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Part 2 The day passed quickly enough, Aya focused on the task before him in single-minded frustration. He didn't look at Chihaya once throughout the shift, ignoring the warning voice that told him when Omi was due back. He couldn't understand why Chihaya summoned up such protective instincts in him, but ignored the question, finally looking up after one particularly difficult arrangement to see Omi glaring darkly back at him. The youngest Weiß dropped his school bag behind the counter, reaching for his apron, though he didn't take his eyes off Aya. "Please tell me you have the report for me," the boy growled. "I really don't want to have to explain to Manx why it's so late!" "Then let her talk to me," Aya said, removing his apron and hanging it on the rack. "You will have it the moment I am done." His voice was frigid, the syllables dripping ice in a way that Aya had never spoken save in regards to Takatori. He moved toward Chihaya, seeming to ignore the weight of Omi's glare. Chihaya looked up from where he still sat at the table, happily sorting cards with Buso purring in his lap. At least, he seemed to be working happily, until his eyes met Aya's and the assassin was able to see the strain around them. "I got you in trouble again... I'm sorry," he mumbled under his breath, glancing over Aya's shoulder at Omi. The leader of Weiß was currently surrounded by squealing fangirls and doing his best to fend them off while still smiling politely at them. "It's because I asked you to stay with me last night that you forgot..." "No blame," Aya directed firmly. "Would you prefer to remain here, or accompany me back upstairs?" he asked, his voice still cold though he allowed warmth to slip into his eyes temporarily. Chihaya glanced at Omi, at the fangirls, and at Aya. "Uh... with you, if you don't mind," he concluded, sweatdropping at one particularly loud shriek from one of the girls. "They're starting to get on my nerves..." he added, hunching his shoulders. "I'm not used to having so many people around any more." Aya nodded, waiting for him to dislodge Buso and make his way toward the stairs, the redhead following behind protectively and snarling at anyone who tried to stop either of them. He remained otherwise silent until they were once more enclosed in his room, then turned to Chihaya. "Are you all right?" Chihaya nodded, sinking down to sit on Aya's bed with a relieved sigh. "Yes, I'm okay. I just... do they do that EVERY day, or were they being especially genki just for my benefit?" he asked. "Every day," Aya said, reaching immediately for his laptop. "Will you be all right for a few moments while I work on this?" A bright smile was his answer. "Oh, yes," the boy said, curling up on the bed and turning to watch out the window. The slowly setting sun haloed him in light, creating deep purple highlights in his dark hair. "Do you mind if I open the window?" Chihaya asked, glancing back at him. "I'd like to be able to hear the birds." "Go ahead," Aya said, brow furrowing as he allowed himself to be briefly distracted. He glanced up, regarding the boy silently for a moment, then returned to his mission report, determined to get the thing in Omi's hands before his teammate exploded. Chihaya slid the window open, and the bright chirping of the birds outside drifted in, along with the sounds of the street below. Two sparrows flitted in to land on the windowsill and started chirping merrily at the boy. Chihaya's face lit up, and he pulled his knees to his chest and rested his chin on them, smiling at the birds. Aya worked diligently for a time, keeping tight control on his focus lest he get too distracted yet again. When he finally finished, he sent it to Omi via their network, then shut his laptop down, turning to Chihaya. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at the happy scene before him. He'd never thought to see such emotions here. There were five birds on the windowsill now, all twittering and hopping about. Occasionally Chihaya would laugh his silvery laugh at their antics, though he made an effort to keep the sound quiet, presumably so as not to disturb Aya. Aya drifted closer, his movements slow as he tried not to startle the birds. He wasn't smiling. His soul felt too heavy for that. But his eyes were soft as they regarded the birds and Chihaya. One of the sparrows looked straight at him and cheeped loudly, and Chihaya turned to smile at him. It was a sweet smile, full of innocence and hope, though his eyes were heavy with some dark emotion. "Are you finished? We didn't bother you, did we?" the boy queried softly. "I'm done," Aya answered, voice soft. The smile cut at him more, and he stared at it for a few seconds before abruptly turning away. "You didn't have lunch. You should eat." Chihaya blinked at him, and the smile faded slowly. "Oh, I... that would be nice. I really don't mean to trouble you..." He viciously