Fanfic Archive: Endgame, 4
May. 28th, 2009 09:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
texchan(Written: May, 2007)
Warnings: Bad Language. Violence.
Summary: When everything hits the fan and life comes at you too quickly, it's the little things that count, and small memories are all you have to cling to. Yohji realizes this and has to come to terms with the questions of how and if he wants to go on, once he has lost what is most important to him.
Legal Stuff: As always, this story is intended to express one fan's genuine appreciation of Weiss Kreuz and its characters. It is just for fun and not for profit. If you have any rights in the anime described here and find the posting of this fanfiction offensive or harmful, please contact me, and I will be happy to remove it.
Endgame: Part 4
Yohji paused in the kitchen doorway and felt relieved beyond measure as he stared at Aya's back. The younger man was standing in front of the open refrigerator, and, although Yohji couldn't see his face, he imagined Aya giving the brightly-lit interior an irritated-looking frown. Yohji smiled as Aya cursed under his breath and bent over to look inside the fridge. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy to see someone.
"Hey," Aya said, as Yohji entered the room.
He continued to rummage in the refrigerator, never turning around or looking in Yohji's direction. After a few more seconds, he stood up, holding a box of baking soda and a small wedge of cheddar cheese. He looked inside the box and grunted in satisfaction as he removed a very ripe pear. Aya replaced the now-empty box in the fridge and slammed the door shut, causing the bottles stored there to rattle in protest.
"Feeling any better?" Aya asked, turning around to face Yohji for the first time and frowning at the dumfounded expression on the older man's face.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah. A lot better," Yohji replied, shaking himself out of his stupor in response to the eyebrows-raised, questioning expression Aya gave him.
"Good," Aya said, moving over to the sink, where he washed the baking soda off of his pear and set the fruit on the counter to dry. "You want something? Soup? Tea? I can make it," he offered.
Yohji hadn't moved from just inside the doorway. He had stood there this whole time, staring at Aya and feeling relieved and happy to see his friend alive. But now Yohji found himself moving across the kitchen -- quickly, before he changed his mind. He dropped his blanket on one of the chairs as he passed by it, and was across the room and standing behind Aya within a few long strides. Before Aya could turn around or protest, Yohji embraced him. He pulled Aya toward him, resting his chin on the top of Aya's head. He felt Aya stiffen in response to the uninvited physical contact, but, to Yohji's surprise, Aya didn't try to struggle away from him.
"Are you sleepwalking?" Aya asked.
Yohji wondered about the odd question, but he replied, "No."
"Feverish?" Aya asked.
"No," Yohji said.
"Then, you must have a death wish," Aya continued in a dead-pan tone of voice.
Yohji laughed -- a soft, breathy huff of air through his nostrils -- and shook his head as he said, "No. Just … you know, happy to see you."
Aya nodded. "Ah. Well, that's nice. But, you just saw me this morning."
Yohji shrugged, and said, "Yeah, I know. But I had a … bad dream. About you."
"A dream?" Aya asked.
"Yeah," Yohji said, shuddering. "I … I don't want to talk about it."
Aya cleared his throat. "You had a dream about me, and now, you want to hold me. Should I be worried about this?"
Yohji laughed and said, "No. Geez. You're so not my type. You're way too high maintenance, and, well, sorry, but you don't have boobs. I'm a boob man."
They stood in silence for a few long seconds. Finally, Aya cleared his throat again and shifted a little in Yohji's embrace.
"You can let go any time," he said.
"Oh, uh … yeah. Sorry," Yohji muttered in a sheepish-sounding voice as he released Aya and took a few steps backward to put a little distance between them.
He stood there for a few moments, feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed and wondering what the holy hell had come over him that he would hug Aya, of all people. Still, he couldn't regret it. It had been good, feeling Aya's body against his, feeling Aya's heart beating against his chest -- proof that Aya was alive and well. Proof that everything was all right in Yohji Kudou's little world. When Aya started to fumble around in a nearby drawer, Yohji retreated back to the table, where he picked up his blanket and wrapped it around himself before sinking down to sit in one of the chairs. He watched as Aya retrieved a paring knife from the drawer and a plate from one of the upper cabinets.
