PLEASE READ: This fic takes place just after the events of Gluhen, but before Weiss Side B. SPOILERS AHEAD!!
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Okay, remember how at the end of Gluhen Ken is in prison because he needed time to think? Well, if you've watched it, there are definite signs of Ken having feelings for Ran. The scene in the airport when Ran just leaves without saying goodbye, and how Ken so looked as if he was about to say something. Not to mention the way Ken talks about Ran and how he is feeling. So, I had to write this fic of Ken's homecoming. If you know about Weiss Side B, you know that Ken is apart of it with Ran, and only because he wanted to be with Ran. That isn't insinuation, Ken actually says it. So...since it thrilled me to no end that my fave couple has possibilities for real, I wrote this. Ken is coming back from prison as Ran brings him home to their new team. No, the other members aren't in it, because I haven't read Weiss Side B yet, and you can't write someone without knowing them. Okay, on to the fic!
*****Fate Stops For No One*****
Turning his key in the lock, a resounding click admits him and his companion into the darkened flower shop through its well-guarded back door. After hours of traveling their long journey home - to this new, unfamiliar home - they have finally reached its end, and both are looking forward to a good night's rest.
Slipping quietly inside, the man with the key, Fujimiya Ran - or Aya, as he is more often called - leads an old friend through the labyrinth of shadows in front of them. This dear friend has been "missing in action" for quite a few months now, but is finally ready to return to work.
Hidaka Ken is a strikingly handsome young man, with chocolate tresses that fall into equally chocolate eyes. If you asked his opinion, however, he would probably insist that his teammate is far more beautiful than he is. Ran is taller, trimmer, and ghostly pale, with blood red hair that gracefully follows the slender curve of his neck, and violet eyes that burn through the darkness.
The pair reaches the main area of the shop, but just as Ran moves to one of the doors near the back - the one that leads up to the apartments above - he realizes that Ken is no longer at his heels.
"It looks so much like ours." Ken whispers from the center of the room. It is difficult to see in the dim lighting, but Ran can easily make out his friend's outline, standing tall amongst the many shelves and tables full of blooming flowers. "It hurts a little...remembering the way things were."
"I try not to think about it." Ran's smooth baritone filters through the thickening air.
"Too many bad memories?"
"Iie." the red-head answers solemnly. "Too many good ones."
Ken turns, squinting through the shadows to get a better look at his companion, but Ran's face is veiled far too well for him to see much of anything. That is, other than a very trained mask. Stepping towards the still red-head, Ken almost grins at how that mask isn't nearly as affective as it used to be, especially now that he is close enough to see it for what it truly is.
Without another word - not that Ken is the least bit surprised - Ran turns and opens the door in front of him, beginning the short trek up the stairs to the apartments without even looking to see if Ken is following him.
In silence, they pass the first floor, and the second, stopping only when they reach the top. The third floor is the last, and it belongs to them.
"Each of the three floors above the shop has two bedrooms and a bathroom." Ran explains, flicking the light on in the hallway. It is the first light he has dared to turn on, for fear of waking the other members in the house. "The kitchen is on the main floor in the back. There is also a room for supplies and a basement for missions. I'll introduce you to your new teammates in the morning. In the mean time, you should get some rest. You have quite a few hours of jet-lag to overcome."
"Same to you." Ken smirks, playfully nudging Ran in the side. "Or are you immune to human nature these days?"
Ran replies with a minuscule smile, but although it may seem small, it is far more than Ken would have gotten out of him a few months back.
"So, we've got this whole level all to ourselves?" Ken asks slyly.
"Aa." Ran affirms, ignoring the possible innuendo, and stepping past Ken towards one of the bedroom doors. "You're in here, I'm in the one further down, and the bathroom is at the end of the hall."
"Gotcha."
"I took the liberty of setting up your room. Don't feel obligated to keep it that way, or anything. Change whatever you like." Wearily, Ran releases a yawn, and moves to offer Ken a nod of farewell. "Unless there is anything else, I guess I'll see you in the morning. Oyasumi, Ken."
For a moment, the brunette's warm, brown eyes follow Ran's retreated form down the hallway, but before too much space can be put between them, an odd necessity forces his voice to call out. "Matte! I...I know we're both tired, but...I was kinda hoping...maybe...we could...talk...just for a little while. Ya know, while I get settled in...?"
Ran halts in his step and peers back over his shoulder, revealing an elegantly raised crimson eyebrow. "Honto ni? I thought I was the worst company you'd ever had. Isn't that what you said on the plane?"
Ken instantly blushes. That is exactly what he had said - miles above the earth, with a long drive and two hours of flight already behind them. After all, Ran isn't exactly the chatty type, and even someone as sociable as Ken gets sick of having a one-way conversation after awhile.
What he really wanted was to have a *real* conversation with Ran. He stills wants that, even if it is one of the most improbable possibilities of his life.
"Yeah, that's what I said." Ken admits, scratching the back of his head like a young boy being scolded for something he knew he shouldn't have done in the first place. "I meant it, too. Sometimes...talking to you is like talking to a brick wall. Heh. More like a cement wall. Half the time, I don't know if anything's even getting through, and the other half...I'm pretty damn terrified of what might be on the other side."
This statement sparks Ran's curiosity, and he slowly advances on Ken until they are once again right in front of each other. "That almost sounded poetic. Though I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to say. I'm not much of a conversationalist - I understand that. But...what exactly are you afraid I'll say back?"
"Nothing! I didn't mean it like that. I just meant...when you don't talk back...I have to guess at what you're really thinking, and...sometimes...I don't like what my mind comes up with."
"Then I accept your offer. Wouldn't want to leave you with the wrong impression, now, would I?"
Somewhat flustered, Ken watches Ran closely as the red-head turns to the nearest bedroom door - Ken's door - and opens it wide, gesturing Ken inside.
A day spent traveling is a day that feels never-ending, with time-changes stretching out the hours further and further until that single day nearly equals two. Over the spanse of their endless day, Ken has noticed slight abnormalities in Ran's behavior. He isn't an impostor, that is certain, but he does appear changed somewhat, as if he hopes to regain a little of his lost humanity, just as Ken is hoping the very same thing.
Ken steps inside his newly appointed room, and as Ran flicks on the light switch just behind him, he nearly topples over backwards from shock.
"Oh my God...it looks...it looks exactly the same..." Ken breathes, his voice catching in his throat. "How did you know...?"
Sadly, Ken is so wrapped up in the view of his room, he misses the small smirk that slips into Ran's expression.
