It was well before dawn the next morning when a light went on in Crawford's bedroom. The American turned on the computer as he sat down, still in his pyjama bottoms, hair mussed from sleep.
He'd made his decision, now all that remained was to set things in motion.
Bangkok was where they would go. His own money could carry them all in complete luxury with no difficulties, and it would buy the cooperation of local police and government agencies when needed. And those who could not be bought would be controlled. Schuldig was good at convincing even the most reluctant official or policeman that everything was as it should be. With Kudoh's help there would be almost nothing the German couldn't handle.
Even the voices that were slowly driving him mad could be silenced.
Yes, having Kudoh and Fujimiya would make their lives so much easier. Hidaka was an added blessing and the two younger boys had their uses, though convincing Abyssinian not to kill Singapura was going to be a challenge.
He sighed and brought up the web browser. He had to book a flight to Bangkok for them all in first class because travelling with a sedated boy and a drugged Farfarello would be easier in that section.
He considered booking an executive flight, but decided against it since it would draw the attention of Rosenkruez and might serve as a flag for Kritiker also.
*Schuldig, are you awake?* He knew the German was probably sound asleep in Farfarello's arms, if the man was able to sleep at all. Even with the background static of the madman's lightly sedated mind to help blot out some of the incessant voices that plagued the telepath it was getting harder and harder for Schuldig to rest.
Whether Fujimiya liked it or not, tomorrow night Schuldig was going to be sleeping in Kudoh's arms just so the telepath could get some respite from the encroaching madness nibbling away his increasingly tenuous grip on sanity.
*Schuldig?* he tried again.
*Ja, vater, I�m awake.* Schuldig�s mental voice sounded more contented than it had in a long time. *Kudoh was actively trying to quash his talent last night so I had a silent night.* There was Schuldig�s old snigger, which hadn�t been heard for several weeks and then a little yelp. Farfarello was obviously awake.
*So, what needs doing?*
*Roust the kittens and get them ready to leave Japan. They will need clothes and suitcases. Get them moving, fed and take them shopping. We're leaving for Bangkok from Osaka airport at seven this evening.*
Even as he told the German their plans he was booking the flight.
*And tell Nagi we need nice documents for them. I've still got our documents from when he took that trip to Hong Kong last year, but the kittens have nothing thanks to their sudden departure from Kritiker's loving embrace.* Brad himself was in fine form, the sarcasm so thick Schuldig could feel it like a heavy blanket across his mind.
*Make sure both Kudoh and Fujimiya eat, and get the sleeping beauty kitten and take him along too. He needs to be a bit more alert for out trip. Just keep him out of Abyssinian's hands.
*Use the platinum card I gave you and buy them whatever they want. Buy yourself a present but make sure it will fit on a plane and go through customs without a problem.*
*Vater, please, customs is never a problem. If you want those pig-stickers that Abyssinian and Singapura are so fond of to go with us I�ll need enough compulsion to get a bullet train through! Seriously though, I won�t buy anything stupid. Besides, Farf would never let me buy my own Geisha. What about the other kitty?*
There was another mental yelp which tailed off into a whimper. *Hold it for a moment, Farf, Brad�s giving me instructions.*
He frowned, *Tell lover-boy that playtime is over,* he ordered. *Kudoh will help you convince customs in both directions that those pointy toys of the kittens are nothing. I just don't want you trying to get a suitcase full of fucktoys through, we've got enough of those already with the kittens.* As he thought that Schuldig could hear amusement from Brad's mind.
*Get moving and take all the kittens with you. Take Farfarello along to ride herd on Singapura, he's going to be the most difficult to handle. We've still got to get to Osaka which means renting cars.* He sighed, *And Kudoh is going to be difficult over leaving his precious Super Seven behind.*
*Can�t really blame him. Couldn�t we get it shipped for him? I mean if we�re not coming back it seems a shame to leave it behind. And I don�t need fucktoys. I already have plenty.* There was a mental sigh as he passed Brad�s message on to Farfarello.
*Now Farf is sulking. The shops don�t open for hours yet, you know.* However, Schuldig was already in the process of climbing out of bed and dragging on some clothes.
*I�ll wake Singapura last I think.*
*Fine play a quick game with him and then get going. The last thing I need to deal with today is Farfarello in one of his sulks. But the minute you are both done get cleaned up and get the kittens moving.*
*We'll meet back in the hotel lobby at noon. I've got a few little details to take care of myself.*
*Okay,* Schuldig agreed and cut the connection before stripping off his clothes again.
