Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ You're Joking, Right? ❯ Chapter 17

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

Yoji had devoted the day to target practice, as he�d promised Aya he would. As Aya had ordered him to. Well, it could be such a fine line, couldn't it? He�d gone out to Yokohama and paid some thugs for an afternoon of privacy in an abandoned nightclub, then spent hours shooting up the place. It hadn't been a bad time, and he thought his marksmanship should be pretty much up to the task. Whatever the task was.

Driving home in the gathering dusk, Yoji was stuck in traffic for hours. He used the time to review every scrap of information he had about this weird-ass situation. It still didn't add up, but sometimes you just had to say "what the fuck" and go with it. And he had. But he sure as hell hoped Aya would give him some solid information about this under-the-radar assassination, soon. Surely this wasn't too much to ask.

OK, now he was getting agitated. He tried to blank his mind and think of nothing but driving. He figured this was the kind of bullshit Aya probably did. And actually, negotiating a mile or so of gridlock without fuming and cursing did kind of make him feel like he had a big dick.

By the time he pulled into the garage, he couldn�t say he�d achieved inner peace. He did, however, want to see Aya. The Porsche was in the garage, so at least he could get started with the nagging forthwith.

The kitchen door had barely closed behind Yoji when Ken was on him. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Um -- out? Why, did something happen?"

"You just blew off your afternoon shift -- so, nothing unusual, no. I've got to say, I didn't expect you to actually take over all my shifts for a week, but I would have thought you'd at least show up for your own."

"Oh. Did you have to cover for me?"

"No, Yoji. I just left the shop open and put up a sign telling people to take whatever they wanted. " Ken rolled his eyes. "Actually, I didn't have to cover your whole shift. Aya showed up a couple of hours before closing, and he took over. Weirdly enough. He's obviously trying to keep the mystery alive in our relationship."

"Huh. That is weird," Yoji muttered, pushing past Ken to bound up the stairs.

"I think the phrase you're looking for is 'I'm sorry,' you self-absorbed piece of shit!" Ken yelled after him.

Yeah, whatever. Ken would get over it. Yoji burst into Aya's room and found him sitting on his bed, shoving crackers into his mouth at an alarming rate and studying something written on a sheet of notebook paper. At least he looked up this time. �You took over my shift?�

Aya shrugged, wiping crumbs from his mouth with the back of his hand. �I was feeling a little jangly. Sometimes mindless, repetitive tasks help.�

�Oh. Well, that's better. I thought you wanted to help Ken. Which would be one of the signs of the apocalypse.�

Aya snorted dismissively. �Listen, we have things to talk about.�

Well, it was about damned time. �Good. I need some dinner first, though.�

The corner of Aya's mouth turned up minutely. �You want my cell phone? See if Ken will bring you some sushi?�

�Ha bloody ha. I was going to offer to get us both some take-out. I figured you were hungry too, since you're eating those crackers like you're afraid they might eat you first.�

Aya nodded slowly. �May as well. It's going to be a long night.� He thought for a few seconds and said, �Get me two dragon rolls and a couple of tomago. And something fried. Oh, and green tea mochi. And don't forget the miso soup.�

Yoji stared. �Sure that's going to be enough?�

�Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we shall die,� Aya said.

Well, that was unsettling. �Um, Aya...�

�It's just a figure of speech. Go get me some food.�

**********

Aya finished his ice cream and wiped his hands. He hadn�t specified a restaurant, and he was glad Yoji hadn�t gone with the cheap, barely adequate place just down the street.

�Do you always eat that much, and I just never noticed?�

�I hadn't eaten anything all day. And I think the real reason it stands out is that you had to pay for it.�

�I tend to be a pretty generous guy. Nobody's going to say you're a cheap date, though.�

Aya smiled slightly. �Available, yes. Cheap, no.�

�Just the way I like 'em, baby.� After a moment's thought, Yoji added, �Well, cheap is OK, too. You know � everything in its place.�

Aya rolled his eyes. �We should get started. We have a lot to go over tonight.�

Yoji cocked his head inquiringly, looking excited. And they thought Aya was a freak.

�We're going in tomorrow, late afternoon.� Looked like that might be a little more excitement than Yoji had anticipated. �It's too soon. I know. But we got a big break, and we have to take advantage of it.� He moved the detritus of his dinner from his bed to the enormous bag it had arrived in and carefully smoothed out his quilt. Buying a few more minutes to compose himself.

