Having ascertained that Yohji was going to be fine and was actually working his way back to the apartment, Schuldig headed back there himself. Brad’s five hours were almost up and if he didn’t wake him in time he would get his head bitten off.
The smell of coffee hit his nostrils as soon as he entered the apartment and he smiled to himself. That was one less thing to worry about.
He knocked on Brad’s door but received no answer. Opening the door he found Brad still asleep, one arm draped round an equally comatose Bengal. A brow quirked up in amusement, but he crossed the room and shook Brad gently.
“You’ve had five hours, Vater. Fujimiya has brewed some coffee.”
Crawford groaned softly and opened his eyes, automatically reaching for his glasses. He felt better, but more groggy than was normal and he glanced at the boy.
"Has there been any blood or mayhem?" he asked the telepath quietly. "Or has everyone been playing nice?"
“No blood or mayhem but Kudoh and Fujimiya have had a lovers tiff over Singapura.” Schuldig shrugged slightly. “Kudoh’s on his way back now so I don’t know if they’ll start yelling at each other.”
"Those two," he shook his head, "have emotional problems to work out." He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, but he remained sitting there for a moment.
"Maybe you and Farfarello should give them a few tips. I think they need them." He stretched a bit, glanced at the sleeping boy and allowed himself the barest hint of a smile. "Not what I wanted, but acceptable," he said.
He stood and pulled Schuldig close, actually running his fingers through the German's hair, dark eyes searching the azure gaze as if he were trying to see into the red-head's mind. *How are you feeling?*
Schuldig smiled. “I’m fine having spent most of the afternoon with a pissed off Kudoh. He’s kept the voices at bay. What about you, Vater? Are you rested?”
Brad considered the question, "Yes, actually I feel rather good."
He started to unbutton his pyjama top, "I think I'll be keeping our little Bengal here. You might consider making nice with Kudoh, and convincing Farfarello not to kill him."
“Farf’s reaction will depend on exactly how nice I make with him,” Schuldig said with a grin. “I have offered the benefit of my advice if he chooses to take it. Strangely he confided in me. If Farf sees it as trying to help the kitties sort out their little love triangle he should behave himself.”
"We have to tie them to us a bit more tightly than simple chat will accomplish. Siberian is as good as ours if the relationship that is starting between him and Nagi is allowed to flourish, but the pair we most need is still teetering at the edge. I see them leaving us, and that will prove our downfall should it happen."
“Strangely, Fujimiya seems more resigned to staying than Kudoh does at the moment. Which is why I think we need to help them sort out their problems with Singapura. The boy appears to be totally Fujimiya’s but then again he has betrayed them once already and Fujimiya doesn’t take kindly to betrayal.”
Schuldig sighed. “I’m doing the best I can with Kudoh, but he doesn’t like me enough to trust me or listen to me.”
Brad raised an eyebrow, "Or he's attracted to you and is doing his best to keep you at arm's length because he doesn't want any reprisals from Fujimiya."
“I think Fujimiya would be the least of his problems if Farf thought he was attracted to me.” He frowned slightly. “What have you seen, Vater?”
"Too many things," the American replied, his expression troubled. "We're at one of those spots where there are so many possibilities branching out that it's hard for me find our way through."
Schuldig was silent for a moment or two as he thought things through. “It seems to me that if Fujimiya stays then they all will, including Kudoh. It might be wisest to win him over.”
"Any suggestions?" Brad questioned as he got underwear out of the drawer. "I'd love nothing more than to throw the bitch down and fuck him blind, but somehow I doubt that will have the desired effect."
“Especially as Kudoh is bemoaning the fact that he’s not an uke after all,” Schuldig said with a smirk. “The only way to win him over is to earn his respect as an equal. Now he knows what he can do, that’s exactly what he is, after all.”
Brad headed for the shower, "This is going to take time for me to sort out, and I don't think we're going to get the time we need. Or they need for that matter."
“That may just be a blessing in disguise,” Schuldig said. “Nothing will bring us together quicker than a common enemy.”
"Don't count on that," the man replied. "The tension building between Kudoh and Fujimiya has the potential to get us all killed."
“Maybe Siberian could talk some sense into them,” Schuldig suggested. “Or do we lock them in a room together?”
"I don't know," he replied, which for him was an unusual admission.
Meanwhile, the cause of all this soul-searching was calmly drinking tea in the kitchen. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do about Yohji. They were both dominant, alpha males and he’d possibly made a mistake by letting the blonde think he was in charge. He’d only let Yohji do the fucking because he loved and trusted the man.