* * * * * * *
Aya woke abruptly and slid silently out of the bed, careful not to wake Yohji. He had lain awake for a long time the night before as he thought things through. Singapura was obviously necessary to whatever plan Crawford had to get them to safety and, although the idea didn�t sit well with him, Aya was prepared to go along with the American for now.
He slipped into a pair of sweatpants and padded out of the room on silent feet. Then he headed for Singapura�s room.
The boy was asleep in the centre of a full sized bed, face down and stripped totally naked, one wrist cuffed to the headboard.
Silver hair spilled across the boy, partially hiding his face, but doing little to conceal his body or the pale mottling down the middle of his back.
Aya stared down at him. No wonder Takatori had taken him as a lover before sending him off to kill. The boy was stunning.
Pale purple eyes narrowed as Aya remembered this same beautiful creature trying to kill Yohji. His Yohji. �Wake up,� he snarled.
The boy gave a soft whimper sounding even younger than he was under the influence of the sedative he'd been dosed with, and his fingers clenched, gripping the sheets.
Aya crouched by the bed and shook him none too gently by the shoulder. �I said wake up,� he repeated.
Zeshin came awake, disoriented, unsure where he was because he'd been dreaming about Mamoru fucking him.
Then he remembered.
"Come to kill me then? Go ahead..." the boy replied. "I won't stop you," he pulled at the handcuff binding him to the bed, "I couldn't if I wanted too, and what does it matter anyway? I deserve it, don't I?"
The boy�s face was battered and bruised and there were cuts on his arms that looked like Farfarello�s trade mark. Aya reached out a hand and touched one of the cuts, frowning slightly. If anyone was going to mark Singapura, it was going to be him.
�You were following orders,� he said. �It was your so-called lover that deserved what he got. You were just like the rest of us. Expendable.�
Zeshin flinched from Aya's touch, not because it hurt, but because he was waiting for more pain, another beating he deserved, like the one Farfarello had given him for trying to bite Schuldig.
"He said he loved me... but he told Siberian the same thing." The boy bit back a sob and moved away from Aya, "That's all it ever was with him.. lies and deceptions."
�But just like Siberian, you were fool enough to fall in love with him,� Aya said with a bitter little snort. �I actually mourned him when I thought he was dead. He was like a little brother to me for so long and I�m certain Kudoh felt the same way.�
"He told me he loved me. I don't understand why he lied. I don't understand anything," the boy whispered, his voice showing the pain he and Ken shared over the betrayal.
Aya rose gracefully to his feet and sat on the edge of the bed. "Who beat you and why?"
"Farfarello, because I tried to bite Schuldig." He tugged at the handcuff but gave up.
�You deserved it then,� Aya said. �As for Takatori, he lied in order to manipulate you into doing what he wanted. That was the way he worked. None of that matters anymore. Both you and Ken have to move on.�
The rattle of the handcuff distracted Aya for a moment. Memories of Singapura�s first day with them flooded his mind. He had been so respectful, so submissive. He shook his head to clear it, surprised at his reaction to those thoughts.
�Now I have to decide what to do about you,� he said. �Schwarz seem to think you have some use alive. I�m not so sure. Right now I�d trust Farfarello at my back before I�d trust you.�
The boy let his head fall back to the mattress and closed his eyes. "Gomen nasai," he whispered. "Kill me if you want. Like you said, I deserve it. I only tried to bite Schuldig, I tried to kill Yohji. So do it. I know it's what you want."
�Yes, but it�s also what you want and I don�t feel much like pandering to your whims. You�re going to have to live with your own stupidity, just as I have to live with mine.�
A pale, sword-calloused hand reached across to grab a fistful of Zeshin�s hair. �But I want you to pay for even thinking about killing Yohji. Killing you would be too quick, too simple. I don�t want that.�
Zeshin's eyes came open at the painful grip in his hair, amber gaze full of fear that he quickly hid by lowering his gaze. "Then beat me, and make me suffer if it will make you feel better, Fujimiya-san," he relied, in a return to the submissive manner he'd first used around the older assassin.
Aya felt a stab of pure lust as the boy�s demeanour changed. �Beat you? When you�re still carrying the marks Farfarello gave you? No. However��
His hand tightened and he leant forward, gazing into Zeshin�s eyes. �Bite me and I�ll pull your teeth out by the root,� he warned before plundering the boy�s mouth.
