part 291: "Why do you think Crawford is so set on me never having sex?"
Previous installments are available in my Memories here. Please make sure the Memory page is set to sort by Description to get the entries in the closest-to-correct order. Or you can read it at its other home on Archive of Our Own.
"Glass Houses" part 291/?
By Viridian5
4/2003 - present
RATING: NC-17. If m/m interaction bothers you, pass this by. AU.
SPOILERS: Glühen.
SUMMARY: After Aya's sister dies, Schwarz tries to save themselves and Aya from the mistakes of the Dramatic CDs and Glühen Schwarz tries to save him from himself--for their own reasons, of course--and neither they nor Weiß are ever the same again.
ARCHIVAL/DISTRIBUTION: No, not yet. This is a trial run of a piece of an unfinished fic.
DISCLAIMERS: All things Weiß Kreuz belong to Koyasu Takehito, Project Weiß, Polygram k.k., and Animate Film. No infringement intended.
NOTES: Thanks to rosaleendhu and red_squared for audiencing, typo-watch, and encouragement. Thanks to 'nat for "puisín," which she says probably sounds like "pu-sheen." Inspirational music includes Covenant's United States of Mind, mayatawi's V Mix the Second CD (Jane Jensen, Kidneythieves, Poe's rock version of "Hello," Kristen Barry's "Ordinary Life," Lacuna Coil), Linkin Park's Meteora, A Perfect Circle's Thirteenth Step, Pigface's Easy Listening..., Shriekback's "The Bastard Sons of Enoch," Zeromancer's Eurotrash, and Neuroticfish's Les Chansons Neurotiques.
I am not responsible for any therapy bills incurred as a result of trauma from doing research on things mentioned in this story. If you look up, say, "butter dog porn" on your own, I refuse to take the blame. I've been told that it's a bad idea to eat soup or drink while reading "Glass Houses."
========================
"Glass Houses" part 291
By Viridian5
========================
With a bright and somewhat wicked smile, Schuldig kissed and caressed nearly every part of Crawford’s body as he undressed him on a towel on top of the couch. The wickedness could be a bit worrying considering where Schuldig would eventually be putting his dick, but it wouldn’t be Schuldig without some wickedness. Besides, he’d promised and everything felt so good.
He felt *too much*....
Despite his years with Schuldig, Crawford still found it surprising that his body could react so strongly to this kind of attention after all the sex and orgasms he’d already had today. Schuldig played him like a master with his chosen instrument.
Schuldig soon had him completely undressed aside from his glasses but hadn’t removed any of his own clothing, which seemed unfair, so Crawford undid his fly and found that Schu hadn’t bothered putting on underwear so he let his fingers dance along the head of Schu’s cock.
“Impatient?” Schuldig asked with a smile and a bit of a moan. “But thanks, since that was getting uncomfortable.”
To his annoyance, Crawford couldn’t help feeling disappointed that the badly timed drama with Aya had prevented him from getting a chance to fuck Yoji (while Schuldig fucked him). Left to his own devices, he wouldn’t set up an opportunity to play around with Yoji. Too proud. The intended orgy hadn’t turned out the way he or especially Schuldig would’ve wanted.
Schuldig bopped Crawford’s nose with his index fingers. “Be more present, please. It takes a lot of the fun out of fucking you if you’re not here for it.” At least he’d fully removed his Godlike T-shirt, since there was no way Crawford would let him fuck him while wearing it for fear of encouraging bad thoughts or dialogue.
“I’m here. I just have a lot on my mind.”
“I could bite something on you if you need help--”
“That’s not necessary,” Crawford answered quickly then kissed him deeply and helped him out of his jeans.
It became much harder to think when Schuldig started jerking him off. “See, no biting necessary,” Crawford said with a moan. The way Schu writhed against him helped too.
“That’s encouraging.” Schuldig further encouraged him by stroking two fingers into him that went right to his prostate, sending him straight into waves of orgasm. “I’m flattered by how quick that was.”
“I was as much a part of the stop and start sex today as you were.”
“Frustrated too? Not for much longer....”