buried the hurt, ignoring it. "Come," he said, heading out of the room and toward the common kitchen again. He wracked his brain, trying to think of something lightweight and easy to digest as he walked. Chihaya trailed after him like a small shadow, his footsteps hardly making any noise. "Ne... what's going to happen to me?" the boy asked quietly as they entered the kitchen. "We'll have to find your home," Aya muttered, digging in the vegetable bin. "And return you there." Chihaya froze in the act of sitting down, looking at him with wide, injured eyes. "I... don't have a home," he whispered, finally sinking down into the chair and fixing his eyes on the surface of the table as though it held the secrets of the universe. "Everyone has a..." Aya began irritatedly, then paused, thinking about his words for several long minutes. "We'll have to find you a home," he eventually said, grabbing an apple and some cheese. He sliced the apple and cheese as he continued. "After we've found you a new home, obviously, you'll stay there." Chihaya flushed, and shook his head. "No, it's... it's okay. Really, it's better this way. I'll just... go, and I'll be fine." He lowered his voice and muttered, "Once I'm out of Japan, anyway." Aya didn't think he'd been meant to hear that last comment. Aya turned, glaring at the boy. "You're my responsibility. I have no intention of dumping you back onto the streets." He set the plate of apple and cheese down abruptly, then sat down opposite Chihaya, no food of his own before him. "You can get that thought out of your head now." Chihaya picked at the food, not eating any of it. He seemed nervous and a little upset. "What are you going to do with me, then? I can't live off your charity forever. Your... friends... would object, for one thing," he said. Aya uttered a sharp oath, eyes dark with annoyance. "You and I are going to come up with something that you can do. The rest of them can simply accept the fact or ask me to leave." Startled, the boy stared back at him, emotions warring in his eyes. "You... I... why do you care?" he blurted out. Aya looked away at that, lips thinning. "Because you remind me of someone." Chihaya glanced down at his food again, taking a bite of apple and chewing slowly. He swallowed, then muttered to the table, "I can't stay here. It's not safe. He'll find me again, and..." he shuddered, tears welling up in his eyes. "I can't face going back there. Not again. I'd rather die." "I'll keep you safe," Aya promised, glancing back. He stopped when he caught sight of the tears, eyes widening as his hand made its way, almost of its own accord, across the table to brush Chihaya's cheek softly. "You won't go back there." The youth leaned into his touch like a kitten rubbing against his hand, nuzzling his cheek into Aya's fingers. The wide violet eyes slipped closed, sending a solitary tear tracking down over the velvet skin of his cheek. "You'll only be hurt if you try to protect me," he whispered, his voice anguished. "He's obsessed, and he'll stop at nothing to get me back. I couldn't bear it if you were hurt because of me." Aya brushed the tear away carefully, cupping Chihaya's cheek in his hand. "It's my decision to make, Chihaya." His voice was soft and gentle, but implacable. Chihaya opened his eyes again and stared at Aya thoughtfully. "Who are you?" the boy demanded softly. "Why were you there last night?" Immediately, the hand pulled away, the eyes flattening. "Does it matter?" Aya asked quietly, rising from the table. Chihaya tracked him with those wide eyes of his. "Y-yes... please, I'm just... so confused." Aya growled faintly, raking a hand through his hair. "I was sent to kill him," he finally said, inwardly wincing when he thought of what his teammates would say about such confidences. The boy blinked at him and studied him for a long minute, before finally shaking his head. "There's more to it than that," he insisted quietly. "There must be. Why did you rescue me? Who sent you?" "I rescued you because... there was no reason not to," Aya said lamely, then waved his hand. "That's all you get for now. Eat." Shaking his head, the boy returned to his food. "So much darkness and pain..." he sighed under his breath. "And yet so much light and hope... Earthians are so confusing sometimes!" "What are Earthians?" Aya almost growled at him. "You've mentioned it twice now." Chihaya jumped, and looked faintly guilty. "Oh, I... you know. People. Mankind. It's... it's just a term for humanity. You know, because y...we live on Earth." "...Oh." Aya nodded, looking out the window. He wanted desperately to hole back up in his room, but given the boy's previous reactions to the idea of being away from him, he decided that it might not be a good idea to leave him in the common area... particularly not until after he'd introduced Chihaya to Yohji. Chihaya ate his food slowly, glancing at his companion from time to time. "Aya-san," he finally said