The room looks exactly like Ken's old one - the one he has attempted to duplicate everywhere Weiss has been sent through the years. This time, the job was out of his hands, but it still managed to get done.
"You're the one who put me in charge of looking after your things."
"But it's so...how did you...how did you get it so...perfect?" Ken questions, moving in complete awe throughout the room, admiring the way every possession is right where it should be. "You didn't come in my room often enough to get it like this."
"It was often enough for me." Ran dismisses. "Photographic memory. Besides, I figured a little familiarity was just what you would need."
Wearing a smile that could easily rival that of their once carefree friend, Tsukiyono Omi, Ken plops down on his bed and laughs. "You sure are full 'a surprises, Aya. Tell me the truth. Were you abducted by aliens while I was taking my little vacation, or what?"
This time, Ran almost joins in with a laugh of his own. "Sorry to disappoint you, but no. Although, I did deal with a few demons while you were gone."
"I guess that makes two of us." Ken grins, and then pats the space of mattress beside him, indicating he wants Ran to join him on the bed. Ran complies, if not with a little hesitation. "Thanks, by the way. Not just for the room, but...for letting me do what I needed to do. I know sending your best friend off to prison for a few months isn't exactly the most popular gift in the world, but I really needed it, ya know? I needed the time to think. The time to...put myself back together."
"Then...*are* you back together?" Ran asks softly, testing the waters on this sensitive subject. "I hated seeing you like that. So angry. So...different from who you used to be...for so long. I didn't want you to turn into...into someone like..."
"Ayame?" Ken finishes, lowering his eyes to the floor, while tossing Ran the smallest, sideways smirk.
It wasn't a secret. All of Weiss saw how Ken had changed by the time they faced the 2nd generation Weiss - their predecessors - and the similarities between Ken and his counterpart, Ayame, were a little too close to home.
Ayame, someone who had once been so loving and good, had been twisted, turned into someone who killed for sport, outside of missions as well as within them. For a time, Ken was closely following that trend, and even after those past battles were long over, even amidst the fight with Koua Gakuen, the SS, and Epitaph, signs of a very different Ken were far too apparent.
So, what's changed? Nothing. Nothing...except Ken.
"I don't want to turn into him either, Aya. There was a time, when I didn't care if I did or not, but...the thought of losing...everything...of losing you...changed my mind. At least enough for me to ask you that favor."
There is so much heart, so much love behind Ken's words, Ran practically trips over his own tongue thinking of what to say. "Well...I...I wasn't the one who set it all up. Persia handled the details, even knowing neither of us would be going back to work for him."
"I know. Persia had alot to do with it. Iie - Omi did. Still, it meant alot that you understood." Gradually, a sly expression creeps over Ken's features once again, and he punches Ran playfully in the arm. "You could have given me a hug or something, though, instead of just walking away when we split at the airport. There were alot of things I wanted to say to you."
This time, it is Ran's turn to blush. "You wanted a hug? No wonder you practically squeezed the life out of me when I picked you up. And here I thought it was just lack of company. Instead, you actually missed the worst company in the world?"
"There's that alien talking again." Ken teases, catching Ran's violet gaze. "You sound like you've rediscovered your sense of humor. How long did that take to dig up?"
"Not as long as it would take to shut *you* up, I imagine." Ran grumbles. "You've obviously found yourself again, which I am very grateful for. Is it so impossible to believe that maybe I have done the same?"
"Yeah. But I've always loved the impossible."
Both laugh this time - a hearty one from Ken, and an out-of-practice but highly affective one from Ran - until both get caught off guard by how this is the first time they have ever shared a laugh.
There isn't much humor to be found in death, and death is one of the few things they have been able to share over the years.
"Aya...can I...can I be honest with you?" Ken asks softly, after their laughter had come to such an uncomfortable stop. "There were so many things I wanted to tell you before I left, and even though I could have tried to bring some of it up on the trip here, I...I just kept talking your ear off with one pointless topic after another. The truth is..." he trails off, releasing a deep sigh of defeat. Whatever it is he is trying to say, it is obviously very difficult.
"What is it, Ken? You can tell me. I know I'm not always easy to talk to, but...I'm listening now."
Alien indeed. But Ken is more than grateful for it tonight. "You remember that...talk...we had back at Koua? You know, the time we relived when we first met? I punched you, you punched me, only this time...*you* won?" Ran nods with that same, small smile. "Yeah, well...what I said about wanting to be with you...I didn't just mean because of Weiss." Ken pauses, glancing over at Ran for the smallest moment to make out the red-head's reaction. It definitely isn't the calm and collected expression he had been wearing a moment before, and Ken instantly looks away again. "Anyway...I...I know this is probably the last thing you'd ever want to hear from me, but...I need to say this. While I was in prison, what kept me going, what kept me motivated to get what I went there for...was you. All I could think about was getting back to you. And I realized...it wasn't just because we're teammates, or friends, or...anything else. It was because...I need you. Because I...I..."
"What, Ken?" Ran presses, staring so deeply back at him, Ken feels as if the red-head can see straight through him, right down to the soul-bearing truth. "What are you trying to say?"
Throughout most of his confession, Ken has kept himself turned away from Ran, but now he faces him, looking him head on, and refusing to be intimidated by that amethyst gaze. "I'm saying...ai shiteru, Ran. For so long now. Longer than...even *I* realized." Breathe. Ken had almost forgotten to breathe, but finally releases the breath he had been holding as he once again turns away. As much as he wants to see Ran's reaction again, the way he had peeked at it before, he is too afraid to look. "So...there you have it. I'm crazy *and* in love with you. Go figure."
Ken's attempt at subtle humor falls short, because neither he nor Ran offers even the smallest hint of a laugh. In fact, Ran hasn't said a word, hasn't even moved, and Ken is pretty sure he understands why.
"Well...since I've obviously disgusted and offended you, not to mention how I've just destroyed what little friendship we might have had..." Ken's voice cracks, betraying the tears that are pushing their way to the surface. "...I think I'd like to be alone now, if that's all right."
Silence. Ran still hasn't moved, and still does not speak, even now that he has been told to leave.
Ken can't bear this. He can't bear knowing that his deepest secret is now out in the open, and the object of that once secret affection is sitting close enough for him to feel Ran's breath on the side of his face.
(Damnit, say something!) Ken's mind screams. (Say anything...)
"Ken...?"
"Hm?"
"It's not all right."
"Nani...?"
"You said you'd like to be alone, if that was all right. Well...it's not."
The bed shifts as Ran gets up, and Ken keeps his tired eyes trained on the floor, hoping to avoid having to see the look on Ran's face - whatever it may be.
