Disclaimer: Not mine. Not a one of them.

Sonnenaufgang in der Nachmahd

By Link621

       

~ Sunrise in the Aftermath ~

Ken could barely find his breath, choking on the sand and salt water rushing into his mouth. He was on land, though. He had survived, if he could only find the strength. He pushed himself up on his weary arms to slowly crawl toward the safety of the beach beyond the early morning tide. The temperature of the water alone felt like it would be enough to kill him. But such a great assassin couldn't really be brought to his knees by high tide, right?

Ken pulled his goggles up over his forehead, pushing his hair away from his face. The goggles had come in handy after all. Ken smiled a little too himself as he found he could actually stand. What a triumph to be alive! Ken's smile broadened, until he noticed one little detail of the beach-he was not alone.

"Yohji!"

The blonde assassin was trying to light a cigarette with little avail. The whole pack was sopped from his encounter with the water. With a grim smile he shrugged. "Yare, yare. I guess this is what I get for winning. Karma is cruel." He looked right at Ken a moment later. "You made it too, I'm glad."

"Ken-san!" The voice surely belonged to the high school boy Omi. Ken turned to see Omi and Aya, or rather Ran, standing in each other's arms farther down the beach. Must have been celebrating. Ran was smiling brilliantly, which shocked Ken. More shocking, were the arms that suddenly encircled him from behind.

"I really am glad," Yohji commented sincerely. "I don't want to see Omi cry." Yohji squeezed Ken against him a little tighter. Ken felt tears coming to his eyes.

"Yohji..." Ken put a hand on one of Yohji's. "Thank you, for all you've done." Ken looked over his shoulder to meet his blonde friend's eyes. The other man smiled at Ken for a moment before casting a brief but meaningful glance at Omi. "Yohji, I think you are seeing something that isn't there in him."

"Just go, Ken. What do you have to lose?" Yohji released Ken and raced over to Omi, swooping him up in his arms. "I can't believe you're here, squirt! What great news!"

"Maa! Yohji! Put me down!" Omi cried fruitlessly.

"Aya..." Ken took a couple steps toward Ran. "Your sister... and Sakura... are both safe now." Ken gave his classic "no worries" smile. "Aya-kun... the mission is finally accomplished." Ken motioned to the other two arguing assassins. "You are free of us... of Weiss..."

"Not yet," Ran looked serious as he spoke, but there was a level of boyish sheepishness in his voice as he spoke. "I have been thinking... even though the missions are over, and everyone is either dead or happy, there are still people in Japan, and the rest of the world, we could protect." Ken's eyes widened. Had Ran really just said that? "I want to live on for the people I love, but I also want to change Japan. I don't think my sword alone can do that..."

"We're with you, always, Aya-kun. We're Weiss, remember?" There was a pause after Ken spoke.

"Wacatta." Ran was then suddenly practically tacked by Yohji.

"You look too serious, man!" Yohji laughed.

"You're just jealous because you're ONLY means of looking serious are swimming with the fishes," Ran remarked. He pulled a small fish out of the pocket that held Yohji's cigarettes normally.

"Ore? Was there really a fish?"

Ken chose to ignore the rest of that conversation. He looked away, just to be faced with Omi. The smaller boy was shivering violently. "You want my jacket, Omi? Not that it would really help... never mind." Ken walked over to the smaller boy and gathered him in his arms.

"K-Ken-san?!" Omi was rigid with surprise. after a moment, he relaxed and said, "thank you, I was very cold." He pulled himself closer. "I am glad to see you are in one piece." Omi smiled into Ken's shirt.

"Eh, me too." Ken stroked Omi's hair gently. It slicked against his head in the shape of Ken's motions with the saltwater refusing to do anything but make the already ratted from battle hair seem more ratty. "You smell like the ocean."

"You don't," Omi commented. "You smell like fire. Like that explosion we were just in-it had the same scent." Omi rubbed his cheek against Ken's chest. "I like it here. It is peaceful; especially after what we just went through."

Ken looked up at Yohji and Ran. Yohji was shaking his head at Ran who had managed to be bitten by the supposedly dead fish. Ran chucked the fish into the sea yelling something at it about his katana and the fish never coming back. Ken sighed. "So, what now, guys? Back to the shop to live like normal vendors?"

"No, not just yet," Yohji commented, finding his auxiliary pack of cigarettes in his other pocket. These weren't as wet because they had been under his coat. He pulled one out, and was able to actually light it. "We should let them think we are dead for a while." Yohji smiled, looking very cool and composed with the cigarette in between his lips. That is, until it too burnt out. Yohji sweat dropped. "Yare, yare..."

Ran nodded. "He is right. We need to disappear for a little while." Ran glanced over at Omi. "You'll have to miss a little school. I hope you don't mind." The smaller boy shook his head. "Good. Then you need to decided on a course of action." Ran turned from them and walked away.

"So much for all of us together in Weiss..." Ken muttered to himself.

"He's always been like that," Yohji reminded. His hair was highlighted with the early morning light. The sun was just starting to come over the horizon in a flash of red and gold. Yohji smiled to himself. "At least some things never change."

Ken laughed. "Well, Ran is right. What are we going to do next?" Ken glanced briefly at Omi, who was looking a little glum. "Any ideas Omi? Yohji?"

"Let's go get wasted and pick up chicks!" Yohji suggested exuberantly.

Ken and Omi just blinked at him. Omi commented, "I guess some things really DON'T ever change." He and Ken laughed, while Yohji frowned.

"Well, that's what I'm gonna do. So, see you guys later!" Yohji turned away from his friends and tried a new cigarette. He walked away trying to light it, and not having much luck. "Maybe I should start by buying a new pack," he muttered just before he was out of hearing range.

"He is hopeless," Ken muttered. He looked back at Omi. "I think I might be too." Ken smiled secretly. Omi looked confused, and rightfully so. Ken was being cryptic for his sake, and Omi's sake too. "Well, what do you wanna do, Omi?"

"Get dry clothes?"

Ken laughed. He took Omi's left arm in his hand and half-dragged the boy. "Well, then, lets get going. This is my first day alive again. No way am I going to waste it!"

Omi stuttered, "O-Oi! Ken-san! Chotto matte!" Omi smiled despite himself.

The two boys walked along the beach to their new life.

~ Owari ~

       

Link: So, how was it? I know everyone was a little OOC...

Aya: A LITTLE?! A LITTLE?! I AM NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL!

Ken: You aren't helping your case, Aya-kun...

Yohji: I just want a cigarette! *cries*

Omi: Oh boy...

Link: ANYWAY! I wanna try writing some *whispers* Ken and Omi yaoi *voice returns to normal* So, this is just a first try with some of the characters. Please, tell me what you think!

Ken: O_O What was that?!

Omi: I heard my name!

Yohji: *is still crying*

Aya: *is still ranting*

Link: *sweat drop*

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