Disclaimer: No, they don't belong to me. If they did, they would be constantly after each other (and definitely not in the same way as they're in the show. ^.~).

Warning: Actually just S-ai and OOC-ness.

MISSING YOU by Pandora.81

*****
Empty.

That was the first word that crept into the fiery-headed man's mind as he entered the shop. Nobody was in there, neither a customer nor a clerk.

He wandered through the room, picking up a flower here and there, swirling it between two fingers before putting it back down again. Meanwhile his thoughts were wandering. They roamed to when this place had been crowded just a few months before. Chattering and giggling girls had filled up the shop with their laughter, mixed with the different sounds of the voices of four young men. Four men who obviously weren't here anymore because if they were, he wouldn't be able to enter the Koneko.

Schuldig glanced over his shoulder and out of the flower-shop at a spot across the street. How often had he sat there in his car, watching the busy hustle in the shop? He had listened to the conversations and more often to the thoughts that his gift had carried to him. And sometimes he had been able to catch a snapped remark stated in a cold voice. A voice he knew all to well. A voice that had always managed to send shivers down his spine.

The telepath's eyes scanned the room once again then focused on a particular bunch of flowers. He walked over to them and stroke the crimson petals, admiring how tender and vulnerable they felt. He couldn't withstand to pick one of the flowers up and lift it to his nose to relish the pure and fancy smell it gave off.

Back in the past, long years ago, he had disliked roses, especially red ones. To him they had always seemed to be the most insidious flowers, pretending to be beautiful and tender with a sweet smell while carrying the colour of blood and sharp, hurting thorns with them all the time. He had never understood how this blossom could have become the symbol of love. . . until he had met someone who personified the characteristics of roses more than anything else. Beautiful but stained with blood. . . Gentle but lethal at the same time.

And he had grown to admire the flower with the same passion as he admired this person.

"Would you like to buy that one?"

A friendly voice interrupted the German's train of thought and drew him out of his memories back into reality. He lifted his gaze to look at the old woman who had entered the room and was smiling cordially at him while an even old-looking cat was strolling around her legs.

Without thinking he nodded and handed the rose over to her.

Green-blue eyes watched how the wrinkled hands carefully wrapped the flower into a thin, transparent foil before typing the price on an ornate cashier.

"That makes 900 Yen. I know it's a little bit expensive for a single blossom but it's a very rare type of rose. You don't see such a deep crimson colour often." The woman looked at the redhead again. "Your girlfriend will be very happy."

Schuldig blinked and gazed at the seller. "My girlfriend?"

The shop-owner merely smiled. "I don't know. I just got the feeling that you bought this flower for your lover."

The German glanced at the rose in his hands and frowned slightly. The old woman couldn't know that she was somehow right. . . but couldn't be more wrong at the same time.

His lover. He would love to give him this flower since that would mean that he knew where he was. The Koneko had been the last place where he had hoped to find a lead to him but it had resulted in being as fruitless as the other places he had gone to.

"By the way, haven't we met before?"

The jade eyes directed at the seller again. "No, I don't think so."

He watched how the old woman cocked her head and stared at him with musing eyes. It wasn't possible that she had seen him, was it? He had never entered the shop before. Suddenly the lined face lit up and she beamed at him again.

"Certainly! It's you! It has to be you, the description fits perfectly. It has been such a long time that I nearly forgot but it just has to be you."

The redhead's eyes narrowed to a confused frown. "What are you talking about?"

If he had been a caring person he'd probably regretted the harsh tone of his words but years of fighting had made him dump about that. Furthermore the old woman didn't seem to mind since she continued to smile brightly at him.

"Do you know a Fujimiya Ran? He has also called himself Aya for a while. You just have to know him. He. . ."

The rest of her rant drowned as memories spilled over him again like a stormy flood.

If he knew a Fujimiya Ran. . . Oh, how well he knew him, had known him anyway. Pale, smooth skin, bloodlike hair that fitted his tainted soul perfectly and most of all those burning, amethyst eyes. Eyes that always seemed to gleam with an icy fire. Always except when they had been alone. His heart cramped at the memory of how the cold, lavender orbs had softened every time when Ran had come home from another tiring working-day and had found him, his enemy, sitting on the couch in his living-room. . . and how the soft expression had changed into another, very different, burning one during the countless nights they had spent together.

