Tainted White
- An Angel in Hell -
By: Lil' Amethyst Angel


Summary: Omi is not as happy as everyone thinks. Weiss never looks behind the smile, but what happens when his façade starts to crack?

Warnings: Angst, swearing, and OOC (dark Omi).

Omi's POV

When I wake up I feel a soft surface beneath me. I don't bother to open my eyes. I'm too tired. I stay in the darkness, thoughts wandering, until I feel a cool hand on my forehead. My eyes shoot open. I am greeted with the sight of an angel. I was sure it was an angel. A young boy with golden hair and laughing blue eyes was staring down at me. For a moment I thought I had died. But that couldn't be right. There would be no angels where I was going.

"So, you're awake. How do you feel?" The voice was soft and melodious.

I sit up and take in my surroundings. I'm in an apartment, presumably this boy's. I'm on the couch, which is quite comfy I might add. It was as clean as Aya's room, not a spot of dust. Yet, it is very different from Aya's room. It gives off a warm, inviting aura and there are pictures everywhere.

"I'm fine, thanks. Where am I and who are you?" I ask, trying not to sound too rude.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Aki and you're at my apartment. When I went out for a jog this morning I found you passed out on the street. You were bleeding, so I took you back here to fix you up." He smiles cheerfully.

"Well, thank you. My name is Omi." He takes my hand and gently shakes it.

"I thought you might be thirsty, so I made some tea. I'll go and get you some."

This kid, Aki, seems pretty naïve. Wasn't he worried that I could be a serial killer or a deranged psychopath (well...maybe I am kind of the last one...)? Most people wouldn't go taking in someone off the street. He comes back into the room carrying two mugs of steaming tea.

"Here ya go." He handed me the mug and sat down in a chair across from me. "I hope you don't mind, but you didn't look like you were in that good of shape. I was afraid your wound was going to get infected, so I cleaned it out and bandaged it."

I smiled my thanks. "I'm very sorry for being such a burden. When I was out for a walk yesterday I slipped and fell on some glass. I was on my way home when I passed out." That lie sounded plausible. He just smiled, seemingly accepting the answer.

"Don't worry, you weren't a burden. I'm really glad I got to meet you." He smiles sweetly, again. He doesn't even know me. This kid is too much.

"Well, I should be going now. I'm sure my friends are worried. Thank you for your hospitality." I get up and head towards the door.

"Don't mention it. It was nice meeting you. I hope we meet again one day." Aki waves and flashes me one of his winning grins.

Once I'm out of the apartment I break into a run. The guys are gonna be so pissed. I arrive at the shop and go through the back door. It will be opening soon and I have first shift. I don't see the others around, so I quickly run up to my room and get changed out of my mission gear. I'm surprised that kid never noticed my darts. Luckily, I didn't bring my crossbow on the mission, since I didn't have to take out the target. When I go back downstairs I see Ken opening the shop.

"Good morning, Ken." I say sweetly. I was careless passing out like that. I hope Ken is not too mad. I don't really care, but it's awfully annoying.

"Omi, we were worried! Where were you?" Ken exclaims.

"Sorry, Ken-kun. I didn't realize I was still bleeding and passed out on the way home. This kid, Aki, brought me to his place and fixed me up. I'm okay now. Sorry for worrying you all." Ken seemed to accept that and just rustled my hair, shaking his head and mumbling something about being careful.

The rest of the morning was rather uneventful. I was working on some arrangements in the back room, while Ken handled the customers. There weren't too many girls flocking around the shop today.

Aki... I wonder if I'll ever see him again. He was a cute kid. Way too naïve for his own good, though. He was pure white. The opposite of me. I remember being like him at one time. It was so long ago...That purity, I want to protect it. I don't want him to be touched by other colors, his innocence spoiled. Wait, what am I thinking? I don't care about him. I look out for me and only me. I have to concentrate on my own survival.

I finish up the last arrangement and go join Ken in the shop. It seems the crowd of crazed girls has grown considerably. Oh, joy. I plaster that same smile on my face. The one they can never see through, that they think is real. Here comes happy little Omi. Twits. I take a seat at the cash register as Ken goes over to help some girls find a certain flower. I scan the room of fawning girls. The shop door opens, but instead of more love- struck girls waltzing in, a beautiful angel appears. Aki?

I blush, realizing I just thought of him as an angel again. It was Aki alright. The shop quieted a bit. It's not every day a boy comes in here. He notices me staring and recognition lights up his face. "Omiiii!" He calls, flying towards me and giving me a hug. What the hell? I'm being attacked! Someone do something! He's crazy! Ken, don't just stand there gawking, get this nutcase off of me.

"Eh...umm...Aki?" I look down at the boy in my arms.