hesitantly. "You seem uncomfortable..." "I'm fine," Aya shook his head. "Eat." "But I'm done!" Chihaya protested, and indeed most of the apple and cheese was gone. "I can't eat any more... gomen..." "Ah," Aya nodded, padding over and taking the plate to clean it off before Chihaya could think to do so. "Good." He was just finishing with the dishes when clattering footsteps sounded on the stairs, heralding Ken's breathless arrival. The ex-soccer-player glanced at both of them, and announced, "Manx is downstairs. She wants to talk to us about last night." Aya nodded. "Go to my bedroom, please, Chihaya. I'll be back soon," he said, moving toward the door, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was not looking forward to this meeting. In the mission room, Omi and Yohji had already gathered - Omi sat backwards in his computer chair with his arms resting on the back of the couch, and Yohji was sprawled over the couch. Manx stood before the TV screen, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. She frowned at the two remaining members as they made their way down the stairs. "Boys," she greeted them tersely. Aya settled against the wall, hands folded across his chest as he regarded her silently. He waited, face set in a darker scowl than normal. "I must say that Kritiker is very disappointed," Manx said with no preamble once they were all settled. "It's not like you to allow a target to escape. And Bombay, I've never seen you so late with a mission report," she added, scowling at the leader of the team. Omi flushed under her scrutiny, but said nothing in his defence. If there was one thing Aya had to say about his teammates, it was that they stuck together under fire, even from their own superiors. "The mission report was late due to me, Manx," Aya said calmly. "I was late with my portion of the report." He stared at her, waiting for her to say anything else. Manx switched her scowl to him. "Unacceptable," she snapped out. "This whole mission was unacceptable. I expect better from the four of you." She eyed them all coldly. "Now, what is your plan for recovering from this? I don't need to remind you that the target is still your responsibility." "Does Kritiker happen to have any more information on the target?" Aya asked coldly. "Like what his bodyguards are, or what exactly he was doing with the living subject squirreled away in a lab cell and covered with track marks and bruises?" He padded forward, furious for some unknown, unexplainable reason. "Care to explain exactly what he is doing, Manx?" Manx watched him, unflappable as usual. "All the information we had on the target was given to you, as usual, Abyssinian," she said coldly. "Bodyguards have never been an issue for you before, with the understandable exception of Schwartz. As for what he was doing with living subjects in his lab... that is WHY you were sent after him, obviously." Omi spoke up at that point, casting a wary glance at his livid teammate. "From what I was able to determine from the information I got off his computers, he's basically continuing the work of Takatori Masafumi and one of his associates, a man named 'Ashiya'. Our target, Morikawa Daiki, stole their research notes and is now attempting to create a 'perfect soldier' - one that can be replicated at will, creating entire armies of unbeatable warriors like the two we fought last night." Aya waited silently for Manx to respond, arms still folded and hands clenched tightly. Manx nodded. "Yes, that was in your report. Based on the information, we've been able to discover that he has the funding and backing of several governments, of which Japan and the United States are only two. None of the countries realize that he is getting funding from anyone but them, as far as we can tell. Each government thinks they will be the sole recipient of the new race of soldiers. In short, he has a great deal of funding and a free reign with his experiements." "And precisely how do we fight these 'perfect soldiers'?" Aya bit out, finally stalking back to his place against the wall. Part of him wondered whether Chihaya was all right alone, and he scowled even deeper, realizing that once more, his attention had shifted to the boy he'd returned with. Manx shrugged. "That, Abyssinian, is Weiß's problem. He hasn't perfected them, according to the records Bombay lifted from his computer. They CAN be killed, it just takes a great deal of effort. Your best bet is probably for Balinese to contain them with his wire while Abyssinian or Siberian cut them into pieces. Your main problem at this point will be finding Morikawa... he's gone to ground, and none of our sources have been able to find him or his creations." "Really?" Aya asked thoughtfully, wondering how his charge would take that. The boy had been so terrified of the idea... perhaps knowing that the man was in hiding would reassure him, though it did little enough to make the swordsman happy. "Hmm." Omi made a