Unable To Feel
Chapter Four
Disclaimer: Don't own Weiss Kreuz...
Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay. To make up for it, this chapter is quite long. d;-)
//-indicates flashback
=-indicates dream
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The place was dark and smelled dank. Youji slowly opened his eyes, trying to get accustomed to the darkness surrounding him. He tried to move his hand but then realized that it was bound behind him. He was sitting in what was probably a basement floor littered with dirt and things he dared not name. He glanced left and right and vaguely made out the shape of a doorway. He tried to move his body to find a more comfortable position but a stabbing pain shot up from his chest. Broken ribs. Gun shot. He smelled dried blood. He peered at his shoulder and saw the wound that indicated another gunshot. Moving his legs, he silently thanked all the gods when he found that they weren't immobile. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and relived the horror that he had gone through the past few days.
//Aya was in trouble, Omi had told him so. He immediately rushed towards the building that housed the office and living quarters of Gendo Yamamoto. As soon as he got in, he climbed the stairs, primed to hear even the slightest noise. When he got to the floor where the offices were located, he heard a shouted Shi-ne that unmistakably came from Aya's mouth. He ran quickly and silently, taking the long and twisted hallways at a remarkable speed. When he turned the corner of the hallway, he found an army of bodyguards separating him from the place where he guessed Aya was standing. Random thoughts had floated around his mind at that time.
Where's Aya?
Is he okay?
Is he dead?
Is he hurt?
Then he caught a flash of red.
That was all it took. He launched himself at the first line of intruders. With one quick movement he had severed the head of two and decapitated three. He fought his way towards the redhead, using his wire for all its worth. When Aya looked up and saw him, he flashed him a smile. He couldn't read the expression on Aya's face but he had several more guards to terminate so he didn't dwell long on the thought.
When all the guards were down, he had grabbed Aya's arm and ran as fast as he could towards the lobby where they could gain exit. They were nearly there when out of the corner of his eye, Youji saw a man that was unmistakably Gendo Yamamoto leading an army of guards towards them. He had pushed Aya in front of him. He chanced another look back and saw the muzzles of the automatics pointed at them. He hastily shoved Aya towards the open door. No sooner had he done that, a guards appeared in front of him and pushed the door closed. An army of bullets shot from behind him. He managed to dodge a few of them as he lunged towards the side but he had taken two hits, one on his side and one on his shoulder. Already weakened from the exhaustion of fighting a ton of guards, he was losing consciousness because of the blood loss. He closed his eyes at the burning pain in his side and shoulder. When he opened them again, he saw the face of Gendo Yamamoto staring back at him.
So, you've come to save your redheaded friend, ne? Lucky for him, he got away but not so lucky for you isn't it?
He received a brutal kick at the ribs and heard a few of them crack. He shut his eyes again, willing the pain to go away.
This is for Aya he told himself over and over again.
When he opened them, he saw that Gendo had walked away, but he could still hear his sick laughter. He rolled over to his side and his hand touched something long, thin and metal. He glanced towards the object. Aya's earring.
It must have fallen when I shoved him out.
He clutched the earring tightly in his left hand, the one without the injured shoulder. When he started to turn back to the guards, he was violently knocked out by the butt of a gun. His last thoughts were I saved you, Aya. I love you. //
Youji felt for the earring. It was still clutched tightly in his left hand. His bound hands caused a torrent of pain for his injured shoulder. He felt the bruise caused by the gun throbbing on his head. He realized that aside from what he remembered, he might have also been beaten when he was unconscious. That explained the amount of pain he was in as of this moment. He tried to close his eyes and drift back into unconsciousness but visions of the redheaded assassin kept appearing in his mind. His grip tightened on the earring. Unconsciously, a tear slowly made its way down his cheek.
I promise I'll be back Aya. I'll bring this earring back to you. I'll come back for you. I love you.
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=Aya was trapped. There was no way out. He was about to die when Youji suddenly came and rescued him. They fought off all the guards and headed towards the exit. For some strange reason, Youji had pushed him in front of him. Aya could see the exit. They were almost there when he felt Youji shove him outside. He landed sprawled on the pavement. He got p and went towards the door but it shut in his face. He knocked and banged at the door. He felt two sets of arms pushing him, dragging him away from the door and Youji. He heard himself scream and beg for them to let go but they didn't. Just as he was dragged away from the door, a hail of bullets shot through. Youji. A vision of Youji shot through with the bullets crossed his mind.
