Author's Note: I think this fic is going the way I wanted it to for the most part. Seraph was mostly the suspense and the violence, while this one is more toned-down, quiet, and more aiming towards painting a calm picture. Now the question becomes, is it a painting of the calm before the storm? Or just a continuing calm throughout? XD Hahaha, I just threw you off there now, didn't I?

Disclaimer & Warnings: Refer to first chapter.

Pairing: YoKen, hints of RanOmi and hints of post RanKen.

Fic Note: Reviews are highly appreciated. I hope this chapter proves satisfactory.

I wonder if people are noticing connections between Seraph and this fic. XD Maybe I'm the only one who can tell.

Annahme

"Something the matter, Ken?" Yoji asked the sulking brunette sitting on his couch.

Ken sighed. "A little…"

Yoji frowned. "What is it, Ken?" he walked up closer to the brunette, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Ken frowned slightly and then shook his head slowly. "It's weird…I love sitting inside…but today…today I'm itching to get out. Is that…is that all right?"

Yoji laughed. "Of course it's all right, Ken. You sure you want to go outside today?" Yoji had to make sure, lately Ken hadn't been too fond of the outdoors. An unusual trait for Ken that Yoji had seemed to get used to.

Ken got a look of determination on his face. "Yes. I'm ready to go outside, but…I don't know what I want to do exactly."

"Hm…" Yoji pondered, "Well, why don't we go to the park and take a breath of fresh air?"

Ken smiled. "The park?" his eyes sparkled, "Yeah, I'd like that!"

Yoji looked at Ken slightly surprised at the enthusiastic reaction. It appeared that Ken's love for the outdoors was slowly resurfacing. It was a refreshing feeling. It was even more refreshing when Ken decided on wearing comfortable clothes for their small outing.

Yoji had led Ken to his closet and Ken was leafing through his clothes, trying to find something that appealed to his sense of touch. Yoji held his breath when Ken reached his more conservative clothing, but to his surprise, Ken frowned and skipped over the familiar fabric. Ken recognized it, but suddenly he wasn't in the mood for it. He felt over some of his soccer jerseys and landed on his favorite one. Yoji felt himself take in a sharp breath as he watched Ken pull it out, turn to him, and smile. Though Ken was looking right through him, Yoji knew the smile was meant for him. "What do you think, Yoji?"

Yoji snapped out of his slight trance. "It's a soccer jersey," he stated stupidly.

Ken laughed. "I thought so. It felt really comfortable. Think this looks all right? I can't tell."

"What? Yeah! Of course it looks all right!" Yoji said, in a state of shock.

Ken smiled. "All right then, I'll be right back!" Ken turned and felt his way to the bathroom to change.

When he came back out, Yoji could have sworn he was seeing a ghost. There was his beautiful Ken, in his soccer gear, all smiles and ready to go. He took Ken by the arm. Lately, Ken had been far less jumpy about Yoji's touches as well. The boy seemed to be adjusting to him. "Ready to go…?"

Ken nodded, staring straight ahead and smiling. "Come on! I want to get out of this place!"

Yoji laughed and helped Ken outside their home into their car.

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Ken stepped out of Yoji's convertible into the park. They headed towards a park bench. Ken stopped halfway there and leaned back, soaking in the sun. "Oh! Yoji! This is so nice…!"

Yoji smiled. "Is it?"

Ken nodded, "Mmhm! The weather here today is so nice…"

"Good."

They walked over to the bench eventually, and sat. Yoji had his arm around Ken, protectively, and Ken rested his head on Yoji's shoulder. The positions seemed so natural for them now, neither felt the least bit awkward.

"Hey, Yoji…?"

"Hm…?"

"Tell me about this place, Yoji…like…what color is the sky today? Is it blue or gray? I can't remember shapes of certain things, but I still remember color…"

Yoji half-smiled. Ken grabbed Yoji's shirt for comfort. "Yoji…"

"Yes…?"