Writhing in his sensitivity as Schuldig continued to fingerfuck him, Crawford said, “I really don’t need that much preparation.”
“Just making sure....”
Schuldig’s first thrust in rode the edge of being too much, too fast, nearly painful, but Crawford *had* kind of asked for it that way. Schuldig gentled it a bit in the rhythm he set, but Crawford found the pleasure nearly overwhelming anyway, completely out of his control, leaving him feeling open, vulnerable, and like he’d been filled with something too foreign. The way Schuldig made sure he got a lot of pleasure out of being fucked actually made things worse for him. But he couldn’t help being aware this time of how much Schu enjoyed fucking him, obvious in every kiss, caress, and thrust.
Crawford felt a vision trying to come to him. Metaphorically, it was on the tip of his tongue or just beyond the reach of his fingertips.
Schuldig’s next deep and very thorough thrust traveled along Crawford’s sweet spot and sent a jolt of pleasure through him that blanked out his thoughts, one of the reasons he preferred not to be fucked. He felt like he had so much of Schuldig inside him....
“Brad, you do remember what ticked me off earlier, right?”
“You expect me to answer questions right now?”
Schuldig nipped his ear and said, “Don’t go chasing visions. Stay with me. I’ll be pissed off and vengeful if you don’t, especially since you’ve already been warned. Do I need to fuck you harder to keep your attention?”
His stupid body shouldn’t have reacted positively to that question. “No. I’ll be good.”
“Oh, you will be. One way or another.”
His stupid body shouldn’t have reacted positively to those sinister statements either.
******************************************************
Yoji noticed Nagi smirking and obviously trying to hold back a snicker, so he asked, “What?”
“I’m just thinking that if you want to really focus and control your telekinesis you need to lay off the sex. For at least a month. You’ll be amazed by the difference,” Nagi replied.
“No. Way. You better be kidding,” Yoji said and glanced at Aya to see his reaction but Aya maintained a stone face, which could mean anything, while Sasha shrugged and said, “I can’t tell if he’s kidding. I’ve never heard of this before, but I also have to admit that Nagi’s much more powerful than any other telekinetic I’ve dealt with.”
“Why do you think Crawford is so set on me never having sex?” Nagi asked. “Abstinence increases my power and control. And one of the reasons Schuldig keeps calling you for booty calls is that it decreases Weiß’s telekinetic firepower. You’re inadvertently helping him keep your team at a disadvantage.”
Yoji refused to believe any of that for even a second. “Hell, no. Schuldig calls for me because I’m irresistibly sexy and he’s an insatiable pervert.”
“If he could help Schwarz and screw over Weiß by fucking someone he already wants anyway, you think he wouldn’t do it? It would add *spice* for him.”
“He would do that in a hot second, but that’s not what I was getting at!” Yoji shook his head. “My ability isn’t strong enough to justify it being necessary, and if abstinence is a requirement for nurturing my telekinesis, my telekinesis can go hang because I’m not doing it. I never asked or wanted to be a teke!”
“I’m sure Friendly would be thrilled by your priorities. Like I said before, you’re lazy and not willing to put in the work necessary. Also, none of us asked for our abilities. Calm down. You’re making a public scene.”
“If you think this is a scene, you have no idea.”
“I have Schuldig and Farfarello on my team, so *you* have no idea, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you to make even a small scene.”
Aya, buzzed, cracked first and snickered, then Nagi grinned. Annoyed, Yoji said, “So you *were* putting me on. Very funny.” That’s what it took to put a smile on their faces? “What if I agreed to try abstinence?”
“There’s no chance in hell you would’ve agreed to try it,” Nagi replied.
“In the highly unlucky event of you actually trying abstinence, we’d probably be placing bets on how long you’d last,” Aya said, making Sasha snicker.
“That’d be a great idea,” Nagi said. “Though I doubt Yoji would be able to abstain for long, especially since Schuldig would be tossing himself at Yoji even harder, which would actually go along with my prank hypothesis.”
“If Yoji said yes to abstinence, he still might try to sneak some sex in on the sly, as if we wouldn’t find out.”
“I thought you guys cared about me!” Yoji said.
