The Black Cross

"Aya, I'm upstairs." Ran had halted at the top step. He might not honor his limits, but he knew when they were about to break. Another trip down the stairs would have him sleeping on the couch.

His voice was quiet.

She was okay.

And it wasn't because of him.

The anger was still there, but it had no direction, only born of the frustration that he was completely out of control of the situation. He couldn't blame her for wanting her independence, or for wanting to protect him. The difference was he had training and years of blood staining his hands, and it was supposed to have been worth it to see her kept clean.

But she was home. That mattered, his guilt didn't.

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Aya made her way towards the stairs but stopped at the bottom, staring up at Ran. She was almost afraid to climb and meet him at the top... what if he was still angry at her for running off? And, he had every right to be upset and worried.

She took a good look at him. He looked... frustrated. But relieved at the same time. And... "You look like shit." It was a little more blunt than she had intended, but completely true. "You look like you've been doing everything but staying still and resting..." her hands closed on the small pocket knife Omi had given her earlier and squeezed.

It was all her fault...

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"Aya," Ran's voice was steady and gentle.

He was still amazed by his sister's strength, and found he couldn't be irritated with her stubborness without being irritated at himself. They were too much alike in that.

You look like shit. Aya swearing made him flinch, but now was not the time to play parent. He'd tried that, and she wasn't buying it.

"...Schwarz could have taken you and I wouldn't have known. They were still too close to the Koneko for you to follow your emotion." Ran's voice started steely, and ended up weary. "If you have any respect for who I was to you, if you have any respect for our parents," he could count the number of times on one hand he had let himself mention them since their deaths. "You will take care of yourself. That is your responsibility."

He braced himself on the wall of the hallway, taking some weight off his leg. His expression stayed worried, despite his efforts to make it flat. He shoved off in the same motion and started toward his room. "Go to bed," he flung.

Push her away, so that doesn't happen again. She should never decide to protect you over herself.

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Aya reeled back in surprise at Ran's words. She watched wordlessly as he began to retreat back into his room. He was right... she'd done something incredibly stupid. She glanced down at the hand holding the pocket knife. Her knuckles had turned white from the death grip.

I'm just a liability... Something inside of her snapped and she ran up the stairs. She stopped at the very top. "Omi-Kun said..." her confidence was lost for a brief instance, but the coldness of the knife in her hand brought it back. "Omi-Kun said that I should learn how to fight." She stared at Ran, her next words pushing against the lump in her throat to emerge.

"Please teach me." Ran looked so wary... and old.

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Ran turned at her footsteps, blanched at her request.

"To do what?" he growled. Anything he could teach her was based on physical strength and swordsmanship developed from necessity. It would be a bloody day before hell took him if she ever asked to be Kritiker trained, and formal training in their business would never be allowed from anyone else. He turned and leaned a shoulder on the wall. He glared at her, though it was still tempered by that same blinding fear. "You're not stronger then them, Aya. We're trained assassins." He said the words deliberately. Fear who I am, do not protect me. "And we can barely hold our own against Schwarz. You have no chance but to stay away from them."

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"Like Fujimiya Ran was any stronger?" Aya shot back. "Last I remember, you were rather wimpy." Normally, the comment would've been said in a jovial tone, but this time, it was just a cheap stab. She wasn't really sure what to do anymore. "What am I supposed to do then...?" She leaned her back against the wall, and stared down at the ground. "Stay holed up inside the house and never go out? Or... leave?" She was choking on her words. "Would you rather I leave, Ran? My parents are already gone... are you planning on killing my brother as well?"

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Omi closed the door as he and Aya entered, he heard Ran call and smiled when Aya-chan went to talk to him. He saw her run up the stairs and continue talking to Ran. When he heard his name mentioned he thought it would be best not to go up to his room just yet.

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Upstairs, Ran faced off with his sister.

Was her brother already dead, or not? He felt the doubt seep into his expression.

Yohji had been dedicated to his belief that there was still something more than revenge and murder left to Ran. His inexperience compared to the other man's made him recall his own relative youth, and it was a strange feeling to be reminded of how he would be without his experience. Without the fact that the number of those he'd sent to hell was greater than his age. He was reminded of himself still, when he looked at Aya.

