Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Matters in Hand ❯ Part II ( Chapter 2 )

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

Matters in Hand - Part II
by Mishaela

Disclaimer: Same as in previous.

{Part II}

The shouting had started almost from the moment Aya had gone inside the house. Her brother, that beautiful young mercenary, had given the herbalist one look and then slammed the door in his face. That had been about two hours ago.

Balinese took it in stride.

He *knew* that his conduit was a temperamental sort. Redheads always were. He smiled to himself. It was only so appropriate that his conduit was redheaded and beautiful. Ran was nearly perfect in every way.

Finally, he turned to the door and knocked very softly. The fighting had to stop. There would be other ways to expend all the nervous energy that seemed to permeate the young man. Balinese smirked in his mortal guise - he could think of a few pleasant ways. Unfortunately, he knew that not all the ways were so kind.

Ran's skills with the blade would be taking a harsh test indeed.

His knock went unanswered, so he settled for opening the door himself. He saw the girl standing near the door, her feet braced and slightly leaned forward. Irritation clouded her sweet features. Across from them both, Ran stood with his back to her, one hand running through his hair. The young man's posture was tense, as if he were under a lot of strain.

Aya turned and saw him, her face settling down to a relaxed look immediately. "Yohji? I'm so sorry… You didn't have to stay." Her brother turned at the young man's name, his eyes narrowing.

"Yohji?" The swordsman came closer, his almost violet eyes studying the dark haired herbalist. "Is that your name?"

Balinese nodded. "Yes." He said as he closed the door behind him. "I'm sorry if I seemed to be eavesdropping, but… I simply wanted to make sure that the young lady was all right before I went back to the inn."

"I'm fine," Aya said softly, her smile widening. A rumbling sound erupted from her escort's stomach and she jumped. "Oh, no! You've been out there all this time and I remember you said you were hungry before we left the market. I'm so sorry!"

A slender hand waved off the apology in dismissal. "It's all right. I'll manage. You're safe, that's what matters." Yohji turned to the door, if he'd played his cards right…

"No, please," the girl said, her hand catching his arm. "Stay for dinner… It's the least I can do." Aya ignored her brother's scowl and pulled on the dark haired man's arm. "Please… I don't have any other way to repay you."

Yohji looked at her gently. "I couldn't… not if it's just going to create tension."

"My brother can learn to deal with it," Aya said with a quick glare over her shoulder. "If he'd not had his head in the clouds, he would have been there to bring me home." She smiled a little. "He's been preoccupied with someone else."

The disguised deity smiled slyly. "Oh?" Maybe, if things went as he hoped, it wouldn't be so difficult to get close to the young conduit.

"Yes, but that isn't my story to tell," Aya said as she let the herbalist go. "Now, I'm going to start on dinner… you just make yourself at home until I call for you." With that, the young woman disappeared into the kitchen area.

"She's very spirited," Yohji said at last, trying to break the silence that settled into the room. He flicked his green eyes towards the mercenary, his breath catching at how beautiful the young man was. He wanted him again… writhing under him as they both strained for completion… crying out his mortal name loud enough for the world to hear.

Ran threw a look at the dark haired man. "Too spirited. She'll never be able to find a man worthy of her if she doesn't calm down." He turned to fully face the deity, his eyes narrowing again. "Why do you look familiar?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing." Yohji went to the window that gave a view behind the household. "There aren't too many people with hair the same color as yours… and I remember one such person from nearly a month ago. He was hurt really bad. I found him in an abandoned building, gave him some of the water I found there… When I returned from hunting down some food for the both of us, he'd gone."

The crimson haired youth cocked his head to the side. "What did he look like?" Ran wasn't sure what to think, but this man claimed his name was the same as the one who he barely remembered from that night. He never could remember all that had happened that night, but he did remember the healer telling him that his name was Yohji… while he was holding him down to keep the mercenary from killing him in his delirium.

"He was scarred… as if from the plague." The herbalist let his head fall forward. "No one should have to bear that kind of burden." He toyed with a pair of golden bracers at his wrists. "I… I tried to find him afterwards, but his trail was covered too well." Yohji looked at the young man, his intense green eyes locking onto Ran's face. "I was never told his name… I wish I could find him."

That got Ran curious. "Why?" Unconsciously, he stepped closer to the beautiful healer. Yes, this was definitely the man who'd found him.

"Because I suspect that the water in that old place had some magical qualities," Yohji answered softly. "And I can't be completely sure that he did survive his wounds… I've never lost a patient before and I want to make sure that my standing holds." The healer pulled away from the window, his voice distant. "I wanted to find out if what I suspect was true… and what effects it had."

Ran blinked. It was the water that had reversed the effects of his hard life. Somehow, it didn't sound as unbelievable as he would have thought. "If you heal as well as fight, I'm sure he's still alive." Why couldn't he just set this man's fears at ease? If he owed a debt to this man, the same as his sister did, why couldn't he just come out and say it?

"I hope so." The brunette turned to him suddenly, his hands going to Ran's face. "Your skin… it's flawless. How did you manage that? Even my skin isn't so healthy… what's your secret?" The touch to his flesh was so gentle and soft. It felt so inviting that the mercenary's eyes fluttered closed for a moment.

The need to keep this man near was almost frightening to the redhead. He sought out an excuse to keep the herbalist there, with himself and his sister. Ran couldn't fathom why, nor did he really think he wanted to. He just knew that he didn't want the man leaving. "By the time we finish dinner, it's going to be very late." Ran didn't think he could speak again just yet… his voice fled in the company of this strange man.

"I don't mind," Yohji said softly, his thumbs moving over the pale skin. Ran wanted to sink against him, against that touch.

"Aya will mind," the redhead said at last, his voice coming back to him. "She'll insist on you staying the night until morning." Reluctantly, Ran pulled away from the herbalist, though he truthfully wanted to stay there next to him. He couldn't explain the strange reactions he was having to Yohji, and he really wasn't sure if he wanted to explore them or not.

Something deep down, so deep he hadn't even realized it, wanted for Ran to give himself completely to the herbalist… and that thought scared him beyond belief.

{End Part II}

Mish: Ran finds out more about this "Yohji" person... but will he figure out the truth? Only time, and the story, will tell.

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