Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Stray Kitten ❯ Winter Nights ( Chapter 2 )

Title: Stray Kitten

Author: Sardius

Category: Romance

Warnings: NC-17

Pairings: Yohji/Ran

Disclaimer: Once again I don't own the pretty boys, just using them for a bit of fun.

This fic is based on the DJ, Utau Noraneko, presented by Mieko Koide, situated in the "Obsession" website: http://obession.cjb.net, scanned and translated by Cirrus, edited by Alekth.

Character's Thoughts
Song lyrics: # #

Chapter Two: Winter Nights

It had been almost two months.

Two months of not seeing the beautiful redhead after he had left my house that night. I had often wondered where he had gone. Is he okay? Does he have enough clothes to keep him warm? It was stupid for me to think like this. Why should I care about someone that I truly knew nothing about?

Why is it that I am always thinking about him?

Each night after work, I would walk past the park, hoping to catch a glimpse of the beautiful young man lying in a bed of Sakura petals. But, every time I would head back to my apartment in disappointment.

Since then, I had told myself to forget about him.

Things had gone back to normal as usual. I went to work every morning, closed the restaurant for the night, and drunk till late in the evening. These procedures were getting rather tedious and each time I closed my eyes, all I could see was a pair of beautiful amethyst orbs gazing back at me passionately.

He made me feel what's it like to love again.

It was late by the time I was cleaning up. There were only a few customers left and already most had gone home. Only one couple was left sitting by the window. I hadn't even realised who they were when I almost bumped into them, my mind had being too focused on other matters.

I apologised and went out of my way to open the door for them, wishing them good night when out of the corner of my eye; I noticed a flash of crimson hair.

It was then I realised who it was.

Ran.

Wide amethyst eyes looked at me in surprise as we both stared at each other in shock. A moment later, the redhead smiled at me and wishes me good night. It was then that I noticed the arm wrapped possessively around his shoulders, belonging to a businessman, wearing an expensive Armani suit, his cream shirt neatly buttoned up and with a deep crimson tie around his collar. His black hair was combed back evenly and he was wearing a pair of wire-framed glasses, which hid the dark eyes behind them. Those stern eyes looked down at Ran with both lusts and possessiveness in them.

Is that his lover? Or is he just another one nightstand like I was?

I tried to sound casual as I wished them a good evening and watched the couple walk down the street together. Ran did not turn around to look at me, not even once, and I knew the gentleman had noticed the little exchange between the redhead and me.

The cold wind seeped into my skin and I shivered, realising I still had the door open even though Ran had already disappeared from my sight. I closed the door and locked it in place as I returned to my work. However, I couldn't banish the image of Ran smiling at me from just moments ago.

What is this feeling I am having?

I wanted to hear his voice again. I knew, intellectually that I should forget about him, but yet when I had seen his face just then, my mind had suddenly been filled with that beautiful melody he was singing on the night I met him in the park.

It flows gently through the depths of my memory. The pleasantness of that voice…

A sense of loss and loneliness that I could not even describe was making me feel terrible as if a blade had stabbed into my heart. It shouldn't matter whom Ran goes out with. After all, who am I to him anyway, except just another one nightstand?

I smiled sadly and went back to work, hoping to distract myself with the chores and banish the image of the redhead from my mind.

* * * * * * *

"See you later Kudou-san."

"Hai. Good night."

I was so tired by the time I had to close up. So absorbed I was in my work, that I didn't even realise it was past midnight until I glanced up at the clock. I quickly told Kiro to head off home, feeling guilty knowing he was only staying up this late to keep me company.

I slowly walked along the walkway, the moonlight shining down onto the street, casting shadows around me as the ache in my heart continued to burn. I couldn't help but stop at the park entrance and look expectantly around, hoping Ran would be there.

But it's stupid to wait for something that would never happen. I feel like a fool. Huh...maybe I am.

Suddenly, when I was about to walk away, I heard a voice.

# I feel so lonely tonight

Would you mind staying for the night?

And hold me tenderly

Till the morning come #

The beating of my heart quickened, knowing who that voice belonged to. Carefully, I made my way towards the sakura trees where I had first met him. Each step was quiet, as if I didn't want to break the silence and the beautiful melody drifting so pleasantly into the night.

It was then I finally saw him.

Ran was kneeling down on the ground, looking up at the sakura tree as the petals drifted lazily around him. The redhead was wearing a long white jacket, spreading like silk along the soft pink petals, his dark shirt was loose and crumpled, his pants slightly faded and worn. He looked so beautiful with his head raised up towards the sky, the moonlight shone down onto his face, giving an effect of an incredible bright aura surrounding him. Entranced as I was at this beautiful creature, I stood there looking at him, wondering if this was all a dream.

Like an angel, so pure, so beautiful. I wonder if he is even real.

# Tell me you love me

Even if it's just for tonight #

I closed my eyes and continued to listen to the soft melody sung by the redhead. The wind continued to blow around us and I felt the soft caress of the sakura petals brushing past my face. The scent of the sweet blossom made me feel peaceful as I hadn't felt in years.