�Aya, are you OK? If you have problems with this, then...�

�I guess I'm just fucked,� Aya muttered. �No, it's the right time. I wish we had a few days for prep, but it'll do. It's not actually all that complicated, now. Well, getting in, at least.�

�Getting out is the most important part, Aya.�

�Yeah.� Aya paused, putting forth a massive effort to keep up his game face. �Don't worry, Kudoh. I'll take care of you.� He burst into a small fit of laughter, some part of his brain unexpectedly finding that statement hysterically funny. A part of his brain he didn't usually have much commerce with. He'd just stopped laughing, but burst into another gale of giggles when he saw the look on Yoji's face, which really was priceless. �I don't know,� Aya said. His feelings were a weird mixture of amused and defensive.

�Way to inspire confidence, man.�

�I won't be laughing on the job � trust me.�

�Aya, are you all right? Seriously. Are you high or something?�

Well, anyone with eyes to see could tell that Aya hadn't been OK for a long time. �I can do the job, Yoji.� He accepted Yoji's reluctant shrug as about the best he deserved, at the moment. He took a deep breath and plunged ahead, explaining the plan he'd come up with on the way home from his meeting with Crawford. �Nakayama � that's the target � is having some computer equipment delivered to his house tomorrow afternoon. We'll deliver it. Easy set up.�

�I don't mean to be overly negative, but you kind of skipped a few steps. Like the whole how we'll deliver it part. And how the hell do you know this? If Kritiker set it up...�

�Kritiker didn't set it up. And I told you, I have sources.�

Yoji looked put out. �Everybody's in on stuff but me.�

�Well, you're in on something now, no joke.� Aya relished the comforting flare of irritation that Yoji's whining engendered. It made everything seem more familiar. �I got the name of the company, so I stopped by there this afternoon. Checked out the dock and flirted with the dispatcher. She got called away, and I got the delivery information off her computer. I changed the spreadsheet and gave the delivery to someone who'd already be out on another job, and printed out the work order. So we have the number of the truck it'll be loaded on. All we have to do is walk in, get in the truck, and drive it off. No big deal.� He sat back, waiting for the wall of questions.

�OK, just for starters, you're telling me the super-evil mad scientist double agent buys his computers at Electric City?�

�They make hundreds of deliveries a day.� He paused for Yoji to catch up. �It makes sense, if you don�t want anybody to notice you're buying something.�

Yoji processed that and either accepted the logic or tabled it for later. �And nobody saw you chatting up the dispatcher? You kind of stand out, Aya.�

That was just offensive. �Do you think I'm a God-damned amateur?� Aya took a moment to sulk. �Yes, people saw me chatting up the dispatcher. But it's a busy warehouse � nobody had any reason to notice me. And she's in a little office over to the side; it's not like I was on a stage or anything.�

�Nobody saw you using her computer?�

�You're starting to piss me off, Yoji. No. Nobody saw me using the computer.�

�Well, when the police start looking into this � or Kritiker, or God knows who � don't you think they're going to be able to trace this right back to you?�

�Nobody's going to put it together. I was just some guy flirting with the dispatcher. I'm not the first, believe me.�

�She won't notice that you changed the schedule?�

Aya sighed. �She really won't.�

�I just think someone will notice the connection. Somebody is going to investigate the computer delivery angle.�

�They'll know someone stole the truck to do the job, but they won't know who. I get your point, OK? I'm not just being stubborn. But we take way bigger risks than this all the time on Weiss missions.�

�We have Kritiker behind us on Weiss missions.�

�We have somebody behind us on this mission, too.�

Yoji fell silent and eventually nodded. He was going to shut up, thank God, but he wasn't happy about it.

�I stole a couple of uniforms while I was there � and no, nobody saw me � so we're just going to walk in there tomorrow, grab the truck, and make the delivery. Puts us past all the security and right in Nakayama's office. He'll be in there, I hope, and his computer will be in there. One-stop shopping.�

�And what are we doing with his computer?�

�Stealing files. A lot of them. I have a list,� Aya said, frowning. �We have to go through the paper files, too, and make a mess. It shouldn't look like we knew exactly what we were looking for.�

�But we do. Know exactly what we're looking for.�

�Yeah.�

Yoji fixed him with a piercing look. �Your inside information extends to the target's personal computer and filing system. Too bad we don't have that kind of intel on all our jobs.�

�Look, Yoji whatever Ken told you, you can trust me. I've got the backing to go up against Kritiker and Essezt.�

Yoji looked dubious.

