::Disclaimer= this song doesn't belong to me... It belongs to Garth Brooks- don't sue =p I just found the lyrics somewhere and liked them. The characters of Weiss Kreuz aren't mine either, so leave me alone. um.. that's it. ja. oh, yeah, it's 2:30 in the morning, so don't kill me if some of this is disjointed/sounds OOC.. -_-; ok.. enjoy::




~~
When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love
~~



"...I don't understand."
"You don't understand what I'm asking for?" The quiet voice was mocking. "Or you don't understand what you want?"
"Shut up. I thought I told you not to come here anymore."
The shadowed figure leaning against the wall offered a feral grin, cigarette dangling from sultry lips. "Temper temper."
The young man on the bed raised his head from his hands, glaring towards his tormenter, who was out of the reach of the moonlight, face still hidden by the shadows. "Why do you keep coming here? Didn't you hear me the five THOUSANDTH'S time? I said I'm not interested!"
"Are you sure about that?"
"Go play your little mind games on your *own* team," the man on the bed snarled, rising abruptly and striding over to his dresser, giving the other a wide berth. "Don't make me kill you-- I don't want blood on the carpet. Aya would kick my ass." He jerked the top drawer open, rummaging around and finding his emergency stash. He carefully removed a cigarette from the paper it had been wrapped in, fumbling for a lighter. Hopefully Omi wouldn't smell the smoke tomorrow when he came to wake him up. "Get lost."



~~
I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong
~~


"I didn't give up the other times." The shadowed figure was still grinning insanely, arms crossed over his chest as he reclined lazily against the wall. "Why should I stop now, Kudou?"
The object of his attention shot him a dark look, succeeding in lighting the cigarette and drawing a lungful of smoke from it, needing the nicotine in his bloodstream to calm his racing heart and clear his mind. Think think think, Kudou, he thought to himself. How do I get this maniac out of here? How do I get him to quit stalking me?? "Look, wacko," he said, a little calmer as he exhaled the smoke, turning to face his enemy with a stern gaze. "I don't think you understand this. You and me are enemies. We're fighting for two different people."
"They have their problems- Taketori and Persia," the other dismissed airily. "We get paid to work for them. That's just business. This is personal."
"But *why* are you stalking me??" Yohji exploded. "You just think it's funny, don't you?" he raved, beginning to pace furiously, more angry at himself than his tormenter. The other man shouldn't affect him like this; shouldn't be able to get under his skin. He must be going bonkers. "I'm *not* interested, and I don't even swing that way for crissakes! Go play ride the horsey with that anal Crawford jerk or something."
"Would you prefer me go after one of your team mates?" the voice dripped honey.
Yohji froze in his tracks, his breath hitching in his throat.
No..
Just the thought of that madman with his hands on innocent Omi made his skin crawl. And Ken was like a kid brother to him. Imagining the smirking man holding down Aya, his beautiful, normally stony face shattered with fury and fear, made him want to retch.
...Beautiful face?
"Gahh!" He shook his head frantically as if trying to dislodge the thought. "Quit messing with my mind, god damn it!"
"I'm not messing with anything," Schuldich said smoothly, stepping out of the shadows just enough for the moonlight from the window to illuminate his handsome, grinning face. "That thought was all your own. If you don't 'swing that way', then why do you admire Aya's beautiful features and Ken's body? Don't tell me you never thought of how cute your darling little Omi looks in some of his outfits."
"SHUT UP!"
Surprisingly, Schuldich subsided, watching silently as Yohji began puffing furiously on his cigarette.



~~
I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling down the avenue
There's nothing that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love

The storms are raging on the rollin' sea
And on the highway of regret
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing like me yet
~~


Two months. Two months of this torture.
It had all started very unexpectedly...

