A Dog Among Cats

By: Atsureki

Disclaimers : If they were mine Weiss would be very diffrent. *evil grin*

Warnings : Shonen-ai (for now), OCC, angst, sort of rape in this chapter nothing graphic though, blood and stuff…

Notes : Stuff written in Italic are thoughts. Stuff within //yadayada// is the telepath talking in someone's head

Chapter 3. The Master Of Puppets

Malice almost fell over from laughing too hard. Oh it was priceless. For a moment she was tempted to instruct Ran to kill Yoji but she decided against it. There was no fun in quick deaths after all and the redhead was handling the situation fine without her 'help'. Slowly she wiped the tears from her eyes and straightened herself.
"Enter one Borzoi," she smirked and headed towards Omi's room. When she stepped in her face was covered by a mask of confusion. "Um guys what's going on here?"
"Yoji's gone nuts," Ran muttered and shook the blonde by neck much like a terrier would have shaken a rat.
"Please Ran get him out of here," Omi pleaded and tried to wipe the tears from his face.
"Everybody calm down now! Ran hand Yoji over to me," Borzoi ordered and reached out her hand. For a moment Aya hesitated but then he let the blonde go. "Come with me blondie." Yoji hung his head and followed her out.
"I don't understand I just wanted to help him," he pouted as they walked into his own room. //You know why Ran got so angry blondie.//
"Yoji you can't force yourself on others like that!" Borzoi scolded him. He gave her a strange look and she knew he was fighting with himself now. //Ran wants sweet innocent Omi for himself, you know that. He's just jealous that you got to him first,// the voice in his head informed him softly.
"Omi is mine! I'm not going to give him to Ran!" the lanky blonde spat out and glared at the door.
"Yoji get a grip for crying out loud! Omi doesn't want you! You scared him half to death!" Borzoi yelled at him and gave him a rough smack over the head. //He does want you he's just shy.//
"He does want me he's just shy," the blonde repeated obediently. This is too good, Malice chuckled inside as she fought against the urge to laugh her ass off. I am so the master of puppets.
"Sure he wants you blondie! That's why you almost raped him!" Yoji stared at her. //She does have a point there Yoji. You did almost rape poor innocent Omi.// The blonde froze as she allowed him to see what he really had done. Well that was fun but I have better things to do, Malice muttered to herself and left the now crying playboy.

