Paradise Lost

The door slammed open hard, leaving an ugly scar on the wall. Aya
charged into his room, pushing roughly past anything that got in his
way. He seized his sheathed katana and began to race back to the door
hoping that he could be gone and on his way before the others showed up
and started asking him questions that would only slow him down. Before
he left, he rapidly threw on his battle gear which had light armor built
into it. Yohji's blue coat was left unceremoniously wadded on the floor
as he rapidly buckled his own dark trench coat and steel-toed boots.
/Yosh'... Time to go. I'm coming, Omi.../ 

He was taking the stairs three at a time as he raced back upstairs to
the flower shop when he was hit by the dizzy spell. The vengeful
swordsman dismissed it as being induced by the head wound that Nagi had
caused when he slammed Aya's head against the side of his own car,
knocking him out cold. When the dizzy spell caused him to lose his
vision and his limbs to go limp, however, the sensation couldn't be
ignored any more. Despite his every attempt to hang on, Aya felt his
eyes roll back and flutter shut as his whole body swung forward and
collapsed. 

At first, Aya's heart raced in anger at fear. He hated the awful silence
which consumed everything. When a smirking voice finally spoke, he found
himself wishing for the silence again. "Hey, there, Red," Schuldip's
voice spoke up. The black void brightened into a barren dreamscape and
Aya suddenly found he could see himself as well as the leering green-
haired Schwarz member. "I figured it'd be easier for us to talk this way
if I gave us some physical form on this psychic plane." Schuldip looked
around with exaggerated interest at the desolate wasteland that
stretched on for eternity all around the two of them. "Nice
subconscious. Did you know that _you_ came up with this?" Schuldip said
as he indicated the sun-scorched earth and utter lack of life. 

"What do you want?" Aya hissed darkly. He was dressed in the same
clothes he had before, but he was without his sword. He wonder if he
could deal Schuldip any damage while in the dream world. 

"I thought I'd help you out since you have no idea where to start
looking for your little plaything. Although I must say... I seriously
doubt he's going to want to go back with you. I don't think he'll be
very happy to see you at all, to tell the truth..." Schuldip put on an
expression of mock sorrow. 

"Where is he?" Aya cut to the chase before Schu could change the
subject. 

"Verbal directions would take too long... Here." Schuldip thrust the
knowledge in how to get to the place where Omi would be held into Aya's
mind directly. 

Aya scowled at the intrusion, but as soon as he knew that he had the
directions down, he instantly pressed, "What have you done with Omi?" 

Schuldip feigned surprise. " 'What have we done'? Why so distrustful,
Red?" 

Aya's face contorted with rage and he drew his face millimeters away
from Schuldip's own sneering visage. "If you've so much as touched him,
I'll shove your own balls down your throat!" 

"HUH!" Schuldip snorted, shoving Aya away, "That's a laugh! You run your
own boy toy over and accuse *us* of being cruel! It's only thanks to us
that he's alive right now! Can you blame him for deciding to join our
side?" 

"Your lies are hollow," Aya said flatly. 

"You don't believe me? You remember how Nagi so kindly saved Omi's life
after you tried to kill him?" 

"I didn't--" Aya started to say. 

Schuldip ignored him and continued with a sadistic smile, "Well, Omi was
soooo grateful for Nagi's help, he decided to thank him in a *very*
special way." The lewd look in Schu's eyes didn't leave Aya guessing as
to what Nagi was hinting at. 

"Shut. Up." Aya's fists clenched in rage but he didn't dare lash out for
fear that he would ruin his chances to find out more about how to rescue
Omi. 

"Oh, it's true! I'm usually not the voyeur type, but I had to 'listen'
in on their thoughts a little bit, just so I'd have some juicy details
to share with you... Nagi greatly enjoyed breaking in your little cherry
boyfriend." 

"Omi would never!" Aya cried half in fury, half in fear that the words
could possibly be true... Nagi had called Omi his love the last time he
saw him... 

"Oh, but he would and he _did_... I assure that it was the same Omi you
know and love. Polite to the last. He asked so *nicely* for Nagi to fuck
him... He took it up his tight little ass like a pro and cried out like
a whore when he came--" 

"You LIE!!!!!" Aya snapped and lunged at Schuldip's throat without
thinking. His gloved hands passed harmlessly through. 

