Author's notes: Hello again minna! ^^ I'd just like to take a moment here to thank the following people for reading and reviewing the prologue, and giving me much-needed encouragement and advice. You guys are just GREAT!!! *glomps* -- Naomi (keep those 2x1 coming!), Eeyore, Elizabeth (airyn shinigami), Sardius, Lilas, Tschubi-chan, Jin (whoohoo RanKen!), Kujakku Amano, Ara Kaminari, Cece, Elke, Yaoke (is the archive invite still open?), Stargazr, and last but not least, Adakie.

If it weren't for you guys, there wouldn't be a chapter 1. I hope I don't disappoint…^^;;

Okay, now on to the story… Once again, let me know what u think, onegai! Arigatou!! ^-^

White (tentative title)

Chapter 1 - Lover in the Dark

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'blah blah' = thoughts

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A shadow ghosted down a darkened corridor. Pausing momentarily at a door, it opened it a crack before gliding through - a movement so practiced, so smooth, that it looked like it had simply passed through the wooden barrier.

Halting beside the bed, the shadow studied the form nestled in the sheets, its toned, bare chest rising and falling in sleep, skin smooth as golden silk accentuated by the moonlight streaming in through the open blinds.

The form was soon cast into darkness again as the shadow swooped down over him…

*****

He gasped as a now familiar weight pressed him further into the bed, sleep-fogged mind slowly grasping at consciousness as cool lips pressed onto the warm, flushed skin of his slender neck.

'He's here again…' was the first thought that registered in his muddled brain.

A small whimper escaped him as a moist tongue flicked out to tease a pulse point just below his jaw, before trailing down towards his collarbone, a wet mouth nibbling…sucking down his throat.

Cold hands caressed their way down his lightly muscled chest, teasing already erect nipples…

A moan broke the still silence as hands, continuing their gentle journey over a taut stomach, were replaced by a wet tongue…

He bit back a half-scream as his hardened erection was grabbed, then slowly massaged through the thin fabric of his boxers.

'Quiet…have to be quiet…' was the only coherent thought his dazed mind could think to follow.

No words were spoken, as he had longed learnt that words were not wanted…

Try as he might, his ragged breathing soon filled the darkened room as the cool night air assuaged the exposed skin of his naked body, while hands and lips continued their ceaseless and sensual exploration downwards…

A sharp gasp that sounded suspiciously like a sob was all that was heard as two bodies joined as one, muffled panting echoing around the room, in rhythm with thrust…after thrust…after thrust…

'Stay…please stay…'

The heartfelt plea, thought aloud but again, not spoken, was left unfulfilled, as the shadow fled the room in a routine escape, leaving the form in the bed alone in the darkness…yet again…

*****

"Oi Kenken. How many times do I need to tell you that you don't wash the floors till after we close shop?"

Ken Hidaka, soccer-playing and currently day-dreaming Siberian of Weiss, was jerked out of his reverie by the smooth sarcasm of one Yohji Kudo - his killing partner, friend, and constant tormentor.

"Ch'kshou!" Ken cursed quietly, as he noticed that for the third time that day, he was attempting to drown another pot of flowers. Thank goodness there were no customers around. Grabbing a much-abused rag from the counter, Ken bent to hastily wipe up the spilt water, praying that Yohji would not get on his case.

No such luck.

Turning around, he bumped into a lithe body and found himself nose to, well, throat, of his said tormentor.

"Ne Kenken," Yohji drawled lazily, while peering over his sunglasses at the flustered brunette. "Wha'cha thinking about? It doesn't suit you you know - thinking, I mean."

"Go away Yohji." Ken growled, whirling around to grab his watering can and proceeding to move to a part of the shop farthest away from the blonde playboy.

He might as well be trying to walk away from his own shadow.

"Come on Kenken, you can tell me," Yohji persisted, sashaying after Ken. "No wait, let me guess," he added mischievously. " Hmm….was our soccer-loving bishounen by any chance thinking about…balls?"

"Mou Yohji-kun! Hentai!" an innocent (!) and pouting Omi interjected before Ken even had time to comprehend the innuendo. "And stop making fun of Ken-kun!" Omi's cornflower-blue eyes narrowed in a frown.

"It takes one to know one chibi," smirked Yohji, much to Omi's consternation. "And Ken's love for balls is not a secret, ne Kenken?" Yohji punctuated his statement by throwing an arm around Ken's shoulder, and bumping his hip suggestively.

Ken blushed, pink tinting his high cheekbones. He knew it. He knew it! He should not have told Yohji that when it came to attraction, the magnet theory did not work for him. Granted that they had gotten roaring drunk that night and ended up spilling their guts to each other, but some things, like sexual preferences, were still best left unsaid.

It didn't help that he found out that his sexy teammate was 'bi'. And after the confession, Yohji had made sure that Ken didn't forget. The jade-eyed man took immense pleasure in teasing him, and coming on to him, at every opportunity he got. Before, an arm slung carelessly around his shoulder didn't faze Ken one bit. But now, he found himself blushing vigorously every time Yohji touched him. And it sure didn't help that Ken was longing for someone else to extend those overtures, someone who had been occupying his thoughts nearly every minute of the day, and night…

"Anou…" Ken's pondering was cut short by Omi's perplexed voice. "What do you mean Yohji-kun? We all know Ken-kun loves soccer." Blue eyes big as saucers peered out from beneath blonde bangs as Omi, pausing in his task of flower arranging, studied his two friends, wondering if he had missed out on anything. Then, as an after-thought, he frowned again and snapped: "And don't call me chibi!"

