It was a fine winter's afternoon. The sky was clear and the air was crisp and cold. It was two weeks before Valentine's and as usual the Koneko no Sumu Ie was full with customers, mostly of which were young girls with shrill voices with one exception. He sat there with impeccable brown hair and glowing brown eyes looking at the only female florist in the shop. Aya-chan looked up to see her Nagi-chan, they had been seeing each other on a weekly basis since they met at the park a month ago. Though he had repeatedly refused to see Ran-niichan about a date. Not that she'd want that, Ran-niichan had such old fashioned notions about dating anyway. Aya half-pouted. 'Niichan not only had to approve of every one she was to be seen with and to have one of the other florists in the shop as chaperone. Doesn't 'niichan trust me?

Nagi was totally floored by the raven-haired goddess who was currently arranging some lilies in a basket. He knew of course from the start that it was almost as hopeless as his feelings for Tot who in the end decided to leave him because he couldn't resurrect Mirafumi. In no certain terms was Aya-chan's brother ever going to accept him, not when he was still with Schwartz technically. Weiß was somewhat retired from the assassin's trade but you couldn't see that by Ran Fujimiya's attitude. The red headed leader was as stiff and as unapproachable as ever. Nagi had always been in awe of him. Visions of Ran in his assassin's gear with his katana upraised shouting "Noue Shineeeee!" made him cringe every time he had tried to gather his courage to ask the latter's permission to court Aya-chan.

Youji, Ken-Ken and Omi looked on with some amusement at the starry-eyed couple before them. The afternoon rush had cooled down somewhat as even the most fanatic fan-girl had gone home. This close to the Day of Hearts, there had been many advance orders but not enough business to occupy them for the day. They were even more amused when both sighed; they were undoubtedly feeling very much put-upon by the world at the moment.

Ah young love, the Romeo and Juliet of Koneko no Sumu Ie. Thought Youji, his lip quirking up in a wry smile. And he could see that his teammates were thinking the same thing by the way they were trying to keep their expressions steady but failing utterly, not that the "lovebirds" noticed. They weren't opposed to Nagi since he was a decent enough guy, even for a Schwartz, to their estimation. Now if it had been Farfarello or Schuldich, that would have gotten their hackles up. Being assassins themselves they didn't take his profession against him but tell that to A—Ran…

Aya, or Ran as he had started to call himself again, was still the leader they knew during the more active days of Weiß. They've been retired now for one and a half years but there was still no change with the "tough guy" attitude. He was probably the only one who didn't unbend whenever Youji teased him. He smiled rarely and usually it was his imouto or otouto who put that expression on his face, sometimes Youji wondered what would it take to make their cold leader smile like that. Youji personally liked it when he smiled it made him look more like a girl than usual. A pretty girl…

Yeah, Youji had some thoughts about what it would be like to have that red head over for some nights. Not that he hadn't had thoughts of doing it with men before, not just this strong, but maybe it was because he never felt these feelings before for a friend. A good friend, no matter how he hides it stick-in-the-ass Ran had always thoughtful and considerate towards them beyond the obligations of a leader. He would take our turn with the chores when they were injured or sick, how he shows concern through surreptitious redundant checks during missions and after, and how he would give them our privacy when it didn't involve the mission. Oh, he's a softie, all right, though he'd rather die than admit it, always hiding behind that stern façade. Thought Youji amused, not that it fooled Ken and Omi anymore after working with him for so long. Be that as may though, there's a saying about redheads and temper and Ran did not seem to be inclined to men, fact was he was rather taken with that girl Sakura. Ah well, he didn't want a regretful end to their friendship with the chase involving a katana and lots of "shi-nes!".

***

In another part of town, Kurama stood pacing in his dorm room.

"Kurama, your pacing isn't going to help matters."

"Yomi, my brother is driving me crazy."

"What did he do…" again. Said the unspoken addition to that sympathetic statement. Yomi was only greeted with silence. Most likely Ran had objected to Kuronue's and Yomi's last prank, a prank they had done sans Kurama since the latter was too well watched by Ran. Yomi had been here at the start of the term three weeks ago and was well versed at the relationship between siblings by now. He had gotten a vacation from ruling his part of the Makai for six months. With Shura and his advisers managing his portion of the Makai and with Enki policing the three factions there wasn't much going on. Besides with permission he could go through the Reikai to his domain instantly if there was anything wrong and he was still observing his kingdom from a distance with a scrying ball. Besides, he hadn't had a vacation in…gods knows how long.

Now Yomi be honest to yourself even if you're not going to be to him. He, Yomi had fallen under the spell of that youko again and wanted to win Kurama over from that fire demon and doing it the way he knew how but that brother of Kurama's was a complication he didn't foresee. The Fox had always been a carefree spirit and that was how he was going to approach this problem. Mischievous and rebellious, Kurama would need a kin spirit to help him to go about his fun and Yomi had surmised that the dour fire demon wouldn't be cooperative, viewing such things a frivolous and not worth the time. He had been proven correct. Unfortunately, he found Kurama to be no fun at all since the latter was hampered by an over-nosy big brother who seem to share the fire demon's view of staidness, k'so! He had to find a way to get Ran away from Kurama but how? Hmmm…

"Does he have a mate?"

"No, but it wouldn't do to match-make Ran-niichan so. That's not right."

"Oh, come on Kurama, he must be lonely. After all he had taken all this time to take care of your sister and you, never taking time for himself." Sometimes that half-ningen conscience of Kurama can be such a bother. Another silence greeted Yomi; it was a long thoughtful pause that he thought he wasn't going to get an answer. When…

"You know you might have a point there."

Yatta!