"Aya, watch your back!"
Aya leapt to the side as Yohji's wire took out the man who had been trying to sneak up on him. Yohji grinned, giving a final tug on the wire. "You're welcome," he said sarcastically as Aya turned and raced down the hall, continuing on towards his goal without a word. Yohji snorted, winding his wire back up. "That's graditude for you. Stone face." He ran after his partner.
Very soon he became lost in the twisting, darkened hallways, and came to a halt after several moments of fruitless searching, catching his breath and muttering curses as he cast around quickly, reaching up to press the small headpiece microphone closer to his mouth. "Abs, do you read me? Where the hell--"
There was a solid thunk, followed by a gurgled scream directly behind him, and he whirled around, arm snapping up to shoot his wire. He stared in shock at the man that fell to the ground before him on his face, a butterfly knife protruding from below his shoulder blades. "Wha-- Aya?"
There was a strange chuckle, and a figure in the shadows stepped forward, hands thrust in his pockets. The german offered a sultry but dangerous grin, hooded emerald eyes locked on his quarry. "Fancy meeting you here, Kudou," he purred.
Yohji staggered back several steps, shocked. What was Schwarz doing here?? And not just that... why had Schuldich just saved him? "What are you doing here?" he demanded, arm still outstretched warningly as he shot a wary glance around, searching for the others. Particularly that scarred irish madman that always seemed to be at the redhead's side.
"I'm alone," Schuldich assured him, tilting his head back to let his mane fall down his back as he regarded Yohji with faint interest. "And I saved your hide because.." he shrugged, grinning. "I felt like it."
Yohji glared at him. "I hope you don't expect a 'thank you'," he growled, and shot his wire.
Schuldich was far too fast.
He ducked, leaping forward and seizing Yohji by his neck and his wrist, tearing the watch from his wrist with a powerful yank. Yohji gasped in surprise, but was too caught off guard to retaliate-- it all happened within seconds. Before he knew what was happening, he was pinned against the wall, struggling for a proper breath and staring up at the grinning german pressed against him.
"Well, now... Look at the little kitten I've caught."



~~
I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn’t do
Go to the ends of the earth for you
To make you feel my love

Shameless

Well I'm shameless when it comes to loving you
I'd do anything you want me to
I'd do anything at all
~~



"Let me go, you bastard," Yohji shouted hoarsely, strugging fiercely, then wincing as the hands around his neck and wrist tightened painfully, nearly cutting off his air.
"Bad kitty," Schuldich tutted. "I'll have to declaw you before I can bring you home." He lowered his head slightly, letting his hair whisper forward to brush against Yohji's cheeks, shielding the both of their faces from the world. Yohji stared into the mocking eyes so close to his, holding his breath with underlying fear and smouldering anger. "What are you doing?" he rasped, wriggling slightly in an attempt to free himself.
Schuldich's lips curved in a self-satisfied smile. "Inspecting my kitty for fleas," he teased in a murmur.
"Kisama..!" Yohji growled, throwing his head forward to headbutt his enemy. Schuldich withdrew, laughing, and to Yohji's surprise, he released his grip, stepping out of reach and giving a mocking bow.
"Don't you have things to do, Kudou?" he inquired, still grinning. "Like catching up with your little Aya friend before the guards ambush him? Because that's what they're planning, you know; and there's too many for one to handle."
"Why are you telling me this?" the words burst from his mouth before he could stop them. "Why are you helping us instead of killing us?"
Schuldich shrugged fluidly, seeming indifferent. "This mission means little to Schwarz. I don't care who you kill or if one of you dies on this one; carry on with your little games." He smirked. "I just came for a little fun with you, Kudou." He tapped a finger against his lips thoughtfully, smiling his eternal smile, and Yohji felt a flush rise to his face for some reason.
Throwing him one last untrusting look, he sped off down the hall to find his team mate, the german's harsh laughter echoing behind him.




