Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Out in the Fog ❯ Fourth ( Chapter 5 )

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

out in the fog: Fourth

Youji stood on Ran's stoop, shivering in the rain as he waited for the door to be answered. He knew Ran was home; Yuushi had told him when he'd stopped by The Rising Sun. So he'd had an idea, stopped to pick up a pizza headed to Ran's. It had started to rain about half way there; Youji had taken a cab to the bar from the airport and decided he could handle the few blocks to Ran's from the pizza place a few doors down from the bar on foot.

He hadn't counted on the sudden downpour.

Ran opened the door. "Youji?" Ran used his socked foot to keep Ronin from making an escape. "Come in." He held the door open. "You're soaked."

"Yeah," Youji grumbled, knowing he was going to get sick again as a result. "Fucking rain."

Ran smiled and leaned up to brush his lips against Youji's. "I'll get you a towel," Ran said, heading off down the hallway. Youji grinned as he watched him go, appreciating the way his sweat pants and FBI tee-shirt clung to his ass and the slight sway of his hair, loose around his shoulders.

Youji stood, shocked and dripping in the hallway. Casual, familiar, warm and welcomed. Shaking his head slightly, he slid the soggy pizza box onto the table that held Ran's keys and mail (he tried to avoid soaking the mail, and succeeded in only getting it slightly damp). He toed his shoes off, disappointed to find that even his socks were wet. With a sigh, he dropped his small carry bag that contained toiletries and little else, and stripped out of his sodden coat and hung it over the doorknob to dry, feeling bad that he was making a mess of Ran's hallway.

"Here." Ran emerged with a towel and a steaming mug. He looked Youji up and down. "I have some sweats that might fit, if you want?" He suggested.

"You don't mind?" Youji asked. His jeans were wet and uncomfortable, and he didn't relish the thought of spending the evening in them. He hadn't taken any luggage with him beyond his small carryall. He always traveled light.

"Not at all." Ran smiled softly, handing over what he already carried. "I'll be right back."

Youji couldn't help but smile back, setting the mug atop the pizza box and scrubbing his hair dry with the towel, before peeling himself out of his wet clothes. His shirt was mostly dry, so he left it on. As nice as it could have been to sit around half naked, he was cold. His socks hit the floor with a splat that made him smile, and he was shimmying out of his jeans and boxers when Ran reemerged from his bedroom with a pair of sweats over his arm, dry socks in hand, and a grin still on his face.

Inexplicably, Youji felt himself flush as he wrapped the towel around his naked waist. "I didn't want to drip," he explained, feeling slightly foolish for stripping there in the hallway.

"It's okay." Ran handed over the pants and set the socks on the table before turning slightly away while Youji slid into them.

Youji dropped the towel to the floor to soak up his puddle. "Thank you," he said softly, grabbing the socks from the table.

"You're welcome," Ran said seriously, handing him the mug. "Drink that. It'll warm you up."

Youji took a long sip. It was tea, lightly sweetened with honey. "Tea?" He looked at Ran curiously. He had been expecting coffee.

Ran shrugged. "I wanted to try to sleep tonight," he said softly, almost embarrassed by the confession.

"Good," Youji said with a smile. "You need it." He looked at Ran a little more closely. The redhead appeared almost as tired as he had been a few days before, but more relaxed, and more stressed, which seemed like a contradiction to Youji, but it was what he was reading in the other man's body language. How much of the relaxed state was from being at home, how much was from Youji's presence, and how much was the lingering after effects of the night before Youji had flown out to Hawaii to meet one of his contacts?

Ran ducked his head a little, possibly trying to evade his gaze. Why? Youji thought - ah, yes. The note. He'd asked Ran to take care of himself, and apparently, the smaller man thought he'd failed.

"And you need to eat," Youji kept his tone light. "Grab the pizza?" He was enjoying the warmth of the mug in his hands and didn't want to relinquish it.

"Christeph's?" Ran read off the box as he lifted it.

"I took a cab to Yuushi's thinking you might be there," Youji explained as they padded down the hall, the dry socks still clutched between his fingers around the mug. "Yuushi said you had the day off and were probably here." He shrugged. "And I figured you could use dinner." He smiled. "And I missed you."