Yohji entered the apartment heading into the room he was sharing with Ran to get his stuff. He'd rented his own room a few floors down because he wanted to be away from Aya and everyone else and fuck Crawford if he didn't like the arrangement.
Hearing Yohji come in, Aya headed towards their bedroom. Yohji was throwing stuff into his suitcase. Hurt by this, Aya lashed out. “Up to your old tricks again, Kudoh? Fuck them and leave them?”
The blonde spun around and grabbed the younger man by the shoulders, slamming him into the wall, jade eyes hot with anger.
"I seem to recall seeing you kissing someone else after you told me you were mine and I was yours! Fuck you! Or rather, go fuck yourself!"
“You said you wanted to see me kiss him,” Aya reminded him, orchid eyes narrowed. He pushed Yohji off him. “Are you that stupid that you’d let something so damned petty destroy us all?”
The blonde visibly wilted, shoulders slumping. "You're beautiful, Aya, and I love you. And yes he's beautiful too, and I liked how it looked when you were kissing him. But he's not you, I don't have any interest in him."
He stepped away and dropped onto the bed. "I..." he lowered his gaze, "I can't be what he'll be for you. I know that and you need to understand it."
Tormented jade eyes raised to regard the younger killer, "I can take being on bottom, but not all the time. I like the feel of being inside someone a lot more than having someone inside me. Why do you think I've fucked so many women? That and the fact I've never found a man I wanted to stay with, other than you and I'm not sure it's going to work.
"I love you, I want to be with you but..." he ran a hand through his hair, "I'm not sure this is going to work for us."
“Do you really believe I’d love you the way I do if you were like him?” Aya asked. “I don’t want you to be some kind of fuck toy, Yohji. I need you to be strong, someone I can lean on when I have to.”
He stared at the carpet, eyes glittering as if he were in some kind of fever. “I don’t care who’s top and who’s bottom. Not with you. If that’s what it takes to keep you by my side and at my back in a fight, then I’ll be your bitch. I don’t care about that.”
He raised his eyes to meet Yohji’s. “And I’ll never touch Singapura again if that’s what you want.” Then he swallowed his pride completely and knelt on the floor at Yohji’s feet. “I…I don’t have a collar to wear but this is Bangkok. I’m sure we could find one for me if you wish.”
Strange how easy it was to give up his pride for the blonde.
Looking at his lover kneeling at his feet sent a blaze of desire through the blonde, not because of their relative positions, but because Aya, proud, cold, aloof Aya had humbled himself to show his love.
Yohji caressed Aya's cheek, fingers sliding down to cup his chin, he lifted Aya's face and stared into his eyes before he slipped off the bed, pulling Aya into his arms and kissing him with tender passion.
Aya gave himself up to both the kiss and Yohji, letting the blonde take full control for once. It surprised him just how liberating that was. He didn’t have to be in control with Yohji the way he did with everyone else and there was a strange kind of freedom in that.
He tilted his head back, offering up his neck.
The blonde accepted the invitation, kissing his way down the pale throat, sucking gently, rolling his tongue over Aya's skin and breathing gently across the dampened skin.
Aya’s mouth opened slightly on a gasp of pure pleasure at the sensations Yohji was creating in him. His arms went round the other man and he pulled him even closer, not wanting to let go in case he decided to finish packing and head out of the door. “Take me, Yohji,” he whispered.
Yohji chuckled, "Tell me where you want to go. Where I'd like to take you is down to the room I rented and fuck you until you beg me to stop, and then make sure you scream from pleasure. Interested?"
Aya pulled away far enough to stare at Yohji. There was something to be said for being away from everyone else if his lover intended to make this a particularly noisy bout of sex. Finally, he nodded. “Okay,” he said, “but your things stay here.”
Yohji didn't answer that, he was too busy exploring Aya's neck with his lips and tongue.
Aya prised his lover off his neck, hard though it was. “Are you listening to me?”
"You really do talk too much, Aya," Yohji replied. "I was having fun here. And yes, I was listening."
Orchid eyes narrowed and Aya threw himself at Yohji, pinning the taller man against the bed. “If you’re that intent on what you’re doing then we don’t need to go anywhere,” he growled before attacking the blonde’s throat in his turn.
Yohji's eyes closed and he wrapped long arms around the red-head, his heartbeat had picked up at the younger man's aggression. He found he'd actually liked it this time as much as the bits of aggressive behaviour Aya had shown with him before. But that did not mean he was an uke by nature. Not in the least.
"Guess we should go then," the blonde said, but he wasn't moving,
Aya muttered something about dumb blondes before roughly kissing Yohji to shut him up. “I’m not going anywhere,” he growled when they both came up for air, “and neither are you.”
