Surprise! Surprise! I've updated again within a relatively short amount of time! I have another chapter out and ready. Still no beta, so it still kinda sucks. I need one here people! Anyone want the job?
On another note, this may be the last chapter for a bit. I have to work on my other story first and get some of the ideas out of my head before they leak out onto other things. Like my schoolwork and actual work.
You finally get to find out what 'powers' I've gifted each of our little Weiss boys with. I'm done with torturing the masses with withholding the knowledge.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"BREAK!" Aya's unusually loud voice boomed over the rooftop, stopping all activity right where it was.
"Finally!" Dee exclaimed, falling unconcerned onto his ass from where he stood. Breathing heavily and wiping his forehead, Dee eyed the scene surrounding him.
Ryo and JJ leaned against each other's backs and slide to the ground in a boneless manner, both breathing heavily and faces flushed. Drake was bent over his knees trying to catch his breath and unawares of the world around him. Then Dee decided to see how their 'teachers' were faring.
Omi was sitting on the ledge of the roof and had pulled out a laptop from heaven's knows where and was simultaneously stretching out his arm and typing away on the laptop, his cheeks only slightly red, but not all that winded. Ken was looking over the young blonde's shoulder, sipping absently-mindedly on a water bottle. It was hard to tell if the brunette was winded or not, but his face did have a light sheen of sweat on it, not as bad as the one Dee sported, however. But that could have been due to the weather since it was a rather warm day, and not their fighting. Every now and then, the brunette would stretch out a leg or arm muscle, nothing joint popping. Aya was also taking a casual drink out of a water bottle, but he didn't even look the least bit tired. In fact, the redhead looked as fresh as when they had started. His clothes didn't even look rumpled! Yohji was leaning against the wall, talking easily to Aya about something. The blond didn't get any sort of response, but he continued on with his chatter nonetheless. He was somewhat worse than Ken sweat wise, but just a little better off than Omi breathing and red-cheeked wise. Dee came to a conclusion. These guys weren't human, particularly not Aya.
"Dee?" A voice called, breathing still harsh and coming in deep pants. Turning his head slightly because that was all the Dee felt he could do at the moment, Dee was rewarded with Drake's less than fresh face and a water bottle in his reach. The other man held it out to Dee and he took it gratefully.
"That was some workout, huh?" Drake commented, sitting down next to Dee who was drinking like he'd been stranded in the desert. He was trying to make light of the situation, but failed miserably.
"Workout?!" Dee exclaimed, finally having his fill. "That was no workout! That was torture! A workout's where you stretch and build muscles, taking breaks every now and then. Not try to fight some psycho for 2 and half hours on end! My rear end's never going to recover from this! That Aya's a sadistic bastard! Do you know how many times he hit me with that stick of his!?"
"As many times as Ken hit me?" Drake guessed, having no pity for the other man. Ken was most definitely tougher than he looked.
"Or how about the number of times Omi nicked us with those darts of his?" JJ spoke up, catching the two men's attention. "That little kid's dangerous!"
"He's only a year younger than you JJ," Drake corrected, remembering what Omi had told him earlier. Was it only just this morning that Omi had told Drake their ages? It seemed like so long ago…
"What?!" the silver haired man screeched. "He's a year younger than me?! And he's this good?! How long has he been doing this anyway?"
Drake shrugged and took the water bottle away from Dee. "Don't know. All Omi would say is that he's been doing this a long time. Longest of the four actually."
"Did you learn anything else about them?" Ryo asked, managing to look curious despite his exhaustion. Drake nodded and gestured towards the other men.
"It looks like Yohji's the oldest at 26, then Aya at 25, then Ken being 23, and I've told you that Omi's 22, so he's the baby of the bunch. Oh, and back in Japan, Ken coaches a kiddy soccer team."
"You have got to be kidding me," Dee commented, not believing a word of what Drake told him. "You're telling me that none of them are over 30, and yet, they can kick our asses and for nearly 3 hours and not even get tired from it?"
"Hey, I'm just telling you what Omi told me," Drake defended. "You can ask them yourselves if you don't believe me."
"And that an assassin coaches a kid's soccer team?"
"Ken told me that himself. He was trying to distract me during our training and let me tell you, finding that out earned me a very nice thump on the back of my head." Drake gently fingered the bump on his head that had resulted from the previously mentioned thump. It was swelling up a bit now, but it would most likely be gone by the next morning. Still, it hurt.