Why did this have to end?

Actually both of them had known the entire time that their sort of relationship had been destined to be torn apart by their loyalties sooner or later. Ran was Weiss, he was Schwarz. Light and darkness had always stood on opposite sides, even if one needed the other to exist.

Nevertheless they hadn't expected it to end like that. They had thought about different ways: Kritiker or Esset finding out about them, one of them getting killed during a mission or even an utterly normal breaking-off. But getting separated without knowing where the other was or whether he was still alive, that definitely hadn't been mentioned on their list. Schuldig clenched his teeth as he remembered how the building had broken down. He had just fought Balinese as the floor suddenly gave way under their feet and the eight assassins had fallen down with surprised yells and angry growls. He still knew exactly how Ran's gaze had caught his and his hands had reached for him in a desperate gesture, his teammates totally forgotten in this moment. The telepath himself had tried to get hold of the other, hopelessly he had stretched out but had been too far away. And the last thing he remembered was something hitting his neck and his world turning black while his enemy's voice had been screaming his name.

A slight pain woke him up from his memories and made the redhead look down at his tensed hands. They had formed fists, one tightening that strong around the stem of the rose that some thorns had bored into his flesh. He loosened his grip a little bit and a small stream of blood ran down his palm. He hid it behind his back so the shop-keeper could not see the wound but recognised that the woman was just about to leave the room. It seemed that she hadn't been aware of his current absent-minded state just as he hadn't paid attention to what she had been telling him. And so the sentences she said when she left the room didn't make any sense to him.

". . . I'll be right back. I'm just going to get it."

After a last glance at the flower and his bloodied hand, he let his eyes roam through the room once again while he idly drew out a handkerchief and cleaned up his palm.

It took the old woman just a few minutes to return, holding a small envelope in her hand. She continued to babble the moment she entered the room.

"It was strange, you know. One day they worked here and the other they had just disappeared. Their rooms had been cleared and cleaned up as if they had never been here. I really wonder what had happened and I just hope that they're alright. They're such nice boys. I really worried about them but then, about a week after their departure, I got this letter. It's from Aya. . . "

Schuldig had listened to the seller's explanations without any expression showed on his face but now he couldn't help but widen his eyes slightly. So Ran was really alive. He had known it. Somehow deep inside him he had known it. Still he hadn't allowed himself to be sure. What if he had misinterpreted knowledge as hope? But now it was certain. He had survived. Something lit up the jade orbs, something that had vanished a few months ago. . . still it was underlined with caution. What if the Weiss assassin had changed his mind?

"Are you okay?"

The telepath blinked and focused on the shop-keeper again who wanted to give him a smaller envelope. His eyes showed confusion.

"This is the letter."

Schuldig directed his gaze at the woman again. "The letter?"

She merely smiled. "Yes, Aya's letter for you. As I said, he just wrote to tell me that they're fine but couldn't come back and that I should hand over the enclosed envelope if a certain man comes into the shop and asks for him. He described you perfectly. You must have known each other very well."

An amused but gentle smile sparkled in her eyes but the German didn't react in any way to it. He reached out for the plain piece of paper and suddenly noticed that he had to restrain his hand from shaking.

Ran had left him something behind.

He grabbed the envelope and all of the sudden felt the urge to leave the room to get some fresh air. So he flashed a faked smile at the old woman and nodded. "Thanks. I think I should go now." Without waiting for a reply, he turned around and headed for the door.

"No problem. If you get to see Aya, please give him my best regards and tell him that I wish for him to be happy."

These words accompanied him as he left the room and closed the glass door behind him, locking away the next sentence the old woman said.

". . . and for you to be happy as well."

Schuldig stopped in the middle of the pavement. Some people had to side step and threw angry looks at him but the German didn't react, even if he could clearly hear their annoyed thoughts. He had learned a long time ago how to block out criticism and right now his thoughts were occupied with the envelope in his hands. He stared at the small paper as if it would suddenly become alive and bite him. Longing so much to open it and see an actual sign of life of Abyssinian, he hesitated at the same time.

How much could this little envelope treasure. . . a lead to his lover as well as an ending good-bye. Finally he took a deep breath and with trembling fingers he opened the envelope then gazed warily into it. Only a small note could be seen. The German fished it out of its cover and saw that just a number was written on it. The first numerals showed that it had to be the number of a cell phone.