"Let's not forget that these bodies are just for appearances..." Schu
said with mocking patience as if he were speaking to a five-year-old.
"Besides, you'll want to save your energy for later if you think you
stand a chance of getting your precious little brat back. You're gonna
need it when you realize that the person you're going to have to fight
against the hardest will be Omi himself. He's not pleased with what
you've done and I think he wants to show you so. Any attack on Schwarz
is an attack on his lover and he's not about to let you get away with
that. My advice would be to let him go. He's much happier with Nagi
anyway. You'd be wasting your time." Aya seethed, his fiery temper had
become an inferno, but there was nothing he could do. "I see my words
haven't changed your mind about trying the rescue anyway. Good. You and
the rest of Weiß can come to us like good little assassins and we'll
shoot you down like the dogs you are. Giving Omi the honor of killing
you himself would probably be the nicest thing you could do for him at
this point." He winked. "See you soon!" 

Aya opened his eyes to the concerned faces of a frantic Yohji and Ken
when he came to. 

~~~~~

Omi drifted awake slowly, and reached for the warm embrace of the young
man who had spooned with him as they slept. The warmth and loving arms
were gone and the bed was left empty. Should he feel abandoned? With no
memories, he didn't know what to feel... Maybe this was commonplace
behavior in their relationship... 

As if on cue, Nagi strode into the room matter-of-factly. He was looking
severe, dressed in a high-collar gray uniform which fitted his slender
body snugly. /I guess cuddling time is over.../ Omi thought to himself,
and drew the covers up around his naked body as Nagi held out a gun for
him, offering it sideways. Omi took it without question and Nagi
explained. "Weiß is here. They've come to finish the job." 

He took a pile of folded-up clothes from a nearby chair and handed them
to Omi to change into. The older, fair-haired boy didn't notice as Nagi
slipped something into one of the jacket pockets while handing him the
bundle. "Don't worry, though. You and I can stop them together no
problem. They're overconfident. It was their assumption that you are
weak which lead them to betray you in the first place. They're also
probably sure that they already got you pretty bad with the car. We will
finish them and they will bother you no longer." 

"Nagi?" Omi's voice cut in suddenly as he sat in bed upright, still not
getting dressed, "Who is 'Aya'?" 

"Why do you ask?" Nagi asked with what might have been fear in his eyes.
 
"I sometimes hear that name in my head like a dream. Is that a memory?
Who is Aya?" 

"The one who hit you with the car," Nagi said flatly. He didn't even
have to lie. 

"Who is the man with red hair and the purple eyes?" Omi asked further. 

"That's Aya," Nagi answered, growing suspicious now, "How are you
finding this out?" 

"My dreams..." Omi whispered looking away, "I guess I still remember the
name and face of the one who tried to kill me after all this..." 

"Get dressed and we'll get him out of your life for good..." Nagi
suggested. They'll be here soon and when they're gone, nothing can stand
in our way." 

He kissed Omi briefly on the lips before leaving the room. Omi must have
been distracted because it didn't taste as sweet as it had the night
before... 

* * * * * * 

When Omi and Nagi emerged onto the roof of the building, the sun had
still not yet risen and the sky was still dark. "Now we just wait," Nagi
said relaxedly, "They'll be here soon." 

Omi's heart pounded with anxiety. What would they look like? Would
seeing them bring back more memories? Did he want them to? They had
betrayed him and not only left him to die, but actively sought to kill
him. Especially that red headed man with the girl's name. Omi couldn't
explain it, but he was the only one from his past who he could remember
at all. He must have had a big impact on Omi's life to leave such an
impression. He must have been horrible. /I don't even know you, Aya, but
I'll finish you off just the same. I'm not weak! I'll show them all!/
Omi nervously gave Nagi's hand a squeeze and then a grappling hook
appeared over the top of the wall and gripped the edge, shortly followed
by two more. They were here. Omi flipped the safety off of his gun and
watched as two of the ropes grew tight as the invaders ascended. 

Nagi put a hand to his lips for silence and faded into the shadows,
motioning silently for Omi to do the same. As the two lay in wait, the
first unsuspecting fool put a hand up, then poked his head over as he
climbed onto the roof. His brown hair was held back from his face with a
pair of yellow-tinted motorcycle goggles and he was dressed to kill. As
the assassin got to his feet and began glancing around before helping
another killer onto the roof, he squeezed a pressure plate on the heel
of his hand menacingly, causing wicked-looking steel tiger-claws to pop
out. Omi thought he looked familiar. It made no difference in the end.
The next man to crawl onto the ledge (less gracefully than the first)
had longer, lighter hair and sunglasses perched on the top of his head. 

The taller one began heading towards the door which lead down from the
roof. "Hsssst!" the dark-haired one whispered loudly, "Shouldn't we wait
for Abyssinian?" The other stopped and just shook his head, beckoning
for the shorter man to follow. The man with the yellow jacket tied
around his waist, shot one last glance towards the third grappling hook,
