Sunday 1.6: Escape

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Ran had grabbed his katana and stormed up to the exercise room, but the present moment found him hunched over his sword, staring at the hilt and the slim blade glinting beneath.

He should never have threatened Yohji with his sword, even if both men knew he wouldn't use it against him, at least not for that.

He could almost see the blood of the fallen streaming in the sunlight, a river that stretched down from the window and across the floor. Gathering on the blade and making it gleam orange with morning sun.

He had told himself that once his sister was awake, he would no longer be Weiss. He would no longer touch this weapon, or kill again.

But his sister need protection.

But it was more than that.

It was more than the money, too, however needed.

Perhaps it was a sense of obligation towards his team. Perhaps it was that he had transferred his need for a purpose to his team, now that Aya-chan was with them, now that he felt obsolete.

Perhaps somehow, Omi's idealism had spread to him, and he recognized the need for an absolute justice outside of the law.

Something was keeping him here.

He shook off his thoughts.

He was still throbbing with the irritation Yohji was so adept at provoking.

Ran straightened, and fell into a familiar pattern, careful footsteps and swinging blade courting one another in a graceful dance, two parts of one whole.

Comments

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Finally, body sweaty and mind thankfully clear, Ran descended to replace his sword on its stand and grab fresh clothes for a shower.

Only to find his irritation and source of countless headaches slumped against his door. All the good his workout did him was beaten into a bloody pulp by a single wave of annoyance.

"Is the smell from your room finally too strong for even you?" Ran snapped, stymied by having to either talk or step over Yohji's sprawled form.

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

Ran's harsh words did little more than draw out a bland stare. It was unusual for Ran to throw out the fighting words first, that was usually his job.

"No," he practically muttered, "the company sucked." This was probably the correct place where a normal person would have inserted an apology. Yohji was, unfortunately, too out of practice to quite get there.

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Ran stared, at a loss. Uncomfortable, he remained stationary. Silence seeped between them.

Nothing had seemed unusual to him about this morning, though he had noticed Yohji had actually been trying to irritate him, whereas it was usually just a byproduct of his nature.

The man on the floor seemed unusually dejected. Aya - who he had been/still was/never was at all - might have left him where he was.

He didn't have a reason not to.

But Ran - a memory of a person still struggling to the surface within him - instead crossed his arms, and stayed where he was.

To him, that was a clear enough invitation for Yohji to speak.

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

Ran seemed to be expecting him to say something, which was unfortunate. Yohji was rather blank right now and was hoping to be talked to. An unrealistic expectation, he had to admit, considering the company.

He drummed his fingers on his knee.

"I'm an obnoxious asshole." It was a very clear statement, without expectation of reply. "You really should make good on your threat. I.... I honestly don't think I'd try to stop you."

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

It took Ran a second to realize which threat he was referring to, and when he did he gave Yohji a withering look. "You're an idiot, Kudoh." He stated flatly.

...had Yohji just admitted he was obnoxious?

Ran gave him a speculative glance.

Finally, he gestured briefly to his sword. "I should not have threatened you with this." His form of apology.

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." Yohji didn't specify which of Ran's statements he was agreeing with.

He looked at the sword thoughtfully. "It wasn't uncalled for....you just called it wrong." Yohji broke contact with the sword and glanced at Ran. "I wasn't hitting on your sister. You should have saved the death threat for ruining breakfast."

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

The reminder of breakfast and his sister made Ran tense his jaw again.

In a rare moment of thinking beyond his anger, however, he recalled that it was due to Yohji that his sister was not out by herself at this moment.

Instead of snapping, he said, "See that you don't." But he kept his tone of voice almost gentle.

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

"No worries," Yohji shrugged, "beyond the fact that it would lead to you kicking my ass," he ticked the reasons off on his fingers as he talked, "and the fact that although she may be chronologically 18, she didn't age while she was asleep, putting her at a technical 16--and therefore completely off my radar," he glanced up, anticipating Ran to not be finding his commentary especially reassuring, "the fact of the matter is I'm flat-out not interested in her."

