This chapter marks a turning point – in the story, yes, but more importantly, in the writing of this story. This chapter marks where Schuldig and Yohji began to team up against me to try to push me out of the way to force this story to go faster than I wanted it to. They failed, but they made my life hell, all the same. And Aya, damn that sneaky bastard, helped them. I managed to fix the things that Yotan and Schu screwed up by rewriting each page several times, but Aya…the things he messed up, seemed to have stayed that way. I'm still pissed at him.
Really. Ya'll should pity me for putting up with those three in my head for so long! Sure all the yummy yaoiness made it worth it. But they couldn't be naked all the time!
Flood has hit 200 reviews. Thanks everyone! I love you!
"Aya-chaaaaaaan!"
The pretty figure on the bed jerked awake, deep, gorgeous eyes filled with confusion.
Yohji couldn't help but to grin; he had been waiting for hours to tease the pale beauty he had discovered in his bed.
The blonde jumped to his feet as the lovely man sat up, one hand going to his head as he winced.
"C'mon – get up!" Yohji urged teasingly. "It's nine already, lazy ass. Go help Ken clean up the shop – there's only an hour left before opening!"
The young man only looked confused.
"Where am I?" he demanded.
"Morning to you, too, sunshine!" the blonde greeted with a snort, placing his hands on his hips. "Name's Yohji Kudoh – just call me Yohji. This is my room, and what you're laying on is my bed, so hurry up and leave already – I'm sleepy, damn it!"
Pushing a hand through his hair, the young man ignored the order – apparently deep in thought.
"I was a little worried, since you were out so long," Yohji confessed cheekily. "But you seem okay now. Probably just needed some rest. Still, next time you crash in my bed, I'm gonna expect a more…enjoyable…thank you – if you get what I mean."
Those lovely violet eyes narrowed into a glare, and Yohji couldn't help but to laugh.
"You have me at a disadvantage." Yohji pointed out. "If we're going to be teammates, don't you think you should tell me your name?"
"Didn't that woman already tell you?" the redhead demanded grumpily, getting out of bed.
"Who? Birman?"
The young man didn't answer. Yohji slid onto the bed, feeling an odd, immature thrill that he was sitting in bed with such a beauty. It brought all kinds of interesting thoughts to mind, but he had been threatened to within an inch of his life – there would be dire consequences if he let his flirting chase off another potential Weiss.
"They didn't tell you anything?" he asked gently.
"Someone suddenly hit me. That's it."
Ken.
That idiot.
"Look, teammates shouldn't keep things from each other," Yohji sighed. "And I have a problem trusting in things unless I hear them myself. So how about I tell you what I do know, and you can fill me in on the rest."
The young man only looked at him. He really was quite pretty in the early morning light, though he definitely didn't seem to be the kind of person that Yohji could push.
"I heard that you're trying to protect someone dear to you." Yohji began gently.
The young man jerked back, immediately hostile.
"What the hell?"
"I used to be a P.I." Yohji laughed, enjoying the conversation with this hostile, spirited young man.
"How long have you been…how long have you worked for…?"
"About two years."
A snort. The young man rose and began to head for the door, but Yohji found himself suddenly unwilling to end the conversation.
"So who's this 'Aya-chan'?" he pressed.
The young man rounded on him with a snarl.
"Come on – you can tell me." Yohji urged smoothly. "Does she have anything to do with that interesting earring of yours?"
In an instant, the redhead was across the room, gripping the front of Yohji's sweater in one trembling fist. Though his expression was full of rage, his eyes held worlds of pain.
"That woman already told you everything, didn't she?" he demanded furiously. "Why force me to talk about it?"
"Was she your lover?" Yohji pressed. "No. Family? Birman hasn't said a word – you called her name in your sleep."
The redhead released him with a shove. Without a word, he began heading for the door.
"You can't leave without telling me your name!" Yohji called. "What am I supposed to call you? Aya?"
"I remember you."
Aya turned, startled by the sound of the familiar voice. Yohji stood in the kitchen doorway, thumbs tucked through his belt loops in a forced casual show.
"Yohji?"
"Not…not that." the blonde clarified awkwardly. "But I…I remember meeting you."
"Aa." Aya turned back to the dishes he's been washing, trying to hide his disappointment. "Congratulations."
Yohji was silent for a long moment. When he spoke again, his voice was both closer and quieter.
"When did we become…you know…" Yohji leaned against the counter, obviously trying to be nonchalant. "When did we become lovers?"
"Not for several years."
"Years?" Yohji repeated in disbelief.
Aya looked at him then.
"Why?" he demanded, more sharply than intended.
