Disclaimers/ warnings: Take a wild guess. I'll bet you can't guess where I
put them.
A/N: This is it! The last chapter! We've finally made it to the end of the saga. Actually, I hate to say it, but there's going to be a sequel, probably called "Checkmate." No one will have to read that one for a while though, since I'm going out of town - well, out of country. The plot of the next one will become pretty clear at the end of this one, so. . . what am I talking about again?
Brad: Shut up and write the chapter!
Fine. Sheesh. He's upset because he wasn't in this story at all - he was mentioned but didn't actually make an appearance.
Brad: I thought you loved me.
Of course I do, Bradley dear. But plot comes first. You'll be more important in the sequel, I promise.
Brad: I'd better be.
Okay, I guess we'd better get started before Bradley takes a note out of Aya's book and Shi-Nes me. Onward!
____________________________________________________________________________ ___
Yohji entered the shop the next morning with a feeling of foreboding. He knew he had to face charges at Aya's hands now. They hadn't specifically agreed on terms of punishment when the bet was laid, but there'd been a general sense of looming repercussions. And he'd lost. So it was time to face the music.
To be honest, though, he was glad he hadn't managed to seduce Ken, no matter what punishment Aya would come up with. He was happier with Omi than he'd ever been before, and he just wasn't sure things would have turned out so well if he'd managed to get Ken, too. Having Omi in his arms and by his side was enough to make up for Aya's smirk, Ken's raucous laughter, and Schuldich's imminent teasing. Yohji drew himself up bravely as he stepped into the Koneko. Yeah, that was it. He didn't care. They could do their worst - it wouldn't faze him.
Aya, Ken, and Omi were waiting for him with a series of grim expressions. Well, semi-grim expressions: Aya's eyes were glinting in pleasure, Ken was trying really hard not to laugh, and Omi was trying to look foreboding and encouraging at the same time. The effect was pretty much spoiling whatever fear he'd been feeling. Suddenly Ken lost control and broke down in heavy laughter.
"I can't believe you were trying to SEDUCE me!" he crowed, holding his gut in an attempt to stop his howls. Yohji glared at Ken, but his scowl just wasn't as potent as Aya's. The aforementioned redhead cleared his throat and Ken stopped laughing, his eyes shining brightly.
"Kudou Yohji," Aya began, sounding firm and harsh. Yohji's dread began to return. "You failed to complete satisfactorily the conditions of our arrangement. Therefore, you shall be punished." Yohji bowed his head, hoping it wouldn't be very bad. "As punishment, you are to refrain from purchasing alcohol of any kind for two weeks." Yohji's eyes shot wide open.
"WHAT?!?! AYA!!! No, please, you can't! Anything but that!" Aya merely raised an eyebrow in mild consternation. The redhead shook his head. "The deal was clear, Yohji. You failed. Face the consequences." Omi looked slightly sympathetic. Ken just went back to chuckling. Aya looked at him smugly. Yohji sighed.
"Anou, Ken-kun, can I have your help in the backroom?" Omi asked. Ken nodded and followed his friend, still laughing. He caught Yohji's eye, however, and gave him a beautiful smile that seemed to say, 'Thank you for making Omi so happy.' Yohji smiled and nodded to the brunette, who turned away and headed after Omi.
Once they were alone, Yohji turned to Aya, who was actually -chuckling-, albeit lightly. Yohji rolled his eyes. "This must seem really funny to you."
Aya chuckled again, straightening himself. "Aa."
Yohji leered at him, an idea forming in his mind. "You think -you- could do a better job?" he asked, incredulity creeping into his tone.
Aya met his eyes. "Aa."
Yohji's eyes sparkled as Aya stepped into his trap. "All right, let's see it then. Same challenge - now it's your turn. Prove you can do better than I did."
Aya stopped chuckling and regarded Yohji seriously for a moment. Then a thin smile worked its way across his lips. He tilted his head to the side for a moment as though considering. Then his gaze snapped forward again. "Accepted," he said coolly.
Yohji was surprised but hid it. He smiled slyly. "Very well, Fujimiya. Don't come crying to me when Kenken doesn't respond."
Aya's violet orbs glinted ferociously. "Wouldn't dream of it."
