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Part 6 He traveled for another twenty minutes, but there was no sign of a reaction on the tracker. Just as he was beginning to fear that they must have turned and he'd lost them altogether, a small deer bounded out across the road directly in front of him, freezing when it saw the bike bearing down on it. Aya slowed, almost jerking on the handlebar as he swerved to avoid the deer. The bike pulled around it, slowing as he turned to face the deer once more, his heart beating a vigorous tattoo in the hollow of his throat. He gasped for breath, calming himself as he stared at the wild creature. The deer snorted at him, pawing the ground twice and ducking its head before dashing off the road heading back in the direction it had come. Before Aya could move, a small flock of birds dive-bombed him, shrieking as they flew close past his head. He threw his hands up over his head, trying to fend off the sharp beak before they could attack exposed skin. "What the HELL is going on?!" he demanded to thin air, staring at the path the deer took. The birds made no attempt to touch him, though they passed so close the wind of their flight ruffled his clothes. They wheeled around above him, one or two occasionally darting off in the direction the deer had gone before returning to the flock. Aya turned his bike to head back to the Koneko, noting that the birds suddenly picked up energy as he pointed in the direction of the deer. Bewildered, wondering what the hell he was doing, he turned back in that direction again, looking up at the birds before revving his engine and heading off. The birds screeched and flew ahead of him, darting and weaving in the cloud but always heading in the same direction. After about five minutes of travel, the deer appeared again, off to one side, and the birds changed direction towards it. Now convinced he was certifiably insane, Aya followed suit, heading toward the deer as well. They led him on a merry chase, weaving and winding through the increasingly heavy forest, heading away from the city. They moved slower than the bike was capable of, but still fast enough that Aya had trouble dodging the trees. He kept up with them, though as the chase continued he began to believe he'd been a fool to start. Odd actions or no, wildlife did not normally lead one to captive lovers. At last he saw light up ahead, as if the heavy foliage suddenly ended in a clearing or meadow of some kind. The birds swirled in the air just before the end of the trees, blocking his path. He came to a halt, staring at the birds strangely. Parking the bike, he swung off of it, slipping his helmet off and setting it on one handle before padding forward, keeping his head bent away from the birds just in case. Reaching the tree line, he saw that the trees had been cut back for some distance around a small complex. There was a heavy-duty security fence around the perimeter, and judging by the animal carcasses at the edge of the fence, it was electrified. The birds flew towards one of the tiny, barred windows on the right side of the building. Scowling at the dead animals, Aya edged closer, careful to stay free of the fence as he searched for a better view of the small window. The window was too high and much too small for him to see through it - hardly a window at all, more of an air vent. The birds were taking it in turn to perch on the grille, cheeping into the room inside. He started to search along the fence for a weak patch before it occurred to him that the tracker was still on his bike. Hurrying back to the machine, he switched it on and waited, heart pounding as he stared at the screen. The indicator started flashing immediately, pointed straight at the window the birds were hovering around and flashing fast enough to indicate that he was very close to Chihaya. He looked from the screen to the window and back to the screen, then shut it off, grabbing his cell phone and calling Omi. "Hai?" Omi answered after a minute. "I've found him," Aya said, watching the building. "They're keeping him in a building complex out in the middle of nowhere. Security fence around the perimeter - electrified. I have no idea what their other security measures are at this time." "Siberian has a GPS system on his bike... can you tell me the co-ordinates?" Omi replied. Aya blinked, then fiddled with the system, calling up the coordinates and repeating them carefully to Omi. "I've found the others, but it will take us at LEAST