�That�s the truth,� Aya said, touching Yoji�s arm. He looked into Yoji�s eyes. �If you don�t believe me, leave now. If you start second-guessing me, you�re going to get us both killed.�

Yoji held Aya�s gaze, searching. Finally, he nodded and visibly relaxed his posture. �In for a penny, in for a pound, I guess,� he said lazily.

�That�s the carefree man-whore I�ve come to know,� Aya said dryly. �Seriously, though � I�m not playing any cards that aren�t in my hand, OK? This is going to work.� He paused, trying to decide if he�d gone far enough, or if maybe Yoji needed another tiny shove. �I�ve given you more background than Kritiker does. And I told you about my sister � I even threw in a damsel in distress.�

Yoji looked confused for just a moment, then nodded, grinning easily. �Nothing like keeping the bar low, Aya.�

�Are you insulting my sister?�

Yoji rolled his eyes. �Oh, for fuck�s sake. I spend the day doing target practice so I can back you on the scariest mission I�ve heard of yet, I buy you 10,000 yen worth of sushi � what does a guy have to do to get some trust?

�How did it go? The target practice.�

�It was fine. I already knew how to shoot, Aya.�

�But you�re comfortable with it?�

�I�m comfortable with it. Make me more comfortable, though, OK? Tell me how we�re going to pull this off.�

Aya wished he knew. �We get the files � that�s not optional � and we kill the doctor. We kill as many people as we have to in pursuit of that. Oh, and if we can, it wouldn�t be a bad idea to get the van back to the store before they open the next morning.� Aya closed his eyes and fought off another bout of hysterical laughter. �Couldn�t be easier, right?�

�Tell me there�s actually a plan.�

�Not got such a great sense of humor now, huh?� Aya giggled. He couldn�t help it.

�Aya, seriously, are you on something?�

No, but it didn�t sound like the worst idea he�d ever heard. Aya picked up a pen and some paper, quickly sketching a diagram of the estate. He noted the security cameras, added the locations of staff and guards, and handed it to Yoji. �We�ll go in through the back entrance. There�s a security camera at the top left side of the door, so make sure they don�t get a good image, just in case. The office is all the way on the other side of the house, and there�ll be guards patrolling the grounds at random. Four guards inside, four to six outside, and one at the gate. Nakayama also has a personal bodyguard, and his secretary is probably dangerous, too. The staff is all private � he�s working both sides, so he can�t have either one getting too much information. There�s also regular staff, five more people. The security office his here� � Aya pointed to a room several doors down from the office they�d be in � �and we�ll have to get in there to take the internal cameras and alarms off-line. Then, we kill whoever�s in the office and take the files, and find Nakayama, if he�s somewhere else in the house. We want to avoid engaging the guards as much as we can. They�re trained. A couple at a time shouldn�t be a problem, but we don�t want them coming at us in a group. I�m hoping to get in and out before the guards patrolling the grounds find out there�s a problem inside, but we can�t count on that.�

Yoji stared at the drawing, memorizing every detail while he listened to Aya. �Your sources give you odds on the chance of Nakayama being in his office?�

�He�s supposed to be a workaholic. He practically lives in there. Which means the secretary and bodyguard should be in there, too. Either way, I�ll take a bathroom break as soon as we get in and go take out the security office first thing. You know anything about setting the computers and stuff up?�

Yoji shook his head. �I�m a lover, not an IT specialist.�

�It doesn�t matter. I won�t take long. Just keep you head down until I get back.�

�What if you run into trouble?�

�I won�t. There won�t be more than two people in the office, and they won�t be expecting anything. I shouldn�t need more than a few minutes, so just take your time getting everything out of the boxes.� Aya smiled wryly. �Shouldn�t be any problem for you, with all the practice you get in the shop.�

�No need to be rude, just because I�m not a twitchy, neurotic freak, like some people.�

�I prefer to think of myself as a shark. Endlessly circling.�

�Twitchy. Neurotic. Freak.�

�I guess you�re entitled to your opinion, wrong-headed as it may be. Anyway � you�re with me so far? See anything I�ve missed?�

�There�s no chance you�ll run into more force when you hit the security room?�

�Always a chance, but there can�t be that many � it�s a small room. I�m good at improvising. I�ll be fine.�

