The door opened and Farfarello slipped into the room. "Schuldig and I spotted someone following us. I came back here to let you know. He's going to find out what, exactly, the guy wants."
Brad frowned and sat up. "I haven't seen anything that appeared to be immediate danger. What do you think this guy wanted?"
Farfarello shrugged. "Dunno. But he was acting really suspicious. Trying to follow us, but not be seen."
Brad turned to Aya. "Go see what's going on. If it's someone from Crashers already I'm sure you'll recognize them." His frown deepened, "But I didn't see them here yet. Be careful."
"I'll go with him. I know where Schuldig was going to lead the idiot," Farfarello replied.
Aya simply nodded and followed Farfarello out of the room. He knew it wouldn�t be any of Crashers. If they were going to turn up it wouldn�t be after sending an e-mail. It would be Yuushi�s whip-sword striking from an alley or one of their nastier little packages disguised as something commonplace. Naru was especially good at the sort of china figurines that tended to litter hotel suites.
Farfarello took the elevator and then led Aya out of the hotel onto the busy street. It wasn't long before they arrived at a restaurant, but instead of going inside, Farfarello slipped into the nearby alley.
*Schu, we're here. Do you have him?*
*I have him. Just not sure what to do with him. Slimy creature that he is.*
Definitely not Crashers, Aya decided as he slipped into the alley. It was an L-shaped cul-de-sac and in the dead end, out of sight of the street, Schuldig was facing a man.
The young man facing Schuldig was about Ken's height but with a leaner build. His body tense, as if he was waiting for them to attack him. A pair of sunglasses hid his eyes, but not the sharp line of his nose or the sensual shape of his mouth. He had long black hair that fell in an unruly mass almost to his waist. It caught the light with a dark blue shine that looked natural.
His clothes weren't much. A tattered pair of jeans, a leather jacket and a faded t-shirt. It was doubtful if any of them would have noticed him in a crowd he was so non-memorable.
�Let me talk to him,� he said in softly accented English.
Farfarello looked at Aya. �He says he wants to talk to Crawford about joining up with Schwarz.�
*Schu, what�s he thinking?*
*He�s heavily shielded, Aya, even I can�t get through.*
Aya gazed at the man. �Take of the glasses,� he said. �I like to see the eyes of those I speak to.�
He studied Aya for a moment then took the glasses off. His eyes were a soft shade of brown flecked with gold. �You're the one that warps time aren't you?� he asked.
�And you shield yourself,� Aya retorted, �which immediately makes me think you have talent, and are either hiding from your masters or hiding something from us. If it�s the latter you�re dead meat.�
�If I wanted to be dead I'd just walk in front of a bus and get it over with,� the young man retorted. �Of course I have talent! Only a fool would come to Schwarz looking to join with nothing to put on the table. And unshielding isn't something you want me to do. Not if you value your own mind.�
Aya remembered the vampire telepath from the so-called airport and shivered. If this was another like that�
He glanced at Schuldig. *Do either you or Farf know who he is?*
*Not unless he�s good at both mental and physical disguise and I can�t think of anyone who could do it that well. Farf?�*
The Berserker was frowning. *No idea.*
While they spoke silently the young Rosenkruez operative just stood there waiting, patient and unconcerned to all outward appearances. But his palms were wet and his mouth was dry with the fear coiling in his chest.
These men were part of Schwarz, the most feared team to ever exist in Esset.
But Esset was long gone and Schwarz had gone rogue.
�I want to talk to Crawford.�
Aya turned eyes like iced amethysts on the stranger. �I�m sure you do, the question is why? Do you honestly think we have any use for a double-crossing turncoat?�
�Well since that's what everyone in Schwarz is, yeah, I thought I might have a chance coming to Crawford for protection. As far as why... I've got nowhere else to go. The rest of my team is dead.�
�Why you little�� Schuldig began only to be stopped by Aya holding up his hand.
�If you really believe that then you know nothing about us,� he said coldly.