***

Nagi sulked as he sat in the Schwartz living room. After the break up of the Estet, the Schwartz had kept together mostly at the insistence of Brad Crawford who knew that Schuldich and Farfarello had no place to fit in. He had wanted to be with Aya-chan this Saturday afternoon but Ran was in the flower shop tending to business since he had no classes in the university. He'd wish that Aya-kun would find a life. It wasn't helping matters that Schuldich and Farfie was making out on the couch.

"K'so, would you guys take that elsewhere, where decent people don't have to watch."

A murmur of agreement came from Crawford behind the newspaper he had been reading.

"Oooh, Nagi-kins is hot, bothered and has no one to snuggle-wuggle to. What happened to you got tossed out of the flower shop by your girlfriend?" Said Schuldich pausing from nuzzling at Farfie's neck.

Schuldich knew perfectly well that Nagi didn't dare stay in the flower shop on Saturdays, or even on Mondays and Wednesdays even for these were the days that Ran didn't have classes. He was just teasing his teammate; he sneaked a peek at Nagi. He looks like he's going to explode. Good, maybe then he'd do something besides that disgusting mooning…

Something rattled and the furniture begun to tremble.

"Okay, okay we'll take inside." Schuldich rose from his position on Farfarello's lap and pulled Farfie with him to their room.

"Damned, If Aya-chan's brother would be more reasonable." Exclaimed Nagi tired of his own musings. He had almost approached Shuuichi-kun on the subject but was deterred by the fact that Kurama wasn't actually protesting his 'niisan's iron clad rules on dating. He had heard it from the other boy himself that the elder Fujimiya would accompany him on Hiei's dates and on missions and would do so until they were officially to "marry" next year. Not only that he was told that the bonding would be done twice, one was to be done in the Makai with extremely powerful witnesses and the other had to be performed by a god in the Reikai. This was to ensure that it was up to par with the demanding man's standards. This was confirmed by Omi-kun who had quit being his enemy sometime ago.

"You can't blame him for being protective of his sister." Said Crawford finally speaking up for the first time.

"It's not like I'm going to do anything bad to her or anything."

"Why don't you ask him for permission then?"

"Who wants to die young?"

"How would you know what he thinks if you don't say anything? Besides I'm sure he's not going to kill you out and out for asking. After all he's ex-Weiß and they're concerned with justice." Crawford said reasonably.

"How about if you ask him then?"

"You want me to do what?" Sputtered Crawford. Strange, if Nagi didn't know better he'd say that Crawford was embarrassed about something. He certainly wasn't afraid of Fujimiya.

"Ask Fujimiya Ran if I could date his sister." Said Nagi this time leaning forward to peer through the side of the newspaper. Was Crawford blushing? Yes, he was! Crawford the feared leader of Schwartz was blushing at the thought of talking to Ran Fujimiya a.k.a. the former Abyssinian of Weiß? Hmm…

"Why I do believe Crawford that you have a crush on Fujimiya-san." Crowed Nagi.

"Shut up." Said Crawford giving Nagi a threatening glare, which got ignored. Nagi had known Crawford for so long now and know that his bark was worse than his bite.

"Why don't you tell him?" Echoed Nagi back to him.

Crawford just glared at him. But Nagi knew that he had only to outwait the man and Crawford would tell him one way or the other. After fifteen or so minutes, the latter gave in.

"Well, he didn't seem to be interested that one time I got him alone."

"You got him alone! When? Where?" Blurted Nagi quite astonished at this revelation.

"That is none of your business." Crawford rose and hurriedly walked down the hallway obviously intent on getting to his room before Nagi could recover and interrogate him further when he bumped into Schuldich who had blocked his escape adroitly.

"My, my, our great leader is a human being after all."

"Get out of my way, Schuldich." Crawford said, trying very hard to sound threatening but it was a lost cause since his face was as red as a tomato.

"Not until you satisfy our curiosity." Schuldich gesture encompassed Farfarello who was behind him, Nagi on the couch and himself. After a lengthy paused, Crawford finally acquiescence.

Schuldich and Farfarello sat down on the other couch comfortably. While Crawford quelled the impulse to break away from them and dash down the hallway and hiding in his room till they gave up.

"Okay talk, so when did you ever get stick-in-his-ass Fujimiya alone? And why did you ever keep it a secret from us?" Said Schuldich when it was plain that no one was going start.

"I'd rather not, thank you." Crawford tried to stand again and escape his inquisitors was forestalled by Schuldich who spoke up.

"Don't, or I'll send Fujimiya a letter telling him that you're in love with him and with your signature on it."

"You wouldn't!" I might be a tad infatuated, maybe even fond of the man but that would be too much for my pride to take.

"Do tell."

"Well…it was about one and half years ago when all of you were on a mission…"

***

I was cruising in the downtown red light district bored when suddenly an assault of confused thoughts overwhelmed me. Since I doubted that I had turned telepath all of a sudden, I decided that a budding one or someone had unexpectedly developed the gift was nearby so I went on look out mode. Scanning the streets, I saw Abyssinian coming out of a club, weaving as if he was drunk. It surprised me of course that he of all people would be the source of the confused thoughts. After all, he was beyond the years that such things would manifest, if they ever did. In fact, I had been expecting some teenager but it was proof-positive. He was leaking strongly and the closer my car got the stronger the emanations were and I had to shield my mind finally.

"Need some help?" I asked leaning to open the door to the seat next to me. He didn't have the chance to refuse since he had fainted.

I brought him to our quarters since I seriously doubted that there was any other place shielded from mental intrusions in the city. I had him hog-tied on my bed before he regained consciousness. He came to scowling when he saw me.

"Where am I?" Abyssinian said, curt as ever.

"In our apartment. You passed out from telepathic overload, so I brought you here."