then followed his teammate. 

"Don't move," Nagi said flatly, emerging from the shadows before the two
intruders had a chance to advance very far past the edge of the roof.
The Schwarz boy held a revolver in his hand pointing straight at them,
but Omi knew it was just for show. Nagi could just as easily sweep the
two off the rooftop telekinetically. "You are the ones named Ken and
Yohji, right? Not that any of that will matter in a few short moments...
Where is the other one?" Omi understood now. The only reason that Nagi
didn't finish them right away was that he was still keeping them as bait
to make sure that Aya would show... Then they'd all die together. 

"Give us Omi, you bastard!" the one named Ken bellowed menacingly,
flexing his hand and revealing the claws again. Yohji drew a wire from
what looked like an ordinary wrist watch, but Nagi looked perfectly calm
and unconcerned. 

"I'll never give him up, and he won't let himself be taken," Nagi
replied in his usual monotone, "Omi..." In response, Omi also emerged
from the shadows of the wall, cocked gun in hand and trained on the
enemy.. 

"Omi!" Ken gasped in horror at the sight of his friend holding the gun
on him. "What are you doing? We've come to rescue you!" 

Omi scowled at him darkly. "Save me your lies," he said venomously,
"You'll never take me alive! ... And you'll never leave this place that
way." 

"What are you talking about?!" Ken choked out in disbelief. Omi was
armed and apparently free... Why wasn't he attacking the Schwarz boy or
fleeing? 

"You all betrayed me and left me to die and now you're here to finish
what was started. Nice try, but it ends here!" Omi's face contorted in
anger was completely unrecognizable to the dumbfounded Weiß men. 

"Omi!" Ken cried out, the beginning of tears burning his eyes slightly,
"We're your friends! We're here to help you!" 

"Your judgment time is now," Omi said unwaveringly, taking final aim,
"Die. Traitor." He pulled the trigger. 

Yohji, silent and pensive until that moment, finally realized that Omi
wasn't bluffing. At the last second he screamed, "KEN!" and dove at the
younger man to push him to the ground as Omi fired. The bullet tore
through Ken's shoulder in a glorious burst of red. The brown of his
leather jacket was suddenly painted with spreading crimson. Even as
Yohji and Ken lay gasping in a heap on the ground they both realized
that if Yohji hadn't moved in time, the aim would have been perfect and
it would have been Ken's heart the bullet sliced through. Omi was a
flawless marksman. 

"Sh*t. You messed up my shot," Omi swore uncharacteristically, "No
matter. I'll get you this time." He advanced towards the two men on the
ground coolly as Nagi looked on with a slight smile of amusement. Ken's
teeth were grit painfully tight against the agony, trying to remain
conscious and not cry out. Yohji desperately tried to balance stopping
the copious blood-loss and keeping an eye on Omi at the same time. The
young ex-Weiß was taking aim again when he heard the voice which haunted
his dreams. 

"Stop," was all Aya said. 

Omi froze. A tide of conflicting memories flooded his mind and he
struggled to determine which were true. He felt regret, abandonment,
hatred, and... love. /This can't be! What's going on?!/ Omi pressed his
hands against his head as if to block out the confusion, never letting
go of his gun. /What is it about Aya that changes what little I already
know to be true? It must be another trick!/ 

"Aya!" Yohji cried out frantically, "It's no good! Something's wrong
with Omi and he won't come with us... But Ken's not going to make it if
we wait around here. We have to retreat and figure something else out."
Ken was in shock; his face looked waxy and pale from blood loss as sweat
streamed down his face. 

"Go ahead," Aya suggested flatly, not suggesting that he was going to
follow. 

"Aya! We're not leaving you here alone, either! It's suicide!" Yohji
insisted, trying his best to pick up Ken without jostling his wound
more. His blue jacket looked black where Ken's blood smeared onto it. 

"No. Us leaving all at once is suicide. We'd be leaving our backs
exposed and you can't move as quickly down the rope carrying him. You
two go first and I'll cover you. I'll be down afterwards." Aya drew his
katana and held it at the ready, standing between the two Schwarz and
the two Weiß men protectively. 

Yohji shook his head distrustingly, but knew he had no alternative and
he began the painstaking descent down the rope with the nearly out-cold
Ken feebly trying to hang on. 

"Come on, Omi love, what are you waiting for?" Nagi asked sweetly,
putting a possessive arm around Omi for Aya to see. The young man smiled
slightly as he saw the redhead's pained reaction. Now he knew the truth
of Aya's past relationship. But Omi's refusal to move was starting to
worry him. "The other two are getting away..." Nagi began. 

"Let them run. They're not important," Omi said, staring at the man with
the sword. His was the only face he could remember from his apparent
memory loss. "I only want this one. He will pay for his crimes." Nagi
was so worried about Aya's ties with Omi, he agreed that killing Aya off
first was the most important. 

"Omi..." Aya began, "What happened to you?" 

Omi glowered. "Have you already forgotten how you all betrayed me and
you tried to kill me? Stop pretending to be innocent! It's making me
sick!" Omi cried out. He knew inside that it was his own fear that he
was about to make a very big mistake that was making him sick. 