"Ken?" Ran says again, now kneeling on the floor in front of him while attempting to get the young brunette to do the exact opposite of what he wants - to look up. "You were honest with me, so now I'm going to be honest with you. The reason I left you at the airport that day without so much as a goodbye was because...I feared you were going to tell me the very thing you've told me tonight. It scared me. It still does. But it doesn't disgust me. It doesn't offend me. And admitting what you just admitted is not going to destroy our friendship."
"Then...you feel-"
"I feel...the same as I always have. I care for you, of course I do, but even if I wanted us to try...being together...getting involved with each other would- "
"Hold it right there." Ken stops him, looking boldly back into Ran's eyes, and suddenly feeling as if he might yet be able to turn Fate in his favor. He can see the truth in Ran's eyes, hear it in his voice, and the truth is...Ran doesn't just care for him. It's more than that. It has to be. "Please, don't say what you're about to say. Just...go with me on this for a minute. You were about to tell me that getting involved would be too complicated because we're Weiss. Well, not Weiss anymore, but...something that's practically the same. In truth...a relationship outside of it is what would be complicated, because then we'd always have this huge secret looming over everything. Us makes sense. We could make it work. We already know everything about each other, every dark secret and regret, and we'd never have to hide anything because the things we'd normally want to hide we'd be doing together. Please, don't just dismiss the idea, not if you feel the same as I do. I don't know what I'd do without you. I mean...I don't wanna sound like some desperate stalker or anything...I just...I just want to be with you. I...I love you."
"You said that already." Ran speaks softly, making it even more impossible than usual to decipher his true feelings. "Do you really mean it?"
"Would I say it if I didn't?"
"Do you honestly believe love is enough?"
"Of course I do!"
"Then...you really think we can-"
"Yes! Damnit, isn't it worth it just to try? Don't we deserve to be as happy as we can make each other?"
Of course they deserve that. Everyone does. Even those who stalk the night, bearing the sins of countless deaths on their backs for the sake of others.
In the blink of a violet eye, whatever had been left of Ran's old mask and veiled emotions crumbles away, revealing the first traces of a true smile. The first real smile from Ran that Ken has ever seen.
After all, this is one of the few times in recent history when Ran has had a reason to smile.
"Aya...?" Ken breathes, shivering ever so slightly at the teasing pleasure of them being so close without actually touching, and with the knowledge that he is right. Ran's eyes betray him and his feelings all too well.
"Hn...?" the red-head answers, unthinkingly bringing them even closer by leaning in. He suddenly becomes acutely aware of Ken's scent. It is so refreshing, like newly cut grass, nearly non-existent cologne, and raw strength.
Ken brings them even closer still, breathing shallow for fear of breaking the spell. "Aya..." he whispers again. "...whatever your answer...could I...kiss you...just once...?"
"Iie." Ran states firmly, though a rare sparkle in his eyes betrays him again and again. "I don't think I could settle for just once."
Magic. Just as that unique smile had been about to grow the tiniest bit wider, ravenous lips envelope it, and claim it completely for one perfect moment. A moment that grows into another, and another, as Ran responds to Ken's reckless lunge for his waiting mouth.
There is so much need in Ken's kiss, as if he has been aching every moment he has spent without it. Ran complies with such unexpected passion, Ken's need merely fuels more need, spinning the world around them, tossing them like willing puppets into a daze.
Cupping the side of Ran's face, Ken pulls himself closer, slipping onto the floor next to Ran as his other arm slinks around the red-head's slender waist. He can feel his heart pounding, and he can feel Ran's pounding with it as their chests press up against each other, while every nerve in his body seems to admit its own heat, as if he might burn alive and love every minute of it.
Sometimes a kiss is all it takes.
Ran pulls away, gasping for lost air, and licks his bottom lip to savor the remains of Ken's taste lingering possessively in his mouth. With half-lidded eyes, Ken stares back at him, and can't even begin to contain the grin spreading the length of his face. One hand is already placed on the side of Ran's beautiful, white face, but now the other joins it, both holding perfection in their palms as Ken attempts to speak.
"...Ran..." releases that often forgotten name, slipping out into the air as if it has barely been spoken. "...I think I felt that kiss straight down to my toes..."
A smile isn't enough this time. This time...Ran allows himself a laugh. "I know exactly what you mean....Ken."
Blushing a few hundred shades of red at how sultry Ran's voice had just sounded saying his name, Ken slips his hands away and lowers his eyes sheepishly. "It was almost too perfect. Too wonderful. Please...promise me I'm not in some mental ward somewhere and you're just a figment of my imagination..."
The phrase may seem humorous, but Ken's tone is all too serious. Such a possibility had been far too close once upon a time. "I promise." Ran soothes, raising Ken's chin with a gentle hand. "And...as for my answer...in case you haven't already figured it out...I like your argument. Both the words...and the rest. Us does make sense, doesn't it? I think...it always has...in some ways. Even people like us deserve a little happiness, and what better way to find it than with each other?"
The blush in Ken's cheek spreads, creeping across his neck, and when he finally looks back up into Ran's honest, violet eyes, his whole body seems to turn red, because he doesn't want Ran to leave. "Stay." he breathes, grasping the hand that had been holding his chin.
"Nani?"
"Stay." Ken says again, more firmly and full of conviction. "I want you to stay with me tonight."
Ran nearly snatches his hand back, his eyes thrown wide open by surprise. "Ken, you can't be serious. I want to give this a try, but...we can't-"
"I'm not asking for *that*." Ken cuts in with a goofy grin, blushing all the more. "I'm just asking for you. Just...you. Here. With me. We can get just as good of a night's sleep together as we could apart, ne? And when I say sleep...I mean *sleep*. I may be impulsive, but I'm not stupid. At least not all the time. So...is it okay? I mean...is it asking too much for you to spend the night?"
The wave of nervous expectation that had swept through Ran stills, and his white face, turned so adorably pink, manages to retain that rare smile even as he stands, helping Ken to his feet as well. "It's not asking too much. That is...unless you're used to sleeping in the buff."
Ken instantly erupts with a laugh, before poking Ran tauntingly in the stomach. "Well, that is a very tempting idea..." he grins. "...but I'll settle for the pleasure of...maybe...helping take off *your* clothes?"
Once again, violet eyes spring wide.
"Helping with everything *but* your boxers." Ken mends, already pawing lightly at the collar of Ran's shirt. "Had you worried for a sec there, didn't I?"
Ran's expression softens, returning to its calm and content demeanor. "Let's just say...you're far too good at getting me to react the way you want me to. I'm sure that will prove very handy later in the relationship, but for now...*I'll* settle for letting you have your way."
