De: Max Ikari <annaid8@yahoo.com>
Objet: [YoujixAya] One Art (Chapter 2)
Finally! I got the next chapter out. I got so much support
for my story it got me kind of intimidated. I was like
what if they don't like the next chapter? What if it sucks?
Haven't felt that way since writing Inner Trinity. Oh
well. Okay you guys now the package. It is NC-17 and
please, please give me feedback. I would really love it.
:) Okay let's get this show on the road.
Ran : Very funny.
Yohji: You have no sense of humor. Want to get laid?
Ran: Pervert.
Max: Guys, guys. You will both be happy soon enough.
Ran: I don't like the sound of that.
Yohji: I do.
One Art
Chapter 2
The art of losing isn’t hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.
Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn’t hard to master.
Then practice losing a father, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.
I lost my mother’s watch. And look! My last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went
The art of losing isn’t hard to master.
I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn’t a disaster.
Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture I love)
I shan’t have lied. It’s evident
The art of losing’s not too hard to master
Though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.
Elizabeth Bishop
December 15, 1998
God he hated his life thought Ran as he toweled dry after
his increasingly hot shower. How was he supposed to
concentrate on what he needed to do with Yohji following
him all day?
Ever since getting there the blonde had been following him,
asking, prying, trying to get into his life. It was
driving Ran crazy. Why couldn’t he leave the past alone?
It wasn’t a big demand…Ran just wanted to be left alone.
April 24, 1996
" Oniichan! I want to get a gift at the festival!" said Aya
dancing a little bit in her purple kimono. Ran smiled
faintly at Aya.
" Yeah get advantage of it while you can," mumbled Goushi
walking besides Ran. Ran glared at him. Goushi laughed
when he saw the look Ran gave him.
" You have to relax man! It’ s your sister’s 16th birthday.
Enjoy it!" laughed Goushi patting Ran’s shoulder.
" Shouldn’t you be checking out girls or something?" asked
Ran visibly annoyed.
" Who says I ain’t?" smiled Goushi turning to look at a
girl that smiled timidly at him.
" Yeah I bet perv. You better not be checking out little
girls," said Kahori looking around the carnival.
" Just because you can only get some action with little
kids doesn’t mean I have the same problem," said Goushi
crossing his arms over his chest triumphantly.
" Goushi!" said Kahori running at him with her bag full of
toys.
" Shit!" said Goushi and took off running in the opposite
direction.
" Baka," said Ran turning to look at the amused look Aya
had on.
" Oniichan you still have to get me something," said Aya
hugging one of Ran’s arms.
" I already gave you your gift. As a matter of fact is on
your bed at home," said Ran dryly.
" I know but I want something else," said Aya giving Ran
her best smile.
" You are trying to manipulate me," said Ran dryly.
" Oh look at these! They are so pretty!" said Aya picking
up some teardrop earrings. Ran eyed them wearily.
" Are you sure you want those? Aren’t they a little too
big?" said Ran eyeing the earrings.
" Oh are you thinking about Goushi’s ramblings?" said Aya
annoyed. " You should know by now when he is messing with
you."
"Hn,"
" Don’t worry about me. I promise I won’t wear them unless
you are around," said Aya smiling. " Puleeezze."
" You are abusing your privileges," said Ran getting his
wallet out to pay for the earrings.
" Oh but I only get to do this once a year," said Aya
smiling when she got the package with the earrings.
" Where are those two? I am still grounded," said Ran
looking around the carnival.
" We can tell papa we were with them. There’s no hurry,"
said Aya trying to convince Ran to stay there.
" With you there is no hurry. I don’t feel like getting
another month added. I have three months up till now,"
said Ran scratching his head. He wondered if Yohji was all
right…wherever that was. Oh, how he missed the guy and it
was only one day since he had seen him last. Oh, gods…and
the dream he had had last night…that wasn’t very good.
" Ran? Are you listening to me?" said Aya waving her hand
in front of his face. " Hello?? Earth to Ran?"
" Um…what?" said Ran finally focusing on Aya.
" What are you thinking? You are blushing," said Aya a
smile starting to spread over her features. " Do you have
a girlfriend?"