“We do, but Yoji, you have so much sex that going without for a little while wouldn’t hurt you,” Aya answered. “It might even be good for your health.”
“That’s just nonsense. Why and how are you all ganging up on me?”
“I saw Nagi start off and couldn’t resist.”
“Ditto,” Sasha said. “You suffer so prettily.”
“*You* I’m not surprised about since you already betrayed me once today,” Yoji replied.
“Given the circumstances, can you really blame me?”
...not entirely, but he didn’t have to *say* that. “I’m more shocked about Aya and Nagi.”
“You mean the people on an opposing team?”
Argh. Pouting, Yoji said, “I’m not so sure I want to take you all out after this kind of treatment.”
“We’ll be good!”
“You better be. All of you.”
Nagi smirked but said, “Fine.”
“Aya?” Yoji asked.
“You know I don’t start these kinds of things, but all right, I promise to be good.”
“You don’t have to promise to be ‘good,’ just promise not to taunt me or help in taunting me. In fact, I can’t help hoping you’ll be a bit bad with me.”
“You’re terrible,” Aya said though he apparently couldn’t help smiling for a moment. But then he said, “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you a bit. I don’t think I could do a club today. With the saké and good food, not sleeping well last night, and the earlier emotional rollercoaster, I’m too tired. It’s catching up with me again. A quiet, safe place to sleep sounds like heaven right now. Please go out to have a good time without me. I mean it.”
Yoji had assumed that Aya’s sleepy-eyed look had come from the saké, but it seemed that at least some of Aya’s mellowness had come from gradually getting actually sleepier. Damn. Yoji had so been hoping to get Aya out on a dance floor and try to get him to cut loose as much as he could, something that might be possible with Aya buzzed, but if he needed to go to sleep Yoji wasn’t selfish enough to deny him that.
“I’d offer to let you sleep over at the apartments above Kitten in the House--it’d certainly make Elena somewhat happier with me--but I’m sure that would start a war with Schwarz,” Yoji replied. Too bad. Too bad Farfarello was a deeply jealous and violent nutcase and Crawford already has a huge bug up his ass about him.
“I know, and I wouldn’t want to put you in the middle of what’s going on with us, Yoji. I figured I would get a hotel room,” Aya said. Before Nagi could say anything, Aya continued, “Nagi, you should go out and have fun with them. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me too much to let you waste your time monitoring my sleep while you work on your computer. If things with Farfarello and Schwarz have gotten so bad that I need a bodyguard... but they haven’t, and I’m not helpless anyway. It’s also not fair for you to work while the rest of us aren’t doing anything useful anyway, so please take a break.”
Yoji had just assumed he’d lose Nagi along with Aya, which would also be a shame since the last time they’d gone out clubbing together Nagi had been hot and intriguing and he’d seen such possibilities. “We’d love to have you with us, Nagi. Right, Sasha?”
“The more the merrier. I don’t mind,” Sasha answered.
Nagi looked very tempted but said, “There’s still the problem of Crawford being a precognitive buzzkill. He ruined my last night out together with Yoji.”
“The hell with him,” Aya answered. “You do so much for the team, and you’re always working. Just this morning he said you were very valuable. It’s past time for you to be getting benefits for what you put into and bring to Schwarz, so he should at least let you have a *life*.”
“If he tries to drag you off, I’ll argue in your defense,” Sasha said. “I would’ve said ‘fight,’ but I doubt Yoji or Aya want that to happen on a crowded dance floor.”
Despite knowing that Sasha didn’t have completely altruistic reasons for standing up for him to spite Crawford, Nagi briefly showed what looked like surprise and gratitude, a momentary crack in the kid’s usual cynical and negative façade. After all, Sasha didn’t *have* to do anything of the sort or anything at all.
“I’ll fight harder for you this time, Nagi,” Yoji said. Nagi deserved to have a life! “Last time they caught me by surprise.”
“Kind of with your pants down,” Nagi replied as he smiled. Usually it would’ve come out as more of a smirk.
“Your pants were in a similar state.”
“So does this mean you two will defend me for a night of dancing, or are you offering yourself and possibly Sasha too for sex as well?” *That* he asked with a smirk.