If Ken was the type of person to squeal at such a triumphant moment, he probably would have. The child-like spark of light brightening his entire face proves he is about as giddy as most people could ever hope to become.
For years now, Ken has imagined a moment like this. The thought of touching Ran, of being allowed to touch him...intimately. Back then, his entire body could become consumed with shivers just thinking about it. Now, given permission in real life to feel that soft skin beneath his fingers, Ken trembles, slowly unbuttoning Ran's violet-colored shirt.
"You're shaking, Ken." Ran's low voice whispers above the stillness. It sounds gruffer somehow, now that he is under the pull of such a powerful spell, and such powerful hands.
Ken offers a sideways smile, unable to look Ran in the eyes for fear of melting right then and there. Instead, he keeps his eyes trained on the fine contours of Ran's white chest, and very slowly slides the now open shirt down the red-head's sculpted arms until it falls to the floor without a sound.
Perfection.
"God, you're beautiful..." Ken breaths, still trembling at the sheer impossibility of everything that is happening. Naturally, he has seen Ran without a shirt before, but only on those rare occasions when Ran allowed someone besides himself treat his wounds.
If possible, Ken is blushing even more than before as he moves in closer and begins to unclasp the red-head's black, cotton pants. His hands shake the entire time, but not nearly enough to detour him from his task. He is well aware that he is torturing himself far more than he seems to be torturing Ran, but he can take it. He can take knowing there will come a point when he can go no further. After all, anything would be worth this.
Ran's pants at last fall to the floor, and he casually steps out of them, standing almost completely bare in front of his flushed friend. Both boys' shoes had long ago been left at the door, and Ran isn't wearing any socks. Meaning...
"I guess it's my turn." Ran comments with the raise of a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, as if it is the most common idea in the world - undressing each other for bed. "Unless you don't want me t-"
"Of course I want you to!" Ken counters, perhaps a little too eagerly. Another blush creeps into his cheeks as he stares back at Ran's bemused expression. "Uhh...that is...if...ya know...you want to."
Once again, that alien grin takes over Ran's features, and he suddenly grabs the waist of Ken's jeans, tugging him closer. Ken gulps, feeling his stomach do flips and twirls inside of him.
Is Fujimiya Ran actually being playful?
Ever so slowly, Ran slips his hands underneath Ken's emerald green T-shirt, and begins to lift it up over the brunette's head, making sure to brush against every muscle on the way. Failing in his attempts to quell his butterflies, Ken shudders, practically ready to collapse under Ran's touch as the shirt is removed and tossed to the floor.
"You're the one who's beautiful...Ken..." Ran breathes, sounding terribly sultry again.
Then, without even looking away from Ken's eyes, he begins to unbutton the brunette's jeans, and agonizingly slow, slides them down the sides of Ken's legs - all the way down - until he is nearly kneeling on the floor in front of him.
Ken obediently steps out of his pants then, though it is somewhat difficult considering Ran still has his hands on the back of Ken's calves. When Ran finally stands up again, his eyes having never once left Ken's face, he is so achingly close to Ken, their chests brush barely a hair's breathe apart.
Surprise, surprise, Ken is still trembling, but whatever he is feeling, he knows he doesn't want it to go away.
"Earth to Ken." Ran whispers with a smile. "Am I going to have to carry you to bed as well?"
"That'd be nice..." Ken replies without thinking, completely caught up in such a wonderful daze. "I mean...uhhh...I...well..."
"I'll take that as a 'yes'."
Suddenly, Ken feels himself lifted, the ground left behind, and he realizes that he is now in Ran's arms. Amazing. Ken is only an inch or so shorter than Ran, and his constitution is actually a little bit sturdier, unlike Ran's lean and lithe figure. Nevertheless, Ran holds him like a husband carrying his bride, showing absolutely no signs of being strained.
Ken can't help blushing again at the humor of the picture they are painting, but the moment is soon over when the world once again finds substance as he is gently laid down upon the bed. In a heartbeat, Ran joins him, and curls in beside him as they climb under the covers.
"Crap, we forgot to turn off the light." Ken grumbles, hating the idea of leaving the comfort of Ran's arms.
SWITCH. The room goes dark, though neither have left the bed. Ken turns to look questioningly back at Ran and sees that the ravishing red-head is indeed the culprit. There is a separate switch for the light just above the bed.
"Sweet." Ken grins. "I was worried I'd have to get up."
"Wouldn't want that now, would we?" Ran teases, just before succumbing to a yawn. Now that they are in bed, exhaustion seems to be getting the better of both of them. "Goodness, it's been a long day."
Ken laughs softly, shifting under the covers as he snuggles in against Ran's chest, unthinkingly trailing his fingers over the smooth skin. "It's been more like two. God, I hate time-zones. But it was worth it. I've been waiting to get back to you since the moment I left. And now...I really get to be with you."
"And here I thought I had my life all figured out. I knew everything I was going to say to you if you ever confessed, and yet I still let you talk me into this."
"Talk you into it, my ass! You couldn't have been easier to convince."
"Oh really? Well...then I guess I must have wanted it as much as you. Or you just made a very good argument."
"Or...I'm just that good of a kisser."
"That, too." Ran concedes, playing with the mused tangles of Ken's hair. "Oh...and by the way...ai shiteru, Ken." he whispers, pulling Ken even closer against him. "More than anything."
Ken's entire body goes rigid at this, caught so off guard, he doesn't know what to say. Somehow, he hadn't even realized Ran never said it back to him.
"Gomen...I waited too long."
"Iie." Ken smiles, relaxing once again. "Saying it at all is enough. If...if you really mean it."
"Would I say it if I didn't?" Ran smiles back, echoing what Ken had said to him not long ago. "I love you, Ken. I would have been a fool to refuse you."
"I'll remember you said that. Might come in handy when we're finally ready for sex."
"Nani?!"
"Hey, what'd you expect? This kitty doesn't just have claws on the battlefield, ya know?"
"Very funny."
*****owari*****
Pointless? Maybe. But after watching Gluhen, I had this need to write it. I know there are still the ensuing events of Weiss Side B to deal with, and once the manga is over, I plan to, but I still needed to write this fic. Originally, I had planned to make this a lemon, but then I changed my mind. I can hear all the fangirls (and fanboys) out there screaming, "Why, God, why? Why didn't she give us a lemon?!" Well...it just didn't seem right.
Hope you enjoyed the fic. And if you're someone who read it without having seen Gluhen yet, hurry up and watch it! It's far too good to miss, even if it makes me cry. Love you all!