Aya gathered everything up and turned to face Yohji.
"You sure you don't want anything?" he asked.
Yohji shook his head.
Aya frowned. He didn't like the lost, almost shell-shocked expression on Yohji's face. He could tell the older man was still upset, even though Yohji had been genuinely relieved and happy to see him. He knew better than to ask about the dream. Maybe he could in a few days, when Yohji felt stronger or less frightened and insecure. But, for tonight, Aya knew it was best to leave things alone, especially if Yohji didn't want to talk about it. It had been a rough evening, and he had planned on retreating to his room, so that he could eat his late night snack in peace and, then, go to bed. But, he was reluctant to leave Yohji like this. Instead of following his initial plans, Aya dropped into one of the chairs, across the table from Yohji, and proceeded to peel the pear and cut it into slices. Once that was done, he cut the cheese into small cubes.
"So, what're you gonna do now?" Yohji asked.
Aya shrugged. "Eat my pear. Go to bed." He took a bite of pear and cheese and sighed as he continued, "It's been a rough night."
"What happened?" Yohji asked. "Where were you, anyhow? You have a solo mission or something?"
Aya's eyes narrowed in a frown as he shook his head and replied, "I wish. No. I had a date. Double date. With Ken and some girl he met at a soccer game. She couldn't go out unless he also found a date for her friend, and, since you were out of commission, I got elected."
"It couldn't have been that bad," Yohji said.
"It was," Aya sighed, taking another bite of pear and cheese.
"Was she ugly?" Yohji asked.
Aya shook his head. "No, she was cute, but she was so fucking dumb. I don't think she had ever read a book in her life. She kept nattering away about fashion and interior decorating. Hemlines and pleated drapes, or something. Or maybe it was hemmed drapes and pleated skirts. I'm not really sure. I … wasn't listening. She met a guy at the last bar we went to. I was so damn glad to get rid of her, I didn't even feel insulted. So, I came home. I think Ken is still out with his date. They seemed to hit it off."
Yohji frowned across at Aya. "I can tell I need to give you some lessons in the fine arts of small talk and wooing the fairer sex."
Aya laughed and took another bite of pear as he said, "The only lesson I need is: Never go on a double date with Ken."
Yohji chuckled at that, thinking it was probably really good advice.
"Pear?" Aya asked, pushing the plate toward his companion.
Yohji felt his stomach churn at even the sight of the food, and he frowned and shook his head.
"What's up with the baking soda?" he asked, "Hiding food from Ken?"
"You know it," Aya replied, with a short laugh. "He eats like a damn locust, and it was my last one."
Yohji nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he takes kind of a scorched earth approach where food is concerned."
They sat in silence as Aya ate the last of his pear and cheese. When it was gone, he pushed the plate away and leaned back in his chair, stretching out kinked muscles with a satisfied, albeit tired-sounding, groan.
"So?" Yohji asked. "What do you want to do now? We could watch a movie, or something."
Aya gave him a narrow-eyed glare and a frown. "I had to be nice to that stupid girl all night. I'm tired, and I'm going to bed."
"Oh," Yohji said, unable to conceal the note of disappointment in his voice.
He watched as Aya took the plate and knife to the sink and started washing them. After a few seconds, he asked, "Can I come, too? I mean … sleep in your room tonight?"
He cringed at how pathetic, whiny, and stupid the words sounded. And, he hated how ridiculous and weak it made him seem. But, he couldn't get that dream out of his mind. It was still so vivid and real, even now, even though he knew it had been a dream and nothing more. He didn't want to be alone tonight. He needed to have Aya near, just to reassure himself that everything was all right. He hoped Aya would understand that need, but, at the same time, he knew Aya. It wasn't likely the younger man would willingly allow anyone to intrude on his solitude. He fully expected Aya to tell him no and leave it at that.