"I don't ever want to forget color…Yoji…I don't want to forget anything anymore…"

Yoji felt himself nodding slowly in agreement. He held Ken close to him. "Don't worry, Ken…you won't forget."

Ken smiled a small smile. He closed his eyes for a moment when he heard music. Ken pushed away from Yoji a moment and looked to his left and right, hoping to catch the sound better. "Looking for something, Ken?" Yoji questioned.

"Yeah…" Ken spoke softly, "I hear a violin…"

"Yeah, you probably do. There's a quartet usually playing somewhere around-"

"Can we go see them, Yoji? Please?"

"Eh? What for? I'm comfortable here…"

Ken smiled a warm smile in Yoji's direction. That would have been enough to win the man over, but Ken then said something else that left Yoji no choice but to go with Ken's request. "I remember someone…a woman…and a man…they played the violin together. They were so happy…it was how they met. They told me."

Yoji thought about this for a moment. "They told you?

Ken nodded, seeming to be in a dream. "They loved me…we lived in a house together and then…" Ken suddenly held his head.

He was running after a car, kicking his soccer ball, trying to keep up with the car beside him. He felt himself smiling at the man and woman waving with their violins out the car window. He then remembered the car bursting into flames, and then a cold home with hungry and scared looking children. Ken shivered.

Worried, Yoji took Ken's hand in his and helped the younger boy up. "Come on, let's get to the violinists!"

Ken brightened a little, and Yoji was relieved. He had learned to keep a close eye on Ken's headaches, because they were usually a reaction triggered by something unwanted. Yoji felt it was his job to keep the unwanted thoughts away and out of Ken's mind.

When they found the violinists, Yoji sat down on a bench, while Ken walked up cautiously closer to the violinists, careful to watch his step. Yoji smiled, Ken was so happy. It amazed him how the boy was so easily satisfied and yet so hard to handle at the same time.

When they finished, Yoji frowned a bit when one of the violinists came to talk to Ken. It didn't bother him at first until the violinist managed to gain a sad reaction from the brunette. He was going to go over to Ken and take him back home, since it was getting late anyway, but then he saw the ex-soccer player's face light up as he seemed to be agreeing to something. Convincing himself to control his emotions, Yoji sat back down and waited to see what was going to happen.

He stared in shock as Ken walked up on top of the ledge with the rest of the violinists. He was even more shocked at how natural Ken's fingers were positioned on the violin when the other violinist seemed to give Ken a crash course on where the notes were.

They all stared in awe, Yoji and the other violinists alike, when Ken began to play what appeared an original piece. Yoji was amazed that Ken even knew how to play, and the violinists were amazed that Ken was even blind at all. He was definitely not blind to music.

Ken's music seemed to express his inner turmoil of anger and loneliness that he sometimes felt, and the frustration and sadness that he couldn't remember anything from his past. Yoji could see Ken's soul open even more clearly for him than ever before. Never, until he met Ken, had he experienced someone opening their souls so clearly and without shame or fear of getting hurt. That was just Ken, Yoji realized.

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"So what's your name?" Yoji dropped his pack on the ground with a thud and lit a cigarette.

The other only stared at him. "Hn…"

A shorter and more tanned boy appeared behind of the older man. "His name is Aya Fujimiya! Oh, and we don't like smokers here."

The red-head's brow seemed to twitch slightly. Yoji was amused, but put out his cigarette on the ground. "I see. And you are?"

Ran grabbed Ken's arm protectively, and Ken happily buried his face in the crook of Ran's neck. "Ken."

Yoji raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Oh! So now the cold one wants to speak?"

The boy named Ken laughed. "Aw, don't say that, you'll hurt his feelings! Ra-I mean, Aya isn't really all that cold. He's a wonderful person, once you understand who he is."

Yoji scrunched his nose. "Hm…right."

Ken showed obvious hurt on his face, and Ran was looking pissed off at Yoji now. "Treat Ken respectfully."

"Eh! I only respect women, thank you!" Yoji had snorted at Ran then.