~Crimson
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Okay, remember how at the end of Gluhen Ken is in prison because he needed time to think? Well, if you've watched it, there are definite signs of Ken having feelings for Ran. The scene in the airport when Ran just leaves without saying goodbye, and how Ken so looked as if he was about to say something. Not to mention the way Ken talks about Ran and how he is feeling. So, I had to write this fic of Ken's homecoming. If you know about Weiss Side B, you know that Ken is apart of it with Ran, and only because he wanted to be with Ran. That isn't insinuation, Ken actually says it. So...since it thrilled me to no end that my fave couple has possibilities for real, I wrote this. Ken is coming back from prison as Ran brings him home to their new team. No, the other members aren't in it, because I haven't read Weiss Side B yet, and you can't write someone without knowing them. Okay, on to the fic!
*****Fate Stops For No One*****
Turning his key in the lock, a resounding click admits him and his companion into the darkened flower shop through its well-guarded back door. After hours of traveling their long journey home - to this new, unfamiliar home - they have finally reached its end, and both are looking forward to a good night's rest.
Slipping quietly inside, the man with the key, Fujimiya Ran - or Aya, as he is more often called - leads an old friend through the labyrinth of shadows in front of them. This dear friend has been "missing in action" for quite a few months now, but is finally ready to return to work.
Hidaka Ken is a strikingly handsome young man, with chocolate tresses that fall into equally chocolate eyes. If you asked his opinion, however, he would probably insist that his teammate is far more beautiful than he is. Ran is taller, trimmer, and ghostly pale, with blood red hair that gracefully follows the slender curve of his neck, and violet eyes that burn through the darkness.
The pair reaches the main area of the shop, but just as Ran moves to one of the doors near the back - the one that leads up to the apartments above - he realizes that Ken is no longer at his heels.
"It looks so much like ours." Ken whispers from the center of the room. It is difficult to see in the dim lighting, but Ran can easily make out his friend's outline, standing tall amongst the many shelves and tables full of blooming flowers. "It hurts a little...remembering the way things were."
"I try not to think about it." Ran's smooth baritone filters through the thickening air.
"Too many bad memories?"
"Iie." the red-head answers solemnly. "Too many good ones."
Ken turns, squinting through the shadows to get a better look at his companion, but Ran's face is veiled far too well for him to see much of anything. That is, other than a very trained mask. Stepping towards the still red-head, Ken almost grins at how that mask isn't nearly as affective as it used to be, especially now that he is close enough to see it for what it truly is.
Without another word - not that Ken is the least bit surprised - Ran turns and opens the door in front of him, beginning the short trek up the stairs to the apartments without even looking to see if Ken is following him.
In silence, they pass the first floor, and the second, stopping only when they reach the top. The third floor is the last, and it belongs to them.
"Each of the three floors above the shop has two bedrooms and a bathroom." Ran explains, flicking the light on in the hallway. It is the first light he has dared to turn on, for fear of waking the other members in the house. "The kitchen is on the main floor in the back. There is also a room for supplies and a basement for missions. I'll introduce you to your new teammates in the morning. In the mean time, you should get some rest. You have quite a few hours of jet-lag to overcome."
"Same to you." Ken smirks, playfully nudging Ran in the side. "Or are you immune to human nature these days?"
Ran replies with a minuscule smile, but although it may seem small, it is far more than Ken would have gotten out of him a few months back.
"So, we've got this whole level all to ourselves?" Ken asks slyly.
"Aa." Ran affirms, ignoring the possible innuendo, and stepping past Ken towards one of the bedroom doors. "You're in here, I'm in the one further down, and the bathroom is at the end of the hall."
"Gotcha."
"I took the liberty of setting up your room. Don't feel obligated to keep it that way, or anything. Change whatever you like." Wearily, Ran releases a yawn, and moves to offer Ken a nod of farewell. "Unless there is anything else, I guess I'll see you in the morning. Oyasumi, Ken."
For a moment, the brunette's warm, brown eyes follow Ran's retreated form down the hallway, but before too much space can be put between them, an odd necessity forces his voice to call out. "Matte! I...I know we're both tired, but...I was kinda hoping...maybe...we could...talk...just for a little while. Ya know, while I get settled in...?"
Ran halts in his step and peers back over his shoulder, revealing an elegantly raised crimson eyebrow. "Honto ni? I thought I was the worst company you'd ever had. Isn't that what you said on the plane?"
Ken instantly blushes. That is exactly what he had said - miles above the earth, with a long drive and two hours of flight already behind them. After all, Ran isn't exactly the chatty type, and even someone as sociable as Ken gets sick of having a one-way conversation after awhile.
What he really wanted was to have a *real* conversation with Ran. He stills wants that, even if it is one of the most improbable possibilities of his life.
"Yeah, that's what I said." Ken admits, scratching the back of his head like a young boy being scolded for something he knew he shouldn't have done in the first place. "I meant it, too. Sometimes...talking to you is like talking to a brick wall. Heh. More like a cement wall. Half the time, I don't know if anything's even getting through, and the other half...I'm pretty damn terrified of what might be on the other side."
This statement sparks Ran's curiosity, and he slowly advances on Ken until they are once again right in front of each other. "That almost sounded poetic. Though I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to say. I'm not much of a conversationalist - I understand that. But...what exactly are you afraid I'll say back?"
"Nothing! I didn't mean it like that. I just meant...when you don't talk back...I have to guess at what you're really thinking, and...sometimes...I don't like what my mind comes up with."
"Then I accept your offer. Wouldn't want to leave you with the wrong impression, now, would I?"
Somewhat flustered, Ken watches Ran closely as the red-head turns to the nearest bedroom door - Ken's door - and opens it wide, gesturing Ken inside.
A day spent traveling is a day that feels never-ending, with time-changes stretching out the hours further and further until that single day nearly equals two. Over the spanse of their endless day, Ken has noticed slight abnormalities in Ran's behavior. He isn't an impostor, that is certain, but he does appear changed somewhat, as if he hopes to regain a little of his lost humanity, just as Ken is hoping the very same thing.
Ken steps inside his newly appointed room, and as Ran flicks on the light switch just behind him, he nearly topples over backwards from shock.
"Oh my God...it looks...it looks exactly the same..." Ken breathes, his voice catching in his throat. "How did you know...?"
Sadly, Ken is so wrapped up in the view of his room, he misses the small smirk that slips into Ran's expression.
The room looks exactly like Ken's old one - the one he has attempted to duplicate everywhere Weiss has been sent through the years. This time, the job was out of his hands, but it still managed to get done.