Ken slowly opened his eyes and winced at the sharp light that stabbed them. He was no longer blindfolded or tied up. //Well it's about time you woke up Ken,// a voice muttered in his head.
"Who?" A slender figure stepped out infront of him and smiled. "Borzoi!"
"Well Malice actually but don't concern your poor little head with that," she smirked at him and ran a hand through his hair.
"What happened?"
"Been hit over the head too many times hm? I set you up so that Takagi could snatch you." Ken swallowed. It had been a trap. "Did you know that my father forced me to kill my own cousin when I was just 9?" she asked and gave him a look that in no way was sane. "I didn't like her much but things like that tends to fuck up your head you know… I was doing assassinations for my dad before I turned 12. Those were the days," she added with a sigh. "Now it's all business and no play. But I am going to play with you and your friends."
"Leave them out of this!" Ken growled and tried to get up. Borzoi pushed him down again.
"Stay! I can't leave them alone dear. You see Takagi has a little catch on me and I'm going to have to do what he tells me, but if it's any consolation, I'm not going to kill you or your friends, at least not right now." Ken was confused. It didn't make any sense to him at all.
"Who are you?"
"Me? Oh I'm just a hired killer. I've been doing hits for Kritker for ten years now but it doesn't pay as good as it used to. Besides I can't use my best talant and that is a drag. For some reason Persia always disliked telepaths which of course means that I would have been removed. I know they would rather see me dead because I'm crazy but that is hardly my fault now is it?" she snorted with anger. "If they would have grown up like I did they wouldn't have been sane either!" Ken's thoughts darted around in his head. Borzoi was working with the target, she was the enemy. //Hello! You know thinking isn't exactly a private action when I'm around.//
"Stay the fuck out of my head bitch!" he snarled at her.
"Not very likely baby," she purred and sat down beside him. "You see Takagi wants me to mess with Ran and that means I have to mess with you. I have already convinced Yoji that he should rape Omi so it'll be easy to convince Ran that you don't love him anymore." Ken shuddered.
"Please don't do that to him," he begged. "You'll destroy him."
"Can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs or in this case hearts. I've made sure Omi won't find you and shortly I will have implanted enough lies in Ran's head. He'll think you left Weiss because of me and that we've spent the days banging each others brains out and the others will have no memories of you being caught by Takagi," she laughed. "Ran might kill you when you return though… If that happens I'm sorry." Ken hugged himself. If Borzoi, Siamese, Malice, or whatever her damn name was, succeeded his life would be over and being killed by a mislead Ran would probably be a relief.
"You're sick," he hissed and tried to hit her. Laughing she grabbed his hand.
"I might be sick but I will let you make a choice here. I need pictures to send to your dear redhead. Now I can either get one of Takagi's men to come in here and rape you. Or… I can take care of it myself. Since you're a man and I'm not I will have to use my talant to convince you that I'm the sexiest thing you've ever seen which means that you will enjoy it. What will it be?" He couldn't answer. Whichever it would be it would be the end of his life. But then again if he was raped Ran would never blame him for it. Even after having realized that Ken couldn't say anything. "Listen here dear I'm not stupid. I saw Ran's fears in his own head. He's scared that I'm going to steal you away from him so I'm gonna. No one will rape you at least not in the way the word suggests. You're far too cute and I've had my eye on you since day 1." With that said he could feel her invading his mind.

It was not a good day. That conclusion had dawned on Ran rather quickly. Omi was crying his heart out, Yoji had locked himself in his room and refused to come out and Ken… Exactly where was Ken? Ran didn't know. All he knew was that his lover wasn't where he should be and that he hadn't told him that he was going anywhere. Ken was hotheaded but vanishing like that wasn't his style, or was it?
"Damn!" Ran growled. He was so confused. For some reason he couldn't remember how long Ken had been gone nor could he seem to grasp just under what circumstances the brunette had disappeared. //You surely must remember why he left?// the now familier voice muttered inside of him. //Ken left after you confronted him.// "Confronted him with what?" Ran asked out loud even more confused than before. //You were angry with him for staring at Borzoi, remember?// The redhead shuddered. He did remember that much. //You asked Ken if he felt attracted to her and when he didn't answer you told him to go to hell.// That, however, he did not remember. Could he really have done such a thing? And even more important could Ken actually be attracted to that damn woman? Suddenly pictures started to flash before his eyes. He saw Borzoi squirming with pleasure underneath an all too familier man. Her ivory skin glistened with sweat as the man thrusted into her over and over again. Then in a sudden burst of climax the man threw his head back. Ran sank down on the floor with a scream. "Ken, no Ken, how could you?" he whimpered and banged the back of his head against the wall. //Easy there Ran,// the voice ordered softly. //I'm just giving you a few ideas. If you really want to find out what your lover is up to just ask me.// The redhead panted for air. It wasn't reality, just, just, something else. I want to know, he croaked out inside his head to the voice. //Well then… Get up and let's go.//

Malice lit a cigarette and squinted at the sleeping man next to her. Ken had turned out to be quite fun to play with. Sure it had taken her a long time to convince him that he wanted to sleep with her but it had been worth it. The brunette had been very gentle and eager to please something she wasn't used at all. Takagi was a selfish bastard when it came to sex and didn't give a shit about what she felt or didn't feel. With a small sigh she closed her azure eyes. It hurt to know that she was insane but it hurt so much more when she found herself in the gaps between insanity, which was happening more and more often lately. There she understood what she was doing, what she had been doing for so many years. Now she was about to destroy another realationship. The sweet man beside her had done nothing wrong nor had the redhead but she couldn't stop it now. Takagi had the upperhand on her at the moment. Not for much longer though, she promised herself. It was a damn pity she couldn't use her telepathy on that blasted man! Takagi had dealt with her kind before and he had learnt how to shield his mind. But Malice had a few more tricks up her sleeve. She sighed and started locating Ran. The assassin would reach the motel in about 20 minutes which meant that it was time to wake up Ken again.