Youji was in there.
Youji saved him.
Youji was trapped.
Youji was in danger.
Youji could be dead...=
Aya jerked awake. He was covered with cold sweat. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table. It read 6:09 a.m. He sank back down on the mattress of his bed. He tried to catch his breathing. He was breathing short pants and his heart was racing. It was just a dream, he thought. Then he shook his head.
"No, it was a nightmare."
He glanced around his room. Everything was in place. His gaze traveled to his hand. In it, he clutched a single cattleya bloom tied with a jade green ribbon. He laid the flower gently at his bedside table. The flower was from Youji.
He rose from the bed and took a shower. He dressed quickly and exited his bedroom, heading down the hallway towards the mission room. He paused at the door of Youji's room. He opened the door and went inside. He was hit by the smell of cigarettes and liquor. Youji's smell. He walked towards the bed and sat down. It had been three days since he had last seen Youji. Three days since that mission. He reached for the piece of clothing that hung on the headboard. It was one of Youji's shirts. He brought the shirt to his face, inhaling the smell that was pure Youji. He sat there for a few minutes, and then stood up. He went back to the hallway and closed the door.
Aya made his way towards the mission room. When he sat down, he immediately worked on the files that contained information on Gendo Yamamoto. The man is going to die. Aya will kill him. For Youji. Aya will kill him.
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Omi made his way down towards the shop. He opened up the Koneko and waited for his other teammates. The day was warm and the sun was shining but Omi couldn't find any reason to smile. Youji was captured and they still haven't saved him yet. They had had Gendo's compound under surveillance for the past two days and still they had found out nothing. One thing was for certain. Youji was still in the building. They haven't moved him yet.
Omi made his way towards the counter and set himself down on one of the chairs. He rubbed his tired eyes and shook his head to wake himself. When he looked back up, he found that Ken had already entered the shop. Omi managed a tiny smile.
"Ohayo, Ken-kun."
"Hey, Omi."
The brunette was just as strained as Omi was. Ken had circles under his eyes and the smile he had shot Omi was forced. Omi felt sad because this had never happened to them before. They had never lost a teammate during one of their missions but nevertheless; they were determined to get Youji back. Omi thought of Aya and how the incident had affected him. His thoughts went back to the night of the mission, the night when he saw Aya broken, the fear and hysteria that he had seen in their leader's eyes. Aya was hurting and Omi knew it.
"Ken-kun could you watch the shop for awhile? I'm just going to go check up on Aya."
"Sure, Omi." Ken replied albeit a bit absentmindedly.
Omi made his way towards the mission room. He knew that Aya was there. That was where Aya had spent all of his free time. He was still researching and planning for their mission tonight. Tonight, they were scheduled to infiltrate yet again Gendo Yamamoto's compound and save Youji. Kritiker had given its assent since they had delivered the information from the last mission promptly and since Youji was an asset that Kritiker could not afford to lose. They had given the three remaining Weiss assassins unlimited resources.
He tentatively knocked at the door and opened it. He found Aya at his usual spot in the room, notes, maps and plans sprawled around him in disarray. The computer was on. Omi walked towards Aya. He tried to lay his hand on the redheads shoulder, hesitated, and then dropped it instead.
"Aya?"
"Hn?"
"Maybe you should rest,"
"I'm okay. I have to do something. Its my fault Youji got into this mess."
Omi was stunned to hear those words. It wasn't Aya's fault. It wasn't anybody's fault. The security level at the building was just high. Aya shouldn't be blaming himself. Without hesitation, he laid his hand on Aya's shoulder. He felt Aya slump from beneath his hand.
"Listen, Aya. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't anybody's fault. We don't blame you and I'm sure Youji won't too."
Omi turned the redhead to face him. He saw the haunted amethyst eyes staring back at him. Omi's heart ached for Aya. He wiped away the tear that had fallen from Aya's eyes. It was enough to make Omi cry. Aya never showed weakness. He never showed any emotion. Aya was as cold as ice, unable to feel most of the time. Now, he was broken.
"Aya, you shouldn't torture yourself like this. If Youji gets... when Youji gets back, and he will, he wouldn't want to see you like this," Omi took a deep breath. "He loves you, Aya," he added silently.