Zeshin froze under the contact of the older killer's mouth on his, his lips parting more from shock than anything else.
The older Weiss was kissing him. It made no sense.
And what he'd said about not beating him while he still bore marks from what Farfarello had done only added to his confusion.
His free hand fell on Aya's shoulder, the boy's fingers tightening on the firm muscles.
This wasn't like being kissed by Mamoru. The Takatori's kisses had always been light, teasing, this was very different. A possessing of his mouth unlike anything he'd ever experienced and he realized with hard clarity that, until that moment, he'd never really been kissed.
Aya lifted his legs onto the bed, without breaking the kiss, and pressed his body against Zeshin�s. He wanted to claim all of the boy right now but his sixth sense, or whatever it was, was telling him that he didn�t have enough time.
He pulled away from Zeshin�s mouth with a sound like a snarling lion and gazed down at the boy. �Just remember you�re mine now, to do as I please with.�
Zeshin was trembling and the only answer he could manage was a slight nod. Nothing seemed to be working, at least nothing that wasn't flesh pulsing with lust.
Aya smiled slightly at the boy�s reaction. It was everything he could have wished for. He disentangled his hand from the silver hair and pulled away, his eyes glittering. He wanted a long time alone with Zeshin but knew he wouldn�t get it in the next few days. Another, lighter kiss was the boy�s reward for submitting, and then Aya swung his feet back to the floor and stood up, ready to leave.
The door opened, a slightly panicked Yohji filling it, "Aya?" His gaze fell on Zeshin and the first thing he noticed was the boy's undeniably aroused condition. He frowned eyes narrowing in a flash of jealous anger.
"And here I was worried you might kill him," he snapped.
�I won�t kill him,� Aya said calmly, �though he will suffer. He�s used to being someone�s dog, Yohji. Better it�s my dog rather than Crawford�s.�
Yohji's anger went from simmer to flashpoint and he grabbed Aya by the upper arms, turning abruptly to slam the red-head into the door, pinning him there mouth closing over Aya's hard and hot.
Aya returned Yohji�s kiss with a passion that had been missing from the one that Zeshin had received. He wanted to hold Yohji, reassure him, but the blonde had his arms pinned to the door and he could only prove his love through this brutal kiss.
But it wasn't enough for the blonde. He wrapped his arms around Aya, pulling the younger man almost totally off his feet as he deepened the kiss, fingers digging into Aya's ass hard enough to bruise.
He broke the kiss, stared into Aya's eyes and growled out, "You. Are. Mine!" before his mouth resumed the onslaught of Aya's mouth.
Arms now free, Aya lifted them to rest around Yohji�s shoulders. His clasped hands pulled Yohji even deeper into the kiss. He was thrilled by this show of possessiveness in his lover.
When Yohji actually needed to breathe again, Aya whispered, �Yours, Yohji, always.�
Yohji lowered Aya back to the floor, his smouldering jade eyes burning into Aya's, "Now explain to me what you were doing in here and why he was hard."
�I�ve already explained to you,� Aya said. �Take a long, hard look at him, Yohji. He can�t really function on his own. Sooner or later, someone was going to claim him. Takatori did and look what he was prepared to do for his approval. Do you really want someone like that belonging to anyone else?�
Yohji looked at the boy lying on the bed, eyes bright with lust, lips parted in a way that made the blond very aware of his own erection.
He shoved Aya toward the bed, "I want to see you kiss him," he virtually ordered.
Aya recovered his footing and stood his ground. �Why?� he demanded, folding his arms.
"I want to see if he's worthy of being kissed much less fucked by you, that's why," Yohji replied.
Zeshin was glaring at Yohji, the look full of anger, "Both of you go away!" he snarled softly. "I hate all of you!"
They were talking about him as if he was just a thing, an animal and it angered him.
But isn't that all you are? A voice in his head asked. An animal, a stupid animal.
Aya totally ignored Zeshin�s interruption, his eyes on Yohji. �Come then.� He unfolded his arms and took Yohji by the hand, drawing him towards the bed with him. �Look at him, Yohji.�
He pointed out the slight, natural mottling of the boy�s pale skin, the cuts and bruises that Farfarello had inflicted. He placed Yohji�s hands on the boy�s skin so he could feel the texture of it before seating himself on the bed and inviting Yohji to join him.
With a hand still resting in Yohji�s he leaned forward and kissed Zeshin once more.