He straddled Yohji, slipping his hands under the blonde’s top and caressing the smooth, warm skin underneath. His fingers brushed against nipples and he flicked them in passing.
Yohji's breath caught and he make no effort to stifle the moan of pleasure he voiced because of the touch of Aya's hands over his chest.
It felt good. He slid his own hands under Aya's shirt and slid his hands up along the skin of his ribs, fingers finding the younger man's nipples.
Aya arched at the touch, letting out his breath on a low gasp. Then he sat up and tugged at Yohji’s top. “I want this off!”
A slow, sexy and highly mischievous smile spread across Yohji's face, "Do you? And what if I say no?"
Aya reached back and withdrew the knife that was always tucked into his boot. “Then I’ll cut it off,” he said, unfolding the blade.
"I don't think so. I don't have enough clothes for you to ruin the nicest shirt I currently have."
He pulled it off over his head and tossed it aside. "There. Happy?"
“Ecstatic,” Aya said with a slight smirk. He closed the knife and tucked it back in its compartment in his boot before pulling his own shirt over his head and letting it drop to the floor.
Every muscle in his body contributed to what Yohji did next. He gripped the red-haired man and twisted himself, rolling to put the smaller man under him, pinning the swordsman to the bed.
He was grinning. "And now I'm ecstatic." He lowered his head and nipped Aya's chest, catching a nipple lightly between his teeth.
Aya chuckled softly, deep in his throat before the sound changed to a gasp of pure pleasure. He relaxed in Yohji’s hands and closed his eyes, giving himself up to sensation.
“Yotan,” he murmured, running his own hands up and down the blonde’s back.
"Hmmm?" Yohji almost purred as he licked the bitten nipple and pushed Aya's legs wide so he could press his jean covered crotch against Aya's, teasing them both.
Aya bucked against him, his erection almost painfully pinned against the answering hardness from Yohji. His hands fumbled at the waist of Yohji’s jeans, undoing belt buckle, button and pulling at the zip.
The blond grabbed both of Aya's hands and pulled them away, pinning them above Aya's head. "Easy, baby. We're not in any hurry," his lips brushed across Aya's ear, the tip of his tongue darting out to sweep along the curve before he breathed softly into it.
Aya groaned letting Yohji do as he wished for now. It all felt too good to argue anyway. He tilted his head slightly, letting his growing hair fall back from the ear the blonde was attacking.
Yohji raised up, bracing himself and tightening his grip on Aya's wrists as he did so. He looked down at his lover, taking in his beauty, "I love you," he stated as he leaned down once more to attack the man's pale skin with his mouth.
Aya’s head thrashed from side to side as Yohji’s mouth roamed over his neck and torso sending tingles through him that headed straight for his already rock hard cock.
"I love your skin. Pale as snow, but hot as passion itself," Yohji whispered as he kissed along the man's collarbone.
He pushed Aya's hands together and grabbed a discarded towel, wrapping it around them before he pulled a short piece of wire from his watch and bound his lover's hands.
Aya’s first instinct was to struggle but he made himself accept the bonds, knowing just how much Yohji needed this after their fight in the shop. He took in deep breaths of Yohji’s scent with which to calm himself.
"You trust me, don't you?" he asked as he kissed his way down Aya's body, one hand still on the red-head's bound wrists.
“You think you’d have got this far if I didn’t?” Aya retorted before gasping again as a tongue swept over his hipbone.
Yohji unbuttoned Aya's pants and pulled the zipper down, his grip on Aya's wrists getting harder as he leaned down and placed his mouth over the outline of Aya' cock, lips pressing to the head, his warm breath forced gently through the man's underwear.
Aya gasped again, then began to pant as the sensations became too much to take without some sort of release. “Yohji, please,” he murmured disjointedly.
"Breathe Aya. Take slow deep breaths and the need backs off," Yohji instructed.
Aya took the first of several long deep breaths and felt the urge to come recede to manageable proportions.
Yohji smiled, "Good. Lesson one learned. Now keep breathing like that no matter what I do," the blond instructed as he pulled Aya's boots and pants off.
"Lesson two. Don't move no matter what I do." He pushed Aya's legs wide and settled between them, resuming the slow breathing he'd been doing, but now his hands were busy too, massaging the man's thighs, fingertips grazing across the balls concealed by the clinging underwear.
Aya kept still and his breathing slow and deep except at those moments when he had to gasp.
"Tell me what you want me to do, Aya."
“I want you to fuck me, Yotan,” Aya gasped out.
"Do you?" Yohji asked as he gripped the waistband of Aya's underwear and slowly pulled them down, freeing the rigid cock into the cool air.