*****************
Back in the storage closet, Omi and Ken were moving bags of soil. Every once in a while, Ken would break out laughing and drop the soil all over Omi's feet. Omi was getting tired of everyone ridiculing his koi, even if Yohji deserved it. Finally, after another energetic bout of giggling, Omi lost his temper.
"Stop it, Ken-kun!" he said in an annoyed tone. Ken looked up at his furious expression. "If you think it's so easy to seduce someone, YOU try it!" Omi's face lit up. "Yeah! That's it. I'll challenge you to a bet like Aya did Yohji. Seduce Aya in one week or face the consequences!"
Ken's face suddenly became very serious. "Omi," he said warningly. "Don't-"
"No, Ken-kun!" Omi interrupted. His voice softened. "No. . . please, Ken-kun. Give it a try. Please?" Ken sighed and hesitated, then nodded glumly.
"All right, Omi, all right. I'll try." Omi gave his friend a big hug, then they moved the soil into the flower shop. Ken saw Aya and immediately blushed, which made Aya raise his eyebrow in amusement.
Yohji made his way over to Omi and slipped an arm around his waist. "Guess what, Omittchi?" He teased fondly. "I made Aya take the same bet I did - seduce Ken in seven days!"
Omi blanched. He watched Aya and Ken speaking about the soil. He turned back to Yohji with a stricken expression on his face. He shook his head and whispered frantically, "That wasn't a good idea, Yohji-koi."
Yohji gave him a disbelieving look. "Why not? He'll never manage to beat me at flirting!"
Omi shook his head heavily. "He's got a really, REALLY big advantage, Yohji-koi."
Yohji looked over to Ken. //He doesn't - he can't - Ken doesn't LOVE Aya, does he?// Yohji thought frantically. He willed the thought away, but Ken blushed again and Yohji was forced to conclude he had indeed made a very large mistake.
"Well damn," he muttered to himself.
End Day 7 - End Chessgame
__________________________________________________________________
I told you the sequel's plot would be pretty obvious! It still remains to be seen whether Aya is actually any good at flirting, though. And Ken might be too shy to go forth with his promise. Anyway, thanks for reading my long and random story - hopefully everyone enjoyed it. Reviews are fun and enlightening - please feel free to send one. Have a good time everybody and I'll see you when I get back from the mother country! ^_*
A/N: This is it! The last chapter! We've finally made it to the end of the saga. Actually, I hate to say it, but there's going to be a sequel, probably called "Checkmate." No one will have to read that one for a while though, since I'm going out of town - well, out of country. The plot of the next one will become pretty clear at the end of this one, so. . . what am I talking about again?
Brad: Shut up and write the chapter!
Fine. Sheesh. He's upset because he wasn't in this story at all - he was mentioned but didn't actually make an appearance.
Brad: I thought you loved me.
Of course I do, Bradley dear. But plot comes first. You'll be more important in the sequel, I promise.
Brad: I'd better be.
Okay, I guess we'd better get started before Bradley takes a note out of Aya's book and Shi-Nes me. Onward!
____________________________________________________________________________ ___
Yohji entered the shop the next morning with a feeling of foreboding. He knew he had to face charges at Aya's hands now. They hadn't specifically agreed on terms of punishment when the bet was laid, but there'd been a general sense of looming repercussions. And he'd lost. So it was time to face the music.
To be honest, though, he was glad he hadn't managed to seduce Ken, no matter what punishment Aya would come up with. He was happier with Omi than he'd ever been before, and he just wasn't sure things would have turned out so well if he'd managed to get Ken, too. Having Omi in his arms and by his side was enough to make up for Aya's smirk, Ken's raucous laughter, and Schuldich's imminent teasing. Yohji drew himself up bravely as he stepped into the Koneko. Yeah, that was it. He didn't care. They could do their worst - it wouldn't faze him.
Aya, Ken, and Omi were waiting for him with a series of grim expressions. Well, semi-grim expressions: Aya's eyes were glinting in pleasure, Ken was trying really hard not to laugh, and Omi was trying to look foreboding and encouraging at the same time. The effect was pretty much spoiling whatever fear he'd been feeling. Suddenly Ken lost control and broke down in heavy laughter.
"I can't believe you were trying to SEDUCE me!" he crowed, holding his gut in an attempt to stop his howls. Yohji glared at Ken, but his scowl just wasn't as potent as Aya's. The aforementioned redhead cleared his throat and Ken stopped laughing, his eyes shining brightly.