Aya turned around and looked at Yohji. It felt like he stood there, staring, for a very long time. Long enough for Yohji to become uncomfortable and start to squirm under the weight of Aya's steady gaze.
Aya wanted to tell Yohji no. He was tired, and he felt like he had used up all the "nice" he had in him for one day. He wanted to be alone, period. But, he had seen the fear and relief in Yohji's eyes. He didn't know what had driven the older man to this state, but he knew it was pretty bad, if it had upset Yohji this way. No matter how much he wanted to, Aya realized he could not leave Yohji alone. Not tonight. Not like this.
He turned back around, and without saying anything, dried the dishes and put them away. With that task accomplished, he crossed the kitchen, intending to head upstairs to his room. He paused in the doorway.
"OK," he said, his voice so soft it barely carried to where Yohji sat.
"Really?" Yohji asked, sounding so puppy-dog-hopeful that it made him feel pathetic.
Aya nodded. "Yeah, really. But if you snore, I'm kicking your ass out."
Yohji smiled and jumped up out of his chair. Its legs made a squealing sound against the floor's old linoleum as he scooted it back, away from the table. Yohji cringed at the sound, but he didn't stop long enough to push the chair back into its proper place. Aya was already heading up the stairs, and Yohji figured he had better catch up before Aya changed his mind about the sleeping arrangements.
He followed Aya out of the kitchen, but paused at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at his friend, who was almost at the top step.
"So, can we spoon?" he called up, a slight teasing tone curving around his words.
He smiled as he saw Aya's back stiffen in response to the question. After a moment, Aya replied, "I keep a sword in my room. Don't forget that."
Yohji laughed. "So, that's a no, then?"
Aya didn't say anything. He reached the top of the stairs and turned the corner, passing from Yohji's field of view. Yohji laughed to himself. He gathered his blanket closer around his shoulders, trying to ward off a sudden chill, and followed Aya up the stairs.
~ end
Warnings: Bad Language. Violence.
Summary: When everything hits the fan and life comes at you too quickly, it's the little things that count, and small memories are all you have to cling to. Yohji realizes this and has to come to terms with the questions of how and if he wants to go on, once he has lost what is most important to him.
Legal Stuff: As always, this story is intended to express one fan's genuine appreciation of Weiss Kreuz and its characters. It is just for fun and not for profit. If you have any rights in the anime described here and find the posting of this fanfiction offensive or harmful, please contact me, and I will be happy to remove it.
Yohji paused in the kitchen doorway and felt relieved beyond measure as he stared at Aya's back. The younger man was standing in front of the open refrigerator, and, although Yohji couldn't see his face, he imagined Aya giving the brightly-lit interior an irritated-looking frown. Yohji smiled as Aya cursed under his breath and bent over to look inside the fridge. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy to see someone.
"Hey," Aya said, as Yohji entered the room.
He continued to rummage in the refrigerator, never turning around or looking in Yohji's direction. After a few more seconds, he stood up, holding a box of baking soda and a small wedge of cheddar cheese. He looked inside the box and grunted in satisfaction as he removed a very ripe pear. Aya replaced the now-empty box in the fridge and slammed the door shut, causing the bottles stored there to rattle in protest.
"Feeling any better?" Aya asked, turning around to face Yohji for the first time and frowning at the dumfounded expression on the older man's face.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah. A lot better," Yohji replied, shaking himself out of his stupor in response to the eyebrows-raised, questioning expression Aya gave him.
"Good," Aya said, moving over to the sink, where he washed the baking soda off of his pear and set the fruit on the counter to dry. "You want something? Soup? Tea? I can make it," he offered.
