*Author's note* Blah blah, not mine, yadda yadda…you get the message. Anyways, thanks a bunch to those of you who reviewed!!! It gave me warm tinglies in my tummy. And I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter up, but school's been crazy lately…and when I say crazy, I mean crazy enough that someone who IS crazy can see that it's crazy.
Yohji stood in the doorway to his bedroom, sipping at a cup of hot tea. It was almost morning, and he still hadn't gotten to sleep. He watched Schuldig as he slept, and he wondered, not for the first time, what sort of game the German was playing with him.
Also, he wondered if he really minded being played around with. 'Well, I certainly didn't mind earlier,' he thought with a sardonic smirk, remembering -- for the most part anyway -- the way Schuldig had manipulated him into the kiss. Without meaning to, he licked his lips, remembering the taste.
Schuldig stirred, and Yohji stepped soundlessly back around the corner into his room; out of sight, but keeping an eye on the red-head through the crack beside the door. When he didn't move again, Yohji ventured a step into the living room.
There was no denying it: he found the man attractive -- if not downright sexy -- and it was only the rational part of his brain that seemed to have any problem with his current situation.
'Bah, leave the rational thinking to Aya, or Omi,' he thought at last, stepping closer to the back of the couch and setting his cup down quietly on the table, 'They're better at it anyway.' Slowly and carefully, he reached his hand down to touch the cheek of the German, who seemed to be slumbering peacefully again.
Suddenly, the red-head hurled himself off the couch to his knees with a choked, sobbing sound, breathing hard and with both hands pressed tightly over his ears as if to keep out a noise only he could hear.
Without thinking, Yohji leaped over the back of the couch and threw his arms around Schuldig's heaving shoulders. "What is it? What just happened?" he asked, his tone conveying his concern as much as his expression.
"You don't want to know," Schuldig whispered hoarsely, leaning his head on the blonde's chest and squeezing his eyes shut, trying to rid himself of the flashing images and the gut-wrenching terror that had wrenched him from his sleep. A moment later, sirens could be heard not far off. "There are worse monsters out there than me, Kudoh," he added.
Yohji shuddered involuntarily as memories came to him of things he'd seen the Mastermind do. He didn't want to imagine worse.
"Shhh, it'll…be ok," Yohji said weakly, not sure exactly how he should respond.
Schuldig gave a sort of chuckle. "Oh yes, my knight in shining armor," he said dryly.
"Hey, well…I'm trying here," Yohji shot back, hugging the man closer. He closed his eyes and rested his chin on the mass of flaming red hair. Soon, the sirens faded and Schuldig's breathing returned to normal.
He glanced down to find that the German was already half-asleep again. Smiling faintly, he stood up, pulling Schuldig with him, who was glaring back blearily at having been disturbed again. "Let's get you back to bed," Yohji said, putting an arm about the other man's waist.
Schuldig didn't even notice that Yohji was leading him away from the couch, and back towards the bedroom.
* * *
The first thing Schuldig felt as he woke up the next morning -- or, early afternoon, as it was -- was confusion. He remembered coming home last night from the bar and falling asleep in the living room, but here he was, in Yohji's room, in Yohji's bed, with half of Yohji draped across him.
Slowly, the night's events filtered their way back into his memory: the screams, the sirens, Yohji putting him to bed….
Looking over at the blonde, he let out a disappointed little sigh. He was still wearing what he had worn to bed, and Yohji had only removed his shirt. Obviously, he hadn't missed anything of any interest. He smirked to himself. Maybe there was still a chance that he could liven things up a bit.
"Yohji," he whispered softly, gently tugging the man's mind back towards consciousness. With his free hand -- the one the blonde didn't have pinned beneath him -- he brushed a wayward strand of hair from the sleeping man's face. "Yohji," he whispered again, and this time the emerald eyes fluttered open.
Yohji propped himself up on his elbow, careful not to move too quickly. His years of experience bar-hopping had taught him that much, at least. "Did you sleep okay?" he asked, the end of the question getting lost in a yawn.
"Yeah, I guess," the German replied, keeping his voice low to keep from agitating the headache he knew the blonde was trying to ignore.
Yohji gave him a questioning look. "But what about--"
"Those sorts of things are difficult to block out when you are sleeping," Schuldig explained, dismissing it with a wave of his hand, "And it's rarely as bad as that was," He was unable to stop a slight shiver from running through him. "Anyway, it's past now, and I won't be disturbing you further." He sat up and swung his legs off the bed before Yohji had a chance to move. The timing of this was crucial…
He was just making as if to rise when Yohji spoke. "You're…not disturbing me,"
Schuldig peered back over his shoulder with a look he hoped looked surprised, and not at all devious. Yes, his plan was working.
He let Yohji pull him back onto the bed, and didn't protest when the man nuzzled into the German's shoulder. "I take this to mean you've reached a decision, then?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
Yohji lifted his head to stare into his blue-green eyes. "You've known my thoughts this whole time haven't you?" He sounded slightly accusing, but who could blame him?
"Just say it, Kudoh," Schuldig prodded, trying to hide his smirk, "We both need to hear it."
"No, I won't give you that satisfaction," Yohji replied, playing his only card. He lowered his mouth onto the German's, shifting his body so that he was pressing himself against the other man's thigh. Schuldig gasped as his lower lip was caught between Yohji's teeth; his hands roamed over the hardened muscles of the man's shoulders, pulling him even closer.
Finally, everything was going perfectly. He was in control now, and nothing could stop him. Nothing--
RING! RING!
--except the God-damned telephone. Yohji jumped over him and raced into the living room, nearly knocking over the lamp as he grabbed for the receiver. "Hello?" he answered breathlessly.
"Yohji-kun!" Omi's cheerful voice exclaimed, "I thought you would already be up! How is everything?"
Yohji didn't even bother to respond. "Listen, I can't really talk right now--"
"Who the fuck is it?" Schuldig whined from the bedroom, wondering who he could blame for the rude interruption.
"Who was that?" Omi asked, "I heard a voice! Yohji? You have someone staying with you?"
"I'll call you back." Yohji muttered, slamming down the phone. The kid had to have the worst timing in the world.