The footsteps behind Youji ceased. He turned around, mug lifted to his lips for another drink. It was warming him up, as much as having dry clothes and Ran around.

"Really?" Ran asked softly.

"Hell yeah," Youji said with a grin. "You're damn sexy, you know."

Ran blushed to his roots. "Thanks," he muttered.

Youji chuckled. "Come on. I'm hungry." Youji ambled into the living room only to have his bare feet pounced on by an energetic cat. He jumped back as Ronin's claws sunk into his feet, crashing into Ran, hearing the pizza fall to the floor and feeling Ran's arms come around him to steady them both as Ronin took off toward the bedroom at the commotion.

"Missed you too," Ran said softly in his ear before letting him go and retrieving the pizza, which was probably mostly inedible at that point, Youji mused, the skin along his jaw and neck tingling where Ran's breath had whispered. Damn, he thought. It was a good thing Youji hadn't told him what he'd really been thinking, that he'd been worried about Ran. He'd looked so sad and lost the last time Youji had seen him, the exhaustion barely masking it. He'd seen it when he'd met him, too.

And it still scared him that he could be what Ran wanted and needed, and that he liked it.

"Sorry about the mess," Ran said, sliding some papers aside to drop the pizza on the table. "Have a seat." he waved toward the cushions and blanket on the floor, the hot plate plugged in and sitting on the floor. He wandered into the kitchen.

There was a fire lit in the fireplace, casting a warm flicker across the room. Youji snagged up the blanket and crumpled to the floor close to the flames, spreading the afghan over his lap. It was cozy. Light shone down from two lamps at either end of the couch and the fish tank gave off its bluish glow. The TV was on, the volume turned low, it looked like a documentary of some sort. He daren't look at the papers littering the table; Ran wouldn't be gone long enough for him to soothe his curiosity. He'd have to wait. Instead, he deposited his mug on the brick hearth around the fireplace and turned his attention to his foot. Ronin's scratches weren't deep, didn't need any medical attention.

With another slight shiver he tugged the socks onto his feet.

"Still cold?" Ran emerged from the kitchen with plates, napkins, another mug and some more tea bags.

"A little." Youji shrugged. "Takes me awhile to get warmed up some times. Did I take your tea?"

"Yeah," Ran shrugged. "Your teeth were practically chattering." He smiled as he gracefully slid to the floor next to Youji, sliding his feet under the blanket. He turned slightly and retrieved the pizza from the table.

"Hn." Youji smiled as Ran lifted the lid on the pizza box, examining its contents. From Youji's perspective, it didn't look too worse for the wear, if less hot than he would have liked it. "Thanks." He accepted a plate from Ran.

"You could have called me," Ran said softly. "I would have picked you up so you wouldn't have had to walk in the rain."

Youji laughed lightly around a mouthful of pizza. He swallowed. "I don't have your phone number."

Ran blinked. "You don't?"

"Nope." Youji smiled. "I think we skipped that part."

Ran laughed a little.

They ate in silence for a bit, Youji watching out of the corner of his eye as Ran slowly ate two pieces to Youji's four, but he knew he couldn't complain, and should probably cheer the small victory.

"Do you work like this often?" Youji asked, swapping his plate for a fresh mug of tea poured from the pot of water on the hotplate, and reclined back onto one elbow.

"Yeah." Ran settled next to him, their thighs almost touching. "My captain hates when I come in on my days off, and the rest of the squad thinks I make them look bad when I work late." he smiled tiredly. "And this case is sucking up so much of my time -" he stopped talking and sighed.

"You want to talk about it?" Youji asked, seeing his opening to satisfy his curiosity and help Ran vent his frustrations a little. He sat up.

Ran slid his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Someone has been killing Japanese business men in the area. Four in the last two months."

Oh, shit, Youji thought, feeling his pulse start to race a little. He was instantly warmed up as adrenaline flooded his system. He felt his eyes widen a little, but couldn't control it. Oh, fuck, oh, shit, he mentally repeated. Of all the detectives, in all the precincts in San Francisco, Ran had to be the one that landed his case. What the fuck was he going to do? Think, Kudou, think. Fuck.

