Amethyst eyes blinked open to the dingy light of another Tokyo dawn. Bared feet padded their way noiselessly across a cold wooden floor. Small ears detected the faint bustle and distant blasts of car horns, and a mind was not in the least surprised, even at 5AM.

Another day in the life. Another struggle to get from nine to five.

He forced himself up and out of the false sanctuary his sparse room offered him. Into the bathroom. Shampoo. Shower. Shave. His morning routine was a science, timed to the second. Dry off. Floss teeth. Brush hair. Back to the bedroom. Pick out clothes. Dress. Make bed. Done.

He closed the door behind him softly, still wary of his slumbering companions. He made his way stealthily over the hardwood floor, and slunk down the stairs, making sure not a single board creaked under his weight. When he at last reached his destination, the cramped kitchen the three of them shared, he set about to making a pot of green tea. Another requirement of his morning ritual. This was the part he enjoyed. Every morning, wake up and wash up only to wander downstairs and sit alone for an hour. Just the way he liked it. Sitting alone in the silent morning and regarding the waking world over the rim of his teacup. There was little that he valued above this precious time to himself. Well, there was time with Aya-chan (*1) and a certain other...but as of late, he'd felt a tension when in the presence of the latter. Not that it really mattered. It was just frustration.

Frustration that while he was the master of all things in the night, he wasn't the master of his own tongue. There were a thousand things he wanted to say to his teammate, a thousand questions he wanted to ask the older man. What made him tick? What was his favourite music? Where was his dream vacation? All those stupid, trivial, insignificant questions - Aya wanted to know all their answers. Wanted to know everything about his slender companion. Yet even as insatiable as his curiosity was, he couldn't bring his mouth to form the words. Nothing. So instead, he opted for silence and staring after the gorgeous man. When the other even tried to start up a conversation, he found himself snapping back some harsh reply, without even thinking. He made him uncomfortable. Like he was suffocating. Or rammy. Or like he was clasterphobic. Probably similar to the way Ken would feel in a china shop.

Aya smirked at the analogy and devoted it to memory, vowing to use it sometime in the future.

The light outside was getting brighter now. Aya wandered to the kitchen window, and stared out at the world. His eyes travelled an aimless path about the Tokyo skyline infront of him. How beautiful the sleeping city looked in this light. Not the harsh beauty it had in the night, when Weiss reigned. So many buildings -how many harboured survivors or families of their activities? How many had they killed?

A long yawn dragged him from his reverie, and he turned to find a ruffled Omi staring at him through sleep-clouded eyes.

Cute.

"Ohayou Aya-san..."(*2) (*3)

Another yawn.

Aya fought the urge to smile. "Ken and I have first shift this morning. There's no school today. Why are you up so early?"

Omi shrugged, and helped himself to Aya's pot of green tea. "Couldn't sleep really."

"Hn." Aya allowed. From Omi's bloodshot eyes, he had rather divined that answer already. "Gave up then?"

"Aa..." (*4) Omi agreed, staring listlessly out the window. "Augh. Aya, how can you stand to get up so early?"

The redhead smirked across the table at the teen. "I don't stay up all hours on the internet."

"Urusai." (*5) Omi laughed. "I'm not up that late."

"Iee." (*6) Aya agreed. "You're not."

They sat a few more moments in the dawn's light. No words were needed, for each was lost in their own private thoughts. Aya added time spent with Omi to his list of valued things. What he liked about Omi is that he never needed those useless words to fill the silence, and could always sense when he needed to be left alone.

After ten minutes of peaceful contemplation, Omi broke the silence at last. "Na..what are you thinking about Aya?"(*7)

"Work." Was Abyssinan's automatic response. Omi rolled his blue eyes in disbelief, but didn't push for another honest answer.

Yes, Aya really did enjoy time with Omi. With the realization, he allowed himself to lighten up a little.

"And you?"

"Nani?" (*8)Cornflower blue eyes blinked in confusion.

"What are you thinking about?"

Aya was amused -and strangely a little saddened to see Omi's surprised look. He usually stuck to answering questions and not asking them. That didn't mean he didn't care. He mentally noted that he would have to make more of an effort to open up around his teammates -or if not open himself up to them, open up his affection for them. It was always there, just something he'd kept private.

"Oh!" Omi's eyes brightened considerably, and Aya couldn't resist it this time - he smiled. He felt like a parent trying to seek a child's love. "I was just wondering what Youji is up to right now."

Aya snorted. "Up, and down, knowing him. I really don't think it's that much of a mystery. I'm sure he has some cheap date lying beneath his..."

Omi made a choking noise, and Aya decided that was a good time to let his thoughts trail off.

Maybe not such a parent after all. He took another sip from his tea and smirked as he heard heavy footsteps on the stairs. Both he and his genki (*9) companion winced as the kitchen was flooded with artificial light.

"Morning Ken-kun." (*10) Omi managed.

The groggy brunette mumbled a string of incoherent words which Omi took for a greeting. Aya didn't say a word.

