Letters Of Black

By: Atsureki

Disclaimers : Wiess ain't mine!

Warnings : AU, Yaoi, OCC, angst.

Notes : Stuff written in Italic are thoughts, the little voice you sometimes hear in your head, letters, lyrics, rhymes.

This is AU so some stuff is a bit diffrent but should still be familier. Pasts have been change to fit the story though.

Chapter 10. Brown Orbs

Ran frowned as he slowly paced his living-room. He had convinced Ken to stay at Yoji's place and he wasn't happy about it. It wasn't because he didn't trust the lanky blonde but the look in Ken's eyes when he told him to stay there had been… painful.

The brunette blamed himself for Ran getting stabbed and it was not an easy task to tell him otherwise. With a careful sigh the redhead sat down. He was a bodyguard and as such it was his job to risk his life for his clients but Ken didn't see it that way. Besides that Ran wanted the soccer-player near him and that had nothing to do with him being a bodyguard. He was falling for his client, or had he perhaps already hit the ground?

Ran sighed again. It was dangerous when a bodyguard cared too much, or not enough for that matter. His reputation said that he was strong, calm and collected but would he be that when Ken faced his stalker? No, he wouldn't. He'd be trembling, scared and he would do anything to get himself inbetween danger and the brunette.

That was his job of course but what good would it do Ken if he got himself killed before the psycho was rendered? He just wanted those brown eyes to shine with happiness instead of the fear he had seen so many times. He wanted brown orbs to greet him in the morning.

Ran frowned slightly. This was the exact reason why he shouldn't be Ken's bodyguard anymore. At the sound of his doorbell the redhead rose and went to see who it was. He was still annoyed that he had been so careless when his client's stalker had nailed him with that blasted knife so he made sure he knew who it was this time. A pair of grey eyes met his through the small gap he made when he opened the door.

"Good evening Fujimiya-san, I hope I'm not disturbing you," the man said with a soft voice that carried a strange accent.

"Good evening. And who might you be?" The stranger smiled slightly.

"My name is Ben, I'm a friend of Ken's." Ran remembered hearing about Ben from Moroshima so he opened the door completely to invite the man inside. "Thank you."

"Have a seat," the redhead suggested and showed Ken's friend into his living-room.

"Thank you." Ben sat down and Ran studied him. He was rather tall, calm grey eyes, ash-blonde hair and a body that gave away that he was an athlete.

"What can I do for you Ben-san?" the bodyguard asked quietly.

"It's just Ben. I wanted to talk to you about Ken, I'm worried about him." That makes two of us, Ran sighed to himself. "He's been keeping me updated about the situation and I'm concerned Fujimiya-san."

"Hn."

"I don't mean to be rude but… Can you keep my friend protected? So far I'm not convinced," Ben said with his soft voice. Ran groaned. Why would anyone be convinced that he could protect Ken? So far he had done a pretty shitty job.

"Hidaka-san is unharmed, is he not?" the redhead asked coldly.

"So far yes but for how long? You've already been badly hurt once and I don't think Ken's safe with you anymore." Ran's eyes turned ice cold at that remark. It was one thing that he doubted himself but hearing it from someone else was a little too much for him to take.

"Trust me, I'll keep Hidaka-san safe! That is what Moroshima's paying me for." At that Ben laughed softly.

"Moroshima isn't the one paying for your services Fujimiya-san. Do you really think that he would pay so much money to protect a player that hasn't attended a match in two years?" Ran raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm the one who's been coughing up the cash here and I'm not getting what I want," Ben said with his soft voice slightly harder. "I want to end our contract."

"Fine," Ran answered blandly while his insides screamed in objection. "I trust you will find someone else to protect Hidaka-san?"

"Of course." Ben rose and walked out from the living-room. "I assume you won't be complicating Ken's life any further." It wasn't a question and the redhead didn't like it one bit.

"Complicate his life any further?" he asked coldly and bore his amethyst eyes into Ben's back.

"Fujimiya-san, Ken is a very… let's call it fragile… man. The past has been hard on him and I don't want to see that happening again. Sometimes Ken doesn't think before he acts, but I'm sure you already know that," the grey eyed man answered with a shred of sharpness. Ran frowned deeply. Had Ken told Ben about the two of them?

"Hn."

"I've known Ken for 10 years Fujimiya-san. I can tell that he's unhappy and I know it has something to do with you. I'm sorry if I come across you as rude but he's my closest friend and I'm deeply concerned about his state of mind. Don't play with him Fujimiya-san, he doesn't deserve it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ken glared at the huge man who stood beside him. His new bodyguard was an asshole. Muttering to himself the brunette stepped forward to cross the street but was roughly pulled back.

"Easy Hidaka-san!" the bodyguard said gruffly. Oh how that pissed him off! He had barely noticed Ran but this man was all over him constantly.