�OK. What if somebody tips off the bodyguard before you bring down the communication system?�

�Watch for it, and get the guard first, then the secretary, then Nakayama. The target isn�t trained, so do him last. Don�t use your wire, no matter what happens � we might as well leave a business card. And don�t let Nakayama turn off his computer � I have the passwords, but you never know when he�ll change them.�

�OK. What if one of the outside guards hears the shots?�

�The silencers should be enough. If it isn�t, though, they�ll call for backup.� Aya paused. If it came to that, they were fucked. The backup would come from Esszet, and they didn�t have a chance against Esszet. He heard Crawford�s voice in his head warning him not to tell Yoji that, not to make it so easy for him to back out.

�How much time would we have?� Yoji asked.

Aya couldn�t do it. He hadn�t turned into Crawford yet, and that wasn�t how he was going out. �I have no idea. If it comes to that, you should shoot yourself before they get you.�

Yoji stared at him and processed the statement. �Because I won�t make it out, or because I�ll wish I hadn�t?�

�Smart. I knew you were.� Aya waited a minute before asking. �You still in?�

Yoji�s gaze tracked a path from Aya�s eyes, to the fading bruises Crawford had left on the side of his face, to his mouth, and then back. Yoji looked like he felt sorry for him. �I�m in, baby. I told you already.�

Yoji was an odd one. Aya felt an uncomfortable rush of kinship. �I really have reason to think it won�t come to that.�

Nodding, Yoji waved his hand as if it were nothing. �OK. You take down the security system and come back to the office. Now what?�

�I�ll close the door and walk over to you � give me time to see where they are in the room, and when I�m ready I�ll tap you, or the desk, and we start shooting, same order I gave you before. Then we get the files. I�ll take the computer, you take the cabinets on the wall.� Aya pointed to the map. �I�ll watch the door � you just pay attention to the paper files.� Aya took a deep breath. That should put Yoji out of the line of fire; it was the best compromise he�d come up with. He�d probably still get shot, but he had a chance since he knew it was coming, and it should keep Yoji safe. �Throw some paper around, so it looks random.�

�It�s a lot of files. Do we need them all?�

Aya had to smile. Crawford, always intractable and unreasonable. �It is. This is the worst part, but they need them.� He paused, undecided again. �The files are just as important as the target, Yoji. If something happens to me, get the files, and get out. OK?�

Yoji raised an eyebrow. �You believe in � whatever this is. Don�t you? You�re actually doing this because you believe in the cause.� He looked surprised.

�You could say that.�

�I�m serious. I�ve got kind of a revenge thing going on myself, but as far as believing in what I do � well, I�m just sort of here for the beer, you know? I kind of just assumed � but you�re not. You actually fucking believe in something.� He laughed, but it sounded scratchy. Painful.

Aya chose to ignore Yoji�s epiphany. This was something Farfarello picked at all the time, and now was not the time to get into it with Yoji. �Get the files and get out. Right?�

Yoji nodded, still looking borderline reverent, which was off-putting. Aya recited the address of the apartment he kept for � contingencies. �Do you know where that is?� When Yoji nodded, Aya pulled the extra set of keys out of his jacket and handed them over. �Take the files there. Hit redial on the phone and tell whoever answers that you need a pickup.�

�And, if it isn�t overly optimistic to ask, what�s our exit strategy?�

�Couple of possibilities, actually. If we�re really lucky, we just walk back to the van and drive away before the outside guards know there�s a problem. I�m thinking about twenty minutes for the files, so we might make it before someone tries to check in. If that doesn�t work out, it depends on how good they are. If we�re trapped in the office, we go out through the window. It�s a one-storey drop onto ground cover.� As he talked, Aya drew in the significant features on his map and wrote in distances. �Once you�re outside, shoot anything that moves and run like hell.� Aya smiled at Yoji�s grim expression. �They�d expect you to head here or here� � Aya pointed out two spots where the wall around the estate was either more accessible or led to an obvious point of egress on the other side � �but you should go here.� Aya drew in a route that called for scaling the wall of a low maintenance building, running across that and jumping several feet to another roof, climbing another wall, crossing another roof, and dropping a couple of floors into a wooded area backing the property.

Yoji raised an eyebrow.