*Brad, we have a renegade Essie. But I wouldn�t trust him further than I could throw the Tokyo Tower. He�s asking to speak to you.*
*Tell him he has to make a more convincing argument if he wants to see me.* Brad told his lover. *I'm not in the habit of picking up strays.*
�I know you're talking to him, Schuldig. You don't wipe your ass without his permission. So just tell him I was one of the Four Horsemen and see what he says.�
�Actually I�m the one doing the talking,� Aya said, a faintly amused smirk playing round his mouth. *The Four Horsemen?* he asked Brad.
*Dangerous but young. He's one of them?* Brad asked.
"Which one were you? War, famine, pestilence or death?"
"War. That's what they called me."
*He says so. Tells me he was called War.*
*Very dangerous then,* Brad stated. *I'm not sure he's someone I'd be willing to have with us, but having him against us is a big risk too.*
"Must be one of the newer teams." Schuldig murmured. "Are you any good?"
The young man shrugged. He looked from Aya to Schuldig, "Do you need a demonstration or will you take my word for it?"
Aya scoffed. �Your word? Do we look quite that stupid?� He looked the young man up and down, trying to decide whether he was worth keeping or not. �However, one of us has heard of you at least.�
War just stared at Aya but decided not to comment on the first part of what the red-haired man had said. "That would be Crawford. He helped--" his expression went hard, "acquire me."
*Do you want to see him? If not we should kill him now.*
*I'm considering what to do. Stall him, I have to consult the future,* Brad told Aya.
War stepped closer to Aya, "If you need a demonstration, I can give it to you."
�Don�t even think about demonstrating on any of us,� Aya said, �unless you want to find yourself in a black hole in about a thousand years time.�
He closed his eyes, raised his arms and a few heartbeats later the sound of angry shouts, a woman's scream and the sound of a gun being fired rose over the noise of the city in their immediate vicinity.
And with every beat of the man's heart the sound of conflict spread.
�Stop it!� Aya commanded. �Those people have done nothing to deserve that.� Well perhaps whoever had fired the gun hadn�t been entirely innocent.
War's arms dropped and he staggered, going to one knee. His face had paled, and there was a wildness in his eyes. Something beat at the shields of Schuldig's mind hard as hammer-blows, while the same unseen force crashed powerfully against Aya's mental protections.
Farfarello snarled and stalked toward Aya, his amber eye full of fury.
And then it was over, the pressure abating and the young man known as War looked up at them. "Do you understand my shields now?"
�Mein Gott!� Schuldig cast a wild-eyed look at Aya.
But Aya had problems of his own and had to tap into Nagi�s power to keep Farfarello still until he had calmed down.
It didn't take long before the bloodlust gripping Farfarello abated. "Dangerous isn't he? Just think, he can turn friends into enemies in the blink of an eye." He turned his hard stare on War. "May as well hold an asp to our breast and call it suicide as to let him join us."
Aya was inclined to agree but he would wait for Brad�s decision. Part of him could feel pity for the young man, his power enforcing isolation on his mind.
*Bring him up here. He may prove useful,* Brad instructed. There was a very pleased feeling coming from the Schwarz leader. *I think I know how we can bring Erik's team down.*
*He makes them kill each other? It seems too easy, Brad.* Aya sent before adding, *okay, bringing him up now.*
He turned to gaze at the dark haired man. �Crawford will see you,� he said, �so come with us.� His tone was arctic despite the streak of pity he felt. The young man was certainly dangerous and who was to say he wasn�t evil.
Aya could hear Brad's laughter, *Aya you of all people should realize there is no good or evil, there's just us and them.*
*And if he�s one of them?*
*You have to ask?*
War got to his feet slowly. Too slowly. Farfarello grabbed the young man by the arm and hauled him bodily toward the entrance of the alley. "Come on, Crawford doesn't like to be kept waiting.�
Five minutes later they were back in the suite and Aya was leaning against the wall by the door. Schuldig and Farfarello had parked War on one of the couches and stood over him.
Crawford stepped into the room with Yohji right behind him.
War looked at the pair of men. He knew Crawford on sight, but the blond he'd never seen before. Then again, he'd only known Schuldig and Farfarello by description, not personal experience.
The oddly coloured Asian man was as much a total unknown as the blond.
"So give me one good reason to let you live, Ramon," Brad said as he took a seat in a chair. Yohji taking a place right behind him.