~~
And I'm standing here for all the world to see
There ain't that much left of me
That has very far to fall

You know I'm not a man who has ever been
Insecure about the world I've been living in
I don't break easy, I have my pride
But if you need to be satisfied

I'm shameless, baby I don't have a prayer
Anytime I see you standing there
I go down upon my knees
~~



Since then, for the past two months, Schuldich had turned up on random occassions; during missions, on the streets, even at the back door to the flower shop a few times, catching Yohji off guard as he snuck out for a smoke. And then, a week ago, he had slipped into Yohji's room through the window he had carelessly left unlocked. He hadn't woken Yohji, but he knew the flame-haired assassin had been there; the arrogant smell of his strong cigarette had hung on the air until morning. Which meant the bastard hadn't left until shortly before Yohji himself had awoken.
Now he was back again, but this time he had woken Yohji, leaning over the bed to let his long hair tickle the other man's face as he whispered taunts in his ear, lips moving seductively but softly over Yohji's ear.
Yohji closed his eyes tightly, taking a long drag from his cigarette and running his free hand through his hair fretfully. He began pacing again. Somewhere deep inside he knew what the slim man wanted. Though Schuldich had-- surprisingly --never forced himself on Yohji, put his hands where they did not belong, or even say outright what it was he was thinking about, Yohji knew instinctively what it was the german was after. The glow in Schuldich's eyes when he got close, the excuses he found to touch the other assassin-- such as when they fought or when he was teasing the other man especially mercilessly --were all the evidence Yohji needed him. Because deep in his subconscious, in the most honest part of him, he found his body reacting to Schuldich's sly advances, causing his face to flush, his heart to quicken, and his breath to catch on the rare occassions that the german *did* touch him or let slip a questionable comment. But the part of him that was Yohji the playboy, the smooth-talking, carefree man who worked the flowershop protested violently to the idea. And this part he clung stubbornly to.
"I want you out," he growled. "Get out of my room or I'm going to kill you. And the next time I see your fucking face I'm going to smear it into the pavement, got me?"
Schuldich was all smiles. "Can't make up your mind, can you?" he taunted. Yohji glared daggers.
"Quit picking through my mind," he ground out from behind gritted teeth. His head hurt with the attempt to hold his temper in check. "Get. The. Hell. Out."
Schuldich seemed to sense that Yohji was reaching his limit. He shrugged slightly, smirking. "As you wish, kitty. Don't let the bedbugs bite..." chuckling, he disappeared out of the window once more.
Yohji hurried over to it and slammed it shut, locking it firmly. He leaned his forehead against the cool glass, breathing hard, squeezing his eyes shut as he fought the turmoil within himself.
What the hell was he going to do??



~~
And I'm changing, I swore I'd never compromise
But you convinced me otherwise
I'll do anything you please

You see in all my life I've never found
What I couldn't resist, what I couldn't turn down
I could walk away from anyone I ever knew
But I can't walk away from you
~~



Yohji wandered downstairs grumpily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes around seven the next morning. Aya looked up from where he was cooking breakfast, surprised by the other's entrance, though his face did not show it.
Ken raised his eyebrows from where he was seated at the table, lowering the soccer magazine he'd been reading. "Yohji, you're up earlier than usual," he stated. "Did you forget today's Saturday?"
Yohji glared blearily at him. "Yes," he lied. Actually, he hadn't been able to get much sleep after Schuldich had left around 1 AM last night... but that was none of their business. He plopped down at the table, reaching out for the juice carton to pour himself some. Omi came over to the table with a bowl full of biscuits, setting them on the table as he looked Yohji over worriedly. He could always tell when one of his team mates was troubled. "Daijabou, Yohji-kun? You don't look so good."
Yohji shrugged noncommidedly, reaching for a biscuit with a grunt.
Aya came over and set down a plate of pancakes. Taking a biscuit and his cup of juice, he exited the kitchen. Ken watched him go with a frown. "Geez, you'd think he'd stay to eat his own pancakes."
"Aya-kun doesn't like eating with all of us," Omi sighed, seating himself. "Yohji-kun, can you pass the syrup? ...Yohji-kun?"
Yohji blinked, snapped out of his reverie. He had been watching Ken, sleepily surprised at the strange look of longing on the soccer player's face as he watched his redheaded partner leave. "Uh, what was that? Oh, syrup- yeah." He shoved it twoards his smaller companion, dragging the plate of pancakes to him. "Aya can't help it if he's an antisocial little cockroach," he said airily. "Don't worry about him." He noticed Ken shooting him a dirty look out of the corner of his eye, and wondered at it.

