Epilogue

Aya

I didn't wake up until we were just pulling around the block to the Koneko. Hn, I had not expected to sleep nearly that long.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty." That only earned the blonde a glare, I was sure that I didn't look anything near beautiful, I never do right after waking up. . . I've heard ridiculous accounts of how people's lovers are so beautiful in the morning, that they're the most wonderful thing in the world to wake up to. . . What a load of bull. No one looks good right after waking up, especially in the morning.

As he pulled up and parked behind the flower shop, I got out of the car and stretched my stiff muscles. I hate it when I fall asleep in weird places; you wake up feeling like crap with a stiff neck and aching back.

"Glad that the missions over?" Looking across the hood of Youji's hideous car, I saw an odd expression in his green eyes. Something that I could not place.

"Hn," I murmured a neutral answer before grabbing my bags and heading up the stairs that lead to the apartment. I would not be such a fool as to make any move on Youji. He would initiate anything that was to happen now that the mission had passed. . . I couldn't stand the humiliation and heartbreak that would come if my growing assumptions of his feelings for me proved to be incorrect.

Later that night. . . I am a lazy author. ;)

Youji

Gathering my resolve I decided that if I was going to take action the time to do so was now, while both of out feelings were still strong and fresh in our minds. I loved Aya and I was certain that he had to feel something for me, perhaps not love but he surely felt something! Even Aya wasn't that good of an actor.

Taking in a deep breath, I threw caution to the wind and stepped out into the hall. Two doors away, after the chibi's room and a linen closet, lay my future. Either my heart would be broken again, as it had been the last time I'd been dumb enough to fall in love, or my killing career could become much more enjoyable. . .

One door passed, one more until I got there. Mentally I cursed myself out for being so virginal about this but there was more than physicality at stake here. There was something that I hadn't put into any relationship for over two years, the thing that made sex complete and worthwhile. Love.

My toes squished the soft carpet as I walked down the hall. . . Just there, when a creak came in the floorboards.

Aya

"Youji-kun?" I heard the tired voice of the youngest assassin outside my bedroom door.

"Uh. . . Hey chibi!" The cheerfulness in which Youji's answer was delivered was too forced, I could tell. I had heard him coming down the hall long before Omi had.

"What are you doing?" He paused for what sounded like a yawn. "It's late."

"Well I. . Uh. I was taking Aya's toothbrush back to the bathroom; somehow it got in my bag by mistake." Nani? What the hell was he up to? I had my toothbrush in my own bag thank you very much, and if Youji even thought for a moment that Omi would believe that I had gone to bed without brushing my teeth then he was an idiot.

"Demo, Youji-kun, the bathroom is at the other end of the hall."

"Oh. . . So it is. . . Well I, uh, guess that I was gone for so long that I forgot. Thanks for telling me. G'night bishounen." I heard the older man's steps growing fainter as he made his way back down the hall, this sound was accompanied by some mumble from Bombay and the shutting of a door.

What had Youji really wanted?. . . After waiting for a moment or two, I decided that I needed to know. Getting up quietly I left my room in silence, my steps were much lighter than Youji's. In addition, I did not turn the hall light on as he had, which probably was what gave him away, as the light flooded beneath door cracks and through vents.

Most likely, the topic upon the blonde's mind was the same one that had been plaguing mine for what seemed forever but was, in reality, only a few days. Where was this relationship going? Was he coming to my room to inform me that a mission was just a mission and nothing more- That I should not get my conceptions misconstrued? On the other hand, by some odd twist of fate did Youji want to continue this odd little affair?

Yeah right.

My knock was soft; hopefully neither of the younger Weißs had heard it. I guess that he had been waiting near the door for very quickly it was opened.

"H-hey Aya," his smile was a little nervous but I could tell that it was sincere. Without further discussion, I entered the room, gently closing the door behind me. "So. . . What brings you here?"

Curtly I replied. "I was looking for my toothbrush." Always to the point.

I could see him stiffen visibly before taking a seat upon his unmade bed. "Oh. . . That. You see we need to talk."

"I'm listening," I replied softly sitting down beside him, as he had gestured for me to do so.

"Well. . . About the mission. . . Aya- I. . . Oh fuck it!" With that, I was greatly surprised, but not unpleasantly so, as he drew me up against him and began to devour my lips in a rough, passionate, and sadly ephemeral kiss.

