Brad sat his suitcase down on the dresser and lay down on the bed. He was tired and he didn't want to be, nor did he want to admit how exhausted he felt to anyone.
He stared at the ceiling, knowing he should look ahead now that they'd arrived, but he just didn't have the energy to try.
Kudoh could give him what he needed, but the blond wasn't used to the strain, and he wasn't in good shape to start with.
He took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind, willing himself into the state of mind that let him see more than a few moments ahead.
A twinge of pain shot down his arm, his breath hissing between his teeth.
No getting around it then. He had to rest and trust that Rosenkruez hadn't noticed them yet.
Kai knocked tentatively at Brad�s door. Aya was putting a meal together with the groceries that had been left for them and he wanted to know if Crawford wanted to eat. Kai was wondering why he had to be the errand boy. Crawford made him nervous for reasons he couldn�t quite work out.
Sitting up Brad said, "Come in Kai."
Kai poked his head round the door. �Aya wants to know if you want some food. He�s cooking some sort of Thai curry.�
"No, thank you. I think I'm going to go to bed."
Kai took a deep breath. The man looked really ill. �Are you okay?� And even if Crawford wasn�t okay, why did it bother him so much?
"I'll be fine. " he replied. It was true in a way. When he was dead he'd have all the time he needed to rest. He just needed to hang on long enough to make sure the rest of Schwarz would be safe with Aya.
It would take some time for his team to adjust, but once they were accustomed to listening to Fujimiya rather than him, it would all be just fine.
Kai frowned. Yohji had said something about him letting them sleep well. Was that why Schwarz had let him tag along? No harm in asking.
�Yohji says I help you to sleep. Is that true?�
"What do you mean?" he was too tired for mindless chatting, but the boy didn't seem inclined to leave.
�He said that the night after Ken and Nagi brought me to you, everyone slept better and he thought it had something to do with me. Then Schuldig said he�d had a silent sleep, whatever that means but that he�d thought that was down to Yohji.�
Crawford eyed the boy thoughtfully. He remembered the conversation. It was something he'd look into after he had a little sleep. But it gave him an idea. "I want you to take a nap with me. I want to test a theory."
�Um, okay. Can I just tell Aya that I�ll eat later first? I�ll come straight back after I do that.� He was tired but the thought of napping with Crawford was daunting. Still, if it would help the man to get some rest�
"Eat. I'll be here," Brad replied as he removed his suit coat. Oddly he felt more naked without the coat than he had without his ever present gun. He'd left his pistol in a trash bin in Japan.
They'd all need firearms now that they were in Bangkok. The arrangements were already made, he simply needed to make the pick up at the scheduled time. Just something else that would require his attention when he woke up.
Kai nodded and went back to the kitchen. �Er�Crawford wants me to take a nap with him,� he said reddening up as Aya turned to stare at him, �so could you keep my portion for when I wake up?�
Aya made no comment about the nap and simply said, �I�ll leave a plate in the fridge. You�ll be able to put it in the microwave.�
�Thank you,� Kai said, immensely relieved that nobody else had been in the room.
Crawford was unbuttoning his shirt when Kai came in, but he paid no attention to the boy, simply continuing to undress as if he was alone in the room.
Kai�s face went even redder but he did strip off his tee shirt and place it on a chair. He was shaking with nerves by the time he�d managed that.
Crawford neatly hung his shirt up on the hanger attached to the rack where he'd already hung his suit coat and tie.
"I�m not going to bite you," he told the boy, voice gone soft and non-threatening. It was the same way he'd spoken to Nagi the day he'd found him.
Kai swallowed hard. This was a really dumb way for an ex-yakuza to act but Crawford�s air of calm authority made him feel like a gawky schoolboy. The man both attracted and terrified him.
�I�I know,� he managed to say.
Crawford slipped his trousers off leaving him in his black silk boxers. He frowned at the wrinkles in his pants that had been created by their long plane flight.
"I'm going to give you a few assignments, things that will be your responsibility. Do you think you can handle being in charge of a few things for me?"
Kai blinked. Up to date, Weiss hadn�t had a lot of use for him except to kill Goemon at the camp. If he could be of use to Crawford he might start feeling better about himself.
�I�m a pretty good gopher,� he said, pulling himself together finally. �Anything else you need, well I�m a fast learner.�
"I need a reliable personal assistant. Or, as you put it, a gopher."
He pulled the covers on the bed back and slipped into bed with an audible sigh. "Do you think you can handle assisting me?"
Kai nodded. �I can handle that, yes,� he said. �Er, did you want me to get in the bed with you?�
"Yes. Unless you're afraid of me. You aren't are you?"
He removed his glasses and set them on the bedside table.
�Um�no, I guess not. I�ve just never got into bed with a man before.�
"Ah, you get into bed with girls then," Brad remarked as he turned onto his side to face the boy. He actually managed a slight smile, "I promise to keep my hands to myself."