Yohji felt the satin skin of he boy's back, the odd blotches were soft too. Aya was right, there was something about the boy, just the way he lay there on the bed that seemed like a silent plea to be owned, mastered.
Maybe this is what I've seen in him all along, the blond told himself. A deep seated need to be owned.
The boy shoved at Aya, a growl rumbling in a warning deep in his chest and he tried to kick Yohji, instantly regretting it, knowing that there was going to be punishment.
Aya pinned the boy�s free hand to the pillow and glared down at him. �Remember what I said about biting,� he said. �I meant it. Kicking isn�t allowed either.�
He claimed the boy�s mouth yet again, prizing his lips apart and capturing his tongue. When he pulled away he turned to Yohji.
�Now you kiss him,� he suggested.
Yohji shook his head, "I want to watch Aya." But the blonde�s hand was sliding along the curve of the boy's spine as he said it.
"Stop... please. Stop," Zeshin whispered. But he knew they wouldn't stop any more than Mamoru had that first night when the Takatori had taken him.
It had been hard and almost brutal, and it had hurt. But he'd gotten used to it, and had learned to like being touched and fucked.
"Please.." his cock was betraying him, it stayed hard.
One gold eyebrow arched at Aya and not for the first time Yohji wished he could talk to Aya silently the way the Schwarz could talk.
There was a soft hum at the edge of hearing in Aya's head, a faint burring of sound that wasn't really coming through his ears.
He knew from past experience with Schuldig that someone was trying to communicate with him. It didn�t feel like the German so he let his shields down enough to pick up what it might be.
*Wish... could... talk... like... damned... Schwarz....* slipped brokenly into Aya's mind as Yohji leaned closer to Aya to watch him kiss the boy again.
*He's beautiful, gods they are hot together. I want to see them fuck,* filled Aya's head with a voice he knew came from Yohji as the blonde�s lips touched the nape of his neck.
Zeshin turned his head to break the kiss, "Stop it!" he snapped. "Just stop it!"
He kicked and this time he caught Yohji in the ribs, staggering the blonde, Zeshin going wild and trying to escape, yanking his cuffed arm so hard the headboard cracked in reaction.
Aya backhanded Zeshin�s face a couple of times to stop the hysteria. �No, you stop it,� he said coldly. �I told you earlier that I would make you suffer for trying to kill Yohji and I will. Live with it, because I have no intention of letting you die.�
At the same time he contacted Schuldig. *Singapura needs some more medication.*
*Yeah, okay, on my way. I�ve got orders to feed you and take you all shopping today anyway. Is cat boy up to that?*
*As long as you don�t overdo the dosage.* Aya cut the connection and turned to Yohji.
�Leave him for now, Yohji. He�s got to come to terms with things in his own time.�
Yohji was rubbing his ribs, studying the boy who was curled up on the bed and sobbing quietly.
He frowned because he could feel confusion and fear coming off the boy in waves. The fear was bitter, full of pain, the confusion like broken glass grating through the blonde's mind.
Yohji swayed on his feet, knees going rubbery. "Aya..." there was panic in his voice, pupils gone wide, almost swallowing the jade green of the man's eyes.
Aya was off the bed and supporting Yohji in a heartbeat. He didn�t know if it was his lover�s power kicking in or the drugs that bitch had forced into him at the camp, but Yohji was a mess.
�You�re going back to bed until you�ve eaten,� he said in a tone that would take no arguments. �We have to go shopping today so you need your strength.�
Aya�s eyes rolled as he said the word �shopping.� It was a chore that he loathed with all his being even though, orange sweater excepted, he knew just how to dress himself. He was a poster boy for the home shopping companies.
Yohji shook his head, "I don't know what happened, everything started to spin and..." he looked at Zeshin still able to feel the emotions bleeding off the boy.
"Get me out of here, Aya. I just..." he wobbled again, "out... I need out!" He almost pulled away from his lover in his haste to escape the boy's vicinity.
Aya all but pushed Yohji out of the room and got him back to their own room as quickly as he could. Once there he lowered Yohji onto the bed.
�Rest,� he said, �I�ll go and see if there�s any food to be had yet.�
The blond crumpled onto the bed, still wide-eyed and staring, hardly hearing Aya anymore. Instead he was aware of everyone in the hotel suite. Able to sense their emotions, catch bits of their thoughts.
Only three were totally absent from his mind, Schuldig, Crawford and Naoe, but he did catch a bloody-minded flicker of Farfarello's mind and he shuddered.
"Aya... gods... Aya..." he reached out blindly for his lover.
