's bleeding body...so much blood...too much blood...the shouts of the blue-clad doctors and nurses as he was rushed into the emergency room...the bright lights and the swinging doors...shutting her out...leaving her alone...alone in the empty waiting room...white washed walls...the long hours of waiting...just waiting...the young doctor...too young...his soft, gentle voice...the blood spattered on his blue mask...her father's blood...so much blood...too much blood...what was he saying?...he was dead...her father was dead...she was alone...alone...no father...no mother...not even a lover...only a traitor...the face that had looked back in the speeding car...his face...her lover's face...Mikagami...Kamikaze...one and the same...it hurts...make the hurt stop, daddy...daddy...daddy, where are you?...I don't want to be alone...
Her gaze didn't leave Aya's face as Youji silently entered the room. He placed a mug of steaming coffee on the table next to her, looking at her with concern. Her face was pale and drawn with worry for the redheaded man. He quickly pushed away the sudden feeling of resentment and jealousy for the other man. He knew the truth. He knew that Aya and Kasumi weren't more than friends, but still he couldn't help envy their closeness. He felt shut out. There was something between them that he could never share or understand. And there was nothing but friendship between him and Kasumi. He wanted so much more than she was willing to give.
"He'll be alright, right?" Kasumi suddenly turned to look up at him, her eyes rimmed red from crying.
"He'll be alright," he reassured her, pushing the mug closer to her. "Drink this. It'll make you feel better."
"Thank you," she said before taking a sip. She turned back to look at Aya as Youji moved behind her, squeezing her shoulders comfortingly. He was surprised when she leant against him. Then, noticing her tension, he massaged her shoulders in an attempt to relax her.
"Why don't you go and take a bath?" He asked softly. "You need to change and relax a little. You won't do much good just sitting here. I'll stay here if you want and call you if there's a change in his condition."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
She sighed softly then got up, accepting a brief hug from him before she slipped away. Taking her seat by the bed, Youji whispered.
"You don't know how lucky you are, Aya."
Light creeped into the room through the closed blinds, waking Kasumi where she rested. Curled up in Aya's armchair, she yawned and stretched out to see Aya wide awake in bed, a slight smile on his face. She smiled back, relaxing once more under the warmth and comfort of Youji's coat. She turned to see Youji's sleeping figure on the couch behind her and smiled fondly.
"He loves you, you know," Aya said, his voice cracked.
"I know..."
"You can't be afraid forever, Kasumi...you shouldn't be afraid to live...and to love. He's hurting...just like you. You need each other."
She nodded as she watched the steady rise and fall of the sleeping man's chest. Then, she smiled slyly and looked back at her redheaded friend.
"Like you need Sakura."
He closed his eyes wearily and softly repeated.
"Like I need Sakura..."
Kasumi bit her lip, trying to keep from laughing out loud. But, Youji and Aya were so cute when they were nervous!
The two guys had asked her and Sakura out on a double-date. Considering that it was the first real date for both couples, they all thought that it would be a good idea. So, here they were in a romantic restaurant at the water-front. Seated by the window, they had a beautiful view of the water lighted by the starry night. Not that anyone was enjoying the view.
The guys, even the reformed playboy Youji, looked like they were going to have heart attacks. They'd mumble unintelligibly and looked anywhere but at their dates, picking at the tempura they'd ordered. Kasumi was starting to believe that their faces were permanently red in color. She could hardly repress her laughter, while Sakura wasn't any help at all. She just sat still, face flushed and eyes lowered.
Finally, Kasumi cleared her throat and everyone looked expectantly at her.
"So...how did you like England, Sakura?"
The other girl looked gratefully at her, having been given the opportunity to speak about a safe topic in which she was knowledagable.
"It was beautiful. The architecture was magnificent and the gardens were wonderful."
"Did you just stay in England or did you go around Europe too?"
"I went around. I went to the Kremlin in Russia...the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame in France... It was great...but I still like it here the most. I went to bed at night thinking about the cherry blossoms in the spring...the green tea ice cream in the summer... I missed a lot of things."
"And people," Kasumi slyly added. Sakura blushed again, peering at Aya from under her lowered eyelashes.
"Yes... So, how did you meet Aya and the others, Kasumi?" Sakura asked in an attempt to change the subject.
Kasumi's smile slipped for a moment before it quickly returned brighter than before.
"At the circus...I met them at the circus. You see, I was in the circus for a short while as an acrobat, like my parents before me."
"Oh, what was it like?"
"Fun...and tiring. It reminded me of when I was a little girl, living with my parents in a trailer as we traveled all over Europe. We were always traveling...didn't have a real home...but we were happy..." She didn't realize that her voice had become soft and wistful or that tears had come to her eyes.
"Kasumi?" Youji asked worriedly.
"I'm alright," she said trying to laugh it off as she brushed away the tears. "Silly me! I can be so sentimental."
She knew she wasn't fooling anyone as Youji continued to frown and Aya gave her a look of understanding, even Sakura squeezed her hand comfortingly. She forced herself to smile and slowly it became a real one. The past was the past. It was best left alone. To be remembered not relived. The present was for her to live in with her friends. Aya...Youji...Ken...Omi...even Sakura.
And the future...the future held so much more.
Kasumi walked causally down the rail of the cliff overlooking the water, while a wary Youji watched, afraid that she might fall and hurt herself. She smiled mischievously at him, doing a piroutte on the narrow rail and causing his eyes to widen.
The other couple walked behind them at a much slower pace, heads close together as they spoke softly. The dinner had ended pretty well considering its embarrassing beginning. Now, they walked at a leisurely pace towards their parked car.
Kasumi leaped lightly to the ground, landing next to him. Putting an arm over her shoulder, he pulled her close.
"Kasumi," Youji suddenly said softly.
"Nani(What)?"
"Aishiteru(I love you)."
She froze, the old fear slowly growing inside her. She felt like she was drowning and couldn't breathe, the fear stifling her. He stopped walking and pulled her closer, lightly kissing her on the forehead before burying his face in her hair. He whispered so that only she could hear.
"You don't need to say anything, Kasumi. I know it's too soon, but I needed to say it...needed to let you know."
The fear died down a little, allowing her to breathe once more. But, still it remained, a cold reminder of a past betrayal...and perhaps an omen of a future one.
Although the night was warm, she shivered.
Aya silently slipped into her room. He knew her door would be open. She sat on the couch in the dark dressed only in her nightgown and a robe. Her violin case sat open atop the coffee table in front of her, but the violin itself lay untouched in its resting place of dark blue velvet. He joined her on the couch and pulled her close.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm scared."
"We're all scared at one time or another. It's just one of those things that makes us know we're human. It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"What if he hurts me...like HE did?"
"Then, I'll run him through with my katana."
"Ran," she chided poutingly. "I'm serious."
"So am I." She sighed softly and buried her head in his shoulder. "...You can't be sure he'll hurt you if you don't give him a chance."
"What if he only sees me a replacement for another girl?"
Aya stiffened next to her and she looked up at him, puzzled by his reaction.
"You know about Asuka?" He asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
"No."
"Then, how did you know..."
"Woman's intuition. ...So, there was someone else. He lost her didn't he?" Aya nodded. "That's why he was such a playboy...to try and ease the pain."
"'Was' being the operative word. He hasn't been the same since you came. Kasumi...you don't need to tell me...but what exactly did he tell you tonight?"
"He told me he loved me."
Aya sighed. He hadn't expected Youji to move so fast. Youji must really be in love with her.
"Then, the question is do YOU love him?"
"I don't know, Ran. I don't know."