The call for a translator, the hesitation to talk about the case in a Japanese bar. Ran was the cop investigating his kills. Fuck. "I hadn't heard anything about them," Youji said, trying to keep his voice steady. He could do this.

"We've been lucky," Ran said. "The media hasn't gotten a hold of the case yet. Which is good, because I've got no leads, very little evidence; the only connection is the way they were all killed." Ran sighed again. "If the story hits the news -" Ran trailed off, not finishing the thought.

If the story hits the news, we're both fucked, babe, Youji thought. The comment on the lack of evidence gave him hope. That meant unless he slipped up somehow, Ran would never suspect him. He had to be careful. Trust was everything to Ran, he knew that even in the small amount of time they had spent together. If he found out that Youji was the man behind the kills -

No. Youji didn't want to think about it. Ran wouldn't find out. No matter how good of an investigator he was, Youji was a better assassin and spy and knew how to cover his tracks. He knew how to keep his mouth shut, and he would.

Because Youji didn't know if he could handle having to turn and run from a man he feared he was falling in love with.

**

Ran slumped a little further. It felt good to get some of that out in the open. Youji had had to have been curious, and he trusted the man's discretion. Surely he wasn't going run out and tell the Chronicle about the latest "serial killer" in the area. It was Ran's experience that the media could work for good or evil, and he wasn't about to chance spooking the psycho into running, or into escalating.

He felt an arm snake around his waist and a warm body press up against his side. "Can I help?" Youji's breath was warm on his cheek, smelling of pizza and tea and cigarettes, and something just Youji.

"You are," Ran whispered, feeling a smile touch his lips. He hadn't smiled so much in years, he knew. Not since - not since he'd left Tokyo. He let himself relax against Youji, feeling the man's pulse, slightly fast, against his side.

Youji made a contented noise deep in his chest and his arm tightened briefly around Ran's waist. Warm lips pressed a kiss just below his ear.

With a sigh, Ran shifted out of Youji's embrace and found his glasses, and slipped them back on. He reached back for a pile of papers, a notepad, and his pen, beginning to go over reports he'd only skimmed. Youji's hand drifted up to his neck, massaging lightly, making it increasingly difficult for him to concentrate on his notes. Light from the fire made patterns dance across the page.

"Do you always take notes in English?" Youji asked, his nimble fingers combing through Ran's hair before moving up to his scalp, easing the slight ache he'd battled all day without even realizing it.

"Yes," Ran breathed. "I almost always have to share my notes, and almost no one speaks Japanese, let alone reads it," he almost smiled. "And my calligraphy's pretty bad."

"I doubt that."

Ran could hear the smile in his voice. Under the blanket, he ran his socked foot over Youji's, smiling softly. He felt Youji's lips press against his neck again softly, his fingers still stroking through Ran's hair. Ran twined the fingers of his free hand with Youji's while he continued to work quietly.

He had recently been able to tie all the local victims to Takatori Industries, or one of its subsidiaries. That discovery had prompted something of a conflict for Ran. Back in Japan, Takatori Industries was not known for its ethical business practices. It was widely speculated that Takatori Reiji, the company's founder, dealt in things much darker than his legitimate business. Ran could only guess at what things the company might be getting away with in America, with embassy protection and the real need for international business with the economy the way it was.

But still, Ran reflected, the people who had been killed had families too. They were still victims, no matter who they worked for. Something niggled at the back of his head, though. It wouldn't be beyond one of Takatori's competitors to sink to Takatori's level and take out his opposition's employees. So far nothing in the victim's profiles had stood out to Ran. So far they all appeared to be low level researchers or aides. But he was waiting for more information from Japan; the targets were still Japanese nationals, with very little information in the American system other than files that said they were in the States legally.

Ronin padded back into the living room, curling up in Youji's blanket draped lap since Ran's was littered with paper. He felt the rumble of laughter from Youji as the russet cat pawed the blanket into a nest and turned a couple times before settling down. Their combined fingers petted the cat lightly and room filled with a heavy purr over the soft sound of the TV and Ran's shuffling of papers. Eventually, he felt Youji's fingers still and the taller man's breathing even out.

