Second Chance
Disclaimer: Nope don't own them, but darn it if I did, I'd share with everyone
Warnings: New charas, AU, cursing
Rated: PG-13 Just to be on the safe side
Archive: Here that's about it. If any one wants to, they can put my story up on their site, as long as you e-mail and tell me, so I can visit and check it out.
*Notes* An AU that takes place after the series and Aya's sister has not awaken from her coma yet.
Feedback: Most definitely welcome, flames will be looked at, laughed at, and kept for those long cold winter nights with Aya and Omi (Gets that far away look) *Giggles*
'Blah blah' - indicating thought
~^~ * ~^~ - indicating a memory or dream
"Thank God, a break from those school girls." Yoji let out a deep breath "Hey Omi, have you seen Yosh anywhere?" he asked, dropping into a nearby chair.
Omi peered around a tall arrangement he was creating to look at the florist. "Um, no. I thought she was with you."
"She was, then I got distracted. I assumed she was with you or Ken."
"Not me," the athlete said carrying a potted plant to hang. "She disappeared into the back room. I guess something happened and she wasn't there when I went to get some tulips."
"What?" Omi asked, standing up suddenly. "What happened?"
"Well, uh, she accidentally knocked over a vase. She seemed upset about it. It's no big deal, I cleaned it up."
"What about Yoshi? You didn't try to find her."
"Woah, slow down little man," Yoji said, pulling a cigarette out. "She's not Ken's girlfriend."
The teen blushed across his nose and he slid his hat down to hide it but the blond player saw it and grinned wildly. "Ah young love." He paused to light the white stick dangling from his lips. "So have you two," the man trailed off with his hand in the air.
"Shut up Yoji," Omi said, blushing even more. "Yoshi's not my girlfriend."
Yoji cast a glance at the brown haired man and rolled his eyes. "Sure Omi. I see the way you look at her. Falling for older women are we?"
"Knock it off Yoji," Ken said taking a step back to make sure the plant he just hung was straight. He turned to his comrades. "Don't worry Omi, Yoshi will turn up. She's not one to just up and leave. And Yoji, don't smoke in here. Do it outside if you must."
"Yes sir," the blond mocked saluted Ken and tucked the white stick behind his ear. "By the way, since we're missing people. Has anyone seen Aya lately?"
~+~+~+~+~
Yoshi unconsciously tucked a few loose strands of silver hair behind a small ear as she watched the children bicker back forth on the jungle gym. A little girl began to cry when an older boy pushed her. In that same instant a even bigger boy came swooping down from the monkey bars and was immediately in the bully's face. After a few unclear words and a rough shove, the bully left and the boy helped the little girl to her feet, brushing off her dirt stained knees.
The woman uncharacteristically smiled and leaned back against the bench that she was sitting at and folded her hands. Next to her, Aya watched the same group of kids with a detached perspective.
Yoshi lifted her head, closing her eyes as the sun peeked over the treetops of the park they were in. Aya glanced out of the corner of his, at the woman when she stood and moved behind the bench, placing her hands on the backrest and leaning forward.
"It's such a beautiful day," Yoshi breathed and sighed, tilting her head back up. "Can you hear the wind singing."
Aya felt a bemused smile rising but he suppressed it. "The wind singing?"
The woman opened a sapphire orb. "Yeah the wind sings. She carries the melodies of life. I amuse you don't I?"
The red haired man said nothing and closed his eyes. Bringing his head up he listened to the air around him play in his hair. He felt his golden earring move and the man opened his eyes, catching Yoshi's fingers delicately touching the small rod. 'Aya.'
She pulled away just as the man brought his hand in what he intended to push her away, but in fact wished for the opposite. Confused, Abyssian turned his head away from the woman, looking over the treetops he could just see the roof of a hospital. He cast his eyes to the ground.
"You look distracted?" The soft question was directed at him. "You were going somewhere."
Aya titled his head up but said nothing.
"Somewhere important?"
"It can wait," the red haired man answered.
"Can it?"
The man once again lost himself in thoughts. Closing off from world around him. He let his mind drift to that horrible night. The night he lost innocence and gained vengeance. He felt the bitterness of hatred seep into his heart and soul, wrenching him from all reality to rot in his own personal hell of guilt and perverse pleasure of killing all those who brought him to this point.
His earring moved again, bringing him back to the pealing green metal bench he sat on in the middle of a park, next to a women he knew nothing and yet everything about. How similar were these two, he didn't know how much they were.