No. Not dead yet. The reason why he hadn't run himself through with his katana.

She looked so lost, beneath the anger. She was his little sister, his best friend from his youth. He couldn't find the right tone, the right words, the right action to comfort her, and he knew it. He gave up trying. Her actions had been reckless and immature, just as much as his.

"No, Aya.I don't want you to leave." A scowl snapped into place, eradicating his uncertainty. "If you stay, you have Weiss to protect you. If you leave, you will face the same dangers without us. It's why I made the choice to bring you back."

Edited Date: 2008-12-05 12:00 am (UTC)

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"So I follow you around then? I chain myself to one of you four at all times?" This was ridiculous. Couldn't Ran see that? "Because that would solve everything." Sarcasm was beginning to seep through now. Sarcasm that Aya didn't even realize she had in her. "Should I have a bodyguard in the bathroom too? Because, God forbid someone bad tries to climb through the bathroom window."

Aya wasn't really sure where she was going with this. She wasn't even sure she wanted to learn how to fight... It was just... just what?

Damnit! She just wanted her old life back.

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Ran put a hand on his bare hipbones, and it reminded him he'd left his room with just his pajama bottoms and nothing else. He crossed his arms across his chest instead. She was so stubborn!

Ran's chin set.

Her mouth was trembling, just barely. It was the sign from when she was littler that his sister was about to throw a major tantrum, even if she didn't realize it. He usually gave in to her to avoid the argument, before. He was too devoted of a brother to care whether she often got her own way.

But this -

"I don't want you to become like me." The words slipped out before he could stop them. He looked away from her quickly at his own admission.

But he couldn't argue that self-defense training would be completely without use.

"Defense." He charged. "If you're taught anything, you will only use it in defense. Not to attack. Not to try and protect me like you did today." His eyes met hers squarely.

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She wanted to ask why... why Ran became the way he was. Why he did what he did... why he still continued it.

If this were a few years ago, she'd have thrown a tantrum until she got just what she wanted. But now... Aya dropped her questions. Maybe, in a way, they'd both matured.

And maybe... they were both still just as naive and stupid as before.

"Okay." It was all she could ask for at this point. "But promise me one thing... promise me you won't do anything stupid or rash."

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A ghost of a smile lightened Ran's worn face, but only for a moment. "I'm still your brother, Aya, even if I have changed. You know I can't promise I won't do anything stupid or rash."

Edited Date: 2008-12-05 06:51 pm (UTC)

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Aya sighed. "Isn't that hypocritical? Asking me to not be stupid or rash but rushing around yourself making rash decisions...?" Aya gave Ran a small smile in return, just in case he didn't realize from her tone that she was mostly joking.

... Mostly...

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A loud beeping came from Ran's room, making him start in confusion. He'd set his cellphone on the loudest setting, hoping for word from Aya or Omi. It saved him from answering his sister's valid question.

A text message. But Aya was out, and Omi...

Suddenly Ran's eyes went wide. "Aya. Did Omi come back with you?"

Yohji, still in Ran's room. They didn't know.

"Yohji's back."

Shit. Shit. He had been on the phone with Omi earlier, and had been so focused on his sister that he hadn't thought...

Liability.

"He didn't go after...tell me..." He pushed past her and snapped down the stairwell, storing his irritation that the younger Weiss had probably been eavesdropping. "Omi!" He barked.

And Ken. What had he been thinking?

He'd been getting a hand job from their supposedly missing teammate.

A cold feeling settled in his gut.

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Omi stood up quickly. "Ran-kun." He looked at the red head. "did you get the message from Ken-kun? He's following Beserker." He said, he had half been listening to Ran and Aya, and didn't know if that was the reason for Ran calling him. "I'm going to go pick him up as soon as he tells me where he is." Omi glanced at his phone hoping Ken would text, or call soon.

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[reply is in 1.51]

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Ran frowned. "Tell him to come back." He said quickly. "Yohji's here."

He was such an idiot. Where did he think Ken would be going when he left?

He hadn't cared. He had been distracted by guilt and worry about Aya-chan, and his own part in letting Yohji get captured. This time, it wasn't his feelings for the others that had him distracted, but his own self-absorption.

