Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Placation ❯ Placation ( One-Shot )

Placation

FafarellosAya

Weiss Kreuz

Rated R; for violence and suicide.

Categories: Psychological, angst, drama

Summery: AU set in the Manga; Ran is new to Weiss, but he's a little damaged. Ken finds the information on the teenage redhead is a bit off and takes it upon himself to find the answers. When he discovers the truth he finds he's too late to save Ran; or is it all a dream? Twisted ending.

A/N: basted on the Weiss manga An Assassin and a white Shaman, which is speculated to take place two to four years before the anime, I chose a four year difference, so everyone is younger by four years: Aya/Ran is 17, Ken is 16, Yohji is 18, and Omi is 15. Any name you don't recognize is mine but I was going for a Japanese sound, I'm not sure if any of it is and if it is and is something bad I'm sorry!

A/N 2: grrrrrr if my computer hadn't been being a brat I would have known this fic wasn't uploaded on MediaMinor last month. Please don't say I'm no longer eligible for the contest I really thought it was uploaded!!

Disclaimer: this is so not mine its owned by Project Weiss; I make no money off of this, but I am kinda hoping to win something in a contest even a 'hey this was good but they are better' award; which wouldn't get me anything anyway….

Ran found his new room to be bare, where the Blond's room had been lived in.

His things filled one small space of one of the tables; his clothes fit half the closet. He had nothing where the other had much. His room felt like someone once lived in it when someone currently occupied it. It was so much like his life that Ran couldn't help but feel depressed all over again.

That night on the roof had been the most devastating of his life. The body at his feet had been his tormenter, a man that had held him captive for years. That night Ran had escaped, he had run, he had thought he made it to safety; but found it wasn't so. Then after fighting for his life he found that even that little freedom had cost him.

So now he sat in this little room, with an empty space and an empty life….

***

Ken walked into the kitchen at the sound of glass shattering to find the newest member of Weiss standing barefoot in the middle of the room with glass shard scattered around him and blood dropping from his hand. He raised an eyebrow at the redhead and gingerly stepped further into the kitchen to get a broom as he was shoed and the other wasn't.

"Are you alright?" he asked making the redhead jump and physically having to keep himself from moving.

"It was an accident," the redhead whispered staring at his hand. "I'm sorry,"

"No need to apologize," Ken assured him carefully sweeping the glass away from the redheads feet so he could go to the table and sit down. He frowned when the boy didn't move; in fact he looked too frightened to move.

'Where did Kritiker dig this one up?'

"Why don't you sit down?" the brunette leader suggested continuing his sweeping when the redhead did as told. 'His name was Fujimiya right? Fujimiya what?' He had been to busy picking a fight with the young man to hear what his name was. "Is there any glass in your hand….?"

"No," the redhead answered the direct question, not the underline one. "I didn't mean too…"

"Yeah, yeah 'didn't mean to break the glass' I got that," Ken snapped annoyed more with himself for not remembering the name then for the repeat apology. He finished sweeping the shards and dumped them in the trash before going to the sink to wet a rag. The redhead's reaction was starting to bother him; this was an assassin right? Berman had said he killed that man in cold blood, so why the hell was he acting like a scared rabbit?

Setting that question aside for the moment he went to the table and carefully took the redhead's injured hand in his. The other flinched and tensed, but made no move to take his hand away and made no sound to protest. "Doesn't look like you'll need stitches," Ken said gently cleaning the blood away then retrieved the first aid kit out from under the sink. "Just no more breaking things in your hands anymore alright?"

The redhead took his remark as a serious threat and nodded quickly. Ken raised an eyebrow at the behavior, but kept his questions to himself for the moment. Instead he cleaned the cuts with antiseptic and wrapped a strip of gaze around the redhead's hand.

"So what do I call you, or do you want me to refer to you as Red for the rest of your life?" Ken asked once he was finished trying to keep his voice light and friendly.

The redhead stared at him blankly for a long moment as if he had forgotten something as simple as his name. "Aya…no Ran." He corrected himself then looked down at the table.

'He looks like I'm going to hit him,' Ken thought, 'maybe it's because I did so yesterday…' "So which is it? Aya or Ran?" he asked.