Aya watched as War or Ramon or whoever he was attempted to read them in the way a mundane would, seeking out the danger men and sizing up escape routes. He knew the signs, they�d done it often enough when still Weiss and still, apparently, mundanes.
"You were the bastard that got me into this mess in the first place," the young man stated.
"If it hadn't been me then some other recruiter would have come to get you. That isn't a good enough reason."
War stared at Crawford then nodded in acceptance. "I can help you fight Rosenkreuz. I can turn them against each other."
Brad shrugged, "What makes you think that is part of my plan? We have the means to just walk away from them, never see them again."
"But you won't. You want to bring them down the way you brought those old shits down."
The American smiled coolly, "That was personal."
"Yeah, personal. And so is your vendetta against Rosenkreuz. Don't even try to pretend other wise. They've raised a pack of killer kids with the intention of using them to destroy you. And they might be strong enough to do it."
"Old news. Tell me something we don't know. I'm a precog remember."
Ramon just stared at Crawford. "Yeah, I remember. That's how you found me," War replied his tone bitter. He sighed. "So even my talent isn't enough of an incentive?"
"Hardly. And you'd be wise not to try what you're considering. While you might manage to turn us against one another briefly, the resulting manner in which you die will be extremely slow, and very painful."
Nagi was frowning, Aya noted. *You okay?*
*Yes. I was just wondering why Brad kept me away from Rosenkreuz yet delivered this guy straight to them.*
*Think about it, Nagi, would you actually want to live with the constant threat of being turned against your�family? There may be other reasons too.*
He turned his attention back to the young man in their midst just as Brad mentioned what he might be considering. Neither threats on their side nor promises on his were going to get them anywhere.
�Why do you want to bring Rosenkreuz down?� he asked. Perhaps if they could trust his motives he might stand a chance of surviving, although somehow his hand crept closer to the shoulder holster he was wearing and the gun inside it.
*I had any number of reasons. The promise of my own team. Freedom from being monitored every minute of every day. A cessation to the drugs they used to keep me in their control.* Brad glanced at both Nagi and Aya, *I had many reasons.*
"Isn't hate enough of a motive?" Ramon asked.
�Hate can be a motive for many things, yes, but it doesn�t follow that because you hate Rosenkreuz we can trust you.�
To Brad he sent, *Thank you for explaining so much. A lot now makes sense that didn�t before.*
*You're my lover, but there are a lot of things pertaining to Rosenkreuz that you don't know about. Most of them are things that Schuldig and I don't care to discuss with anyone.*
Ramon glared at Aya. "I wasn't talking to you."
"Ah, you've made a mistake there, Ramon. Hasn't it occurred to you that he's the person I sent to meet you and you had to go through him to get to me."
The younger man shrugged, "Peons always get sent to do the dirty jobs."
"He's hardly a peon. In fact there's not a single one of us that makes the definition of 'peon'," Farfarello informed Ramon.
"And it's assumptions like that which will get you killed," Brad added.
Aya just sighed. This Ramon might be attractive to look at but he was a real pain in the ass as a personality.
It was Schuldig who vocalised the general consensus of opinion by saying, �You need to adjust your attitude if you want to survive at all.�
Ramon's shoulders sagged and his head dropped. "I knew it was a mistake to even ask for help."
"Ahh... now see that's not what you were doing, Ramon. You haven't asked for help, you asked to join my team. That's not the same thing," Brad replied.
�What sort of help do you want?� Nagi asked. Aya could see the young telekinetic�s hands fisting and flexing a sure sign he was trying to control his power. So he didn�t much like Ramon either.
"I just didn't want to die." He shuddered and got to his feet. "I'll just go. If they come for me, I'll fight as long as I can." He looked at Brad, "You might want to leave Rio, I have to be able to see the people I'm going to exclude from my zone of effect."
�What have you got to live for?� Aya asked quietly. �There must be something or death wouldn�t frighten you the way it obviously does.�
"It doesn't matter," Ramon replied.
"I know what he wants, Aya. It's something we all understand. It's revenge. They killed his little brother when he didn't learn to control his power fast enough to suit them."