"That idiot," Ran added.

And what the fuck was Ken thinking going after him on his own?!

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"And you couldn't have mentioned this to me when you called before? Or when me and Aya-chan got home?" Omi sounded like he had more he wanted to say but bit his tongue telling himself that he shouldn't be angry with anyone. He looked at and looked at his phone again when Ken messaged him back. He dialed Ken's number now and waited for him to pick up.

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Ran crossed his arms again over his bare stomach and leaned against the wall while Omi dialed, frowning heavily at the space between his sister and where he himself stood at the top of the stairs.

Silently, he chewed Ken out for his recklessness.

His leg was quickly sliding into agony again, and he realized that the amount of painkillers he'd already taken meant that over-the-counter was not going to do any amount of good. He had not taken nearly enough of Yohji's alcohol to help. He tried to shift his position as he waited for Omi to get through on the cell, then stilled and squared his jaw.

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Omi glanced at him. "You know you're doing more harm to that leg by standing."

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[Yohji enters from Wed 1.51]

Yohji finally decided that as the original message had been for Ran, he really ought to make the effort to deliver it. He pushed off the bed and sauntered out to the hallway.

There was an almost tangible aura of stress hanging between its occupants. Ran looked pained. Aya-chan frustrated. Yohji couldn't get a good read on Omi as he was downstairs. But he would have laid money on 'agitated.'

"Ken's being a moron," he announced, leaning against the wall next to Ran.

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"I was just calling to make sure you were on your way home. Ran just informed me that Yohji-kun was back. I'll talk to you when you get here." Omi said to Ken and hung up. He looked at Yohji. His first thought was that Ken wasn't the only one being a moron, but he managed to keep that comment to himself.

"Are you alright Yohji-kun?" He finally asked after taking a deep breath. Yohji didn't seem to be any more hurt then he had been before Schwartz took him. But that didn't mean anything.

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"Completely traumatized," Yohji remarked flippantly, assuming the others would take it for his usual melodrama, and not pick up on the small shade of truth there.

He turned to Ran and grinned. "But I'm feeling surprisingly better," he winked.

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Ran's scowl turned slightly embarrassed. "I can fix that," he muttered to Yohji. It lacked real conviction; Ran knew Yohji well enough that he didn't buy the carefree smirk on his face.

What the fuck had happened at Schwartz? And was whatever Yohji suffered going to manifest?

He scanned Yohji's face quickly. The other assassin was doing his best to look nonchalant. He shifted his gaze back to the floor.

So it sounded like Ken was coming home.

That idiot.

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"Spending any time with Schwartz I think anyone would be traumatized." Omi said but was still frowning slightly.

"So, is there a reason no one called to let me know that you were home?" Omi asked not really blaming Yohji but his gaze turned towards Ran.

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Yohji brushed off Ran's threat and turned to Omi.

"Sorry Omittchi," he said, "I was monopolizing his attention." He paused a second, just enough to let Ran start to worry. "He had to clean me up and I wasn't being very cooperative."

He crossed his arms, daring anyone to contradict his story.

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Ran tensed, then looked toward Yohji, surprised. His eyes searched his face. That was the other man's opportunity to brag, to embarrass Ran, to pay him back for being...difficult, stubborn.

And he hadn't. He'd covered. Yohji's face was inscrutable.

His lips stayed pressed in a thin line, his only admission of guilt. He should have called Ken and Omi, he wasn't the only one worried for Yohji. Nevertheless, he couldn't bring himself to apologize. They all knew he should have anyway.

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Omi sighed running a hand through his hair. "Alright." He knew that Yohji could be difficult when he wanted to be. After that explanation he wasn't as irritated any more. Though he was still upset that Ken had decided to follow a Schwartz member by himself.

"You both should go get some rest." Omi finally said glancing at Ran's leg.

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"Yes," Yohji agreed with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm. He latched on to Ran's arm and gave an encouraging tug.

"Listen to the boy, he's smart."

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Ran was about to nod at Omi, grateful he'd let it go, and still grateful he'd brought his sister home, but deflected into a look of alarm as Yohji revealed he had no intention whatsoever of keeping what had happened between them. He knew the house was small and his teammates curious, there wasn't much chance of it staying a secret if they followed through. It was too soon, though, and Ran was too private with both overprotective Omi and his sister knowing right then.