The redhead stared at him for a long moment, and then, just as he opened his mouth to speak Yohji walked into the kitchen loudly asking something about who had what shift next week. By the time Ken realized the redhead hadn't answered he was already gone.

***

An hour later Manx showed up with a mission.

Ken sat in his usual spot on the chair and watched the redhead- whom Yohji said was named Aya- come down the stairs looking bewildered behind his mask of indifference and lean against the wall.

Probably so he can leave quicker, Ken thought watching the man for a moment longer then turned his attention to the mission. It was the usual, drug ring targeting schools; deny dark beast tomorrow…yadda, yadda…. Nothing new and nothing he was particular thrilled to take part in; but hey, paycheck.

"You have to take part in this mission," Manx told Aya handing him a file when he refused. The look in her eye stating clearly that if he didn't he wasn't going to see tomorrow.

Ken noticed it, because he knew what to look for; the redhead was deeply dreading killing someone.

"Siberian, I trust you can handle the details of this mission and give your new team member a codename, I expect a full report." Manx said to Ken handing him a file then quickly left having done her job.

"Alright," Ken said opening the file, "Bombay, start seeing what you can find on your target, Balinese try and do something useful this time," He said pointing out Omi and Yohji in turn to Aya so the redhead could place their codenames. He pointed to the redhead, "You're codename will be Abyssinian. Any objections?" a quick shake of the head; no he wasn't going to object to anything ever it seemed. "Good, start going over the file, if you have any ideas or input I'd like to hear it at out next meeting…." He looked at Omi.

"Tomorrow I guess," the little blond said, "I have a test at school, but I can skip it…"

Ken glared, "The day after tomorrow." He said over riding the hacker, "School first."

Omi nodded and vanished upstairs hopefully to study.

Yohji started to get up and sneak out, which meant he had a date.

"Start the research for him Yohji," Ken told the blond with a satisfied smirk.

"Aww, common Ken! I have a date!" the blond whined.

"When don't you?" Ken asked but kept his order.

"Make the new guy do it," Yohji protested.

"I told you too."

"I don't mind…."

Ken and Yohji turned to look at the redhead. He had spoken so softly Ken wasn't sure if he had heard him. Aya seemed to loose his courage as the attention was focused solely on him, he looked down at his feet and acted like he hadn't spoken at all, his arms wrapped around himself and didn't quite cower, but it was close.

"See he doesn't mind," Yohji said as always completely oblivious to something that didn't immediately concern him. In fact he was already walking out. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Oh no you don't!" Ken yelled after him, "Do what I said, no dates!" the door slammed shut, oh yeah the blond heard him loud and clear. He turned to the redhead, "Word of advice, if you let him do it once he'll walk all over you. Don't let him get away with thing he doesn't deserve it, the lazy bum."

Aya nodded silently still staring at his feet.

Ken sighed, "Come on, I'll show you our cover work." He said leading the way out of the mission room and into the shop. "Do you know anything about flowers?"

"Yes." Aya said softly and seemed to shiver.

"Good then I won't have to teach you anything," Ken said turning on the light to the shop. "Our cover is a flower shop," he explained walking into the room not noticing Aya wasn't following. "We get a lot of crowd, but not many are customers. Most are school girls more interested in watching us work, don't let them get to you and try not to date anyone under eighteen we really cant afford a….Aya?"

Ken turned around to see the redhead still standing in the doorway. If possible his arms had wrapped tighter around himself, his lips drawn in a thin line. He looked miserable.

"Are you alright?" Ken asked stepping toward him.

Aya made a move as if to leave, but once again physically stopped himself. In Ken's eyes he was desperate to run away but long training kept him from moving; the brunette had the feeling that he wasn't going to move until he got permission.

"I'm fine," Aya answered trying for nonchalant.

"Uh-huh," Ken said not believing a word of it, "I'll find you something else to do, how about that?"

"Whatever you want." Came the automatic answer.

Shit, Ken thought. "Why don't you get some sleep or something?" he said as pleasantly as he could, "I need to take care of a few things before tomorrow."

Aya nodded and left the doorway. Ken waited for a moment silently and sure enough once the redhead was out of sight his running footsteps echoed back toward his apartment.