Aya stiffened beneath his touch. The redhead turned so his back was facing Omi. A few tense seconds passed, then Aya said something barely audible. Omi wouldn't have heard it if he weren't listening.
"How do you know?"
Omi took another deep breath.
"I can see it in his eyes, in the way he looks at you. I can hear it every time he talks to you,"
Aya turned to face Omi, eyes brimming with tears. Omi held his gaze and continued talking.
"All you have to do is listen, Aya," he said softly. "Maybe if you open this up," Omi laid his hand on the left side of his chest, atop his heart. "Then you'll also be able to hear it."
Omi brought his hand down and walked slowly back towards the door. Just as he was about to close the door behind him, he turned back around and quietly said,
"He loves you, Aya and I know you love him too."
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They had already gone around the building twice checking for guards. The ones that they saw they killed quickly. They had already entered the building. Now it was time for them to yet again separate. The building was too large for them to search so Omi and Ken were to take the upper floors and Aya was to take the lower floors and the basement. They stealthily made their way around the building dodging and killing obstacles in the form of guards. The plan was to locate Youji, get him to safety and kill Gendo Yamamoto to put the Schatten permanently out of business.
They had split up and Aya is already making his way down towards the basement. He had already searched the other lower floors but found no trace of him. Suddenly he heard the elevator descend and open to dislodge more intruders. They were talking rather loudly. Aya hid behind several of the crates stacked on the dark basement and listened to every word.
"Why'd the boss want the boy,"
'I think he's decided to sell 'im."
"Who'd want the punk?" a guard snorted.
"You obviously haven't seen 'im yet," answered the previous guard.
Aya stealthily followed them, senses tuned in to every noise around him. Finally he caught sight of Youji, bound in one corner of the basement unconscious. He hid once more and turned on his comm. unit.
'Bombay?"
"Abyssinian?"
"I've got him."
"Where?"
"Down here, on the basement."
"Alright. Siberian and I will follow. Bombay out"
Aya switched off the speaker in his unit. He sneaked glance towards the guards who were standing in front of Youji. He heard one of them speaking.
"Well, whaddya know? Guys a pretty little kitten! What say we have a little fun?"
Laughter followed this statement. He heard one of them kick Youji solidly in he stomach. A groan issued from the blonde's mouth, Aya's blood began to boil.
"Rise and shine, pretty little kitty," the guard said and he leered at Youji.
Youji forced his eyes to open and his mouth to work.
"Bastard." he hissed at the guard then spit on the guard's shoes.
The guard hoisted him up and stared him face to face. Youji didn't even blink.
"The son of a bitch's got spirit." the guard drawled. He smiled at Youji showing stained teeth and a few gaps in between. He threw Youji against the wall. Youji immediately fell and another groan came from him. The guards laughed.
"Maybe we could play with him for awhile?" one of the guards suggested.
"Love to, but we've got to take him up." the guard sighed. "He would have made a good toy, though. Pity he's about to die."
At that moment Aya launched himself from behind his hiding place and struck his katana at the back of the guard. The sword sank into the flesh and went all the way out to his chest. The blade had struck the bastard's heart. Aya removed the sword and let the body fall in front of him. The other guards then saw him and all were paralyzed with shock.
"I was just about to say the same thing about him." Aya said.
He turned to face the remaining guards and with a swift move, decapitated two of their heads. The remaining guards, not nearly as stupid as the ones who were killed, wisely moved back. Aya glanced towards Youji. He caught the blonde's eye. Youji held his gaze for a few seconds.
"Aya?" he whispered the word as if the simple task of talking caused him so much pain. Then he slipped back into unconsciousness.
Aya turned back to the other. He was just about to run his sword through another one when the guard fell. He saw the crossbow bolt lodged in the guard's throat. Then from the corner of his eye, he saw Ken rushing at the nearest guard, slashing with his bugnuks. When the last of the guards were eliminated, Aya made his way towards Youji. He knelt beside the blonde, smoothing down the unruly curls. His fingers ran across a lump on Youji's head. His gaze swept over Youji checking for injuries. He saw the wound in his arm and side. He quickly probed the wound, checking for bullets. He found none. He untied Youji's hands. One hand was clenched tightly against something. He checked Youji's ribs. A few were broken.
"Siberian, Bombay,"
"Yes, Abyssinian?"
"Get Balinese to the car. I'll take care of Gendo."
Aya reluctantly let go of Youji and stood up. He walked towards the elevator and rode up to the floor that would take him to his target's lair.