"Well fuck me sideways," Dee stated, shaking his head.
"Thanks, but no thanks Laytner," a teasing voice spoke up. "I think there are other people I'd like to fuck before I fucked you. I'll keep your offer in mind though." The men looked to see Yohji with a smirk on his face, looking no worse for the wear, not a hair out of place. Heck, even his sunglasses were still perched on the top of his head like they had been when they had first started.
"It wasn't an offer Yohji," Dee returned, grinning. He might have hated Yohji for being as fresh as he was and for making a fool of him earlier, but he didn't hate the guy for his flirtatious nature. It reminded him of his own nature, in a way. But while Dee was more of a masculine trickster, Yohji was a slightly effeminate sensual playboy.
"Are you guys rested enough yet?" Omi asked, coming over and looking as fresh as Yohji. Behind him stood Ken, still absently sipping on his water bottle, and Aya, expressionless as always. Ken had this strange far away look in his eyes, as if he was here, but not here at the same time. That puzzled the four men, but they wrote it off to exhaustion and thought nothing more of it.
"You've got to be kidding me, right?" JJ checked, eyebrows rising in disbelief. "After all that, we only get a 15 minute break? And without lunch?"
"He's got a point there," Yohji admitted. "Shall we let them have lunch Aya, before we began their torture anew?"
"Hm." Suddenly, Ken began blinking in rapid succession and took a long drag of this water bottle. He coughed a little when he only got air instead of water. Blushing slightly, Ken removed the water bottle and turned to Aya's general direction.
"I think we should let them have some lunch Aya," he stated, getting his blush under control. "And I think we should also join them for lunch. You know, to get to know them better."
Aya turned his head and pierced Ken with this gaze. The brunette just stared back without flinching or saying a word. Something passed between the two men and Aya's eyes flickered in recognition. With a nod, Aya turned on his heel and headed back indoors.
"We'll let them have lunch, but I'm not going to be the one to make it," the redhead stated. And that was that.
You sure you're all right, Ken-kun? Omi asked the ex-soccer player while the two of them were making lunch or the group. He tried to keep most of the worry out of his voice, but it all shown through in his blue eyes when he looked at Ken.
Yeah, I'm fine Omi. It's just a slight mirage. Nothing I can't handle, Ken assured him, dropping a kiss to the top of Omi's head. I've handled worse and survived, so you don't have to worry so much. Pass me the rice, would you?
But I can't help but worry, Omi protested, even as he floated the rice pot over to where Ken was. The blond wasn't bothering to hide his new powers since it was Aya's and Yohji's job to keep the unknowing out of the kitchen while he and Ken prepared lunch. Ken accepted the rice pot without comment and began making riceballs for the group.
True to the prediction when they had been offered the translating machine, as it was so dubbed amongst the members of Weiss, there was a side effect. Now, along with being able to understand English as if it was their native language, the members of Weiss had a special skill like the ones similar to Schwartz.
Omi was now a telekinetic like Nagi, and, in the same manner that the younger teen hadn't known in the beginning, he still didn't know the boundaries of his own powers. Ken could form an image, a mirage of sorts, from what he pictured in his mind. If he concentrated hard enough, he could even make his mirage feel just as real as if it truly existed. The downside was that Ken had to be careful of how hard he concentrated otherwise he would set things on fire, and when he wanted to project what was in his head and when he didn't. Yohji was a telepath, like Schuldich. The blond playboy was on constant alert and did his best to keep a lid on his powers. It helped that he was also taking pills that would dumb his senses just enough to make things bearable, as was Aya. The redheaded leader of Weiss had become, of all things, empathic. It was a sign of Aya's willpower and determination that he didn't let others emotions overcome his own and become lost within them.
It had been a very tiring and painful three months for the members of Weiss while they adjusted and adapted as best they could to their newfound gifts. If it hadn't been for their past experiences and another member of Kilter who had dealt with the same thing themselves, the members of Weiss would have most likely ended up in a mental institution or have killed themselves by now. They were still shaky and weak with their gifts, but they could control them, and that was what mattered.