Ken laughed a laugh as clear as a glass bell ringing and echoing all over the world. It shattered Yoji's insides. Yoji was in shock, he didn't even know that someone could laugh that happily in their current line of work. That's when Yoji had started to question if Ken was really Weiss, or if he was just a really really close friend of Ran's. Yoji was further confused when Ran's lips were twitching, trying hard not to break out into a full out smile.

"Whaaat? Was it something I said?"

Ken just laughed again, and hugged Ran. "What kind of women do you respect, Yoji?"

Yoji was still confused and Ran let out a small, amused laugh. "Will you please stop it, Ken?"

Yoji was shocked yet again. Ken had managed to make this cold man speak in a full sentence, and say please in that same sentence. Ken laughed again. "It's your fault for calling me-"

Ran turned and silenced Ken by tackling him into a wall playfully. He then started tickling Ken. Ken laughed out loud. "Stop it, Ran! Stop it!"

Now Yoji was completely lost. Ken had called this 'Aya' guy something else, and the guy wasn't mad at him for it. Yoji was almost sure now that Ran and Ken were more than just friends though. Even he didn't tickle other men when they were buddies. He also didn't understand how Ken managed to be so pure and still maintain being an assassin.

Furthermore, Yoji was a bit jealous of these two. For some reason, he wished that Ken would just stop smiling, or stop enjoying Ran's attention. Then maybe he wouldn't feel so awkward. From that moment on, Yoji always seemed to end up getting in little spats with Ken, even though they weren't always intentional. He wanted what they had.

And now he knew why, Yoji mused, laughing inwardly at how far things had developed between him and Ken now. Yoji realized, not even death could probably separate himself from this man. Ironically, Yoji would never know how close to that truth he was until the end of his time.

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Ken was drifting off to sleep next to him as Yoji was driving them home. Yoji made a stop in the marketplace, however in the inner city before they went back home. "Hey, Ken?"

"Hunh?" Ken responded sleepily.

Yoji smiled. "Do you like gold, or silver?"

"Hn…red…"

Yoji laughed. "No, I mean if those were your only two choices, which would it be?"

"Huh? Huh…silver…I guess."

Yoji nodded, taking mental note. "Do you like shiny or not so shiny?"

Ken yawned. "I don't like flashy stuff."

Yoji nodded again. "Hey, Ken…come with me a second."

"Huh? Why…? I'm tired, Yoji…" Ken whined.

Yoji laughed. "Just listen to me today, you moron."

Ken sighed. "Okay, okay…just help me out of the car."

"Okay."

Yoji parked his car, then got out of it. He helped Ken out of the passenger side before locking the door behind them. Yoji led Ken inside a store that was cool in temperature. Ken shivered slightly. He was a bit afraid when Yoji let him go and went off to find a store clerk. Ken shivered, having random flashbacks of a cold place, an orphanage that he recognized and yet did not recognize.

Ken almost jumped when he felt Yoji's hands on his shoulders, but immediately recognized their friendly warmth. He relaxed a while until Yoji slid something slick and cold down one of Ken's fingers. It felt funny to him. "Yoji! What are you doing?" Ken whispered.

"Hm…this seems to be right," was all Yoji said in response.

Confused, Ken just waited. Eventually, he heard a cash register go off, and Ken was soon being led back to the car. "Erm…Yoji?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"What did we buy?"

"Cream."

"Cream! At random?" Ken wondered, yet he realized it would explain the temporary cold slick feeling he had felt.

He heard Yoji laugh. "Yes, at random. What are you going to do about it?"

"I…I don't know," Ken yawned, "But I know I'm tired and I'm going to go to sleep…"

Yoji laughed. "Yeah, you go do that, KenKen."

Ken laughed before drifting off. "Yotan…" he whispered automatically again.