*Schuldig, how are things going? Can I get some sleep without anyone stabbing someone else or setting fire to the living area?*
*All quiet on the living room front, Vater. We�re all waiting for Fujimiya to finish cooking. Whatever it is smells good. Get some rest.*
�I haven�t been to bed with any girls either,� Kai admitted sheepishly. �I can fight and kill easily enough but relationships freak me out a bit.�
The American chuckled, "Well relationships aren't a high priority skill among Rosenkruez trainees, so don't expect much from Schwarz. You know the rest of your Weiss compatriots better than I do, so you're a better judge of their skills than I am."
He closed his eyes, "Let's get some rest."
To Schuldig he said, *If you don't see me in five hours, come get me. We need to get ourselves in order to face Rosenkreuz as soon as we can. They won't wait while we adjust to life with Weiss. And we need to give our kittens some rudimentary training before Aya or Yohji do something dangerous.*
Kai slipped out of his jeans and slid under the covers next to Crawford, careful not to actually touch him. Surprisingly he was asleep within seconds.
*Yohji has already approached me. Aya was the one who sent him so I think they�re keen to get some control over what they do. The silence around Kudoh is blissful. You want me to arrange firearms?*
*Excellent. I expected cooperation but the more trust we can build the easier things will be for everyone.* He shoved the pillow under his head around and closed his eyes.
*Firearms are arranged. Pickup is tonight after I wake up. Make sure I have coffee and a meal ready when I get up please.*
*Already sorted, Vater. Sleep well.*
Schuldig cut the link and leaned back against Farfarello. He was bone tired but wouldn�t sleep until the rest were settled or Brad was awake again, whichever came sooner. Until they were sure of Weiss�s loyalty he would keep watch.
Yohji, freshly showered and smelling of faintly floral shampoo, dropped onto the couch. He was in his pyjamas, dark green satin that shimmered slightly in the dim lights.
"Where's your fearless leader?"
�Getting some much needed sleep. How are you feeling? You used a lot of energy earlier.�
Yohji shrugged. "I'm tired, but I think that nap on the plane and those energy bars helped."
He reached for the TV remote then wondered if he should bother. Chances were everything would be in Thai or English. He could speak English well enough, but Thai wasn't something he knew.
Opting for conversation he asked, "Any clue what Fearless Leader's plans are?"
Schuldig let the Fearless Leader reference go. It was irking him but that was Yohji�s intention and he wasn�t prepared to take the bait. �What they always are,� he said, �to keep us all safe. Which is more than could ever be said for your ex masters.�
"And I suppose Rosenkruez had your best interests in mind? Or Esset?"
He put his feet up on the coffee table and wiggled on the couch to get comfortable, "Weiss tried to be a family, we really did. But that little Takatori bastard destroyed it."
He shook his head, "No, that's not true. He just separated us, but Ken, Aya and I are still a family."
�And you think we�re not? Nagi was living on the streets before Brad found him and Farf and I couldn�t really function on our own. As for our masters, we did try to escape them, at least.�
Schuldig pulled one of Farfarello�s arms around him. �I know how you see us, Kudoh, but you�re wrong. Do you know where Farf�s name came from? How well read he is? No! You just see him as a madman.�
"Dante's Inferno," Yohji replied. "I'm not a slouch when it comes to reading, despite what you might think. Aya is even more well read than I am, which I freely admit.
"And yes, I do think of him as a madman. Forgive me if I'm misinformed, but I remember him giving a few priests and nuns acid baths."
�He has his reasons,� Schuldig snapped. �That �Sister� Ruth that Ken-ken was so eager to rescue was a Rosenkreuz agent. She trained as a nun simply to acquire Farf. It didn�t matter what her lies did to the mind of a religious child.�
�You have no idea, Kudoh. You�re so wrapped up in your own suffering that you fail to see that others might have suffered too. I�ll tell you something. We don�t lie to each other or ourselves the way you guys do.�
"You presume to know so much about us," Yohji got up from the couch, "but you don't know shit."
He stalked out into the kitchen, putting an end to their conversation.
Ken, who'd just come into the living area watched him go with an unhappy look on his face. "This is never going to work," he muttered and went back into the room he was sharing with Nagi because he didn't want to be involved in any drama between the pair of Schwarz and Yohji.
�Damn! I made a real pig�s ear of that, didn�t I?� Schuldig said bitterly. �But Kudoh has this habit of getting right up my nose.�
"He wasn't getting up your nose, he was trying to make conversation. You're trying to read things into the situation that aren't there."
Aya turned as Yohji stormed into the kitchen. �What�s wrong?� he demanded.
"Nothing." He peered into the small refrigerator, "No beer?"
�No,� Aya said and turned back to his cooking. He checked the rice and gave the curry a final stir. �The food�s nearly ready and that�s a lot better for you than alcohol. Can you let the others know that the meal is ready, please?�
"Yeah," Yohji replied. He walked out of the kitchen, "Food's done," he told the pair on the couch then tapped on Ken's door. "Food!"