"Why should I fuck you? Give me a good reason. Just one, that's all I need."
“Because you are the only one I trust enough to fuck me,” Aya said. “You’re all I have now, Yohji. My sister is safe but has her own life to lead. There is nobody else and I need this. From you I need this.”
Yohji smiled at his lover, "You need to be fucked? You sure?" he asked, a hand closing over Aya's balls, caressing them gently.
“Yes,” Aya hissed. “If it’s all you’ll allow, so be it. Fuck me, Yohji.”
"Always in such a hurry," the blonde muttered as he took Aya's cock in his hand. Grinning wickedly he leaned down and took the full length of it into his mouth, rolling his tongue over the head as he did.
Aya arched bringing his hips off the bed as the wet warmth of Yohji’s mouth engulfed him. How he longed to bury himself inside the blonde but guessed that he would never be allowed that privilege. But this was almost as good.
Yohji sucked gently, enjoying the taste of the cock in his mouth, the delicate flavour that was Aya's pre-cum, faintly salty, slightly sweet, purely Aya.
He gave the man a few moments of pleasure while he considered what he wanted to do. Please himself, or please Aya?
Or find a way he could please them both.
Aya moaned softly, held helpless by both the wire and the pleasure Yohji was giving him.
Making a decision Yohji grabbed the lube he'd left under his pillow and poured some into his hand.
He stopped what he was doing to Aya, slathered the lube over the red-head's cock and quickly straddled the younger man's hips.
"You better be good at this," he said as he gripped Aya's cock and eased himself down on it.
Aya’s eyes flew open and he stared up at Yohji in amazement. Then he smiled as Yohji gently lowered himself until Aya was buried completely in the tight warmth of his lover’s body.
Yohji smiled at Aya's surprised look. It felt good to have Aya inside him, not because it had been a long time since he'd allowed himself to be fucked, but because it was Aya, and it was something the younger man wanted.
“I might be better if you untied me,” he said softly.
"I told you I love you," Yohji said as he undid the wire and towel holding Aya's wrists.
Once he was free, and the circulation had returned to his hands somewhat, Aya reached out and took hold of Yohji’s hips urging the man to move to his rhythm. A slight adjustment and his lover groaned as Aya found his sweet spot.
Yohji let Aya set the pace, his thighs tensed allowing his lover room to move, but the action tightened his grip on his lover's cock.
It was Aya’s turn to moan as Yohji clenched around him. “Relax,” he murmured, voice husky with lust.
"You don't like what I'm doing?' Yohji asked as he rose up slightly, aiding Aya in what he was doing.
“I just want it to last a bit longer,” Aya told him as he snapped his hips upward again.
"Then breathe like I told you to," Yohji replied as he took a deep breath, and grinned at his lover.
“Hmm,” was Aya’s only verbal response. His physical response was to grab Yohji and roll them over again so that Yohji was beneath him. He bent his lover’s long legs up until they were resting against his shoulders then pressed into Yohji again.
Yohji moaned.
“Remember to breathe deeply, Yohji,” Aya said with a grin.
The blonde grabbed a handful of Aya's hair and pulled the younger man down for a kiss.
Aya was happy to oblige and ravaged Yohji’s lips hungrily until both were gasping for air. Then he braced himself on his arms and took up a slow but steady rhythm.
Yohji took a deep, slow breath and caressed his lover, running his hands over the pale skin. "You're so beautiful, Aya."
Aya gazed down at Yohji, his blonde waves dishevelled and spread out over the pillow, green eyes half closed in pleasure. “You’re the beautiful one, Yohji.”
Yohji's reply was a soft moan, his fingers digging into the man's shoulders slightly, "Show me how good you are, Aya."
And Aya attempted to do just that. Even though he’d never been in this position before, it felt so right to have Yohji moaning beneath him. Yes, he was happy for it to be the other way round too but this… He groaned softly and thrust into Yohji faster and harder, hoping in some part of his brain that he wasn’t hurting his lover.
Roaring flame ignited inside the blonde as Aya's pace stroked the sweet place deep inside him. He groaned his lover's name and held tighter, his grip almost painful on the swordsman's shoulders.
It was all becoming too much and Aya braced on one arm whilst moving his now free hand to Yohji’s cock. He stroked it with one gentle finger before taking it in his hand and pumping in rhythm with his thrusts. “Come for me, Yohji,” he whispered.
"Going to, come. Waiting for you," Yohji panted out.
Those words were enough to send Aya over the edge and he spurted deep inside the tight heat that held his cock so firmly. He felt as if he was going to come forever as spurt after spurt of warm wet cum shot into Yohji. “Oh God! Yohji!” he all but screamed.