“Are you actually interested in that?” Sasha asked. “Theoretically I’m game, but let’s see how things go and how we feel if it comes up later.”
The conversation had kind of gotten out of Yoji’s control. That kept happening. Aya’s amused look at him didn’t help.
Well, Schuldig *had* promised him personal sexytime but hadn’t delivered, and Yoji *had* been expecting a threesome or moresome, so maybe he should be open to where the day took him, which made Yoji answer, “We’ll see how it goes. If you’re interested.”
“I may be,” Nagi replied. “But are we going in there with me as your dom or what? You seemed to like it last time....”
Aya and Sasha looked really interested in hearing about this... and no doubt metaphorically busting Yoji’s balls over it. Yoji just said, “Argh.”
“I’ll stop torturing you.”
“*Nobody* stops doing that. So are you willing to take a chance and go out with us to see what happens?”
“Nagi, you can leave your computer with me. I can keep it in my room with me so it’ll be protected,” Aya said.
It surprised Yoji to hear the world’s number one introvert working so hard to get Nagi to go out on the town for a wild time, but he found it touching. Aya and Nagi apparently looked out for each other in many ways. As much as some of today’s events might have kicked the two of them in the gut, what Yoji saw of them together made him feel better for them.
It also gave him a view of Schwarz’s dynamics that Elena would want to have, maybe enough to buy him some forgiveness. Hell, she’d be interested in a lot of what Yoji had seen go down and what it might mean for the future.
“...yeah, I’m going out with you two,” Nagi replied. “I can use an opportunity to let off some steam. Crawford is in the wrong, as he’s been in the wrong about this the whole time, and his high horse is much shorter than usual today.”
“Yeah!” Sasha looked jazzed about it.
“But make sure it’s worth my while,” Nagi said.
“I will try my hardest,” Yoji answered. “I’m trying to convert you to the wonders of going out, after all.”
“You have a rep to maintain,” Sasha said.
“That too.”
“So we went from Nagi trying to prank Yoji into abstinence to us possibly getting Nagi laid.”
“I’m magic, my friend,” Yoji replied. “Are we done here? Does anyone want dessert?” The consensus seemed to be nope. “Aya, do you know what hotel we should drop you off at?”
“Not really,” Aya answered. “I want a place that’s good to actually just sleep in.”
Nagi fired up his laptop. “The internet will provide. I have a pretty good idea of what you’d like and want.” In a few minutes he said, “Got it.”
“Do I have enough money for it?”
“Use the team credit card in there. Considering why you need a hotel room, Schwarz should damned well pay for it, not you. I think Crawford would actually agree with me on that one. Don’t worry, it’s good.”
“Thanks.” Aya looked nearly as surprised as Yoji felt.
Nagi turned the laptop screen in Yoji’s direction. “Yoji, can you find this address?”
“Yeah, no problem.”
They paid for their meal and left, just about racing to the car to get out of the brutal cold of a winter evening, made more brutal by the restaurant having been *so* much warmer. Yoji immediately turned the heater on.
As he drove, Yoji enjoyed the buzzing air of anticipation everyone in the car had, even Aya, who must have been eager to go to bed. Sitting in the shotgun seat next to Yoji, Aya looked relaxed, which meant that at least some of Yoji’s plan had worked.
Yoji stopped in front of a hotel that looked nice but not *too* nice. Nagi really did know Aya. Although Yoji felt disappointed that he wouldn’t get to take Aya out on the town, he wanted Aya to be *well*. As Aya got out of the car with Nagi’s laptop bag, Yoji said, “Sleep well, Aya. Take care of yourself.”
“You make it sound like I’ll never see you again,” Aya replied lightly, with a smile. Damn it, Yoji needed to get him buzzed again sometime when they *could* spend more time together.
Matching Aya’s lightness, Yoji replied, “You know what I mean! You *better* see me again.”
“*Yes*, Yoji. Thanks.”
Yoji didn’t drive away until he saw Aya go through the doors and noticed that Nagi didn’t stop watching Aya until Aya couldn’t be seen anymore.
“Onward,” Yoji said.