But it was too late. And Yohji hadn't said it outright. He was just being possessive of Ran's personal space.

Arguing with him wouldn't have made sense. Caught, Ran scowled. "Wake me if Ken doesn't come back. Aya." His gaze softened as he looked at his sister. "We'll talk tomorrow."

He was too tired for explanations. He shrugged Yohji off and went into his room.

[Ran exits, Wednesday1.52]

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Yohji frowned at the brush-off although it was no different than what he expected. Actually it was almost an agreeable response compared to some of his ideas of how Ran might have reacted.

He looked at Omi and Aya-chan and raised an eyebrow.

"Catch ya later kiddos," he gave them a mock salute and stalked deliberately after Ran.

He knew he ought to fill Omi in with more details on his experience with Schwarz. But that could wait until the morning and no one could blame him for being anti-social in his current condition.

[Yohji exits, Wednesday 1.52]

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It took all her willpower not to just let her jaw drop right then and there. In the span of about five minutes, a billion things happened... and now... - here, Aya glanced warily at Omi - they were left alone in the halls.

"I get the feeling there's something we're not included in on," she mused.

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Omi nodded his agreement as he watched the other two disappear. "I wonder if we really want to know what they're hiding." Omi said turning to head back down stairs, with one more glance over his shoulder looking to where Ran and Yohji had gone he looked at Aya-chan again.

"I'm going to wait downstairs for Ken-kun to come back." Omi wanted to make sure that Ken got back safely before he himself went to bed.

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Aya nodded. "I think I'm going to... go to bed." She gave Omi a small smile. "Thank you. For today."

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Omi smiled at her. "You're welcome. Good night." Omi said heading downstairs to wait for Ken.

Omi sat on the couch in the mission room listening for the front door to open and let him know that Ken was back. But he was exhausted and wound up dozing off in a matter of minutes thinking to himself that he had never gotten his home work done that day.

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Ken walked in the door a good twenty minutes later, accidentally letting the door slam behind him. In his muddled state of frustration and excitemant he couldn't bring himself to care too much.

Questions tumbled through his thoughts the entire way home. Why hadn't anyone contacted him to tell him Yohji was home? If he hadn't called home to report his activities, would be have known?

Granted, it was a misguided relief that Omi was about as unaware of Yohji's return as he was, so it wasn't a matter of him being singled out. He decided (for now) that Yohji must have popped up right before he called.

But if so, why was he answering Ran's phone?

He did his best to let the feeling of elation take over, to wrap himself in the joy that Yohji made it home safe and whole. When he walked in the door, he was glad to see a light still on down in the mission room. He made his way downstairs, smiling to see Omi sprawled out on the couch. He gingerly sat down on the edge of the sofa and nudged his teammate with a gentle hand.

"You shouldn't sleep down here," Ken commented quietly. "You'll get a stiff neck."

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Omi stirred slightly, then sat up quickly when he realized there was someone with him trying to wake him up. He sat up quickly and looked at Ken. It seemed to take a few moments for Omi to realize it was Ken and sighed relaxing back on the couch.

"You're home." He said sighing in relief.

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"Yeah," he agreed, "Thanks for waiting for me." He smiled and scratched the back of his head. "So everyone is home and safe now right?" He asked with just a hint of trepidation.

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Omi smiled rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I tried to stay awake to wait for you." He said stretching a little.

"Yeah, everyone is home. unless they all left while I was passed out...."

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Ken couldn't help but smile. He reached out and playfully ran his fingers through Omi's bangs, mussing them up a little.

"Thanks. Come on, get to bed," he fussed, getting to his feet and holding out a hand to help Omi.

"I'm sure we're gonna have a lot to go over tomorrow, right?"

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Omi managed to smile back at ken and take his hand. But was painfully reminded about why he'd been trying to talk to Ken all day, and now more annoyed at Schwartz for messing things up. He sighed.

"Yeah, I think we all will." Omi said softly thinking about everything that had happened that day and half dreading what might happen tomorrow. "but I don't want to think about that until tomorrow. let's get to bed."

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