Then slowly the singing stopped and I opened my eyes to see a pair of amethyst orbs gazing back at me.

"Ran."

For some reason, now that we were alone, it seemed that I no longer knew what to tell him. Ran was still kneeing on the ground, looking up at me as if he had half expected me to be there.

I felt like he was waiting for me all along.

"Yohji."

His voice was like a whisper against the wind. I had really missed hearing it. As always, it was so soft and deep. The way he said my name, made my body tingle tremble with pleasure.

Jokingly I smiled, trying to relieve the tension showing on my face. I walked towards the redhead, each step bringing me closer and closer until I stood beside him and asked, "Hey. Don't tell me you live in this park do you?

Ran turned towards me and laughed. It was a fake laughter, carrying a tinge of sadness in it, trying to make it sound like he was perfectly fine, except deep inside I knew he was hiding the hurt and loneliness inside himself. It made my heart ache all the more.

"Haha. Well you know it's because I am just a stray cat."

A stray cat…left abandoned on the street.

It was then, as the light shifted that I noticed the bruises on his face. I knelt down quickly beside him and tilted his chin so that he was looking up at me and inspected his injuries. They weren't serious, but his flesh was dark and purple, discoloured, marking the pale face.

"Those mark on your face…"

I knew it was the man that was with Ran tonight. He must have taken his anger out on the redhead or maybe he had wanted Ran to do something he didn't want to. Yet, seeing the young man hurt made me even more upset.

Ran seemed confused by how concerned I was. He gently touched the bruises on his cheeks and winced slightly. "Oh this? It's nothing. Just the same as always."

Same as always? How could anyone do this to you? "Was it the man you were with before?"

"Yeah." Then he looked away and cast his gaze towards the ground, dark lashes fluttering against the pale skin. "I guess...that's just the way I am played right? Like… at random, sometimes they get tough or use drugs. But... I am used to it."

It hurt to hear those words coming from him. Finding out how he thought it was so natural to be abused by these people and not caring the slightest bit about himself. I wanted to let him know I would never hurt him like this.

Ran seemed to sense the sadness lurking in my eyes as he smiled up at me. Even though his perfect face was now marked with bruises, in my eyes, he was still the most beautiful person to me.

"What's wrong?" he asked me. "It is not your fault that this has happened."

"But I…" Still, I felt it was partly my fault that the young man was hurt. If only I had asked him to stay with me maybe he wouldn't be in this mess. I could have looked after him.

Then Ran reached up to run his fingers through my hair, playing around with the golden curls, as his eyes twinkled with amusement and he whispered so quietly in my ear.

"Meow…"

Just one word. But it was more than enough.

I had to smile, knowing he was only trying to cheer me up. However, deep inside, I knew the redhead was just as lonely as me

"Come here."

I offered my hand to him and our fingers locked onto one another firmly. It was a perfect fit, as if they were meant to be joined.

Let's go home.

* * * * * *

It was quiet during the walk to my apartment. It made me remember the last time when I had been walking with Ran, the way he would occasionally look up at me to see what I was doing.

He was like a curious kitten following his owner home.

But what am I saying? I don't own Ran. After all, he is someone I know nothing about. Where does he come from? What does he do? I mean, how did he end up with this profession anyway? So many secrets, things we didn't know about one another and yet it was strange how comfortable it felt to have him beside me.

Then a voice spoke behind me. "This reminds me of last time."

I looked askance at Ran who was hugging his jacket closer to his body trembling from the cold. There were dark rings around his eyes and I knew he mustn't have been sleeping well for days.

I took off my arm from one sleeve of my woollen coat and grabbing the lapel, draped it over his shoulders, my arm wrapped around his slim waist as I pulled him close to my warm body. The redhead gasped all of a sudden, not expecting this sudden movement. But after a while, I could feel his body starting to relax as, shyly, he shifted closer to me.

"Yes it has been a while hasn't it?" I looked up towards the moon; maybe God was taking pity on me and had decided to let me have someone to care about again. "I was hoping that I would see you again."

Then we arrived at my apartment and I left Ran behind me so I could open the door. However, I did not realise that throughout the whole time it took for me to open the door, the young man did not say anything more, nor did I see the glimmer of happiness in his eyes.

* * * * * * *

"Hey, so did you come to the park to see me?"

I tilted Ran's chin up so I could clean out the wounds. I had told the redhead to take off his jacket so that I could get him cleaner clothes. Ran did as he was told but instead he now only wore his faded black pants, his legs crossed neatly together, sitting on my bed as he let me treat his injuries.

"Yes."

I can't tell him everything. I am not even sure what I am feeling at this very moment.

"Why?" he asked me. I did not answer straight away, trying to come up with an acceptable excuse. I tried to seem very absorbed in my work, but yet I could not help but to see I was shaking slightly.

"Hm? Well I was thinking how after all, I didn't get a chance to listen to your song."

A look of surprise was shown on the young man's face as I cleaned out the last of his wound and put some bandages on his cheek.

"Song? The song I was singing the other night?"