Later that morning found the lanky assassin strolling down the sidewalk through the bustle of children and younger people on their way to play or shop on the sunny Saturday. Hands thrust in his pockets, sunglasses glinting in the sun, he strolled leisurely downtown, taking his mind off of last night by inspecting every girl that walked by, humming quietly to himself. He veered off the sidewalk, crossing the street to strike into the park, following one of the less-used paths. It was a shortcut to the mall, and Aya had taken the car to go see his sister. Despite his complaints to the unyielding redhead, it was a nice day for walking, so he didn't really mind as much as he had let on.
He enjoyed the shade of the overhanging branches, tilting his head up and closing his eyes to breathe in the cool air. He felt calmer from the walk, and generally satisfied with the world. After all, he'd told Schuldich never to come around again. Maybe he would be lucky and the little bastard would actually listen to him this time. He shook his head with a frown. No. He wasn't going to think about him. It would only ruin his day. Rounding a corner in the path, he came to a halt.
There was a man sitting on a bench by the side of the path, moaning and gripping his head, face scrunched with pain. He was dressed in clothes that looked worn, but not filthy like a homeless man's. Yohji hesitated, then withdrew his hands from his pockets and hurried over. "Oi, you all right?" he asked, leaning down slightly to look into the man's face. "Do you need a doctor? Moshi moshi?"
The man continued to groan and rock back and forth, fingers digging into his hair. Yohji reached out to touch his shoulder, but tensed suddenly at the sound of quiet laughter behind him. Whirling, he found himself facing three other men who had materialized from the trees. Unthinkingly he turned his back on the man on the bench.
The man leapt forward, wrapping a powerful arm around Yohji, pinning Yohji's hands to his side as he brought up a pocketknife with his free hand, pressing it uncomfortably against his prisoner's neck. Yohji coughed in surprise, struggling briefly before the knife pressed tighter against him. Wincing, he subsided, breathing hard. The other three men advanced, chuckling.
"Let's see wot he's got in 'is pockets," the skinniest sniggered.
"Get 'is wallet," one of the others grunted.
Yohji lashed out, catching one of them in the stomach with his foot. The man doubled up with an "Oof!", the air driven from his lungs. The other two yelled angrily, reaching for their own knives. The dagger against his throat pulled his head back as it threated to slice into him, and he gritted his teeth as he felt the blade prick his throat.
"Yer gonna pay for that," one of the men growled, snapping his knife open. He sneered, breathing a little hard. "Now we're gonna have even more fun wit' ya.." Yohji felt a shudder of revulsion shoot through his body as the man dragged a hand down his chest. "Yeh, yer a looker all right," the man breathed, grinning up at him with yellowed teeth, his hand wandering lower. "I figger if we tie you up properly we--"
Then chaos erupted in the clearing.



~~
I have never let anything have this much control over me
Cause I worked too hard to call me life my own
Yes I made myself a world and it worked so perfectly

But it's your world now, I can't refuse
I never had so much to lose
I'm shameless...shameless
~~