Ran looked up and smiled, seeing Youji slumped against him, dozing lightly. Gently, he slid his fingers out of Youji's grasp and reached for his tea, sitting on the hearth, kept warm by the fire. Youji burrowed against him when he sat back.

"Mm. Warm," Youji muttered resting his head against Ran's shoulder. Ronin echoed the sentiment with a soft meep.

Ran laughed lightly. It was so comfortable, having Youji there, curled up with him while he worked. He was used to having Ronin for company, but Youji was better. Youji felt right. Josh had never tolerated sitting around while Ran worked, had pulled him away at every chance. But Youji didn't; Youji seemed content to just be with Ran.

Youji stirred when Ran shifted his weight off a hip that was beginning to go numb.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Ran said softly as Youji straightened up.

"'S'okay," Youji said, scrubbing his hands through his hair. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Did you have a long trip?" Ran asked, setting his papers aside for a moment and leaning against Youji, whose hand found its way back into his hair.

"Not too bad." Youji half shrugged. "Flying just wears me out."

"I know the feeling," Ran sympathized. He hated to fly. He'd practically drugged himself into oblivion to make the various hops from Japan to America. And he still didn't fly if he had a choice. "Where'd you go?"

"Hm?" Youji started massaging the back of his neck again. Ran let his head tip forward. "Oh, I had this conference to attend in Hawaii."

"Was it nice?"

"It was warm," Youji laughed. "I saw the sun for the first time in a month."

Ran joined in his laughter. He picked his papers back up and shifted once more against Youji, getting comfortable again. He balanced his pad against his knee, grasped his pen between his fingers and started going back over the reports. There were some interesting things coming in from around the country, and a few reports that had just come in from Interpol that seemed to connect some high profile murders simply through cause of death. Ran was beginning to confirm his suspicion that his "serial killer" might be something closer to a hit man. If that was the case, he was going to need to reexamine some details. If his perp was indeed a professional, he was less likely to make the kind of mistake that would get himself caught. And if the guy (and Ran was just assuming the perp was male) was a professional, that meant he probably didn't get off on his work the way a serial killer would, and that there was no attachment outside of the money to be made. He made a note to check out some of Takatori Industries leading competitors.

"You're so tense, babe," Youji said absently, gently kneading the base of his neck and drifting to his shoulders. "When was the last time you took a vacation, Ran? Don't you have family back in Tokyo who would like to see you?" Youji's hand was warm against his neck.

"No," Ran said softly. "No family," he muttered. He put his papers and pad aside and turned to Youji. "I moved here alone when I was seventeen." He had a vague recollection of already telling Youji that. "My family was killed in a robbery while I was away at work. It was a holiday or something, and school was cancelled." Ran had worked hard to force the memories away, to get past them. "My little sister, Aya, was only thirteen."

Youji's free hand covered Ran's. "Oh, babe. I had no idea," Youji whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Yuushi's the only family I have left," Ran reflected. "There was nothing left for me in Tokyo, or in Japan at all. I had always wanted to try living in America, or England. I was accepted to a college here, and I haven't looked back. Tried not to look back," he whispered. He'd taken the rather large insurance policy his parents had left, sold the house, and never gave himself a chance to second guess his decision.

Ran met Youji's eyes, sparkling green, laced with concern and empathy. Sometimes it was so hard, to ignore the sudden hole he'd found within his heart when he'd come home and found his house swarming with police. But Youji helped. In the short time that he'd known him, Youji had been able to transform that hurt into something else, had made him able to move past it in a way none of his other lovers had been able to. He'd broken through Ran's walls, touched the parts of Ran that he'd kept securely away from the world since that day. But he wasn't worried that Youji was going to leave him. He wasn't sure why, he knew he wasn't the perfect partner, but everything Youji had done so far had spoke volumes.

"It's why you work so much, isn't it?" Youji whispered, pulling Ran close. "To forget. So you don't have to feel."

Ran nodded, unable to put words to his feelings. Youji did understand. In the short time that they'd known each other, Youji hadn't run off, hadn't demanded he stop working less, just asked him to take care of himself.