The place was quiet. Gendo probably wasn't expecting any intruders. He probably thought that Weiss wouldn't launch another attack. The hallways were deserted. He reached Yamamoto's office. Quietly, he opened the door. He saw Gendo Yamamoto standing by the window, his back to him. He was a handsome man, with wavy, black hair and a friendly mouth. He had a lean body from his martial arts and assassin training, but whatever warmth could be conveyed in his appearance was lost if you looked into his eyes. The eyes were empty black pools with no emotion.
Aya sneaked up behind him. He was talking on the phone. Judging from the way the conversation was going, it was his wife. Aya drew his katana and laid it at gendo's neck. He felt the man stiffen and tense. Gendo Yamamoto dropped the phone. Aya leaned towards Gendo Yamamoto and whispered in his ear.
"Say goodbye to your wife for the last time because the next time you open your eyes, you'll be rotting in hell."
Aya moved back a bit and with one swift motion, the katana sliced cleanly through Gendo Yamamoto's neck, decapitating him. Aya knelt down and wiped the sword on the jacket of the man's suit. He walked towards the door without a backward glance and made his way towards the exit.
When he got out, Omi and Ken were already at the car, sitting in the backseat. They had settled Youji at the front. Aya got into the driver's seat and revved up the car. He glanced at the limp form of Youji beside him and prayed to God they weren't too late.
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Youji opened his eyes. Where was he? He couldn't be in that damn basement anymore. He felt... comfortable. He realized he was lying in his own satin sheets. His head still throbbed and his ribs still ached but most of the pain had diminished. Who had rescued him?
Aya.
He remembered. He was awakened by a sharp kick to his gut. The guard had thrown him across the wall and he had slumped down, nearly unconscious. Then he heard the unmistakable sound of a katana whooshing through the air. He had looked up and met Aya's gaze. He was there. Aya was there. But how? Then he had fallen back into the black pit of darkness.
Aya must have rescued him. Aya, Ken and Omi. They must have rescued him. His gaze went to his hand. Amazingly, he was still holding the earring. He glanced towards his window. He breath caught.
Aya was standing by his window. The moon served as background, bathing him with light giving him a kind of ethereal glow. His crimson hair shone and fell softly across his face framing his features perfectly. His amethyst eyes shone with moonlight, his ruby red lips matched his face perfectly. Youji could see all of Aya's perfect features. The prominent cheekbones up to the sculpted eyebrows. His mouth was surprisingly not frowning. His expression was that of calm, serene. Slowly he turned towards Youji. His expression changed into shock from seeing Youji's eyes wide open.
"Aya?" Youji said tentatively. His gaze dropped to Aya's hand. He saw two of the digits supporting a stick of cigarette between them, the smoke curling up from the lighted end. He gazed back up at Aya, confusion in his eyes.
Aya gazed back at him, still shocked to see his eyes open and to hear him talk.
"You're smoking?" Youi asked, confused.
Aya didn't say anything, just gazed at him. Slowly, Youji felt his eyelids drop. Sleep had claimed him again. He settled into his slumber visions of the redhead bathed in moonlight appearing in his dreams.
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Aya put out his cigarette. He rarely ever smoked. It was a habit he had dropped. He only did it in times of helplessness. It figured Youji would be surprised to see him smoking since he had treated the blonde to a death glare everytime he tried lighting one up in the house or store.
Youji had finally awakened, he was now safe. Aya let a tiny smile cross his lips. He walked towards the bed and sat down on the chair set beside the bed. He leaned forward and gazed at Youji with amethyst eyes. He brought his hand up and slowly brushed back stray curls from Youji's forehead. He brushed his hands across his eyes and cheeks and down towards the lips. He remembered rhe night Youji had kissed him. The touch was so soft, so gentle. Aya smiled at the memory. He placed his hand atop Youji's. He savored the warmth of the other man. He savored the moment. He prayed that it would never end. It had been so long since he had given in to the urge to gain contact with another person. He had let go of all those emotions a long time ago but because of Youji, those emotions have once again risen inside him.
The feeling was new for Aya. he wasn't comfortable with it but for once he didn't bother himself with the questions that would sometimes come to him. For now, he settled himself on the chari, holding one of Youji's hands in his own. He contented himself with the feeling of being with another person for he knew that the moment those jade green eyes opened, the moment would be long gone.
