Chapter 37

Yohji heard his doorknob click. He forced himself to stay calm, to pretend that he hadn't heard a thing.

Things could go really badly right now. Either that or Aya had just come in to dwell on things. He wasn't about to interrupt Aya if the man was trying to remember.

Aya's footsteps were silent, but the chain wasn't. So the stubborn bastard had ripped it out of the floor instead of trying to pick the lock around his neck. Didn't Aya know about the lock picking kits he left all over the house incase someone broke in and managed to cuff one of them? Hell, if the police got a hold of them they were screwed unless they used the kits to get away.

Aya must not be thinking clearly, either that or he felt that Yohji never had his guard up if he thought he couldn't hear him coming closer to the bed.

Yohji forced himself not to open his eyes when Aya touched his cheek. Okay, he hadn't expected that. What was Aya doing? And what was he going to do next?

He expected Aya to leave to brood. His heart sped up when Aya sat down on the edge of the bed. He wasn't going to…he was!

Yohji could feel tears stinging at his eyes when Aya curled up against him. Aya fell asleep quickly.

Once he was one hundred percent sure Aya was sleeping Yohji opened his eyes and let the tears fall.

He lifted his head enough to look down at Aya. The man was so beautiful when he slept. There were no doubts, no attitude, no anger when he slept.

Yohji took the chance and gently ran a hand through Aya`s hair.

"Yohji," Aya mumbled in his sleep. His name, not Farfarello's or anyone else's. Once he'd seen how messed up Aya was he hadn't blamed him for kissing that freak.

Yohji didn't sleep, he stayed awake watching Aya sleep. He was happy. He was tired as hell, but he was enjoying Aya's company. Aya hadn't been around him for…well, on and off it seemed like every time they made any progress Aya disappeared, whether it was some sort of temper tantrum or the enemy getting their hands on him.

Yohji had no idea how much time he was going to have with Aya, so he wanted to be awake for every second of it.

"I love you," Yohji whispered.

Morning came all too soon. Aya started to stir. Yohji didn't know what to do. Should he pretend he was still sleeping and let Aya make his escape back downstairs?

No, he didn't want to do that. He didn't want Aya to be able to deny what was between them.

Aya sat up slowly, thinking he was still sleeping. Yohji met his eyes and Aya blushed, turning away. Well, he hadn't run like hell, so that was at least something.

Yohji reached over and carefully linked his fingers with Aya's. He didn't want to move too quickly when Aya looked this skittish.

"Did you sleep well?" Yohji asked, wanting to keep their conversation light, something Aya could respond to without getting defensive.

Aya nodded, still keeping his head turned. Aya only looked away when he was blushing, like it was shameful to have moments like this.

Yohji slowly sat up. He watched Aya's shoulders stiffen. The man was now looking toward the door with wide eyes. Yohji wrapped his arms around Aya and leaned his head against his shoulder from behind.

"I had nightmares so I…" Aya trailed off, his muscles finally relaxing. Yohji kissed the side of his neck lightly.

"Are you angry?" Aya asked. Yohji knew what he was asking about. He was asking about Farfarello.

"You're home and that's all that matters. Whatever happened with Schwartz, and I know what happened, is all in the past. I don't blame you. They confused you. It happens when you have a head wound and everyone decides to keep knocking you in the head and peeking into your mind and shooting you." Yohji chuckled.

"Why do you keep waiting for me? Looking for me? You should've given up. Most people would've…"

"And miss the chance to have you like this again? Not likely," Yohji wanted to be perfectly clear with Aya.

"I'm never going to leave you alone, Aya. Lord knows if you make me go through all this again I'm going to throttle you, but it won't stop me from looking for you." Yohji smiled when Aya turned toward him, trying to read his eyes.

Yohji thought only of his love for Aya, praying that the man could see it in his eyes.

Now he understood why Aya had turned away, he hadn't been blushing anymore, there were tears streaking down the redhead's cheeks, something that was practically unheard of.

Yohji kissed his eyelids before gently wiping his tears.

"Promise me you won't run off on me." Yohji leaned in and touched his lips to Aya's. They were talking, finally talking. Yohji knew that he wasn't being too forward by kissing him.

Aya nodded.

"Aya, promise me," Yohji kissed him again.

"I promise," Aya said very softly, his eyes still glued to Yohji's, like he expected Yohji to reject him.

"Promise not to stop looking," Aya said so quietly Yohji almost missed it.

"I thought I already did. But I promise," Yohji kissed him, this time nudging at Aya's lips. Aya opened to him, letting him deepen the kiss.

Aya awkwardly moved closer, like he had never kissed Yohji before. Yohji supposed that, with having been confused for so long by that bastard Mastermind in his head, that Aya was having a hard time with this. He was forcing everything that asshole had told him away and giving himself to Yohji. It was taking its toll on him, Yohji could tell.

He pulled Aya closer, not forcefully, more like guiding him closer until Aya was in his lap. He kept on hand in the small of Aya's back and slid the other one up to cup his cheek.

He drew back when his lungs demanded he take a moment to breathe. He didn't want to pull away, he wanted to taste every inch of Aya's mouth. He wanted that connection.

Aya rested his head against Yohji's shoulder.

"Yohji! Aya ran off!…" Ken shouted, bursting into the room.

Aya jumped out of Yohji's arms. He looked pissed as he took a step toward Ken.

"Shit! Sorry!" Ken slammed the door and ran like hell.

"Aya, how about we take that collar off you. I bet its heavy." Yohji picked the key out of the pocket of a pair of pants that were haphazardly thrown on the floor.

Aya tilted his head back enough to give Yohji access to the lock. Yohji winced at the lines of blood that were at the top and bottom of where the collar had sat. He looked down at Aya's bare arms and saw where he had wrapped the chain around his wrist and pulled as hard as he could. The wounds were crusted over scabs now, but it didn't matter. Aya had put up that much of a fight to get free, and then had come to his room to sleep. Aya hadn't run when he'd had the chance.

"I love you," Yohji assured him, grinning like a fool at the small quirk in Aya's lips that might've been a smile.

"I love you," Aya whispered, like it was some sort of taboo. Yohji didn't care, Aya had said it and that was all that mattered.

"I want to take you out tonight." Yohji grabbed Aya's hand and kissed his palm.

Aya nodded, looking very interested. He supposed Aya hadn't had much time outside. Schwartz had been on the move constantly, so Aya probably hadn't seen the outside world much, then he had finally caught up to him and chained him to the floor. If he knew him then Aya was probably stir crazy by now.

"I want to dance with you. Will you come to a club with me? This time we'll go somewhere nicer, not the dive that I usually dance at. What do you say?"

Aya nodded. Yohji could've cried. He was finally getting some time with Aya that wasn't ruined by enemies or misunderstandings.

He pulled Aya close and kissed him again, this time a bit harder than the last time. Aya responded immediately, kissing back hard enough to make Yohji's lips sting. Aya was finally his again.

Author's notes: As if I wouldn't let them get back together. LOL! I love Yohji and Aya pairings.

But this isn't the end just yet. I have to give Yohji more of a happy moment after all the poor guy's been through.

Thanks met for your reviews. I appreciate them. =)

I don`t know why, but for some reason this document is blocking the àt sign, so it isn`t letting me put your name right.

sorry, not trying to offend. I`ve tried to fix it six times, even went as far as to re-save it on my computer and it just isn`t showing

up even though I`ve put it in there over and over.