an hour to get there," Omi said. "Stay put until we reach you, no matter what!" "I'll be here, Bombay," Aya nodded, raking a hand through his hair. He shut off the phone, then paced back to the fence, staring at the small window where the birds hovered. "We'll get you out, Calico," he muttered, barely managing to keep his mission face intact. He'd been waiting for about half an hour when the sound of an agonized scream rent the air, causing the birds to abandon the window in droves. It was followed by another, and another, each more heart-wrenching than the last. He almost went for the fence, barely managing to remind himself in time that it was electrified, that climbing it would only result in both their deaths... or worse. He glanced at the bike, then started making his way around the fence, once more searching for a weak spot. He spotted one place where the trees had gotten too close to the fence - when Omi arrived, they'd be able to use the same trick they'd pulled to get into Masafumi's mansion; climbing the tree, shooting a wire over the top of the fence and sliding down inside. But it wasn't something he could take advantage of until Omi arrived with the others. Twice more while he waited the screams sounded, growing hoarser and more desperate each time. He forced himself not to act, barely managing each time. Getting himself killed was not an option, not when Chihaya needed him. He paced the length of the ground between the tree and bike several times, waiting impatiently for the others to arrive, almost gnawing through his own lip to remain silent when the screams came. Finally he head the distant sound of footsteps in the forest, accompanied by a muffled curse from Yohji. "Abyssinian?" Omi called in a hushed whisper. He hurried back, face pale and drawn. "Bombay," he answered, gesturing them toward the tree. "This looks like our best bet." Omi tossed him his headset, and scrutinized the area. "Yeah, looks like it. Let me get up there." He swarmed up the tree, crossbow slung over his back. Once perched near the top, he fired a bolt trailing a strong lightweight wire over the top of the fence. It thudded into a corner of the building, leaving just enough room for them to slide over if they tucked their legs up. Aya hurried over, protected by Omi's crossbow. Landing on the other side, he waited for Yohji and Omi to drop down beside him, then pointed to the window. "That's where he is. They're doing something to him. He's screamed a few times." He couldn't quite keep the worry and fear from his voice. "I haven't seen anyone patrolling the building, but I haven't been watching it the entire time, either." Ken was the last one over, and he squinted at the building just as another scream rang out. "Jesus... what the hell are they DOING to the poor kid?" Aya winced, closing his eyes briefly. "I don't know," he said coldly, forcing himself to remain focused. "Let's go." They found the door easily enough, and Omi picked the lock after a few agonizing moments of waiting. Making their way inside, they slid down the halls, watching for security. "We'll need to find a way to get back through the fence when we're done," Aya said softly, the communicator they'd brought him making it possible for them all to hear him without his voice really breaking the silence. "Objectives are to take out the target, get Calico, and get out safely. Anything else?" "There should be a way to turn off the fence from inside," Omi pointed out. "Otherwise they wouldn't be able to get in and out. Balinese and I will look for the control room. Abyssinian and Siberian find Calico and the target. Watch out for those damn bio-humanoids!" Aya nodded, heading off with Ken before Omi could say more. Hold on, Chihaya, he thought anxiously, searching the hallways for a direction to go. We're coming. Ken behind him, they headed through the building in the direction of the room the birds had been watching. They knew they were getting close when the screams sounded again, echoing from a corridor ahead of them. Aya glanced briefly at Ken, and the two broke into a full run, heading straight for the sound with weapons drawn. One of the bio-humanoids was standing guard outside a heavy door, arms crossed over his chest. He glared at them as they came around the corner. "Come back to die, have you?" he growled, taking up a fighting stance. Aya attacked, seemingly without pausing for thought. He didn't break stride, charging in and striking at the target as he gauged its skill. It