He vanished into the room he was sharing with Aya, closing the door behind him.
Aya served up the meal, keeping portions aside for Crawford and Kai. As the others filed into the kitchen he glanced up and frowned at Yohji�s absence. Putting his own portion to one side he picked up Yohji�s plate and headed for the bedroom.
He opened the door and walked in, using his foot to shut it behind him. Placing Yohji�s food on the table by the window, he turned to give his lover an arctic stare. �What�s bugging you?�
The blond took off his pyjama top, "Being caged up here with Schwarz."
He pulled on a black crop top and reached for a pair of black jeans from his suitcase. "I'm going to go wander around. I've got my credit card."
Aya frowned. �What you really mean is you�re going out to get drunk,� he said angrily. �You�re not a fool, Yohji, so why are you acting like one? Schwarz have done us no harm, in fact they�ve gone out of their way to help us. I know it�s not been done out of love but for now we need them as much as they need us.�
"I'm not going to get drunk. I don't trust them enough to do that." He pulled off his pyjama bottoms and sat down on the bed, yanking on the jeans. "I just need some time away from them before I do something stupid and hit the smirking German."
�Will you eat first, at least? You need to make up your energy.�
"Yeah," Yohji replied as he rummaged under the bed for his boots. "But I'm staying in here to do it."
�Okay,� Aya said. �Do you mind if I join you? Then, perhaps, we could explore the area together. What do you think?�
Yohji looked up at his lover, "Be honest with me, please. You're coming along to make sure I don't go off drinking. Don't pretend you're interested in exploring because we both know better."
�I just thought we could spend some time together,� Aya said. �Oh never mind. Just forget it. I�ll go eat with the others.� He turned away and opened the door.
Yohji got up off the bed and had his arms around Aya before he could get out of the door. He shoved the door closed with his foot and locked his lips over the younger man's mouth.
Aya returned the kiss for a moment before disentangling himself. �My food is getting cold,� he said a little breathlessly, �and so is yours. I�ll be back in just a minute.�
He opened the door again and returned to the kitchen. Without even acknowledging the others present, he picked up his plate and went back to the bedroom.
When Aya got back Yohji was sitting at the little table face close to the plate, taking a deep breath of the fragrant steam. "It smells good," he told his lover as he picked up the chopsticks.
�I hope it�s okay,� Aya said, �I�ve never tried Thai cooking before.� He sat down next to Yohji and picked up his own chopsticks. �Oh well, here goes.� He took a tentative mouthful.
Yohji took a bite also and started chewing. "Not sure it's exactly Thai, but it's not bad. And it certainly beats instant ramen."
Jade eyes gave a quick a glance to the door, "I tried to have a conversation with Schuldig, but he got so defensive about things."
�Thank you so much,� Aya said ironically before becoming serious again. �We�re all defensive right now, Yohji. And I know it�s hard for any of us to cut the others some slack. We�ve been on opposite sides for so long. Give it time.�
He took another mouthful of food. �As a matter of interest, what did he get defensive about?� The idea of the German being defensive at all was intriguing.
"Crawford and Farfarello. His owner and his lover. Our slightly off kilter German is very loyal to Fearless Leader and his Dante inspired pseudo demon." He ate more of the food, grateful that things were tasting better.
"Remember how you made this. I really like it."
�Well, I suppose if anyone attacked you, I�d get defensive,� Aya said thoughtfully. �I think we forget that they formed links just as we did.� He grinned suddenly.
�I know exactly how I made it and thank you.�
Yohji regarded his lover and the smile he was seeing. After so long seeing nothing but the faintest indication of a smile from the red-head seeing an actual smile, much less a grin was wonderful. He matched the smile with a grin of his own.
"I guess maybe they do have feelings for one another," he admitted. "But it's hard for me to think of them as human. Not because of their powers, but because they were the monsters in our dreams for so long."
Aya nodded. Yohji had put his own feelings perfectly and yet he knew they had to stick with Schwarz if they were going to survive. Oddly enough he found that he wanted to survive.
He finished his meal and stood up. �You still want to go for that walk?� he asked. �I�ll even let you smoke.�
Yohji finished the last bite of his own food, glad to have something approaching an appetite after feeling so ill not long ago.
"Yeah, let's go. I want to smoke and just be away from everyone for a while."
He picked up his jacket and made sure he had his wallet. "I saw a couple shops downstairs and I want to see what they have."
�Okay,� Aya agreed, going to the closet and retrieving his own jacket. He checked for credit cards and cash and picked up the pass key to the private elevator, wondering vaguely if Schwarz always lived in such luxury. No wonder they�d thought the Koneko such a joke.
When they came out of their room Farfarello was sitting on the couch. He glanced up, "Going out?"