" Stop it, that’s nonsense," said Ran crossing his hands
over his chest. " Let’s go home. I am sure those two
idiots can find their way home."
" Did I strike a raw nerve Ran-kun?" said Aya still trying
to rile Ran up.
" You would think that," said Ran messing Aya’s hair. "
Let’s go home."
" Oniichan!!! You messed up my hair!" screamed Aya walking
angrily after him.
December 15, 1998
" Hey Aya-kun," said Omi smiling faintly at Omi. The kid
was so strange, smiling all the time. What the hell was
wrong with him?
" Ohayo," mumbled Aya quietly.
" No need to be shy," said Yohji laughing faintly. Ran
turned to glare at Yohji. " Ah come on there’s no need for
that."
" Well the guy’s a prick. What you expect?" said Ken not
looking up from the newspaper he was reading.
" Ken-kun," said Omi eyeing Ken warningly. " Come sit and
get some breakfast."
Ran sat and started eating his rice bowl. He kept at it
until he started to feel the heat of Yohji’s gaze. Looking
up he saw the playboy staring at his lips. Ran could feel
the blush that was about to stain his cheeks. [Stop it.
Get a grip on yourself] Placing the bowl down on the table
he started to get up.
" I am done. Arigato Omi," said Aya before fleeing the
kitchen. He had to get out of there. He couldn’t still be
clinging to a stupid high-school crush. [Aya…He had to go
see Aya. To remind himself what his weakness had provoked]
Grabbing a coat from his room, Ran came down the stairs to
see Yohji leaning on the railing.
" Where you going beautiful?" drawled the playboy.
" None of your business Kudou," snapped Ran. The guy knew
what riled him up. Of course the guy would know. He had
told Yohji everything about himself. Damn it.
" I am going out," mumbled Ran. Before he could move
Yohji’s hand shot out grabbing hold of his wrist.
" Aya…please, please don’t walk away. I have been
regretting the day ever since I walked away from you," said
Yohji quietly. " I am really sorry."
" It doesn’t matter Yohji,’ said Ran sadly looking at
Yohji’s hand. How much he had wanted to feel those hands
on his body when he had been younger? He had craved it so
much.
" Where is the Ran that I once knew?" said Yohji bringing
up a hand up to cup Aya’s face. " I feel as if I pay
enough attention I can see the real you peeking through
your eyes." Next thing Ran knew Yohji’s mouth was inches
away from his own. The only thing Yohji would have to do
is lean forward an inch and their lips would be touching.
Ran could feel his breathing become heavier as well as
Yohji’s. Ran knew what was going in Yohji’s head. The guy
was going to kiss him. Ran wanted so much to give in, let
himself fall into the temptation Yohji was offering. He
couldn’t. Removing his wrist from Yohji’s hand he stepped
away from the playboy.
" I-I have to go," said Ran feeling empty when he said it.
Empty and lonely, the way a person who sinned should feel.
" I am sorry…Yohji…" whispered Ran as he walked toward the
hospital.
Yohji watched the redhead leave. The blonde watched with a
pained expression as Ran walked hunched toward his car.
Yohji knew Ran was in pain but the guy just wouldn’t accept
help. He had tried to do that about two weeks ago and it
had ended in disaster.
November 29, 1998
" Hey Aya wait up," said Yohji walking toward the redhead.
" Where you going?"
" Nowhere it concerns you," said Ran seriously. Yohji
smiled at Ran and said, " Well I will join you to nowhere."
Ran looked at him visibly irritated at Yohji’s behavior but
said nothing. While walking Yohji was watching Ran
closely, the guy must have known that Yohji was watching
him because he could see Ran getting irritated.
" What?" said Ran stopping to look at Yohji.
" You are so different from when I first met you," said
Yohji. " You used to at least smile more."
Ran’s eyes narrowed, Yohji could see he was about to say
something but changed his mind.
" Forget it Kudou," said Ran resuming his walk.
" Why do you keep calling me Kudou? My name is Yohji,"
drawled Yohji. He saw the redhead stiffen before looking
around him to see if anybody was watching them.