The soccer player shrugged, and yanked the refrigerator door open. Aya wrinkled his nose. If he pulled any harder, he would rip the thing off its hinges.

Ken must have caught the look, because he gave an apologetic grin. It was cute enough to melt Omi, and enough to at least soften Aya. Even Ken had his moments, after all.

Forgiveness achieved, the athlete rummaged through the contents of the fridge loudly, cussing when he couldn't find what he was looking for. Aya suppressed a malicious smirk. Ken's Gatorade. The unsuspecting innocent had absolutely no idea that he had thrown it out late last night. Aya saw it as a favour. It was likely that stuff was just as harmful for you as MSG or cigarettes.

Other than alcohol and occasionally water, it was the only liquid the soccer player would drink. Even at breakfast.

Disgusting. Then again, it wasn't as bad as Asahai (*11), the morning favourite of Weiss's other brunette. All right, so he was exaggerating. Youji drank coffee in the mornings...but Aya could recall a few instances when he'd caught him drinking when he still lived with them. Youji no baka. (*12)

"Aya? You're tea is going cold."

The redhead blinked out of his reverie.

"Keen observation." His cold voice was harsh even to his own ears. He regretted it the instant he said it. Not enough to apologize. He was far too out of practice for that now. What would Aya-chan say? Once, long ago, there had been a time when he had said sorry too often. But now...

"Aya, he's just trying to be nice." The redhead could feel the twin lazers of Ken's stare boring into his back.

"Aa." Another automatic response. He pushed himself up from the breakfast table and stalked stiffly to the door of the adjoined shop. He turned the knob, and the door swung open. Omi had already unlocked it. The boy didn't even have first shift.

Aya regretted his attitude even more. Omi was sweet and thoughtful. Aya had no founding for his harshness towards the boy.

One day, he'd make it up.

When Aya-chan was back, and the world was well once more, he could truly live again. He would say he was sorry. To everyone. He would try to be friendly. He would take time off.

But would he ever be Ran again?

He knew the answer even now, but that was not an item to dwell upon. What was the point of asking rhetorical questions?

He mentally smirked at the self-defeating question, and made his way to the back room to start on the day's arrangements. Ken was capable of opening shop on his own.

_________________________________________________

The ring of phone was abusive in his ears.

He rolled over, and tried to suffocate the sound with a pillow. It almost seemed successful for a moment or two. The ringing stopped.

Then it started again. He let it. He heard the beep of his answering machine, and his own voice perky voice.

'Kudou Youji here...chances are, I've skipped down. Give me a message and I'll give you a shout back when I get in. Ja ne!'(*13)

It too grated on his nerves.

A harsh feminine voice snapped at him, and he was out of bed within a second.

"Youji, I know you're there. Pick up. Now."

Manx.

With a scowl, Youji reached for the phone.

"Ohayou Manx-san."

"Good afternoon Youji." Her voice was surprisingly cheerful. It was fucking ironic for one critiquing society.

"It's not that late. Shut up."

"I don't think so Youji. In fact, Kritiker has just received a piece of information that I think you might rather be interested to hear. And if you're not interested, well, you have no choice..."

"Good to know." Youji mumbled.

"..but to participate. Kritiker has been waiting for this opportunity for a year. We think it's only fitting Weiss is involved."

Youji sighed, and ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. "All right already. Just cut to the facts woman..."

From the other end Manx sniffed haughtily. "Very well. It seems that our twin group in..."

Youji dropped the phone, and made a mad dash for the other end of his apartment.

"Youji, are you there?" Her voice queried as he scrambled about the apartment.

When he returned, the brunette already had a pad of paper and a pen in his hand.

I'm listening, Manx-san."

_______________________________________________________________________

*1)A note for some of the un-Weiss-initiated….Aya and Aya-chan are a different person. For those who are Weiss-initiated, don't roll your eyes, this actually did come up. Also, chan is a perosnal honorific for someone you love who is FEMALE. If you call a boy by this, he might be offended, depending on how well you know him. Even if you were close, there's a chance that he still might clock you one. =)

(*2)Ohayou means good morning.

(*3)San is an honorific attatched on to the end of someone's name who you respect. This will come up dozens of times, so don't forget ^^

(*4)Aa is yeah.

(*5)Urusai? Like shut up, or be quiet.

(*6)Iee is an informal way of saying 'no'. In this case Aya agreeing that no, indeed Omi does not usually stay up that late.

(*7)Na means hey.

(*8)Nani –what?

(*9)Genki –energetic, charasmatic happy outgoing cheerful. Something like that.

(*10)Male form of 'chan'

(*11)A great Japanese Beer

(*12)Youji no baka. –Youji is an idiot.

(*13) Ja ne. –See yah!

Hi guys. I know, I know, kinda dull, but I think character interaction is something very important to establish. Even if they don't interact (like Aya, a lot of the time). Thanks for reading guys, you're the best! Until next time! (*hopefully next week*) Ja ne!