Since when was Aya so damn sexy?
It was driving Youji crazy.
He'd come downstairs this morning and found he just couldn't keep his eyes off him. He'd done no work today at all, and even ignored the women who were OVER eighteen in favour of watching everything Aya did.
Why hadn't he noticed how beautiful he was before? His pale skin, the deep colour of his hair, those stormy eyes that just screamed 'I hate you all leave me alone or die, especially you Youji'…
"Oh god, this can't be happening!" he groaned, and hit his head on the shop counter.
"What's happening?" Omi asked, rifling through a drawer after some yellow ribbon to tie around his arrangement.
"Aya."
Omi glanced over at the redhead, who was sulking with a watering can over the other side of the shop.
"Aya's happening?" Omi said, looking confused.
"You could say that.."
"What are you talking about?"
"I…it doesn't matter. Hey chibi, what was it like when you realised you…you know, had feelings for Ken?"
"Oh, you know it was really strange," Omi began eagerly, his face lighting up at the chance to talk about his boyfriend. "I just woke up one morning, well I just went downstairs and saw him and suddenly realised I'd been in love with him all along!"
"In love…" Youji said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, I never expected it, but it was the best thing that ever happened… Well, it was when I found out he felt the same, it was pretty hard when I thought he wouldn't, I couldn't concentrate and I felt really bad but also really good just because I felt so much for him…that makes no sense, sorry, I…wait a minute! What has this got to do with Aya and happening?"
Omi looked at him with such a suspicious expression, Youji laughed at the same time he felt himself blush.
"Nothing, chibi. And it does make sense. Where's that no-good lover of yours at anyway?" he added loudly, seeing Ken carrying a small tree in a pot over towards them.
"No-good? That hurt, Youji, that really hurt," Ken said, putting the tree down by the counter.
"I have to deliver this tree," he told them. "I won't be long, ok?"
"Sure…hey Ken, Youji says Aya can't be happening."
"Huh? Ohhh.. I think you'll find he probably can, Youji. Bye!!" Ken picked up the tree again, and with a wink at Youji and a grin and a quick kiss for Omi was gone. Omi sighed, and smiled, then smirked at Youji.
"I KNEW it!"
"How did you know it?!" Youji said indignantly. "I mean, what did you know?"
"You like Aya, don't you!"
"Shh, shh, keep your voice down! I mean…no, no, I don't…" he trailed off lamely.
"Nice try Youji… I think that's great! You two are really suited!"
"…how?"
"…ok, you're right, you're not really suited that well…"
"Oh, thanks…"
"Well you're both tall…"
"Both tall, right… Omi, wait, listen, it's not like that, I mean, it only just started, today! I just can't stop thinking about him, and watching him…"
Youji ran his tongue over his top lip and glanced at Aya.
"I mean, it must be wrong, right? If I really liked him I would have noticed how gorgeous he was before.."
"Well, maybe you did! I didn't know how much I liked Ken, but when I think back, I remember thinking things about him from way before I really noticed myself thinking it…like wanting to spend all my time with him, and how kind he was, and how much I wanted him to kiss me…"
Omi blushed, and Youji frowned down at the table.
"I don't know, I mean…"
He had dreamed about Aya kissing him once…
More than once.
And he did always want his attention.
Except today when he'd been to scared to go near him…
And he could always feel his arms around him when he tried to imagine it…
And he was always comparing the women he went out with to Aya…
They were never as beautiful.
And he wished everyday he could get Aya to open up more, to open up to him….
Youji looked helplessly at Omi.
"I KNEW it!!" the perky blond said excitedly. "You've liked him for AGES haven't you?!"
"Shut up!" Youji hissed. "He'll hear! And then he'd just be mad…"
Picturing just how mad Aya would be made Youji lose any remaining positive feeling about the situation.
"Ok, so I like him. I REALLY like him. I think… Anyway, even if I do…"
"Which you obviously do."
"…he'd NEVER like me - he hardly likes me anyway, let alone in a..in a…"
"A more than friends way."
"Exactly. Oh god. I can't believe I'M asking YOU this, Omittchi - what should I do?!"