"Out of the goodness of your heart I suppose, Schwartz."

"Well yes, I can hardly convert you to us now could I? Abyssinian of Weiß."

"Hn, let me up."

"If you promise not to try to 'escape' which is rather silly since Weiß disbanded what? Six months ago? And you promise not to try to contact anybody about you're whereabouts and you're not going to try to find out where you are."

"Hn." Another scowl accompanied that.

"So are you going to remain tied up there or is that a promise? I'll even train you, as you are now you're a public hazard. No obligations afterwards."

"Hn, okay I'll be good." Sarcastic but true, he was still leaking badly and he knew it. He couldn't lie to save his life.

Well after that, I cut him loose. I trained him in the basics for three weeks as best as I can, being not a telepath myself. When the time came I blindfolded him and set him loose where I found him.

***

"Is that all?" Schuldich asked, somehow he was feeling like Crawford was hiding something from him. It wasn't a tangible feeling because the other man was shielding like hell and that by itself, was a telltale.

"Well…" We read poetry and compared some of the classical artists when we were taking breaks from the training, I found out he writes and paints beautifully. He wasn't only artistic, also we discussed world events and philosophy, we had rather strikingly similar streak of practicality. Finally, I managed to calm his hostility towards me for protecting Takatori and even managed to earn his grudging respect, but that's not what you really want to know do you Schuldich?

"Come on tell, there's more, isn't there?"

"Schuldich!"

"Aw, Brad."

"Okay, okay! So I decided it wouldn't be safe to let him sleep in alone, he might have second thoughts and try to find out where we were and then we would be in trouble since this set up was hard to manage in the first place. So I got the couch cushions and put them in the room and slept there on the floor with him, being the guest after all, taking the bed."

"Let me get this straight, you slept with the guy you liked in the same room and you didn't take advantage of the situation? Crawford, are you for real?" Schudich said in the surprised silence. His eyes were almost bulging out of his head. He stretched his arm and his hand groped Crawford to see if he was "all there" making his lover growl and the latter too shocked to move away. Yup, he's all there.¹

"I didn't want him to think he had to humor me out of payment for the training or out of gratitude!"

"You have the control of a saint." Schuldich said throwing his hands up in the air. His next words surprised them all though. "But it shows there's some hope for you after all."

"But nothing happened then, how can you be sure he isn't hetero?" Nagi and Crawford said almost at the same time and almost in the same words. Farfarello kept silent, he knew better than to interrupt his lover when the latter was in a roll.

"Doesn't mean anything, after all, Crawford here, thanks to his sudden goody-two-shoes impulse, has not done anything to suggest his interest overtly and from the way Fujimiya is. I bet he's as dense as a block of wood." Then Schuldich began to enumerate the reasons why Ran couldn't be, in his opinion, be heterosexual.

"One, he hasn't a girlfriend and he's what twenty-three? Twenty-four? Hasn't had one in all this time. Two, except for Aya-chan, he hasn't noticed any females." He doesn't notice males either in that way, but I don't think I'll mention that. Schuldich was in a matchmaking mood. Besides he might be the one to loosen up old formal Crawford, they certainly have attitude in common. Who am I kidding, they'll probably spend their time ordering our lives about. Schuldich smiled at the next thought. That is if they have time for that after their respective jobs and each other… Well as long as everyone is having fun, besides I bet even his sibs are dying to get Fujimiya off their backs.

"Sakura doesn't count, she looks like Aya-chan and Ran treats her as a second sister. Three, he doesn't enjoy female attention he even yells at the girls in the shop, or you haven't noticed?"

These points had Crawford and Nagi tentatively nodding.

"So here's the plan…"

Despite Crawford's protests they began to map his romantic strategy for winning Ran Fujimiya. And in all of this, Nagi was growing more and more hopeful. After all if Ran was involved with Crawford, he could hardly object to having Nagi court his sister couldn't he? I hope this works…

***

Meanwhile in the flower shop, Kurama crept upon his unsuspecting prey. The man was as usual looking at his 'niisan when the latter wasn't looking. Everyone else was out somewhere, Ken-'niisan with his Yuriko, Aya-chan with her homework and Omi-kun was out presumably busy with deliveries. Good.

"Konichiwa, Youji-'niisan."

"Konichiwa, Kurama-kun." Youji said absentmindedly giving Kurama his usual grin. He rather liked this younger brother of Ran who was so different from his stoic sibling. Kurama had made friends with all of them in the shop.

"Nice day isn't it."

Youji only mumbled something in reply. Ran was busy with a customer on the cash register and couldn't be more oblivious, his red hair had caught the weak afternoon sunlight and was misted golden and his purple eyes glowed. Those slender fingers were quickly and surely tapping out the customer's purchases on the register.

"You really like Ran-niichan don't you Youji-niisan?" Kurama said startling Youji so that he could only choke a sound out in reply. "Why don't you try asking him?"

"Is it that obvious? Besides I am not sure how he'd feel about it."

"To me, it is. To 'niichan, I think not. And as too how he feels about it, I think he may not be so adverse to the idea as you think…" Kurama started to enumerate the sort of points Schuldich elaborated and Youji's hopes rose at each point. At the end of the recital, Youji was extremely ready to at least try for Ran's attention. I think they'd make a fetching couple if I'd say so myself. Youji-niisan is outgoing enough to make Ran-niichan get out of his little shell while Youji-niisan gets the stabilizing effect.

***

On Monday morning, a cab pulled out on the curb in front of the Koneko. A girl with short brown hair in a perky sweater and skirt outfit came out and after paying the driver entered the shop.

"Sakura-chan, glad to see you. What brings you here from Paris?" Omi-kun asked to their surprise visitor.

"I came to see A—Ran-san."