deflected his sword easily - simply swatting it out of the way with its bare arm. Then it reached with its other hand, closing a massive fist around the blade, effectively immobilizing Aya's weapon. With Aya's sword pinned in the fist, Ken took the opening, darting in to gouge the shoulder deeply. He barely managed to dance out of the way of the second hand, doing so just as Aya slid his sword from the grip by pushing off against the bio-humanoid with his heel, landing on his back once his sword was free. The shoulder wound was spitting sparks, but the cyborg seemed enraged rather than dismayed. "I'll crush you both!" it screamed, charging forward to land a solid punch in Ken's mid-section, sending the dark-haired man flying backwards to crash into the wall. Aya used the time to leap back to his feet, holding his ground while Ken got up. The two glanced at each other, then charged together, angling themselves so that they were coming in from his sides. Aya raised his sword, aiming it directly for the head, while Ken focused on the throat. The bio-humanoid caught his sword again and used it for leverage as he leaned to one side, kicking Ken squarely in the chest and sending him flying once more. This time Ken didn't get up as quickly, clutching at his ribs and coughing up flecks of blood. From inside the room came another scream. From this distance there was no mistaking Chihaya's voice. The sound seemed to propel Aya into action again. He feinted at the humanoid, dancing around so that he was before the door, barely diving out of the way when their opponent struck out again, damaging the door. The bio-humanoid was now facing Aya, away from Ken. The brunette staggered to his feet, a grim look on his face, and charged the thing from behind, planting his claws firmly where the robot's kidneys would have been if he'd had such a thing, and ripping upwards. Sparks shot everywhere, scorching the assassin badly as the bio-humanoid howled in pain. Before the creature could turn on Ken again, Aya attacked, keeping his attention with a kick to his face that was deflected. He stumbled, slamming against the door as he tried to keep his balance. Ken brought his other claw around and buried it in the robot's jaw, wrenching its head up and around, exposing the neck. "Now, Abyssinian!" the other assassin screamed. "Take its head off!" Aya nodded, bringing his sword into a shining arc that achieved Ken's aim precisely. The sword grated against metal, ripping through the cyborg's neck with sheer brute force. Wire tangled around the blade as it exited, but it didn't matter... the bio-humanoid had collapsed to the ground, leaving Ken panting and rather scorched looking behind it. Aya glanced at his companion, nodding once in sympathy before turning to the door, already partially caved-in from the bio-humanoid's kick. He aimed another, less-powerful kick to it, and the door shuddered, nearly flying open. Inside Chihaya had been strung up by his wrists, his arms twisted around behind him so that he was leaning forward with his arms stretched up behind him. His wing arched up over his back, drooping as if he was too exhausted to hold it up properly. Feathers detached and slowly drifted down - there was already a carpet of the glossy black feathers on the floor. Morikawa stood before him, siphoning blood from him through a large tube. Aya didn't hesitate, moving straight for Morikawa with bloodlust held barely in check enough to keep his head. He swung before Ken had even reached the doorway, aiming for the neck again, fury shining in his eyes though he didn't make a sound. Morikawa dropped the instrument he was holding and tried to run, shouting for his bio-humanoid guards. He didn't make it three steps before he was impaled on Aya's katana, blood dripping back along the length of the blade to run over his ungloved hands. Morikawa screamed, and Chihaya stirred faintly at the sound, looking up. "A-Aya?" he rasped out, voice hoarse from screaming. Aya jerked the katana upward viciously, ensuring that the blow was a killing one before pulling his sword free. He wiped it off quickly, sliding it into its sheath and moving to release Chihaya from his bonds. "I'm here," he said, voice harsh as he fought to keep control. "Siberian... how are we doing? Any sign of more guards?" There was a strangled noise from behind him that was no sort of answer. Glancing back over his shoulder, he saw Ken standing frozen in the doorway, staring at Chihaya with a pole-axed