"You're the one who put me in charge of looking after your things."
"But it's so...how did you...how did you get it so...perfect?" Ken questions, moving in complete awe throughout the room, admiring the way every possession is right where it should be. "You didn't come in my room often enough to get it like this."
"It was often enough for me." Ran dismisses. "Photographic memory. Besides, I figured a little familiarity was just what you would need."
Wearing a smile that could easily rival that of their once carefree friend, Tsukiyono Omi, Ken plops down on his bed and laughs. "You sure are full 'a surprises, Aya. Tell me the truth. Were you abducted by aliens while I was taking my little vacation, or what?"
This time, Ran almost joins in with a laugh of his own. "Sorry to disappoint you, but no. Although, I did deal with a few demons while you were gone."
"I guess that makes two of us." Ken grins, and then pats the space of mattress beside him, indicating he wants Ran to join him on the bed. Ran complies, if not with a little hesitation. "Thanks, by the way. Not just for the room, but...for letting me do what I needed to do. I know sending your best friend off to prison for a few months isn't exactly the most popular gift in the world, but I really needed it, ya know? I needed the time to think. The time to...put myself back together."
"Then...*are* you back together?" Ran asks softly, testing the waters on this sensitive subject. "I hated seeing you like that. So angry. So...different from who you used to be...for so long. I didn't want you to turn into...into someone like..."
"Ayame?" Ken finishes, lowering his eyes to the floor, while tossing Ran the smallest, sideways smirk.
It wasn't a secret. All of Weiss saw how Ken had changed by the time they faced the 2nd generation Weiss - their predecessors - and the similarities between Ken and his counterpart, Ayame, were a little too close to home.
Ayame, someone who had once been so loving and good, had been twisted, turned into someone who killed for sport, outside of missions as well as within them. For a time, Ken was closely following that trend, and even after those past battles were long over, even amidst the fight with Koua Gakuen, the SS, and Epitaph, signs of a very different Ken were far too apparent.
So, what's changed? Nothing. Nothing...except Ken.
"I don't want to turn into him either, Aya. There was a time, when I didn't care if I did or not, but...the thought of losing...everything...of losing you...changed my mind. At least enough for me to ask you that favor."
There is so much heart, so much love behind Ken's words, Ran practically trips over his own tongue thinking of what to say. "Well...I...I wasn't the one who set it all up. Persia handled the details, even knowing neither of us would be going back to work for him."
"I know. Persia had alot to do with it. Iie - Omi did. Still, it meant alot that you understood." Gradually, a sly expression creeps over Ken's features once again, and he punches Ran playfully in the arm. "You could have given me a hug or something, though, instead of just walking away when we split at the airport. There were alot of things I wanted to say to you."
This time, it is Ran's turn to blush. "You wanted a hug? No wonder you practically squeezed the life out of me when I picked you up. And here I thought it was just lack of company. Instead, you actually missed the worst company in the world?"
"There's that alien talking again." Ken teases, catching Ran's violet gaze. "You sound like you've rediscovered your sense of humor. How long did that take to dig up?"
"Not as long as it would take to shut *you* up, I imagine." Ran grumbles. "You've obviously found yourself again, which I am very grateful for. Is it so impossible to believe that maybe I have done the same?"
"Yeah. But I've always loved the impossible."
Both laugh this time - a hearty one from Ken, and an out-of-practice but highly affective one from Ran - until both get caught off guard by how this is the first time they have ever shared a laugh.
There isn't much humor to be found in death, and death is one of the few things they have been able to share over the years.
"Aya...can I...can I be honest with you?" Ken asks softly, after their laughter had come to such an uncomfortable stop. "There were so many things I wanted to tell you before I left, and even though I could have tried to bring some of it up on the trip here, I...I just kept talking your ear off with one pointless topic after another. The truth is..." he trails off, releasing a deep sigh of defeat. Whatever it is he is trying to say, it is obviously very difficult.
"What is it, Ken? You can tell me. I know I'm not always easy to talk to, but...I'm listening now."
Alien indeed. But Ken is more than grateful for it tonight. "You remember that...talk...we had back at Koua? You know, the time we relived when we first met? I punched you, you punched me, only this time...*you* won?" Ran nods with that same, small smile. "Yeah, well...what I said about wanting to be with you...I didn't just mean because of Weiss." Ken pauses, glancing over at Ran for the smallest moment to make out the red-head's reaction. It definitely isn't the calm and collected expression he had been wearing a moment before, and Ken instantly looks away again. "Anyway...I...I know this is probably the last thing you'd ever want to hear from me, but...I need to say this. While I was in prison, what kept me going, what kept me motivated to get what I went there for...was you. All I could think about was getting back to you. And I realized...it wasn't just because we're teammates, or friends, or...anything else. It was because...I need you. Because I...I..."
"What, Ken?" Ran presses, staring so deeply back at him, Ken feels as if the red-head can see straight through him, right down to the soul-bearing truth. "What are you trying to say?"
Throughout most of his confession, Ken has kept himself turned away from Ran, but now he faces him, looking him head on, and refusing to be intimidated by that amethyst gaze. "I'm saying...ai shiteru, Ran. For so long now. Longer than...even *I* realized." Breathe. Ken had almost forgotten to breathe, but finally releases the breath he had been holding as he once again turns away. As much as he wants to see Ran's reaction again, the way he had peeked at it before, he is too afraid to look. "So...there you have it. I'm crazy *and* in love with you. Go figure."
Ken's attempt at subtle humor falls short, because neither he nor Ran offers even the smallest hint of a laugh. In fact, Ran hasn't said a word, hasn't even moved, and Ken is pretty sure he understands why.
"Well...since I've obviously disgusted and offended you, not to mention how I've just destroyed what little friendship we might have had..." Ken's voice cracks, betraying the tears that are pushing their way to the surface. "...I think I'd like to be alone now, if that's all right."
Silence. Ran still hasn't moved, and still does not speak, even now that he has been told to leave.
Ken can't bear this. He can't bear knowing that his deepest secret is now out in the open, and the object of that once secret affection is sitting close enough for him to feel Ran's breath on the side of his face.
(Damnit, say something!) Ken's mind screams. (Say anything...)
"Ken...?"
"Hm?"
"It's not all right."
"Nani...?"
"You said you'd like to be alone, if that was all right. Well...it's not."
The bed shifts as Ran gets up, and Ken keeps his tired eyes trained on the floor, hoping to avoid having to see the look on Ran's face - whatever it may be.