"Don't ask me!" Omi yelped. "I don't know anything about this stuff! I'm only good at Ken. Umm, maybe you could…tell him? Or something? I told Ken, and that worked. And Aya does like you, I mean he likes all of us, but he likes you the most. You're an important friend to him, even though he doesn't really show it. If he doesn't feel the same way, I don't think he would mind… Um, just be the same as you are with women to him. Flirt with him, or whatever…"
"FLIRT WITH AYA?!?!" Youji yelled incredulously.
Omi snorted with laughter. A lot of schoolgirls "oooh"ed and giggled. Youji looked nervously in Aya's direction, but thankfully he was still occupied with standing around looking unfriendly and didn't seem to have noticed.
"Well, maybe," Omi nodded. "Why not? You can do it with women, with women you're all confident and know EXACTLY what to say - why are you being so shy? Just…pretend Aya's a big woman!!"
Youji burst out laughing, and Omi looked vaguely distressed.
"Don't laugh at me, I'm trying to help! I have to go and do work now, even more than normal today since you haven't done anything yet! Don't think I haven't noticed - at least I know why now!"
The yellow ribbon he'd been looking for earlier and a pair of scissors in hand, he turned to go and do something constructive.
"Oh, don't forget Youji, you're closing down with Aya tonight."
"I am? It's Aya and you who are…oh…oh? Ok…should I…"
"Do some WORK Youji!" Omi said, stern but friendly. "Hey Aya!" he called across the store. "Make sure Youji does something while I'm in the back finishing this! He's doing even less than normal today! I don't know what's wrong with him…"
"Alright," Aya said. "Do some work Youji," he said.
Omi grinned at both of them and disappeared.
Damn the kid! Youji thought. Not only was he useless at giving advice on love, now he was going to have to do some actual work as well! He always did what Aya said…
Omi was right, he thought to himself as he found a customer that he could be helpful to. He had had a soft spot where Aya was concerned for a lot longer than he'd realised.
Maybe Omi's advice wasn't so bad after all.
Maybe he COULD just flirt and…well, he didn't particularly want to pretend Aya was 'a big woman'…but he could be charming and…
Would charm work on Aya? Would ANYTHING work on Aya, to get him to like Youji?
"We'll see," Youji muttered.
"See what?" Aya said irritably.
"See if we can't get someone with people skills to replace you."
"Shut up."
So two hours later, it was just the two of them.
Ken and Omi had been all over each other for the last hour and rushed off hand in hand at the end of the day, more than happy to have an unexpected hour or so completely to themselves while the other two shut up shop.
Youji pulled down the shutters and stood up, stretching while taking advantage of the opportunity of a good look at Aya, who had stopped sulking with the watering can and was watering some flowers.
He was so good-looking… It was a shame a smile didn't more often grace those soft lips, Youji had always thought so.
He shrugged to deflect embarrassment at what he was about to do, despite that it was in front of no-one.
"Hey Aya," he started lamely, sliding his arms around Aya's waist from behind.
"Get away from me."
"How can I when you look so stunning today?" Youji complimented him, refusing to let go and leaning his head on Aya's shoulder.
"I'll kill you."
"Make it easy for me, why don'tcha…" he muttered. "What would you say to dinner sometime?"
"I'd say fuck off."
"Oh so harsh, so cold but so beautiful…you really are beautiful you know.."
Aya was by now growling angrily, and when he shoved Youji away and turned around, the tall blond was surprised that he didn't explode but merely sprayed water in his face.
"Goddammit Aya!" he spluttered. "I don't know why I even bother!"
"I heard everything you said today."
Youji stared at him in horror.
"You mean everything I just did was a waste of time and effort?"
"Essentially, yes…d-do you really think I'd never like you?"
Was Aya blushing?!
"Why…why do you assume I don't like you?"
"Why do you ask stupid questions?"
"Because I do like…I mean I do like you."
Youji looked closely - he was right, Aya was actually blushing!
Was it actually Aya?
"Are you Aya?"
"…yes."
"So you mean you…"
"Yes."
"So do you wanna…"
"Alright."
Youji lifted a hand to stroke Aya's cheek, and leaned slightly nearer.
"So can I…"
"No."
Aya turned back to his flowers.
"Go and do some work."
Youji sighed.
Since when was Aya such a damn idiot?
Oh yeah.
Since always.