"And you watched them do it."
"What do you want me to say. Ramon? That I'm sorry? Why bother with something pointless like that? There was nothing I could have done even if it had mattered to me at the time, which it didn't. It still doesn't matter."
"No, I guess it wouldn't," Ramon stated as he started for the door but Farfarello was in the way.
"We can't let you leave, Ramon," Brad informed him. "You must realize that."
Aya could almost smell the fear coming off the young man and realised he was little more than a scared kid. With reason he had to admit. Ramon had done nothing to endear himself to any of them.
*Wait, Brad. His coming to you with the past you have is like me going to the Takatori for help. To do that he�s desperate.*
Brad raised an eyebrow. *Very good, Aya. Yet again I find that my choice of you as my second in command is well founded.* He held his hand out to his lover.
Ramon was visibly trembling as he sank to his knees in front of Farfarello. "Just make it quick."
Farfarello raised his single amber eye to Brad and waited for the order.
Aya took Brad�s hand and turned to look at the little tableau by the door. Whatever happened next would be Brad�s call and he wouldn�t interfere but something about Ramon reminded him of himself when younger.
The American took Aya off his feet, lifting him and tossing him down on the couch, pinning him there. "Who do you belong to, Aya?"
From the corner of his eye he could see that Ramon had turned to see what the sound had been, and the young man's dark eyes were wide, staring at the scene of Crawford with the beautiful red-haired man pinned to the couch.
�You and Yohji,� Aya answered without hesitation. Then he thought about it and added, �you never needed to hold a gun to my head to make me your dog.�
"I suppose I didn't did I?" Brad asked as he leaned down and gave Aya a gentle kiss that left Ramon staring.
Crawford smirked. "And such a beautiful dog too."
Aya returned the kiss but he wondered what Brad was planning with regard to the young man known as War. He didn�t much like him but he could empathise with his desperation, his lack of all hope.
*He's terrified, but he came to me for help,* Brad told Aya. *He's no coward, and it's Rosenkruez he hates, not me.*
"Is that what it takes? Letting you fuck me?" Ramon asked. "So do it and get it over with. I don't care."
Brad was staring into Aya's eyes, "Yohji, take him to my room. Handcuff him to the bed."
Yohji's eyes narrowed, but he did as he was told, taking Ramon by the arm and leading the unresisting younger man into the room that Brad had claimed for his own without a single word of protest.
Fury filled Aya�s eyes, turning the iced lilac a deep purple with the depth of his anger. He pushed Brad off him, quite prepared to send the precog elsewhere in time and space if he didn�t move.
*Is that was all this talk of love was? To make sure I stayed; to make me your dog? Touch him and you�ll never touch me again.*
Brad's eyes narrowed. *No. Now shut up and listen to me, and stop acting like a brat, damn it.
*He was trained in Rosenkruez and domination and submission is the way they teach. It's the way Schu and I were trained. Do you understand what I'm telling you?* He grabbed Aya's upper arm and shoved the red-head toward the bedroom. *And it's not me who's going to fuck him, it's you. He's more scared of you than he is of me.*
*What?* Aya came to a halt, turned on his heel and backhanded Brad with enough force to send his glasses across the room. *I�m not Rosenkreuz trained and I won�t act as if I am!*
*Aya� will you listen to me?* Schuldig�s voice in his head was gentle and sad, something he�d never heard from the telepath before and it gave him pause.
*I�m listening.*
*You thought you were the damaged ones when you were Weiss but compared to Brad, Farf and myself, you were wholesome and pure. You think you�re capable of cruelty but you could never pin down a frightened child and rape them body and mind while enjoying their screams. It was both done to us and then we were made to do such things. And sexual cruelty was only part of what we endured.
*Both Brad and I know you won�t actually hurt Ramon but he doesn�t. He thinks you�re like us. He needs to respect you as much as he respects Brad. Do you understand now? It�s all he knows.*
Aya shot Schuldig a look of intense dislike but he did head towards the bedroom. On the way he sent a tendril of thought to Yohji. *Permission?*
Crawford wiped the blood from his mouth, his face, even his eyes blank of anything.