look. "Siberian! FOCUS!" Aya snarled, well aware that he was being unreasonable. "Guards!" Chihaya moaned and collapsed into Aya's arms once the ropes were released. His back was raw and bleeding, and he seemed to be drugged, his pupils huge and unable to focus. "Y-you came," he stuttered, sounding shocked. "You r-really came..." Ken was still doing a wonderful impression of a statue in the doorway. Aya juggled Chihaya into a relatively comfortable position for them, then looked back at Ken. "He's not human," Aya said shortly, glaring at his teammate. "We've seen others before. Get a grip and let's get the hell out of here before they tear us apart." He waved at the bio-humanoid's corpse. "B-b-but... he... wings...." Ken was clearly unable to form a complete thought, let alone a complete sentence. Chihaya's single wing fluttered in reaction to the angel's distress, nearly hitting Aya in the face. "Siberian, we need to find Bombay and Balinese and get out of here!" Aya growled, cuddling Chihaya a little closer to him. "Lover... can you shift back before we find the others?" he asked gently. "Do you have enough strength?" "I... I don't... know..." Chihaya managed to get out. He shifted in Aya's arms, and slowly, torturously slowly, his wings slid into his back and his hair shortened until he was in his human form. He collapsed, panting, the effort clearly having taken the last of his strength. Aya gathered him back up, carrying him tenderly. "Good, Calico. That's right..." he murmured, praising the boy even as he turned a glare back to Ken. "Let's go, Siberian!" he demanded. Chihaya let his head rest against Aya's shoulder, while Ken finally took a step back out of the doorway. He still didn't take his eyes off the angel's face, however. "Siberian, Abyssinian," Omi's voice came over their communicators. "Have you found Calico or the target?" "Target is down. Calico is safe. We're making our way to you, now. Where are we headed?" Aya said sharply, using a foot to nudge Ken out the door before slipping past him. "North side of the building. That's where the gate in the fence is. I've wiped the computer, and we've destroyed one of the robots. I'm shutting down the electricity to the fence now." Omi replied. "We took another one of the robots out," Aya nodded, heading toward Omi. He checked behind him once to see if Ken was following or not, and shifted Chihaya so that the angel rested a little more comfortably against him. "Is there any way to shut the electricity down permanently?" he asked, thinking of the dead animals he'd seen. "Unless somebody turns it back on after we leave, it'll stay off," Omi said. "Kritiker will probably send someone out here to shut the place down completely after we make our report." "Good," Aya nodded, falling silent as the two Weiß assassins made their way to their teammates. "Bombay, Balinese," Aya greeted them, when they arrived. "Let's get out of here!" Omi nodded, and they made their way quickly back out. "We had to leave the car way back on the road," Yohji said. "Couldn't get it through all the trees. It'll be a bit of a hike, but we should be able to make it." "No problem," Aya nodded. "Bombay, can you see to Siberian while we walk? He got hurt in the fight." He fell back behind the others a bit as they tramped through the woods, not wanting to listen to Ken tell the others about the wing just yet. Amazingly, Ken kept his mouth shut on the way back home - not just about the wing, but about anything and everything. He was apparently still in shock. As Omi was unable to find an actual wound, he simply wrapped Ken in his extra jacket and tried to keep the other boy warm until they reached the Koneko. Likewise Chihaya was draped in Aya's trench, which they had brought with them in case he needed it. The little angel slept until Yohji brought the car to a stop, rousing only when Aya stood and picked him up again. Aya looked at the others, then headed up to his apartment, carefully tucking Chihaya into the futon. "Are you okay, lover?" he asked tenderly, stroking a hand down the side of Chihaya's face. "Sleepy," the little angel murmured in reply. His pupils were still huge, though his words were becoming less slurred. "Drugged, I think... and I hurt everywhere..." "Will you be all right here while I go debrief?" Aya questioned, brushing a hand through Chihaya's bangs. 