Yoji's eyes widened slightly and he looked over in Ken's direction and looked surprised. He knew Ken had said his nickname this time. He was sure of it. Yet, then again, Yoji might have imagined it. After all, he had been waiting for so long for Ken to say it again, it was probably possible that his mind just got overexcited and made it all up. Yoji wouldn't have been surprised. He knew it wouldn't have been his first time.

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Ken had dropped a flowerpot on the ground. Yoji and the woman he had been flirting with looked over at him in question. The woman lost interest as Yoji walked over to Ken's side. "What is it, Ken?"

Ken looked annoyed. "What you said to that woman, that was so rated R…"

Yoji laughed at Ken's phrase. "What, did little Kenikens get annoyed by my pick-up skills? Does he want some?"

"Ugh!" Ken scrunched his nose in disgust, "And don't call me Kenikens! All I was saying was…that was not necessary in this shop. You can do it in the clubs you go to, but not here!"

Yoji smirked. "All right, Kenikens, whatever you say!"

"Argh! I can't believe Ra-Aya and Omi picked today to go out on a date!" Ken seemed to tack the last bit on with a twinge of sadness and regret.

The blond playboy noticed the change in the ex-soccer player's expression. Yoji grinned cockily, trying to distract Ken from his thoughts. "No? Okay then, how about KenKen?"

"Do you have to nickname me?"

Yoji fluttered his eyelashes innocently. "Why, of course, my dearest KenKen! A childish nickname for a childish man."

Ken narrowed his eyes. "Fine! Then…then I get to call you one too!"

"Go ahead."

Ken's left eye twitched. "Fine! You…you…YoYo!"

Yoji was silent at first, and then his body started shaking. Ken looked at Yoji confused, then watched Yoji erupt into laughter. Ken's strange imagination was just too funny. "YoYo? The worst you can come up with is YoYo? Hah!"

Ken blushed furiously. "Shut up, Yotan!"

Yoji blinked. That one was a bit annoying. "What was that?"

Ken grinned, realizing that it bothered Yoji. "I said, Yotan!"

"KenKen!"


"Yotan!"

"KenKen!"

"Yotan!"

"Everyone left…" a cold voice sliced through.

Yoji and Ken slowly turned to see Ran standing at the front door with Omi, arms crossed. In the midst of their arguing, they had driven away all their customers. Ken looked away a bit, and Yoji stared at Ran, level. He never liked the guy when he was dating Ken, and he certainly didn't like him now. In a way, Yoji's constant bickering with Ken was because he was sympathetic to Ken's problem. He didn't know how else to show that he was worried for Ken, since the boy's smile seemed to be slipping more and more.

"Who made this mess."

"Me…" Ken said quietly.

Ran ignored Ken, it was obvious to all of them that it wasn't Ken Ran was mad at. "You will clean it up," Ran said directly to Yoji, staring at the blond with his striking violet eyes.

Ken, thinking the order was for him, sighed, then put his hands on his hips and glared at Yoji. "Hey! I hope you know you're going to help me clean this up. It was partly your fault too!"

Yoji helped Ken, but not because he was told. He did because Ken had, in his own strange way, asked. When they had finished, Yoji had mockingly ruffled Ken's hair, messing it up and annoying the younger man to death. "You did well, Hidaka."

"Aw, put a lid on it, Yotan!"

"KenKen."

"…!"

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More than a month had gone by since their outing. At the moment Ken was making breakfast on his own with no problem, since Yoji had helped him gain his confidence. Yet Ken was suddenly missing Yoji's hands on his, guiding him. He knew he had probably been bothersome to the blond, but somehow, the blond seemed to have grown on him a little.

Ken sighed and put down his utensils. He just wasn't in the mood to finish his cooking at the moment. He leaned over the sink and contemplated these past few months. In the past few months, he and Yoji had done almost everything together.

In the beginning, Ken admitted to himself that he had felt awkward around Yoji. But now, he felt completely at ease. It was at that point that Ken realized that he could accept Yoji a little more than he had believed he could. Ken was startled out of his thoughts, but relaxed immediately when he recognized the hands on his shoulders. "Is something wrong…Ken?"