"Ken?" Ran says again, now kneeling on the floor in front of him while attempting to get the young brunette to do the exact opposite of what he wants - to look up. "You were honest with me, so now I'm going to be honest with you. The reason I left you at the airport that day without so much as a goodbye was because...I feared you were going to tell me the very thing you've told me tonight. It scared me. It still does. But it doesn't disgust me. It doesn't offend me. And admitting what you just admitted is not going to destroy our friendship."
"Then...you feel-"
"I feel...the same as I always have. I care for you, of course I do, but even if I wanted us to try...being together...getting involved with each other would- "
"Hold it right there." Ken stops him, looking boldly back into Ran's eyes, and suddenly feeling as if he might yet be able to turn Fate in his favor. He can see the truth in Ran's eyes, hear it in his voice, and the truth is...Ran doesn't just care for him. It's more than that. It has to be. "Please, don't say what you're about to say. Just...go with me on this for a minute. You were about to tell me that getting involved would be too complicated because we're Weiss. Well, not Weiss anymore, but...something that's practically the same. In truth...a relationship outside of it is what would be complicated, because then we'd always have this huge secret looming over everything. Us makes sense. We could make it work. We already know everything about each other, every dark secret and regret, and we'd never have to hide anything because the things we'd normally want to hide we'd be doing together. Please, don't just dismiss the idea, not if you feel the same as I do. I don't know what I'd do without you. I mean...I don't wanna sound like some desperate stalker or anything...I just...I just want to be with you. I...I love you."
"You said that already." Ran speaks softly, making it even more impossible than usual to decipher his true feelings. "Do you really mean it?"
"Would I say it if I didn't?"
"Do you honestly believe love is enough?"
"Of course I do!"
"Then...you really think we can-"
"Yes! Damnit, isn't it worth it just to try? Don't we deserve to be as happy as we can make each other?"
Of course they deserve that. Everyone does. Even those who stalk the night, bearing the sins of countless deaths on their backs for the sake of others.
In the blink of a violet eye, whatever had been left of Ran's old mask and veiled emotions crumbles away, revealing the first traces of a true smile. The first real smile from Ran that Ken has ever seen.
After all, this is one of the few times in recent history when Ran has had a reason to smile.
"Aya...?" Ken breathes, shivering ever so slightly at the teasing pleasure of them being so close without actually touching, and with the knowledge that he is right. Ran's eyes betray him and his feelings all too well.
"Hn...?" the red-head answers, unthinkingly bringing them even closer by leaning in. He suddenly becomes acutely aware of Ken's scent. It is so refreshing, like newly cut grass, nearly non-existent cologne, and raw strength.
Ken brings them even closer still, breathing shallow for fear of breaking the spell. "Aya..." he whispers again. "...whatever your answer...could I...kiss you...just once...?"
"Iie." Ran states firmly, though a rare sparkle in his eyes betrays him again and again. "I don't think I could settle for just once."
Magic. Just as that unique smile had been about to grow the tiniest bit wider, ravenous lips envelope it, and claim it completely for one perfect moment. A moment that grows into another, and another, as Ran responds to Ken's reckless lunge for his waiting mouth.
There is so much need in Ken's kiss, as if he has been aching every moment he has spent without it. Ran complies with such unexpected passion, Ken's need merely fuels more need, spinning the world around them, tossing them like willing puppets into a daze.
Cupping the side of Ran's face, Ken pulls himself closer, slipping onto the floor next to Ran as his other arm slinks around the red-head's slender waist. He can feel his heart pounding, and he can feel Ran's pounding with it as their chests press up against each other, while every nerve in his body seems to admit its own heat, as if he might burn alive and love every minute of it.
Sometimes a kiss is all it takes.
Ran pulls away, gasping for lost air, and licks his bottom lip to savor the remains of Ken's taste lingering possessively in his mouth. With half-lidded eyes, Ken stares back at him, and can't even begin to contain the grin spreading the length of his face. One hand is already placed on the side of Ran's beautiful, white face, but now the other joins it, both holding perfection in their palms as Ken attempts to speak.
"...Ran..." releases that often forgotten name, slipping out into the air as if it has barely been spoken. "...I think I felt that kiss straight down to my toes..."
A smile isn't enough this time. This time...Ran allows himself a laugh. "I know exactly what you mean....Ken."
Blushing a few hundred shades of red at how sultry Ran's voice had just sounded saying his name, Ken slips his hands away and lowers his eyes sheepishly. "It was almost too perfect. Too wonderful. Please...promise me I'm not in some mental ward somewhere and you're just a figment of my imagination..."
The phrase may seem humorous, but Ken's tone is all too serious. Such a possibility had been far too close once upon a time. "I promise." Ran soothes, raising Ken's chin with a gentle hand. "And...as for my answer...in case you haven't already figured it out...I like your argument. Both the words...and the rest. Us does make sense, doesn't it? I think...it always has...in some ways. Even people like us deserve a little happiness, and what better way to find it than with each other?"
The blush in Ken's cheek spreads, creeping across his neck, and when he finally looks back up into Ran's honest, violet eyes, his whole body seems to turn red, because he doesn't want Ran to leave. "Stay." he breathes, grasping the hand that had been holding his chin.
"Nani?"
"Stay." Ken says again, more firmly and full of conviction. "I want you to stay with me tonight."
Ran nearly snatches his hand back, his eyes thrown wide open by surprise. "Ken, you can't be serious. I want to give this a try, but...we can't-"
"I'm not asking for *that*." Ken cuts in with a goofy grin, blushing all the more. "I'm just asking for you. Just...you. Here. With me. We can get just as good of a night's sleep together as we could apart, ne? And when I say sleep...I mean *sleep*. I may be impulsive, but I'm not stupid. At least not all the time. So...is it okay? I mean...is it asking too much for you to spend the night?"
The wave of nervous expectation that had swept through Ran stills, and his white face, turned so adorably pink, manages to retain that rare smile even as he stands, helping Ken to his feet as well. "It's not asking too much. That is...unless you're used to sleeping in the buff."
Ken instantly erupts with a laugh, before poking Ran tauntingly in the stomach. "Well, that is a very tempting idea..." he grins. "...but I'll settle for the pleasure of...maybe...helping take off *your* clothes?"
Once again, violet eyes spring wide.
"Helping with everything *but* your boxers." Ken mends, already pawing lightly at the collar of Ran's shirt. "Had you worried for a sec there, didn't I?"
Ran's expression softens, returning to its calm and content demeanor. "Let's just say...you're far too good at getting me to react the way you want me to. I'm sure that will prove very handy later in the relationship, but for now...*I'll* settle for letting you have your way."
