Experienced Weiss Kreuz fans and authors:

Forgive me, I beg of you. I am among the unfortunate, uninitiated people, who have never really seen or read the series, but I've formulated an idea of what happens, from the marvelous fanfictions out there that I've read.

This story is an extremely *sappy*, *angsty*, and undoubtedly *horribly* out-of-character pairing between Brad, my favorite clairvoyant, and Ken, a fellow soccer-player. And I mean SAP, SAP, *SAP*, okay?

I understand that this is one of those "rare" pairings, but, well... I kinda like it!

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Disclaimer: I own nothing except the pictures in my head

Warning: Sap, angst, and shonein-ai situations. Brad+Ken, plus a few other pairs mentioned along the way...

Author: Kasey

Archive: Not unless I send it to you.

Status: Complete, self-edited.

Key: /italics/ and *emphasis*

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"Lavender"
-Part Three-

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Kudou Youji became part of Weiss. I'll never forget the shadows in his eyes, for the first few months we were all together, working in that flower shop. He was such a good-looking man, the girls and women would come in just to stare at him, and try to flirt. But I recognized the look in his eyes. Hopelessness. The same feeling I had when I thought I'd never see Brad again.

Youji healed, or, at least, we thought he did. He started dating, slowly at first. Then he became a fanatic about it. Every woman over the age of eighteen who walked into our little flower shop very nearly found herself accosted by him. He would trade working shifts in order to make time for as many dates as he could fit into his schedule. Date, after date, after date. Omi and I figured that he had gotten over losing his girlfriend and partner, and that this was Youji's way of enjoying life. We weren't going to complain.

But even as Youji got better, I got worse. I remember waking up one night, very nearly screaming. I had met Brad, in my dreams. We hugged, and we kissed, and I laughed, and then... Brad told me it was over. He said goodbye, and he walked away from me. In my dreams! And... I let him... I let him walk away.

I woke up, feeling wretched. I had to get out.

I dressed, and went outside, leaving a note in case Omi or Youji got worried. I walked down the sidewalk. I don't know how long I walked, but I had a feeling... I wanted to go to the park. I started running.

It wasn't that far to the park, but when I got there, I was panting, very close to hyperventilation. The smell hit me, hard. Lavender. It permeated the air, drowning me. I knew, I just knew...

I ran into the park, through the trees. It was dark, so dark, but I ran.

"Uhn!!"

"Brad!" I had run into somebody, but I knew who it was, and he knew it was me. Strong arms circled around me, crushing me as I cried against his chest. "Brad!"

"Oh, Ken..."

It was minutes before I had calmed down enough to stop sobbing and choking out his name. My throat hurt, and my eyes stung, and the front of his shirt was damp from my tears, but I had him, and I was happy again.

Brad led me to a park bench, and we sat down, never letting go. More minutes passed, and my breathing slowed. I wanted to lean against him, forever, just like this.

"Ken..."

I clutched his hand tighter. "...Yeah?"

"I heard you were dead."

"I-I'm a better survivor than that."

"I thought so." He squeezed my hand.

"How long have you been back?" I asked.

"Not long."

"Oh." The way we sat, Brad still had one arm around me, and I was able to loop both of my arms around his chest. I hugged closer to him. "Brad..."

"Yes?"

"I love you. Always."

I felt Brad's hand on my back clench. "Ken... I'm sorry."

I blinked as a feeling of dread passed through me. "What do you mean... Brad? Brad?!"

He was standing up. Pushing me away. Oh, God, he was walking away from me. He turned, slightly.

"We can't do this, anymore," he said softly. "Goodbye, Ken."

"N-no!!" I yelled, and jumped after him. I grabbed his arm. "You can't... don't!!" I cried. "Don't say that!" He didn't wrench his arm away. He pulled me close, quickly, and pressed his lips to mine.

As tight as my throat was, it was hard for me to breath, harder still as Brad kissed me. I didn't care. I held onto his wrist, giving back as good as I got. It was such a rough kiss, all biting and licking and tears and sobs... When we parted, I didn't have enough air to stand on my own, and I fell to my knees. "Brad..."

He still held my hand. "Goodbye, Ken," he whispered, drawing away. "I loved you. God, Ken, I loved you..."

He was gone. Gone. Gone.

Brad. I thought I really was dead, then.