Suddenly Ran turned to him, almost a pleading tome to his
voice, almost, " Yohji, everything before…everything before
this just forget it okay? I am leading a new life now,
just let me go on with it."
Yohji looked at Ran, really looked at him and sighed, " I
would Ran. I would leave you alone if you really meant
what you said. You are trapped in this world as I am. We
are both trapped because of our pasts. That’s how they got
you didn’t they? Promised you something you couldn’t
refuse."
Ran’s hands fisted before he turned and kept on walking.
" When I met you before I thought you were a cute kid. I
knew you would turn out to be a good looking kid," said
Yohji smiling faintly while searching his pockets for a
cigarette.
Ran’s hands fisted at the sound of Yohji calling him a kid
again. Ran did not need the guy being nice to him.
" Stop it," snapped Ran. " As I said before all of that is
behind me, so let’s just leave it at that."
Suddenly Yohji pushed Ran into one of the dark alleys and
pressed his body against the redhead’s.
" So you are telling me you don’t want to have anything to
do with me?" breathed Yohji into Aya’s ear. He could feel
the redhead tremble.
" Yohji please," said Ran pushing at the blonde. It wasn’t
very convincing.
" Well your body is going to first have to agree with you,"
said Yohji leaning in to kiss Ran. It was a gentle kiss,
almost an invitation of things to come if Ran gave up.
When Ran felt Yohji’s lips upon his he stopped fighting and
almost seemed to sigh in appreciation. Almost. When Yohji
sought to deepen the kiss, Ran stiffened and threw Yohji
off him.
" Don’t…don’t you dare," said Ran breathing heavily. " Not
now, not after all these years."
" Ran I-I…" said Yohji before a look from Ran stopped him.
" I don’t need you anymore, don’t you understand that? I
don’t need you anymore!" said Ran before fleeing the scene.
Yohji lifted up a hand to brush against his lips thinking
of how soft Ran’s lips were. At least that hadn’t changed.
December 15, 1998
Ran arrived at the hospital carrying a potted plant.
Everything he could think his sister would love were she
still conscious. Ran went up to his sister and kissed her
cheek while brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.
" Hello Aya," said Ran sitting on the chair besides her. "
You would love to be outside today. It is very beautiful."
Ran watched as his sister just seemed to be sleeping.
There were days where he just wished he had been nicer to
her or let her enjoy her life much more if she was going to
end up this way.
" I am so sorry. If I had just listened…even though I
couldn’t save our parents you would be fine. If I had
listened to you and stayed looking for Goushi," whispered
Ran. Burying his head in his hands Ran felt tears coursing
down his cheeks. He scrubbed furiously at them. It was
days like this that he felt like a 15 year old.
" I have to go. Work is waiting for me but I promise to
come visit you as soon as I can," said Ran getting up to
caress his sister’s cheek. She still felt warm, still
alive.
" Good bye sweetie," said Ran turning to leave.
Coming out of Aya’s room, Ran heard a ball bouncing on the
hall. Turning to see where it was coming from, he saw a
little girl playing with it. Picking up the ball to give
it to the girl, the girl was delighted, " Oniichan!" Ran
stared at her noticing that she was blind. " Iie" and
turned to leave, however, when walking down the stairs he
heard that a ball was bouncing down before he noticed the
little girl had fainted at the foot of the stairs.
" She has a brother that used to come everyday until about
two days ago," said the nurse while she checked the girl’s
vitals. " He has been a little tight on money and was
looking for a job."
Ran watched the little girl with sadness. It made him
remember himself, almost willing to do anything to pay for
Aya. He had. He sold his soul to the devil. [What would
father say if he saw me now?] A wry smile tugged at Ran’s
lips.
Reaching the Koneko, he saw that Manx was there. Great
another mission. It was becoming harder and harder to
think of every killing as a sacrifice to be made in order
to find Takatori.
" Aya-kun, we have a mission," said Omi quietly.
" Ran you can’t do that! It’s to dangerous!" said Yohji for
about the 20th time that hour. Ran was sitting on his bed
sharpening his katana. When he did that he could
concentrate on the important things not the sudden bout of
possessiveness the lanky blonde had developed.
" If it bothered you so much why didn’t you agree to go?"
asked Ran detachedly.