"What happened to you Aya?"
The man snapped his head up at Yoshi's question. She bite her bottom lip, trying not to back down at the fierce glare the man gave her. "What makes you think something happened to me?"
"Your eyes. They're so cold and hardened. Mine are just like yours and I know the life I've lead. Did you lose someone? Someone you loved?"
The red haired man stood to his feet. "I don't know you. Why would a I tell a street kid that Omi picked up what I feel." Aya didn't mean to snap and he immediately regretted it when he saw the sapphire orbs widen, tears shimmering just behind them. Raising a hand, the man thought she was going to strike him but instead reached up and touched the shinning golden earring one more time.
Aya held his breath and didn't move, allowing the woman to run her hand across his cheek. Her thinning wall of protection against the world was now only holding the silver tears.
"I know I'm just a street kid," Yoshi said, her voice soft yet strong, "But that doesn't mean I'm not a person. So people don't see me when I huddle under a building to keep dry. So perverts try to take what's not theirs. So no one loves me, but I still have a heart that beats and loves and cares." The woman trailed off. "And. . . I see the pain in your eyes. I see it in my own everyday."
"So you pity me?"
"No. God! Why must you be difficult? I only want to help, to repay your kindness that you gave me." Yoshi turned and wrapped her arms around herself. "I only want. . ."
'I only want you to be happy,' her mind said, knowing Aya would never hear those words.
Bowing her head, Yoshi sighed and closed her eyes. Suddenly a pair of strong arms encircled her, pulling her into a warm body. The woman's eyes shot open in surprise and her body tensed at the closeness. The man released his hold, feeling the rejection.
Yoshi stood rooted to the spot, unable to move. Finally she forced herself to bring a hand to her neck where the man's breath left a warm spot, and the three words that echoed in Aya's whispering voice. 'Thank you Yoshi.'
The red haired man broke away when he felt the woman in his arms stiffen under his touch, backing away, alarmed and confused at his actions. He turned to leave when small arms wrapped around his waist and chest halting his escape. A warm head leaned against his shoulder and he be dammed to hell but he could have sworn he felt her lips press against him.
"Aya . . ." Yoshi stopped talking, there was no need for them at that moment. Aya felt her beating heart against his back and closed his eyes. Abyssian shook his head, knowing full well who he was and what he had become.
"Yoshi, we . . . I can't . . ." the red haired man lost his voice when the woman spoke.
"I know Aya but it was nice to be held by someone and to hold someone," her voice held a hint of laughter at her last couple of words. He felt her smile and her arms slid from his body.
Cerulean blue eyes narrowed briefly, hidden from the two. Pale lips tightened and the teen felt his anger rise. He saw Aya move from the woman, her arms reaching for him to come back. The man never turned around to see Yoshi's expression of broken abandonment. Omi backed away from the tree he was standing next to. He'd gone to find Yoshi, worried when she hadn't returned.
Wandering through the city on his motorcycle, his last stop was the park. Parking it, he hopped off and began his trek around the forest like park. An hour passed and the boy grew more frantic. 'Perhaps Yoshi's back at the shop,' he reasoned with himself. Tuning to leave, he caught a glimpse of flowing sliver through a bush and knew there was only one person with that shade of hair.
Pushing through the brush, he found Yoshi and Aya sharing an embrace and stopped dead in his tracks. His first reaction was shock, then it melted into jealousy. 'Aya doesn't know how to care.' The man's actions of pulling away only proved his reasoning to be spiteful of the older man. His jaw tightened in anger and he moved back to his bike. He wanted to step forward and beat the hell out of Aya for not caring but he knew he couldn't. Aya could and would squish him like a bug.
'Aya you were my friend,' he thought to himself as he revved the bike up. 'How could you do this.' Anger still with him, he shot forward, heading back to the shop.
"We should head back," Aya said, not turning around. "Omi will begin to worry about you."
"All right," Yoshi's small voice answered him. She glanced at the tall red head as he started walking back and before she could stop herself she sprinted up to him and linked her arm with his. 'I don't care anymore. I just want to be happy, even if it is for a little while. Even if it is just till we go back to the flower shop. Even if it is until I leave him.'
(Beams) Three little words. What were you expecting?
Rae: I love you.
I thought so, too bad.
Rae: _
BWAHAHAHA!!!!!! Don't forget to review everyone, it makes me write more.