Gasping Yohji bucked under Aya, hot cum splattering over his belly and Aya's hand.
Aya had the presence of mind not to collapse on his lover, but it was a near thing. He felt utterly exhausted yet completely content. When he could manage his body once again he withdrew gently and fell to one side, still holding onto Yohji. He gave a satisfied rumble from somewhere deep in his throat that sounded almost like a purring cat.
Yohji slid an arm around Aya and held him close, not caring that they were both damp with sweat. It felt good to lay there with his lover pressed against him. He turned slightly to press a kiss to Aya's mouth.
"That was good, and I love you."
“I love you, too,” Aya replied almost on the edge of sleep. Then he jerked wide awake. “Was it? Really?”
"Umm hmm," Yohji affirmed as he started to relax. He was a bit tired, even after the few hours sleep he'd gotten on the plane. But more than that, it felt good to be next to Aya in a bed.
“I thought you just let me to keep me happy,” Aya said, relaxing again. He smiled out into the room before making himself comfortable in Yohji’s arms and letting sleep claim him. A shower could wait.
"Hm, that was what I intended, but," Yohji sighed, "it did feel good, it just didn't last long enough."
“Sorry,” Aya said through his sleepiness, “was first time like that. Not used to it.”
Now it was Yohji's turn to react with shock, "What do you mean it was your first time like that? You've never fucked someone when you were on top?"
“You really see Knight or Kikyou being on the bottom?” Aya asked. “That was always where I was.”
"Since I don't really know either of them, I have no idea." He closed his eyes, "What would you have done if I didn't like it?" he asked, becoming aware of the drying semen on his stomach but unwilling to move just yet.
“They’re alpha males - well, Kikyou was and Yuushi still is. I would have let things go on as before,” Aya said. “I’m not insecure enough to believe that my manhood depends on fucking rather than being fucked. With you, I’m happy either way.”
Yohji kissed Aya's cheek, "My only complaint is lack of stamina, but since it's been so long for you it's understandable."
He sighed, "Let's take a nap and maybe when we wake up we can try again. Do you want to do that?"
Aya’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Lack of stamina? As I recall it you were the one waiting for me.”
"You were fucking me too hard, too fast. And I'm not really used to being on the bottom either," Yohji retorted softly as he pulled the sheet over them, his legs beginning to feel chilled.
The nap sounded good though and he was getting addicted to fucking with Yohji, whoever was on top. “Yeah,” he muttered, “sounds good.”
"Yeah it does," he agreed as he kissed his lover. "I want to see if we can go longer next time. I never feel really satisfied unless I've gotten to fool around for an hour or so."
Aya snorted but inwardly he had to agree that fooling around for that long sounded like fun. “Greedy bastard,” he commented through a yawn. His arms went round Yohji again and he settled his head against his chest.
"Damn right I'm greedy. Do you know how long I've been waiting for this?" Yohji asked as he cradled the red-head against him. "Go to sleep. We can talk and fuck more later."
“You’re the one doing all the damned talking,” Aya argued although his eyes were now closed and he was almost asleep.
Yohji's reply was a soft chuckle as he tightened his hold on the younger man. Aya was talking more in the last few days than he'd talked to any of them in the last three years. It amused the blonde to hear the once too quiet man talking so much.
* * * * * * *
Ken was staring at the soccer game, but not really seeing it. His mind was elsewhere, drifting between past, present and the uncertain future.
So much had happened. Finding out that Aya and Yohji were still alive, that the Takatori-- never Omi, his lover Omi had been another person-- had ordered Zeshin the boy he'd trained to kill them. And now their partnership with Schwarz.
Schwarz. And the feelings he was starting to have for Nagi. Iron and a magnet, and it made no sense, and yet, in a way it did.
He rubbed his face and tried to push his worries-- and fears-- aside. He wanted to stop thinking, but he couldn't. Not even to pay attention to a soccer game.
The gentlest of touches to his shoulder brought Nagi to his attention, even though the teen was across the room.
He asked no dumb questions. Merely crossed the room to sit at Ken’s feet and turned his attention to the game. Or some of it at least. He knew the issues that all of the original Weiss three had about Takatori Mamoru, especially Ken. He also knew that he was seen as Schwarz and therefore an enemy by all of them and that was also hardest on Ken.
“I’ve just made Brad some coffee, do you want some?” he asked.
Ken's chocolate gaze fixed on the younger man, taking a moment to focus, to return to the here and now, opposed to the what if, if only he'd been dwelling on. "Yeah, sure. Lots of cream, just a sprinkle of sugar. Thanks."