" I did! In case you didn’t listen to me," said Yohji
crouching in front of Ran. " Why are you doing this to
yourself…to me?" Yohji looked so serious and a bit saddened
that Ran used the weapon he had learned to use while being
with Kritiker in the early months of his life as an
assassin.
" Look Yohji," said Ran laying the katana across his lap.
" I am here to do a job and my JOB is to find…is to do what
Weiss expects me to do. If you have a problem with that
then you are in the wrong business. Now if you excuse me I
am going to take a shower."
Yohji’s eyes alighted at that thought and made no movement
to get out of the room. Ran glared at the guy expecting
him to get out but Yohji only leaned against the wall with
a small smile on his lips.
" What?" asked Yohji with feigned innocence.
" Get out I have to get undressed," said Ran visibly
annoyed.
" I know. Do you have something I don’t?" asked Yohji.
There was a dare in that voice.
Ran opened his mouth to retort but closed it and gave his
back to Yohji. He took his sweater off and threw it on the
bed before peeling off his shoes. Ran could feel Yohji’s
gaze burning into his back making his breath come faster.
Unbuttoning his pants he closed his eyes hoping the blonde
had left but he could still feel Yohji and also hear his
breathing. How many times on the day before the tragedy
had happened had he imagined Yohji watching him like he was
doing right now? He remembered the stirring he had felt
when he thought about it. It was nothing compared to how
nervous he was right now. He put his hands on his hips to
take off his pants when he felt Yohji’s breath behind his
neck. When had the guy moved?
Yohji was ghosting his lips in the back of his neck and
tracing Ran’s knuckles with his fingers. Just that touch
was making him tremble.
" You have no idea how much I ache for you," whispered
Yohji in his ear. He started kissing Ran’s neck while
tracing his fingers across his abdomen. Ran’s breath
hitched when he felt Yohji’s hand drifting toward his sex,
but the blonde never touched. Instead he spun Ran around
and kissed him before Ran could voice anything. Ran tried
to push him but it was a losing battle. He wanted the
blonde too much to fight him. Yohji sensed the change in
Ran in the way Ran started hesitantly kissing back. Yohji
broke off the kiss and started nuzzling at his neck,
kissing and licking before he bit on the sensitive part
where the nerves joined. Ran gasped at this and hugged
Yohji closer to his body. Laying him on his back Yohji
leaned over Ran and kissed him. Ran closed his eyes trying
to feel the sensation until he felt Yohji stop. Opening
his eyes he saw Yohji staring at him.
" I won’t give you what you want until you give it to me.
Until you ask me to give it to you," said Yohji looking at
him seriously. Ran stared until he moved his head to the
side.
" Your call. Go take your shower," said Yohji picking up
his sunglasses from the night table before leaving the
room.
" On the game of chess the only way to win is to kill your
opponent," said Masaya Hikage. Ran had not been paying
very much attention since he saw the dead brother of the
little girl at the hospital.
" Hai," said Ran quietly.
" I always win on this game because I pick the strongest
people. I have a feeling about you," said Hikage.
Entering the arena Ran disposed rapidly of his opponent and
when he found out who Hikage was tried to kill him
until…until Takatori entered his view.
Omi and Ken saw Ran go all kamikaze on the guy but his
bodyguard was able to stop him. To say the least they were
both surprised and much more when Ran came out after
Takatori on the roof and threw his katana toward the
helicopter in an attempt to get the guy. Yohji was not very
happy when he heard this. When Ran returned from wherever
he had gone, Yohji confronted him in the training room.
Ran was doing his exercises with his katana, they seemed
more like a dance because of the grace Ran had.
" Are you going to talk to me?" asked Yohji leaning on the
wall. Ran didn’t answer. Yohji became annoyed when he saw
Ran ignoring him and he grabbed the redhead by the
shoulders not giving a fuck about the consequences.
Ran looked so out of it, almost as if he was in a trance.
" I was not strong enough," said Ran looking at Yohji for
the first time since the guy had entered the room.
Detaching himself from Yohji’s hands he started his dance
again.
" Leave me alone Yohji. I have to become strong enough."
TBC