A phone number. . .

Schuldig felt his whole body tingle with impatience. He clenched a fist around the tiny paper and hurried to where he had parked his car, each step seemed to take an hour. Finally arriving there, he flung the door open and sunk into the driver seat. His hand searched for his cell phone, which he kept in the glove compartment.

The redhead leaned against the back of the seat and gazed at the number and the phone in his hands. There he held what he had been looking for during two weeks. Finally he had found a lead to his lover. . . but should he really follow it?

What if this was a trap? If Kritiker just wanted to find out whether Schwarz was still alive and active? Or even worse, what if he didn't want to see him again? Still he couldn't withstand to switch the phone on and dial the number. He just had to hear the other's voice, had to know that the Weiss assassin really had survived. After pushing the last key, he closed his eyes and tentatively raised the phone to his ear. The dialling tone beeped once. . . three times. . . five times. . . then suddenly a crackle could be heard, followed by a voice.

"Moshi, moshi?"

His eyes opened again and he took a deep breath to answer, his words being just a husky whisper.

"It's me. . ."

Long fingers ran through silky, fiery strands as he dropped dead again, still wondering whether he had made a big mistake.

A hasty intake of breath could be heard form the other side of the line and seconds of absolute silence followed till the voice spoke again, this time also in hushed tones.

". . . Schu?"

A smile flashed over the telepath's lips as he heard the other saying his name with a timid voice. A voice that held uncertainty and glad surprise within. Slowly he answered: "Yes, it's me."

He paused an instant to give his enemy the chance to respond but as the other stayed silent, he spoke again, knowing that his words were probably a huge fault but still pronouncing them.

"I want to see you."

The silence endured and he already begun to regret that he had ventured that much as finally Ran spoke again.

"I'm still in Tokyo. My new apartment is at Sendagaya 12, chome 4. I work till 6 o'clock and haven't anything scheduled for this evening." The other's voice waved off into hesitation.

"I'll be there." Once again the German had answered before thinking. He stopped speaking and hoped that it hadn't sounded as eagerly as he thought it had.

"I have to hang up now. There are a lot of customers. . . " An unsure tenor swung in the other's voice. It seemed that the Weiss assassin felt as insecure about this situation as the telepath.

"Okay. . . " Schuldig didn't know what to say further. He wanted to assure the other that he would definitely meet him but couldn't bring the words over his lips. He opened his mouth but didn't speak as he heard Ran's voice again.

"See you then. . ." Something urgent lay in the voice but then another crackle made clear that the other had disconnected.

The German lowered the phone and relaxed against the seat. A smile crept onto his lips but was soon overshadowed by a frown. He had accepted to meet the other without keeping in mind that it was probably a trap. Whatever, he still had the chance to decide otherwise and not to go to the address. A smirk spread over his face, mocking himself for once. As if he really wouldn't go there. He just had to see Abyssinian. He had to know how he was, what he was doing now and if he still was a member of Weiss. . . and if he still cared about him, but this last thought the redheaded telepath properly buried deep in the depths of his mind.

Schuldig grabbed the steering wheel and couldn't help but smile again. However this would turn out, at least he knew that the other truly was still alive. He started the motor and drove away.


*****


The slender redhead glanced at the note in his hand for the fourth time and scanned his surroundings once again. Yes, this was definitely the right quarter. He walked down the street, looking at the house numbers and trying to ignore his pounding heart. Finally he halted in front of a total average looking building. Many little balconies could be seen in the front of it, showing that there were apartments in there.

A faintly trembling hand cramped to a fist and crumpled the small paper between the lean fingers. Schuldig closed his eyes for an instant. Why did he hesitate? Even if this really was a trap, he still had his telepathy and his super-human speed. There was no way that he would get captured. So what did he have to lose?

*Your hope?* . . . *The last string that connects your life with normality?*

The German breathed in trough clenched teeth before he stepped into the direction of the door, chasing away the teasing inner voice.

A few steps further and he stopped to stare at the little nameplates that indicated the inhabitants of the building. And there it could be read.

Fujimiya Ran

His hand reached out as if some puppet player was pulling strings and his index finger pressed on the button beside the nameplate. Some seconds passed then a buzzing noise could be heard, announcing that the door could be opened. Schuldig blinked and his clouded mind finally got clear again. He rushed over to the door and pushed it open just an instant before the sound quitted.