�Well, obviously you have to be in shape. You can do it.�

�Not if I�m wounded.�

Aya frowned and pointed out another route that involved crawling through shrubbery, but no climbing. �This one�s a little more dangerous. You�re exposed here, here, and here� � he drew Xs at the appropriate spots. �But it still isn�t what they�d expect you to do, so it�s safer than the direct route.�

Yoji picked up the map and studied it, then wadded up the paper and threw it into Aya�s trashcan. He probably figured that if Aya didn�t get back to dispose of it properly, it wouldn�t matter who found it anyway. And he was right.

�Any suggestions?�

�I don�t know. This is kind of flimsy, with just two people.�

�You�re just used to working with more.�

Yoji gave him a sharp look. �You�re not. You do this kind of shit on your own all the time, don�t you?�

�You already knew that.�

�How often do you work solo, anyway?�

�Couple times a month. Mostly for Kritiker, though. I take the occasional freelance job, too, but don�t tell my pimp.� He got away with a lot, but that was probably where Kritiker would draw the line.

�Why all the overtime? Do you need the money?�

�Who doesn�t need the money?�

�Come on, Aya.�

�Like you said, I�m twitchy. Or maybe I have more of a work ethic than you realized.� It wasn�t really something he thought about � he just moved from job to job. �I like to keep busy. Keeps my skills up.�

Yoji snorted. �The Weiss missions aren�t strenuous enough for you? You look at a bunch of mutated monsters and think, �I need more�?�

�Are you defending Weiss� honor or something? I�m not dissing the mutated monsters. I just like to do other work, too. Weiss gets all the freaks. Sometimes I just like to, you know, go in and assassinate someone. Without all the weird shit.�

Yoji was giving him a look. �You like to keep it real, you�re telling me.�

�Oh, fuck off, Yoji. You started it.�

�I hadn�t realized you were such a fragile flower.� Yoji shoved at Aya�s shoulder, pushing him down on the bed. Aya let him. Yoji crawled on top, on his hands and knees, his face inches from Aya�s. �Do you like it, Aya? Killing people?�

He liked the purr behind Yoji�s voice, and he liked that slightly deranged look Yoji got in his eyes. �They deserve it. All of them.�

�That�s not what I asked.�

And Yoji was fucking beautiful. Beautiful bones, beautiful skin, beautiful long, lean muscles, sensual lips, and knowing eyes � a couple of years ago, before everything had gone to hell, Aya would have been proud of a catch like this. The thought made him laugh.

�I like it.� He looked into Yoji�s eyes, watched the pupils expand. Then he whispered, �But not as much as you do.�

Yoji didn�t flinch. �Whatever. Takes one to know one, I guess.�

�All the shooting get you worked up?�

�Yeah. Mostly you, though.�

�Like attracts like?�

Yoji smiled, a small, feral smile. �In certain ways.�

Aya laughed again, breathless and suddenly eager. �You know what I want.�

�Oh, yeah, I know what you want, baby. You�re not the only one, you know? What you want, what you need � I know all about it.�

Aya had already given in, but his instinct was to make Yoji work for it. �Arrogant.�

�No substitute for it,� Yoji said. �I�m through playing with you, though.� His tone was rough and precarious. �You want daddy to tell you what to do. Get over it.�

Oh, he�d had this discussion with Farfarello too, and it never failed to piss him off. It especially burned his ass that Yoji was going there and he didn�t even know about Crawford. �God damn it��

Yoji belted him. He hadn�t even seen it coming. �Shut up. I�m tired of waiting to find out who you are. Do you even know?�

That again. Of course he didn�t. He hadn�t known before any of this had happened; how could anyone expect him to figure it out now? Maybe this wasn�t going to work after all. It didn�t matter, though. Yoji had a strange sense of honor and he�d do the job tomorrow no matter what Aya did tonight. Aya didn�t have to fuck him. �Leave me alone, Yoji.� Aya turned his face away. �I�m tired. Just leave me the fuck alone.� He waited for Yoji to back off � he knew he would � but nothing happened. Finally, Aya looked back, deeply annoyed. He hated having his dramatic scenes thrown off.

�That was good, baby,� Yoji said, nuzzling his neck.

Yoji always knew exactly where to bite, and how hard, but Aya couldn�t really enjoy it because he couldn�t figure out what game Yoji was playing now.