***

"What was so important that you had to call me so late?" Manx asked briskly at the meeting place; a small park on the other side of town.

"Where the hell did you get him?" Ken demanded angrily.

Manx blinked, "Why? What did he do?" she asked in a tone that asked if Aya had done something to hurt one of the others.

"He's not an assassin." Ken said, "I don't care what happened on the roof, he's not a killer."

That got the woman's attention, "Why do you say that?"

"Because he flinched when I touched him," Ken raved, "Because he physically stops himself from moving and acts as if he expects to be hit at any moment. He's damaged! God Manx, you might not have seen it but I know what to look for. He can't function in a room of three people, how the hell do you expect him to carry out a mission?"

Manx frowned, "I can talk to Persia, but there isn't much I can do, but have him removed." She said the infliction on the last word telling Ken she didn't mean just from the team.

"Give him a different job," Ken said, "He can do the research or something, he doesn't think for himself. That's fine as a soldier, but not for an assassin. But I think I can get him to function as a researcher; he seems intelligent just frightened to death."

"Alright," Manx said, "You're team leader, place him how you want; just make sure he doesn't become a liability."

Ken nodded satisfied with that for now. "Do you know who that man was that he killed?"

"No," Manx said with a shake of her head, "I'll call you when I find something."

"Do that." Ken said and turned to walk away.

"Ken," Manx called waiting until Ken had turned back, "Remember, he's your responsibility."

Ken nodded and walked away

***

Two days later Manx showed up with a file just for him.

Ignoring the inquires from two of his teammates Ken locked himself in his room to read over the information.

None of it was good.

Three years ago the Fujimiya family was murdered in their residence by an unknown assailant. That very same night the elder son Ran went missing from the hospital were he was being treated. He was the only witness to the murders and presumably had been kidnapped by the killer to silence him.

He hadn't been heard from until he was found standing over that body four nights ago.

But that was where the information became confusing.

The victim, Toda Takahashi, was a computer programmer living alone in the poorer parts of Tokyo. However when Kritiker agents searched the two bedroom house they found evidence that two people lived there. Whoever that second person was, it was suggested that their stay wasn't voluntary as the second bedroom was sparse with barred windows and a heavy metal door that only locked from the outside. From fingerprints lifted it was concluded that Ran was being held against his will and the death of Toda was an act of self defense and self preservation.

Ran had been desperate enough to kill a man, but that didn't mean he would do so again, unless his captivity drove him mad and he was going to kill; not the enemy, but him, Omi, and Yohji in their sleep.

Unlikely, Ken concluded, Aya was frightened enough of them; he wasn't going to incur anyone's wrath by even attempting to kill someone else. Besides, despite the conditioning and abuse the redhead seemed stable; having to deal with him going off the deep end wasn't a top priority. Keeping Yohji from taking advantage of the situation was. There was no doubt in Ken's mind that once Yohji discovered the truth- which he would sooner rather then later, if not already- that he would do things, abet innocently, to get what he wanted.

Aya was already in Kritiker's system despite the fact that normally they wouldn't hire someone like him to be an assassin. That was probably why Manx had allowed Ken to change his role from killer to researcher. The young man wasn't them, he was too damaged to kill, but alright to do the lesser work. He could go over reports, plan certain things, and Omi could teach him how to use the computer to share the load. In six months the redhead would be assigned as a personal secretary to a business leader and would never have to use a weapon greater then wit.

Or in six months he would have a bullet between his eyes for being unsalvageable.

Ken rubbed tired eyes and stretched before locking the file in his desk. He glared at the clock amazed at how much time had passed. The others would have had dinner already, knowing not to disturb him when he had business; but a plate wouldn't likely be waiting either.

When he entered the kitchen Ken was greeted with the sight of Aya sitting at the table quietly sipping a cup of tea. His empty dinner plate was pushed to one side where Omi and Yohji had put theirs in the dishwasher. It took a moment for Ken to realize Aya was still there finishing his dinner and drink, but also hadn't been dismissed from the table and thus hadn't moved.

"Was there anything left?" Ken asked casually already knowing there wouldn't be.

"There's a plate in the icebox." Aya said softly never lifting his eyes from the table top since Ken entered the room.