'Yes, just... need to sleep," Chihaya replied, his eyes already sliding closed once more. He looked especially young and vulnerable at the moment, something delicate and fragile about him. Aya stared at him for several minutes, then turned abruptly, striding out of the room before he slid into bed beside his angel. He headed down to the mission room, meeting the others already gathered there. Ken was sitting on the couch, wrapped tightly in a blanket, still staring blankly at the floor. Omi was hovering over him in concern, and even Yohji looked less relaxed than usual. Omi turned to Aya as the redhead came down the stairs. "Aya-kun, what HAPPENED?" the youngest Weiß demanded. "He still hasn't said a single word..." "Could I talk to him alone for a few minutes?" Aya asked, watching his other two teammates quietly. "I'll explain afterward." Omi made an exasperated noise, but finally nodded and drew Yohji off up the stairs, leaving Ken alone with Aya. Aya knelt before Ken, searching his teammate's eyes for a long minute before saying, "Ken?" Ken flinched, and finally looked back at him. "We're all gonna die, aren't we?" he asked hoarsely. Aya realized his right hand was clutching at something inside his shirt. Startled, Aya shook his head, reaching carefully for Ken's hand. "We're not going to die, Ken," he said gently. "B-but... he was... he was an ANGEL, Aya," Ken insisted, eyes large and glazed with shock. "And that man was torturing him..." Pulling Ken's hand free of his shirt, he began cautiously opening it. "The man was torturing him, yes. And we stopped the man. We're not going to die, Ken," Aya murmured. "But we also are not supposed to know what Chihaya is." "But his... his WING, Aya," Ken said. "How can God forgive a human doing that to an Angel?" "I don't know," Aya said, feeling vaguely uncomfortable with the conversation. "But we didn't do that to Chihaya. We are not at fault." He finally got Ken's hand free and looked at what was inside. A heavy, simple steel cross hung on a chain around Ken's neck. The metal was worn in places, as if it had been gripped many, many thousands of times. Aya vaguely remembered seeing Ken touch a spot high on his chest before missions - touching the cross for luck or hope, presumably. "Ken... we aren't supposed to know," Aya repeated, swallowing at the sight of the cross. "But why... Morikawa must have known, must have realized... how could he DO that? How crazy WAS he?" Ken demanded, snatching the cross back from him and holding it tightly. "I know most people in Japan don't believe in Christianity, but... a real live ANGEL, Aya, standing right in front of you... how can you disbelieve?" "Some people don't care, Ken," Aya sighed, glancing at the stairs as he thought about the boy asleep in his room. "About themselves or anyone else." "But how... why is he here? What's going to happen to us?" Ken wanted to know. "He's here because we saved him from Morikawa the first time," Aya said, shrugging faintly. "As for the rest... I don't know. We can't tell the others what he is, though." "Is he gonna... go back to heaven now?" Ken asked. "Won't the rest of them be angry about his wing?" "I don't think he'll be going to heaven just yet," Aya murmured sadly. "It's not what you think, Ken-san," Chihaya's voice came from the stairs. Aya whipped around to see his angel lover leaning heavily against the railing for support - somehow he'd made it through the door and halfway down the stairs without being heard. Again. Aya rose, hurrying to his lover and offering his support as Chihaya made his way slowly down the stairs and to the couch. Ken flinched away from him, looking scared to touch the smaller boy. "Wh-what do you mean?" he asked Chihaya. Chihaya smiled shyly at him. "You're Christian, aren't you? That's why it shocked you so badly. But... I'm not what you think. There are legends of people with wings all over the world, not just in Christian mythology. Because we were so much more advanced than you, we'd come to Earth to watch over you... and over time, we became religious figures in a lot of cultures." Aya listened curiously, standing nearby and wanting desperately to touch his wounded lover. "What are you saying, Chihaya?" he asked softly. "We're not any closer to God than you are," Chihaya said. "We're just... different from you. A race that evolved parallel to humans, I suppose." Ken glanced over at him. "So then... are you saying that Christianity is wrong? That the Bible is a lie?" Chihaya shrugged. "Parts of it are misinterpretations. The parts about my people. But that doesn't mean the rest of it might not be right. I don't know." Hesitantly, Aya