As You See Me.. (5).

Disclaimer: Same as in previous

Pairing: Yohji x Aya/Ran
Warnings: Yaoi, Shounen-ai, Angst, AU

Other Stuff: 'Look at What You've Done' is a poem by me. Please do NOT use it without my permission. I will get very upset and throw a temper tantrum (possibly trashing my computer in the process).

Taking a short break, Yohji looked out to the open air where his charge had last been seen. Seemed to him that there had been too much silence. Not even the click of his lighter had been heard for a couple of hours…

The blond rose from the bench and walked out towards the extravagant wrought iron long chair, his mouth quirking slightly at the site of Ran haphazardly sprawled over it. The young man reminded him of a cat - able to sleep in some of the damnedest positions he'd ever seen.

Right now, he didn't think he could name anything that was more beautiful than the boy.

Those rich red locks framed his face, giving the pale features an angular look. Long crimson lashes rested over high cheekbones, giving the illusion of fragility. It suited Ran. Absently, and as if it was the most natural thing in the world, Yohji threaded his fingers through that soft silk, "I hope your dreams are good, Ran. You deserve them…"

Yohji turned, about to go back inside, when he spied what the young man had been writing. Curiosity ran through him, along with a small stab of guilt at the invasion of Ran's privacy, as he picked it up. Maybe he could get a few ideas of how to finish the song that was churning aimlessly through his head.

Yohji put the notebook down and went back to the piano. He thought about the strange poem that Ran had written. He was sure that it wasn't meant for him to see. The blond smiled softly, ruefully, thinking about what he was going to do concerning this turn of events.

Oh, he'd gotten love poetry before. But he'd never been so close to the writer. Ran was right there, in the next room, his heart lain out on that blue lined paper. Yohji shook his head and sat down on the bench. That boy's pain was right there, waiting to be soothed away into something sweeter.

'Would it kill you to be the one to do it?'

Yohji started at the thought. His mind had played rebellion games with him before, but never on this subject. He bent over the piano, ready to start applying pressure to the keys.

'Or is it easier to hold onto your own pain than heal the pain of others?'

"He deserves someone better…" Yohji knew his past would eventually catch up to him. He didn't want anyone else to be in the blasting radius when it happened.

'He won't get anyone better. You know that.'

"That doesn't matter," the singer whispered to himself harshly, "He's been through enough. He doesn't need to compound his life with the dangers of mine."

'That's his choice to make, not yours.'

"No," he answered that voice, "I can't let him be at risk."

'Why? Why do you care if he's at risk or not? He's just a mouthy little bitch-whore. No one will miss him when he's gone…'

One hand slammed down on the piano top, "I'll miss him, damn it!" The feelings that rushed through Yohji were strong, overwhelming, enough to finally make him take notice of them. "Oh, God… It's too late…"

'He's already gotten to you, hasn't he, Kudou?'

Yohji growled, remembering something he'd seen on a t-shirt once, "Shut up, brain, or I'll stab you with a Q-Tip…" The accusatory voice went silent; leaving the singer free to work on the music that had him nearly as frustrated mentally as Ran did emotionally.

The soft strains of piano music roused Ran out of his sleep on the balcony. The sweet melancholy music wafted around him, drawing him indoors to where the blond musician sat. The youth leaned over the top and looked at Yohji carefully. With his head bent down like it was, and with the way his shoulders remained hunched over, Ran figured that his muscles must be a wreck.

The ashtray's contents told him that Yohji had been at the keys for a long time. Ran moved, taking the tray in hand and dumping it, before going behind the blond. He leaned over one shoulder and set the ashtray back on the piano, "Not going well?"

"No," Yohji muttered as he chewed thoughtfully on a pencil. His eyes scanned the paper, trying to decipher what was inherently wrong in the melody. He set it down and started playing through the song again, "Damn…"

Ran lifted his hands and moved them to the thin shoulders, "Maybe you should take a break?"

"Not a chance until I get something solid here," Yohji said softly. He jumped when he felt the slim hands on his shoulders start rubbing, massaging the tension out, making his body settle down, "That's nice…"

Hands still moving, Ran couldn't hide his smile, "Good. You can't write like this, Yohji. Why don't you take a breather?" He rather liked the feel of the singer's body under his palms. He didn't know why, but it was nice to be able to do this for someone else.

"I need to finish it," Yohji said firmly, "Otherwise, it's going to drive me insane." He rolled his shoulders, getting the last knots out with the redhead's help, "I hate it when songs do this to me."

Leaning forward, Ran draped his arms over Yohji's shoulders, letting his head rest on one side, "I'll bet. You haven't slept well."

"Who needs sleep when they have caffeine?" The blond had the good graces not to start at the rather intimate contact. He did like how it felt to be in the loose circle of Ran's embrace. He lifted his hand, over his shoulder, to rest it against the side of the young man's face. He felt it being pressed into, "You should probably go to bed. I'm going to be at this a while…" God, but Yohji could get into this kind of closeness.

Ran's fingers were idly playing with the buttons on the front of his shirt, "I'll stay up with you." Truth be told, he didn't want to let the singer go just yet. Holding him like this was something he could take with him back to the streets and savor on those cold, lonely nights.

Turning his head enough to show the easy-going smile, Yohji went back to work. His fingers moved over the keys again, testing out the newest idea for a melody. The warmth at his back felt so good… It was relaxing him. Something he hadn't had in a long time.

Yohji scooted over on the bench and made room for the redhead, "Sit next to me?"

"Sure." Ran nodded before dropping beside to the singer, leaning against his shoulder, one hand still holding the robe closed around him. His violet eyes began to drift as the sweet sound of the piano's keys lulled him back to the realms of Morpheus.

It took several minutes for Yohji to realize that the young man was asleep. Carefully, he turned so that the redhead fell across his lap with a little whine, "Shhh… I'm just moving you to the couch."

"Okay," came the sleepy mumble. Ran shifted as he was picked up in those strong arms and moved to the long soft surface, "Yohji?"

"Yes?"

The young man held onto his hand after he was deposited, not letting go, "Please… stay with me… don't leave me alone."

So much pain in that soft voice. Yohji couldn't help but want to protect the redhead from anything and everything. His other hand stroked through the crimson locks. "I'm just going back to the piano. I won't be far," he whispered softly, leaning down to press his lips to Ran's temple.

Back at the instrument, Yohji put his hands on the ivories but didn't move them. His emerald gaze was locked on the youth that slept in the next room; within a few strides of his long legs. The singer's world had been completely turned upside down in the last week. He knew that he was fully capable of falling in love during that time, or at least, getting something started that could lead in such a direction.

Stirrings in his heart gave him pause. Yohji leaned forward and rest his head against the polished white surface, "Ran… what have you done to me?"

He shook his head, knowing that the answer was in easy reach of his bruised heart.

TBC

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