Forgetting about food for now, Aya cradled Yohji to him, inadvertently protecting his lover with his own strong shields.
The door opened and Schuldig stood there for once minus his smirk. *Brad, Kudoh�s empathy has kicked in with a vengeance. Fujimiya is shielding him but he�s in a bad way.*
A sense of pleased amusement came from Brad as he thought, *Ingratiate yourself with them, Schuldig, show them just how cute and cuddly you can be and help Fujimiya protect his lover. The shit that Rosenkreuz bitch gave him was strong, he's going through withdrawal, but it won't last long. Fortunately they didn't give him the right dosage since he seems partially immune to it.
*Just remember we need to encourage their loyalty to us or this whole thing will fall apart. Of them all, we need Abyssinian and Balinese the most because one can save us all, and the other one will save you.*
Yohji was staring at nothing, body starting to shake as the drug that Miya had given him finally started to purge itself from his body.
"Aya... Aya... please..." his voice was a ragged whisper.
Aya stared up at Schuldig, his eyes glinting like pale amethyst. �Are you just going to stand there or can you help him?� he demanded.
�Calm down, Fujimiya, he�ll be fine. It�s the last of the drug that bitch gave him. Trouble is it tends to play havoc with any powers while it clears itself. Your shields are helping but I�m more used to shielding more than just myself. Do you trust me?�
�No, but let�s do it anyway,� Aya said.
Schuldig nodded and crossed the room to the bed, hunkering down to touch a hand to Yohji�s wrist. His shields took immediate effect and Yohji stopped feeling everyone�s emotions. He smiled at the blonde. �The emotions flying around today are a bit hard to take, I imagine.�
Yohji nodded and held tighter to Aya, his eyes closing. "Zeshin... he's... a mess..." the blond gritted out between clenched teeth. "Ken isn't much better... Kai is scared and lonely..." he shuddered, "Farfarello's... a fucking nutcase..."
Schuldig chuckled. �Farf, I know about. He�s fine once you get to know how his mind works. The others have been though some big traumas just lately. They�ll pull through, I�m sure. With help.� Amused blue eyes glanced at Aya as he said the last.
Yohji was relaxing, his breathing slowing along with his heart rate. "Aya... you wouldn't believe what Mamoru did to that kid. Shit, what a fucked up son of a bitch he was..." he whispered to his lover. "Fucking manipulative Takatori bastard."
He was still holding onto Aya the way a man would cling to a life raft in a storm tossed sea, but the wrist Schuldig was holding soon became a hand as the blonde moved to grip the telepath's fingers tightly.
*Edge closer, see how close they will let you get, and how far they will let you go, Schuldig,* Crawford instructed.
Schuldig followed instructions and moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
Aya growled softly at first but when Schuldig made no move to molest either of them he relaxed again. He turned his attention to what Yohji had just said. It was probably something he should know about if he was to take responsibility for Singapura.
�What did he do, Yohji?�
"What didn't he do...?" Yohji replied, his hold on Aya and Schuldig remained tight, the pair of them blocking out everything trying to pour into his head.
He glanced at Schuldig, "I think he knows too," he told Aya.
Nestling his head comfortably against Aya's shoulder, Yohji replied, "He fucked Zeshin and told him that was love for starters. I... saw how he hurt Zeshin, that wasn't love, it was pure abuse. I don't think that little Takatori shit knew anything about love."
�Hardly surprising,� Aya said thoughtfully. �He was never raised to know love, was he?� But the images conjured in his mind were disturbing enough for him to want to go back to Singapura and let him off the hook for a while. Trouble was he would not leave Yohji alone with Schuldig.
The dilemma was solved for him when the door opened to admit Nagi bearing a tray of food. �Crawford says you�re to eat before you go shopping,� the telekinetic said. He shot a really evil look at Schuldig. �Can�t you ever keep your hands to yourself?�
�He�s actually helping Yohji,� Aya said, surprised by his own reaction to Schuldig. He wasn�t ready to trust just yet, but he was starting to believe that Schwarz meant them no harm.
�Yohji, will you be ok if I go back to Singapura? I wasn�t exactly kind to him before.�
The blonde nodded and released his death grip on his lover, "I feel all right, a little weird but," he glanced at Schuldig, "yeah I'm fine. Something needs to be done for that kid, Kai too for that matter and..." he sighed, "Ken."
He looked at Nagi, "I guess we owe you for saving him."
