Yojis eyes wandered up the familiar sight of the building he lived in and paused on the window of his small flat. He sighed heavily, then turned around and got back into his car. He just could not face it today. Being there all by himself would have been too much for this night.

He started the car, pulled out on the street and headed towards an even more familiar place. It was already half past four, so he would have to be there in about three hours anyway. Maybe he could get some sleep in the common room behind the shop.

Unconsciously he drew another cigarette from his pocket, lit it and inhaled deeply. No, this night had not been as much fun, as it had been supposed to be. Yoji sighed again and let the memory of the events pass through his mind.

He had gone out as usual, met a nice Belle and started his common turn. Compliments, drinks laughter. It had all been fine and enjoyable. But when she got a little drunk she had started talking. About her kids, her husband and how he treated her, or else did not treat her anymore. That her beloved husband got cold and did not talk to her very much. Yoji had listened to her babbling, knowing that women needed to talk about such things without wanting him to solve their problem. It was just talking and it was bringing relief to them. Sometimes he envied them for this. But then again, he knew, that he had an easier way to get over a problem: Get a drink, a woman, have a lot of sex and just forget about it. That always worked fine so far and so there was no reason to change anything about it.

He stopped in a small alley near the flower shop, got out and slammed the door a little too hard to hide his tension from himself. A dog woke up and started barking at the unknown noise until his owner shouted at it to shut up. Yoji had listened to that little scene smilingly. At least he knew now, he was still there and someone had had to notice it. Being noticed was important. There was nothing more horrible to him than being ignored. Like from this women this night. He had done his best, but when her husband finally appeared in the bar, she had left Yoji behind like an old hat, that had gone out of fashion. He had watched the couple for a while, arguing, complaining, yelling at each other, but then they just rushed into each other's arms and he left. He tried out another of his standard clubs and bars, but he just did not get over it. Finally he was too drunk and the night was too late, so he just left on his own, knowing, that he was running away.

He unlocked the back door of the flower shop and slipped into the darkness behind it without switching on the light. He entered the common room behind the shop and shut the door silently. He closed his eyes as he leaned against it and took a deep breath of the dampish air, smelling of clay and flowers. There was a new delivery of roses that he just did not want to take care of the other day, so that was the first thing he would have to do in the morning. But for now, all he had to do was put a rest to his bushed out body. He felt a headache emerging.

Yoji opened his eyes again, somehow shivering, as the room was not heated, because of the flowers. He somehow felt uncomfortable in his clothes now. They were a little sweaty, smelling of smoke and beer and fading cologne. But most of all of smoke. He grimaced at the unpleasant discovery. Normally he would not notice such a thing, but today his senses seemed to have decided to play tricks on him. First the wrong woman, now the wrong smells. But there was a good way to wipe of the smell of old smoke, and that was replacing it with fresh one.

Yoji set down on the old couch and stretched out, ignoring the displeasing touch of his clammy leather coat on the bare skin of his back. He considered getting up and taking it of, but then just decided no to. It would not have been worth the effort and even colder without it. A little smile ran up his face, as he remembered, that Ken once put up the question, if it was a part of superstition, that Yoji never wore anything that covered his navel. He flipped a cigarette into his mouth and pulled out his lighter. As he was just about to use it, a cold voice cut the darkness with a sharp remark.

"Don't even think about it."

Yoji froze in his movement, but then he recognized, who his opponent was. He sighed and put down the cigarette. "What's bothering you about it, Aya-kun?" he said with a smile on his face.

"It's the common room, so cut it out," his team-mate snapped back at him, making it quite clear, that this was nothing he wished to argue about. "Get a shower, Kudou, and leave me alone."

"Well, as you just said..." Yoji yawned back at the redhead. "This is the common room, which obviously means, that I have as much right to stay here as you do, Fujimiya-San. Besides, I don't take orders from you."

He raised the cigarette again and lit it with a grin. He would not cringe before Aya, that one thing was for sure. Exhaling the smoke he turned round to catch a sight of the other man. Aya was sitting in one of those worn-out armchairs Kritiker called furniture. His eyes were locked on the window, but Yoji almost felt the chilling look on his skin.

"Shouldn't you be out there, screwing school girls and such?" Aya asked putting a catty sound to the question.

"I do not screw school girls!" Yoji hissed at him instantly, but Aya did not react. So Yoji dropped back into his seat and murmured to himself: "They are all older than 18 and having a pleasant time with them is not just about screwing."

Why did he even react to that? As if Aya would know anything about it. Women were precious little jewels to Yoji. He made them laugh and enjoy themselves. He took them into sinful depths and mounted incredible heights through their pleasure in return. When the women in his arms were happy, Yoji was too. And after they went away they always left a little warmth behind to comfort him in his sleep. But what did Aya know about warmth and comfort.