�Give me more.�

�What the hell are you talking about?�

�You stopped playing with me. Right there � I saw it. That�s what I want. Just once, at least, I want to fuck you.�

�I�ve shown you everything I�ve got, Yoji.�

�No, you haven�t. There�s something in there, I can see it in your eyes, watching and waiting. You�re going to give me that.�

Oh, for fuck�s sake. �What, you think deep down, I don�t really want daddy to make it better? Fuck off, Yoji. It is what it is.�

Yoji shook his head. �Stubborn.�

Now Aya was getting mad. People should know better than to get his defenses riled. Nobody liked him that way. �I told you to fuck off.�

�Who are you when you�re alone, Aya? When you�re all by yourself and you aren�t using anybody of playing hero? Or whatever you think you�re doing.�

That was more than enough. Growling, Aya twisted, trying to take Yoji by surprise and throw him off. Didn�t work � Yoji�s reflexes were too good, or maybe he just knew to expect it. Either way, Aya was starting to feel dangerously angry. It was only a matter of time before he flipped out and killed the wrong person. Or � he had to admit it, since Yoji had him pinned to the bed � before he flipped out on the wrong person and got himself killed. Of course, he just had to make it through one more night, didn�t he?

Yoji spoke quietly. �You can struggle if it turns you on. But I�ve got you, baby. I�m ready for you, and I�m bigger, and I�m better. You�re not going anywhere. Got it?�

�Fucking ��

Yoji jammed the heel of his hand against Aya�s mouth. �That was a rhetorical question.�

Aya shifted subtly and tested for any weakness in Yoji�s hold. Nothing. But he�d fuck up eventually. Aya would just have to wait.

�Shall we try again?�

Unable to move his head, Aya flicked his gaze upward to indicate yes.

Yoji slipped his hand from Aya�s mouth to his throat. �Do you think of yourself as a hero?� It sounded almost casual. �I�ve often wondered.�

�I�m just property.�

Yoji snorted. �Nice one.�

�You asked.�

Yoji nodded, looking philosophical. �He ever choke you?�

It seemed to come out of nowhere, but it probably hadn�t. And of course Yoji hadn�t meant Crawford, now that Aya thought of it � he�d meant Farfarello. �No. He�s more about cutting and bleeding.�

�Don�t forget the bruises. Looks like he loves the bruises.�

Aya nodded. �That�s bleeding.�

�Yeah, I guess so.� He looked intently at Aya�s throat and tightened his hand around it � uncomfortable, but not too bad. �Choking leaves bruises, too.�

�That your kink, then?�

�No. Things happen, though.�

�Are you threatening me?�

�Not unless you need me to.�

Aya sighed. He kind of liked Yoji�s hand at his throat like that. And he definitely liked Yoji holding him down. The anger was starting to get confused with the lust � a constant problem. �I don�t know what you want, Yoji.�

�Whose property? You don�t mean Kritiker.�

�I do mean Kritiker.�

�I don�t believe you.�

�Yoji��

�Who? Maybe it would help if I told you about this theory I have. You�re going to laugh at this one. I was wondering who the hell would have access to the kind of information you�re getting. And then I was thinking about your peculiar taste in boyfriends. And suddenly, I couldn�t help wondering if you might not really work for Schwartz.� Yoji�s fingers tightened on Aya�s neck. �What do you think about that?�

Borderline panic-stricken, but this still didn�t have to be a problem. �I don�t work for Schwartz. I work for Kritiker. Schwartz is who I said they are, and Esszet is who I said they are. Kritiker is kind of murky, but that�s not my fault.�

�Perhaps I should phrase it differently. Do you work with Schwartz?�

�No.� It was true. Crawford was more than just Schwartz.

Yoji watched intently, but Aya knew he wasn�t giving anything away. �Why are you freaking out on me? Why now, I mean?�

�I�m not freaking out.�

Aya�s eyes flicked down toward Yoji�s hand. �I don�t know, Yoji.�

Yoji moved his hand away from Aya�s neck but otherwise stayed where he was. �I�m just a curious guy.�

�Don�t forget pushy. Now get the hell off me.�

�I still want ��

�Forget it. It�s over. You misplayed your hand. Now get off. Fucking psycho.�

Yoji gave him a look, then rolled to one side. �That means a lot, coming from you, baby.�

Yeah. Maybe it did. �Just get the fuck out of here, OK, Yoji? Go to sleep. Don�t get drunk. Do it for me, all right?�

Yoji nodded unwillingly, but he got up and left.

Aya closed his eyes.