Youji

A few moments into the kiss, I was greatly disheartened to feel his hands against my chest, pushing me back. Never having been a person to force people into sex (well… Except for that morning in the hotel but I'm trying to put that blemish on the record behind me) I drew back and smiled weakly in an attempt to keep the hurt from my features. "Sorry Aya, I just didn't know if I'd ever get another chance to do that. . ."

What he said next shocked me. "You can have plenty. . . Just not when my chest hurts so bad."

"Nani?"

With a frustrated sigh, he shook his head and lifted his nightshirt off. I was upset to see what had been a mere bruise earlier was quite the hematoma. Most of his entire left pectoral was swollen and purple. That bullet had done much more damage than I had thought.

"Oh God, Aya, I'm sorry."

"It could have been worse," he smirked cynically. The ring, yes, if it had not been there my cold love would most likely be much, much colder. . . I couldn't stand the thought. . . That horrible, too small golden ring had been so uncomfortable all week but now that it was gone, my hand felt awkward. Naked and incomplete almost.

"Hey," I said realizing something. "I've got something that can make that feel better." Getting up I went over to a set of drawers and began to dig around, searching for. . . Ah, there it was.

"An ace bandage?" He cocked a crimson eyebrow at me.

"Don't knock it till you try it!" Walking back over to him, I tried to get him to raise his arms. "C'mon, don't be so stubborn!" I scolded when he refused.

"Youji I don't have a sprained ankle!" Aya growled at me as he fought to keep me and the ace bandage of doom away and at the same time put his shirt back on.

"Please Aya-kun. . ." I gave him my best Omi impression. No one could resist Omi. For a moment, I heard him stifle a snicker at my less than adequate impersonation. With a sigh, not any actual words, he conceded to letting me wrap up the swollen area. The long bandage wrapped firmly around his thin chest three times and I pinned it in the back.

"Better?" I purred against his ear, already knowing the answer when I saw the flush of pain upon his features fade away and his back lost some of its tautness.

". . .Hai. Arigatou." Reluctantly he thanked me with an almost whisper.

"No problem," was my smiled assurance as I scooted a bit closer to him on the bed.

"Just out of curiosity. . . Why do you keep an ace bandage in your room?"

"Well when you're making love Kudou style it can get rough sometimes," I winked with a grin. Actually, it was because I tended to bruise easily and if wrapped like Aya's they seemed to diminish more quickly.

"Y-Youji," my but did he look like our favorite Omika when he stuttered with embarrassment. . . Actually what I saw in his eyes was more like a small dose of anxious fear than chagrin.

"Aww Aya, I'm teasing." Placing and arm around his midsection I propped my chin upon his bony shoulder. "I'd never be rough with you."

Aya

His tender words of assurance surprised me. So had the way he'd gently wrapped my wound and the way that he had kissed me. . . What did he want?

"Youji," I remarked after a few brief, but uncomfortable, moments of silence. "Why. . . Did you kiss me?"

I felt a small exhale of warm air upon my next as he sighed with some emotion that I could not place. "Aishiteru Aya."

"Nani?!" Instinctively I pulled away too look a little frantically into his eyes.

"What? You're expecting a big mushy speech? I could say a million words but only three of them would matter. I - LOVE - YOU."

Never had I been one to give my heart away easily because when you did it was not something that you could just take back. No matter how hard I had been fighting not to waste it upon some blonde assassin, the entire time he had been forcing it away, making it his without ever even knowing it.

"Are. . . Are you sure?"

My weak question only earned me a laugh. "Baka, of course. . . Aya, I never lie to my flings and one night stands. I never pretend to love them. And I would never pretend to love you. This is real."

"But for how long?" I wasn't sure whether I meant how long this would last or for how long he had felt like this. I needed to know everything.

"Since I first saw you. . . I never meant to, Aya, it just happened. . . "Looking up his intense green gaze met mine. "What do you think?"

What did I think? "I. . . I feel the same way." Leaning towards him, I placed a soft, lingering kiss upon his moist lips. Drawing away briefly I whispered, "Aishiteru."

Both

So. . . We really are in love. . . I had never thought that I could fall for someone like him. So full of problems and heartache. Now though I only want to help him heal and make those problems leave and never return. . . But I'm not so naiveté as to think that I can end this cycle of killing, I have to keep going for my revenge and so does he. . . However, in moments like this it will be nice to pretend that I can.

As I drift off to sleep, I can only think to thank Manx for this mission that I had been dreading so much. Because although it won't last forever, this moment surely is bliss.

Owari For the deleted lemon please go to my website, or my livejournal, there are links to both on my profile! Thank you for reading.