Part Ten

He can feel his breath quickening, his pulse pounding louder and louder in his ears. Everything seems blurred, dazed, distant. He is aware only of what he can FEEL, and what he feels is friction, heat, touch, and the softness of another man's breath against his skin.

A light, unassuming kiss had become a desperate battle of tongues like a tidal wave. And now…now…he cannot remember where his clothes have disappeared to or when; he knows only the feel of that warm skin, those fingers pressing deep into his hips, those strong legs entwined with his, that hot mouth moving down his neck in open, wet kisses, and the sudden entrance of heat too extreme to contain.

He believes he has cried out—he must have—though he can hear no sound, no sound other than the labored pants of the man tangled with him.

When the hazy vision within all this glorious vertigo finally focuses, he is aware only of tan skin, chocolate hair, and warm, inviting, LOVING brown eyes, before the vision is brutally ripped away.

-----

Ran awakes with a start, breathing hard and heavy. His eyes are wild as he tries to calm himself, attempting to collect his rapidly playing thoughts. He can feel the chilling sweat clinging to his skin, dampening his nightshirt and cotton pants. Thank goodness he has awoken before any other dampness could occur.

This thought propels his thoughts deeply back into the dream, replaying the torrid details vividly. Too vivid. He does not want to remember. He does not want to remember the feel of that sun-kissed body pressing against…into…his. It is wrong! Dangerous. Unfair.

So unfair…

"Leave me alone, Ken…" Ran grits out between his teeth, running an angry hand through sweat-soaked, blood red hair. Sitting up fully in bed, he looks around his room as if searching out some perpetrator who might be to blame for such a dream even daring to form in his head. Sadly, there is none to be found. "Kuso…why…why did I allow that…kiss…?"

Ah, yes, Ran was indeed awake when Ken's lips touched his so briefly and tenderly only two nights before. Afterwards, Ran had never been so eager to sleep off jetlag in his entire life. Anything to escape those questioning, curious, penetrating eyes. Anything to avoid the questions that would surely arise if Ken found out he had awoken the verysecond thebrunette stepped into the back of the van.

But what else could he have done but play dead? He didn't want to deal with Ken's pleading—innocent, as it may have been at first. If he had wanted to spend the trip riding with the others, he would have chosen to sit up front in the first place. Besides, Ken's intentions quickly faded from being so chaste, and not only did the brunette once again announce undying devotion, but he dared kiss the sleeping redhead when Ran could very well have been defenseless—had he actually been sleeping.

Ran knows he could have—SHOULD HAVE—stopped Ken the moment he felt those lips. He could have feigned waking and screamed Ken out for daring to take such liberty with him. But instead, he found himself struggling desperately NOT to reciprocate that gentle, loving gesture.

"Damn you, Ken. I can't…I can't. Why...why won't you understand that? Shioshiro is not enough…to make up for what I am…"

-----

"Oi, Aya!" Youji calls as Ran finally shows himself to the light of day, slipping out of the RV to check on the others who are organizing the many flowers and plant life that are still being stored in the back.

It is not all that late—ten in the morning only—but for Ran, anal-retentive, slave driver extraordinaire, it is a rare occurrence for him to be the last one up.

The others have been up for at least two hours, having more easily pushed through their jetlag. Youji, Omi, and Nagi seem to be sorting the flowers into similar types while Ken and Shioshiro are busy packing up a small rental car with the odds and ends they have already sorted. All take notice of Ran as he steps out into the sun, a pair of brunettes especially.

"Geez, Aya. Someone sure had a rough night last night." Youji gawks, allowing a delayed though wholly irritating grin as he takes in Ran's less than perfect appearance.

The redhead is dressed for the day, but his hair is somewhat tangled, his ear-tails not quite falling as they should, and the slight darkness around his eyes proves he has yet to get a truly full night's rest.

Ran turns an impressive glare onto his teasing friend. "Urusei. I never cared for flying. Besides, I've put up with your disarrayed sleeping habits long enough to be granted reprieve this one time. And it will only be this one time. It won't happen again. Someone has to be sure you fools don't kill yourselves fighting in this war of his."

His. It is almost comical how seldom Ran can bring himself to speak the young man's name.