frustrated noise. "How are we supposed to find him? If he's really got as much funding as you say, Manx, he could set up a whole other laboratory somewhere, and we wouldn't know about it until people started going missing again, or the bodies of the failed experiments started turning up!" "We'll figure it out, Omi," Aya said, when no answer seemed forthcoming from Manx. "It is, after all, our job," he added, glaring at her. "I-I can help," a small voice came from the top of the stairs. Turning, Aya saw that the door hadn't closed properly behind Ken... Chihaya perched on the threshold, peering down at them with his wide eyes. "If you want to draw him out of hiding... you could use me as b-bait," the boy offered hesitantly. Aya snarled a curse, moving toward the stairs. At the base, he turned back, waiting for Chihaya to descend to him while his body tensed to expect a fight. Omi had buried his head in his hands, and Yohji was staring at the boy in surprise. Manx scowled at them, planting her hands on her hips as Chihaya crept down the stairs to stand just behind Aya. "Who is this?" the redhead woman demanded. "This is the living subject we rescued," Aya growled at her. "Why is he HERE?" she growled, tapping her foot again. "This is completely against procedure, Abyssinian!" "Deal with it," he told her tightly, barely managing to keep himself from saying something far nastier instead. "I brought him here." She opened her mouth, clearly intending to say something scathing, but Chihaya beat her to the punch. "It's my fault," the boy insisted, peering around Aya's shoulder. "I begged him not to take me to a hospital, and I was injured, so he brought me here to take care of me. Please don't be angry with him! I can help, to pay you back for rescuing me... I'll be b-bait, like I said. Nothing will draw Morikawa out faster." Across the room Omi lifted his head and frowned at them. "We are NOT going to put an innocent civilian up for bait!" the teenager declared firmly. "Nor will I leave him to the streets," Aya snarled. "Please let me help," the boy insisted, focusing on Omi. "He would talk to me, ranting about his plans, sometimes. I know a lot of things about what he was doing... I know he wasn't planning to give the soldiers to ANY of the governments he was working for, he was going to keep them for himself and take over. You HAVE to stop him - and soon, he's almost done his research!" "Then talk to Omi," Aya said, gentling his tone as he spoke to Chihaya, though his eyes stayed firmly affixed to Manx. "Tell him everything you can about the plans... details, places, people, that sort of thing." Manx shrugged. "Planning is up to you," she said, heading for Aya and the stairs. "I don't want to hear that he got away again. As for you..." she stopped about a foot away from Aya and speared Chihaya with a look. "You're involved in something far over your head... but you wouldn't be the first nor the last to join us in such a manner." She looked around at all of them. "If you decide to use him, let us know. If you decide not to use him, let us know anyway. He knows who you are, and that makes him a potential danger. You know the procedures." She turned back to Aya, clearly waiting for him to move away from the stairs. Slowly, Aya stepped aside, drawing Chihaya with him and waiting for Manx to leave. He suddenly had a rather bad headache... Chihaya didn't deserve to join Kritiker. The boy deserved happiness... and that was the one thing Aya could guarantee that Kritiker would not provide. Manx stalked past them up the stairs, and an uncomfortable silence reigned in the room after she'd left. Finally Omi cleared his throat, looking at Aya and his ward. "Well?" the youth asked quietly. "It's up to the two of you. I won't deny that he may be our only chance of getting to Morikawa, if what he says is true." Aya stared at Omi for several seconds, then looked to Chihaya. "You're putting yourself in too much danger," he muttered for the boy's ears alone. Chihaya stared back at him, and didn't bother to lower his voice. "I'd be in danger regardless," he replied. "Ashiya was obsessed with me, and Morikawa seems to have inherited his obsession. He'll stop at nothing to find me. Wouldn't it be better for me to PLAN my next meeting with him? Knowing that you'll be there to stop him from taking me?" Aya's jaw tightened, his gut twisting horribly at the thought. But... the boy made sense, much as he hated it. "See if Omi can get enough information first that your plan isn't necessary," he finally said, eyes never leaving Chihaya's. "But... we'll use it as a backup." Omi sighed, shaking his head. "All right, then. For now... his codename will be 'Calico'. Aya's, he's STILL your responsibility. Officially, he's a friend of mine who's come to stay with us after his parents died in a car crash - that will explain why he's here and why he doesn't go to school. I assume you don't have family or someone who is going