He chewed on his lip as he thought about what he had just said. "But even if I were, I avoid getting involved in anything that obviously messy. Complicated isn't my style."

He really hoped Ran wasn't going to interpret that as an insult to Aya Chan. She was kind of a no-win topic of conversation when it came to Ran. He was way too protective.

"I'm, um...sorry about how I talk. It's habit. It really doesn't mean anything at all."

Yohji was getting fidgety now. This was way more talk than he was accustomed to engaging in with Ran--even though he was doing almost all of the talking. He wondered for how much longer they'd be facing off in the hallway....
...and if he was going to be back to keeping miserable company of himself when they weren't.

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Yohji began rambling, and Ran found that he was amused despite himself. The man on the floor was obviously having some sort of inner breakdown, and if it was over the verbal sparring they'd had at breakfast it was almost laughably pitiful.

...and endearing, Ran was irritated to note.

"Yohji." He stated, trying to stop the flow of words. Finally, he sighed, then added, "Thank you. For sending Ken with her."

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

Yohji blinked and finally looked at Ran dead on. He'd picked up on that? And was thanking him? What?

This was probably an event worthy of being marked on Yohji's calendar. If Yohji had had a calendar, which he didn't. Calendars were for people with plans more interesting than "two for one night at Kuroyama's."

He realized that his mouth was slightly ajar. It would probably be a good idea to fix that.

"Um...you're welcome? I don't think Ken's going to thank me though."

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

A barely detectable smile might have turned one corner of his mouth, but it would have taken something like a private detective to notice. Ran tilted his head towards his door. As far as he was concerned, things were smoothed over. "I'm taking a shower," he stated. As in, move, Kudoh.

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

Ran's entire demeanor had done a complete one eighty in just a few minutes. Yohji had never witnessed anything like it. No, that wasn't true. It was an event with precedence; Yohji had just never witnessed it occurring in proximity to anyone sans plaited black hair.

It made him feel weird in a way he couldn't quite pin down. Which was weird in itself, since hadn't Yohji just been bitching to himself an hour ago about how Ran was only nice to his sister?

There was probably something severely wrong with both of them.

Tension gone, Yohji concluded that the only thing left to do was try to act normal. And normal Yohji wouldn't pass up such a blatant opportunity to embarrass an associate.

"Is that an invitation?"

He cranked on his trade marked lecherous grin, and settled further down into his sprawl, clarifying that he had no intention whatsoever of moving out of Ran's way.

Really Ran just walked right into these things.

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Ran scowled, then vocalized his earlier meaning. "Move, Kudoh."

Mentally, however, he rolled his eyes. He should have expected it.

To his disgust, some part of himself was still mildy amused.

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

Relieved to finally get a genuinely predictable response from Ran, and satisfied that the weirdness was under the bridge, Yohji plowed forward with his practiced charade.

"Nope." Yohji stretched languidly, and then held out his hand, palm up. "You either have to make me, or pay the toll."

He didn't bother to specify what that was, of course.

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Ran narrowed his eyes, then in a completely uncharacteristic gesture decided to play along. What was wrong with him today?

"What toll?"

He should have just stepped on the ex-detective. In a choice location, of course.

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

Yohji raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. Ran was playing along? That was a first. Aya Chan must've put something funny in the pancakes.

"Mmmm, the toll is relative. You must offer something equal in value to the fact that you just un-invited me to the shower."

He watched Ran, very interested to see how long he'd go along.

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

"I didn't invite you to the shower in the first place!" Ran exclaimed, finally exasperated. He decided he really wanted a shower, now, and Yohji was just at a loss for something to do. "There's laundry to be done, if you need an occupation."

He had almost suggested preparing the shop for tomorrow's business, but the headache of cleaning up Yohji's half-assed attempts was not worth getting him out of his hair.

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

"You're a tough customer," Yohji folded his arms over his chest, ignoring the laundry comment.

"I suppose I could settle for a candlelit dinner, but that's my lowest offer."

9...8...7...6.... Yohji braced himself to get kicked.

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Ran's eyes widened. His mouth worked for a second.

...what?!