�Yes,� Aya told him, quashing the desire to make a really snide remark. It was obvious they were going out. �Don�t wait up.�
"Are you sure you want to go, given the fact that Crawford didn't say you could go?"
Yohji frowned, "We're only going downstairs to do a little shopping."
Aya turned to stare coldly at the psycho. �We agreed to fight with you against Rosenkreuz and to train our powers for the common good. We did not agree to become Crawford�s fucking prisoners. Now back off.�
Farfarello sighed and shook his head. "Do as you will. Who am I to warn you of dangerous people? Well other than being one of those dangerous people who used to kick your pretty red ass."
Aya actually smiled at that. �You had help, Farfarello,� he said dryly before opening the door and ushering Yohji out of the suite.
Farfarello watched the pair leave, a sneer on his lips. He could have reminded them that they hadn't been trying to kill Weiss either, but he let it and the two idiots go.
The only way they would learn just how dangerous Rosenkreuz was would be to let them run into some of their agents without Schwarz to protect them.
*The two older Weiss just left. How mad to you think Brad is going to be?* he asked Schuldig.
*They won�t go far,* Schuldig said soothingly, *and I haven�t detected any undesirables in the area so they won�t come to any harm. Might be wise to cut them some slack anyway. We�ll get more co-operation that way.*
*Maybe. I have my doubts.* Farfarello left the living room to rummage in the small kitchen for something else to eat. While what Aya made was tasty, it had barely been enough to put a dent in how hungry he was.
*Maybe we should go down and get some groceries. There isn't much up here and Brad's going to be starved when he wakes up.*
*Didn�t the kitties leave him any? How rude. Okay, then, I guess I�m going to have to move and escort you to the supermarket.*
*They left plates for him and the little kitten, but I don't think they realize how much Crawford eats since he seldom has more than one meal a day. This looks more like a snack for him.*
*Okay, let�s go shopping. Might be wise to keep within range of the kitties anyway. Just in case.*
*Bangkok can be dangerous for tourists, and well, they don't look as threatening as we do.* He joined Schuldig in the living area, sitting down to put on his boots because when he was inside he enjoyed the feel of expensive carpet on his bare toes.
*We can get some sodas and snacks while we're out. Might be a good idea to find some cream and good coffee for Brad. I'm not sure about the stuff that came with the suite. You know how he is about his coffee. Real cream and only expensive stuff.*
Schuldig chuckled. *They might not look dangerous, Farf, but I wouldn�t advise any street punks to take them on�not if they want to live. You have to admit they�re good enough to have kept us entertained for a year or two.*
The German slipped into comfortable loafers and grabbed his wallet. *You ready? Wouldn�t want Vater to wake up to no coffee.*
*I'm not questioning how good they are. Especially since I know you didn't plan on letting Kudoh catch you at the Ani,* he replied as he opened the door. *Of them all he's the most dangerous, don't you think?*
He frowned, *I don't want to do anything that will stress Brad further. He's not doing well to begin with.*
*I shouldn�t worry about Vater if I were you. The new kitty puts out some very strange brain waves in his sleep that I think are helping. As for Kudoh, yes he�s the hardest of Weiss to take down as both Fujimiya and Hidaka have to get in closer. Doesn�t make them less dangerous though.*
*Well Hidaka with those claws was hardly risky for me,* he shrugged and pushed the button for the elevator. *Fujimiya was entertaining but not hard to take down.*
*Be interesting to see how good he is with a gun,* Schuldig mused.
*Damn good so Brad says,* Farfarello remarked. *We talked about it over coffee one morning.*
Schuldig laughed aloud as he stepped into the elevator. *Now why am I not surprised? Of all the kitties he is the only one who ever came to terms with what he is. Kudoh drinks and Hidaka stresses. Fujimiya accepts. Just as he has accepted us. More readily than I expected, actually.*
*Yes, he does to some degree. I guess we shouldn't antagonize them. Brad won't be happy if we get them mad.*
*True, true. They�re just so easy to wind up though. Ah well.*
The elevator came to a smooth halt on the ground floor and Schuldig stepped out into the foyer. Aya and Yohji could be seen in one of the complex�s many shops. They too appeared to be buying groceries.
*I think our best bet, if they ask, is to tell them Brad asked us to do a bit of shopping for him. I think they'll buy it, and Brad usually does send us for coffee and incidentals.*
*And Fujimiya is a tea drinker like most of his race. Yeah that should work. Here goes.*
Schuldig stepped into the shop and headed towards the selection of quality coffees. Aya turned from his perusal of teas and frowned at the telepath.
�What the hell do you want now?� he demanded.
*Or not�*
Farfarello managed as innocent a smile as he could, "Crawford is picky about his coffee. We came down to get some so our," he glanced at Yohji. "Fearless Leader won't pitch a bitch over crappy coffee."
Aya rummaged in his trolley before retrieving a pack of java. �Would this be acceptable?� he asked, managing to keep all traces of sarcasm out of his voice somehow.