to be searching for you?" he asked Chihaya, and the boy nodded. "Well, that's one break, at least. Tomorrow is Sunday - the shop is closed and I don't have school, so we'll spend the day going over what he knows and making a new plan. Until then... it's late. We might as well all get some sleep - Morikawa probably isn't going anywhere tonight." Aya nodded, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief. A brief reprieve before he had to cast Chihaya into danger. He hated the idea, but he could live with it, knowing that he'd be there to protect the boy. "All right," he murmured softly, agreeing to the plan. Another long, stiff night on the floor... and he wouldn't trade that spot. The shy smile on Chihaya's face was worth the stiffness. By the time they made it back up the stairs into Aya's room, the redheaded assassin had taken about all the side-long stares he could stand from his teammates. At least no one was saying anything, at least not yet. Chihaya received awkward 'goodnight's from both Ken and Yohji - Omi had remained behind in the mission room to make plans. Aya sighed, shutting the door firmly behind him as soon as he and Chihaya were inside. He closed his eyes, resisting the urge to rub his temple. The night's events had left him with something of a headache, and the prospect of sleeping left him with little hope for ridding himself of it. Chihaya perched on the bed awkwardly, still wearing the same over-large clothing he'd slept in the night before. "Anou..." he said softly, not quite looking Aya in the eyes. "Are you... mad at me?" Aya dragged his eyes open, staring at Chihaya thoughtfully. "No," he finally murmured, moving toward his dresser and searching for another outfit for the boy to wear. "But you shouldn't have followed me. Chihaya, there's a reason I tried to keep you out of it!" "You need me," the boy insisted, showing a stubborn streak that hadn't really be evident before. His mouth was set in a firm line, and his eyes were narrowed. "If you don't use me to draw him out, he'll go to ground and you won't hear from him again for years. By then it will be too late. I can help you... I WANT to help you!" "Why?!" Aya snarled, twisting to glare back at Chihaya. The boy flinched at his tone, but didn't lose his militant expression. "Because... Because I have to. Otherwise he'll take over everything, and the whole WORLD will fall to pieces. I can't just sit back and let people suffer, knowing that *I* could have done something to stop it!" His words were strained with emotion, as though they had been torn straight out of his heart. His fists were clenched in the sheets, knuckles white with tension. "You don't want my life, Chihaya! You may think you do, but it isn't pretty or neat or... DAMMIT, Chihaya!" He stalked closer, grabbing the boy's shirt and hauling him close. "I'm trying to fucking protect you!" Chihaya didn't protest the rough treatment, but his eyes darkened and stared straight back into Aya's with conviction. "You have no idea of the hell that I have already gone through for my convictions, Aya," he replied, face twisting with remembered agony and grief. "I chose my path a very long time ago, and I won't back away from it now. Despite what I know I look like to you, I am not a child! And the BEST way for you to protect me is to let me help with this! I'll only be safe when he's dead and his records and research destroyed." Aya growled faintly, unable to find anything to say. He almost threw the boy back, but hurting him would do nothing for their cause, and... he found he couldn't, not when he stared down into those huge, wounded eyes. He stilled himself, setting Chihaya down onto the bed carefully. "Forgive me," he muttered, turning toward the dresser once more. Chihaya sighed, curling up into a ball as he often seemed to do. "There's nothing to forgive," he said, but his voice was weary and choked with emotions. "You're trying to do your best. I'm sorry I interfered, but I'm trying to stop this before the entire situation gets out of hand. I can't do it alone - I can't stand to face him by myself. You're all I have..." the last words were whispered into his knees, barely audible to Aya. "You need sleep," Aya said roughly, hands clenching atop the dresser. He stared down at them for several minutes, then jerked open one of the drawers, searching for another t-shirt. "So do you," Chihaya replied. "I won't take your bed again. I'm healed now... YOU take the bed, and I'll sleep on the floor. I've had worse beds." He turned again, glaring at Chihaya once more, though the weary gaze was more than a little bitter. "Chihaya," he muttered. "Don't start. You are under my care, you will be cared for." Chihaya glared right back at him, not budging an inch. In point of fact, he actually slid off the bed, standing in front of Aya and tilting his head back to look the taller man in the eyes. "What protection will you be to me if you're too tired and stiff