“Where are we going?” Sasha asked. “None of us are terribly dressed up, except maybe Nagi, but none of us want to go back to our respective homes for a change of clothes either.”
“It’s fine,” Yoji answered. “None of us are going out to be on display for prospective hook-ups, right? Sasha! You’re only making that disappointed face to try to mess me up, right?” Sasha knew he’d be able to see it in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, yeah. We already have our hook-ups together in this car.”
Nagi snorted. “I haven’t promised anything.” He looked excited though, and Nagi rarely did that.
Sasha grinned at him. “You haven’t promised you won’t either.”
“I know a place,” Yoji said. “Have faith.”
******************************************************
“Do you want a room with a really nice view?” the man at the front desk asked.
“I’m not here for a view so no,” Aya answered. Having Nagi’s computer bag with him made him look more like a regular person checking into a hotel for regular reasons, which he appreciated. “I’ll be leaving before check-in tomorrow.”
“Very good. Here’s your keycard, which has the room number on it. You’re going to the second floor. Please enjoy your stay.”
“I expect to.” He better have a quiet, peaceful, solitary, mostly unconscious stay.
His room had a spare, clean and simple aesthetic, mellow colors, and a thick curtain closed over the long window. When he sat on the bed, it had that perfect balance of being neither too soft nor too hard. The soft sheets, blankets, and pillows smelled as if they’d been dried in the sun and clean winds. No sounds penetrated the walls or window. Restful. He would have to thank Nagi later for making a perfect choice.
Once stripped down to his sweater, jeans, and socks, Aya turned off the lights--which, thanks to the thick curtain, left the room in true darkness--and settled into bed. At first it seemed too strange to be alone in one--with no one else’s breathing, warmth, and weight beside him or on him--but he quickly became accustomed to it again and found all the tension drifting out of his body. No one else to be mindful of, careful of. No one he had to please or placate. No possessive grasp he had to settle himself into. Although mental shields often felt too claustrophobic for him, this time he consciously set them up to be as thick and all encompassing as possible, currently finding comfort in a small, close space. Breathing deeply and evenly, he emptied his mind, closed his eyes, and, with gratitude, fell asleep.
"Glass Houses" part 291/?
By Viridian5
4/2003 - present
RATING: NC-17. If m/m interaction bothers you, pass this by. AU.
SPOILERS: Glühen.
SUMMARY: After Aya's sister dies, Schwarz tries to save themselves and Aya from the mistakes of the Dramatic CDs and Glühen Schwarz tries to save him from himself--for their own reasons, of course--and neither they nor Weiß are ever the same again.
ARCHIVAL/DISTRIBUTION: No, not yet. This is a trial run of a piece of an unfinished fic.
DISCLAIMERS: All things Weiß Kreuz belong to Koyasu Takehito, Project Weiß, Polygram k.k., and Animate Film. No infringement intended.
NOTES: Thanks to rosaleendhu and red_squared for audiencing, typo-watch, and encouragement. Thanks to 'nat for "puisín," which she says probably sounds like "pu-sheen." Inspirational music includes Covenant's United States of Mind, mayatawi's V Mix the Second CD (Jane Jensen, Kidneythieves, Poe's rock version of "Hello," Kristen Barry's "Ordinary Life," Lacuna Coil), Linkin Park's Meteora, A Perfect Circle's Thirteenth Step, Pigface's Easy Listening..., Shriekback's "The Bastard Sons of Enoch," Zeromancer's Eurotrash, and Neuroticfish's Les Chansons Neurotiques.
I am not responsible for any therapy bills incurred as a result of trauma from doing research on things mentioned in this story. If you look up, say, "butter dog porn" on your own, I refuse to take the blame. I've been told that it's a bad idea to eat soup or drink while reading "Glass Houses."
========================
"Glass Houses" part 291
By Viridian5
========================
With a bright and somewhat wicked smile, Schuldig kissed and caressed nearly every part of Crawford’s body as he undressed him on a towel on top of the couch. The wickedness could be a bit worrying considering where Schuldig would eventually be putting his dick, but it wouldn’t be Schuldig without some wickedness. Besides, he’d promised and everything felt so good.