Nagi set the tray down on the nightstand and gave a little �humph� of exasperation at mention of Ken. That was just before he turned bright red, immediately attracting the attention of both Yohji and Schuldig.
�You got something to tell us, kid?� Schuldig asked.
Aya grimaced. �Don�t tease him, Yohji,� he said and left the room. Two minutes later he was staring down at Zeshin once again. The key to the handcuffs chaining one wrist to the bed was across the room on a desk. Aya picked it up.
The instant Aya entered the room Zeshin curled into a bowing posture on the bed, all the fight gone out of him, his face streaked with drying tears. There were drops of blood on the white sheets, the boy's bottom lip swollen from Aya's slaps.
"Gomen nasai, Fujimiya-san," he whispered. "Gomen nasai." From the way he was cringing it was very evident he thought Aya had come back to beat him for hitting Yohji.
"I won't ever hurt him, please..."
�I didn�t hit you for kicking Yohji,� Aya said quietly. �I hit you to calm you down. You were hysterical.� He weighed the key in his hand for a moment as he decided how to proceed.
�You need to eat,� he said eventually. �We are to buy necessary clothing and then, I imagine, we will be leaving Japan. If I free you will you promise not to harm either yourself or anyone else?�
The boy gave a nod of agreement, not speaking to the older man, too afraid he might do something to offend Abyssinian. He was tired of being drugged and in pain.
He wanted to go home, but he realized that 'home' had been Mamoru, and the older teen was dead. Tears flooded his eyes again and he held back the sobs so he didn't offend the Weiss by crying.
Mamoru had used him, he knew that now, but it hurt knowing that his lover could never explain to him why he'd done the things he'd done, and that he'd never be able to hold him or even say goodbye.
Aya crouched by the bed, watching his eyes tear up. He opened the handcuffs and grabbed the boy�s abraded wrist, massaging the circulation back into the cold hand. �This needs binding,� he said. The boy was still attempting to fight back the tears.
Suddenly, Aya enfolded him in an embrace, rocking him slightly. �He wasn�t worth your tears,� he whispered, wondering why there were tears in his own eyes.
Feeling someone holding him, even if it was the man he most feared, set Zeshin off and he started to cry. But he didn't presume to hold the older man, wrapping his arms around his stomach as if he was trying to hold the pain in and just couldn't anymore.
Aya prised Zeshin�s arms away from his stomach and draped them around himself before cradling the boy once again. �Hold me,� he ordered although his voice was gentle.
He was rewarded with instant compliance, the boy holding on to him, or rather clinging and weeping onto his shoulder.
Aya let him cry, knowing he needed this. Ken did too, but Ken would never cry in front of him or Yohji. That made him wonder if Nagi had seen the athlete cry. Somehow he doubted it, yet Ken was hurting badly. He�d had more time with�Omi�s lies than Zeshin had.
Coming back to the present he was surprised to find himself rocking the boy again. This couldn�t continue all day. They had too much to do if they were going to save themselves from almost certain death.
�Hush now,� he said. �We have much to do. I want you to come with me and eat.�
Zeshin nodded meekly, wiping his eyes, biting back the grief as he was told to do. "G... gomen... n... nasai."
�Don�t apologise,� Aya said, �just come and eat.� He rose to his feet in his usual graceful way and turned to hold out a hand to Zeshin.
He took Aya's hand and got to his feet, stumbling from the drugs he'd been dosed with so heavily the night before. Then he looked down at himself, "Can I wear clothes or do you want me to be naked like Mamoru did?"
Aya blinked at that revelation then he thought about the question. Zeshin was his property now, to be shared only with Yohji. He found he didn�t like the idea of the others looking at what was his. �Wear clothes,� he said. �You can�t go shopping naked.�
"I don't know what the Schwarz assholes did with my clothes. All I have is my mission gear," the boy admitted.
�Your mission pants and a shirt will do for the shopping,� Aya said. �I don�t know if anyone will go back to the summer camp for what we left behind. Doesn�t matter. We can buy new clothing.�
"I didn't have anything important there anyway, Fujimiya-san," the boy replied.
There was a knock at the door just as Aya was about to open it. It swung open and an arm that had to be attached to Farfarello shoved the boy's clothes into the room, the boots almost landing on Aya's toes.
"Get dressed, it's almost time to go."