moved to Chihaya, touching his shoulder. "Are you okay, Ken?" he asked gently. "I... I... I don't know..." Ken admitted in a shaky voice. "This is all... a hell of a lot to take in..." he sounded almost as dazed as Chihaya. "We have to figure out what to tell Yohji and Omi," Aya sighed, looking at the two. "Maybe... do you think they'd believe that my wings are a result of something Morikawa did to me?" Chihaya asked hesitantly. "If they thought I was born as a human, it would make things easier." "We've seen things like that before," Aya nodded slowly, running his fingers through Chihaya's hair slowly. "They'd probably believe it. I would have, if you hadn't told me." "Really?" Chihaya looked at him in dismay. "Damn... I wish I'd known that before I told you the truth!" "He wasn't winged," Aya shook his head. "And... it was a rather vicious monster." He rubbed the back of his skull in memory. He leaned in, pressing a kiss to Chihaya's forehead. "We can be trusted with secrets, lover." Chihaya nodded, leaning against his briefly. "It's not that I don't trust you, exactly... but the more people who know what I am, the more danger I - and you! - are in. Both from Earthians who would want to study me, and from my own people." Aya scowled at the mention of the other angels, his arm slipping around Chihaya. "Ken... are you willing to do this?" he asked softly, not really sure what their alternative was if Ken wasn't willing to make the promise. "I... I guess so... I mean, we don't seem to have much of a choice, do we?" Ken asked. "But why would you be in danger from your own people, Chihaya?" Chihaya lowered his face until his eyes were shadowed by his thick bangs. "I'm an outcast. They're forbidden to have contact with me. I can never leave Earth. But..." he glanced up Aya, and his eyes were shining with hope. "I don't care, anymore... I've finally found something to live for again." Startled by the declaration, Aya looked down at him with wide eyes, his fingers coming up to brush Chihaya's cheek delicately. He swallowed, not quite sure what to say to that, in turns desperate to make Chihaya see how dark his life really was and not wanting to give Chihaya up. "I think... I'm gonna go to bed," Ken finally said after an awkward moment watching the two of them. He seemed less shaken now, at least. "I need to think about all this. I'll tell Omi he can just send the mission report tomorrow... it's not like Manx was expecting us to finish it tonight or anything. She doesn't even know we went out." He hesitated, then added, "You're always welcome here, Chihaya. You've been good for Aya." So saying he made his way up the stairs and out the door. Aya watched him go, frowning faintly at the abrupt departure. Looking down at Chihaya, he smoothed his frown away. "You should be asleep, Chihaya. You need to heal. I can talk to Yohji and Omi." "I was... dreaming..." Chihaya shuddered against him and closed his eyes. "When I woke up I wanted to see you. And then I remembered that Ken had seen me, and I thought I should deal with it." Aya nodded, holding Chihaya close. "I'm glad you did. If... if you want to wait until I'm done talking to Yohji and Omi... I could curl up with you then." "That sounds good. Do you want me to come with you, though? So I'll know what you tell them, and I won't trip up your story later?" Aya looked at him, then nodded. He drew Chihaya to his feet, offering a firm arm to the angel. "We'll need to get some food into you soon, too," he said, almost as an afterthought. "All the energy you burned... and the odds are good that Morikawa didn't feed you, did he?" "He had me on an IV,'" Chihaya said, indicating the needle tracks on his arm. "But I could use some food." "I'll fix you something before we head to bed," Aya nodded. "Something that you can munch on during the night, too," he added thoughtfully as they made their way up the stairs. At the top, they came face to face with Omi and Yohji, and Aya blinked, flushing faintly as he noted the worry and irritation in Omi's face. "Well?" the younger boy demanded. "Ken-kun wouldn't say anything, except that I should do the mission report tomorrow. What is going ON? Aya-kun? "Morikawa was experimenting on Chihaya," Aya said tiredly, meeting Omi's eyes easily. His voice didn't change as he continued. "He's apparently made Chihaya capable of transformation, though even Chihaya isn't exactly sure what the right circumstances are to trigger the transformation." He squeezed Chihaya's