Farfarello took the coffee from the ex Weiss, "It might. I don't know the brand so it's hard to say." He passed it to Schuldig, "What do you think?"
Schuldig nodded. �He likes java beans. This should be fine.�
Yohji returned to Aya's side with his small basket filled with an assortment of snacks. "Do you think this will keep Ken from chewing the furniture?" he asked as he showed Aya some energy snack bars and a six pack of sport's drinks.
�Double the quantities and it should keep him quiet for an hour or two,� Aya said, completely straight-faced.
Yohji nodded, "Yeah, I guess I'll get another two six packs and another box of these things."
"Get a box for yourself just in case," Farfarello remarked.
"No thanks. I know what these things taste like. Ken likes eating ground cardboard and glue, but I don't," Yohji replied. "But I'll find something for myself. Just not these granola muck things."
Aya sighed. �Get some bread, cold meats and salad vegetables. That way you can have sandwiches.�
Schuldig smiled suddenly, an honest smile unlike his usual smirk. �Let me guess, you�re the only one who knows how to shop. I must admit Nagi usually looks after our shopping.�
"I can shop, but I don't usually shop for other people. And I didn't say I wasn't going to get energy bars, I'm just not getting these tasteless things that Ken likes." Yohji gave the two Schwarz a sour look and stalked off.
"He's starting to remind me of Brad," Farfarello commented as he studied the display of tea.
Aya raised a brow at that. �Really? How?�
"Just some of the things he does I guess," Farfarello said as he examined a package of tea. "That cross look he just gave me for one."
Aya seemed to consider that for a moment then he actually grinned. �You know, you could be right,� he said. Still smiling to himself he caught up with Yohji in the cookie aisle.
Yohji saw the smile on Aya's face and gave his lover an answering one, "Have I told you that seeing you smile makes me want to fuck you?" he asked very softly.
An eyebrow shot up. �Then what the hell are we doing in a shop?� Aya asked very sweetly.
"I didn't think you'd want to fuck with your sister in the same apartment," Yohji replied as he picked up a package of chocolate and peanut energy bars to see what was in them.
�My sister will have to come to terms with both my lifestyle and my sexuality,� Aya said firmly.
"I just wanted to make sure where you stood on the subject." He followed Aya as the man headed for the frozen fish.
�I don�t think it will bother her too much.� He picked up a packet of frozen mackerel and added it to his cart.
Yohji stared at the fish as if it were pure poison. "You aren't making mackerel, please tell me you aren't. Why can't we have perch or... I don't know, anything else."
�I like mackerel with rice and miso for breakfast,� Aya said mildly. �They have perch, cod and haddock if you prefer them. Also crab sticks, clams, prawns and lobster tails. I can cook mine separately if it bothers you that much.�
Yohji sighed. "Aya, I know you like mackerel. I've been living with the smell of it for a couple of years. I'm just not sure how everyone else is going to feel about your habit of eating it every morning."
�Okay.� Aya retrieved the pack from his cart and put it back in the freezer with a sigh. �Why didn�t you say something before?� He considered the options and settled on a pack of crab sticks. �There. I won�t even have to cook them.�
"Because I can live with it." Yohji leaned in close and whispered, "I love you, but the others might not find your little habits so endearing."
�Hn. Yohji�what should we do about Singapura?�
"What do you want to do?" Yohji counter questioned. "As I recall you were the one kissing him when I walked in." The blonde still wasn't too happy about that. He'd as much promised Aya that he wasn't going to have any other lovers, but here was the other man, who as far as he knew, had stayed celibate for around two years planning to keep Singapura as a sexual plaything.
Aya frowned slightly. �I hadn�t intended to kiss him but it was like I couldn�t help myself and now, whenever I see him, he�s on his knees and wanting to obey my every whim.� He took a deep breath. �I can�t help but wonder why and what it would be like to possess someone in that way.�
Yohji didn't reply immediately, the blonde looking in the freezer case at small boxes of frozen treats that were obviously intended for the children of tourists.
"When I look at you I wonder what you'd be like, on your knees in nothing but a collar," he whispered.
Aya stared. �In your dreams, Kudoh,� he spat out angrily. �I�m not your plaything whatever my feelings for you.�
"I never said you were a plaything, I thought you were my lover and might be interested in pleasing me and having some fun, Aya," he replied, his tone taking on a sharp note. "But I see I was wrong."
He stalked off, angry with Aya for acting like a bitch over a comment that Yohji had thought would be better received.
Aya sighed. That hadn�t come out the way he�d expected and now Yohji was pissed at him. He pouted, eyes narrowed, before deliberately putting the mackerel back in his cart. Damn Yohji.
He headed for the checkout, ignoring Schuldig and Farfarello, and stood waiting for his shopping to be totalled up.