The man furthest from Yohji went flying into the trees as someone rounding the bend in the path attacked him, sending a few hefty punches to his middle before tossing him aside. The man carressing Yohji roughly was yanked back so fast Yohji gasped. Driving an avenging fist into the man's face, his rescuer turned finally to Yohji and the man standing gaping behind him. Yohji gurgled in mingled shock and anger. "YOU!"
Schuldich offered a thin smile, eyes smouldering with the heat of battle. "Ohayo, kitty," he said simply, then turned his eyes over Yohji's shoulder to his captor. "I suggest you lower your knife. I would hate your hand to slip while I'm killing you."
"S-stay back," the man cried shrilly, hiding behind Yohji, pulling on the knife. Yohji gave a small gasp as the blade bit deeper into his throat; he felt his own blood trickle down to his chest. Schuldich's eyes narrowed dangerously, his smile gone. "You don't follow directions very well," he commented. Then he seemed to blur, moving with his superhuman speed. He was behind Yohji's attacker in the next instant, wrenching the hand with the knife away from Yohji and pulling the man up against him. Yohji stumbled forward out of reach, coughing hoarsely, his hands flying to his throat to touch the cut.
There was a loud crack, and Yohji watched in horror as Schuldich let the body of the thief drop from his arms, his neck broken. The other two had already fled. He bent down, scooping up the bloody knife and slipping it into his pocket.
"Why did you kill him?!" Yohji exploded. "He wasn't a frigging crime lord, you idiot! Just a pickpocket!"
Schuldich watched him calmly. "He touched you," he said simply, shrugging. His familiar grin reappeared. "So ungratefull, little kitty."
Yohji glared mutely, wiping blood from his neck. Schuldich stepped forward, batting Yohji's hands aside as he inspected the cut. "It's not deep," he said after a moment. He grinned. "You'll live. Do you want a band-aid?" he teased. "I always carry some on me for Farfarello..." He produced a Pokemon band-aid, smirking.
Yohji rolled his eyes, tugging a kleenex from his pocket to wipe the blood from his hands. Schuldich watched him until he couldn't stand it anymore. He shot the German a quick, wary glance, his voice subdued. "Thanks," he mumbled. "I think."
Schuldich's gring rew wider. "Always glad to help," he said sarcastically. "Now how do you plan on getting the blood off your neck?" He advanced, and Yohji found himself retreating, still dabbing uselessly at this wound with the already bloodied tissue.
"Back off, Schuldich," he snapped, and felt his back connect with a tree. The warning bells in his head went off too late. Schuldich seized his wrists, leaning forward and pinning Yohji against the tree with the weight of his body, grinning madly.
Yohji felt a rush of heat shoot to his face and then sharply downwards at the full-body contact, his breath hitching in his throat. Inwardly he cursed himself at his reaction. Then all thoughts flew from his head as Schuldich ducked his head and began lapping at the blood dribbling down Yohji's neck.
Yohji could not stop himself from arching his neck, giving Schuldich more room. The German attacked with a will, sucking and licking at his bloody throat, pressing up harder against Yohji.
The blond assassing could not deny the pleasure that rippled through his body at Schuldich's expert, carressing ministrations, his eyes closed tightly and his breathing fast. He gave a jump when the other man's tongue drew painfully across his cut, snapping him out of his daze.
"G-get off of me," he gasped, struggling weakly. "Fucking hentai... Knock it off!"
Schuldich withdrew, but kept Yohji's wrists pressed firmly to the tree. His eyes, dark with lust, almost caused Yohji's self-control to crumble. He looked away. "Let me go, dammit."
"Just imagine," Schuldich breathed, leaning forward so that his breath touched Yohji's cheek, "what *else* my tongue could do..."
Yohji shuddered despite himself, closing his eyes tightly to try to banish the naughty thoughts that immediately flooded his head.
'I can't believe I'm reacting like this!' his mind screamed. 'He's a MAN, why should he make me feel this way??'
"Because despite what you tell yourself," Schuldich murmured, "you DO want me, Kudou."
"Stop reading my mind, you bastard!" Yohji struggled furiously, but the German's grip was tight and unyielding. A sudden twinge of fear struck Yohji as his mind flitted back to moments before, how the thief had run his hand roughly over his chest. He shuddered. Would this perverted madman do something to him?
Schuldich's grip relinquished quite suddenly as the assassin stepped back, out of Yohji's personal space, letting his arms drop to his sides. A slight frown shadowed his face. Yohji, startled by the other man's retreat, scooted away from the tree hastily, rubbing his bruised wrists as he eyed his foe warily.
When he spoke, Schuldich's voice was eerily quiet and calm. "You seem to be under the mistaken impression that I'm going to force you." He tilted his head to the side, regarding the other man. "I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do..Kudou."
Yoihji blinked, caught off guard by the quiet tone and straight face. The statement was so un-Schuldich like that he didn't know how to respond.
Schuldich broke into a grin. "Besides," he said flippantly, "it's more fun that way."
But Yohji wasn't fooled by the carefree tone. Schuldich's solemn attitude, however brief, had shaken him. What did the lunatic *really* want?
Schuldich quieted when he realized he wasn't irritating Yohji, then reache dinto his pocket, taking out the band-aid once more. "Chin up, Kudou," he smirked. "You don't want that to get infected, do you?"
Yohji gave him a Look. "I'm NOT wearing that."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not!"
"Yes you are."
Yohji bit his tongue to stop the contradiction that tried to pop out. He fumed. He didn't have time to argue with this loon like a child. "Why do you keep helping me, anyway?" he demanded, changing the subject.
Schuldich stuck stubbornly to his argument. "Wear the band-aid and be a good kitty."
Yohji ground his teeth together in frustration. "Will you knock it off?? I'm not wearing the stupid band-aid!"
"Yes you are."
"Arrgh! ..Will you stop it?!"
"Why? It's fun. Besides..." Schuldich offered the band-aid, jeering. "You're cute when you're mad."
Yohji blushed unexpectedly.