Now, whenever the opportunity presented itself, they practiced and trained with their powers, testing the limits and gaining more control over them. It was by a mutual consent that they would do this because they knew what could happen to them if they were caught and untrained.
Do you think this will be enough? Ken wondered aloud, looking at the riceballs he had made. Since they were a favorite with the kids he coached, Ken could only hope that they would be a hit with the others as well.
Omi snuck a peek at the number of riceballs Ken had made and did some quick mental math. Anou… Ken-kun, you made enough for everyone to have at least 6. I think you've made enough. Don't forget, there still the other dishes to eat.
Omi, we're dealing with four grown men who have probably gone through the most strenuous exercise they've ever done and four people who's growing powers have increased their appetite tenfold. I repeat, do you think this will be enough?
I wouldn't say tenfold, Omi protested weakly, though he knew it was true. Why don't you make some more sandwiches if you're so worried about it?
As long as I don't have to use the stove, we're good, Ken agreed.
Ken-kun, Aya-kun would have my head if he even thought I let you anywhere near the stove, Omi reproached, giving Ken a withering stare. Ken blushed and prayed that his lover wouldn't mention the spaghetti incident, but it seemed that fate was not with him.
I mean, how does a person get spaghetti on the ceiling and tomato sauce behind the refrigerator, simultaneously setting half the stove on fire and getting frostbite of all things on their left hand? I think we're still cleaning the noodles off the ceiling thanks to you, Omi reminded. Ken blushed even harder and focused on the sandwiches he was making.
It could have happened to anyone, he tried. An invisible hand hitting him on the back of his head was his answer to that.
No, only you Ken-kun.
"Okay, let me see if I got everything clear here. You guys are not only assassins, but you also know how to cook?" JJ queried, eyeing the table covered with food in front of him. He had to admit, however, it did look rather tasty and he was hungry.
"I can cook as long as it doesn't require a stove," Ken replied, reaching for a riceball and taking a big bite. They were sitting all around the kitchen since the table that the guys had wouldn't fit 8 ground men. Ken was leaning against the counter-top, next to Omi, who was perched on the said counter. The blonde was muching away on a sandwich, every now and then, stealing a sip of the drink Ken held in his other hand.
"That's more than some people can manage," JJ added. He reached for a bowl of some kind of soup thing. Omi had told him the name earlier, but for the life of him, JJ couldn't remember what it was. JJ knew that Ryo might have knowledge about the soup, but he had no idea what it would be like. Still, he was willing to try almost anything once, and it wasn't like it was going to kill him. "Anything else you guys want to add to your long list of accomplishments?"
"Would you count being able to arrange flowers an accomplishment?" Yohji suggested idly.
"Flowers? You know how to make flower arrangements?" Ryo repeated, a little surprised. The light-haired man was sitting at one of the few spots at the table and was working on his second sandwich. His hunger at the sight of so much food had surprised him, but apparently Omi and Ken had been expecting it.
"Well, Omi and Aya are better at it then I am, but I can keep most flowers fresher longer," Yohji conceded. "And Ken's the best at transplanting and growing the actual plants."
"You're joking right? Please tell me you're joking," Dee asked, swallowing the sandwich he had shoved whole into this mouth. Dee was leaning casually against the wall next to the table and had a sandwich in one hand and a drink in the other. The dark haired man took a deep swallow of his drink before going on. "I don't need to find out that you guys can do something else better than me."
"Who do you think made all the flower arrangements around here? Some girl at a local flower shop?" Yohji challenged. Seeing the sheepish looks on the four men's faces, he snorted and indicated to the redhead standing next to him and to the vase of roses nearby, above the sink stand. "Sorry, but no woman will ever be able to arrange roses as well as our Aya here."
"No offense, but the image of you four as assassins is barely connecting in my brain and now you're telling me that you also do flower arrangements? What else? You also have an encyclopedic knowledge of every drug known to man or something?" Drake groaned. He was hoping that the wide extend of skills these guys had didn't have to apply to him because he would never be able to handle it all.
"Drake, I don't there's enough oxygen getting to your brain or something," Yohji teased. "What do you think we are? Machines? Why would we know something like that?"
"You just surprise us, that's all," he said defensively. At this Yohji laughed at the other man's blush and continued to tease the other man about his perception of them. Even Omi couldn't help but snicker at times. Drake had made some pretty wild assumptions, it seemed.