Yohji dumped his basket in Schuldig's arms and stalked out of the store. There was a bar down the walkway and that seemed like a much better place to be.
*Temperamental, aren't they?* Farfarello asked his lover.
�Stop thinking things at him and pass me that basket,� Aya snapped.
Schuldig handed the basket over with a grin. �So are you going to retrieve him from the nearest bar or do we get that particular chore?� he asked.
�As far as I�m concerned he can pickle his liver and be done with it!�
*Very temperamental. I wonder how Brad will handle them,* he mused to his own lover he handed Abyssinian the basket.
*Do you think we should try and keep the blonde kitten sober? Crawford may skin us if he's drunk.*
*If we don�t nobody will. Fujimiya is really pissed about something or other that Kudoh said to him, so I can�t see him going to a bar after him.*
*He's not going to do anything we ask,* Farfarello replied. *But you should be the one that goes to get him. He might listen to you, but I'm just the house nutcase so no chance of him paying me any heed.*
*He�s not that fond of me either,* Schuldig responded with a mental sigh, *but I guess I�d better try.*
*I'll stay here and watch this one. Let me know if you need me.*
*Okay. I doubt if your kitty will do anymore than go back upstairs in a huff. He might even fuck Singapura which would be good for both of them! I get the bar, a shared pack or two of cigarettes and a maudlin sob story.*
*Well if he goes upstairs I'll come back down with you.*
*All due respect, Farf, but I don�t think he likes me very much and I think he likes you even less. Let me go alone. I promise I�ll behave.*
*Well see if you can get him to come back before Brad wakes up. You know he hates how I make coffee.*
Farfarello put the basket he was carrying down as the red kitten walked away.
*Get Abyssinian to make the coffee if I�m not back, or Nagi, perhaps.* Schuldig paid for their own groceries and handed the bag to Farfarello before following Yohji.
*Don't get drunk or you know who will murder us, okay?* he asked as he strolled away from Schuldig.
*I�m not that stupid, Farf! Sheesh!*
*I never said you were stupid, but you are impulsive.*
* * * * * * *
Aya-chan was bored. Ran had wandered off to the shops with that Yohji and she didn�t know any of the others well enough to start up a conversation. She really wanted to talk to her brother, to tell him she knew he had been involved with the death of their enemies the Takatori and that it didn�t matter to her. He was still her brother no matter what he might have become.
She sighed and sipped some jasmine tea that she�d found in the kitchen. It wasn�t her favourite but Ran would know to buy green tea for her.
Zeshin entered the kitchen on silent, bare feet. Seeing the girl, Abyssinian's sister, seated at the table he paused, uncertain if he should disturb her solitude.
But he was thirsty and the water from the bathroom tap tasted too metallic for his liking.
He offered her a shy smile and went to the refrigerator to find some juice.
She returned the smile her own bright. Perhaps this boy could provide the company she craved. �My brother went shopping a while ago so there should be more choice when he returns,� she offered.
Zeshin frowned at the orange drink in his hand. It wasn't real juice but it would have to do until something better was forthcoming.
"Can I get you something to eat? There isn't much of a selection but I could make you some fruit salad if you'd like."
He felt a little uncomfortable talking to her, but he always felt totally awkward around girls. He had so little experience with them, and his time with Weiss hadn't done much to help him with that lack of skill.
�I had some of Ran�s curry, thank you.� She frowned slightly. Although her brother had worked in a fast food place when in high school, she hadn�t realised he could do more than flip burgers.
"Oh... um.. okay then," he replied, once again at a loss.
As if she�d summoned him with her thoughts, Ran chose that moment to storm into the kitchen, his arms full of bags which he dumped on the table before turning abruptly and stalking back out.
She was not best pleased at being ignored by him and wondered what had happened to make him so angry, unless that Yohji had upset him.
Zeshin sighed. He'd seen the older Weiss in moods like that before. Moods that Yohji seemed able to trigger in the red-head by his very presence. He still had difficulty reconciling them as lovers when they fought so much.
There was no sign of Yohji and, knowing the blonde, that would mean he was off getting the only exercise the man seemed capable of performing. The bending of his elbow as he lifted a drink to his lips.
The teen wondered if he should do anything, and decided that, after what he'd almost done, he wasn't the best candidate for handling the situation. Or any situation involving the older Weiss for that matter.
�Did that Yohji upset him do you think?� she asked. Perhaps Zeshin could answer some of her questions.
The boy didn't miss the way she referred to the blonde man. 'That Yohji...' It was an odd choice of words. While he wasn't terribly good with girls, he'd been trained to note subtle nuances, and her choice of words was all he needed to come to the conclusion that, whatever she might say to the contrary, she didn't approve of the relationship between her brother and 'that Yohji'. As if the man's name indicated a species akin to any other undeserving vermin.
He sighed again realizing that the pair of men were in for a much worse time of it than either of them knew. Not only was their relationship strained by everything that had happened to them-- his own misguided attempt to kill them included-- but now they would have to contend with Aya-chan's disapproval.