"There he is by the cash register."

"Arigatou, Omi-kun." Said Sakura as she went to join Ran.

"Ran-san! Aren't you happy to see me?" Sakura said in a smug voice that sent a few of the fan-girls in quiet but obvious hissy fits.

***

Ran hadn't any peace since morning. Sakura had hounded him all over the shop, asking if he needed this or that, here or there, asking if he needed help, asking about the university and…and asking damned well about anything and everything. Ran seemed to be well contented that it be so, thought Youji miserably. Despite Kurama's encouraging words, he hadn't had the courage to ask the latter on Sunday for a date. He had decided that it would be rather less embarrassing not to mention less fatal for him if he asked Ran for a date in a venue that was more or less in shouting distance of help, that is the backroom during business hours. He knew Ran wouldn't harm him or any member of Weiß, if the latter had time to think. Even with Kurama's observations, Youji had serious qualms about Ran's sexuality. Besides even if Ran were homosexual, it didn't follow he'd want to go out with Youji so Youji had waited. Brilliant Kudou now how do we tell him with Sakura-chan here.

When Sakura wasn't asking, she was talking in a high-speed chatter about Paris, the university and her classmates, especially about her male classmates noting Aya-chan in approval. That should get Ran-niichan jealous, he should know that you aren't going to wait for him forever. The two girls' eyes met and sparkled with mutual understanding, the campaign was underway. Aya-chan smiled. Ran-niichan isn't going to know what hit him.

***

Ran smiled a bit as he worked in the Koneko. Part of it was relief that Sakura had disappeared with Aya-chan to renew their friendship and talk of girl things, he loved Sakura dearly as he did Aya-chan but she could be pest at times. And part of it was gladness.

For the past few days he had been getting roses in different places of the campus and sometimes in the shop's windowsills. He even found one by his window though how that could get there when he was in the second floor was beyond him since no tree or edifice overlooked his window. They were of a rare variety known as the "Maiden's Blush"², mainly white with a red "blush" spreading from the center petals and edges with long non-thorny stems.

One sweet note addressed to him signed by a secret admirer heralded their arrival. That letter he kept in his room with the roses he could safely gather. Though he didn't need the physical evidence to remember what was written there for he remembered word for word in his surprise that someone would have sent him such a note…

He remembered quite well indeed.

***

Ran got in the classroom silently and slid into his desk when he found the first rose, he picked it up wondering who had made the mistake of putting it there when he noticed the note. It had been rolled tightly and tied on the stem. He idly opened it in curiosity at who could it be for and nearly dropped it in amazement. Written in neat calligraphy was:

Ran read the note several times to be sure, the words didn't re-form into new sentences, and there they were still, black and white. Then he wondered who could it be…

Ran had asked his otouto about them, knowing the little fox was more observant than most. At first, Kurama had pled ignorance but after some insistence probing he got the latter to admit that it was from a guy he had observed to have admired Ran from a distance. Even if he couldn't take this offer since he needed to take care of his imuoto and otouto first, after all, but it was nice to know that someone cared. Hmmm…probably someone from the university, could it be Takeru-san or Nakamura-san perhaps they both know where I work and they could ask the help from Youji, Ken or Omi.

***

"Aya are you sure that your 'niisan hasn't a girlfriend in all this time?" Asked Sakura exasperatedly bouncing on Aya-chan's bed as she sat down on it cross-legged. It had been two days since her surprised arrival in the Koneko and following Ran around the shop. While Ran hadn't any overt objection to her presence, he didn't show her any overt interest either. Heck, Omi shows more interest in me than Ran-san.

"How can he when he's been following me and Kurama-chan around and making us want to almost strangle him? He certainly has no time for courtship, he doesn't even pay attention to anyone but us and the Koneko 'niisans this past year." Replied Sakura using her leg to snag a night table so that she could put down a tray full of snacks and green mango shakes for her and her guest.

"You just have to be more obvious about it, after all he's a bit…concentrated on me and Kurama-chan."

"Aya, I am as obvious as I can be within the bounds of propriety. I do everything but carry a sign over my head saying 'Tomoe Sakura loves Fujimiya Ran'."

"I am positive Ran-'niichan hasn't a girlfriend in all this time. Why don't we try a different tack, ne?"

Aya-chan took out a list of options they could try and they went over it all afternoon discarding some and fine-tuning others.

***

Crawford was still digging up his heels in their apartment, when he wasn't working at the stock exchange that is. He refused to go to the Koneko at all, stating that that would be embarrassing. What would he say if he went there? He never bought flowers in his entire life! Besides, he foresaw that Sakura was clinging like a leech to Ran and he wasn't going to go there and make a fool of himself confessing in front of the girl. Even if Abyssinian was homosexual it didn't follow that he was going to go for Brad Crawford, former leader of the Schwartz, enemy of Weiß not when he had three stunning teammates to choose from. Not that he had foreseen that, but well—he wasn't going to take the chance.

Schuldich was plain fed up. He decided to speak Crawford in the privacy of the latter's home office.

"Crawford, you're worse than a high school teen on his first crush. I expect this sort of thing from Nagi since he's not far from it but not from you!" Schuldich said rolling his eyes. All that planning going to waste...

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on, just go talk to the man, dump him in bed and seduce him or something…"

Then caught a thought that astonished him.

"You're a virgin! You Crawford at 27 are a damned virgin? You've never fucked! I don't believe this."

"If you say anything to anyone, even to Farfarello, I swear…"

"Okay, okay!" Schuldich said with a smirk.

"But I'd gladly lend you some reference materials…"

"Schuldich!"

***

Schuldich got a germ of an idea and called a conference with Farfie and Nagi about it.