Ken took a moment to be surprised until he concluded the act was another part of the redheads conditioning. He suspected everything Aya did was part of the training he received from Takahashi; which made Ken wonder what exactly drove Aya to kill the man now. It obviously wasn't liberation if he still had control over his actions like he did.

A complete submissive; one that didn't know submissive was really the one in control.

"That was very kind to save me some." Ken said gently taking the carefully wrapped plate from the refrigerator and popped it in the microwave. Aya didn't comment to that statement, he wasn't inclined to speak when spoken to and knew when something was needed to be answered. It was annoying even if it was a trait that was probably beaten into him.

"So how old are you?" Ken asked just to see if he could make the redhead break the cycle, even once.

Violet eyes stayed fixed on the table top, though there might have been a flinch for forced stillness. "Seventeen," Aya answered promptly in that low neutral voice.

"When's your birthday?" Ken prompted, though he already knew the basics of Aya's life.

"July fourth," Aya said. It was January; he was going to be seventeen for a while.

"Did you know it's the same day as the American Independence?" Ken asked sprouting off a useless bit of trivia for someone that wasn't even in America.

"Yes," Aya answered his brows furrowing slightly.

A lie, Ken thought, Aya didn't know that fact; but ignorance probably incurred wrath, it was just easier to agree. "Did you know the square root of 144 is 8?" he asked randomly.

Aya sat up a little straighter his eyes widening a little. He knew just as well as Ken that the square root of 144 was 12; however correcting might be seen as mouthing off, but agreeing might be seen as ignorance. He wasn't sure how to answer without being punished.

"Look at me," Ken said softly waiting until frightened violet eyes met his. "It's alright to correct me, or even disagree. In fact, if I say something completely stupid I expect to be corrected. No one's going to punish you if you do."

Aya flinched a little, expressive eyes widening to a look of weariness. Ken wasn't expecting a miracle, but he could tell Aya still wasn't going to correct him. He sighed dinner forgotten. "How old where you when Takahashi got you?" he asked softly.

Aya broke eye contact to look back at the table. "Eight," he said very softly.

Ken frowned, that meant this had been going on longer then three years like Kritiker said. "Tell me," he ordered leaving no room for argument.

Carefully Aya sat his cup on the table, and for a moment Ken was sure he had gone too far and Aya wasn't going to answer.

"My father had lost his job and couldn't pay the mortgage, so he sold me to pay it." He answered in monotone.

"Oh," Ken said softly turning back to the microwave when it beeped. He decided to shift to a safer topic before the redhead could say more. "I've decided to change your role with this team. You are to be in charge of research and help Omi with computer stuff instead of the other part of missions. Manx has already OK'd it."

He turned in time to see Aya's shoulders slump in relief, whether from not having to answer anymore questions or from not having to kill, Ken wasn't sure. "The files are down stairs, you can go over them now or tomorrow I don't care." He finished giving a half dismissal as he set his plate and cup of juice on the table. Aya still hadn't moved; the order had been for tomorrow not tonight. 'I'm going to have to be careful with what I say around him.' Ken decided. He opened his mouth to be clearer; Aya stood sharply, put his dishes in the dishwasher and left the kitchen. Ken shook his head once the redhead had gone.

'This is going to be fun.'

***

Ken was a woken later that night to the soft sound of his bedroom door opening and closing. He kept his eyes closed and breathing evenly to make it seem as if he were still asleep. His back was turned to face the wall where the light from his windows cast shadows on the wall. He knew the person had to be Aya, Yohji and Omi knew better then to just walk into his room as he usually slept with his bugnuks on.

Cracking an eye open when no one tried to wake him he was greeted with the shadow of a half leaning figure its hand raising in such a way Ken couldn't tell if it was holding something. Thoughts from before; of Aya killing them in their sleep coursed through his mind driving him to action. Turning sharply Ken tackled the redhead, claws ready to defend himself should the other retaliate.

Aya stared at him from the ground with frightened eyes one hand still half buried in his hair. There were tear tracks on his cheeks where fresh tears coursed into his hair line. There was no knife to skitter across the floor, no reason to defend himself. Aya probably had a nightmare and was seeking comfort, but didn't know how to approach Ken with his problem.