Aya was an autowalk. He followed the instructions given in his head without thinking. Slowly he approached a scabby motel. With his face blank from any thoughts or feelings he pressed his nose against a window. His heart was torn to shreds when he saw his lover working hard to please Borzoi. Ran wanted to stop it all but the voice wouldn't let him just as it wouldn't let him walk away. It hurt so much that he found tears trailing unchecked down his pale cheeks. Something didn't add up with what he saw infront of him but it didn't matter anymore. Ken had betrayed their relationship, he was making love to someone else. Suddenly the voice let him go. With a low scream the redhead sank down on the ground tightly hugging himself.
"Why Ken?" he whimpered and closed his eyes. Didn't Ken love him? Okay so their relationship was hard on both of them sometimes but Ran had never questioned the brunette's feelings for him. Now it was all ruined, gone and he felt so empty. He had lost Ken just as he had lost everybody else he had ever loved. Slowly he got up and walked away. He should be angry but he couldn't muster the feelings for it, he only felt broken. Maybe Ken would be happier with Borzoi? With her he would never have to hide his feelings, no one would give them weird looks because they loved each other. Ran would do what he usually did, he'd act like nothing had happened, like nothing mattered. The bland mask slipped into place unasked.

Ken curled up and rubbed his face. He had just ruined everything for Ran and for himself.
"Why?" he asked quietly and glanced at the woman standing infront of him. She was getting dressed and didn't exactly look happy.
"What diffrence does it make Ken?" she sighed and buttoned her jeans. "I could tell you that I'm sorry but it really doesn't matter, does it?"
"Does he know?"
"Yes. He was watching us through the window." Ken fought the urge to vomit.
"I don't understand how did you make me…" Borzoi sighed again and sat down beside him.
"It's a lot more complicated than most people think. You see I can't get others to do things that are against their nature. If I wanted you to kill Ran I would probably insert the idea in your mind and hand you a gun and you would point it at him but you wouldn't fire. The mind has laws it won't break even for me. But, if I convinced you that Ran wasn't Ran but a dog for example and that that dog was about to attack you then you would shoot him," she explained slowly.
"So how did you get me to… with you?" Ken asked.
"You have a very strong mind Ken. It was a lot harder to fool you into sleeping with me than I thought it would be. You love Ran with all your heart and it's completely against your nature to cheat. I had to convince you that I was Ran. It was a bit difficult since you're not seme to him," she shrugged and got up again. "In your mind you were making love to Ran, that's why I had to adjust your memory, otherwise you wouldn't know you've been cheating on him." Ken hugged himself and felt how tears started trailing down his cheeks.
"What's going to happen to him?" The question wasn't really asked to Borzoi.
"I don't know, the last time I checked his mind all I got was walls. He's shut down most of his feelings." The brunette screamed inside. Ran had worked so hard to open up and now it was all destroyed just because he had been too weak to fight Borzoi. "Listen here Ken I can't change what I've done. Takagi would take away the only thing that matters to me if I did."
"What do you mean?"
"He has my son. I'll do anything he tells me to to keep him safe so if it means I have to kill a few people or destroy their lives then so be it," Malice sighed. "Ken I'm asking you to get out of here before I slip back into insanity because I don't know what I'll do once I get there. Please just go home!" The brunette stared at her for a while before his body reacted. Quickly he pulled on his clothes and ran out. He was going home which wasn't exactly something he looked forward to.