If Ken was the type of person to squeal at such a triumphant moment, he probably would have. The child-like spark of light brightening his entire face proves he is about as giddy as most people could ever hope to become.
For years now, Ken has imagined a moment like this. The thought of touching Ran, of being allowed to touch him...intimately. Back then, his entire body could become consumed with shivers just thinking about it. Now, given permission in real life to feel that soft skin beneath his fingers, Ken trembles, slowly unbuttoning Ran's violet-colored shirt.
"You're shaking, Ken." Ran's low voice whispers above the stillness. It sounds gruffer somehow, now that he is under the pull of such a powerful spell, and such powerful hands.
Ken offers a sideways smile, unable to look Ran in the eyes for fear of melting right then and there. Instead, he keeps his eyes trained on the fine contours of Ran's white chest, and very slowly slides the now open shirt down the red-head's sculpted arms until it falls to the floor without a sound.
Perfection.
"God, you're beautiful..." Ken breaths, still trembling at the sheer impossibility of everything that is happening. Naturally, he has seen Ran without a shirt before, but only on those rare occasions when Ran allowed someone besides himself treat his wounds.
If possible, Ken is blushing even more than before as he moves in closer and begins to unclasp the red-head's black, cotton pants. His hands shake the entire time, but not nearly enough to detour him from his task. He is well aware that he is torturing himself far more than he seems to be torturing Ran, but he can take it. He can take knowing there will come a point when he can go no further. After all, anything would be worth this.
Ran's pants at last fall to the floor, and he casually steps out of them, standing almost completely bare in front of his flushed friend. Both boys' shoes had long ago been left at the door, and Ran isn't wearing any socks. Meaning...
"I guess it's my turn." Ran comments with the raise of a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, as if it is the most common idea in the world - undressing each other for bed. "Unless you don't want me t-"
"Of course I want you to!" Ken counters, perhaps a little too eagerly. Another blush creeps into his cheeks as he stares back at Ran's bemused expression. "Uhh...that is...if...ya know...you want to."
Once again, that alien grin takes over Ran's features, and he suddenly grabs the waist of Ken's jeans, tugging him closer. Ken gulps, feeling his stomach do flips and twirls inside of him.
Is Fujimiya Ran actually being playful?
Ever so slowly, Ran slips his hands underneath Ken's emerald green T-shirt, and begins to lift it up over the brunette's head, making sure to brush against every muscle on the way. Failing in his attempts to quell his butterflies, Ken shudders, practically ready to collapse under Ran's touch as the shirt is removed and tossed to the floor.
"You're the one who's beautiful...Ken..." Ran breathes, sounding terribly sultry again.
Then, without even looking away from Ken's eyes, he begins to unbutton the brunette's jeans, and agonizingly slow, slides them down the sides of Ken's legs - all the way down - until he is nearly kneeling on the floor in front of him.
Ken obediently steps out of his pants then, though it is somewhat difficult considering Ran still has his hands on the back of Ken's calves. When Ran finally stands up again, his eyes having never once left Ken's face, he is so achingly close to Ken, their chests brush barely a hair's breathe apart.
Surprise, surprise, Ken is still trembling, but whatever he is feeling, he knows he doesn't want it to go away.
"Earth to Ken." Ran whispers with a smile. "Am I going to have to carry you to bed as well?"
"That'd be nice..." Ken replies without thinking, completely caught up in such a wonderful daze. "I mean...uhhh...I...well..."
"I'll take that as a 'yes'."
Suddenly, Ken feels himself lifted, the ground left behind, and he realizes that he is now in Ran's arms. Amazing. Ken is only an inch or so shorter than Ran, and his constitution is actually a little bit sturdier, unlike Ran's lean and lithe figure. Nevertheless, Ran holds him like a husband carrying his bride, showing absolutely no signs of being strained.
Ken can't help blushing again at the humor of the picture they are painting, but the moment is soon over when the world once again finds substance as he is gently laid down upon the bed. In a heartbeat, Ran joins him, and curls in beside him as they climb under the covers.
"Crap, we forgot to turn off the light." Ken grumbles, hating the idea of leaving the comfort of Ran's arms.
SWITCH. The room goes dark, though neither have left the bed. Ken turns to look questioningly back at Ran and sees that the ravishing red-head is indeed the culprit. There is a separate switch for the light just above the bed.
"Sweet." Ken grins. "I was worried I'd have to get up."
"Wouldn't want that now, would we?" Ran teases, just before succumbing to a yawn. Now that they are in bed, exhaustion seems to be getting the better of both of them. "Goodness, it's been a long day."
Ken laughs softly, shifting under the covers as he snuggles in against Ran's chest, unthinkingly trailing his fingers over the smooth skin. "It's been more like two. God, I hate time-zones. But it was worth it. I've been waiting to get back to you since the moment I left. And now...I really get to be with you."
"And here I thought I had my life all figured out. I knew everything I was going to say to you if you ever confessed, and yet I still let you talk me into this."
"Talk you into it, my ass! You couldn't have been easier to convince."
"Oh really? Well...then I guess I must have wanted it as much as you. Or you just made a very good argument."
"Or...I'm just that good of a kisser."
"That, too." Ran concedes, playing with the mused tangles of Ken's hair. "Oh...and by the way...ai shiteru, Ken." he whispers, pulling Ken even closer against him. "More than anything."
Ken's entire body goes rigid at this, caught so off guard, he doesn't know what to say. Somehow, he hadn't even realized Ran never said it back to him.
"Gomen...I waited too long."
"Iie." Ken smiles, relaxing once again. "Saying it at all is enough. If...if you really mean it."
"Would I say it if I didn't?" Ran smiles back, echoing what Ken had said to him not long ago. "I love you, Ken. I would have been a fool to refuse you."
"I'll remember you said that. Might come in handy when we're finally ready for sex."
"Nani?!"
"Hey, what'd you expect? This kitty doesn't just have claws on the battlefield, ya know?"
"Very funny."
*****owari*****
Pointless? Maybe. But after watching Gluhen, I had this need to write it. I know there are still the ensuing events of Weiss Side B to deal with, and once the manga is over, I plan to, but I still needed to write this fic. Originally, I had planned to make this a lemon, but then I changed my mind. I can hear all the fangirls (and fanboys) out there screaming, "Why, God, why? Why didn't she give us a lemon?!" Well...it just didn't seem right.
Hope you enjoyed the fic. And if you're someone who read it without having seen Gluhen yet, hurry up and watch it! It's far too good to miss, even if it makes me cry. Love you all!
~Crimson