Yohji chuckled and shook his head. "Ahhh Omitchi…At times you make me wonder whether you're as innocent as you look. Then at times I wonder why the hell I'm wondering."

"YOHJI-KUN!!"

Yohji laughed harder.

'Good. Maybe he forgot about me.' Ken thought, trying to wriggle his way out from Yohji's loose embrace. Bad move, 'cause it drew the playboy's attention right back to him. Ken sighed. Kami-sama wasn't smiling down on him today. Then again, when had Kami ever?

"Yo Kenken," Yohji bent down to whisper into the fidgeting brunette's ear. "Were you dreaming about me last night?"

Ken tensed, trying to ignore the hot breath tickling his earlobe. "Wh…what are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about." Yohji drawled, drawing the brunette closer to him. "The walls are thin Kenken, and you certainly didn't sound like you were having a nightmare." Yohji smirked.

At that, Ken, who had been discretely trying to get away from his tormentor, froze. The watering can suddenly weighed tons in his limp fingers.

'No! No…he couldn't…he doesn't know…does he?'

"And last night was not the first time you're hit with rapid breathing syndrome ne?" Yohji continued huskily, so close that his lips were almost kissing Ken's ear, oblivious to the brunette's discomfort. "Have you been dreaming about me for, what, three weeks already?"

Ken flushed beet-red.

'Calm down Hidaka,' Ken berated himself, heart pounding. 'He's just teasing…he doesn't know…'

Snaking his arm down to snare Ken's waist and drawing the brunette tight against his side, Yohji continued seductively: "Why dream when the real thing is right beside you, Kenken? Or were you dreaming about someone else…someone unattainable?"

At that, Ken's embarrassment and panic suddenly gave way to an inexplicable flood of anger. Wrenching the blonde's arm away from his waist, he whirled around, watering can trembling in his tight grasp.

"Stop it! Why can't you just leave me the hell alone!!"

Faced with the sudden onslaught of Ken's fury, Yohji took a stunned step backwards. "Whoa! Cool it Ken. Jyodan da yo, jyodan (1)" Yohji quickly offered, holding up two hands to placate his teammate, or to ward off a furious Siberian with stormy eyes, he himself didn't know which.

"That's just your problem Yohji! You don't know when to back off!" Ken cried, swinging back around to continue watering his next 'victim' - a pot of blood-red roses.

"Ken-kun?" A small, unsure voice sounded to his right. Omi, worry for his friend evident in his voice, had rushed to Ken's other side and was now regarding him in concern. "Daijoubu desu ka (2)"

Just as abruptly, Ken's anger evaporated, leaving him slightly breathless and disoriented. "Aa. Daijoubu," Ken replied a bit shakily. "Gomen na Omi. Shinpai shiranai.(3)"

Omi stood uncertainly studying him for a while longer before slowly shuffling back to his flower arrangement, shooting a look at Yohji to back off.

After a moment of silence, Ken heard a sigh coming from the left of him. "Gomen, Ken," Yohji said quietly. "I didn't mean to upset you. You know that right?"

Ken felt his eyes stinging and quickly blinked. 'What the hell is wrong with me?!' He realised that his mood swings have been becoming more frequent nowadays, worse than a wildly swinging pendulum. Plastering on a quaky smile, but keeping his expressive chocolate eyes hidden from his teammate, he whispered: "Aa. It's just one of those days, that's all. " "Gomen", he softly added. Ken did feel bad about snapping at Yohji. He was a good friend, and though he liked to tease, Ken knew Yohji cared about him.

A light touch on his shoulder made Ken turn slightly. "Ken. You know you can talk to me about anything that's bothering you right? I promise I won't tease." Yohji's voice was all gentleness.

Still keeping his gaze down, lest they betray the confusion raging in his heart, Ken nodded his dark head.

The hand withdrew. Another sigh. Then… "Hey, any of you seen our fearless leader?" Yohji shook off his serious mood and asked loudly.

Ken tensed imperceptibly at the mention of their cold leader, but otherwise remained silent. Omi was quiet too. Once again, it seemed that nobody knew where the pale redhead had gone.

Yohji shrugged. "Saa! So it's just the two of you then ne? Well, have fun closing shop. The irresistible Kudou is off to rescue yet another damsel from her mundane life." He struck a flirtatious pose, hand on hip, before winking at Omi and striding out, the bell on the door of the Koneko no Sumu Ie chiming his departure.

Finally lifting his eyes, Ken saw Omi shaking his head while continuing to attach lilies into a promising-looking bouquet, lips pursed in concentration. Heaving a sigh of relief, Ken turned back to his task, mind wandering back to what Yohji had said.

'Have you been dreaming about me for, what, three weeks already? …Or were you dreaming about someone else…someone unattainable?'

Ken allowed a small, sad smile to slip onto his face. Yohji would have a fit if he knew how close to the mark he had hit. It had been nearly three weeks since the relationship between him and the one he loved had…progressed? No. Not progressed. Ken sighed again. He didn't know how to read the situation, except that his said love did not appear any more 'attainable' than before.

Staring at the blood-red roses before him, Ken's gaze soon turned pensive…and confused.

'Would you be coming tonight?…..Aya?"

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to be continued?

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Endnotes:

Hope you don't find that too confusing.

Anyway, here are the meanings for the Japanese used:

" Jyodan da yo, jyodan" - I'm just joking; "Daijoubu desu ka" - Are you okay?; " Shinpai shiranai." - Do not worry.