"Now…what on earth are you doing?" he asks of everyone, surveying the varied tasks at hand. Naturally, his eyes do not linger on the pair that is so intently watching him. "I thought we had agreed there was no need to sell flowers in town. With Manx in contact with us already, the real bills are paid for, and there is no one around for us to need that old pretense."

"Heh. What are you saying, Aya?" Youji begins with a crooked smile, sauntering halfway over to Ran's rigid stance so many feet from the others. "I thought you liked being a flower man."

Ran respectfully ignores this.

"We're not going to sell them like normal, Aya-kun." Omi provides, resuming his work as he lifts a pot from one area of flowers to put it next to ones that resemble it much more. "All of this was taking up too much space with Nagi-kun and Shio-kun staying with us now. So we're going to take everything and sell it to one of the local shops in town. We won't get as much for them as we would selling them ourselves, but like you said, we don't need the money."

As Omi hoists the pot up in his arms to better place it down in the correct spot, he loses his grip on it suddenly and it slips from his hands. Centimeters before hitting the ground, however, it stops, floating in mid-air only to move and land gracefully in the exact spot Omi had intended to put it.

"Ah, thank you, Nagi-kun." Omi smiles brightly to the young brunette behind him.

Nagi shrugs, comfortable around Omi but feeling quite out of place still, even after such an interesting flight home. Sufficed to say, Youji and Ken very vigorously accepted the young telekinetic into the group, 'paling around' with him in a way the boy is not at all used to. Omi and Shioshiro had laughed at the humor in it, but Ran found none of it very funny.

He finds little if anything very funny these days.

"Why don't you help us load, Fujimiya-san?" Shioshiro calls over with a rather mischievous grin. "I feel like we haven't seen much of you lately."

Ran huffs. "You see me everyday. I have no intention of bonding with a child I never wanted."

The pot that had been in Ken's arms falls to the ground with a loud crash, shattering into fragments, the flowers lost in a mound of upturned soil. Ken's eyes have ignited easily, his fists clenching. "Be as mean as you want to me, Aya, but don't you dare speak to Hiro that way. He can't help who his parents are, ya know? You have no right to make him feel unwanted."

"He is unwanted." Ran growls back, lack of sleep and frazzled nerves making his better judgment a distant memory, and his sense for tact even farther behind that. "I never asked for a son. I never asked for you to be stupid enough to fall in love with me after seeing me once. I never asked for this suicide mission, either, but what more can I do but follow orders. What, Ken? What can I do? What do you want me to do?!"

Unthinkingly, Ran begins to storm forward, towards Ken as he speaks, echoing that first outburst when Youji had let the truth of Ken's feelings slip. But after only a few angry steps, he stops in a sharp jerk, as if held back by some invisible force.

"Stop this. Please." comes Nagi's calm and steady voice. Four heads turn to look at the boy standing so collected as he uses his powers against Ran, but Ran—of course—is unable to turn his head at all. "I know very little of what is happening, only what Omi has told me. But…but you can't really mean to fight with your friends. That is not the family Omi has described to me all this time. You bicker, yes, but there is too much anger in you, Fujimiya-san. Too much. I may not be a telepath, but I can definitely feel that."

Ran topples forward as Nagi releases him, off balance with the amount of momentum that had been behind his steps. He catches himself before stumbling too far, but when he has steadied his footing, his somewhat calmed, violet eyes rest on the two brunettes now only a few yards in front of him.

All trace of anger leaves him. He does not mean to hurt Shioshiro, and his expression—somehow, even if only to Shioshiro—explains that. As for his countenance towards Ken, it is still so cryptic, even Ran is not sure what it is he is projecting.

"Why…why did I let you…?" he starts, but cannot finish for fear of giving himself away. Turning swiftly from the others, Ran rushes back to the RV, slamming the door hard behind him as he disappears inside.

His anger is a mystery to so many, but that certain pair of brunettes knows him all too well.

'He was awake…' Ken realizes sadly. There is no joy in the realization, because Ran's reaction shows that there is still far too many hurdles yet to face. What is it Ran is afraid of? How can Ken prove to him that returning his love isn't something to fear or regret? It just…is.