Yohji hadn't moved from just inside the doorway. He had stood there this whole time, staring at Aya and feeling relieved and happy to see his friend alive. But now Yohji found himself moving across the kitchen -- quickly, before he changed his mind. He dropped his blanket on one of the chairs as he passed by it, and was across the room and standing behind Aya within a few long strides. Before Aya could turn around or protest, Yohji embraced him. He pulled Aya toward him, resting his chin on the top of Aya's head. He felt Aya stiffen in response to the uninvited physical contact, but, to Yohji's surprise, Aya didn't try to struggle away from him.
"Are you sleepwalking?" Aya asked.
Yohji wondered about the odd question, but he replied, "No."
"Feverish?" Aya asked.
"No," Yohji said.
"Then, you must have a death wish," Aya continued in a dead-pan tone of voice.
Yohji laughed -- a soft, breathy huff of air through his nostrils -- and shook his head as he said, "No. Just … you know, happy to see you."
Aya nodded. "Ah. Well, that's nice. But, you just saw me this morning."
Yohji shrugged, and said, "Yeah, I know. But I had a … bad dream. About you."
"A dream?" Aya asked.
"Yeah," Yohji said, shuddering. "I … I don't want to talk about it."
Aya cleared his throat. "You had a dream about me, and now, you want to hold me. Should I be worried about this?"
Yohji laughed and said, "No. Geez. You're so not my type. You're way too high maintenance, and, well, sorry, but you don't have boobs. I'm a boob man."
They stood in silence for a few long seconds. Finally, Aya cleared his throat again and shifted a little in Yohji's embrace.
"You can let go any time," he said.
"Oh, uh … yeah. Sorry," Yohji muttered in a sheepish-sounding voice as he released Aya and took a few steps backward to put a little distance between them.
He stood there for a few moments, feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed and wondering what the holy hell had come over him that he would hug Aya, of all people. Still, he couldn't regret it. It had been good, feeling Aya's body against his, feeling Aya's heart beating against his chest -- proof that Aya was alive and well. Proof that everything was all right in Yohji Kudou's little world. When Aya started to fumble around in a nearby drawer, Yohji retreated back to the table, where he picked up his blanket and wrapped it around himself before sinking down to sit in one of the chairs. He watched as Aya retrieved a paring knife from the drawer and a plate from one of the upper cabinets.
Aya gathered everything up and turned to face Yohji.
"You sure you don't want anything?" he asked.
Yohji shook his head.
Aya frowned. He didn't like the lost, almost shell-shocked expression on Yohji's face. He could tell the older man was still upset, even though Yohji had been genuinely relieved and happy to see him. He knew better than to ask about the dream. Maybe he could in a few days, when Yohji felt stronger or less frightened and insecure. But, for tonight, Aya knew it was best to leave things alone, especially if Yohji didn't want to talk about it. It had been a rough evening, and he had planned on retreating to his room, so that he could eat his late night snack in peace and, then, go to bed. But, he was reluctant to leave Yohji like this. Instead of following his initial plans, Aya dropped into one of the chairs, across the table from Yohji, and proceeded to peel the pear and cut it into slices. Once that was done, he cut the cheese into small cubes.
"So, what're you gonna do now?" Yohji asked.
Aya shrugged. "Eat my pear. Go to bed." He took a bite of pear and cheese and sighed as he continued, "It's been a rough night."
"What happened?" Yohji asked. "Where were you, anyhow? You have a solo mission or something?"
Aya's eyes narrowed in a frown as he shook his head and replied, "I wish. No. I had a date. Double date. With Ken and some girl he met at a soccer game. She couldn't go out unless he also found a date for her friend, and, since you were out of commission, I got elected."
"It couldn't have been that bad," Yohji said.
"It was," Aya sighed, taking another bite of pear and cheese.
"Was she ugly?" Yohji asked.
Aya shook his head. "No, she was cute, but she was so fucking dumb. I don't think she had ever read a book in her life. She kept nattering away about fashion and interior decorating. Hemlines and pleated drapes, or something. Or maybe it was hemmed drapes and pleated skirts. I'm not really sure. I … wasn't listening. She met a guy at the last bar we went to. I was so damn glad to get rid of her, I didn't even feel insulted. So, I came home. I think Ken is still out with his date. They seemed to hit it off."