"It's just…" Yohji hesitated then, tentatively, reached for him. His fingertips lightly brushed Aya's hair, caressed his jaw, before he lost his nerve and let his hand drop. He looked almost guilty for daring to touch him. Uncomfortable, certainly. "I find it hard to believe it took that long." he said at last.
"Why?" he asked again.
Yohji shifted uncomfortably, and refused to meet his eyes.
"It's just…I was really attracted to you."
"From the beginning?"
"From the first moment."
Aya was suddenly, painfully, aware of how he must appear. Soapy hands, dressed in a shapeless sweater he'd found in the back of his closet…
"You didn't feel that attraction this time around though, right?"
"I did."
Aya glared at him sharply and the blonde hurried to explain himself.
"You have to know how beautiful you are, Aya."
He was a little more sure of himself as he reached for him again, and Aya found himself leaning into the heartbreakingly familiar touch. Yohji was clearly testing them both, trying to see if it really was attraction he felt, or the ghost of a memory. Trying to see what Aya would let him get away with. Almost anyone else would have lost at least a finger or two for trying.
"But," Yohji continued awkwardly, dropping his hand and looking away once more. He crossed his arms and glared at the floor. "Between being kidnapped and finding out about my wife…the memories, the real Asuka…and the fact that, when we met this time, you felt so familiar to me, despite everything…I haven't really had the chance to think about my attraction to you. But…I do think you're beautiful."
"Thank you, Yohji."
"I…want to remember more."
Aya smiled, unable to stop himself.
"Were we really lovers?" Yohji asked, peeking at him with a shy and boyish smile. "You and me? Naked and sweaty and…?"
"Maybe this conversation has gone far enough."
"If I kissed you, would you hurt me?"
"You could always try it and see."
The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, shocking him. Yohji had always been the one to flirt, not Aya.
He felt his face inflame.
Yohji couldn't help but to stare in disbelief.
He had come to Aya because he hadn't known what else to do. Schuldig had left after their session, refusing to answer any of his questions. Yohji couldn't have stopped himself from seeking out Aya if he'd wanted to.
Aya had felt familiar to him since the first moment he had seen him – but he hadn't even noticed until faced with the memory of what Aya felt like "brand new." Frightened and terrified, bound to a chair in the kitchen of a man who had kidnapped him, Yohji had felt the pull of the pretty red-haired man from the very beginning.
Remembering meeting Aya for the first first time, remembering that first, electric jolt of attraction for the man…what else could Yohji do but seek the man out?
He stared, dumbfounded, as a blush slowly spread across Aya's face. Cold, unreadable Aya was…
Blushing?
Try it and see, Aya had told him.
Irrationally nervous, Yohji stepped forward and took Aya into his arms. His arms went easily around the other man's slim waist and, for a wonder, the usually frozen man came willingly into his embrace.
Aya's body fit against his as if it had been specifically created to do so. Yohji couldn't believe how wonderful it felt to hold him. How perfect. How…
Yohji quickly released him, stepping away.
Aya only looked at him, all traces of emotion gone from his lovely face.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "I thought…didn't you want to…?"
"I can't."
"Because of your wife?"
"No." Yohji felt a stirring of pain at the reminder of the woman he loved – the woman he'd thought loved him back. The fraud.
"Then why?"
"You…you're like a doll, Aya," he stated as gently as he could.
"A…doll?"
"You don't feel anything – not anymore, anyway. It wouldn't be right for me to…don't look at me that way. You know it's true."
"I'm sorry. It's my fault for forgetting." Aya's voice was cold now, angry. "You don't know me anymore, and you have no desire to."
"Look, I…"
"Leave me alone."
Aya brushed past and out of the kitchen.
Yohji felt too much shame to attempt to follow.
To Be Continued
"You could always try it and see." Every time I read that line, I want to ring Aya's neck. He almost ruined everything, damn him. And even though in the end everything worked out the way I wanted it to, I'm still mad at him for pulling this little stunt. The bastard will continue to try to discreetly ruin me in further chapters – wait and see. And he's so much more subtle about it that Schu and Yotan…
Okay. Rant over.
Sheesh but these chapters have been short lately. Chapter 14 looks like it's longer though.
Response to Unsigned Reviews:
glinwulf - (grins)
surrealgreen - welcome to the fic and thanks for reading! If you're going to take a look at the other one, don't be shy! Drop a review there, too.
CaT70 - I actually didn't find out about that until after I begun posting this, but I decided to keep it the way I had it originally, because in my mind, that part of cannon just doesn't make sense. Surely one of the boys could have at least let him know what his name was, even if they were going to let him forget everything else. Names are too powerful.
arcanelight - thanks!