The Edge

Of a sort. All week, I've thought to myself: "Hey, maybe I'll paint this week." Instead, I end up doing a lot of not-much during the days when my daughter is in school. I'm having a hard time getting back into my school routine, but I'm trying not to stress about it too much. Things have been mentally tough for me over the past few months, and, in general, I'm not in a happy place. I'm not sure why ... I just know I'm not. And stressing over not getting "stuff" done will just make things worse. I know this. And yet, I have a hard time being kind enough to let myself goof off a bit without giving myself the mental third degree over it. Whatever.

My mental weirdness aside ...

I managed to do some new fancel lines yesterday. Or maybe it was the day before. I adapted them from a manga image, so they weren't the easiest things to do. I was pretty happy with how it turned out, overall, although now I can't decide if I should paint it or not. I really like it the way it is now. I would kind of like the more detailed shadowing I could get through painting it, but I hate to mess up the overall look of it. And if I painted it, it would be monochrome -- as in black & white, like in the manga.

(The image is NOT work-safe, either! Well, it's not that bad, but better to err on the side of caution, right?)

YnM Manga Fancel

Story #3 in the Ground Zero universe continues to elude me. I need to write it. I want to write it. Yet, when I sit down to work on it ... well, words don't quite come. (Ditto this problem on my Midroc #2 book, too. Bleh.)

BUT (!!) I did start a new WK fic, which would fall somewhere in the GZ-verse. It's unrelated along the basic timeline. And it may turn out to be a real dog of a story, although it feels like a good idea -- in my mind. So, we'll see. At this point, any writing is good writing. Even if it's crappy writing, it's better than no writing. Which makes it good. Or ... something like that. >.O

(Written: January, 2008)

Warnings: Violence.
Summary: None (it's only 300 words! o_O)
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.

Confrontation
(a wk scene told in three drabbles, by tex-chan)

1. Confrontation

The sound drew Aya toward Yohji’s room. Soft and low -- a cry for help. He paused outside the door. Was it a lover’s game? If so, he would leave Yohji in peace, to find the release he needed. He heard it again -- a plea for help.

Worried, Aya shoved the door open and stopped cold at what he saw. Yohji, bending over the bed, his back to the door. Yohji’s hands on her throat. Yohji, choking the life from the woman beneath him.

Her eyes found him, pleading for help. Aya crossed the room to pull Yohji off.


2. Rage

The woman fled, grabbing her clothes and stumbling into the hall -- forgotten in a moment. Aya heard her footsteps fade away, but he ignored them. Swiftly, Yohji turned on him, a feral snarl rumbling deep in his throat.

Aya’s head cracked against plaster. Flashes of light danced in his vision as Yohji slammed him against the wall. Yohji’s hands were around his throat -- tightening, ever tightening. Aya didn’t fight; he stared into green eyes, made unfamiliar by anger and pain. He was afraid for Yohji.

“I’m glad it was you,” Aya thought. His vision dimmed down to nothing.


3. Release

Consciousness returned. Slowly, it pulled him from the blackness with every gasping, painful breath. He felt arms cradling him and another heart, beating in time with his. A clock’s hum, the sound of another’s breathing, and the scents of stale perfume, liquor, and old smoke wrapped around him -- so familiar they made him ache.

There was moisture on his skin; the body supporting him trembled against his back, shaking with suppressed sobs. And, two words fervently repeated: “I’m sorry,” -- like a prayer, warm and soft against his neck.

“It’s okay, Yohji,” Aya whispered. “For your peace, it’s okay.”

(Written: May, 2009. Story #2 in the GZ-verse)

Warnings: Bad language; Mild sexual situations/tension

Summary: As he tries to pick up the pieces after a near-death experience, Aya realizes he must deal with the emotions and uncertainty stemming from the kisses he and Yohji shared. Was it really "just a kiss"? Or did it mean something more?

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.

Author's Note: This is the second story set in my "Ground Zero Universe". As such, it is a follow up to the events that occurred during "Ground Zero". The stories set within this particular universe are a bit of an experiment for me. In general, I do not write shounen-ai or yaoi stories, but I decided to try and step out of that usual mold -- just a little -- with this series.

"Ground Zero" stories so far: 1. Ground Zero … 2. Freefall



Freefall
(a wk fanfiction by tex-chan … set in the "ground zero universe")


"I don't want to be here," Aya muttered, the words riding out of his mouth on an irritated-sounding sigh as he leaned against a nearby wall and tried to look bored while he watched Yohji scrutinize the building's office directory.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I heard it all -- five hundred times in the car on the way over here. Give it a rest, already," Yohji replied. He sounded distracted because he was concentrating on the directory's tiny lettering, leaning forward so that his nose practically touched the glass as his index finger ticked off the names and office assignments until he found the right one. "Aha!" he exclaimed, turning around to give Aya a triumphant smile, "Found him. Dr. Bernard Short, office number 10A."