"Kudou Yohji," Aya began, sounding firm and harsh. Yohji's dread began to return. "You failed to complete satisfactorily the conditions of our arrangement. Therefore, you shall be punished." Yohji bowed his head, hoping it wouldn't be very bad. "As punishment, you are to refrain from purchasing alcohol of any kind for two weeks." Yohji's eyes shot wide open.
"WHAT?!?! AYA!!! No, please, you can't! Anything but that!" Aya merely raised an eyebrow in mild consternation. The redhead shook his head. "The deal was clear, Yohji. You failed. Face the consequences." Omi looked slightly sympathetic. Ken just went back to chuckling. Aya looked at him smugly. Yohji sighed.
"Anou, Ken-kun, can I have your help in the backroom?" Omi asked. Ken nodded and followed his friend, still laughing. He caught Yohji's eye, however, and gave him a beautiful smile that seemed to say, 'Thank you for making Omi so happy.' Yohji smiled and nodded to the brunette, who turned away and headed after Omi.
Once they were alone, Yohji turned to Aya, who was actually -chuckling-, albeit lightly. Yohji rolled his eyes. "This must seem really funny to you."
Aya chuckled again, straightening himself. "Aa."
Yohji leered at him, an idea forming in his mind. "You think -you- could do a better job?" he asked, incredulity creeping into his tone.
Aya met his eyes. "Aa."
Yohji's eyes sparkled as Aya stepped into his trap. "All right, let's see it then. Same challenge - now it's your turn. Prove you can do better than I did."
Aya stopped chuckling and regarded Yohji seriously for a moment. Then a thin smile worked its way across his lips. He tilted his head to the side for a moment as though considering. Then his gaze snapped forward again. "Accepted," he said coolly.
Yohji was surprised but hid it. He smiled slyly. "Very well, Fujimiya. Don't come crying to me when Kenken doesn't respond."
Aya's violet orbs glinted ferociously. "Wouldn't dream of it."
*****************
Back in the storage closet, Omi and Ken were moving bags of soil. Every once in a while, Ken would break out laughing and drop the soil all over Omi's feet. Omi was getting tired of everyone ridiculing his koi, even if Yohji deserved it. Finally, after another energetic bout of giggling, Omi lost his temper.
"Stop it, Ken-kun!" he said in an annoyed tone. Ken looked up at his furious expression. "If you think it's so easy to seduce someone, YOU try it!" Omi's face lit up. "Yeah! That's it. I'll challenge you to a bet like Aya did Yohji. Seduce Aya in one week or face the consequences!"
Ken's face suddenly became very serious. "Omi," he said warningly. "Don't-"
"No, Ken-kun!" Omi interrupted. His voice softened. "No. . . please, Ken-kun. Give it a try. Please?" Ken sighed and hesitated, then nodded glumly.
"All right, Omi, all right. I'll try." Omi gave his friend a big hug, then they moved the soil into the flower shop. Ken saw Aya and immediately blushed, which made Aya raise his eyebrow in amusement.
Yohji made his way over to Omi and slipped an arm around his waist. "Guess what, Omittchi?" He teased fondly. "I made Aya take the same bet I did - seduce Ken in seven days!"
Omi blanched. He watched Aya and Ken speaking about the soil. He turned back to Yohji with a stricken expression on his face. He shook his head and whispered frantically, "That wasn't a good idea, Yohji-koi."
Yohji gave him a disbelieving look. "Why not? He'll never manage to beat me at flirting!"
Omi shook his head heavily. "He's got a really, REALLY big advantage, Yohji-koi."
Yohji looked over to Ken. //He doesn't - he can't - Ken doesn't LOVE Aya, does he?// Yohji thought frantically. He willed the thought away, but Ken blushed again and Yohji was forced to conclude he had indeed made a very large mistake.
"Well damn," he muttered to himself.
End Day 7 - End Chessgame
__________________________________________________________________
I told you the sequel's plot would be pretty obvious! It still remains to be seen whether Aya is actually any good at flirting, though. And Ken might be too shy to go forth with his promise. Anyway, thanks for reading my long and random story - hopefully everyone enjoyed it. Reviews are fun and enlightening - please feel free to send one. Have a good time everybody and I'll see you when I get back from the mother country! ^_*