"They still haven't gotten used to the changes that we're facing. The end of Weiss, our relationship with Kritiker in flames, Ken not being dead like they thought," he swallowed bitterness, "the Takatori's betrayal."
She sniffed at that. �They always were good at betrayal,� she said, �every last one of them.�
She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. �I�m perhaps being unfair,� she said quietly. �It just came as such a shock to find Ran alive and then to find he prefers men to women.� She looked directly at Zeshin then. �Will this Yohji treat him well?�
There were so many questions and she wasn�t sure if she wanted the answers. �Do they often fight like that?�
Zeshin shrugged, "This is, I think, something new for both of them. Until recently Yohji was determined to have just about every woman in Tokyo between the age of 18 and 30 so long as they were pretty. At least that was how it seemed."
He set down his bottle of juice and started unpacking the abandoned bags of groceries. "Can I ask you something a bit personal?"
�You can ask. I�m not entirely sure that I�ll answer but I won�t take offence.� She stood up and started to help him unpack groceries. A small smile crossed her features when she found the packet of green tea. �He remembered.�
"I just wanted to know why you keep saying 'that Yohji' as if," he frowned, "there might be a different Yohji around, or like he's not a person maybe. It just sounds.." he turned away before finishing, "disrespectful and rude."
Aya-chan blushed to the roots of her hair. How many times had her parents and brother chided her for her impetuousness and disrespect? And now this boy had called her on it too. It was true that she had no idea what to make of Yohji or her brother�s relationship with him but she should not have been so rude.
�I just� I�m� I want Ran to be happy, is all, and it doesn�t really seem as if he is.�
"How can he be considering the things that are happening?" Zeshin asked her softly. "Do you think any of us are happy?"
He stared at the noodles in his hand, frowning at them, but it was very apparent that he wasn't thinking about the noodles. His expression was much too grim for mere noodles. "I tried to kill them," he admitted softly. "It was what Mamoru wanted, and I was a fool for listening to him. I'm only alive because Crawford seems to have a use for me, but if it were up to Aya..." he shook his head. "I don't know if I'd be here or not." He gave a bitter hint of a smile, thinking of Aya's mouth on his lips and the brutal passion of the man's kisses. "And I'm probably part of the reason they are fighting. But I can't be sure of anything really."
He turned and put the noodles into a cabinet, "And none of us really wants to be here with Schwarz. Schwarz and Weiss have been enemies too long."
�You tried to kill them? You�re part of the reason? Schwarz rescued me yet they�re enemies?� Instead of getting questions answered she was finding many new ones. Mamoru was a Takatori, his perfidy was normal for that family but Zeshin wasn�t dead. Wouldn�t an assassin be unforgiving of someone who�d tried to kill him?
None of it was making any sense to her. �Please, help me out here. I need to know what I�ve walked into and whether I should even be here or not. I know what you all are, and in Ran�s case, I think I know why. But so much is hidden from me still.�
Zeshin turned a fragile smile on the girl, "Welcome to our little club of mushrooms. We live in the dark and are fed on... well I'm sure you know what I'd say."
He gazed at her for a moment, golden eyes full of sadness and something else hard to define. "I don't have any answers really. And the man that has them doesn't say much. We're here because Crawford wanted us here and beyond that," he shook his head, "I'm not sure I'm the person who can answer your questions. I think all the answers are held by your brother and the Oracle."
�And yet you say they are long time enemies. Why would Crawford want to help an enemy. Unless� He sees the future, right? And he doesn�t strike me as the sort of man who does things for altruistic reasons. So we must all have some use for him.� She sighed. �No wonder Ran is unhappy. He always hated being used. And I�ve probably been blaming the wrong person��
She tailed off and offered Zeshin a weak smile. �I�m sorry. I always did talk too much.�
He shrugged once more and offered up another of those wan smiles, "I don't think that man uses a toilet without having a plan before hand," he remarked softly. "And no one likes being used, but..." he put some fruit in the refrigerator, "I guess we're getting used to it from being Weiss. We weren't anything but convenient tools to Kritiker. Ones they felt no compunction over discarding after we'd served our purpose."
She shivered at that thought. Seemingly they were all damned lucky to be alive yet there was a ray of hope in her mind. Crawford seemed to look after his own and if she and her brother and the rest of Weiss had been adopted, no matter what the reason, she felt they would be looked after.
�Perhaps,� she said with unusual diffidence, �things will be better for you now�for all of us.�
"Maybe," but the boy's tone clearly conveyed his scepticism
�You don�t seem too sure,� she said. �Is that just part of being an assassin or do you have some other reason?�.
"How do you trust someone that, until recently, was trying to kill you? I just keep waiting for another betrayal. I think all of us are."
�By that reasoning, Ran and Yohji can�t trust you,� she pointed out.