He found himself enveloped in Youji's arms and being held. Ronin meeped when he was nudged, but seemed to sense the mood and joined in, turning the embrace into a group hug, wandering over Ran's lap and rubbing against his chest. It broke the light tension, helped Ran shake off the wave of melancholy that settled over him.

The way Youji was nuzzling at his ear was helping too.

Youji murmured in his ear, "I wish I could take the hurt away, Ran. I want to make it better."

"You do," Ran breathed his reply. "You being here --" he paused. "It makes it easier."

He felt his head being tilted back and warm green eyes gazed at him, before Youji's lips descended over his, soft and sweet. Youji's hands caressed Ran's cheek and jaw and moved up and back into his hair. He pulled Ran with him as he reclined back onto the floor, never breaking the kiss as he shifted, gently rolling Ran onto his back, Ronin stalking off as the space between their bodies diminished. Youji pulled back from the kiss, a smile gracing his lips as he crouched over Ran.

Ran felt a tentative smile touch his lips in reply and then Youji's mouth was on him again, a bit more passionate, a bit more need and want in the way his tongue sought entrance into Ran's mouth. The redhead accepted Youji's weight atop him as he settled down and they turned onto their sides, legs tangling together.

They kissed for a long time, hands idly roaming over fully clothed bodies, socked feet rubbing against each other and over sweatpants, elastic cuffs edging higher up their calves as they necked in the warm light of the fire, slowly working to increase each others' arousal.

Youji broke off a kiss with a soft sigh as Ran's hands found their way under the hem of Youji's shirt. Ran met his gaze.

"You're gorgeous," Youji muttered. "I could stay like this with you forever. I want to take care of you." He smiled.

"I want you to take care of me," Ran whispered, feeling like he was giving away his biggest secret, his most desperate hope. At that moment, he felt an irreparable breach crack the walls he'd hidden behind for so long.

"Good." Youji grinned. He kissed Ran firmly. "I'll be right back." He rose and draped the blanket that had tangled up with their legs over Ran.

Ran watched Youji pad down the hallway, feeling something he'd never really experienced before. He was wanted. Youji wanted to be with him, take care of him, be more than just fuck buddies who went out for a drink together every once in a while. He wasn't driven away by the ghosts of Ran's past that had such an impact on his present life.

Warmed by the fire and the activities of only a moment before, Ran stripped out of his tee shirt, tossing it onto the couch. Ran turned toward the fire and propped himself up on his elbow, gazing into the flames. The wood popped as the orange and red flames danced behind the protective screen, keeping embers from flying out and catching the carpeting on fire.

He'd known Youji a short time only, but felt more connected to him than anyone since his sister. Did he love the taller man? Ran let the question drift across his mind. He wasn't sure. The idea didn't frighten him, though, that he could fall in love with someone that he had only just met. Because it felt right, felt real. Youji hadn't pushed him away, or pulled him away from his work.

Hell, he thought with a smile. Even Ronin liked him.

Youji appeared at the edge of Ran's vision, shirtless, a bottle of lotion in one hand, the lube and a handful of condoms in the other. "Oh, good." he smiled, crossing the room in a few strides. "You're already undressed." Youji dropped his bounty on the floor and bent over, kissing Ran briefly. "Turn over."

Ran smiled up at him before shifting onto his belly, folding his arms and resting his head atop them. The rough fabric of the afghan slid down his bare back, flesh still sensitized from the make out session as Youji settled.

Youji knelt over Ran, keeping most of his weight off the base of Ran's spine. Ran turned his head to the side so he could see Youji out of one eye and felt his hair being swept up into a loose mess atop his head, held in place by a band Youji had placed around his wrist. Lips pressed against the back of his neck and Ran shuddered slightly, hearing the click of the cap of the lotion bottle Youji had brought out of the back of the house with him.

Ran had never seen the bottle before. "What is it?" he asked softly.

"Here." Youji spread a little of the lotion on his hand and wafted it front of Ran's nose. He inhaled lightly. It was a light scent, not heavy enough to bother his sinuses, but enough that he could detect vanilla with a hint of something else. "Vanilla and lavender," Youji said softly, his breath whispering over Ran's ear as he leaned over, his bare chest warm against Ran's back. "A vendor was selling it on the island. It's hand made."