Ryo, seeing his friend's distress, decided that he should try and divert the conversation to something not so embarrassing to Drake. The man was turning a interesting pink/red color that Ryo had never seen on the other man. Or any man for that matter. Searching his mind, Ryo blurted out the first thing that sounded halfway decent to him. "Ken, I heard from Drake that you coach a kids' soccer team back in Japan. Is that true?"
Ken nodded and an easy smile came over his features. Ryo had hit the mark. The three things that brought a smile to Ken's face and made him open up were Omi, kids, and soccer, not in any particular order. With that smile on his face, and the tone of voice Ken was using, the ex-police officers could see how people would be drawn to the brunette and think only good things about him. "Yeah. It can be tiring at times, trying to coach a group with more energy than I'll ever have again, but when you have a group of 20 or so kids all crowding around your ankles, looking up at you like you're the greatest thing in the world, it makes it all worth it. I could easily do it for the rest of my life, if I had the choice."
Hearing this, Yohji snorted. "Speak for yourself KenKen. Give me a bunch of flowers with thorns and no shearing scissors any day over a bunch of little rug-rats."
"Well, that's you Yohji," Ken returned. "Not all of us are the sex-fiend that you are."
"Now you're just lying, KenKen. I've heard you and Omi at night. You're just as bad as me; don't go pointing any fingers at me Hikda. It'd be the kettle calling the pan black."
"It's 'the pot calling the kettle black,'" Ken corrected smugly. "And at least I don't go and hit on every girl over 18 that I meet."
"That sounds like something Dee would do," Ryo idly mused. While Dee was loyal to Ryo like no other, it didn't stop the other man from flirting with women he considered attractive. Mind you, it was women only. Dee never hit on any guy, whether Ryo was there or not. It was Dee's way of telling Ryo that there would be no one else for him and that he was just being himself and enjoying life as it came to him. However, Omi didn't know this, so naturally, he was curious.
"I thought that you were with Ryo-kun?"
"Yeah, but it still doesn't stop him from hitting on the women that he meets," Ryo answered. "He seems to share that trait in common with Yohji."
"Hey, I'm god's gift to women," Dee jokingly protested. "Why shouldn't I entertain the ladies with my hot looks, even if it's only for a moment?"
"I think you got your facts messed up here Dee," Yohji argued. Quickly reaching out, Yohji snagged Aya by the waist and pulled the silent redhead in front of him, holding onto his waist as he did so. Looking from a little above and to the side of Aya's head, he continued. "Last time I checked, Aya was the hottest thing on two legs and I was god's gift to women."
Aya didn't say a word, but his cheeks took on the slightest reddish tint. He simply took a sip of his drink and let Yohji hold him. Ken and Omi shared knowing looks. Though Aya might not show it, he liked it when Yohji complemented him.
"Maybe in Japan you were, but here in the states, I am the head honcho," Dee countered.
"Rose would argue with you on that," Drake pointed out, reminding Dee that his partner had a much bigger fanclub than Dee had back at the precinct.
"Screw what Rose says. His opinion of me doesn't matter because he's out to get me and steal Ryo away from me." The banter between Yohji and Dee had been discarded as Dee instantly went into possessive mode and defended his right to call Ryo his.
"Yeah, him and nearly every single women in the precinct, not to mention a few guys as well."
"Well, I hope they know that Ryo is mine and I'm not going to share."
"Anou, Dee. Could you drop this and talk about something else?" Ryo asked uncomfortably. On one side, he was flattered that Dee was so possessive of him and so protective as well; on another hand it was horribly embarrassing and just a little annoying. Ryo could take care of himself and he didn't want anyone to forget it, least of all his lover.
Sensing his lover's discomfort, Dee quickly agreed and
dropped the matter, but now what were they going to talk about? "Okay, what?"
"Etou…" That wasn't something Ryo had been thinking off. He just wanted Dee to
switch subjects, not that he had one in mind of to talk about instead.
"How 'bout how much you guys are out of shape?" Omi offered helpfully.
"Hey!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everybody enjoy it? Okay, just a warning. The next chapter is going to be mostly thanks for all those people that reviewed and somehow their review stuck in my head… Or was that mostly for the other fic I was writing? Argh!! Too much thinking!!!
Review? Please? Beta? Please?