�He needs to eat first.� Aya was not prepared to back down to the Irishman on this or anything else. �And so do I.� Turning back to Zeshin he said, �dress quickly. I�ll arrange breakfast for us.�
"Just like every damned cat I've ever seen, always meowing for food. The rest of us are hungry too, that's why our first stop is for food," Farfarello replied, his tone full of irritation.
�That�s fine then,� Aya said. He left Zeshin to dress in peace and headed back to see how Yohji was doing just in time to see Nagi fly the room, his cheeks burning.
�I thought I told you not to tease him,� Aya said irritably to a grinning Yohji.
Yohji's cheeks warmed, and the grin vanished. "I didn't say anything to him! It was this German pervert who just suggested an orgy!�
It wasn't often that Aya had ever seen Yohji look embarrassed, but there it was, the blonde's cheeks tinted pink. It was also very apparent that he had one arm around Schuldig. An arm that was hastily pulled back, and then returned when the emotional emanations around him instantly slammed into his unprotected mind.
Aya grimaced slightly at that. �Sorry, I think I just pissed Farfarello off so he�s probably broadcasting my painful death. Zeshin had a good cry and is now dressing ready to eat. Didn�t see Ken or Kai.�
He glanced at the untouched tray. �And if I have to spoon feed you I�m not going to be too happy.�
Yohji sighed. "I was thinking about eating, but the thought didn't go very far," he admitted, his arm still around the telepath. He didn't look too happy about it either.
�I�ll make sure he eats,� Schuldig said. �Nagi brought my breakfast too.�
Aya exchanged a glance with Yohji, wondering how he felt about breakfast tete-a-tete with the telepath.
Yohji smiled but Aya could tell the expression was strained. "Now that you're here, maybe I can let go of him and hold you instead." He winked at Aya, "You're more my type."
�Okay,� Schuldig said easily, �I�ll go eat with the others and leave my breakfast for Abyssinian. How�s that?�
Aya nodded his acceptance of the offer and moved onto the bed to take the telepath�s place. With Zeshin calmer and the drug wearing off he should be able to shield Yohji effectively.
�Just extend your shields to cover him,� Schuldig said. �It�s easy enough if you�re touching.�
Yohji smiled and made sure he and Aya were touching, his mouth closing over Aya's in a heated kiss.
Aya kissed Yohji back until he was sure that Schuldig had left the room. �Now eat,� he said. �The food will help you get rid of the last of the drug. Then maybe you�ll stop feeling things so much.�
He reached for his own bowl and started ladling food into his mouth.
"Have you given any thought to the fact we're about to leave Japan with Schwarz?" Yohji asked as he picked up the food and stared at it. The stuff inside looked like it was moving and he closed his eyes knowing it had to have something to do with how fucked up he was.
Before Aya even had a chance to answer there was a soft knock at the door.
"Now what?" Yohji muttered.
"Na, Aya, I've got something for you!" Ken called through the door.
Aya sighed but called to Ken to come in. He had thought about the connotations of leaving Japan with Schwarz, but he couldn�t see what else they could do now. Rosenkreuz wanted them for their apparent talents and Kritiker would be itching to kill them if the organisation had survived Takatori�s death.
Ken stuck his head in, his eyes were red-rimmed but his voice sounded almost normal, just a bit rough probably from crying. "I umm.. thought you'd like to have this," he said holding an orange mass of soft cashmere sweater out to Aya. "I don't know why, but I've been keeping it with me," he admitted softly. "This too," he tossed something to Yohji and the blond actually caught it.
Balinese stared at what was in his hand. The lighter he'd bought almost a year ago on one of their 'family' vacations.
"I forgot I had it under the seat of my bike, Yohji."
"Thanks Ken," he murmured.
�Yeah, thanks Ken,� Aya said, hugging the sweater his sister had knitted for him to his chest. �I know it�s not a fashion statement but I�m fond of it.� Then he went back into mother hen mode. �Did you get anything to eat yet?�
When Ken nodded Aya turned his attention back to Yohji�s comment about leaving Japan. �I don�t think we have much choice, Yotan,� he said. �When old man Takatori gets Kritiker moving again they�re going to be after our hides. And we�ve already seen what Rosenkreuz are prepared to do to us.�
Yohji nodded and forced some of the food into his mouth, choked it down. Everything tasted bad. Everything. He put the bowl aside. "Yeah, the shit will hit the fan. That's damned sure. And my guess is Crawford is trying to get us out before it does."
Ken looked at his blonde team mate and frowned. "You okay Yohji?"