Shioshiro, next to his solemn father, smiles in assurance, placing a large hand on the other brunette's shoulder. No words pass as Ken turns to take in his son's expression, because behind those all too familiar violets rests an understanding that washes all fears away.

The others quietly return to their work, Nagi levitating flowers as Omi directs him and Youji continuing to do it manually, while Ken and Shioshiro begin once more to load up the car. Through it all, Ran watches them, hidden by the curtains as he studies their forms through the window. He feels so very foolish and juvenile. Exploding so easily over nothing, acting so very immature and spiteful, nearly turning to violence over Ken's justified defense of Shioshiro, and…and nearly giving in to so many dangerous emotions.

'What am I going to do…?'

-----

A few hours later, Ken and Shioshiro have gone and come back three times already with different loads of flowers, and the five of them—Ran having yet to emerge from the RV—are now gathering together the things that cannot be sold. There is a significantly larger amount of space in the RV now, enough for all of them to live comfortably for as long as need be.

Seeing as how Omi and Nagi don't appear to need his help all that much, Youji saunters his way over to Ken. "So…we're almost done here, right? Maybe you should…head on inside." he mentions casually, though his true intentions are painfully clear.

Ken glances back at Shioshiro, now cleaning out the rental car of stray petals and leaves, and then turns back to Youji with a shrug. "I know what you're thinking, but…maybe we shouldn't push him. He's even lashing out at Shioshiro now. I mean, I know Aya's never really been…civil with Hiro, but…but I don't want him acting that way. Not when I know it's my fault…"

"What do you mean?" Youji presses. "You're just being honest with him. You haven't even tried anything, though you certainly have every right to in my opinion."

Ken visibly pales. And Youji is not one to miss it.

The blonde's usual smile stretches into a very knowing grin and he elbows Ken gently in the side. "What did you do…?"

Ken swallows. "N-Nothing."

"KenKen…"

"I…I just…well…"

"You…"

"…kinda…maybe…kissed him."

"What?!"

"Youji!" Ken hisses, returning that elbow to the side with one of his own, though one with quite a bit more power in hopes of keeping Youji's voice down.

"You kissed him?" Youji asks in an excited whisper, leaning in close enough to Ken to practically exchange the same intimate air. "How? When was this?"

"When we…were coming back from helping Schwartz…on the way to the airport, and…and…"

"And you went back to 'check on Aya' right? Oooo, this is good stuff. So, how did it happen? Did he freak? Did you seduce him to your whims for a moment before he suddenly pushed you away? What?"

Ken is practically bent back against the garbage bags of useless flowers, trying in vain to escape Youji's advancing excitement. "He…he was asleep. Or…at least he was pretending to be, and…and I leaned down in front of him, and…kissed him. I didn't mean to do it! It just…happened. It wasn't like all deep and passionate. It lasted a little longer than I shoulda let it, but…he didn't even twitch. Nothing. Though…well…the way he's been acting…I think maybe…he was just pretending to be asleep."

"Dude, I could write books about this shit." Youji practically squeals. "So what the hell are you doing out here. Get in there and make something happen. If he was faking it, then that means he LET you kiss him."

"Yeah, but…he didn't exactly kiss me back."

"So? If he felt nothing he would have knocked you back a good ten feet and whooped your ass from there to Kobe. Come on, Ken. He's obviously harboring feelings for you, he's just being stubborn."

Finally steadying himself a little sturdier on his feet, Ken gently pushes Youji away. This is his problem and he is going to deal with it his way. "The thing is I don't know what he's being stubborn about. I don't know why. And until I do, forcing myself on him isn't going to make anything better."

Ken expects Youji to become defensive, but the blonde surprises him, breaking into an almost pleased smile. "That's why you're meant for each other, KenKen. You know him better than any of us. It's kismet. When you finally get him to come around it's gonna be magic."

"Exactly." affirms a voice just as pleased as Youji's smile. Shioshiro is finished cleaning up the car and has made his way over to them. "Listen, Kento, I could say it a million times. This is going to happen, but it's going to happen in its own time. You know how to work Oran like no one else. Keep doing things your way and eventually everything will work out. Then…if at any point you need our help, just let us know and we'll come running. Right, Yotan?"

An emerald wink replies. "All the way, kiddo."