Ken half-smiled. "A little bit."

"Do you want to go outside again?"

Ken shook his head. "I…I need to sit."

Yoji didn't act right away, but Ken was prepared for him when Yoji finally led him to a seat on the couch. Ken settled himself in. He heard Yoji sit across from him to get back to his coffee and newspaper. Ken felt a bit hurt that Yoji's attentions weren't on him today.

The truth was, Yoji had a lot on his mind. He wanted to explain to Ken something, but he couldn't. Meanwhile, Ken was fearing the worst; Yoji had lost interest in him. This gave Ken some courage to do what he was about to do.

"Yoji…?"

"Hm…?"

Yoji was distracted. That wasn't a good sign. Ken bit his lip. "Um…can we talk…? It's kind of important…"

"Eh? Sure," Ken relaxed a bit when he heard Yoji set down his cup and newspaper.

Now he had Yoji's full attention-or at least, most of it. Ken felt nervous flutters in his stomach. "Um…promise not to laugh or anything?"

Yoji smiled tiredly. "Of course. Promise."

Ken nodded, but mostly to himself. "Okay…um…remember when you told me that you wished that when I remembered things…that you asked me whether or not I...I loved you back?" Ken tacked the last one on as a whisper.

Yoji nodded slowly, nervous flutters forming in his own stomach. This may have been the opening he had been waiting for all this time. "Well…" Ken continued, "I think I can give you my answer now…"

Yoji was on the edge of his seat, nervous. Ken was just as nervous when he heard Yoji shift. "So…" Yoji prodded cautiously.

Ken laughed nervously. "Um…I just wanted to say…that after thinking about it…I realized we've been getting a lot closer lately. And well…I don't mind it at all anymore…I mean, it used to bother me a lot, but now…it's calming when we are together."

"Meaning…?"

"Well, at first I wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad sort of calm but then…then I realized."

Yoji took in some air and held it. Ken half-smiled. "You know, it's funny."

"What is…?" Yoji whispered gently.

"I think…I think I like you. A lot. Maybe even…maybe even love you a little," Ken said shyly.

Yoji thought he was going to die happy. He couldn't believe it. After so many years of waiting, he finally had the words he had been dying to hear. He rushed to Ken's side excitedly. "No joke?" he asked hopefully, to confirm.

Ken smiled in his direction. "No joke…"

Yoji crushed his lips to Ken's. Ken accepted his kiss gratefully, and he felt a bit of regret when Yoji was the first to pull away. He wouldn't be regretting for long. Yoji dug something out of his pocket and placed it in Ken's palm. Ken felt it for a while, and then his eyes widened. It had been that cold substance he had felt before. Now he knew what it was. It was a ring.

Ken looked in the direction opposite Yoji, he had lost his orientation, with teary eyes. Yoji laughed lightly and moved Ken's face to face him and wiped away Ken's tears. "Yoji…do you mean it…?"

Yoji smiled. "You shouldn't have to ask me that question."

Ken smiled back, somehow knowing Yoji was smiling too. He wiped his fresh tears away. "Then you shouldn't have to ask my answer…" the brunette whispered.

Yoji smiled and slowly slid the ring on Ken's finger. "So you'll marry me…"

Ken laughed at Yoji's sneakiness. "Yes…yes I will."

Yoji smiled and held Ken close. They locked in a tight embrace, both very happy. "So then…where from here?"

"Soon..." Yoji whispered, "When we get all the preparations ready…then we'll be official, forever."

Forever. Ken liked the sound of that. Forever didn't have to be perfect, long or short. Forever just had to be said. And Yoji had said it.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Saiki.Kensuke.Yuuta: Two chapters left! Nearing the end! Can ya handle it? Hahahaha.

Hopefully you've been paying attention to my author's notes, guys! I don't just ramble up there for no reason like some writers do. I have reasons for why my notes are there!

Please read them! And stay tuned!