"I want to say yeah, but I think I'd be lying, and that isn't something we should do with one another anymore." He gave both Aya and Ken a long searching look, "We need to really sit down and talk about all this shit. Alone if we can, minus Schwarz."
�I don�t think they�ll give us time to do that until we�re safely out of the country,� Aya said. �But I agree. Schwarz aren�t doing this for altruistic reasons. They want something from us. Well, if we can help them, they sure as hell can help us.�
"Yeah," Yohji agreed.
Ken crossed the room and looked at the food Yohji wouldn't eat. He picked up the bowl, sniffed it, "Smells okay. I bet this is like when you went on that three week drunk that one time," Ken stated. "You hated everything but pancakes. Remember Aya? Right after we took out Riot."
At the mention of pancakes Yohji's expression brightened, "That does sound good."
�Can we get him his pancakes?� Aya asked. �Nagi obviously thought he preferred Japanese food.�
Ken nodded, "Sure. We can call down to the restaurant in the hotel and order them and they can have them ready for us when we get there."
The door swung open and Crawford looked in at the trio of Weiss, "Already done. Get him fed and go shopping. We meet back at the hotel lobby at noon."
He looked at Aya, glasses catching the light, "You are in charge, Schuldig has the credit card. Buy what you need to last for about a week, clothes shoes, underwear and lube. I'm sure you should remember to get that. You'll need it later."
"Creepy fucking bastard," Ken muttered.
"No shit," Yohji agreed.
Aya put his empty bowl down on the tray. �I�ll go and round up Kai and Singapura,� he said. �The sooner we get moving the sooner we can get this over with.�
He gave Yohji�s arm a quick squeeze. �Are you going to be okay while I do that?�
Yohji took a deep breath and nodded. "Go on, get them, I'll be okay. I need to put more clothes on anyway."
"And I need to round up all the dishes and get them back on the room service cart," Ken said as he grabbed Yohji's uneaten food.
"Go on and eat it Ken," Yohji told him, knowing that was the only thing the ex-soccer player was waiting for.
"Thanks Yohji," he said as he shovelled some of the food into his mouth and grabbed for Aya's empty bowl.
Aya shook his head and left them to it. He left the room and found Kai waiting in the main room, looking very uncomfortable. Zeshin was just finishing some food at the table.
�Are you two ready to go?� he asked.
Kai nodded eagerly. �I�m ready,� he said. He glanced quickly around but Schwarz seemed to have vanished. �I want to talk to you all sometime.�
�That�s okay,� Aya said. �We�d already realised that we need to talk. It�ll have to wait for now though. Are you nearly done, Zeshin?�
Zeshin didn't answer, he just picked up the bowl he'd been eating out of and put it on the food service cart before walking over and kneeling in front of Aya with his head down.
Farfarello stuck his head into the room from the hallway, a bright glitter of interest in his gold eye when he saw Zeshin kneeling at Aya's feet.
"Very pretty," he commented with genuine admiration, feeding what he was seeing to Schuldig. *I wonder if all the kittens could be trained like that? Wouldn't it be nice having them kneeling at our feet, serving our every whim?*
"Will you kitties get moving? Brad already left to take care of his shit and Schuldig is getting antsy wanting to get to the stores and get this crap over with."
The only reaction that Farfarello got from Aya was a glare after which he ignored the psycho completely and turned his attention to Zeshin. �Get up,� he commanded. �You don�t need to kneel to me�in public.�
Farfarello actually winked at him, a smirk twitching his lips, "Play later," he said and shut the door.
"Yes, Fujimiya-san," the boy replied softly.
Kai merely stared at Zeshin�s strange behaviour. He�d gone from trying to kill Aya to practically worshiping the man.
Ken came out of the bedroom that Yohji and Aya had shared, the blonde following, one hand on the brunet's shoulder.
"This is going to be fun," he remarked as he dumped the bowls on the cart and turned to slip an arm around Yohji, helping to steady the taller man.
"I'll be all right I just feel a bit dizzy."
"You're blonde Yotan, that's your natural state," Ken said in a lighter tone than any of them had heard recently.
Kai smiled at Ken�s joke and was about to say something when Schuldig appeared, effectively shutting him up. �Everybody ready now?� he asked.
Aya gave an abrupt nod and the six of them trouped out of the suite.
"And you, Ken are a dumb jock," Yohji shot back.
"Yeah, but there's hope for me, I could have Aya teach me to read!"
With Ken and Yohji laughing softly, and even Zeshin managing a slight smile the group got into the elevator.