"God Aya!" Ken exclaimed ripping off his bugnuks and threw them into his laundry basket. "Knock first! Make noise, don't sneak like that! I could have killed you!"

"I'm sorry," Aya whimpered not daring to move.

Ken sighed reaching up to turn on a lamp. They both blinked at the sudden light, but Aya kept his eyes closed giving Ken ample time to take in the redhead. He wore plan dark green pajama bottoms and a matching long sleeved shirt both made of thin cotton. The pants rode low on his hips showing his pelvis bone that jutted out sharply; the shirt was pulled up high both from the up raised arm and the fall. Ken could see a flat belly and the outline of ribs, the boy was too thin, he was probably thinner then Omi.

"Nightmare?" Ken asked finally carefully helping Aya to sit up. The redhead nodded slightly opening teary violet eyes and lowered his hand slowly. Ken gave him a half hearted smile, "I guess I didn't help much did I?"

"I'm sorry," Aya apologized again.

Ken shook his head, "Don't be, you didn't know I was going to react like that. Omi's better at handling stuff like that, mostly he had the nightmares. And don't get me started on why you should never wake Yohji up in the middle of the night, one time seeing his naked butt was enough."

He wasn't sure but Ken thought he saw Aya's lips twitch. He suddenly wondered how the redhead would look if he truly smiled and if his features softened like Omi's did or open like Yohji's. He wondered if Takahashi had ever been kind to him and treated him like a real person while he was little. There were fine smile lines on Aya's face not so defined that suggested he smiled a lot, but the lines were still there; he had to have smiled sometime.

"Why did you kill Takahashi?" Ken asked suddenly wanting to know what had really happened that night.

Aya lowered his head a flash of white showing he was biting his lower lip. "I got too old," he said in way of explanation.

"Too old for what?" Ken asked.

Abruptly Aya leaned in pressing his lips against the brunettes in a desperate kiss. Ken pushed the redhead away searching the violet-blue eyes for some answer as to why he did that. Then the answer was clear on so many levels. Ken was the leader of Weiss; the other two took orders from him and were in a way submissive to his will. Having been a child used to submitting to the will of his parents, Aya never learned the difference. He had never been in a dominate roll or had to think for himself. Killing Takahashi had been a breaking point because something happened that he either couldn't submit to or couldn't deal with.

"He was your lover," Ken said matter of fact. More like his rapist, but Aya could have viewed it as love in a twisted way never having learned different.

"He…" Aya started then sat down in defeat. "I wasn't the first." He said, "He had figured out a way not to get caught with me. He always said he loved me even when hurting me. That was until I turned seventeen."

"What happened when you turned seventeen?" Ken asked softly not wanting to break the mood.

"He started looking for another," Aya said. "He wanted a three year old this time because they were easier to train, but he would settle for a six year old. That's when I know, when I realized what he really was."

"Why did you kill him?" Ken asked again.

Violet eyes looked up at him through a veil of red and for one mad moment Ken though they had an insane quality to them.

"He was going to kill me."

***

"So what are we looking for?" Yohji asked slipping through the window, "And why are we looking for it? This isn't part of the mission."

"I know it isn't," Ken said turning on the flash light and started searching the ruin of the house.

After putting Aya back to bed he dared 'the naked Yohji' and dragged him out of bed. He hadn't explained then and he wasn't sure if he could now; but he had to know. He had to find out what happened that night. Not the night Aya killed his captor, but the night his captor killed his family.

"Ken," Yohji said, "You know that if Kritiker finds out about this we'll be in a lot of trouble."

"I know," Ken said stopping to investigate a half burnt picture on the floor. "Here, something odd about this picture?"

Yohji looked over the brunettes shoulder to squint down at the photo. "Looks like a normal family to me." He said. It was true, the picture showed a smiling picture of a man and woman holding a child in a dress. They looked like the perfect family, except for one important fact.

"This was Aya's home," Ken said softly. "His little sister was only three years younger, how old do you think she is in this picture?"

"I donno, about a year; no older then two." Yohji said shining his flashlight for more pictures.

"Aya would have been about six or seven at the time," Ken said calculating in his head, "He said Takahashi got him when he was eight."