Weiss was breaking apart. The house had never been so quite before. Omi refused to be in the same room as the lanky blonde, Yoji was so ashamed that he mostly just stayed in his room. Ran didn't say anything and his face showed nothing, not even anger which was awful for Ken. He knew what had happened but couldn't say anything, no one would believe him. When he had returned home he had met Ran in the kitchen, the redhead hadn't even looked at him. Ken had tried to talk to him but the taller man had just given him a bland look and walked away. If Ran would have yelled at him or hit him he might have been able to handle things but the complete lack of all emotions was killing him. With a sigh the brunette glanced at his former lover. All he wanted to do was pull Ran into his arms and tell him that… Tell him what? Even if Borzoi had messed with his head he had still slept with her and not just once but twice.
"Ran?" he asked quietly. The redhead didn't even bother to look at him.
"Aa."
"Please talk to me Ran," Ken begged and twisted his hands.
"I have nothing to say to you," came the bland answer.
"Please," Ken almost whimpered and reached out his hand. Ran looked up and for a brief moment the mask slipped, showing the brunette an endless ocean of hurt. "I'm sorry Ran I…"
"Enough Ken!" the redhead interrupted him coldly. "We have nothing to say to each other."
"Yes we do Ran. Why won't you look at me or talk to me?" He was desperate now. Aya let out a cold laugh.
"I'll tell you why Ken. Because every fucking time I see your face or hear your voice I…"
"You what?" the brunette asked so quietly he wasn't sure Ran could hear him.
"I fall apart," the redhead sighed and left. Ken cried inside out. There he had gotten feelings from Ran but it didn't exactly make things better. The older man was hurting so badly and Ken couldn't do anything about it. He had to do something, anything or else he'd die inside just like Ran would. Slowly and usurly an idea formed in his head. Malice are you there? he asked not really expecting an answer. //Ken?// she answered with hesitation and confusion. Can we talk? //Sure.// She seemed to have her sanity for the moment at least. I need to see you, he sighed. //Hm okay. Go back to the motel and I'll be there in an hour or so.// He agreed and slowly walked up the stairs to get his jacket.

"So what do you want Ken?" Malice asked quietly and sat down.
"I have an idea of how to fix this mess if you're willing to help me," Ken answered slowly and refused to look at her.
"You know I can't do much," she sighed. "If Takagi finds out he'll hurt my son."
"You won't do anything really, it's more about not doing something."
"I'm listening."
"Our mission is still active which means that Kritiker wants us to kill Takagi. Now if I manage to do that and get your son out will you stand aside and allow us to finish what we started?" Malice look at him for a long time.
"I can tell you where my son is but you have to get him to a safe place before you go after Takagi," she agreed.
"Deal. It'll just be me and Yoji or me and Omi. Since your little game with them I can't even get them to look at each other," Ken sighed deeply.
"You know I could fix that if you want me to," Malice suggested slowly. "If you just don't meantion what happened between them again they should be back to normal."
"Please. It's killing me to see them hurt so much," Ken begged and placed a hand on her arm.
"I'll do it right away then," she nodded and gave him a small smile.
"Malice can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Are you really insane?" he asked and met her azure eyes. Borzoi stared at him and then frowned slightly.
"I… I don't know Ken. Sometimes I'm almost normal and that hurts so much. If I can't hide behind my insanity I realize what an awfull person I am. It's just easier to be crazy I suppose," she answered with sadness.
"Maybe you should get help?"
"Yes maybe I should," she sighed.
"I'm asking you because if you really are insane you might change your mind later on and betray us." Borzoi looked at him and nodded.
"That's true and I can't make any promises but I can usually keep myself from flipping when my son's involved."
"I want you to keep contact with me during the whole thing," Ken said and didn't take his eyes from her.
"Will do," she nodded. "And Ken… I might decide I want to kill Takagi myself." A cold shadow appeared in her eyes.
"Be my guest as long as he's dead I don't really care who kills him!"

~TBC~

Poor Ran and poor Ken. *sniffles* I'm such a bastard!/Atsureki