"What makes you think they actually trusted me before I tried to kill them? They didn't know me, they still don't really know me, nor do I know them." He frowned, "We're killers. The only person I trust now is Ken, and I'm not so sure about that anymore either. He's... changed because of what Mamoru ordered me to do, and all the lies he told to us."
�Fucking Takatori,� she muttered. �You want to know something? I think if all you guys don�t start learning to trust each other, you�re all going to die too fast and too young.�
"It's easy for you to say that because you haven't gone through the same things we have. It's hard to trust anyone when the person you trusted most turns out to be the biggest liar you've ever met and then turns someone against you that you were supposed to trust. It's hard not to become cynical and bitter when someone you loved orders you to do a horrible thing stabs you in the back and doesn't think twice about it!" Zeshin told her, his words angry and filled with pain.
He gave her a final look, one rife with deep sorrow and pain. "I hope you never have to go through even a tenth of what any of us have," he told her and then walked out of the kitchen.
Aya-chan finished putting the groceries away and made herself some green tea, Zeshin�s words going through her mind. He was right, although he hadn�t said it in so many words, she would never understand.
* * * * * * *
Schuldig ducked into the bar where Yohji had vanished and spotted the blonde sitting at the bar and nursing a whiskey. He wandered over and offered him a cigarette. �You want to talk about it?� he asked.
"No," was the flat and unfriendly answer.
�Well take the goddamn cigarette, at least,� Schuldig snapped, tired of the attitude already. �Jeez, no wonder Fujimiya left you to it.�
Yohji's hand flashed out and closed on Schuldig's wrist painfully, "Go the fuck away!" He let go, shoving the man backwards at the same time.
Schuldig kept his feet and used his telepathic speed to grab Yohji round the throat. �Much as I�d love to leave you to it, I can�t. Crawford in a rage is a lot more scary than you could ever be.�
"And if you don't let me go, you will attract the police which will truly piss him off. So go away. I'm having one drink then I'm taking a walk, alone, so I can think."
Schuldig let him go but sat on the stool next to his and lit a cigarette. He ordered a small beer and then leaned his elbows on the bar. �Sometimes talking helps,� he said.
Yohji gave him a look with more than a touch of frost in it as he lit a cigarette.
Schuldig sighed. �Or not,� he said. �Okay, I�m going to drink my beer and smoke my cigarette and then I�ll go back to the apartment and leave you to it.�
The blonde picked up his whiskey and took a sip, nursing the drink the same way he would have done on a recon mission at a club.
"So he's really your lover?" Yohji asked quietly.
Schuldig�s brows rose in surprise at the question but he answered readily enough. �Yeah, he was man enough to tame me.�
A gold eyebrow arched at the telepath's choice of words. "So you're um... bottom then?"
Schuldig chuckled softly. �Can you honestly imagine Farf being bottom? Yeah, I�m, what�s your word?�uke? most of the time. Very occasionally he likes to switch but not often.�
Yohji nodded, "That's the word." He sipped his drink and finally asked, "Do you love him, or is it about sex?"
�I love him. How could I not love him? Poor, fucked up bastard that he is. And also he�s very intelligent once you get past his possibly natural desire to kill most of humanity. I say possibly natural because humanity has let him down rather badly in his short but eventful life.�
"Well he's not the only one that's had to wade through a life of shit," he remarked before going quiet again.
"He almost reminds me of Aya in a way. Intelligent and you're never sure what's going on in his head." He frowned. "He makes me uneasy, but so does Aya sometimes." He sighed, "Especially when he gets mad and I don't know exactly why."
Schuldig frowned slightly. �Can I ask you something personal? Who�s on top in your relationship?�
Yohji sighed and stared at his drink. "I was," he said flatly sounding none too happy. "But I don't think that's what he wants."
�A year ago I�d have felt the same way you do,� Schuldig said thoughtfully, �but Farf wasn�t playing. Aya, he�s a predator just like Farf is. Oh I know he�s saner than Farf but he is a predator all the same. And predators don�t make good bottoms. If he let you top him it�s because he wanted to please you.�
He was silent for a moment, staring at the glowing end of his cigarette. �Can I give you some advice? It�s up to you whether or not you take it. A guy like Farf or Fujimiya takes some holding but the effort is usually worth it. Even if it means you�re the one being fucked.�
Yohji finished his drink and stared at the ice, lost in thought. "Yeah, I know. My problem is I'm not sure I'm the one he really wants to do the holding."
He left the barstool and walked out of the bar.
Schuldig stubbed out his cigarette and sighed. He wants both of you, Kudoh, but you�re not sure about sharing. He waited for a moment then followed Yohji at a discreet distance, using his telepathy to locate him rather than line of sight.
Yohji wandered into a shop and idly looked through the clothing but his mind wasn't on the clothes, it was on Aya, Singapura and the fact that Aya wanted to be on top and Yohji didn't mind that too much. What he minded was sharing.