The telepath slowly entered the house and looked up the stairs. He wondered for a moment why he hadn't had to answer the house phone but it seemed that Ran. . . or Kritiker. . . really was awaiting him.

Not knowing which floor he had to reach, he began to walk upstairs, scanning every single name that was written on the doors. In the third floor he finally found the apartment he was searching. For an instant he stared at the signs that formed the familiar name: Fujimiya. He formed a fist and knocked on the door twice. The stillness that endured for some seconds woke up a nervous feeling in the German's stomach and he mused again why he risked this.

Sure, he had scanned the room behind the door but quickly had withdrawn when he had just sensed one mind. The mind of Abyssinian.

Still it could be possible that some of Kritiker's agents knew how to build a mental wall but he chased away that idea immediately. There was just one way how they could have learned it, by being taught by one who was able to do this. . . and the telepath knew exactly that there was only one person among Kritiker who was able to shield his thoughts from telepathy. The one who he himself had shown how to do so.

The sound of a key being turned in the lock caught the fiery-haired man's attention. He urged his breath to stay calm and gulped once to moisten his dry throat. The door was slowly opened and let the telepath's gaze fall on a pair of gleaming, lavender eyes that were framed by strands of ruby hair.

The two men stared at each other for a moment, neither saying a word. Their cautious gazes met with a similar expression. Suppressed, troubled feelings lay in both pairs of eyes.

Finally Ran took a step to the side and made an inviting gesture. "Come in."

He broke his eyes free from the other's and pushed the door fully open.

Schuldig merely nodded and entered the room. The green-blue eyes quickly scanned what could be overlooked of the apartment and he noticed satisfied that nobody else seemed to be there. He heard the other closing and locking the door and turned around to gaze at his former, and maybe also current, enemy.

Ran stroke elegant, slim fingers over the polished surface of the commode that stood beside the entrance and a frown created two folds between the shaped eyebrows.

A strange silence filled the room while the Weiss assassin seemed to search for the right words to say.

The telepath suddenly felt the pushing urge to use his gift and invade the other's mind to find out what was occupying it. He gathered all of his self-control and bore down his curiosity. He had told his lover once that he would never read his mind without his agreement and even if he was the Mastermind and a trickster, he would keep his word.

The German couldn't restrain himself from twitching though as Ran lifted his gaze all of a sudden and a shadow of his trademarked cold glare bore into the other redhead's eyes. A shadow that was merged with something not icy at all.

Schuldig just parted his lips to say something but the other beat him to it.

"Where have you been?" The voice was quiet and husky and sounded somehow, bitter. The amethyst-eyed man clenched his teeth and locked his gaze with the other's. The usual coldness of those eyes had vanished and had made room for a questioning expression. The Weiss assassin continued before Schuldig could say anything.

"Five months. . . You disappeared and haven't shown up for five months. Where the hell have you been?" Ran had taken some steps into the German's direction while speaking and was now standing right in front of him. The slender body was shaking slightly and the burning eyes were impaling the other. But still there was nothing of the familiar coldness left in them, just anger and confusion underlined with the shadows of past pain and despair.

Schuldig wanted to raise a hand and cup the other's cheek. He longed for pulling the other into his arms and embracing him firmly but he knew that would do nothing good. Ran was seeking for answers and he always wanted to find what he was searching for. So the Schwarz member merely walked to the couch and sat down with a sigh. He ran one of his hands over his face then looked back at the other man.

"You remember what happened when Schwarz and Weiss fought?" His voice sounded calm and explanatory.

Ran nodded and took some steps backwards to lean against the wall on the opposite of the telepath. Schuldig's serious attitude seemed to cool him down. "You got hit by a fragment of the building and I guess you got knocked unconscious. I don't know more than that though. I got dragged away by the current and soon lost any sense of direction."

This time it was the German's turn to nod. "I guess all of us lost consciousness sooner or later. Well, I just felt that I got hit by something and the next thing I can remember is waking up in a hospital bed." Schuldig saw that the other was steadily following his explanations and so went on.

"As I had to get to know, I was brought back to Germany. My injuries weren't too severe though. Just a concussion and a broken leg but Esset wondered whether something had happened to our powers during the summoning ceremony so they had deported Schwarz to their headquarters."