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I didn't have much time to brood. A week later, Aya joined Weiss, followed by a flood of bloody missions. Between working the flower shop, completing missions, and shoving barely enough food in my face to survive, I hardly had time to sleep, much less dream. Then we encountered the Living Chess Game.

I don't know how we survived through it. I do remember five figures stalking haughtily away from us, as if there weren't a thing we could do to stop them... and there wasn't. I saw them from a distance, and wondered who they were. I wondered if we would run into them again.

"Here's all the information we've been able to collect," Manx said. She sounded proud of herself, considering that what she handed us was no more than two pieces of paper. "They are an international underground organization. You must continue to research them--new information *may* save your lives, and the lives of innocents. Good luck." She walked out.

Aya spoke up, first. "Youji. You and Ken take care of the store. Omi and I will get started on this."

"Aye-aye, Aya!" Youji exclaimed, saluting our unofficial leader and grinning stupidly. "C'mon, Ken... you run deliveries, and I'll mind the ladies... that is, of course, I mean the store..."

Omi shook his head, and started reading the paper aloud as we ascended the stairs. "...Connections to an establishment known as Estet, their leader is an American man named Bradley Crawford. Research into family shows that..."

The door had fully closed behind me when I realized what he'd just read. Estet. Bradley Crawford. Bradley. Brad. My Brad. My American Brad. Estet. Oh, God...

"Ken?" Youji asked, concerned. "Are you okay?" He waved a hand in front of my face, looking for a reaction. I don't think he got one.

Brad. God. How was it possible that Brad was mixed up with these people we were fighting against? It wasn't possible. Not my Brad. I felt sick. Horribly sick. "Y-Youji... I'm gonna go get some air," I said weakly.

"Air? Do you want me to come with? You look like you're gonna fall over."

"N-no!" I exclaimed. "I've gotta go, on my own!" I ran from the house. I don't know why, but Youji didn't try to follow me. I'm glad that he didn't, because I knew who I was looking for. I ran directly to the park.

He was waiting for me, by a fountain. I wasn't sure I wanted to know how he knew I was going to be there. I stopped, a few feet in front of him. There was one thing missing, I noticed, and the lack of it hit me, hard.

"You don't smell like lavender," I said softly.

"I told you, Ken," he said gruffly, "It's over. We can't do this any more."

I took a step towards him. He didn't move. "Why?" I asked softly. "Tell me why, Brad."

He looked into my eyes. "You're too pure for me, Ken," he said. His voice was almost apologetic, but firm.

I shook my head. "I'm not... not anymore. Brad... why?!"

He stepped forward, and put out a hand to touch my cheek. "Pure," he repeated. "Pure. White. Weiss."

I gasped, and took a step back, my eyes going wide. I hadn't... I had only seen him once, since I joined Weiss, and I hadn't told him... so, how...?

He dropped his arm. "And I am dirty," he spat. "Dirty. Black. Schwarz."

I shook my head. "I don't understand," I whispered. I couldn't look him in the eye.

"I know what you do, Ken," he said. "And you'll know what I do. It won't work, if we're together."

I tasted bitterness on my tongue. "Not together? I thought you loved me."

Brad closed his eyes, and took another step towards me. He put his hand on my shoulder. "I did."

I don't know why, but I reached out to embrace him. "I still love you," I said hotly. "Even if you don't love me. I would stop...Weiss. I want to be with you, Brad..."

I felt him twitch, and one of his hands tangled in my hair.

Then I heard it. A now, all-too-familiar click, and a voice I barely recognized. "Go," he said.

Still holding tightly to Brad, I looked behind him. A red-haired man in a green double-breasted coat was aiming a gun towards us. Shu.

"The name is Shuldich," Shu said. "Get out of here, Siberian."

My hands and body turned ice-cold. He knew my Weiss code-name. Brad knew I was part of Weiss. They both worked for Estet. Brad was pushing me away again. No!

"Don't shoot, Shuldich," Brad said, over his shoulder. He pushed me away. "Go, Ken. And don't try to find me, again."

"But..."

"Go!"

Brad, Shu, the gun, and Brad again. I was confused. I was scared. The man I was in love with was telling me to leave and to never look for him again. What was I supposed to do?

"Crawford..."

"Don't shoot, Shuldich!" Brad commanded. "Ken, run! Go, get out of here." He glanced at Shu, and then back at me. "Go! This is the only time I'm ever going to save you, Ken. Next time, I'm not even going to try. GO!!"

I went.

I ran.

And I cried.

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