Aya didn't make it to the bedroom door before Brad had him by the arm. He twisted Aya's arm behind his back and shoved him face first into the wall. "You've done this for missions, pretend it's a fucking mission!" he snarled into the other man's ear.
*And if you ever hit me in front of an enemy again...* he added mentally, *I'll break you the way Schuldig and I were broken.*
*Brad� He understands now,* Schuldig sent. *Let him get on with it.*
Aya stood still, waiting for Brad to let him go. He said nothing and his shields were very firmly in place. He felt the ice descend around him again and almost welcomed it. He�d been a fool to ever think about love. He was a killer fighting for survival and he would do what had to be done.
Crawford started to shake and he took a step away from Aya, face gone pale. "Aya... I... I didn't mean it. I'm..." imploring eyes looked at the red-head, "I'm sorry."
Aya peeled himself off the wall and continued into the bedroom without even looking at him. He found Ramon spread-eagled on the bed, hands and feet cuffed, and Yohji waiting.
�Get out, Yohji, unless you want to do this.� His words were cold, empty of any feeling but he did send a sad little mental caress to his lover.
Instead of leaving, Yohji put his arms around Aya and pulled him close. *If it will spare you some pain, then yes, I'll do it.*
*No. It�s not you he�s afraid of.* He took a deep breath before gently pushing Yohji away. *I don�t like this but I do understand why it has to be done and why it has to be me that does it. Tell Brad I�m sorry.*
Then he turned his attention on the young man on the bed his eyes blazing as he realised what had happened. �If you want help you�ve a funny way of asking for it!�
Out in the living room a muscle at the side of Brad's mouth twitched. For an instant there was terrible pain in his gaze, then it was gone and he crossed the room to retrieve his glasses. Putting them on he went to the couch as if nothing had happened and sat down.
But there was such a total lack of expression on his face, and the wall around his mind, his emotions had gone up, locking everyone out of his head.
It was the way he'd been when the Elders still lived.
Ramon didn't even flinch. "I wanted help, not... not this." He pulled on the cuffs binding his wrists. "Please, you don't have to do this to me."
Yohji didn't move. *I haven't given you my permission do to this, Aya.*
Aya turned cold eyes on his lover. *We both know I have no choice.* Then they softened. *So what do you suggest?*
*Honey gets more flies than vinegar. So why give him vinegar?* Yohji replied silently.
He sat down on the bed. "So this is how they show you who's boss in Rosenkreuz? Pretty sad, don't you think?" Yohji asked Ramon.
"Just get it over with!" Ramon grated out.
"Well see, he's my lover, and I don't want him to fuck you. I'll get jealous if he does."
Ramon turned his head to look at Yohji. "So he fucks you because you want him too?"
"That's right."
"You're stupid. Why want something that hurts?"
"Rape hurts. Making love is different," Yohji explained. "But either way, he's not going to do it to you. He's mine, and he won't be fucking you, willing to do it or not.
"Besides, he won't get any pleasure out of it." Yohji looked up at Aya, "And I don't think he can even stay hard to do something so terrible. He doesn't have that sort of cruelty in him."
Ramon looked at Aya, his eyes full of contempt. "Then why would Crawford want him as his second in command?"
"Oh, don't get me wrong, Aya's as much a bastard as Crawford is, he's just not much of a rapist. But he wouldn't hesitate to cut you to ribbons with his katana, or send you to a place in time where you could get eaten by some prehistoric monster. He's got a few morals, but no mercy."
�I could quite easily kill him now,� Aya said coldly, �after what he�s just done.� He leaned over the helpless talent. �You did get Crawford and I at each other�s throats didn�t you? He�s got half a mind to keep you. Personally, I�d let you rot. I might still.�
He glanced at Yohji. �Prehistoric monster huh? It�s not a bad idea��
"What do I have to do to make you understand I came here for help?" Ramon asked.
"Not turning your powers against us would be a good start," Yohji told him. "I mean it really doesn't endear us to you when you just attacked Crawford and Aya that way."