"Smells great." Ran dropped his head back onto his folded arms. Youji placed a kiss just below his ear and straightened back up. Ran was a slut for a massage and Youji seemed to recognize that right off. Even that first night, when Youji, practically a perfect stranger, had worked the knots out of his neck, Ran knew he hadn't stood a chance. He wasn't sure how Youji knew, how he could be so perceptive as to Ran's needs the detective wasn't sure. But he liked it.

Ran felt a finger trace the round scar on the back of one shoulder - the evidence of a take down gone wrong. The scar had a mate on the font side of his shoulder; he'd been lucky that it had gone straight through.

Warm lips pressed against the scar tissue, and Ran relaxed as Youji's warm, lotion-slicked hands slid up his back. A grateful sigh escaped his lips as Youji worked the tension out of his body with practiced hands. The gentle scent filled the room as it warmed on Ran's skin, relaxing him further. Youji hummed softly, short snatches of random melodies. Youji appreciated silence, Ran realized. He didn't feel the need to fill every moment with endless prattle.

Youji's fingers worked at the base of his neck, then up into his scalp, although he'd already spent a good amount of time playing with Ran's hair. Ran groaned as his scalp was gently massaged and the tie was taken out of his hair, letting it spill back down over his shoulders.

Ran let Youji manipulate his arms out from under his head, one at a time, as he kneaded the tense muscles into something more pliable. "What do you for exercise?" Youji asked idly as he worked down the length of Ran's forearm. "You're so thin, but your shoulders are broad."

"Mm." Ran opened eyes that had drifted closed. He smiled slightly. "When I was a kid, I had this crazy fantasy about being a samurai. So my parents got me into fencing. I mostly do katas now."

"Do you use a sword?" Youji switched arms."I have a katana. It was my father's, a family heirloom. But I practice with a bokken." Said wooden practice sword was settled on a rack just below the katana in the empty spare bedroom that Ran used for his dojo. "It helps me sleep, sometimes."

Youji hummed above him. "I would love to watch you," he said, placing Ran's arm back under his cheek. "Just the way you walk is so fluid. I should have guessed you did some kind of martial arts."

Ran tilted his head up catch Youji's lips. "I'd like that," he said, settling his head back down on his folded arm.

Youji chuckled softly, a rich warm sound that Ran basked in. "Turn over, babe," he requested, raising up slightly so Ran could maneuver.

The soft scent of the lotion, the sound and feel of Youji, and the massage had all combined to leave him half hard, though he'd mostly ignored his fledgling erection, focusing instead on the feel of Youji's hands against him. But Youji settling over him, the slight curve of his ass just brushing the tent forming in Ran's sweats made his desire come to the front of his thoughts, though he pushed it back, even as Youji rocked against him for a brief moment before coming to rest on his knees.

Youji massaged Ran's chest and belly, more light teasing touches rather than the firm strokes that had melted the knots in his back and shoulders. When he reached the waistband of Ran's sweats and the afghan draped over his lap, Youji rose, and removed them both, and continued his exploration and massage down Ran's legs, ignoring the erection that was more than obvious to them both.

Eventually, Youji stopped teasing, stopped exploring, and turned his full attention to Ran's arousal. They made love in front of the fire, slow and gentle, the wood crackling over the soft moans and words of encouragement. The dancing light of the flames made Youji's skin glow and his eyes sparkle as they moved together, face to face.

They curled up, Youji dragging the afghan over their sated bodies, tucking Ran under his chin almost protectively. Ran spooned against Youji, twining their fingers together over his belly as they stared into the fire, all thoughts of work forgotten.

"This is nice," Ran said softly.

Youji murmured his agreement, the arm over his stomach tightening briefly.

"I missed you," Ran murmured.

"Missed you too, babe."

Ronin padded back into the room with a soft cry, and joined them in front of the fire, Youji's rumbling chuckle vibrating across Ran's back as the cat's tail hit both of them in the face before the animal settled down, loud purr reverberating through the room. Sated, drowsy, and feeling more loved than he thought he deserved, Ran drifted into a light doze, Youji's breath whispering through his hair.