Yohji frowned across at Aya. "I can tell I need to give you some lessons in the fine arts of small talk and wooing the fairer sex."
Aya laughed and took another bite of pear as he said, "The only lesson I need is: Never go on a double date with Ken."
Yohji chuckled at that, thinking it was probably really good advice.
"Pear?" Aya asked, pushing the plate toward his companion.
Yohji felt his stomach churn at even the sight of the food, and he frowned and shook his head.
"What's up with the baking soda?" he asked, "Hiding food from Ken?"
"You know it," Aya replied, with a short laugh. "He eats like a damn locust, and it was my last one."
Yohji nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he takes kind of a scorched earth approach where food is concerned."
They sat in silence as Aya ate the last of his pear and cheese. When it was gone, he pushed the plate away and leaned back in his chair, stretching out kinked muscles with a satisfied, albeit tired-sounding, groan.
"So?" Yohji asked. "What do you want to do now? We could watch a movie, or something."
Aya gave him a narrow-eyed glare and a frown. "I had to be nice to that stupid girl all night. I'm tired, and I'm going to bed."
"Oh," Yohji said, unable to conceal the note of disappointment in his voice.
He watched as Aya took the plate and knife to the sink and started washing them. After a few seconds, he asked, "Can I come, too? I mean … sleep in your room tonight?"
He cringed at how pathetic, whiny, and stupid the words sounded. And, he hated how ridiculous and weak it made him seem. But, he couldn't get that dream out of his mind. It was still so vivid and real, even now, even though he knew it had been a dream and nothing more. He didn't want to be alone tonight. He needed to have Aya near, just to reassure himself that everything was all right. He hoped Aya would understand that need, but, at the same time, he knew Aya. It wasn't likely the younger man would willingly allow anyone to intrude on his solitude. He fully expected Aya to tell him no and leave it at that.
Aya turned around and looked at Yohji. It felt like he stood there, staring, for a very long time. Long enough for Yohji to become uncomfortable and start to squirm under the weight of Aya's steady gaze.
Aya wanted to tell Yohji no. He was tired, and he felt like he had used up all the "nice" he had in him for one day. He wanted to be alone, period. But, he had seen the fear and relief in Yohji's eyes. He didn't know what had driven the older man to this state, but he knew it was pretty bad, if it had upset Yohji this way. No matter how much he wanted to, Aya realized he could not leave Yohji alone. Not tonight. Not like this.
He turned back around, and without saying anything, dried the dishes and put them away. With that task accomplished, he crossed the kitchen, intending to head upstairs to his room. He paused in the doorway.
"OK," he said, his voice so soft it barely carried to where Yohji sat.
"Really?" Yohji asked, sounding so puppy-dog-hopeful that it made him feel pathetic.
Aya nodded. "Yeah, really. But if you snore, I'm kicking your ass out."
Yohji smiled and jumped up out of his chair. Its legs made a squealing sound against the floor's old linoleum as he scooted it back, away from the table. Yohji cringed at the sound, but he didn't stop long enough to push the chair back into its proper place. Aya was already heading up the stairs, and Yohji figured he had better catch up before Aya changed his mind about the sleeping arrangements.
He followed Aya out of the kitchen, but paused at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at his friend, who was almost at the top step.
"So, can we spoon?" he called up, a slight teasing tone curving around his words.
He smiled as he saw Aya's back stiffen in response to the question. After a moment, Aya replied, "I keep a sword in my room. Don't forget that."
Yohji laughed. "So, that's a no, then?"
Aya didn't say anything. He reached the top of the stairs and turned the corner, passing from Yohji's field of view. Yohji laughed to himself. He gathered his blanket closer around his shoulders, trying to ward off a sudden chill, and followed Aya up the stairs.
~ end