"What's this all about, Schuldich?" Farfarello was set on an afternoon of cuddling up with Schuldich and not to mention hurting God with the redheaded German and was quite put out to say the least to spend the time talking. They didn't really need to work anymore since quitting the assassin game with what they had saved up and cannibalized from what remained of Estet.

"Since our shy leader isn't making any progress in his courtship, I think we should do something to insure his future happiness."

"Not to mention, my own happiness." Muttered Nagi.

Schuldich just chuckled at that.

***

Thursday found Sakura going to university in the company of Omi to "visit" Ran. She brought along some of his favorite chocolates in a box. She charmed her way in through the gate and got to Ran's classroom before him. As she went to his seat, she saw a rose on the desk and a note that she shredded after seeing it was from a rival then tossed out the rose into the trash can. After all, all's fair in love and in war. Then left the box and her note on the desk.

Kurama saw all this and sighed, he'll have to tell Youji that there was going to be a change of plans. He was quite positive that Ran-niichan wasn't inclined to Sakura but if the girl was definitely too dense to see it, Kurama could hardly say anything to discourage her. They'll just have to work around her.

***

Schuldich found the battle that was unwittingly being waged by the Fujimiya siblings to be amusing. Evidently, the brat Aya in her inexperience was backing Tomoe's claim on the elder Fujimiya to stubborn to see the latter's disinterest in the proposition while Shuuichi-kun, Nagi's friend, being more perceptive than his sister was backing Youji Kudou's. Interesting was the word. He had been shadowing the participants ever since he found out about it. His idea that was much like what they had thought of by themselves was all but forgotten.

Kurama had parried Sakura's move of shredding the note and tossing the rose by using Youji's budget for more roses to buy the Valentine's Day services offered in campus. The University Choir serenaded an alternately blushing and glaring Ran that afternoon. The single rose was then put on the windowsill of Fujimiya's room and no where else where Sakura could stumble on it. Clever boy. Oblivious, Sakura continued to leave little presents with her own notes littered about the shop, confident that she would soon win her prince charming. How naïve. Since from how Fujimiya was acting, Schuldich wasn't about to Read the man and risk setting up that one's mental alarms by even a casual probe, he probably thought all the gifts and roses came from the same source. Twice clever, if the younger sib had thought of that and from the way Nagi praised that one's intelligence it wasn't unlikely, he's setting up Tomoe for a fall. Great strategy, worthy of even a Schwartz even if he hasn't any Gifts I think we should've recruited the brat. He decided to switch to plan B, he wasn't going to stoop to duking it out with the brats besides too many things could go wrong that way.

***

Valentine's Day promised to be truly cold winter's day. The morning air held the promise of snow long denied for the week.

"Ohayo Youji-san, can I order a dozen red roses. " Sakura said.

"Ohayo Sakura-chan, sure in what arrangement and who's the lucky guy?" Asked Youji teasingly.

"Oh, it's for Ran-san, just a simple arrangement will do and place this note with it beside his door."

"Sure thing, Sakura-chan." Agreed Youji willing to do anything to get her out of shop, then and there.

"Arigatou, Youji-san." Sakura said waving a farewell already at the door. She was determined to make this night memorable for her Ran-san. She went out to her all-day appointment with a reputable beauty parlor to get a makeover. Yes, this was going to be a wonderful night.

***

Youji had managed to be his normal carefree self when Sakura had ordered a dozen red roses and asked that it be placed at Ran's door. Though he had been inwardly seething he had managed to tease Sakura instead of telling her off. Sakura was quite unaware that she wasn't universally loved in the shop and that annoyed Youji more. As if Omi and Ken would have helped her either, they had already complained in private about her clinging and interfering ways. She seemed to be so assured that she would get Ran to see it her way…not if Youji had his say about it. You won't get my Ran you insolent bitch. He's mine, mine, mine and I'm not sharing. He locked the shop a moment to go out back to tend to this "order" while there was no one else around. Then he opened the letter.

Youji didn't want to run into her after all tonight of all nights when he went out to meet with Ran, they have been keeping company with her all week in the shop as it is. It can be noted that even Ran's patience was being tried already, the latter had even snapped at her when she tried to help at preparing breakfast. Ran had apologized but Youji felt obscurely vindicated as if he himself had scored a point with the redhead. Youji had noted that the girl wanted to meet in front of the "By Candlelight" restaurant then tossed the note in the garbage and covered it with a ton of stems and wilted ferns for good measure.

Youji got out the bouquet of Maiden's Blush and tied it with some nylon cords up on the doorsill to fasten them securely on the "little window" on top of the door and rigged it to fall when Ran entered the room. There, no one enters his room without permission anyhow. Youji went back to tend the shop with a much lighter heart.

***

"What is this all about, Schudich?" Crawford said going down the stairs into the unshielded part of their apartments where prisoners were kept. He had been in his room somewhat resigned to spending this Valentine's night alone when he had been called by the latter. Grudgingly, he went. The German's teasing was an unwelcome reminder of what he could have done about that.

"Don't you trust me?"

Crawford kept silent. Something was up he could feel it.

They walked into one of the "cells". This one had two metal beds. They were barely into the room when Crawford saw Abyssinian unconscious on the bed. An unconscious naked Abyssinian…

"Schuldich!" Crawford was red as a tomato with his embarrassment. He turned to go but found himself handcuffed to the nearest bed, which, thank whatever Gods there be, was the empty one.

"Schuldich, unshackle me at once, that is an order!"

"You can't give me orders, Crawford. We're not Schwartz anymore remember?"

Schuldich only gave him a wink, chucked the keys to the cuffs…somewhere, where—Crawford wasn't looking—on the other bed with Ran and tossed blanket on the unconscious man. No I didn't see that…

"Farfie, lend me one of your knives will you?" No! He wasn't going to…yes, he was. A knife was tossed into the room.