( Read more... )

(Written: August, 2008)

Warnings: Bad Language.

Summary: Sometimes, everyone feels like their life has hit a dead-end, and they have nothing to show for their efforts. No job is perfect, and that is doubly true for the Weiss boys. But friendship can often do the impossible: prove that even an assassin's life has meaning.

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.

Author's Note: Written as a gift fic for Genuinelie, because I think she is an awesome writer and a wonderful friend. And, well … everyone needs cheering up sometime, right?

What It's Worth
(a WK giftfic for genuinelie by tex-chan)

Aya stumbled down the deserted street. He was the kind of person who liked getting from the proverbial Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. Yohji always picked on him for being a "fast walker"; whenever he and Aya walked anywhere, Yohji never failed to kid him about it, joking that he was going to have to give up smoking just so he could keep up with Aya's ground-eating stride. Aya couldn't help but laugh under his breath as he thought about what Yohji would say, if he could see him now -- plodding along like a man five times his age, head down and struggling for the energy to put one foot in front of the other.

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(Written: January, 2008)

Warnings: Bad Language. Violence

Summary: Who would have thought red jingle bell socks and a good deed could lead to mayhem and Aya tied up in Christmas lights? Well, in Weiss's world, random acts of kindness often lead to painful consequences ... and Christmas cheer only goes so far.

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.


Jingle Bells
(a wk christmas fic by tex-chan ... christmas 2007)


Aya crouched behind the sofa, his back to its bulky arm. He struggled to bring his breathing under control and to silence the pounding of the blood in his ears. He listened to the room around him, gaining a mental picture of the space from the small sounds that traveled across the darkness. He heard the slight buzz of the clock over the stove in the kitchen and the steady drip of the leaky faucet that none of them could fix, no matter how many times they changed the washer. He heard the swish of the dishwasher, clearing up the last remnants of their evening meal, and the hum of the refrigerator. Closer in, he heard the electronic crackle of the television, indicating it hadn’t been off for very long -- probably no more than ten or fifteen minutes -- and Aya couldn’t help but reflect on how quickly everything in his life could go from perfectly normal to complete shit. But he reined those thoughts in; now wasn’t the time to ponder over things like this. Now was the time to listen and move carefully, with all the considerable skill he had acquired during his time as an assassin.

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(Written: October, 2007)

Warnings: Bad Language.

Summary: Everyone needs to belong somewhere. Even Aya. On a rainy night, Yohji helps Aya discover what it means to belong, and what it means to come home.

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

Inspired By: WK fic prompt: Board Games


Through the Looking Glass
(a wk fanfiction by tex-chan)

The door closed behind him with a slight click and the soft rattle of the glass in its window. Aya stood in the Koneko's kitchen, dripping bloody rainwater from the hem of his coat and the soles of his boots, and shivered as the room's residual warmth washed over him. The room was dim, lit only by the single light over the stove, which threw a soft glow across most of the kitchen, while deepening the shadows at its corners. The light reflected back to him from the smooth surfaces -- the front of the refrigerator, the top of the stove, the countertops. The reflections softened the effect of the deeper shadows at the edges of the room, making them seem more friendly and comforting than they should have. It was quiet around him. Aya could hear the hum of the refrigerator, the tick of the clock on the wall near the door, the way the light bulb buzzed over the stove, and a steady drip-drip-drip from the sink -- a leak none of them could seem to fix, no matter how many times they changed the washer in the faucet. The counters were clutter-free and so clean they practically shone in the dim light. The table, likewise, was clean and clear, except for a plate of food -- covered with aluminum foil -- in its center. The kitchen was still warm, heat radiating from the cooling oven. The smells, too, lingered. Good scents, of fresh food prepared by hand and the friendship and companionship that accompanied it. It hadn't been long since the others had finished their evening meal. An hour … two, at the most. For a moment, Aya wondered if they had waited for him, but he shook his head, dismissing the thought almost as soon as it occurred to him. He couldn't imagine anyone doing that for him; in his heart, he believed he wasn't worthy of the kind of caring and friendship that would cause others to do that. He told himself it didn't matter, but, deep inside his soul -- in a place where even he refused to look -- he knew it did. The painful tug at his heart told him as much, as did the fact that he had to force the meandering thoughts out of his head. It hurt too much to think about things he might want but could never have. Things he could never let himself have.

( Read more... )

(Written: October, 2007)

Warnings: Bad Language.

Summary: A mission gone wrong and a rainy Halloween night under a bridge collide to bring Aya face-to-face with Death.

Legal Stuff: As always, this story is intended to express one fan's genuine appreciation of Weiss Kreuz and its characters, and of the Discworld and its inhabitants. It is just for fun and not for profit. If you have any rights in the anime or books described here and find the posting of this fanfiction offensive or harmful, please contact me, and I will be happy to remove it.

Author's Note: Written in response to a writing challenge: Aya / Death. Also inspired by a WK fic prompt: Rainy night under a bridge. Cross-over with the Discworld.