A slightly more genuine smile slips into Ken's expression; Shioshiro and Youji's words, their confidence in him and in the situation, somehow makes all of it feel that much more…possible. After all, with everything else seeming so ridiculous and yet turning out anyway—Nagi joining their ranks to say the least—such a little thing as fated love can't be too far behind. Right?

Ken lifts his eyes to focus in on those sympathetic violets, those loving violets, Ran's violets…even though they belong to someone else entirely. For all of Ran he sees in them, he sees some of himself, too. And that makes all the difficulties in the world that much more worth it.

Shioshiro smiles back at his father's attention, but before Ken can comment, the distant sight of swirling dust beyond Shioshiro's shoulders draws his gaze away.

Not one car but two appear to be heading towards them. The first is clearly the same car Manx showed up in only days before, but the other…

"My car!"

Ken and Shioshiro look to Youji, who's face has lit up like a teenager who just passed their driving test…after failing miserably. Twice.

Nagi and Omi walk over to join the others, having finished cleaning up the last of the unwanted flowers. Nagi looks a little uncomfortable wearing Omi's clothes—a long-sleeved, navy T-shirt and jeans—but seems capable of coping with anything so long as Omi remains next to him.

"I can see Birman in the seat next to Manx." Omi observes. "Who do you suppose is driving the other car, though?"

No one has an answer, but as the cars pull up beside the RV, they are soon to discover the truth.

The five young men gather about the first car as Manx and Birman get out. The sound of a sliding door opening and slamming shut alerts them to the fact that Ran has finally emerged from the RV, though none turn to check. They are all much more concerned with the figure now getting out of Youji's old Super 7.

"You boys look so solemn. I thought things were going well." Manx says with a flourish of her hair, hand placed commonly on her hip as she approaches.

Birman comes around the car to join her comrade. "Our presence isn't a sign of bad news, I assure you. We have come again so soon…because he wanted to see you." She gestures to the man slowly coming up to stand beside the two women. He is dressed in a prim suit, his hair slicked back, dark, and his features appear stern though somehow…understanding. He is wearing sunglasses, but as he comes to a halt, he removes them, revealing eyes that look a little wearier than they should.

"Persia."

Ran's voice holds no hesitance, certain in his assumption. Weiss has not met their new boss, as it were, not since the old one died, but it is not a difficult thing to surmise.

"Why come now?" the redhead continues, managing to advance closer on the three Kritiker agents while maintaining distance from his other companions. They are all looking at him now, all curious as to what he will say and do since they have not seen him for hours, but he pays them no mind. "Have you finally decided to take in the freak show first hand, or are you afraid we might betray you because of this child's directives?"

This child is not offended, but looks to Persia along with his willful father, also curious as to what the man's presence may mean.

Persia, a man clearly unfit to take up the burden he bears, even for all his apparent strength of character, sighs deeply, casting a few glances to the women beside him before finally turning back to address not Ran but Shioshiro.

"You are the son of two of these men, correct? You have come here—so you say—to save us all, and thus far we have allowed and even aided your missions. I am here…the three of us are here…to ask what this means for us. It is time you told more of your tale, son. The path you are leading us down is a dangerous one, and I feel we are untitled to know why we should continue to help you. Powell and the Rats were one thing, Nicol, too, but…Schwartz…" He trails off slightly, throwing Nagi a nervous glance. "…and even Farblos and Rosenkreuz. Kritiker has already suffered heavy losses do to those factions and organizations. Estet is not something to toy with. What exactly are you expecting from us?"

All eyes, as is so often the case, focus on the young brunette. Shioshiro, for all the wanted and unwanted attention on him now, holds his head just as high, stands just as tall, unwavering in the mission he knows he must complete at all costs. "What I am expecting from you…is for you to die."

Silence. Purposefully long and tense and…misleading.

Shioshiro's lips quirk up. "That is…if you allow things to simply be as they are. Without my help, Kurasuma-san, all three of you will die within the year. And you, I am sad to say, will also lose your wife and son."

Persia visibly stiffens and the others look rightly stunned. Not only because Shioshiro has predicted the trio's death but also because he knows Persia's true name.