from sleeping on the floor?" "We'll work something out tomorrow. For now, you take the bed." Aya stared down at him, fists clenched again. "I'm not debating this with you." Chihaya gave him that stubborn look once more, and dropped gracefully down to sit right where he'd been standing. He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, for all the world looking like he was preparing to go to sleep right there. "Leave me alone, I'm sleeping," he announced, shifting just a bit to get more comfortable. Aya growled, scooping him up into his arms and carting him to the bed, dropping him on it unceremoniously. "Now you are," he announced, lips twitching as the ridiculousness of the scene slowly began to penetrate his irritation. Chihaya opened his eyes and stared petulantly up at him. "I will not take your bed and make you sleep on the floor!" he protested vehemently. "You are sleeping in this bed tonight!" "The only way that will happen tonight is for me to sleep with you, because you are sleeping in a bed tonight," Aya snarled. "Fine!" Chihaya snapped back. He scooted over until his back was pressed against the wall, freeing up half of the VERY narrow bed. "Then climb in." Aya stared for a moment, then sighed. Perhaps he could sneak out once Chihaya was asleep, he thought, slipping into the bed fully dressed. It didn't take him long to realize that there was no possible way to sleep in the bed without touching Chihaya. "There's not room for the two of us," he tried. The boy looked back at him in the darkness, the light from the windows highlighting the whites of his eyes. His gaze was uncertain, though his expression was still firm. "If you really cannot stand to touch me, then I'll get out," he said. Aya blinked, startled by the comment. "Turn over," he said after a moment, the words far gentler than he'd intended or expected. Chihaya blinked at him, then turned obediently, facing the wall with his back inches from Aya's body. Aya hesitated a moment, then moved closer, until their body heat mingled in the scant half-inch of air still separating them. He curled his legs along Chihaya's, molding his position into a mirror image. His arm draped over his side, though it suddenly ached to draw the boy against him. Flinching at the thoughts, he closed his eyes. Chihaya sighed and snuggled back into him, his hand coming down to catch Aya's and hold the older man's arm close around him. He tucked his dark head in under the redhead's chin. "Mmm... this is nice," he murmured, and Aya could hear the soft smile in his voice. "It's been a long time since I was held like this..." There was a resounding grief echoing in his voice as he spoke, the pain masked and hidden but not altogether banished. Aya shivered, tightening his grip on Chihaya slightly. "How long?" he whispered into the boy's ear. He stared at the back of his eyelids, trying to quell the thoughts before they could begin. Just because he hadn't felt someone against him in... forever, really... was no reason to assume anything. Or to indulge in anything. Or to... to... His head tilted forward, forehead resting against Chihaya's hair. "Years," Chihaya whispered, his voice already muzzy with oncoming sleep. "Not since... K-Kagetsuya..." The name was spoken with deep emotion, a pain that was still raw and bleeding inside. "Chihaya," Aya whispered, voice breaking slightly. "It's okay. I'll protect you." The boy nodded and snuggled a little closer to him, his breathing evening out into the patterns of sleep as he drifted off.
Aya's eyes drifted open, his first thought of warmth and comfort. His face dropped slightly, lips whispering against fabric covered skin. It felt odd, though not entirely wrong. Still, Aya's brain began whispering that something was amiss, and he dragged himself more firmly into consciousness. He finally pulled everything together, blinking at the armful of male he held against him, the boy's hips pressed against his thigh. Chihaya had turned in his sleep, winding arms around Aya's upper body and draping one leg over Aya's. The touch was having a likely-undesired effect, awareness on a purely physical level. "Shit..." Chihaya moaned and nuzzled against Aya's chest, clearly dreaming. Given the warm hardness pressed tightly to Aya's hip, it wasn't difficult to figure out what the boy was dreaming of. "Kagetsuya..." escaped Chihaya's lips on the breath of a moan, his lips whispering over Aya's thinly-covered skin. The name broke something inside of Aya, and he grabbed Chihaya's shoulders, propelling the boy up and growling at him. "Chihaya, wake up!" "Ah! What? What? I'm up!" Chihaya protested, his eyes flying open as his hands came up to hang on to Aya's arms. He blinked several times before his eyes actually focused, and then he looked bemused. "Wha... Aya? What happened?" Aya growled again, the sound faint but there, then set Chihaya gently back onto the bed, rolling away from him before the boy could see the reaction