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Chapter Four
Disclaimer: Don't own Weiss Kreuz...
Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay. To make up for it, this chapter is quite long. d;-)
//-indicates flashback
=-indicates dream
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The place was dark and smelled dank. Youji slowly opened his eyes, trying to get accustomed to the darkness surrounding him. He tried to move his hand but then realized that it was bound behind him. He was sitting in what was probably a basement floor littered with dirt and things he dared not name. He glanced left and right and vaguely made out the shape of a doorway. He tried to move his body to find a more comfortable position but a stabbing pain shot up from his chest. Broken ribs. Gun shot. He smelled dried blood. He peered at his shoulder and saw the wound that indicated another gunshot. Moving his legs, he silently thanked all the gods when he found that they weren't immobile. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and relived the horror that he had gone through the past few days.
//Aya was in trouble, Omi had told him so. He immediately rushed towards the building that housed the office and living quarters of Gendo Yamamoto. As soon as he got in, he climbed the stairs, primed to hear even the slightest noise. When he got to the floor where the offices were located, he heard a shouted Shi-ne that unmistakably came from Aya's mouth. He ran quickly and silently, taking the long and twisted hallways at a remarkable speed. When he turned the corner of the hallway, he found an army of bodyguards separating him from the place where he guessed Aya was standing. Random thoughts had floated around his mind at that time.
Where's Aya?
Is he okay?
Is he dead?
Is he hurt?
Then he caught a flash of red.
That was all it took. He launched himself at the first line of intruders. With one quick movement he had severed the head of two and decapitated three. He fought his way towards the redhead, using his wire for all its worth. When Aya looked up and saw him, he flashed him a smile. He couldn't read the expression on Aya's face but he had several more guards to terminate so he didn't dwell long on the thought.
When all the guards were down, he had grabbed Aya's arm and ran as fast as he could towards the lobby where they could gain exit. They were nearly there when out of the corner of his eye, Youji saw a man that was unmistakably Gendo Yamamoto leading an army of guards towards them. He had pushed Aya in front of him. He chanced another look back and saw the muzzles of the automatics pointed at them. He hastily shoved Aya towards the open door. No sooner had he done that, a guards appeared in front of him and pushed the door closed. An army of bullets shot from behind him. He managed to dodge a few of them as he lunged towards the side but he had taken two hits, one on his side and one on his shoulder. Already weakened from the exhaustion of fighting a ton of guards, he was losing consciousness because of the blood loss. He closed his eyes at the burning pain in his side and shoulder. When he opened them again, he saw the face of Gendo Yamamoto staring back at him.
So, you've come to save your redheaded friend, ne? Lucky for him, he got away but not so lucky for you isn't it?
He received a brutal kick at the ribs and heard a few of them crack. He shut his eyes again, willing the pain to go away.
This is for Aya he told himself over and over again.
When he opened them, he saw that Gendo had walked away, but he could still hear his sick laughter. He rolled over to his side and his hand touched something long, thin and metal. He glanced towards the object. Aya's earring.
It must have fallen when I shoved him out.
He clutched the earring tightly in his left hand, the one without the injured shoulder. When he started to turn back to the guards, he was violently knocked out by the butt of a gun. His last thoughts were I saved you, Aya. I love you. //
Youji felt for the earring. It was still clutched tightly in his left hand. His bound hands caused a torrent of pain for his injured shoulder. He felt the bruise caused by the gun throbbing on his head. He realized that aside from what he remembered, he might have also been beaten when he was unconscious. That explained the amount of pain he was in as of this moment. He tried to close his eyes and drift back into unconsciousness but visions of the redheaded assassin kept appearing in his mind. His grip tightened on the earring. Unconsciously, a tear slowly made its way down his cheek.
I promise I'll be back Aya. I'll bring this earring back to you. I'll come back for you. I love you.
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=Aya was trapped. There was no way out. He was about to die when Youji suddenly came and rescued him. They fought off all the guards and headed towards the exit. For some strange reason, Youji had pushed him in front of him. Aya could see the exit. They were almost there when he felt Youji shove him outside. He landed sprawled on the pavement. He got p and went towards the door but it shut in his face. He knocked and banged at the door. He felt two sets of arms pushing him, dragging him away from the door and Youji. He heard himself scream and beg for them to let go but they didn't. Just as he was dragged away from the door, a hail of bullets shot through. Youji. A vision of Youji shot through with the bullets crossed his mind.
