Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Chains ❯ Check Me ( Chapter 89 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter Eighty-Nine: Check Me


“This?” Yohji questioned, holding out what he could only call ‘the green stuff.’

Aya nodded, and Yohji put the green stuff in the cart.

~*~

Yohji stifled a laugh as Aya glared at him.

“Well, is it?”

“Yes,” the boy answered sharply, stepping in front of the stove and halfway elbowing Yohji out of the way.

“Sorry,” Yohji grinned, “but I don’t think it’s supposed to be green.”

Aya sighed as he stirred the pot of the stove, lifted the spoon to sniff it, then added a bit more of the chopped green stuff—which, apparently, was an alternative form of basil—to the green sauce.

Leaning against the counter, Yohji couldn’t stop smiling. It didn’t do much for his image, he thought, to be doing it all the time, but he was just so damn pleased with Aya. All week, the boy had been doing his damndest to…well, everything. He was cleaning, working, cooking, but it wasn’t the chores that made Yohji happy, it was the way Aya did them without much prompting and without such a terrible degree of anxiety. There was still a considerable amount of skittishness, but that all out fear seemed to be fading.

Now, for example, Aya was looking expectantly at him as he lifted a spoon for Yohji to sample. With an exaggerated look of trepidation, Yohji opened his mouth. The sauce was good, fresh tasting like herbs and a bit of cheese.

“It’ll do,” he said with a shrug, amused to see Aya glare. The look fell away though to slight anxiousness, then Aya looked away. He put the spoon in the sink and got a new one, coming back to the pot and staring hard at it.

“Hey,” Yohji pushed a little at his shoulder, “I was just kidding. It’s good.”

Aya nodded, obviously unconvinced. Yohji was learning (albeit slowly) that the boy could also be extremely sensitive of critique, expecting worse things to follow in word of correction no matter how small.

“Can I help?” he asked.

~*~

Omi was a bit wary when Yohji announced that Aya was going to cook for them. He had noticed that the redhead had been making breakfast for Yohji, but having not experienced his cooking firsthand could only suppose that it lived up to that of other sixteen years olds (himself now being excluded from this group). Yohji said it was good, but then again, if Aya served up styrofoam and stale gravy the blonde was likely to make over it.

Omi shook his head and took his usual seat next to Ken who was examining his fork like he had never seen it before. Of course, it didn’t usually appear next to his plate or on top of a napkin. Yohji seemed pleased by this development in their routine and was smiling a little over his own empty plate, looking behind Omi as Aya carried in another big bowl, this one filled with pasta. Omi turned to watch him bring yet another, smaller, bowl in; this one had something green in it, and Omi wasn’t sure he wanted to eat it.

“It’s good,” Yohji assured, looking at Aya even as he talked to Omi. “Really.”

Aya looked less sure as he sat took his own seat and folded his hands into his lap and stared at them.

“Here,” Yohji took over. Picking up the bowl of pasta, he served himself liberally and then shoveled a slightly smaller portion onto Aya’s plate before passing it to Ken. Never one to turn down food, Ken took it eagerly. He never paused on the green sauce, adding that too before handing it to Yohji; the blonde was sure to catch Aya’s eye before putting a big spoonful onto his own pasta and Omi could only figure that the older man was trying to be encouraging.

Well, if Yohji could do it…

Omi served himself pasta and sauce as well as salad and bread. He hesitated but was pleasantly surprised with the first bite. It was good, not mac-n-cheese good, but like something served in a restaurant.

About to compliment Aya, he turned to find the boy still staring at his hands, not eating. Yohji was eating, but he was also watching Aya. Omi wasn’t sure why he wasn’t doing anything. It wasn’t right, Aya sitting there like that. Fishing for some way to bring Aya inteya into their normal conversation, Omi decided to broach a topic he had been considering for almost a week.

“Aya-kun,” he said. Purple eyes came up; the boy’s face was blank. “I wanted to ask you something.”

Aya nodded. Glancing to Yohji, Omi found green eyes glued to him over the edge of dark glasses, and not exactly friendly. Omi looked back to Aya.

“I was thinking, now that you’re going to be staying, wouldn’t you like your own room?”

“We don’t have any more rooms,” Yohji said, cold. This time Omi met his stare.

“I could clean out the office,” he said.

“No,” Yohji answered, “I—fuck, Omi, we’re just getting settled! Aya—do you want your own room?”

His attention suddenly shifted to the redhead, Yohji made his inquiry. Aya looked at him, obviously unsure.

“It’s no trouble to clean it out,” Omi assured, “and I’m sure you’d be glad to have your room back, Yohji-kun.”

There was a moment of silence; Ken stopped eating to watch the scene unfold.

“I…” Aya stopped, looking at Yohji. “I just…do you want me to?”

“I’m sure you’ll be glad to have company again,” Omi put in, hinting.

“What?” Yohji seemed taken aback by the suggestion, as if he didn’t broadcasts his conquests on a regular basis.

“And Aya-kun deserves a room of his own,” he added. It was for the best. Yohji was starting to get too attached; the two of them were even sharing the bed, and that wasn’t good for anyone.

“I,” Aya started again, then stopped, “do you?”

“No,” Yohji replied to the half-repeated question. “I mean, if you want, but—I like you in there.”

“There’d be more room,” Omi added.

“I don’t,” Aya began, stopped, looked between them, “If I’m by myself he’ll…I…I’ll do whatever you want, Yohji.”

This last was said with quiet resolution, like Aya was condemning himself to the separation. It was enough to make Omi wonder if he had done the wrong thing by bringing it up.

“You’re not leaving,” Yohji decided. After an intense stare in the boy’s direction, he shoved up his shades and went back to eating his food.

Omi let the matter drop into uncomfortable silence.

~tbc~

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