"Kurasuma-san, you were never cut out to take over for Takatori Schuuichi. You were a good officer of the law, but not meant for this dirty business. If you allow things to continue as they are now, what I have said will come to pass. In my time, Weiss was there when both of these women died. Birman died in Oran arms, Manx in Omiji's. And you…were not able to save yourself, your wife, or your son from Shion's blade."

Four pairs of eyes widen—Manx's, Birman's, Persia's, and Ran's—and surely, Ran's heart has ceased to beat. "Shion…" he breathes, his hand trembling from the memories of all those he has killed with the sword Shion bestowed him. With the sword named for Shion, his master. The man Ran owes more to than anyone, and also the one he most longs to kill.

That is, should Shion still be alive, which does seem to be the case if Shioshiro can be trusted. As much as Ran hates to admit it, he sees no reason to distrust the boy, even if he rarely, if it all thus far, has liked what Shioshiro has had to say.

"I hope you understand now the importance of what I am doing, even if all I have explained is that your own lives are at risk." Shioshiro continues, leaving those stunned faces be. There will be time enough to address them. "Kritiker as it standsis doomed regardless of what we do, but its resources will be needed to finish this. If my mission is successful, Kritiker cannot exist as it once did, but must begin anew. You should go back to your family and your day-job, Kurasuma-san. Today. You do not know what you are getting into. I do. I think far more so than you, these women do, too. Following me is the only way to save your lives. Trust my judgment and do as I have asked. For your sake and the sake of those you love."

The many gathered are restless in stiff and wrenching silence for what must be minutes, long minutes of wondering what comes next. When at last someone dares speak, it is a voice quite unexpected.

"We are with you, Shioshiro." young Nagi assures with a firm nod, looking briefly to Omi for support. "What now? What must we do next?"

For all the uncertainties of tomorrow, and with many still hoping this is just a trick, a lie, anything, every pair of eyes is on Shioshiro, awaiting an answer they will not only listen to…but follow.

Shioshiro smiles—he really cannot help himself—and looks hard at the Kritiker trio regarding him with such frightened interest. "Next? Hehe. Next…we have to stop Weiss."

A/N:

For those who know Dramatic Precious, that last line should make more sense. hehe. don't worry though, it'll all make sense. Ran is slowly cracking, as all can see, BUT it will take a little more persuasion.

Me-Nuriko: http :( (www . seme-uke . net( schwarz( downloads If you remove spaces and replace parentheses with slashes it should bring you to where ein is found, however, zweit no longer seems to exist. If anyone wants to know what happens in the second half, email me and I'll try to explain as much as I remember, but in my story, things don't get that far so it doesn't matter.

alishaann: Very perceptive. You're right about a number of things, though...the 'other' kids part may not happen as you're expecting. ;-)

Anjoism: No, neither guy carried the child. An artificial environment was created, like and artificial egg was created to carry one set of dna from one of the guy's sperm, the other normal sperm, and then it was fertilized and placed in an artificial environment like a futuristic incubator. That explains it poorly, too, prolly, but hopefully makes more sense.

Bao-chan: Expect Schu and Brad sooner than Farf and Sally, but it will take time for all to appear again.

HeatherR: Farf in Brad's head in Gluhen no one really knows. Personally, i don't think it was really farf, just a mental warrior brad imagined like farf. There really is no real explanation for that moment. But farf and sally do leave together at the end of the Drama CDs.

Whisper Reilman: "be they conjugal or no" HAHA! Loved that! I totally agree about the Farf/Sally thing seeming rushed, and that is after a tried to alter things a tad. It just...happens like that in the Drama CDs. You see, we are supposed to forgive it because Farf and Sally's love is predestined and 'magical' in a sence. It is rather sweet actually. He deserves a cannon happy ending, so I was glad he got one. Your flattery...flatters me to no end and you make me very proud. Also, it is a pleasure to know someone gets the 'revelation' of a certain couples love. ;-)

Glad I'm keeping you all from school work and sorry i didn't get this up as soon as possible. I will have another chapter up before Christmas FOR SURE. I can't NOT put one up by then. Glad you're all still hooked and are looking to more as much as I am. The next part will explain a little about the characters in Dramatic Precious, but you won't meet them til the one after. Ja ne! I love you guys so much. :-)

Crim