"Schuldich, what are you doing?"

Schuldich only leered and started to cut Crawford's suit off.

"Gorgeous." Schuldich said, whistling his approval at the same time, as he finally got Crawford completely in the nude.

"Tell Fujimiya for me that he's a lucky man."

"Schuldich!" Hollered Farfarello.

"Coming, Farfie-darling." Schuldich sashayed out of the room with a pleased smirk on his face and then the door locked and Crawford and Ran were left alone.

It was definitely getting chilly in the room, Schuldich, damned him, must have turned down the heater for this "cell" and there was only one blanket. Damned him!

***

Ran woke with a head that felt stuffed with dirty cotton. Disoriented, he sat up. Where was he? Then he remembered he was going down to his car for a date with the "secret admirer" of his whom had been courting him with little presents and letters all week when he had felt arms grab him from behind and the smell of chloroform then nothingness. He must have blacked out. He looked around. Everything was still fuzzy.

"Ah, back in the Land of the Conscious, I see." Said a familiar voice to his right.

"Crawford. Where am I?" He asked cautiously.

"Fujimiya. You're in our safe house." It had been all he could say to keep from shivering and blushing at the same time.

"As your prisoner, Schwartz?" Anger rising in his voice, forgetting for the moment that they were no longer at odds in his befuddlement.

"Kindly remember that Schwartz is defunct. And if you're my prisoner, why are you the one in the blanket and unrestrained while I'm the one who's handcuffed and shivering may I ask." Snapped Crawford. It had been fully fifteen minutes since Schuldich had left him handcuffed to the bed and the cold was making him irritable.

"Why am I here then?"

"Schuldich's idea of a Valentine's Day joke." Crawford growled.

Ran's vision though still wobbly was finally steadying to find the other man lying completely naked in the other bed and blushed to match Crawford's flush. He caught himself staring at Crawford's well-muscled body admiring the hard planes and ridges of muscle that seemed to ask to be touched and stopped. Ran no baka, share the blanket with him, it's too chilly to be undressed this time of the year it's the least you can do.

"Where's the keys?" Ran said curtly but politely enough, curbing his temper. It would do no good to get mad at a fellow victim. But when I get out of here, Schuldich better say his prayers or do some fast explaining. He made me missed a hot date.

"Er, somewhere there in you're bed." Knowing fully well where the key to the cuffs was but trying hard not to say it. It's beside your butt. You're extremely tight and inviting butt…stop thinking that Crawford or you'll be over him once he's got you un-cuffed. You'll scare him.

Ran fumbled around and got the keys. Started to stand up and then realizing that he was also completely naked. He wrapped the blanket around him securely and went over to Crawford. He swayed as he crossed the small space and then sat down squarely on the edge of the bed, reaching out to unlock the handcuffs careful not to brush against Crawford. Ran maneuvered the 'cuffs so that could get to the keyhole, his hand's brushing Crawford's periodically making him clumsier. He got the blanket off and put it on Crawford much to the latter's protest, realizing that he was going to lie down with Crawford anyway. It was much too cold to rely on one blanket for warmth. Ah, there! The cuffs were off in a snick. Ran slid into the bed and took the side of the bed Crawford had wordlessly left vacant. The borrowed body heat on the bed and blanket felt wonderful after the coolness of the air and it felt good to be in a horizontal position since his head hasn't stopped spinning. They must have overdone the chloroform a bit.

"Crawford, aren't you uncomfortable?" Ran said after a moment, it was obvious that the other man was clinging on to "his" side of the bed trying desperately not to touch Ran in any way.

"N—No…" Yes, I am uncomfortable, uncomfortably hard, what with a gorgeous purple-eyed redhead not one inch away from me. Oh god! These beds are really narrow.

"Well slide over, it's much too cold even with this blanket besides the bed's narrow enough that you're liable to fall off in the night if you stay that way." Ran said his practical nature getting the better of him. Besides he owed this man a favor for training him in the basics of telepathy when he was ready to go off the edge. Bad timing that, manifesting after his otouto's partner was out of reach.

"O—Okay." Crawford slid closer to brush against Ran then decided to turn to face him to better judge his expression. He misjudged the distance and they ended up bumping noses. Both of them turned red with more embarrassment.

"We have to share body heat." Ran said after they got over their discomfort, suited action to words by snuggling to Crawford.

"Ah, yeah right." Crawford's brain stopped functioning at the moment when he felt Ran's hard body pressing on to him. Muscle against muscle leg against leg, chest against chest. Suddenly, the room became too hot for comfort. It's—it's like a dream come true. Too bad I can't touch him. Then he panicked, calm down, don't think about anything Crawford. Breathe slowly, deeply, relax, empty you're thoughts of anything provocative or he might feel your hardness pressing against him. Shit! How can he not.

Beside Crawford, Ran himself was feeling very ill at ease. It had been the first time he had ever lain down beside another person this closely before in his life. He found it rather pleasant, too pleasant actually. The curling warmth came to settle below his stomach and the urge to caress the hard muscle that was so close yet so far, to kiss those waiting lips that was barely a half inch away from his own. Then as the last of the chloroform fog dissipated, something struck Ran.

"Crawford did you say that this is Schuldich's idea of a Valentine Day's joke?" Schuldich the skillful telepath, who can read minds, more importantly desires. He could Read Crawford with ease and with reasonable assurance that he won't be detected, but somehow he just didn't want to. A handsome man completely naked in bed with you and you don't want to know how he feels about you? What are you made of? Stone? Sneered his inner voice. If he wanted me to know he would have said something…that's wrong, it's violation, it's worse than rape, a man's thoughts should at least be his own, I'd be no better than Schuldich. Besides what I saw of him during that time we had alone I liked, respect even…might even get to l—stop thinking that Ran. Just stop it you're trying to find excuses for inexcusable behavior.