"Hands off Nakata!" he spat out and walked away. He didn't understand why Ran suddenly had decided not to be his bodyguard anymore. The annoying voice in his head insisted that it was because the job had almost getting him killed. Ken sighed. He missed Ran, missed the security the silent redhead brought with him. You're not a very good liar, the annoying voice snickered. We both know why you miss him. The brunette huffed at that.

"Ken?" He smiled and waved at Ben.

"What are you doing here Ben?" he asked his friend and smiled even wider.

"I just thought we'd have dinner together."

"I'd love that. Let me just check with my babysitter first." The last part was added with dislike. "Nakata?" His huge protector came up to him.

"Yes?"

"We're going to dinner with Ben here, is that a problem?" Ken asked with annoyance that clearly stated that he didn't give a shit about what Nakata thought.

"Not at all Hidaka-san."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'm worried about you Ken," Ben said quietly as they waited for their food.

"What do you mean?"

"You're so quiet and I can see that you're unhappy." Ken looked at his oldest friend and sighed.

"The last weeks have been a little rough on me, that's all," he answered with one of his fake smiles.

"Don't give me that shit Ken! I've known you for too long to buy it. Speaking of nothing, I heard that you're coming back to the league on Thursday?" At that Ken smiled a real smile.

"Yeah, I'm gonna play in the training match."

"Are you sure that's a wise idea? I really don't think…"

"Ben!" Ken interrupted his friend and frowned. "I can't just stop living. So I have a psychotic stalker but I refuse to lock myself in my hotel-room!"

"I know but… I'm just concerned that something's going to happen to you," Ben sighed.

"I'll be fine and Nakata will be there to protect me. Besides, you'll be playing too, ne?" Ken smiled.

"True, true." A waiter interrupted their conversation and the two friends focused on eating instead.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ran walked up to the door and frowned. If it had been that easy for him to find Ken what did that say about his protection? Shaking his head slightly he knocked on the door. He hadn't seen Ken for days and he missed the brunette. When he looked up he was facing a huge man with muscles that threatened to rip his suit apart.

"I'm here to see Hidaka-san," Ran muttered and glared.

"Hidaka-san doesn't want to see anyone," the huge man growled and slammed the door in his face. Amethyst eyes flared in anger. Again he knocked, this time hard enough to let anyone know that he was annoyed. The door opened again.

"I'm here to see Hidaka-san," the redhead repeated with his voice low and dangerous.

"Who is it Nakata?" Ran heard Ken yell from inside.

"A pest!" the huge man replied and blocked the whole doorway with his massive body.

"It's me Ran!"

"Nakata let him in," Ken sighed from behind the man.

"I have my orders!" Nakata huffed and refused to move. Ran had had enough. A quick move from him sent the over-sized man to the floor.

"He said let me in," the redhead growled.

"It's okay Nakata he's not dangerous," an amused voice said and Ran looked up. He stepped away from the fallen man and corrected his clothes. "Wait outside Nakata."

"But I…"

"Now! You're my bodyguard and I'm telling you to go outside!" Ken snarled and set his angry brown eyes at the man.

"Yes Hidaka-san." Nakata unwillingly walked pass Ran and closed the door.

"Sorry, he's an ass," Ken sighed and walked through the hall. The redhead followed his former client and frowned. Ken seemed unhappy, awkward. "Have a seat." Ran sank down on the couch but kept his eyes on the brunette.

"How are you doing?" he asked softly.

"Fine. Why are you here?" There was an accusing tone on that voice. The red haired bodyguard frowned slightly. He had no idea of what to answer. "Ran?" Ken came closer. "Why are you here Ran?" Because I'm going insane Ken. When I can't see you, touch you, I go insane. Out loud he said nothing though. The brunette sat down beside him, so close that their thighs touched. "I don't understand." He looked into brown orbs that he wanted to nothing but drown in.

"Understand what?" Ran finally asked.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ken looked at his former bodyguard. He had missed Ran so much but he seriously had no idea why the redhead had come to see him. It was more than just lust he felt towards the tall silent man but at that moment all he wanted was to touch him, taste him, feel him.

"What is it you don't understand?" Ran asked when he didn't get an answer.

"You, I don't understand you," came the hushed reply. A hand cupped his cheek and Ken looked into Ran's violet eyes. Their faces were so close that the brunette could feel the other man's breath on his face. "What do you want?" the soccer-player asked quietly.

"You Ken, I want you." The brunette felt a jolt of lighting go through him. Was that true? Did Ran really want him? Lost for words he leaned forward and brushed his lips against the redhead's. The kiss was soft and questioning. "Will you let me have you?" Ran asked when they parted again. Ken nodded at that.

Strong arms pulled him closer and he placed his head on Ran's solid shoulder. This was what he wanted, a warm body to lean against when things were too difficult to take. Someone who cared for him, protected him, needed him.

"Ran," the brunette whispered softly and closed his eyes. "Don't leave me again."

~TBC~

Aww that was sweet ne? Now all we need is the psycho stalker to show up and ruin everything. *grr* Ja/Atsureki