And the here and now wasn't much better than the what ifs and if onlys because that brought him back to the troubling question of exactly what he was feeling for Nagi.
Ever since that kiss under the tree in the park, he'd been wondering what, if anything, it had meant. And despite hours of pondering the meaning, he wasn't any closer to a discovery.
Nagi rose gracefully to his feet and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen. He was back a moment or two later with the coffee, exactly as Ken had requested it, floating in the air ahead of him. He caught the mug and handed it over before sighing slightly.
“I think we need to talk, Ken,” he said quietly.
Ken regarded the boy for a moment, the steaming coffee cradled in both hands, then nodded agreement. "Yeah, I guess we do."
“Okay, I’ll start. I’m not fifteen anymore, Ken. I’m eighteen and I sometimes wonder if I was ever really a child. I accidentally killed my mother when I was five years old and had a temper tantrum. I spent some time in an orphanage after that but they were terrified of me so I ran away and lived on the streets for three years. That’s where Brad found me and saved me. You may or may not be able to imagine what those three years were like but let’s just say I’m not the innocent you seem to think I am. If that’s part of the problem, please, forget about it.”
Ken didn't reply immediately. Perhaps on some level he might have wondered whether Nagi was a virgin or not, but at the same time he'd made an odd assumption that being in Schwarz meant otherwise. Why he'd made that assumption he didn't know, but at some level he realized he had.
"I think my real problem is... memories." He took a drink of his coffee, eyes haunted by the past. Kase. Omi who'd died at the Ani Museum. Mamoru who'd never replaced him in the brunet's heart.
Nagi nodded and seemed to pull away, to shrink into himself again. “I understand,” he said sadly, “you remember us only as your enemies.”
He turned, ready to leave the room. If he was going to cry he was going to do it in private, not where Ken, or even worse, Schuldig, could see.
"No, it's not you or that really. It's... older than that. I've only had two lovers in my life. Kase and Omi. And they both... died and came back to betray me. It's..." he shook his head. "I feel as if I'm hollow, like my heart is burnt to cinders and my soul is dead."
He ran a hand through his hair, frowning into the distance of memory, not looking at the blue-eyed teen.
"You know, I'm really starting to lose it, because I only feel alive when I'm killing," he admitted softly.
It was hardly surprising really, Nagi realised. Having two lovers betray you couldn’t leave a lot in your life that you could trust apart from your ability to kill. He stepped back into the room and approached Ken.
“I’m not going to tell you that I’ll never betray you,” he said in his quiet way. “You have no reason to believe me anyway. What I will say is this, I’ll never use you the way Kase did and I’ll not turn my back on my ‘family’ the way Takatori Mamoru did.”
He took a deep breath and telekinetically massaged Ken’s tense shoulders.
For a moment the brunet remained tense, but he gave in to the sensation, though he didn't really relax. Not completely.
"I still don't understand what makes Crawford think the group of us can live like this without killing each other. Especially Farfarello, Yohji and me. He's got to know how much I hate Farfarello and how much Yohji hates all of you."
Nagi frowned slightly. “Why do you hate Farf especially. I can see why Takatori would hate him, but not you so much. As for Yohji, I think Aya might convince him to…see reason?” He blushed slightly. “Not that I mean he’s unreasonable…”
Ken looked up at Nagi, "Because he killed Omi. At least, the last time I saw Omi was at the Ani, with Farfarello kicking him because he tried to protect me." He looked away, "I used to hate you too, you know..." he shook his head. "But I can't hate you anymore."
The ex-soccer player sighed, "Yohji isn't reasonable. He's a control freak. Did you know that? I don't even think Aya realizes it, but I do."
Nagi’s brows rose slightly but when he thought about it, it did make a certain kind of sense. “That won’t make their relationship easy,” he commented. “I can’t see Aya being controlled for very long. Brad and Schu gave up on trying to control him long ago. He’s too strong, even mentally.”
"I know," Ken replied. "Not even Kritiker ever really controlled him. Which is probably the real reason Mamoru," the name came out sounding more like a swear word than a name, "wanted him dead."
He moved closer and used his hands to ease out the knotted muscles rather than his talent enjoying the feel of Ken’s sleek back even through his shirt.
Ken grunted his appreciation. He'd been tense for days on end, even before the current mess had started, and the younger teen's hands worked wonders. It vaguely made him curious about why Naoe was so good at it, but he wouldn't ask if information wasn't being volunteered.
“If he’s not prepared to be reasonable though it could kill us all. He’s imperative to Brad’s plans.”