Youji was in there.
Youji saved him.
Youji was trapped.
Youji was in danger.
Youji could be dead...=
Aya jerked awake. He was covered with cold sweat. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table. It read 6:09 a.m. He sank back down on the mattress of his bed. He tried to catch his breathing. He was breathing short pants and his heart was racing. It was just a dream, he thought. Then he shook his head.
"No, it was a nightmare."
He glanced around his room. Everything was in place. His gaze traveled to his hand. In it, he clutched a single cattleya bloom tied with a jade green ribbon. He laid the flower gently at his bedside table. The flower was from Youji.
He rose from the bed and took a shower. He dressed quickly and exited his bedroom, heading down the hallway towards the mission room. He paused at the door of Youji's room. He opened the door and went inside. He was hit by the smell of cigarettes and liquor. Youji's smell. He walked towards the bed and sat down. It had been three days since he had last seen Youji. Three days since that mission. He reached for the piece of clothing that hung on the headboard. It was one of Youji's shirts. He brought the shirt to his face, inhaling the smell that was pure Youji. He sat there for a few minutes, and then stood up. He went back to the hallway and closed the door.
Aya made his way towards the mission room. When he sat down, he immediately worked on the files that contained information on Gendo Yamamoto. The man is going to die. Aya will kill him. For Youji. Aya will kill him.
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Omi made his way down towards the shop. He opened up the Koneko and waited for his other teammates. The day was warm and the sun was shining but Omi couldn't find any reason to smile. Youji was captured and they still haven't saved him yet. They had had Gendo's compound under surveillance for the past two days and still they had found out nothing. One thing was for certain. Youji was still in the building. They haven't moved him yet.
Omi made his way towards the counter and set himself down on one of the chairs. He rubbed his tired eyes and shook his head to wake himself. When he looked back up, he found that Ken had already entered the shop. Omi managed a tiny smile.
"Ohayo, Ken-kun."
"Hey, Omi."
The brunette was just as strained as Omi was. Ken had circles under his eyes and the smile he had shot Omi was forced. Omi felt sad because this had never happened to them before. They had never lost a teammate during one of their missions but nevertheless; they were determined to get Youji back. Omi thought of Aya and how the incident had affected him. His thoughts went back to the night of the mission, the night when he saw Aya broken, the fear and hysteria that he had seen in their leader's eyes. Aya was hurting and Omi knew it.
"Ken-kun could you watch the shop for awhile? I'm just going to go check up on Aya."
"Sure, Omi." Ken replied albeit a bit absentmindedly.
Omi made his way towards the mission room. He knew that Aya was there. That was where Aya had spent all of his free time. He was still researching and planning for their mission tonight. Tonight, they were scheduled to infiltrate yet again Gendo Yamamoto's compound and save Youji. Kritiker had given its assent since they had delivered the information from the last mission promptly and since Youji was an asset that Kritiker could not afford to lose. They had given the three remaining Weiss assassins unlimited resources.
He tentatively knocked at the door and opened it. He found Aya at his usual spot in the room, notes, maps and plans sprawled around him in disarray. The computer was on. Omi walked towards Aya. He tried to lay his hand on the redheads shoulder, hesitated, and then dropped it instead.
"Aya?"
"Hn?"
"Maybe you should rest,"
"I'm okay. I have to do something. Its my fault Youji got into this mess."
Omi was stunned to hear those words. It wasn't Aya's fault. It wasn't anybody's fault. The security level at the building was just high. Aya shouldn't be blaming himself. Without hesitation, he laid his hand on Aya's shoulder. He felt Aya slump from beneath his hand.
"Listen, Aya. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't anybody's fault. We don't blame you and I'm sure Youji won't too."
Omi turned the redhead to face him. He saw the haunted amethyst eyes staring back at him. Omi's heart ached for Aya. He wiped away the tear that had fallen from Aya's eyes. It was enough to make Omi cry. Aya never showed weakness. He never showed any emotion. Aya was as cold as ice, unable to feel most of the time. Now, he was broken.
"Aya, you shouldn't torture yourself like this. If Youji gets... when Youji gets back, and he will, he wouldn't want to see you like this," Omi took a deep breath. "He loves you, Aya," he added silently.
Aya stiffened beneath his touch. The redhead turned so his back was facing Omi. A few tense seconds passed, then Aya said something barely audible. Omi wouldn't have heard it if he weren't listening.
