Yes, I said it would eventually rate an M, and it's headed in that direction, so I have changed the rating. But really, I was nothing but a tease in this chapter.
My proof-reader cringes at the thought of yaoi and is not very knowledgable about Weiss Kreuz, but he assures me that at least the story is flowing. I hope he's right.
Thanks for the reviews and encouragement. Enjoy.
fire mystic
A Fine Line
Yohji was lying on his bed when Aya walked into the room and sat on the edge of the mattress. He didn't say or do anything. He stared at the floor, head hanging, profile hidden beneath the fall of crimson hair. Yohji finally reached out, long fingers grasping Aya's shoulder as if to shake him, and when Aya didn't move under his touch, his hand slid down the pale flesh of his upper arm, fingers kneading lightly into the solid muscles that lay beneath that skin. He moved slowly, edging forward to sit behind Aya, carefully placing one leg on each side of him so Aya could lean back into his chest. Aya's moved his hands then, lifting them from clutching the sheets on the bed to clutching Yohji's knees. Yohji ran his hands down both arms now, a soothing gesture, then buried his face in the silken fall of hair along the back of Aya's neck. Aya startled at first, but didn't move away, instead arching his neck to give Yohji access to kiss at the tender skin there, relaxing his body back into Yohji, who wrapped him tightly in his embrace, pressing his body, shoulders to groin, against Aya's back as he pulled Aya to him.
Yohji sat up suddenly in bed, coming awake with a gasp, his body trembling, skin tingling. He was so convinced that the dream was real, he actually turned, checking to make sure he was really alone. He shifted in his bed, and then lifted the sheet that had wrapped around him to confirm what he could already feel, but couldn't believe. "No." He denied it even with the evidence before him. It was a dream, a dream in which they hadn't even done much of anything, and he was floored by his reaction to it. He hadn't had a wet dream in…he couldn't even remember the last time. Rubbing his hands over his face, he wondered how he was going to function around Aya now.
Showered and shaved, he made his way down to the laundry room with his sheets and shoved them in the washer. It would not do to have to explain any of this to any of his teammates. Setting the washer, he headed for the kitchen, finding a bowl and spoon set out for him with his favorite cereal beside it. Damn. What was that all about? Next to it was a note. "Make sure you clean up after yourself." Not signed, but definitely Aya's handwriting. Was this his idea of paying Yohji back for dinner the night before? Yohji couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips as he considered the effort this small gesture must have been for Aya.
He made sure to wash the bowl and spoon when he was done, even going so far as to dry them and put them away.
He wandered casually into the shop, making it in time for the doors to open and came face to face with Aya.
He pushed down the immediate mental replay of his dream, and focused on making Aya uncomfortable instead.
"Hey Aya. Thanks."
"For what?"
"Well, you know, setting breakfast out for me."
"Hn. It didn't keep you from being late."
Yohji flashed his most winning smile. "Well, no. After all, I had to make sure I got my beauty sleep."
Aya pushed past him and busied himself picking flowers for an arrangement.
It was close to noon when Manx arrived, fawning over the flowers until the few customers that were in the shop had made their purchases and left. Leaving an 'out to lunch' sign hanging on the door, they headed down the stairs to receive their new mission. Yohji, taking a seat on the couch, had a hard time hiding his shock when Aya sat beside him. Had Aya ever sat down for a mission briefing before? He couldn't remember, but the inconsistency didn't get past Manx, either.
"I take it you two have resolved whatever issue you were having."
Aya didn't even respond. Yohji flashed a bright smile. "C'mon Manx. I'm way too charming to stay angry at."
She returned his smile, but raised her brows at him. "And what about Aya? Why wouldn't you be able to stay mad at him?"
"Aya?" The response running through his mind was dangerous ground, but there was nothing like goading Aya. So he let it slip…"Aya's just too damn sexy."
If looks could kill. Yohji wished he had a camera. Even angry, there was something about Aya that made his breath catch, even added that extra thrill.
Aya immediately stood and moved away. Omi gasped, bringing Yohji's attention around to find an expression of shocked disbelief on Omi's face, which would have made sense except for the blush that crept up his face…and the glance at Ken. Yohji's eyes followed to catch Ken in the process of throwing a pillow at him, which he caught in midair and moved just in time to see Ken turn back and wink at Omi.
Huh? What had he just seen? Ken turned back to him and lifted his eyebrows at Yohji, a silent acknowledgment, followed by a slow wink.