Aya closed his eyes tightly against his own hell which he had forged.
"Omi. Believe me when I tell you that there hasn't been another single
moment I have regretted more in my life. It was an accident, I swear to
you. I keep seeing it happen over and over in my head and it tears me up
inside. I can't ask you for forgiveness. I only ask that you realize
that it was an accident... for _your_ sake." 

Omi was angered and confused further. "You mean to tell me that of any
person in the entire city that night, you just *happened* to hit me?
That's total crap and you know it!" 

Aya shook his head, trying to conceal his burning tears. Omi's kind
words which had once been his only source of comfort and hope in the
world had turned black with contempt. It was the worst torture he had
ever known. "Listen to me," he said quietly, "Do you know why I risked
myself to stay behind while Ken and Yohji left?" Aya knew that Omi would
not give an answer so he didn't wait for one. "I stayed because they're
my teammates. My friends. Like you. And we watch out for each other and
would always risk our lives to protect one of our own. But more
importantly, I stayed for you, Omi. You're so important to me..." Aya
had trouble saying the words he was unaccustomed to. "I won't give up on
you. No matter what lies *he* has been feeding you." Aya stared daggers
at Nagi who returned them in kind. 

Omi's eyes widened in realization. It was true that since he had no
memories when he woke up, it would have been so easy for whomever he
awoke to to make up any past he wanted. But Nagi and he had shared an...
intimate moment together and Aya had not denied being the one who hit
him with the car, it was still pretty clear whose side Omi would
choose... Then why was it that he only wanted to run to this redheaded
man's arms and just be held by him? A flash came to him as brief as a
candle flicker... [Sitting together in the dark with this man... Saying
to him... "Aya-kun? I -- I love you..."] 

"N- No!" Omi choked out angrily. He raised his gun and aimed it
perfectly at the swordsman's face. He didn't flinch or make a move other
than to drop his sword submissively on the ground. He was the most
mournful-looking man Omi had ever seen. 

"Go ahead," Aya said dolefully, "If that is what will appease you, then
shoot me. As long as it makes you happy. I have failed you, Omi. I
couldn't save you. And if I couldn't save you after causing you harm, I
couldn't save my sister either. There's nothing left for me but you...
and you're gone." 

Omi's chin trembled as he tried to steady his gun still pointed at the
Weiß man. The warrior's purple eyes burned into Omi's own as if pleading
with him; not pleading to spare his life, but to _remember_. "Stop
staring at me like that! I can't stand it!" Omi cried, the hand holding
the gun now shaking like a leaf in a storm. "I can do it! Turn around so
I can't see your eyes and I can do it!" he said, more to himself than
anyone else. 

Aya sighed and turned his back to Omi with either great trust or total
resignation. But no matter how he tried, Omi couldn't pull the trigger.
His hands were shaking so badly now, he was afraid he might pull the
trigger accidentally. He dropped the gun from numb hands and said
through unbidden tears, "I can't do it..." 

From where he stood, Aya visibly relaxed and he turned to face Omi
again. The boy was shocked to see tears of joy and relief streaming down
the man's stolid face. The two stared at each other for a moment. As Aya
saw the old Omi start to shine through, he did his best to smile. 

"Don't let him trick you, Omi!" Nagi exclaimed desperately, realizing he
was starting to lose Omi to his lover from the past. This wasn't going
as planned! He had to take action himself before this got any worse.
Nagi deftly lowered the gun to point at Aya's head, but it took him a
little longer than the marksman Omi to perfect his aim. Just as the
trigger was pulled, Omi grabbed Nagi's arms and pointed them at the
ground. The thunder of the fired bullet severed the silence as Nagi
looked at his lover in horror. The bullet had glanced harmlessly along
the ground and Aya was unscathed. "Omi! ...Why?" 

Omi couldn't answer because he didn't know the answer himself. He looked
up at the fiery- haired man behind him. His arms were open with welcome
and tears of joy streamed down his face. It was the most inviting sight
Omi had ever seen. "Aya-kun!" Omi cried as he ran into the man's
embrace. The warm arms folded around him lovingly and clasped him
tightly to his chest. Omi could smell the perfume of the man's hair and
skin and it was perfectly familiar. Memories were flooding back to Omi
now, this time for good. "I'm sorry, Aya!" Omi gasped through tears of
their joy, "I'm so sorry!" 

"It's all right..." Aya said soothingly, stroking Omi's hair with one
hand while holding him tightly with the other, "I'll never let you go
again..." As the boy snuggled closer, he heard Aya breathe, "I love you,
Omi..." 

At that moment, all of Omi's memories returned to him at last. 

In that same instant, Nagi used his powers to throw Omi off to one side
and out of harm's way. He lifted Aya off the ground and proceeded to
telekinetically clench the man's throat shut. Aya struggled frantically,
but couldn't go anywhere when he was lifted up in the air. He tried
desperately to pry off the invisible hands at his throat, but there was
nothing there. 

"No! Nagi-san! Yamate!" Omi cried out, but the dark-haired man did not
relent, and kept choking his nemesis as hard as he could. "Stop it!!"