"So why isn't he in the picture?" Yohji asked picking up another one, "He's not in this one either," he said holding up the photo of a Christmas party, the little girl was younger showing more interest in the wrapping paper then the present. But it was the kind of picture that showed the whole room, so where was a little boy opening his presents?

"I don't get it," Ken said, "If this was his home then why isn't he in the pictures? He's the first born and male, what would have made him ousted? For that matter why would his father sell him?"

"Because he's not his," Yohji said.

"No, if that were the case he would have done something about it sooner." Ken said, "He dost look like his parents, neither have gaijin looks and DNA wise that isn't possible."

"So then they aren't his parents," Yohji said, "This isn't his family, this isn't his home."

"The address says it is," Ken said, "public record has this down as his address."

"Then his parents moved," Yohji said shivering in the gloom, "Lets get out of here; this place gives me the creeps."

Ken nodded setting the burnt picture on the chard mantle where it had probably been resting before the fire. "Yeah, we have a mission tomorrow."

"Don't remind me," the blond said with a yawn following the brunette out the window.

Behind them the photo fell to the floor once again its frame breaking. Below the top photo was another; this one showing a similar picture of a little redhead boy and a redhead baby with equally redheaded parents.

***

Ran hurried up the steps his breath burning in his lungs legs protesting movement. Toda was going to kill him, he was getting too old, his voice was cracking hair grew on his face. He would be an adult soon enough and all he really wanted was to go home and be with the family he barely remembered.

Reaching the door he pounded a fist against the heavy oak praying to whoever was listening that his parents were home. "Papa, mama, please let me in!" he cried pounding harder.

The porch light came on and the door opened to a man in his late thirties. The man was not his father.

"Who are you?" the man demanded, "Get out of here gaijin! We don't want any."

Ran fell to his knees sobbing harshly, "Please, he's going to kill me. Please help me!" he begged.

The man narrowed his eyes getting a good look at Ran's battered body, the rope burns on his wrists and ankles, the bare feet that were cut and bloody. Ran was on his last leg, he wasn't going to get any further, not to find his family though he was sure this was the correct address. If this man didn't help him, he wasn't going to survive the night.

"Kahji, who is it?" a woman's voice said from the front hall. She stepped out into the door way and gasped at the boy. "Ran?" she asked recognizing him immediately.

"You know this boy?" Kahji asked surprised.

The woman nodded, "He's my sister's son; they said he died." She said kneeling down in front of the redhead, "Oh, you poor thing. Kahji bring him in this instant."

The older man nodded reaching out to help the boy stand. Ran cried out in pain but allowed the man to lead him into the house where he collapsed onto the couch.

When he woke again Toda was there dumping gasoline all over the dead bodies of his aunt, uncle, and cousin. He had been asleep through the entire thing.

"You shouldn't have run away my pet," Toda said throwing the can to the side. "See what you made me do? I had to; they weren't going to give you back. They didn't understand you are mine and they can't have you."

"No," Ran cried softly looking into the dead eyes of the cousin he never had a chance to meet, "Let me go,"

"Now why would I do that?" Toda asked, "You're my prized possession. One just doesn't get rid of a prized possession." He took a box of matches from his pocket and shook one out. Ran turned his head away as the match was lit whimpering softly as he heard the fire start and smelled the scent of burning flesh. He lay limp as Toda lifted him in his arms and stared blankly at the burning ceiling as he was carried out of the house.

"You will always be mine my love," Toda said kissing the unresponsive teen lightly, "Until the day you die."

***

When Ken and Yohji returned they found Aya in the mission room huddled on the couch his arms wrapped around his upraised legs. The dull sheen of a revolver could be seen in his hand held ready to use.

Both assassins froze staring at the teenager wearily; was he going to shoot them or himself? Could they get the gun away before he had the chance to do either?

"Aya," Ken said softy.

The redhead jumped automatically pointing the gun at the brunette. His hand shook slightly.

Ken raised his hands slowly in surrender. "It's alright Aya; it's just us; why don't you put that down?"

"Ran!" the redhead said through clenched teeth tears leaking down his face. "My name is Ran! Toda named me Aya, but my name is Ran!"

"Alright," Ken said in an agreeing tone. "Ran it is then. Put the gun down and we'll talk about this. We'll get you help."