�Crawford�s right about one thing, you really do need to learn who�s in charge here. I can assure you it�s not you. I won�t use their methods against you but I warn you now, one step out of line and you�ll be at the mercy of a family of hungry velociraptors quicker than you can draw breath. Do I make myself clear?�
"Flesh rending dinosaurs. Hungry like sharks, but they run in packs." Yohji wasn't going to bother telling Aya that real velociraptors weren't like the ones in that movie they'd seen years ago. "And I was thinking sabre toothed tiger, maybe a pack of dire wolves, or a cave bear."
"I get your point," Ramon replied sullenly.
"Of course, there are easier ways," Yohji remarked as he pulled his gloves out of his pocket and slipped them on.
Aya frowned at sight of the gloves wondering what his lover had in mind. The gloves were usually followed by the wire in his experience.
*Don�t kill him.*
*I won't.*
Yohji pulled a length of wire out and wrapped it around his hands. "Ever been choked until you pass out?"
"Yes," Ramon replied. "And I woke up with a dick in my ass."
"Well then this should be a familiar experience," Yohji replied as he put the wire around Ramon's throat and pulled it just tight enough to cut off the young man's airway.
*Once he's out we can decide on a plan.*
Aya watched as Ramon�s struggle for breath gradually ceased then he glanced at Yohji. *You�ve obviously got something in mind. What is it?*
Yohji smiled. "Let's take him for a time ride."
Aya thought about that. It would show the young man exactly what he could do without resorting to raping him. �Anywhen in particular?� he asked with the faint trace of a grin.
"Just somewhere we have time to think out the best way to go about this."
�Free him then. I�m not taking the bed!�
The door opened and Brad stepped into the room. "I don't want the two of you going anywhere," he told them. "And if you won't fuck the little bitch into submission, I will."
Aya�s eyes narrowed. �Fine,� he said coldly. �I mean its just a reminder to him that we�re just as depraved as what he�s trying to leave behind. Plus the fact that it won�t work. It�s happened to him too often already.�
He took a deep breath, trying to get his rage under control. �You won us over without resorting to rape. Why not try some new tricks with him instead of reinforcing his view of what we are.�
"Aya's right. And at the risk of having my ass beat again, I don't want you fucking anyone but Aya, Kai and me. I'll obey you, I'll be your bitch, I'll even let you beat the hell out of me from time to time if that makes you happy. But I won't stand for you fucking this little shit. You aren't in Rosenkruez anymore, as you like to occasionally point out to us, so you're just going to have to adapt to your new life and learn new ways to teach little brats how to behave.
"Or were you planning on raping your kids to show them who's boss too?"
Brad's gaze went from Aya to Yohji. His face was still set in an emotionless mask. "Fine," he bit out the word and turned to leave. "And I didn't rape you or Kudoh because it would have made you hate me. What I wanted was love. Of course that was stupid wasn't it?" he asked sharply and went out, slamming the door behind him.
Yohji sighed. "Maybe we should have mentioned that this little shit caused that fight between you."
�Keep him out for a while. I�ll go try to sort out this mess.� He shot the unconscious Ramon a look of acute dislike before opening the door.
It seemed everyone had found some place else they�d rather be as the room was empty apart from Brad who was sitting on the couch staring into space.
Aya crossed the room and knelt at his feet before laying his head in his lap and apologising softly. When it had no visible effect he sighed.
�Ramon engineered all of this, you know that don�t you?�
"I suspected it might be possible, but I wasn't aware he'd managed such fine control of his ability," Brad replied but he made no effort to touch the younger man or acknowledge his efforts to make up for their quarrel.
Instead he just lay his head on the back of the couch, spread his legs slightly so that Aya's head fell from his thigh, and closed his eyes.
Aya rose to his feet before closing his eyes on his pain. Both he and Yohji had hurt Brad by spelling out the truth to him and undoubtedly he�d make them both suffer for it.
"I won't make the mistake of thinking that either of you love me. I won't make any more mistakes where the two of you are concerned."
�You think I�d abase myself at your feet if I didn�t love you? Do you really believe you could have punished Yohji if he didn�t love you?�
Suddenly tired of all this he went round the couch, grabbed a handful of Brad�s hair and held him still while he kissed him.
Brad didn't resist the kiss, but the wall protecting his thoughts from Aya stayed firmly in place.