Trick or Treat
(a wk halloween fanfiction by tex-chan)

It had been raining all day -- the kind of steady drizzle that was caught between mist and actual rain. It hung in the air in foggy sheets beneath a lead-gray sky -- not strong or steady enough to qualify as rain, but just enough to soak everything in its path and create a nuisance. The streets had been a slick, slippery mess, which had made the Koneko's regular deliveries more of a pain than usual; especially considering the "delivery truck" was a ridiculously pink scooter that was open to the elements. The shop had been overcrowded -- they hadn't been able to put any of the potted plants outside because of the chilly weather, which had caused them to lose a lot of square footage inside the store. It would have made sense for the rain and the cold wind to keep customers away, giving the four members of Weiss a relatively easy time with their day jobs, for once. But, today was Halloween, and, as luck would have it, the store had been more crowded than usual. They had ended up with bodies -- complete with dripping raincoats, muddy over-boots, and unwieldy umbrellas -- crammed into every inch of open space in the store. It seemed like everyone in Tokyo had decided to throw a Halloween party of some kind, and they had all chosen to visit the Koneko to purchase their centerpieces and floral decorations. A steady stream of costumed kids -- some looking to meet up with friends, and others looking for the free candy Omi had made a habit of handing out on Halloween -- had been interspersed among the adults. The result had been a hectic day that was both mentally and physically exhausting. And, after the last customer had exited the shop, the Weiss florists had been left with muddy, grimy floors puddled with water, walls dotted with finger and hand prints, candy wrappers strewn about the shop, overturned planters, and greasy countertops.

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(Written: June, 2007)

Warnings: Bad Language.

Summary: Grocery shopping can strain even the best of friendships. When assassins are involved, it only makes things worse, as Aya and Yohji discover when they stop off to pick up a few things after a hard night's work.

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.

Grocery List
(a wk fanfiction by tex-chan)

"Why the hell didn't you take care of this before we left tonight?" Aya asked, barely managing to conceal the whine behind his words.

He frowned at his partner and, bracing himself against the building behind him, slid down so that he was sitting on the sidewalk. He stifled a groan as he felt the cold wet of the sidewalk through the seat of his pants and the scrape of hard concrete bricks through the back of his trench coat. Leather and concrete didn't mix - a life lesson he had learned through years of hard experience - and he hated to think what he was doing to the coat's back. It was a good bet he was scratching it all to hell and then some, but Aya figured that wasn't such a big deal - not after what the coat had already been through tonight. He fingered a tear in the shoulder, where a bullet had passed through the material, barely missing the flesh and bone beneath. It shouldn't be much of a problem for the leather workers to take care of a few scrapes at the same time they fixed the rest of the coat. Aya had no idea who Kritiker hired to do the work, but he couldn't help thinking whoever it was must have made a fortune off of them, already. Aya was surprised to find that the thought bothered him, just a little. It shouldn't have. He loved this coat, and it usually needed repair after one of Weiss's "outings". Still, the whole idea of it left a bad taste in his mouth - like some stranger was profiting off of him and his sins, but never getting their own hands dirty.

( Read more... )

(Written: May, 2007)

Warnings: Shounen-ai / Yaoi. Bad language.

Summary: Being a florist isn't easy -- a realization Aya is forced to come to grips with when Valentine's Day and his own overtaxed imagination work together to give him a horrible day, followed by an equally disturbing evening.

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.

I Love You NOT!
(an un-Valentine's Day fanfiction in four parts)

Part 4

Aya woke up screaming. He bolted upright in bed and sat there, cradling his head in the palms of his hands and struggling to bring his breathing back under control. He looked around the room, almost afraid of what he would find, and sighed in relief when he realized it had been a dream. Just a dream, nothing more. Aya's skin was slick with sweat, and, now that he had managed to bring his panic reflex under control, he realized he was cold. He had gone to bed with his window open a crack, and he shivered as the chilly night air hit his wet skin. He pulled the sheets closer and tried to push the dream out of his mind.

( Read more... )

(Written: May, 2007)

Warnings: Shounen-ai / Yaoi. Bad language.

Summary: Being a florist isn't easy -- a realization Aya is forced to come to grips with when Valentine's Day and his own overtaxed imagination work together to give him a horrible day, followed by an equally disturbing evening.

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.

I Love You NOT!
(an un-Valentine's Day fanfiction in four parts)

Part 2

Yohji paused at the bottom of the stairs leading from their living area above the Koneko into the shop's back room. He frowned as he watched Aya, who stood at the sink with his back to the stairwell, and he couldn't help feeling a bit surprised when Aya didn't turn around to face him. Usually, Aya had a sixth sense about being watched. Yohji had always found it a bit creepy and more than a little irritating, but it had saved their butts on missions more than once, so he had come to value Aya's uncanny ability. Now, though, Aya leaned on the sink and seemed engrossed in watching the dirty mop water swirl down the drain, taking no notice of Yohji's presence.

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