hand tightly, his face not changing in the slightest. Omi's expression softened immediately, and he gave the angel a sympathetic look. "Transform? Into what? How awful for you!" "I have wings," Chihaya admitted shyly. "Or rather, a wing. One of them got torn off. And I seem to have some unusual abilities, too... I heal faster, and I have a... rapport with animals." "Ken saw the wing and it startled him," Aya said quietly. "We've just been explaining things to him. I thought it'd be better to talk privately first." "Oh... that explains a LOT," Omi agreed, blinking. "Ken-kun's Catholic. It must have been a shock for him." Aya nodded. "Yes. You can imagine the conclusions he drew about it," he said, making his voice dry with effort. "Hell, it would have been a shock for ME, and I'm not even religious, much less Christian," Yohji drawled. "But you'd better stay out of the shop for a while, kiddo, until you figure out what triggers the change. You don't want people knowing about this, or they'll be swarming you to study you." Chihaya shuddered beside Aya. "Just what we were thinking," Aya nodded. "I don't think it's something normal," he continued, keeping firm hold of Chihaya's hand. "Apparently, he could change before we rescued him the first time, and he never has in the shop or while we were out, so I think it has to be really special circumstances." Shrugging, Aya glanced at them both. "Mission report can wait until tomorrow, right Omi? I don't think Chihaya or Ken is in any condition to think about it." "No, that's fine," Omi agreed. "Manx doesn't even know we were out last night. Tomorrow is early enough. Is Chihaya-kun staying, then? We'll have to find him a bedroom... you can't keep sleeping on the floor forever, Aya-kun. I suppose you two won't need to pretend to be lovers any more." Aya's cheeks burned brightly suddenly, and he slanted a glance to Chihaya before looking back at Omi. "I don't think that will be necessary," he said softly. "Well, no, that's what I said," Omi agreed, confused. "It's not necessary for you to pretend anymore. I'm sure that will be a relief for you..." "I meant finding him another bedroom won't be necessary," Aya said, voice firm but quiet. He kept his fingers tightly laced in Chihaya's. Chihaya blushed faintly, and Omi blinked. Yohji nudged him, and nodded at their twined fingers. "Oh. OH! Oh, well, then..." Omi blushed as well. "Uh... well, I'm glad it worked out, then." Aya met Yohji's eyes briefly, smiling at the older man before drawing Chihaya down the hall toward the kitchen. "Sit while I make us something," he directed, hesitating over letting go of Chihaya's hand. After the afternoon's scare, all he really wanted was to hold his lover close until he finally calmed down. Chihaya squeezed his fingers. "Really, I'd rather just go to bed for now," the little angel admitted shyly. "I'm exhausted, and I feel like I don't want to let go of you. Like if I let go, I'll wake up and you rescuing me will all have been a dream." "Are you certain?" Aya asked, even as he raised a hand to thread it through Chihaya's hair. "If you need food..." "I'll be fine. I'll eat lots tomorrow. Please?" Chihaya looked up at him with shining eyes. Aya nodded helplessly, following Chihaya into the bedroom and shutting the door behind them. "I don't want to let you go, either," Aya said finally, once they were well and truly alone. "I keep thinking about how terrified I was when I realized you were gone." Chihaya hugged him suddenly, wrapping his arms tight around the taller man's waist and squeezing. "The birds said you were coming... but I could hardly bring myself to hope... I thought it would be just like the last time. Months and months of desperation... and then he did something, I don't know what, and my body reacted by putting my wings out, I couldn't stop it..." he seemed to realize he was babbling and cut himself off with a choked sob. "Tell me everything," Aya whispered, holding Chihaya tight. Ignoring the fact that they were both still fully clothed, he moved them to the bed, sitting down on it as he cradled his lover close. "Just talk until you don't need to talk anymore." The words seemed to come pouring out of the angel like a pent up flood. He spoke of tortures no man should be forced to endure - not just today, but on the other occasions he'd been captured by Morikawa and Ashiya. He spoke of the treatment he'd received in Eden, the way people had whispered behind his back that he was destined to fall, that