"Brad's plans," Ken repeated. "Which is for us to stay together and stay alive." He leaned into the hands, closing his eyes.
A memory of other equally small hands on his shoulders snapped through his mind like the crack of a whip and he abruptly pulled away. "I'm sorry," he muttered and got to his feet.
Nagi stood silently staring at his hands and wishing they were bigger, or less soft or anything other than like the hands of Takatori Mamoru.
* * * * * * *
Farfarello leaned back on the bed of the room he was sharing with Schuldig, shoulders braced against the headboard as he watched the German intently, admiring the man's sleek form. He never tired of watching the older man, never got bored just watching the play of emotion, his own and that of others, unknown strangers as the telepath sampled the mind of the world.
" Brad really thinks this is going to work, us and Weiss?" he questioned softly, speaking English for a change.
“I think…eventually he does,” Schuldig said thoughtfully. “I just hope he hasn’t got his visions in a knot! Balinese is being a pain in the ass, Siberian’s got you kicking the shit out of Bombay on constant replay and Singapura is still mooning over the little shit. Only Bengal is really co-operating and he’s scared shitless.”
He tried again to sneak past Abyssinian’s mental defences but got no joy even though the other redhead was asleep in Balinese’s arms. He smirked. Looked like the fight was over for now.
He smiled, an expression saved for Farfarello’s eyes only, and shrugged slightly. “Abyssinian seems to be thinking about it, at least.”
"Thinking..." Farfarello repeated the word, the glint in his one golden eye showing that he, too, was considering something.
"So what do you think our dear Vater is really up to? I mean honestly?"
“I think he’s trying to hide us from Rosenkreuz and Weiss from Kritiker. We’re all under sentence of death, after all. What I don‘t know is where or when or why we need Abyssinian‘s sister.”
"Without her how much cooperation do you honestly think we'd get from Abyssinian? He'd have gone off to get her and died for his efforts. Brad told me that much," the Irishman supplied, still watching his lover.
"I'd be happier without any of them. They are disrupting our.." he grinned, "internal harmony."
Schuldig nodded, face serious. “And Siberian has just upset Nagi. Stupid fucking idiot. He’s just like the others. Can’t get past our being on opposing sides even though it was the little Takatori who hurt him far more than any of us ever did. Ack! If he hurts Nagi I’ll kill the bastard myself!”
The door opened and Crawford walked in, "No, Schuldig, you won't. In fact you'll do just the opposite. You'll try and comfort them both until they get over their pain. Understood?"
The dark-haired man pushed his glasses up, the lenses glinting as he turned to regard Farfarello. "Under no circumstances are you to injure or otherwise cause harm to Kudoh. Understood?"
Berserker frowned, "What have you seen this time?"
“Ja, Vater, what hope do we have of winning over such obdurate fools?”
"The same hope I had of winning you and Farfarello over when I chose both of you for my team," Crawford replied. He glanced at the door then stepped farther into the room.
Nagi slid into the room then, no sign on his impassive countenance of the turmoil that Schuldig could feel within.
Brad motioned Nagi to the other chair by Schuldig, but he remained where he was, standing by the door.
"It is imperative that we win them over, by whatever means we need to employ." His hard gaze rested on Schuldig, "Balinese and Abyssinian will have another argument, you, Schuldig will follow our blonde kitten when he storms out. He's going to get drunk and make a pass at you."
Farfarello snarled and would have gone to kill the Weiss but Brad's glare stopped him dead in his tracks. He knew that look and when Brad had that particular expression, icy cold, dark eyes narrowed, a certain set to his mouth, Farfarello knew better than to push the American. They all did.
"You, Farfarello, will permit whatever happens to happen. Understood?"
Muttering curses in several languages Farfarello dropped back to the bed and sat glowering at their leader, burning fury whipping inside him like a bonfire whirlwind. His fists clenched and he raised his gaze to Schuldig, the look a mix of anger and desperate pleading.
“Wait a goddamn minute! You want me to sleep with that dumkopf?”
Schuldig was just as angry as Farfarello and he used his speed to cross the room and snarl in Brad’s face. “I’ve gone along with all you’ve said and done, Vater, but this time…I will not. Not only will it hurt Farf but it’ll also make for an extremely pissed off Abyssinian! Let Balinese pick up some whore instead.”
The dark eyes narrowed further and a hand closed painfully in Schuldig's hair, the man yanking his head back, "I said pass, not fuck! I said he would be drunk, didn't I? Do you have any idea how many red-haired men Kudoh has fucked while pining for that bitch?" the American growled. There was rage in his eyes, even though his face showed very little. But the German could feel more, much more. Anger accompanied the sharp bite of fear leeching through the man's usually impenetrable shields.
