Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot.

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.

Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

Chapter 2

Silent Knight

'I understand. Yes, thank you.'

Mamoru Takatori replaced the receiver and glanced over the papers in front of him.

Then, he unceremoniously gathered the whole lot into a big pile and put it on the floor.

'One of them is sick.'

'Badly?'

'I don't know. This will decrease the probability of success.'

His bodyguard stepped forward.

'I am always willing to help, Mamoru-sama.'

'I know, I had taken that into account.'

His bluntness didn't affect Nagi anymore. He bowed slightly.

'You wish me to go with them on the mission, Mamoru-sama?'

'Yes.'

'As you wish.'

Mamoru opened a drawer in his desk that was empty, removed the false bottom from it and handed some paper to Nagi without making eye contact.

'This is for them,' he said.

Nagi accepted the sheets silently.

Mamoru leaned down and picked the top sheet off the pile he had made on the floor.

'You can go now,' he said distractedly, not looking up as Nagi bowed again and left.

*

'The elections are next month,' said Mamoru's secretary earnestly, 'what are your plans?'

Mamoru turned.

'I need to cover an angle that no one else is. I thought maybe the prison crisis?'

The secretary nodded eagerly.

'Yes, that would be a good idea, um… What would be your plans for covering that angle?'

Mamoru looked out of the window.

'Is it possible to organise a meeting with the head of one of the prisons?'

The secretary ran her pen down her long list of contacts.

'Yes.'

'Then I'll do that,' Mamoru said, 'and maybe I'll take a walk around the prison too… Show I'm taking an interest.'

The secretary smiled grimly, knowing she couldn't be seen.

I've never seen you take a real interest in anything.

*

'Mamoru! Mamoru-sama!'

Mamoru sighed. He really hated this. The reporters clustered around him as he tried to make it to his car.

'What're your plans, Mamoru-sama? Do you have anything to say to the other candidates?'

Mamoru looked up into the sea of cameras and smiled.

'My plans are for a total reform of this area's penal system, an area neglected by the last leader.'

Pens scribbled madly. Mamoru used the slight distraction to wade towards the waiting car.

'Will you be visiting a prison, Mamoru-sama? If so, which one?'

'I will,' Mamoru confirmed, 'and I can tell you that it's the State Prison in this very city.'

'What date will you-?'

But Mamoru had reached the car and shut the door. He needed this move publicised, but he didn't want to be wading through press on the actual day.

The car pulled away slowly, scattering reporters, and made its way down the crowded streets towards home.

*

'Have you heard?'

Ken looked up from his breakfast. On the other side of the room the news had just finished and the guard had just turned off the television.

'Mamoru Takatori's coming here!'

'Why?'

'Isn't it obvious? The whole system's a shambles. The public will support a candidate who looks to do something about it.'

Ken continued to eat his breakfast, still listening.

'When's he coming?

'Didn't say. I suppose he doesn't want the press all over him.'

Someone laughed.

'He should be used to that by now!'

'Ha, yes, that's true. But I'm sure they'll tell us the date as soon as they know it.'

'Why would anyone tell us?'

A fair point, Ken thought.

'Well, they'll want the whole place cleared up won't they? Before some top-notch politician comes in.'

'I thought the point was that the prison was a mess…'

'A shambles,' corrected Shuichi, 'Mess is different.'

*

That night, Daichi came to talk to Ken like he always did.

'Did you hear the big news?'

Ken looked up.

'About Takatori-san? Yeah, I did.'

'He's coming on the 10^th. Next week.' Daichi rubbed his forehead. 'It's a whole lot of stress I don't need.'

He turned to Ken.

'Got bad news for you as well. Apparently the warden's been told to choose an inmate for this guy to talk to, just for a few minutes, about how the system needs reform.'

'Is that a good idea?'

'Well, he picked you, so you tell me.'

Ken stared blankly at the wall.

'I have to talk to Takatori?'

Hmm… There were a lot of 'T's in that sentence, he thought idly.

'It won't be for long,' said Daichi, checking his watch, 'oh hey, I've gotta be moving on. Speak to you later.'

'Yeah, later,' said Ken vaguely.

*

'The mission was successful, Mamoru-sama,' said Nagi, bowing, 'although several of your Weiss were badly injured.'

Mamoru, as always, did not look up, so he did not see that Nagi himself was also hurt. His arm was tightly bound and blood had seeped through the bandages.

'Hospitalised?' said Mamoru.

'No, not quite.'

'Then maybe it was a mistake to start them with a mission so soon after their last one. It seems they couldn't cope.'

Nagi was stunned, Mamoru spoke as if he were talking about the weather.

'Tell them they're suspended from all missions for now.'

'Is that wise, sir?'

For a brief moment a trace of fatigue crept into Mamoru's voice.

'It better be. You can go now.'

*

Ken watched the patterns made by the streetlight through his window.

Mamoru Takatori is coming here? Good god, fate is a bitch.

He turned over and tried to think about something else, but it was no good.

***

'Ken! Ken, stop it! I'm so…hahahaha!' Omi shrieked as Ken tickled him mercilessly. He wriggled free and grabbed a hosepipe from behind the potting table.

'You will pay!' he cried, and promptly drenched Ken with it.

It was at that moment, when Ken was shaking his head like a dog to dry himself, and Omi was having to hold onto the table to stop himself falling over with laughter, that Aya came in.

He opened his mouth to reprimand them, then shrugged.

'You've gotta clean it up,' he mumbled, and walked out again.

Ken looked so bedraggled that Omi felt sorry for him. He dropped the hose, ran over to him and threw his arms around his neck.

Ken laughed.

'Omi, you'll get soggy too!'

'Don't care. I'm sorry!'

'Oh forget it, I mean, if I die of pneumonia, they'll…'

But Omi had shut him up by pressing his lips to Ken's, effectively halting the conversation.

Ken ran his fingers through Omi's hair as they continued to kiss, and smiled, pulling the other boy closer.

Omi pulled back.

'What is it?'

Ken hugged him tightly.

'I love you…' he said. Omi smiled.

'Yeah, I love me. I'm great.'

Then he burst out laughing again. He stopped, and leant up to kiss Ken once more.

'I love you too,' he said softly.

***

Lying on the thin mattress, Ken wasn't even aware of the tears that leaked out of his eyes and onto his pillow.

*********************************************************************************************

Back to Claire’s

Part 3

Fan Fic Authors