he'd had. "Tonight," he said, once he was sitting up, "we sleep in different beds." His voice was tight. It hurt, thinking of what Chihaya must have gone through. The boy was clearly no older than fifteen, but if his morning reaction was any indication... he'd already had at least one lover. Chihaya flushed, scrambling to pull the sheets into his lap, clearly attempting to hide his body's reaction. "I... I'm sorry!" he blurted out, trembling with distress. He looked ready to cry. "I'm so, so sorry! I'll sleep on the floor, or wherever you want me... it's my fault. I'm so sorry!" Aya turned immediately at Chihaya's tone. "Chihaya," he said, reaching out before he could think and drawing the boy back against his body, curling his arms around him protectively. "It's not your fault. It's okay. Don't apologize." Instinctively, his hand stroked over Chihaya's hair, the motion soothing. "But... but you're disgusted," the boy whispered brokenly. "I kn-know... Japanese society... it's... I was dreaming. I'm sorry..." "Of course I'm disgusted," Aya said firmly. "With him," he clarified, "not with you. It's okay." Chihaya blinked, peeking up at Aya from under his bangs. "With who?" he asked, clearly confused. "Kagetsuya," Aya said shortly, still holding Chihaya close. Chihaya's brow furrowed, and he stared up at the taller man. "Kagetsuya?" he repeated, bewildered. "But... why would you be disgusted with him, and not with me? I don't understand..." "You're a child, Chihaya," Aya said softly, patiently. "We're supposed to protect you, not take advantage of you!" Chihaya's eyes widened. "You... you think I... that he..." he started to snicker, then to giggle, then to laugh outright. Within moments he had his hand clamped over his mouth, trying to stifle the peals of laughter. Aya stiffened, jaw tight. Somehow, he held onto his self-control, though the thread was thin. When Chihaya finally wound down, he had tears of laughter in his eyes and was gasping for breath. "Oh! Oh, I'm sorry... I know it doesn't seem very funny to you, it's just..." He paused, took a deep breath, and got full control of himself. "I'm not a child," he said firmly, staring straight into Aya's eyes. "I know I look like one, but I'm NOT. I'm much older than I look. It..." he hesitated, then continued, "it's connected to the way that I heal so quickly. Aging is just a form of damage, after all... you age because your cells start breaking down and become unable to reproduce themselves properly. I'm older than you are, Aya." "You don't know how old I am," Aya ground out, glaring at Chihaya. Somewhere in the pit of his stomach, he felt something flipflop, though he shied away from examining it too closely. Chihaya raised an eyebrow at him. "Somewhere around twenty, I'd guess. Right?" "Yes," Aya nodded, staring down at Chihaya. "Well, then, I'm older than you," Chihaya confirmed. "And no, I won't tell you how much older," he added quickly before Aya could think to ask. "Just... older, and that's all that matters." "...Fine," Aya sighed, giving up. He still had the uncomfortable suspicion that even though Chihaya was old enough now (at least according to him), Chihaya still hadn't been old enough at the time, and the thought bothered him. His thoughts must have been clear on his face, for Chihaya sighed and raked his bangs out of his eyes. "Kagetsuya did not 'take advantage' of me, Aya. If anything, I seduced him, all right? And I knew exactly what I was doing at the time. I never expected it to *work*," he muttered to himself under his breath, "but that's beside the point." He pondered that thought for a few moments before becoming suddenly aware that he still had a lapful of Chihaya, his arms wound around the boy... no, man... and holding him close. Immediately, he released Chihaya, murmuring a quick apology. Chihaya pulled away from him slowly, the frown returning to his face. "Aya? Does it... bother you? That I... think of men that way?" he asked softly. "I know Japanese society believes it's... repulsive and un-natural..." "No," Aya shook his head. "Perhaps it should, but no." His words were clipped and distant, his eyes firmly affixed to the window behind them. "Thank you for that," Chihaya said quietly, eyes downturned. "I won't... touch you again. It obviously upsets you. I am... very sorry," he finished in formal language. "Chihaya, you don't have to be afraid of me," Aya said suddenly, rising and making his way to the dresser once more, as though the piece of furniture might suddenly magically offer a way out of their fights. "Just because we slept together once does not mean that I am going to attack you the moment I feel... 