Omi cried again and threw himself between Aya and Nagi protectively.
Nagi released his hold and Aya crashed to the ground, coughing and
rubbing at his throat. 

"Why?" Nagi asked in frustration, realizing that he was losing Omi more
and more. "Why are you doing this?" 

"You said before that there is one perfect person for everyone..." Omi
answered softly. "Aya is that person for me... I love him." 

"But!" Nagi protested with sorrow in his eyes, "You told me just tonight
that you were in love with me..." 

"Because you tricked me!" Omi exclaimed, hurt, "How could you?!" 

Nagi's eyes widened and he felt the beginnings of panic creeping in.
Everything was falling apart and he was about to lose everything if he
didn't do something quickly. The only types of solutions that Schwarz
had taught him, however, were threats and crooked dealings. Once again
Nagi used his powers and picked Aya up. This time, however, he levitated
the redhead past the edge of the roof, so if he just released the man,
he would plummet eighteen stories. "What if that one special person
meant for you was to die? Then you would have to settle for the second
best, right? Someone who loves you!" 

"NO! Nonononono!" Omi cried, his heart racing at the sight of his lover
dangling over the edge in thin air. "Please! Please! Put him down! I'll
do anything!" he begged. 

"Omi!" Aya protested. 

"Stay with me! Tell me you love me again!" Nagi said without hesitation,
"I'd let him go, if you would love me!" 

Omi watched as Aya dangled helplessly over the edge and his eyes filled
with tears. "I can't, Nagi! I can't lie to you and say that I love you
just to save him. I'll stay with you if that's what I have to do, but I
can't say I love you just because I want to save Aya!" 

"Why?!" Nagi demanded, "Why him? He hurt you! I'd do anything for you,
but you tell me you can't love me! Omi..." Omi closed his eyes. Nagi
insisted softly, "I love you, Omi." The other boy said nothing. "And
this is the only way to think of that can stop you from loving someone
else!" Nagi shouted and raised his hands, ready to let Aya drop. 

"NAGI! STOP!" Omi cried and Nagi stayed his trembling hand. "Even though
I love Aya and could never love another the same way, you're still very
special to me! You always struck me as so perceptive and kind. I thought
we connected in the park that day like I've never connected with any
other friend. I still think you're a good person, Nagi..." Omi's voice
rose in intensity and passion. "*But if you kill Aya, I can never
forgive you!!*" Omi's fists trembled in anxiety, not sure what Nagi
would do next, knowing that Aya's life hung in the balance. 

Nagi lowered his head, his mind racing a mile per minute. /If I kill Aya
like I want to so badly, Omi will hate me and we'll be enemies. If I let
Aya live, then that evil man will get my Omi-chan and they'll be
together, but at least Omi won't hate me... I can't stand the thought of
letting Omi be with someone else any more than I can stand the thought
of Omi despising me... No matter what I do, I can never get what I
want... But one way will at least get Omi what _he_ wants... But Schwarz
would kill me if I let Aya go!/ 

Omi's watched the boy with baited breath desperately needing to know
Aya's fate. Aya's eyes were locked on Omi. He wanted his young lover to
be the last thing he saw before he fell to his death. "Omi, I--" Nagi
began. He looked from Omi to Aya, then back to his love. "If I can't
have you, then this is the best I can do... I only want to make you
happy..." He lowered Aya back to the rooftop gently and the man lay
there stunned for a moment. 

"Aya-kun!!!" Omi cried with tears of relief streaming as he threw his
arms around the man he loved. Aya numbly put his arm around Omi, their
love finally confessed and mutual. 

"Damn you, Nagi! You're letting them get away, you little worm!"
Schuldip's muffled voice could be heard on the other side of the door
that led to the roof. When Aya and Omi turned to look they could see the
door being banged against furiously from the inside, but Nagi was
holding it shut with his powers. 

"Open this door, Nagi," Clofford's voice commanded from the other side
of the door. Even though he said nothing of it in words, his voice told
that horrible things would happen if the order was not obeyed.
 
"You'd better go now," was all Nagi said. His heart was breaking but he
didn't want to hurt Omi further by letting it show. 

Aya waited for no further instruction, but with his arm around Omi's
waist, led him to the grappling hooks at the edge of the roof. While his
lover started climbing down, Omi paused for a moment and turned back to
look at Nagi. They didn't say anything but just stood there for a while,
staring at each other. There was nothing left to say and Omi wordlessly
began to descend on the rope as well. Nagi walked to the edge and
watched them go. Only when they were safely to the ground and had
rejoined the other two in their car, did Nagi release his hold on the
door. The other angry three Schwarz members barged through the door and
immediately swarmed over him. 

"What were you thinking, you miserable fool?!" "We had them and you
decided to let them go because of some juvenile infatuation?!" "You'll
regret this!!" He let himself be backhanded and kicked as he was yelled
at. Even when he felt his lip split and his ribs crack, Nagi had no
regrets. He blocked out the beatings and scoldings from his mind and
recalled a sweet, sweet memory of a moment that he and Omi had once
shared... 