"How do you know?"
Omi took another deep breath.
"I can see it in his eyes, in the way he looks at you. I can hear it every time he talks to you,"
Aya turned to face Omi, eyes brimming with tears. Omi held his gaze and continued talking.
"All you have to do is listen, Aya," he said softly. "Maybe if you open this up," Omi laid his hand on the left side of his chest, atop his heart. "Then you'll also be able to hear it."
Omi brought his hand down and walked slowly back towards the door. Just as he was about to close the door behind him, he turned back around and quietly said,
"He loves you, Aya and I know you love him too."
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They had already gone around the building twice checking for guards. The ones that they saw they killed quickly. They had already entered the building. Now it was time for them to yet again separate. The building was too large for them to search so Omi and Ken were to take the upper floors and Aya was to take the lower floors and the basement. They stealthily made their way around the building dodging and killing obstacles in the form of guards. The plan was to locate Youji, get him to safety and kill Gendo Yamamoto to put the Schatten permanently out of business.
They had split up and Aya is already making his way down towards the basement. He had already searched the other lower floors but found no trace of him. Suddenly he heard the elevator descend and open to dislodge more intruders. They were talking rather loudly. Aya hid behind several of the crates stacked on the dark basement and listened to every word.
"Why'd the boss want the boy,"
'I think he's decided to sell 'im."
"Who'd want the punk?" a guard snorted.
"You obviously haven't seen 'im yet," answered the previous guard.
Aya stealthily followed them, senses tuned in to every noise around him. Finally he caught sight of Youji, bound in one corner of the basement unconscious. He hid once more and turned on his comm. unit.
'Bombay?"
"Abyssinian?"
"I've got him."
"Where?"
"Down here, on the basement."
"Alright. Siberian and I will follow. Bombay out"
Aya switched off the speaker in his unit. He sneaked glance towards the guards who were standing in front of Youji. He heard one of them speaking.
"Well, whaddya know? Guys a pretty little kitten! What say we have a little fun?"
Laughter followed this statement. He heard one of them kick Youji solidly in he stomach. A groan issued from the blonde's mouth, Aya's blood began to boil.
"Rise and shine, pretty little kitty," the guard said and he leered at Youji.
Youji forced his eyes to open and his mouth to work.
"Bastard." he hissed at the guard then spit on the guard's shoes.
The guard hoisted him up and stared him face to face. Youji didn't even blink.
"The son of a bitch's got spirit." the guard drawled. He smiled at Youji showing stained teeth and a few gaps in between. He threw Youji against the wall. Youji immediately fell and another groan came from him. The guards laughed.
"Maybe we could play with him for awhile?" one of the guards suggested.
"Love to, but we've got to take him up." the guard sighed. "He would have made a good toy, though. Pity he's about to die."
At that moment Aya launched himself from behind his hiding place and struck his katana at the back of the guard. The sword sank into the flesh and went all the way out to his chest. The blade had struck the bastard's heart. Aya removed the sword and let the body fall in front of him. The other guards then saw him and all were paralyzed with shock.
"I was just about to say the same thing about him." Aya said.
He turned to face the remaining guards and with a swift move, decapitated two of their heads. The remaining guards, not nearly as stupid as the ones who were killed, wisely moved back. Aya glanced towards Youji. He caught the blonde's eye. Youji held his gaze for a few seconds.
"Aya?" he whispered the word as if the simple task of talking caused him so much pain. Then he slipped back into unconsciousness.
Aya turned back to the other. He was just about to run his sword through another one when the guard fell. He saw the crossbow bolt lodged in the guard's throat. Then from the corner of his eye, he saw Ken rushing at the nearest guard, slashing with his bugnuks. When the last of the guards were eliminated, Aya made his way towards Youji. He knelt beside the blonde, smoothing down the unruly curls. His fingers ran across a lump on Youji's head. His gaze swept over Youji checking for injuries. He saw the wound in his arm and side. He quickly probed the wound, checking for bullets. He found none. He untied Youji's hands. One hand was clenched tightly against something. He checked Youji's ribs. A few were broken.
"Siberian, Bombay,"
"Yes, Abyssinian?"
"Get Balinese to the car. I'll take care of Gendo."
Aya reluctantly let go of Youji and stood up. He walked towards the elevator and rode up to the floor that would take him to his target's lair.