Go figure.
"Gentlemen." Manx's voice cut through the moment. "If you please."
She dimmed the lights and the mission was relayed to them: An export company owned and operated by four businessmen who had been bonded since college. The export company, as successful as it was, was a cover for an even more lucrative business. Slave trading, both in women and children. The four businessmen, though close, met only once a year as a foursome, always in a highly secretive location, and Kritiker had managed to find out where that meeting would be held.
There mission was easy. Get in. Eliminate them. Get out.
They infiltrated the exclusive hotel where the meeting was set without a problem. Aya took a room that was one floor below the meeting, giving them a plausible explanation for being in the hotel. Yohji took up a position at the bar in the posh restaurant where he had found three of the business men dining, apparently waiting for their fourth partner to show up. As he glanced out the door of the bar, he caught site of Ken in a bellboy's uniform, and briefly wondered what Omi thought of a man in uniform. His thoughts were brought back into focus when he saw the man Ken was with; their fourth target. He showed him to his partners, assuring him his bags would be taken to his room, and made sure his gaze swept past Yohji as he left the room.
The targets sat for only one drink, thankfully, and Yohji let Omi know when they had left the bar before cautiously following, just another customer on his way to his room. By luck or chance, he ended up on the same elevator smiling pleasantly at all of them while he wondered what their reaction would be if he were to announce that he was one of the assassins sent to kill them. He disembarked the elevator on the floor beneath theirs, making his way to the room Aya was in. He entered the room without thinking, and before he could even get the door closed, he was pinned to the wall beside it. The door slammed shut beside him and he strained his eyes against the darkness of the room to see the man who had him pinned to the wall.
"What the fuck, Aya?"
"You should be more careful, Kudou. You didn't even check to see what you were walking into."
He tried to push Aya away, but Aya maintained the upper hand.
"Let go of me, Aya. What the hell is your problem? We're on a mission." Those words sounded strange to him, coming from his own mouth. It was Aya's job to remind him of the mission.
Aya still didn't back off.
"Why did you say that?"
"What? Say what?"
"What you said to Manx. About me."
Yohji had to think for a second, past Aya having him pressed to the wall, past Aya being so pissed about…what?"
"You mean about you being too damn sexy?"
No answer, but he felt the flex of Aya's fingers against his skin.
"Oh hell, Aya, I was just, just…" Just what? Telling the truth? Stating the obvious? "I was just teasing a bit. No harm done."
Aya let him go suddenly, thumping him back to the wall as he backed away and Yohji had just enough time to gain his balance, standing upright, and adjusting his shirt, when Aya's fist struck him in the jaw and he slammed back into the wall.
Hand going to his jaw, bracing himself against the surface at his back, biting back his anger and shock, Yohji stared at the silhouette of the very dangerous man standing before him. Aya could have killed him as easily as he had punched him, still could if he wanted to. Yohji wasn't doing a damn thing to defend himself, but Aya wasn't moving either. Anger flared, the frustration rising to an undeniable level, and, in one smooth, graceful move, Yohji pushed himself from the wall, wrapped his hands in Aya's shirt and reversed their positions, shoving the smaller man into the wall and moving in close enough so he could see his eyes even in the dim light.
For a heated moment, their eyes locked, angry sparks in both sets, Yohji wondering when Aya was going to kill him half a second before his lips crashed down on Aya's mouth.
There. That should shut him up. He forced Aya's lips apart, using the crush of their mouths to keep them apart. That should keep him from asking obvious questions. He swept his tongue into the heat of Aya's mouth. That should keep him from…
His intercom crackled at the same time Aya managed to insert his hands and one knee into the softest parts of Yohji's body, and Yohji reeled back, staggering, before Aya could do real damage.
"Aya, Yohji. We're ready to move."
One heartbeat, two, a handful, pounding far too fast in Yohji's chest. He had no doubt from the way Aya's chest heaved that his was beating just as fast, if for different reasons. He wanted to tear his gaze away, search the room for Aya's katana, find out how fast he might have to move to stay alive, but he didn't dare. Aya didn't need the katana to kill him.
He reflexively moved back when Aya stepped forward, two predators mixing it up in a strange dance. Aya passed him by, grabbing up his katana from where it was balanced by the door, and stalked out of the room, long leather coat swishing behind him. Yohji followed, still on guard, still waiting for the repercussions of his brash actions.