he was a death omen. He spoke of the years of aching loneliness he'd gone through since Kagetsuya had died. Through it all he clung to Aya like a leech, sobbing into his shirt. Aya just held him, stroking his back and listening. His own cheeks were wet with sympathetic tears, and each time Chihaya got too choked up to continue, he waited, murmuring soothing assurances and reminders. It was painful to listen to, and he couldn't even begin to imagine how painful it must have been to live through. At last the sobs began to die, and Chihaya slowly quieted. "I'm sorry I doubted that you'd come for me," he finally whispered. "I've just been alone for so long..." "It's okay, love," Aya murmured, pressing a kiss to each eye and tasting salt. "But I won't ever leave you alone willingly." "I love you," Chihaya whispered. "I wish I could be with you forever. It's not fair... it's just not fair!" Aya blinked, frowning at Chihaya's sudden anger. "What's wrong, lover? What's not fair?' "Your lives are so short," Chihaya said. "I'll hardly have you longer than I did Kagetsuya. And then I'll be alone again." Aya blinked, startled. "But.. you... Chihaya, how old are you?" "Oh... uh..." Chihaya flushed faintly. "Well... pretty old, by your standards, I guess. I'm still very young by ours." "Are you sure you want to do this?" Aya asked, abandoning the topic of age when he realized Chihaya wasn't going to share an exact number with him. "Do what?" Chihaya seemed confused by the sudden switch in topic. "Stay with me," Aya whispered, kissing Chihaya's temple. "If it's going to hurt you..." "NO!" Chihaya burst out, clinging to him more tightly. "Baka. How would it be better for me to have NO time with you, rather than enjoying what time I do have and making memories to treasure later? Besides, either of us could die tomorrow. Why should I have to go through life alone just because my lifespan is longer than yours?" He suddenly paused. "But... it could cause trouble for you, later. I can't ever stay in one place too long, because people notice that I don't get any older. And in ten or twenty years, people will be very harsh with you for having a lover that still looks like a teenager. Are you sure YOU are willing to deal with that?" "I want you," Aya said, catching Chihaya's lips in a possessive kiss. "I can deal with what everyone else thinks." Chihaya nodded and curled up against him. "Then I'm staying. Just as long as you'll have me." Aya nodded slowly, curling his arms around his lover. "Kritiker will want to recruit you," he said, his voice catching. "You may not end up as part of Weiß." "I won't join them if I can't stay with you," Chihaya said stubbornly. "That's the end of that." "You know too much," Aya sighed, lifting a hand to curl around Chihaya's neck as he kissed the angel. "Let's sleep, lover," he said, before Chihaya could answer him. "I'm too tired to think about all of this." "Are we sleeping in our clothes, then?" Chihaya asked, amused. Aya blushed faintly. "I'd rather not," he drawled, looking down at his shirt. "I don't like sleeping in wet clothing." "Gomen nasai!" Chihaya exclaimed, pulling away immediately and looking abashed. "I didn't mean to..." Aya held him tight, smiling. "You know... I do occasionally make jokes," he said, leaning in to catch Chihaya in another kiss. When he pulled back, he added, "I've just never claimed that they were good jokes." "Mou," Chihaya complained, though he was smiling faintly. "You negative people and your senses of humour. I'll never understand." He wriggled out of Aya's hold and slid off the bed, shedding what remained of his clothing hastily. He paused with his hand on his pants button. "Um... I hope you don't mind... I'm really too exhausted to... you know..." he blushed. "We're both worn out," Aya said, smiling faintly. "It's been a rough day. I just want to hold you, lover. I don't think I'd have the energy for anything more, even if you did." He discarded his own clothing, waiting for Chihaya to slip into bed. "Enough time for that later." Chihaya slid in next to him, cuddling up to him with a sigh of relief. "It's so wonderful to have someone to lean on again," he murmured, eyes closed as he pillowed his head on Aya's shoulder. "Yes," Aya whispered, closing his own eyes as he held Chihaya to him. He was smiling softly, hope beginning to fill his soul and making the burden of the world impossibly light. "It's wonderful to love you." | |
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