It was like kissing a statue but Aya didn�t give up. Instead he dropped his own shields so Brad could see for himself the depth of his feelings. If the bastard cared to even look. *Carry on like this and the little prick in the bedroom has won and so has Rosenkreuz.*
Brad reached up to pull Aya over the back of the couch and into his lap, breaking their kiss. For a few seconds all he did was stare into the man's violet eyes, then he wrapped his arms around Aya and held on to him tightly, face pressed into the man's hair.
"I love you Aya. More than that, I... just can't envision my life without you or Kudoh to aggravate me."
Aya knew what it cost Crawford to say things like that so he put his arms around him and simply held him in return.
The things he was discovering about Rosenkreuz made him all the more determined to bring the whole organisation crashing down in flames. Nobody, talented or not, should have to live through the experiences that Brad, Schu, Farf and the young man in the bedroom had been through.
Something wet fell on Aya's neck and slid downward as Brad held his lover closer. "I'd rather die than lose you, Aya. I really would."
�I�m damned hard to lose,� Aya murmured, �so I guess you�re stuck with me.�
Brad just held his lover tighter. "But I... If I start acting like an asshole, don't slap me it... brings back bad memories and then I act like a bastard."
�I�m sorry. I was just too angry to even think straight. Tell me how I can make this right because I don�t want to lose you either.�
"You won't lose me Aya. But please, don't hit me in the face. I don't want to ever hurt you, and today I..." Brad shuddered and started to kiss Aya frantically with a kind of desperation that hinted at fear of what he'd almost done.
And what he'd nearly done was draw his pistol and shoot the man he loved.
Aya stroked any part of Brad he could reach under the onslaught of kisses trying to sooth his lover. He wasn�t stupid and, once he�d calmed down he�d realised just how close to death he�d come with that flash of temper.
It gave him another insight too. Ramon�s attack had not been personal. It had been the last resort of a desperate man.
�I�m going to offer you some advice,� he said, �which you can take or leave as you will but I�m hoping you�ll take it. We both know that Ramon is too damned useful to kill but if you want to win him over do it the way you did with us. Engage his trust not his hatred.
�And before you say it, I know its not going to be easy. But the very fact he wants to escape shows that he�s not entirely theirs.�
"That's why he's not already dead. He came here for help staying out of their hands and because he hates them as much as Schuldig, Farfarello and I do."
He wiped at his face, trying to hide the tears, and pulled Aya into a more comfortable position in his lap.
A wan smile was offered to the younger man. "Do you still love me?"
Before Aya could answer Yohji stuck his head out of the bedroom. "He's waking up, should I choke him into submission again or do you have any ideas what we should do with him?"
Aya gazed at Brad. �Of course I do,� he said. Then he searched the older man�s face. �What do you suggest?� he asked.
"I've got a few tranquilizers that I keep as a contingency in case Farfarello acts up. We can drug him for now and work something out."
Yohji nodded. "I know where they are, I'll give him one.
"I'm glad to see the two of you have made up."
Aya relaxed, relieved that Brad had given up on his first idea for now. He snuggled against one of his lovers whilst smiling at the other. �Give him the drugs, Yohji, then let�s decide what we�re going to do with him.�
"I'd rather drug him and then decide what I'm going to do with the two of you, but we can discuss that when I get back," the blond said and vanished back into the room.
"I think he has something on his mind, and I don't think it's a card game do you?" Brad asked.
Aya chuckled. �Knowing Yohji, there�s only one thing on his mind right now. How long will those tranquilisers keep Prince Charming down for?�
Brad kissed Aya. "Do you want to fuck him or should I?" Before Aya could answer a devilish gleam filled Brad's gaze, "Or we could double team him and fuck him blind."
Aya nodded, a slight flush mixed with a smile on his face. �That might actually keep him out of too much mischief for a little while,� he said slyly. �Plus he�s hungry and it will take both of us to satisfy him.�
"You may just be right about that," he agreed, his cock going hard. "Just wait to see what he does when he comes out."
The bedroom door opened and Yohji walked into the living room in nothing but the skin he'd been born in, and a steel dog collar. He sank to his knees at Brad's feet and bowed his head.