~~~~~~~

Aya helped Omi down from the rope and they both jumped into the waiting
car. Immediately, Omi started weeping in shame for what he had done.
"Ken!!" he cried, clutching at the hand of the pale, weak figure. Ken
only smiled faintly, "It's okay, Omi..." he said softly, "I'm just glad
we got you back..." 

Yohji peeled the car out down the street. "I think he'll pull through,
but keep an eye on him while I drive, all right Aya?" 

The redhead nodded in confirmation and everyone left Omi alone with his
thoughts for a while. The boy held on to Ken's hand firmly as they drove
to the hospital. He put his other hand in his pocket against the cold
night chill. There was something inside. He didn't recognize the cold
piece of metal and withdrew the item from his pocket to look more
closely. It was a little circular medallion or locket with the name
"Omi" etched onto it in flawless calligraphy. Nagi must have put it in
his pocket while he was sleeping. The locket was attached to a chain and
there was a tiny note fastened to the other end. He resisted the
temptation to open the locket up and look inside, and looked inside the
note instead. It read: 

"This is for a dear boy named Omi who will always be in my heart. 
Take this locket with you where ever you go, and a piece of me will be
with you, too. 
Please leave the locket closed; it's filled with love inside. 
Always, 
Nagi" 

Aya looked up as he finished bandaging Ken and saw Omi with a faraway
look on his face. "Is something wrong Omi?" he asked in concern. 

Omi shook his head and slipped the trinket back into his pocket. "No,"
he said. The boy rested his head on Aya's shoulder as the older man put
his arm around him. "Everything's fine."