He pulls away immediately. "Oh, sorry. I tend to hug people a lot. It's just out of habit. I guess you could say I'm the type to go around glomping strangers on the street. Hehe. Sorry 'bout that. I'm not crazy, really I'm not." It's like he read my mind. Or maybe he just saw the stares everyone in the shop was giving us.

"I was just excited to see you. I knew we would meet again," He pauses. "How are you feeling? I didn't hurt your injury did I?" I'm surprised to see the worry in his eyes. This kid doesn't even know me and yet he is worried about me.

"No, I'm fine. Did you come here to buy specific flowers? Can I help you with something?" Aki nodded his head vigorously.

"I was really hoping to buy some freesias. They're the most beautiful flower in my opinion." I can hear Ken snigger over by a flower display, obviously listening to our conversation.

"I'll go and get you some. Wait right here, please." I hurry through the shop to where the freesias are and choose a pot of them. "Here you go." He hands me the money.

"Hey, Omi, do you want to get together sometime? I love to make new friends." Aki looks and sounds like a four-year-old at the moment, smiling widely and rocking back and forth on his feet, clutching the freesias.

"Umm..." He looks up at me, smile disappearing. If I say no I'm afraid he will burst into tears or something. I give up. "Sure. How about for lunch? Are you free today?"

Aki's face lights up. "Yup! What time do you get off?" I look at my watch.

"Ten minutes. Would you like to wait here?" He nods as I continue to work on an arrangement. After a while I realize Aki is staring at me dreamily. He notices that I have stopped and am looking at him.

A red tint colors his cheeks. "Sorry for staring. You look very calm and beautiful when you do that. It takes a special kind of person to be able to see and arrange such beauty. You are very delicate with the flowers."

Against my own wishes I blush. What is this kid doing to me?

"Hey, Omi. Your shift is over." Youji calls. He's late again, my shift ended fifteen minutes ago, but I'll let it slide.

"Okay, thanks, Youji. I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back later." I say.

Aki and I went to a little café across the street for lunch. He is so open with his emotions. He is the total opposite of me.

"Thanks again for last night. I hope your parents didn't mind you bringing a stranger home." I say while he scans the menu. He looks up for a moment.

"Actually, my parents died when I was little in an accident. I live with my aunt, but she's usually away on business. I don't think she would have minded, anyways." Aki informs me, his cheerfulness never faltering.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I didn't know what else to say. He doesn't seem upset by the whole thing. I don't know how Aki can talk about it so casually.

"I guess it was just their time. People think it's odd that I didn't spend more time crying about it. I just decided that now I have to live life for all three of us, so there isn't time to be sad." That's an interesting way to look at it. I still don't understand why he is telling me all of this. We only just met.

"You know, I'm not stupid. I know what you must be thinking. I brought a complete stranger home, for all I knew you could have been some criminal. And now I am talking to you causally about my past, as if we're close friends." He shrugged. "I just felt like you were special. It's like we have some kind of connection or something. You seem different from other people I've met. I want to get to know you. Is that okay?" Aki looks up at me once more.

I honestly do not know how to respond to that. It's like he's in my head. Aki knows everything I was thinking. If I didn't know better I would say he was related to the Mastermind of Schwarz. "Ugh...that's fine. Like you said before, it's always nice to make new friends."

Aki simply beams. "Tell me something about yourself, Omi."

What's to tell? I work in a flower shop by day and murder by night? My childhood was cut short when I was kidnapped and saved by my uncle who turned me into a killer? I somehow don't think that would go over too well with the kid here.

"I'm eighteen and as you already know I work in a flower shop. I actually live above it with my three friends: Youji, Aya, and Ken. What about you?" A look of concentration appears on his face as he thinks of what to tell me. He taps his finger on his chin. It's actually kind of adorable... what the hell am I thinking? Bad thoughts. Bad. There is no way I'm letting myself get attached to Aki. I stop scolding myself when he finally speaks.

"Well, I just turned 17 two months ago. As you already know I live with my aunt and love freesias. Oh, and I have a little Bombay kitten, who is super cute. His name is Blacky...I'm not too original when it comes to names." I almost choked on my water. First freesias and now Bombay kittens. Is this some kind of messed up joke?

Just then the waitress brought us our lunch. The rest of our meeting was rather uneventful. Aki told me more about his beloved Blacky and I told him a bit about flowers. As we were leaving the shop to go our separate ways Aki stops me.

"We should do this again, Omi. I know where to find you, but if you ever want to get a hold of me here is my number." Aki pulls a piece of paper and pen out of his pocket and scribbles something down. "Bye-bye, Omi!" With that the blond angel left. Okay, I seriously have to stop thinking of him as an angel.

To Be Continued

Author's Note: I finally added my original character, Aki. I had fun making him up. Thank you to all who have read, please continue reviewing.