He shoved Schuldig backward, "Don't ever question me, Schuldig. Never. Understood?" he asked in a gentler tone.
Crawford was visibly shaking at his effort to control the rage that had risen without warning inside him. He reached up, took off his glasses and made a great show of pulling a tissue from his pocket and cleaning them.
"Let me reiterate this once again, for those of you too slow to comprehend it." He looked at all three of them, but his gaze stayed longest on Schuldig and Farfarello, "Without them we -all- die. All of us." His voice dropped to a soft murmur, "I haven't worked this long to keep the three of you alive to see any of you screw it up."
He levelled his stare solidly on Schuldig, "Especially not you, Schu. I'm sorry, but we need them and.." he shook his head, "I can't be the one. It's not me any of them wants." There was something almost gentle in his expression, but the telepath couldn't read anything from him anymore, as if to make up for his lapse Brad had pulled the shields even tighter.
"I wish it could be different." He put his glasses on and any trace of softness was gone as if it had never been there, the mask firmly back in place. "But we can't wish away our problems. Not yet anyway."
Schuldig sighed and relaxed slightly. If he didn’t have to fuck Balinese he could do what Brad wanted. “So he makes a pass, what am I supposed to do apart from turn him down?” He wasn’t sure how any of this helped but Brad’s visions had never let them down before. It accounted for the smug side of his personality.
"Humour him. Don't say no, but don't say yes. By the time you get him back up here he'll be too drunk to do anything. But guilt about what he thinks he did will give Abyssinian the leeway to play with Singapura." There was a bitter edge to Brad's voice.
Farfarello didn't look very happy, "If he tries to fuck Schuldig..."
"You'll do nothing. Nothing at all!" Brad snapped.
Farfarello glowered but knew better than to argue. He didn't want to spend the next week in a drug induced haze as a punishment.
"Now let me explain this to the three of you so you fully understand what we're holding in our hands." His measured gaze swept them all before he continued, "Abyssinian can move through time. I'm sure you can see how this might be a useful talent. Couple that with Balinese's ability act as a supercharger for any and all of us, and you can see the possibilities."
He gave them a moment to let all of that sink in. "Siberian is a pyrokinetic. One who is just discovering his abilities. He wasn't born that way, but exposure to some of the chemicals and recombinant DNA in Masafumi's lab, coupled with the emanations of the Gate have altered him. Drastically. He doesn't realize it yet," Brad fixed his gaze on Nagi, "but he's going to need someone who understands what if feels like to be an outcast. Even more than he was before, Hidaka is outside the realm of normality and he won't be able to pretend anymore by hiding his pain playing soccer with children."
"The girl is also of key importance. Have any of you wondered why the Elders chose her to be the one that the Leader would inhabit?
"I'll clue you in, she won't age, and she can use that power on others. She can make a person who isn't immortal effectively live forever.
"Do you see why we need them?"
“Okay, I’ll let Balinese think he got further than he actually will,” Schuldig said before shooting a wan smile at Farfarello. “Why is it important for Abyssinian to play with Singapura, not that the kitty isn’t willing, but won’t it get a bit fraught? I‘m not even sure what use a shape changer is to us and if Balinese wants to kill him…”
“Shut up, Schu!” Nagi spoke up for the first time before turning to Brad. “I have the problem of trust with Siberian right now, which is understandable. I’m just not certain how I’m going to get through that particular barrier.”
Brad gave the youngest Schwarz a slight smile. "Let me address Schuldig first, then we'll move on to your problem."
He frowned at the German, "Singapura is not a shape changer. He's a leopard human hybrid, and if you can't think of a reason for keeping him, let me clue you in that the human half is all Farfarello," Crawford stated. "He was made in an Essett lab, and was to be given to Reiji as a present from the Elders. Kritiker found the lab and they've brainwashed him into thinking he was raised by human parents.”
"As far as needing Singapura, think of him as a pressure release valve for Abyssinian. Our red-haired kitten wants to play rough, and if he tries those games with Kudoh, it will get very ugly between them."
For an instant the American's attention seemed to slip away, then he frowned, and spoke to Nagi, "You're doing fine, Nagi. Keep doing what you've been doing. He'll come around, unless something else gets between you, like a fight between Kudoh and Farfarello." He made eye contact with the Irishman, "I mean it. If you lift your hand against any of them, for any reason other than to protect one of us from an attack, I'll drug you into the sweet bliss of total oblivion."
Farfarello continued to glower, but nodded acceptance. "I capitulate to your demand only because I don't want to be the reason my lover dies."
"Smart move."