The place was quiet. Gendo probably wasn't expecting any intruders. He probably thought that Weiss wouldn't launch another attack. The hallways were deserted. He reached Yamamoto's office. Quietly, he opened the door. He saw Gendo Yamamoto standing by the window, his back to him. He was a handsome man, with wavy, black hair and a friendly mouth. He had a lean body from his martial arts and assassin training, but whatever warmth could be conveyed in his appearance was lost if you looked into his eyes. The eyes were empty black pools with no emotion.
Aya sneaked up behind him. He was talking on the phone. Judging from the way the conversation was going, it was his wife. Aya drew his katana and laid it at gendo's neck. He felt the man stiffen and tense. Gendo Yamamoto dropped the phone. Aya leaned towards Gendo Yamamoto and whispered in his ear.
"Say goodbye to your wife for the last time because the next time you open your eyes, you'll be rotting in hell."
Aya moved back a bit and with one swift motion, the katana sliced cleanly through Gendo Yamamoto's neck, decapitating him. Aya knelt down and wiped the sword on the jacket of the man's suit. He walked towards the door without a backward glance and made his way towards the exit.
When he got out, Omi and Ken were already at the car, sitting in the backseat. They had settled Youji at the front. Aya got into the driver's seat and revved up the car. He glanced at the limp form of Youji beside him and prayed to God they weren't too late.
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Youji opened his eyes. Where was he? He couldn't be in that damn basement anymore. He felt... comfortable. He realized he was lying in his own satin sheets. His head still throbbed and his ribs still ached but most of the pain had diminished. Who had rescued him?
Aya.
He remembered. He was awakened by a sharp kick to his gut. The guard had thrown him across the wall and he had slumped down, nearly unconscious. Then he heard the unmistakable sound of a katana whooshing through the air. He had looked up and met Aya's gaze. He was there. Aya was there. But how? Then he had fallen back into the black pit of darkness.
Aya must have rescued him. Aya, Ken and Omi. They must have rescued him. His gaze went to his hand. Amazingly, he was still holding the earring. He glanced towards his window. He breath caught.
Aya was standing by his window. The moon served as background, bathing him with light giving him a kind of ethereal glow. His crimson hair shone and fell softly across his face framing his features perfectly. His amethyst eyes shone with moonlight, his ruby red lips matched his face perfectly. Youji could see all of Aya's perfect features. The prominent cheekbones up to the sculpted eyebrows. His mouth was surprisingly not frowning. His expression was that of calm, serene. Slowly he turned towards Youji. His expression changed into shock from seeing Youji's eyes wide open.
"Aya?" Youji said tentatively. His gaze dropped to Aya's hand. He saw two of the digits supporting a stick of cigarette between them, the smoke curling up from the lighted end. He gazed back up at Aya, confusion in his eyes.
Aya gazed back at him, still shocked to see his eyes open and to hear him talk.
"You're smoking?" Youi asked, confused.
Aya didn't say anything, just gazed at him. Slowly, Youji felt his eyelids drop. Sleep had claimed him again. He settled into his slumber visions of the redhead bathed in moonlight appearing in his dreams.
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Aya put out his cigarette. He rarely ever smoked. It was a habit he had dropped. He only did it in times of helplessness. It figured Youji would be surprised to see him smoking since he had treated the blonde to a death glare everytime he tried lighting one up in the house or store.
Youji had finally awakened, he was now safe. Aya let a tiny smile cross his lips. He walked towards the bed and sat down on the chair set beside the bed. He leaned forward and gazed at Youji with amethyst eyes. He brought his hand up and slowly brushed back stray curls from Youji's forehead. He brushed his hands across his eyes and cheeks and down towards the lips. He remembered rhe night Youji had kissed him. The touch was so soft, so gentle. Aya smiled at the memory. He placed his hand atop Youji's. He savored the warmth of the other man. He savored the moment. He prayed that it would never end. It had been so long since he had given in to the urge to gain contact with another person. He had let go of all those emotions a long time ago but because of Youji, those emotions have once again risen inside him.
The feeling was new for Aya. he wasn't comfortable with it but for once he didn't bother himself with the questions that would sometimes come to him. For now, he settled himself on the chari, holding one of Youji's hands in his own. He contented himself with the feeling of being with another person for he knew that the moment those jade green eyes opened, the moment would be long gone.
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