Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Invisible Dreaming ❯ Everything as it always was ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Only a few more hours. A few more hours and the day will be over. Aya breathed a sigh of relief mixed with sad resignation as he started methodically sweeping the shop floor. It was Friday night, which meant he will be spending the evening alone in the building. Ken and Omi have already left for their date earlier, rushing through the shop hand in hand to say goodbye before heading out. Yohji had just left to go get ready for his date, leaving Aya to close up by himself, again.

Aya pushed his thoughts away from Yohji and dates. After so many months, he was now practised in the art of not thinking about it. But he did ask himself once again if he should let his 'friends' know that he was already aware they met up again each Friday. Ken and Omi could just leave with Yohji instead of pretending they had separate plans for the night.

The loud jingle of the bells on the glass door pulled Aya's mind back into the present. "We're closed for the night," he said without preamble to the young woman walking into the shop.

"I'm looking for Yohji Kudoh," she replied in a polite voice. She was a pretty woman, as Yohji's dates usually were, petite with long black hair flowing down to her waist. This was the first time in over a year since Aya met one of Yohji's dates. Yohji had had enough sense to keep his women away from their shared home.

To his credit, Aya did not flinch, did not cry, did not run up to Yohji's room to beg the man to not leave him alone tonight, when memories were especially vivid and past failures clawed at his mind, in an empty house on this the aniversary of when the last link to his previous life was broken.

"He'll be right down in a few minutes," he answered without missing a beat. His face showed nothing of the internal strife as he looked away from her and went back to sweeping, though moving a bit more swiftly then before. He went back to his exercise of not thinking of anything.

Once the floor was done, he retreated to the back room, pretending to put things in order. The sound of the bells brought him to the doorway of the room just in time to see Yohji, dressed in his club clothes, disappear into the night with the woman hanging on his arm. Yohji did not say goodbye, but that's alright. That's normal. Just like the entire day had been normal, like any other day. It was only Aya that was different today.

Aya pinched his arm, hard. The sharp pain cleared his mind enough for him to shake his head, as if he could dislodge the depression that had be plaguing him the last few weeks. He'd gotten through most of the day without wallowing in self-pity, he was not about to start now when he was finally free from work. But work being so busy that day was why he didn't get a chance to brood.

No matter. He still had things to do. Quickly finishing his duties, Aya grabbed the bouquet of white roses he had made earlier in the morning, before any of his coworkers were up. After one last glance around the shop to make sure everything was in place, Aya locked up and headed out into the night.


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The Black Moon was just starting to fill up when Ken and Omi finally made their way to a booth far enough from the largest of the speakers so that they didn't have to shout to be heard. Not that raised voices were necessary since Omi was practically on Ken's lap, the older man talking directly into his ear and him doing the same when he replied to something.

A waiter in the uniform of denim cutoffs and black t-shirts a size too small came to take their order. Once he left, the two remained quiet for a few minutes, just savoring each other's company. Ken knew there was something on Omi's mind though. The youth had been just on the verge of saying something several times already that night.

"What is it, Omi?" he finally asked when Omi opened his mouth again, just to press his lips together.

"Ken, did Aya seem... It doesn't feel right tonight, sneaking out and leaving Aya alone." Not that it was right all the other times they'd done it.

"We did not sneak anywhere. Besides, he hates this type of thing. You know that."

"I know, but..." He went with them everytime they'd asked in the past. And he was so quiet today, even more than usual.

"No buts. I want to enjoy my time out with you. You've been spending so much time with your nose in those books I'm forgetting what your face looks like. Last night, I had a dream that I know was about you, but all I could see of you was a blond head with the covers of a big white textbook for a face. When I pulled back the cover to kiss you, I got a paper cut on my lips!"

Omi smiled fondly at his boyfriend and snuggled further into the man's lap. "My apologies, Kenken. I guess, tonight, I'll just have to try harder to make it up to you."

They paused while the waiter set their drinks on the table.

"Really? What do you have in mind?" Ken asked once the waiter turned to walk over to a nearby table where another couple had just taken a seat.

"Mmm... I don't know..." he sipped his drink. "How about we spend the whole entire night..." His eyes fixed on the way Ken took a big gulp from his own glass, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed, " ... Watching soccer?" Omi blinked up innocently at the man holding him. "You'd like that, no?"

"Hm. I did record last week's game..." Ken made as if he was seriously considering the idea. Omi pouted and smacked his arm. Ken couldn't help but laugh at the little pout on the boy's face, imagining the pout on a textbook-cover-for-a-face Omi. He lowered his head to capture those lips with his own. He could feel Omi's appreciative moan as the boy leaned into the kiss. "Let's dance. Yohji won't be here for another half hour at least. He had to close up with Aya and then pick up his date."

Rather than replying verbally, Omi hopped off his lap and grabbed his hand, pulling him out into the rhything mass of undulating bodies.


********************


"Thanks for coming by, Mika. But you really shouldn't have. I'd wanted to be your gallant knight, to arrive at your home and take you away to have a grand ol' time on the town," Yohji said to his date and he pulled out of his parking space and headed down the street. His voice showed none of the irritation he felt. He had told her he would pick her up from her apartment. There was no reason for her to show up at the Koneko.

She laughed politely. "It's no big deal. I wanted to see where you worked. It's not often I meet such a handsome florist." She told a deep breath of the read rose he'd gifted her. "So who was that back there?"

"Just one of my coworkers. You'll meet the other two at the club."

"You told me about Ken and Omi, but you didn't mention anything about a fourth."

"Are you kidding me? You've seen him. If it wasn't for the fact that he is an antisocial reclose, he might give me a run for my money." Yohji's hand tightened around the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white, but his voice remained light, teasing.

"A handsome man like you? Worried about competition? Though... those eyes, and the hair..." She was teasing him right back.

Yohji laughed self-deprecatingly. "That's it. You're never going back there again. I can't have a pretty lady like you escaping from my grasp." He emphasized by clasping her hands in his, careful that his grip was firm but not too tight. "So tell me, how was it that you ended up at my doorstep rather than waiting for me on yours?"

Mika proceeded to shared the highlight of her day with Yohji. Aya was dropped from the conversation, but not from Yohji's mind.




TBC