Thanks for all the lovely comments! We weren't actually expecting that many. I mean, WOW!
Now, because I suck at AN, I'll get to the good stuff.
--- = scene change
Italics = flashback/memory
The current pairings are as follows: Yuki x Shuichi, hinting of Ran Ki/Shuichi
You can bet your underwear that there will be more pairings in the future. Feel free to toss suggestions.
--- --- ---
Chrysanthemum
Episode 2: More Pieces to the Puzzle
--- --- ---
"No." He opens his eyes only once he's sure the pop idol isn't in his immediate visual range. He brushes past Hiro without diverting his straightforward gaze.
"Who was that, Shuichi?"
"…No one."
"Hm…"
"What?"
"I never thought I'd see someone with the same eye color as you, that's all."
Ken was ready to call in and get his head chewed off when Hiro and Shuichi reenter the café. He breathes a deep sigh of relief. He would never have forgiven himself if innocent lives had been taken from right under his nose.
"Where have you been? You were supposed to be resting!" Ran ignores the fuming chibi. "You've hardly gotten any sleep since we started this mission! You're not the only one on it! You can rest, you know!"
"Tell me when Ken returns." He closes his door. Omi bangs on the slab of wood.
"Don't you just ignore me! I'm worried about your health! You don't sleep, you hardly eat, and you've been studying those files for hours!" Both fists take to pounding on the door. "AYA! You open this up right now!"
Everything goes silent. A few minutes later, Omi is back with lock picks. After some fiddling and a click, the door's unlocked. With a triumphant grin, Omi swings the door open. "Now, Aya-"
The redhead's asleep.
Omi sighs and smiles, he figured the older male had to crash sooner or later. Oh well, he'll yell at him another time. He pulls the sheets up to cover the still clothed body and turns out the lights before leaving.
"Ignored you again, chibi?"
"He fell asleep. He looked totally exhausted." Yohji nods as he pulls out a pack of cigarettes.
"I'm gonna go smoke outside."
"Okay."
"This is Siberian. Come in."
"Bombay here."
"I'm about to drop. Can someone take shift?"
"I'll do it. Where are you?"
"That spot outside their apartment."
"I'll be there in a few."
---
Omi's stomach rumbles. "Guess I should get a snack before switching with Ken..." He walks into a small convenience store, momentarily glancing to a calico cat wearing a blue collar with a golden cat-bell sitting by the sliding doors. It's not long before he's in line to buy a sandwich and a bottle of coke.
"Will that be all today?" asks the cashier.
"Yes." Omi jerks his head to the doors.
Prodigy.
Said teen bends down to allow the calico to climb onto his shoulder. He adjusts his grip on the small grocery bag in his hands.
Omi dumps his money on the counter and runs out with his bag. "Sir! Your change!"
Omi tears down the street after the young man. "Naoe!" Nagi twists to look behind him. The cat's ear twitches and its bell jingles. "What are you doing here?" The brunet holds up the bag.
"Cat food."
"That's not what I meant!"
"That's all you're getting."
The blond's hand twitches, but he can't pull out his crossbow here.
"Leave me alone, Bombay. My cat's hungry. You should go home, your owner might be worried."
"What did you say?" Omi grits his teeth.
"Shoo."
"You!" He begins to step forward, intent on beating Nagi black and blue, but the bits of loose concrete begin to shake around him. Omi freezes.
Nagi smirks.
"Go home, kitten."
The youngest Weiss slams the side of his fist against the building as Nagi walks away. "Dammit!"
"About time you got here," Ken complains past a yawn. "Where were you?"
"I ran into Prodigy."
"What?" His droopy eyes snap open.
"I couldn't get anything out of him though."
"It was stupid of you to try! You can't take him on by yourself!"
"I knew he wouldn't try anything out in the open!" Ken curses but doesn't pursue the subject.
"Dammit! Why the hell is Schwarz here?" Ken pauses. "...You don't suppose they're...here for THEM, do you?"
"You mean Bad Luck? But why? They have nothing to do with Este...right?"
"Is it possible Persia missed something?"
"I don't know. We've never had that problem before." Omi chews his lip, the possibilities running through his head. "Maybe...maybe it's not Bad Luck but someone close to them?"
"I put my money on that blond boyfriend. His eyes...they're the eyes of someone who's killed."
"But don't you think Aya would have done something by now if he suspected that?"
"Huh?" Ken blinks, not understanding that reasoning.
"Haven't you noticed how protective Aya is of Shuichi? He's always insisting he's the one to watch over him whenever possible and he keeps reviewing his files and everything!"
"I hadn't noticed." Omi sweatdrops.
"Yuki!" 3
Omi turns red and hides his face. "No! They're doing THAT again!" Ken coughs into a closed fist, his own cheeks red.
"I'll leave you to watch them now. I'll tell the others what happened."
"But-but they're having... ... …sex!" The last word is a whispered hiss, making the ex-soccer player laugh.
"Yeah, they are. And you get to watch. Later!"
"Keeen!"
---
Ken gives a huge yawn as he enters the Koneko. "Back."
"How did it go?" Yohji asks as he arranges some flowers.
"Omi ran into Prodigy."
"What?"
"The kid's okay."
Ran steps off the staircase. "He shouldn't be alone. Schwarz could go after him." Ken and Yohji jump slightly. "I'll go."
"No," interjects Yohji, "I will." He pushes his glasses up. "You need a break." Ran's eye narrow.
"I'm going."
"Yohji's right, Aya. You need more rest. Relax and take a bath or something." Ken stumbles back a step at the sudden sharp glare sent his way. Ran stalks towards him. "Whoa...what is it, Aya?" His legs move on their own, stepping away from the redhead. Before he could react, Ran slams his fist into Ken's gut.
"Aya!" Yohji pushes Aya off of the coughing Ken. "What's wrong with you?"
"Shuichi was nearly shot."
Everything freezes.
"What?" Ken slowly straightens up.
"After they left the café, Shuichi was nearly shot." Ran glowers at the brunet. "You were distracted."
"What happened?" questions Yohji.
"...Shuichi was nearly shot." Yohji sighs, exasperated.
"By who?"
"The man who's now in Hell."
"You at least questioned him first, didn't you?"
"There wasn't time."
"Great. Fucking great."
Ken remains silent.
Ran turns to leave. "Aya!" The door closes. "Shit. The chibi's going to kill us."
"They could have died on my watch."
"Yeah, you screwed up. But everything turned out fine."
"But..."
"Go get some sleep."
---
"Aya! You should be in bed!"
"Hn." He settles down next to Omi.
"What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep."
"Tell me the truth, Aya."
"Che."
Omi sighs and turns back towards the apartment. Fortunately, Yuki and Shuichi finished their activities a few minutes ago. Yuki snarls as the phone interrupts his much-deserved nap. Shuichi continues sleeping like the annoying ringing doesn't exist.
Omi pulls a small device from his bag, twisting the dials to find the proper wave frequency to listen in on the call. All he gets is static. "The signal is being jammed." Both sets of eyes narrow. All they can do is watch the novelist's reactions.
Blue eyes harden more than usual, the lines of his jaw tightening. He looks almost murderous. He barks something sharp then slams the phone down. Omi winches, he can imagine the plastic cracking under the pressure. Yuki's shoulders shake in his anger until he regains himself a moment later. He pulls out a cig and lights up, the act doing nothing to comfort him.
"What was that about...?"
Aya stares at the blond, his hand squeezes the hilt of his sword as he feels his hackles rise again.