"Ye—ah." Crawford said breathlessly. Desire was making his breath unsteady. All he could think of was running his hands over that firm chest to lick those tempting dark pink nipples. Schuldich's idea of reference materials had been a load of soft porn tapes and boy, did he get am education. It made his wet dreams and fantasies more vivid, for sure. More tangible, but right now his body ached for the real thing that was so close yet so far away.

"Why would he do such a thing?" Ran really needed to know the answer, could it be that he hit it right the first time that Schuldich thought Crawford was attracted to Ran and wasn't doing anything about it or was he just being perverse. Knowing what a sadistic bastard the German was when he wanted to be, it would be just like him in a moment of pique to make the biggest homophobe on the team sleep with the leader of their ex-rival.

"Ah…ummm…" Was all Crawford could say since his mind had stopped working, with all the blood rushing somewhere else.

"You don't need to be embarrassed, we just need to share body heat and tomorrow when we get out of here we'll hunt up Schuldich and put him up under a slow fire, ne?" Ran misinterpreted Crawford's reticence for disinterest. He was discovering that he wasn't the type to sleep with anyone unwilling so he just made himself as comfortable as he could snuggled up to Crawford as he was and tried to drift to sleep.

Crawford chided himself for chickening out, how are you going to get off first base with him if you don't say something.

"Umm, Abyssinian—Fujimiya—er—I mean, Ran…"

"What?" Ran was trying real hard not to press up too hard against Crawford, snuggling for heat. He rather enjoyed feeling up Crawford's body while pretending to be oblivious.

"No—thing." Crawford still couldn't say it. He was feeling quite cozy despite being hard as a rock and they could sleep perfectly well like this, that is if he didn't turn the other man hostile.

Little did Crawford know that Ran was getting fed up with his stuttered half phrases, he'd start saying something then nothing, not a damned thing more…but he looks so cute when he does it. Before he could stop himself he was transfixed by Crawford's lips, they were so palely pink from the cold that he wanted to warm them up. Why ever not? In a rare impulsive moment, Ran put his lips on those cold lonely lips and kissed them quite chastely.

Shit! That felt good. Was all the thought Crawford had time for, before his mind completely blanked out and his reflexes took over. Good thing he had reliable reflexes, they easily turned the chaste kiss into something considerably more…

***

"Schuldich, tell me again why we are here?" Said Farfarello. The night was way too cold to be spending it like this tucked up in Schuldich's hot little number cruising about downtown Tokyo. The heater in the car was no substitute for cuddling up with his lover and hurting God.

"Because I want to give Crawford some privacy, silly. He'll skin me alive if he even thought that I was spying on his wooing."

"Why here?" Farfarello pointed out, he was insane not dumb. They could have easily found a hotel of some sort to spend this romantic night of nights.

"Because it's much too fun to watch." Said Schuldich suiting action to words by pulling over unobtrusively and putting his binocs⁴ to his eyes. On the next corner beside By the Candlelight restaurant was a lone figure in a somewhat now-bedraggled gown shivering. Ohhh, and the night was yet so young! Pulling back into the street, Schuldich high-tailed it out of there, there was another he'd like to see this night to complete his amusement.

***

"Ran, do you want to?" Said Crawford after seemingly eternities of the Kiss.

"Aa."

That was all the permission he needed. Crawford's hands and mouth begun to roam all over Ran's upper body rather clumsily and settled on his chest and begun to suck at the latter's nipples. They hardened against his teasing touch. An intake of breath, almost a hiss came from Ran.

"Have you done this before?" Ran asked touching him back.

"No." Rattled by the sureness of Ran's touch in contrast with his, Crawford said it in his native language but it didn't matter anyway since Ran understood English.

"Glad to know I'm not the only one." Amusement tinged Ran's voice as one of his hands begun to roam again this time touching Crawford's back, tracing the line of his muscles while the other drifted lower and lower.

"How—do—you know what to do?" Crawford's words was breathless, he didn't really wanted to know but was compelled to speak to alleviate his nervousness.

"The Kamasutra and some imagination…" Ran said in a teasing tone, it was so far from his wont that Crawford had to smile.

Wordlessly, Ran slipped from Crawford's grasp continued going lower and lower until his lips were teasing his lover's cock. Crawford moaned as his cock was enveloped in the moist warmth of Ran's mouth, his hands tangling in the red strands. Up and down, with agonizing teasing slowness until all of his body was on fire. Then it stopped and Ran let go of his member slowly sliding it out of his mouth with a last lick. Crawford protested with a groan.

"What…do…you want?" Asked Ran continuing his caresses touching and kissing Crawford on his nipples. It was reassuring in a way that Ran wasn't as cool and confident as he had appeared from the start.

"Anything…you…want…" Said Crawford arching into Ran rubbing their cocks together, making the younger man gasp. This was pure pleasure and torture at the same time.

"Hold on a mo…" Ran got up to get a small tube of something he had seen as he was releasing Crawford. There it was at the top of the mattress.

He uncapped the tube as he got back into view. Crawford moaned in anticipation as he saw what Ran was doing. Then he saw Ran putting his fingers in younger man's cleft. Taking his cue, Crawford started to explore the opening presented to him and his erection grew almost painfully harder at the thought of that gorgeous heat around him. Then when he thought he couldn't get any harder he felt Ran's fingers stroke his cock with the gel and he whined.

"Raaaaan…"

"Patience, Crawford."

"Call…me…Brad…"

"Brad, then."

