Standing, he headed down the steps and into the living room. The tall blonde was stretched out on the couch, with his feet in front of him and the rest of his body sprawled across it. Ken flopped down on the couch beside Youji and frowned worriedly. �You�re back late,� he said softly.
�Hey, Kenken,� Kudou answered in an exaggerated whisper. �Whatcha doin� up so late?�
�Couldn�t sleep,� Ken answered softly.
Youji chuckled softly and nodded. �Know the feelin�,� he answered, sighing deeply.
From the dazed look in his eyes and his strong smelling breath, Hidaka could tell that his friend had been at it again. �Can�t make it up to your room?� he queried.
�Nah,� Youji replied. �Sleep ri�here,� he slurred.
Ken shook his head. �No,� he argued. �Ran wouldn�t like that.� Standing, he said, �I�ll be right back. Don�t go to sleep.�
�Hmm,� Youji murmured, nodding slightly.
Ken headed back towards the bedrooms upstairs frowning. Youji was too drunk to stand on his own and Ken was too small to carry him on his own and open doors at the same time. He sighed heavily as he thought over his options. Normally, he�d wake up Omi, but his partner had only just managed to fall asleep an hour before. He knew Ran would only lecture the other about his self-destructive behavior � a lecture that Youji wouldn�t even remember in the morning. Nodding, he knocked lightly on the bedroom door of the only other person in the household.
It swung open a moment later to reveal a very irritated-looking Ayemi. �What could you possibly need at two o�clock in the morning?� she hissed at him.
Ken smiled wanly. �Youji just got home,� he explained. �I need help getting him to bed.�
Ayemi glared, but followed him down the hall to the stairs and then preceded him down the stairs to the living room.
�I just need you to get his door open and pull back the blankets for me,� Ken explained briskly. Ayemi nodded and Ken smiled wanly. Nodding again, he pulled Youji to his feet and made sure that he was holding the taller man, before nodding and starting forward toward the stairs.
With Ayemi to open the door for him, Ken easily got Youji into the room. The young woman pulled back the covers, allowing Hidaka to lay him down gently.
As Ken pulled off Youji�s boots, Ayemi sighed and shook her head sadly at Youji�s condition. It was clear that something was bothering him, but he never said anything about his problems to anyone.
�We all drink to forget,� Ken said softly, as he stood and pulled a blanket over Youji�s still form.
�Some of us more than most,� Ayemi answered, stepping close enough to the bed that she could brush Youji�s blond hair away from his face.
Ken nodded sadly. �Enforcers have the hardest time,� he said softly. �Worse than undercover agents � because they ��
�Are assassins,� Ayemi finished in a quiet voice. �Sometimes the reality of what we do for the agency is just� too real.�
�A little too close,� Ken added, nodding in agreement. Smiling wanly, he said, �Thanks for the help Ayemi.�
At her nod, he turned and headed for the door. Ayemi moved to follow, when a moan from the bed caught her attention. Ken paused and regarded her curiously, but she waved him away and he nodded, closing the door as he left her alone.
Ayemi settled lightly on the edge of the bed and looked down at Youji�s face just as his clouded green eyes opened. The older man needed to know that his team was there for him, that he�d make it through whatever was bothering him, if he�d only open up and tell them what was wrong. Part of being on a team meant that you had someone watching out for you.
�Are you an angel?� Youji�s voice said, pulling Ayemi out of her silent reverie.
She shook her head and smiled lightly. �You�re really smashed, huh, Yo-tan,� she said softly. �It�s Ayemi.�
Youji smiled weakly and sat up. �What�d I do to deserve this?� he asked a little suspiciously.
�Maybe it�s karma you had coming to you,� Ayemi mused softly. Shrugging, she added, �I just wanted you to know, whatever�s wrong, you have to believe that it�ll be alright.�
�Why?� Youji asked sullenly.
Ayemi sighed. �You�re not alone, Youji,� she said gently. �We all have days when nothing goes as planned. I know you think no one could possibly understand how you feel, but I�m here to listen. Go on, open up.� She poked him gently and smiled slightly.
Youji smiled again, a little stronger this time and sighed. Nodding slightly, he said, �You know I used to work in investigations.� He paused to get confirmation and Ayemi nodded encouragingly. �I worked with a woman� named Asuka,� he related, the pain in his heart evident in his voice.
Ayemi listened quietly, as Youji told her about the last case he worked with his partner. He told her how they�d been chased on their way out and he�d been shot. He�d convinced Asuka to leave him and get help, only to have her end up getting killed before his very eyes. As was often the case when two agents worked closely together, Youji and Asuka had developed feelings for each other.
�It�s all my fault,� Youji said sadly, tears welling up in his eyes. He brushed them away angrily and Ayemi sighed deeply. �I don�t� don�t want to be alone, but I�m afraid of losing someone I care about again.�
After only a moment�s hesitation, she pulled him into a gentle embrace. �There was no way for you to know,� she said quietly, as she rocked him like a small child. �You�re not alone, Youji, even if you think you are. We�re all here for you.�
�Even you?� he queried, his voice tinged with surprise.
Ayemi chuckled and nodded. �Especially me,� she said softly.
After a few more moments, Youji had quieted and was settled back against his covers. Ayemi stood and curled up on the couch nearby.
�Good night, Youji,� she said softly.
�Night, Angel,� the man replied sleepily. �Thank you.�
Ayemi sighed deeply and shook her head. It seemed that, because of tonight�s experience, she�d earned a nickname from Youji. She didn�t know whether to be aggravated or honored. Settling for pleased, she drifted off to sleep.
End.