"Help? Help! What do you know of help? How the hell do you think you can help me?" Ran asked cruelly shaking the revolver at the man. "I murdered the only man I ever loved and hated! I murdered him!"

"It was self defense," Ken insisted taking a step closer. "You said so yourself, he was going to kill you. You were fighting for your life."

The redhead teen shook his head, "After that night, Toda realized how much he was hurting me. He was going to send me back to my parents, but they didn't want me. H-he stopped searching for a new boy. He was going to keep me, and only me!" Ran whipped his eyes taking a deep shuttering breath.  "When I turned eighteen we were going to move to a country that would let us get married. See, he never touched me, he never molested me, and he never raped me. He just wanted the company, he wanted a son; but he loved me like an adult and now he's dead!"

Ken chanced a glance at Yohji who hadn't moved. He was tense ready to spring should things get out of hand. "Then why did you kill him?" he asked for the final time that night.

"Because," Ran cried lowering the revolver then lifted it again cocking the hammer. "He wasn't Toda!"

"What!" Ken and Yohji exclaimed.

"He murdered Toda," Ran went on shifting the barrel of the gun to rest against his temple. "My own fucking father, who never wanted me, killed the only man I loved! So I killed him!"

*The man lifted Ran's body off the couch, the flames casting an eerie glow on his face. Ran blinked and the face came into focus. With a gasp he realized the man chasing him in the dark was not the man that had raised him, not the man he had though snapped and finally hurt him. They looked alike in the dark of the street; Ran had been confused as to why Toda had gone back on his word to let Ran visit his family. It wasn't Toda.

"Father?" the teen whispered.

"That's right," Fujimiya Koga¹ said harshly, "You shouldn't have come back; I thought I had gotten rid of you!"

"Koga!" Toda called running up to them from where he parked his car, "What have you done?"

The elder Fujimiya thrust the boy into his arms. "I told you to take care of it, that I never wanted to hear of it again." He shouted, "If I ever see you again I will kill you both!"*

"He told Toda to take me away, and he was going to, but Commissioner Takatori made us stay, he wanted me to testify against my father!" he redirected the gun at Ken when the Brunette moved hoping to get the weapon away. "He promised we'd be alright, he was glad Toda was waiting until I turned eighteen. He was going to send us anywhere we wanted after the trial! But my father made bail and he came after us! He killed Toda with the Katana, but I got away until the roof top!"

"Ran," Ken said softly. "It's alright, we understand. It's not your fault!"

"Yes it is!" Ran screamed. "I insisted I testify! If I hadn't we'd be in Switzerland planning our wedding!" he picked up something that had been hidden between legs and chest. It was an urn, likely the real Takahashi Toda's. "I'm sorry, we'll be together soon. I love you."

"Ran no!" Ken shouted stepping forward as the gun was placed against the redhead's temple again. He flinched when the trigger was pulled, deafened from the sound. He caught the urn and body as they fell, both covered in blood.

Carefully setting down the urn Ken cradled the redhead against him rocking back and forth gently. Vaguely he was aware of Yohji grabbing Omi as he ran into the mission room, but all he could see was the lifeless innocent face of the body in his arms. They had failed him, or he had failed himself, Ken wasn't sure.

"I'm sorry," the brunette whispered pressing his lips against Ran's forehead. "I'm sorry."……

***

"Ken,"

"Hmm?"

"Ken awake up, you're not sleeping down here."

Ken opened his eyes looking up at the blurry face of the redhead; behind him the end credits of the movie he was watching rolled across the screen. Blinking to catch his bearings he focused on Aya alive and breathing. Without thinking he jumped up and wrapped his arms around the redhead assassin.

"You're alive!" he exclaimed. Then woke up more and realized hugging the man might get him killed. With a squeak Ken jumped back eyes wide in fright. "I'm sorry!" he said and hurried upstairs.

Aya watched the man go allowing a confused expression to cross his face. With a sigh he took the remote and turned off the TV. "Must have been dreaming about the movie again." He muttered under his breath and made his way up the steps turning off the lights behind him.

~Owari~

A/N if any of this confused anyone just remember this was a dream and they aren't supposed to make sense! R/R