Yoji snorted at the thought. No, Aya did not know anything about it. He looked at the redhead again and found himself thinking about the man with the icy mask. Was it really just a mask? Was there something else behind the anger and rage? Curiosity killed the cat, Yoji thought, but decided, that not following his natural instinct would have caused an even more painful dead. He just had to go on talking or he would just blow up.

"But why are you asking me this?" Yoji smirked at Aya. "Are you jealous?"

Aya glowered at him. "Certainly not," he snapped again. "I do not need to molest other people to distract myself. I'm fine all by myself, if some people would let me be."

Yoji heard the words, but sensed that there was something more to it. Aya had a natural talent to be all by himself, even if he was stuck in the middle of a crowd. Why would he have come here in the middle of the night? Just "to be alone" did not make any sense. Yoji stood up and walked up slowly to his co-worker. He looked at him inquisitively until the other man just could not ignore him any longer.

"What is it, Kudou?" he growled pulling his legs closer to his body. "Are you after me now?"

Yoji was a little bemused by that question, but easily caught up the thread. He put up an engaging smile and winked at the younger man. "Would you like me to be?"

"Hell, no," Aya bitched back at Yoji with a disgusted look on his face.

"You don't?" Yoji said and display a sulky look on his face. "I am insulted you know? No one can resist me."

"You're drunk, get some sleep." Aya muttered more to himself, not even raising his eyes at Yoji. Instead they were locked on some papers that were spilled all over the table. It was too dark to read them, but in the pale light of the moon coming in from the outside Yoji caught sight of a familiar logo. It was the one of the hospital Ayas sister had been to. But before he could ask another question, Aya had roughly pushed him away from the table.

"That's none of your business. Now go, will you?" Aya snapped and shoved the papers back into a big envelope.

"I am not your scratching post, little kitty," Yoji mumbled, while he examined the spot where Aya had hit him. "Maybe someone should be lusting after you anyway. Having a little more sex would surely make you more sociable."

Noticing Ayas expression he put up a roguish smile and added: "Or maybe having any sex at all."

He saw the punch coming and easily dodged it by stepping back. But then he felt his back against the wall and got hit by the second one. Aya was already aiming for another blow with flashing eyes, when Yoji caught his hand and pulled it down. Aya growled at him, trying to free it, but Yoji held it in place and forced Aya to turn around. Then he caught Ayas other hand as well and fixed him in his helpless position.

Yoji breathed heavily and then laughed at Ayas useless attempts to break free from his hold. "Don't even think about it.", he smiled. "I learned this one well enough to tame wilder animals than you are, Aya."

"Let me go," Aya snarled and tried even harder to get away. Then all of a sudden, he stopped moving and gave in. "All right, you won. Congrats!"

"My, my..." Yoji chuckled. "And what do I do now with my little wild kitten?"

"Leave it alone again?" Aya said reluctantly. There was a tremble in his voice that attracted Yoji's attention. He felt the warm body leaning against his own. This was kind of nice, although it was only Aya standing there in front of him. He was still hungry for the reassuring touch of a woman in his arm. This was not quite as satisfying, but it was convenient as well.

Yoji could feel Aya heart beat under his shirt, hardly pounding against his chest. The moonlight made his skin look like fresh milk and gave an odd colour to his hair, which reminded Yoji of dried blood. He wondered what it would be like to touch this hair, to run his fingers through it until Aya started to purr like a real kitty would have. But then he realised what he had just been thinking and he determinately put an end to such ideas.

He loosened his grip to leave Aya some space to escape, but he did not take his chance. The younger man just did not move as if he was afraid, that it was a trap. So they both stood there in silence, listening to each other's breath. It was a strange feeling to have his arms around his fellow worker, but it sure was soothing for both of them.

"You are free," Yoji said huskily. "You can just leave, if you want."

His remark was followed by a short, but heavy silence until Aya decided to break it again.

"Am I?" he whispered. "I don't think so, Kudou. I will never be free again."

"I don't hold you tight any more, so just step out of it," Yoji repeated, although he felt, that Aya was not talking about their little fight.

"I know that as well." Aya added and shook his head slowly. "I just do not know if I want to go."

"You will have to decide that on your own," Yoji muffled and tried to ignore the sting this gave to him. He completely unfolded his arms and stepped back from Aya. Then he pulled himself together and set up his Playboy smile again. "I never take anyone against his will."

Aya just stood there in the moon light and did not reply to this offer. Yoji winced at the thought, but there was nothing to deny anymore. It had been an offer and he was prepared to face the consequences.

The funny thing was that there were no consequences to face. Aya shrugged, still showing his back to Yoji and then turned round to leave. In the doorway he paused, as if he had changed his mind, but then just clenched his fist and let out a little mournful sound.

"Maybe I am not the guy that has to be asked, but rather just taken. And besides, my name is Ran," he finally said and left the room.