'horny'," he said, capping the dry words with a crude expression he'd picked up from Yohji. Chihaya looked up at him, startled. "You... the moment you..." He shook his head. "I was going to say the same thing to you!" he exclaimed. Aya sighed, leaning against the furniture and looking at Chihaya. "I am interested in males, too," he admitted. "It is just one reason I was not comfortable sharing the bed with you. I did not want you to get the wrong ideas." His words were carefully chosen, his gaze firm. The boy... he really could not bring himself to think of Chihaya as anything other than a teenager, despite his words... blinked slowly at him. "Oh. Well, then... I mean... I trust you. I know you wouldn't do anything to me that I didn't want you to. So... it's no big deal, right? Unless you're nervous that I'll do something to you?" I know you wouldn't do anything to me that I didn't want you to. The words echoed in Aya's brain, his mind suddenly coming up with a dozen images of things he could do to Chihaya. His stomach rolled slightly, still caught in the age issue. "No," he finally whispered. "No, I’m not." Chihaya stared up at him trustingly. "Then it's okay, right? I... I liked having you there. I didn't have any nightmares... I haven't slept soundly through the night since..." He shook his head again. "Not for a long time, anyway. I promise I'll try not to... glomp you in your sleep again," he added, blushing badly. Aya stared back, finally slumping slightly forward. "It's okay," he agreed softly, glancing up at Chihaya before padding to him, sitting down beside the boy. "It's okay," he said again. Chihaya hugged him tightly, then pulled away to jump to his feet. He frowned and tugged at his now VERY wrinkled clothing. "I... don't suppose I could have a shower?" he asked wistfully. "And maybe a change of clothes?" "Yes," Aya nodded. "We... we need to get you some of your own clothing soon," he added, watching Chihaya move. The boy paused and frowned. "Mmm... I don't have any money right now," he said, muttering more to himself than to Aya. "Anything I had before Morikawa grabbed me is long gone by now..." "Money is not an issue, as long as we stay within a budget I arrange," Aya waved away the concern. "I... don't want to spend your money," Chihaya said, blinking at him again. "I'll find a way to pay you back... somehow..." "Pay me back by staying away from what I do," Aya said. His arms were propped on his knees, fingers laced together as his shoulders drooped down. He stared at his hands, trying to figure out how to explain without leaving Chihaya even more exposed to the danger of his lifestyle. Chihaya shook his head. "Are you even listening to anything I've told you, Aya?" he demanded in exasperation. "Morikawa will come after me regardless of whether I'm working with you or not. I'm in danger as long as he is alive. I'd MUCH rather have you guarding me, with a chance to end this once and for all!" "I mean after that," Aya scowled. "We're not the 'good guys', Chihaya. We're just not as bad scum as they are!" He rose, pacing to the boy and taking his upper arms in two strong hands, the grip almost too tight. "We're killers, Chihaya. We're the lesser of the evils, that's all." "I..." Chihaya faltered, unable to look him in the eyes. "I don't pretend to understand your situation, Aya. I can't imagine how someone like you could be involved in something like this, let alone someone like Omi or Ken! All I'm really focused on right now is stopping Morikawa. After that... well, we'll have to see, I guess." "There is no 'we'll have to see', Chihaya," Aya said, abandoning one arm to drag his chin up, forcing their eyes to meet. "You're better than this." Chihaya laughed - not his usual beautiful laugh, but a short, bitter sound. "You have no idea what you're talking about," the boy replied. "But right now it's not important." "That runs both ways, Chihaya. Maybe I don't understand you as well as I think, but you certainly don't understand me, either. I will protect you from this, if it is in my power." Aya sighed, staring into Chihaya's eyes for several moments longer, then pulling the boy into a tight, tension-filled hug. Chihaya rested his forehead on Aya's shoulder for a long moment, before tightening his arms briefly and stepping away. "Thank you," he said quietly. "It... means a lot to me that you care enough to try to protect me. Now... aren't we supposed to have a meeting with Omi?" "Get your shower and change clothes," Aya sighed, heart aching for Chihaya. The boy's bitterness had shaken him... badly. He turned, digging out the clothes he'd abandoned last night. "I'll go deal with Omi. Join us downstairs when you can, all right?" Chihaya nodded and accepted the new clothes, disappearing into the hallway. After a moment Aya heard the bathroom door slide shut, and the water began to run. He slumped onto the bed, staring blindly at the floor for several minutes as he waited for his brain to kick in. Everything had gone haywire, first last night, and then this morning. At this rate, he mused as he rose from the bed once more, ignoring it and heading for the doorway, he would regret saving Chihaya by the end of the day.
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