~~
You know it should be easy for a man who's strong
To say he's sorry or admit when he's wrong
I've never lost anything I ever missed
But I've never been in love like this...
It's out of my hands
I'm shameless, I don't have the power now
But I don't want it anyhow
So I've got to let it go
~~



There was a moment of awkward silence, then Yohji turned to go.
Schuldich frowned slightly, but didn't move to stop him. He hesitated, then he grinned a little and began following the blond.
Yohji glanced over his shoulder, offering a half-hearted glare. "Quit following me," he snapped.
"I'm just going to the mall." Schuldich widened his eyes innocently. "Is that illegal? We just happen to be going the same way."
"Bullshit," Yohji muttered, but couldn't make himself argue when Schuldich's long legs took him alongside him. They walked side by side through the deserted part of the park, silent, their hands in their pockets, thinking their own thoughts.
Just before they reached the popular part of the park, Yohji came to a halt, turning to face Schuldich. Noting the other's serious expression, Schuldich was immediately on his guard, eyes shielded, hiding what he was thinking or feeling as he watched Yohji with an expressionless face.
"Unless you let me know what you really want," Yohji finally said, after looking around numbly for inspiration, "I'm going to have to kill you next time we meet. We're enemies, we work for two different people. So this could just be a trick you're using to get information."
Schuldich regarded him silently for a moment, his face serious for once. Then he shrugged slightly, looking unconcerned. "Concentrate on shielding your thoughts," he said. "Envision a shield or a wall around your thoughts. If you're so paranoid, that is," he added, gazing into Yohji's startled jade eyes. "That's what Br-- Crawford does."
This secret to protecting himself from the German's mental intrusions was completely unexpected. Yohji stared up at him speechlessly. He had a feeling Schuldich had never told anyone this secret before.
Schuldich smirked, though his eyes held no humor. "Still want to kill me, kitten?"
Yohji shook his head dumbly.
Schuldich's smile grew wider, though his eyes were softer than before. "Good," he purred, capturing Yohji's chin in his fingers and leaning in.
Yohji closed his eyes, heat rushing once more to his face as the German's sultry, talented mouth moved over his own, a warm tongue probing for entrance. He hesitated only an instant before opening his mouth, inviting the invasion and moving his own mouth in reply, reaching up bury a hand in those firey, tantalizing locks.
Oh, to hell with Persia, he thought briefly, before he was swept away in a wave of desire and emotion.




~~
I'm shameless, shameless as a man can be
You can make a total fool of me
I just wanted you to know

I am shameless
Shameless...
Shameless...
~~





~OWARI~

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