Ran set the gel aside and pushed Crawford on his back then straddled him. Then there was no more room for thought as Ran gradually descended on him. The tip of his member the younger man's cleft. The heated, slick tightness engulfing him making him want to thrust in faster than Ran allowed though he quelled the impulse knowing how hard it was for the latter, it was their first time after all. Every now and then Ran would gasp and hold still but he didn't stop until Crawford was fully inside of him. He paused to accustom himself to the hardened length then begin to move.

"Brad…you…can move…now." Said Ran half-amused.

"Y—Haaai." Crawford could only marvel at Ran's self- control how could he still find the strength to feel anything but the same raw need that was coursing through his body. He had begun to move in concert with Ran sliding his hands on to the younger man's penis, stroking it in time to their joint thrusts. Both of them moaning and groaning with pleasure. The pleasure seemed to last for eternity then it was over. As Ran spilled seed over his hand and stomach, he let go letting his own spill out into that bewitching warmth.

Much later afterwards as they lay down on the bed snuggling contentedly their arms around each other, Crawford asked the question that plagued his mind.

"So is this a one time thing?"

"Hn."

"You didn't answer me." Apprehension clouded Crawford's mind. He didn't want this to be a fling, an odd night. The lust for the former Weiß leader had been there since their period of bitterest rivalry during Reiji Takatori though at the time Crawford had firmly suppressed it. However, the time they had spent together where Ran was trying to control his telepathy was had deepened his feelings to something more serious. They had so much in common, the love for order for one and practicality. Though it hadn't been so obvious, he had developed affection for the red head.

"I was thinking…"

"So…?"

"Do you feel anything for me, Cr—Brad?" Said Ran sorting out his feelings, finding that he held some regard for the ex-Schwartz. In any case, they had some things in common. Something solid to build a relationship on? Maybe, if he doesn't freak out at my less than normal self.

"I grew rather fond of you during your brief stay here before."

"I think I'm rather fond of you myself."

"What now?"

"We build on it and see what we can do with it?"

"Sounds fine with me, you do know that I'm...not quite human…do you Cr—Brad?"

"We'll deal with it when we come to it. " Said Crawford giving Ran a comforting kiss as they snuggled down for the night.

After a while, Ran also relaxed. There's no need to borrow trouble after all. It was enough that they've found each other for tonight. As he fell asleep, a stray thought wandered in…I wonder who it was that was courting me all week? Oh, I'll find out tomorrow…

***

"Are you happy now?" Asked a very irritated Farfarello. Schuldich and Farfarello was at a bar watching Kudou who was drinking like there was no tomorrow. They have been shuttling back and forth all evening watching both Tomoe and Kudou get more and more forlorn as it became obvious that Fujimiya wasn't going to show.

"Aren't you happy that they hurting inside and hurting God because of it?"

"I'd rather be in bed with you, hurting God with sodomy."

"Good point…" Schuldich said turning to go with Farfarello but something stopped him.

"Wait, I got a better idea."

Farfarello groaned in annoyance. Here we go again…

With Schuldich in the lead, they went to Kudou's side and hustled the man out pretending they were old friends so that no one in the bar would suspect. They put Kudou on the back of the car and went off to pick up the other component of Schuldich's little plot. They found her as she was leaving the restaurant. Schuldich took over Tomoe's mind and rendered her unconscious not a hard feat considering that the lassie had been a wee bit tipsy and that she had been under Schuldich's control before.

They got to the Koneko without any problems, as Farfarello was standing sentry outside of Kudou's room.

"Do you need my knife again?" Farfarello asked. Schuldich was sure taking his time in there…an awful lot of time.

"This must be done with artistic precision you know." Said Schuldich an injured tone creeping into his voice.

"Okay, that's it." The German said, laughing as he said it. "Let's get a room in that little motel across the street, Farfie-darling. I'd like to be close by when the sleeping beauties wake up."

***

The day after Valentine's day, the household was awakened by a bloodcurdling scream came from Youji Kudou's room. Across the street a certain red-haired German smirked in satisfaction at the "wake up call" as he got out his binocs^4. He wanted to see how Youji and Sakura was going to explain the fact that they were in bed together naked and with their clothes strewn across the room to the rest of the occupants of the Koneko.

~OWARI~

^{1hentai-minded people: Is this what I think it is?}
silrayn: yes it is.
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^{2 I don't know my flowers. This is a made up variety so don't quote me on this one, ne? I do know there are Technicolor flowers that are bred by gardeners/botanists. I've seen several pictures of "gumamela" flowers in a newspaper that were of mix colors not the plain yellow, pink, dark pink variety of that particular flower.}
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^{3 Gomen for the mushy letter, it might be too mushy to be written by a guy, ne?}
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^4binoculars
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**Japanese terms which I normally butcher**

baka – an insult
gomen - sorry
imuoto – younger sister
itooshi - beloved
koibito - darling
oniisan/'niichan/'niisan – older brother
otouto – younger brother

***

Random Silliness…

Youji: *moans* Waiting for a no show date in a bar and getting plastered, how embarrassing…What will it do to my reputation.
Sakura: *still shivering* At least you were waiting where it was warm.
Crawford: And it's not as embarrassing as having your date kidnapped for you.
Youji and Sakura: *resentment cloud* At least you got Ran!
Schuldich: *smirks* Be grateful that I didn't make you sleep with one another.
Youji and Sakura: Gah! *runs away in opposite directions both of them green in the face*
Farfie: *looks up from licking his knife* Uh, Schu-Schu…you did.
Ran: Schuldich, is it true that you grabbed my koibito in the n—s?
Crawford: *blushes*
Schuldich: Well… *edges away from Ran then runs far, far away at full speed*
Ran: Schuldich no baka! Come back here and face me like a man!

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