A moment later he was composed again. It was just Yohji, taunting him. "Come on, Kudoh," he finally said gruffly. "I am covered in sweat, and I want to change."

He eyed him for a moment, and then conceded that the man wasn't going to move without some sort of incentive. Threats apparently were not going to work. A sinking feeling told him that this was a bad idea, but on the other hand he had been suppressing nerves on the account of his sister being out of the house as it was, and he could, he admitted, use a distraction. "I will...talk to you after."

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

Yohji opened his mouth to make another annoying jest--"I am covered in sweat and I want to change"--just left so many possibilites....

...but found himself shutting it in surprise as Ran admitted he'd actually tolerate being social with him afterwards. That was...unexpected.

Yohji wouldn't willingly have admited to the sense of relief he suddenly felt.

"Okay."

He didn't actually get out of the way, so much as pull his legs toward himself to make room for Ran to walk around him. He wasn't really sure where to go or what to do with himself in the meantime. Maybe he'd just stay in the hall.

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Ran gave Yohji a patented Look and went into his room. Replaced the sword, grabbed his clothes, did not look at Yohji in the hall on his way to the shower.

Was the man just going to stay there?

Inside the bathroom, he stripped and stood under lukewarm water, taking his time as he ran his hands over muscle and through thick hair.

What had gotten into Yohji?

Dinner.

Where had that come from? He would have, and had, brushed it off due to Yohji just trying to get to him, but asking him out on a date seemed somehow more...honest, than the usual teasing. Stuff about the shower, his body, innuendos...he expected all of those things.

But what was funny about asking him to dinner?

Yohji didn't like men.

Ran had never considered it. He had honestly never considered women seriously, either. Sakura, besides being too young and like his sister, had never interested him. And the fangirls, well, he had never taken one of them seriously.

He did not need to think about this now. Yohji was just trying to get to him, and had succeeded, however illogically.

Ran turned off the water and toweled off. Pulled on his clothes, rested his hands against the counter for a moment and prepared himself to find Yohji.

Why had he said that?

He could have just stepped over him. It wouldn't have been anything more than a matter of principle.

This was ridiculous. He had nothing to say to the playboy.

He opened up the door, and to his great surprise found Yohji still sprawled where he left him.

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

"Did you have fun without me?" Yohji had perfected his instant, unprovoked pout.

He wasn't sure why he was letting this go on so long, other than the fact that Ran's unusual tolerance for it was fascinating him.

He observed Ran, waiting to be told where he should get up to go to, assuming Ran hadn't intended to have a heart to heart right there on the floor.

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Ran didn't know what was wrong with him, but he almost smiled at the ridiculousness of assassin and ex-P.I. lounging in the floor of the hallway like a delinquent college student. Yohji's behavior had thrown him completely off, to the point that he was thinking he should have given in to his urge to watch over Aya at the store. Or maybe he should have just stayed upstairs reading that morning. He was used to Yohji begging for attention, but no one was around to watch him this time. Left to their own devices, they would usually leave one another well enough alone.

Honestly, it made him nervous.

"Get up," he said, voice halfway between alarmed and gruff.

[skyrat13.livejournal.com]

"Aye Aye captain," Yohji responded with a mock salute. The way Ran had been observing him a moment ago was kinda weird, so he decided to continue to play things up.

Why had Ran been looking at him like that, anyway? It certainly wasn't the first time he had seen Yohji sprawled somewhere with the obvious intention of being nothing more than useless and n the way.

He pulled himself up and stretched his shoulders.

"Up where?"

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Ran had to force himself not to take a step back as the taller man actually obeyed him for once and got to his feet.

He wasn't good with this. He'd never had to be. His teammates were tools, and this type of interaction was not something he'd had to learn. The occasional conversation, the rare moment when he identified with them were few and far between. He didn't know where he'd been during the time between Takatori taking his life from him and Aya's return, but it hadn't been here.

He regarded Yohji, careful to keep his expression neutral. "Downstairs."

Like hell they were sitting in their rooms. A parade of bedroom comments flitting from Yohji's mouth was not something Ran wanted to deal with.