Ran frowned and interrupted the Schwarz assassin. "Wait a moment, Esset? I thought Schwarz killed the eldest."

The telepath nodded again. "We did but the organisation goes far beyond them. It's like a Hydra. For every head you cut off, there are new ones. Once in their claws it's nearly impossible to break free again." Schuldig sighed and a wistful expression seemed to linger deep in the jade orbs. "But on with what happened. As I said, we were brought to Germany and had to stay there until all of us were fully healed. Luckily, Prodigy had been able to build a shield around us so we rode out the breakdown quite well. Anyway. We had to do some tests concerning our gifts. When the organisation was finally satisfied, they sent us back. That was about two weeks ago." The fiery-haired man glanced at the other redhead. "I begun to look for you but your apartment was empty and there was no lead of you at the other places I visited. At last I went to the Koneko and there got your message." He ended his description of the events.

Ran stared at the floor, the angry expression had finally disappeared. "We had to change our accommodations and official jobs since our cover wasn't safe anymore." He explained himself.

A smile played on Schuldig's lips. "Seems that both of our teams had similar problems."

Ran nodded then suddenly a thought raised in his mind. "You said you've tried to find me? Why didn't you just contact me or searched for me with your telepathy?" He gazed at the other man once again.

Now the German shook his head. "It didn't work. I wasn't even sure whether you had survived after all. I tried it and often thought that I caught a glimpse of your presence but I wasn't sure and it was always to faint to locate at any rate."

Once again silence covered them like a dark sheet while both were dwelling in private memories and fears for some moments.

Finally Ran remembered that he actually had a guest. . . sort of anyway. He cleared his throat and focused on Schuldig again. "Well. . . would you like something to drink?"

"A beer would be nice." The other redhead answered and watched as his 'host' went to the kitchen. Another sigh escaped his lips and he closed his eyes. Both of them were aware of the topic that lingered in the room. They had spoken about what had been, now the more important question was what would or could be. Nevertheless or just because of that, neither of them seemed to know how to act around the other.

The sound of footsteps made Schuldig open his eyes again and focus on the younger man. He raised his gaze till it locked the amethyst orbs and immediately got caught. Like so often before he just wanted to drown in the consuming, lavender depths that didn't flicker, just stared back at him with matching intensity.

Time seemed to stand still until Ran averted his eyes and handed over the can, clutching it as if he needed something to cling to.

"Thank you." Schuldig slowly took the beer out of the pale hand. He opened the can and took a sip, then placed it on the small table in front of him. Out of the corner of his eyes he noticed that Ran also had taken a seat on the couch. His gaze fell on the other's tensed hands, whose stirring was the only sign of nervousness the younger man allowed unwittingly. The impulse of comprising the slender fingers with his owns fell upon him and he took another sip to distract himself from the prickling feeling the other's closeness awakened within him.

The silence between them got more and more uncomfortable and the German got the feeling that he could literally grab it. A massive wall seemed to part them and it grew constantly stronger and more solid. He had to do something. He wouldn't tolerate this any longer.

With a resolute movement he placed the can on the table and turned to face the younger man who had looked up, his attention drawn back to him. The telepath's hand reached out to brush slightly over a smooth cheek and he gazed into the inquiring, troubled eyes with a gnawing feeling in his stomach. And as Ran calmly closed his eyes and tilted his head a little bit, he approached the other and slid his arms around the lean body to haul him into a tight embrace.

Schuldig felt the younger man relaxing in the touch and rested his face on the Weiss assassin's shoulder for an instant, ignoring the silky locks of crimson hair that tickled his cheek. He pulled the other even closer as he felt him leaning against him and returning the hug. Gentle fingers were playing with his long hair before they clasped his shirt desperately.

Ran nestled his face against the curve of his throat and the German suddenly noticed a wet trail on the other's cheek. He slanted his head to kiss the crimson scalp and a wave of pure bliss overwhelmed him as he heard hushed words that were whispered against his skin with a shaking voice.

"I. . . I thought you were dead. I didn't know . . . I. . . I missed you."

The telepath smiled gently and buried his face in the blood-red mass, holding the other close to him while smoothly caressing his back.







*****
Owari
*****


Just a comment from me here - I love this one to bits! Pandora is an absolutely wonderful writer, isn't she? Go on and send her an e-mail to let her know how much you liked it!!!