I nodded and packed away the rest of the medicines into the box and threw the rubbish in the bin. After a while, sensing Ran was troubled about something, I sat beside him and looked out the window at the city's skyline.

It is strange how a city filled with so many people, can allow two lonely souls to meet.

"So…it's not because you are in love with me is it?" There was a slight disappointment in his voice but Ran had his head cast down so I wasn't able to see the expression on his face. "I mean a guy like you, wouldn't be in love with someone like me anyway."

Maybe I am...

...in love with you.

"You think so?" I asked.

Ran looked away from me making me wish I could hold him close to me again. I wished things weren't so awkward. It was as if, we were both trying to hide our feelings but yet, I wasn't sure if Ran truly did care about me in the way I thought he did.

The redhead sighed. "What are you talking about? You are usually straight aren't you?"

I looked down at my hands and thought about a suitable reply. Was there a hint of bitterness in his voice? Even though I am straight, it doesn't matter. With you it is different. With you, I don't care if you are a man.

"I don't know."

I didn't understand what I was saying. What I was trying to hide away from Ran. These past two months, I had been hoping to see him again and now that I had him right beside me, I felt like my tongue was all twisted and my heart all bottled up with this emotion I hadn't felt since Asuka's death.

Is this love? Do I really love someone I know nothing about?

"I…I think I might fall in love with you."

I looked up at Ran in bewilderment, wondering if I had heard correctly what he'd just said. The redhead started fidgeting with his fingers, his eyes drifting back to the city's lights flickering now and then. I looked up and saw our reflection in the window.

We look so different. Ran's soft crimson hair contrasted so much with his pale skin. Compared to me, to my emerald eyes and my tanned skin he looked ethereal. Do we even match? Or are we both just seeking comfort in the other? However, it was strange to see how two very different people could be brought together in this world.

The redhead continued, "I mean... if you were to fall in love with me, it'd be nice to fall in love with you. At least that's what I was thinking."

Before I could acknowledge what I was doing, the words were already forming on my lips. "I think…I think I am in love with you."

"Huh?"

Then I heard the young man chuckling beside me. "That's not possible. A stray cat just doesn't fit you."

But you are the only one that can fill my loneliness.

"…If you really are a stray cat…can I keep you?"

Wide amethysts eyes stared back at me; a look of surprise appeared on Ran's face. I turned around and reached out with my fingers to run them through his soft crimson hair, touching his face with my fingertips, until I reached forward and brushed those soft lips with mine.

Ran tasted so sweet, a taste that I was slowly becoming addicted to. The redhead moaned so softly and already I felt like I was losing myself into him again. The kiss was filled with tenderness and longing. A feeling that neither of us could explain. I pulled back slightly when we ran out of breath; both our lips were bruised and swollen as I whispered back to him all the words I had bottled up inside my heart.

"If you stay here, I can give you a bed and food. You'd be free to go wherever you want, as long as you always come back here as your home."

Then I rested our foreheads together till I was staring into those deep pools of amethyst.

"That way, I won't have to come to the park to look for you all the time…. would you, would you stay with me?"

I've decided to keep a cat whose past I don't even know.

I didn't miss the hint of happiness in his eyes as he shifted away from me and turned away. "That would be nice. But…what can I do for you in return?"

Ran had expected something from me. I could assume he was so used to people wanting him for sex that he thought it was the reason why I was keeping him. Instead, it was nothing like that.

You are far more important to me than just a stray cat.

"Sing for me."

I don't mind keeping him even though I don't know his past.

Ran got up, his pale body glinting in the dark room from the lights flashing outside. He looked across the view from the window, like a lost kitten, staring into space. "That sounds more like a canary than a cat."

Then he turned around and smiled sadly at me, "Just remember you can throw me out anytime."

Ran thought I would not keep him for long.

Before I could say anything more, he raised his head and started singing the song from the other night. The night when we had first met and I had been entranced by this beautiful stranger lying in the field of sakura petals. A stranger that had changed my life and I didn't think it would ever be the same again without him.

# I've watched you somewhere far away

Like a lost child, wanting to play

Come play with me, come play with me

And we will end in harmony #

So absorbed I was with this beautiful stranger singing in my room, that the night didn't seem so lonely anymore. Now that I knew he would be with me.

It doesn't matter if he doesn't love me, as long as he'll be here when I come home.

As long as he never leaves me.

I got up and wrapped my arms around him, pulling that warm body close to mine, resting my chin on his crimson hair. Ran continued to sing, his voice became a soothing lullaby for my dreams. I only wished this dream would last for as long as I would want it to be with me and never fade out of existence.

I have finally found someone to fill the loneliness in my heart.

Someone I know nothing about, someone whose past is a mystery to me. Even though there are no promises, no declarations of love, it doesn't matter, because this beautiful stray kitten...

...Is Ran.

* * * * * *

TBC~~~

One more chappie! Phew~! This chapter was hard to write, trying to fit everything into one, hope it wasn't rushed. This is actually where the DJ ends, but I feel as though the matter b/w Yohji n Ran is still not solved so that's why I am writing a third chapter. Will try to update if I can, but really want to work on my other fics as well.

Sardius