He felt *too much*....
Despite his years with Schuldig, Crawford still found it surprising that his body could react so strongly to this kind of attention after all the sex and orgasms he’d already had today. Schuldig played him like a master with his chosen instrument.
Schuldig soon had him completely undressed aside from his glasses but hadn’t removed any of his own clothing, which seemed unfair, so Crawford undid his fly and found that Schu hadn’t bothered putting on underwear so he let his fingers dance along the head of Schu’s cock.
“Impatient?” Schuldig asked with a smile and a bit of a moan. “But thanks, since that was getting uncomfortable.”
To his annoyance, Crawford couldn’t help feeling disappointed that the badly timed drama with Aya had prevented him from getting a chance to fuck Yoji (while Schuldig fucked him). Left to his own devices, he wouldn’t set up an opportunity to play around with Yoji. Too proud. The intended orgy hadn’t turned out the way he or especially Schuldig would’ve wanted.
Schuldig bopped Crawford’s nose with his index fingers. “Be more present, please. It takes a lot of the fun out of fucking you if you’re not here for it.” At least he’d fully removed his Godlike T-shirt, since there was no way Crawford would let him fuck him while wearing it for fear of encouraging bad thoughts or dialogue.
“I’m here. I just have a lot on my mind.”
“I could bite something on you if you need help--”
“That’s not necessary,” Crawford answered quickly then kissed him deeply and helped him out of his jeans.
It became much harder to think when Schuldig started jerking him off. “See, no biting necessary,” Crawford said with a moan. The way Schu writhed against him helped too.
“That’s encouraging.” Schuldig further encouraged him by stroking two fingers into him that went right to his prostate, sending him straight into waves of orgasm. “I’m flattered by how quick that was.”
“I was as much a part of the stop and start sex today as you were.”
“Frustrated too? Not for much longer....”
Writhing in his sensitivity as Schuldig continued to fingerfuck him, Crawford said, “I really don’t need that much preparation.”
“Just making sure....”
Schuldig’s first thrust in rode the edge of being too much, too fast, nearly painful, but Crawford *had* kind of asked for it that way. Schuldig gentled it a bit in the rhythm he set, but Crawford found the pleasure nearly overwhelming anyway, completely out of his control, leaving him feeling open, vulnerable, and like he’d been filled with something too foreign. The way Schuldig made sure he got a lot of pleasure out of being fucked actually made things worse for him. But he couldn’t help being aware this time of how much Schu enjoyed fucking him, obvious in every kiss, caress, and thrust.
Crawford felt a vision trying to come to him. Metaphorically, it was on the tip of his tongue or just beyond the reach of his fingertips.
Schuldig’s next deep and very thorough thrust traveled along Crawford’s sweet spot and sent a jolt of pleasure through him that blanked out his thoughts, one of the reasons he preferred not to be fucked. He felt like he had so much of Schuldig inside him....
“Brad, you do remember what ticked me off earlier, right?”
“You expect me to answer questions right now?”
Schuldig nipped his ear and said, “Don’t go chasing visions. Stay with me. I’ll be pissed off and vengeful if you don’t, especially since you’ve already been warned. Do I need to fuck you harder to keep your attention?”
His stupid body shouldn’t have reacted positively to that question. “No. I’ll be good.”
“Oh, you will be. One way or another.”
His stupid body shouldn’t have reacted positively to those sinister statements either.
******************************************************
Yoji noticed Nagi smirking and obviously trying to hold back a snicker, so he asked, “What?”
“I’m just thinking that if you want to really focus and control your telekinesis you need to lay off the sex. For at least a month. You’ll be amazed by the difference,” Nagi replied.
“No. Way. You better be kidding,” Yoji said and glanced at Aya to see his reaction but Aya maintained a stone face, which could mean anything, while Sasha shrugged and said, “I can’t tell if he’s kidding. I’ve never heard of this before, but I also have to admit that Nagi’s much more powerful than any other telekinetic I’ve dealt with.”
“Why do you think Crawford is so set on me never having sex?” Nagi asked. “Abstinence increases my power and control. And one of the reasons Schuldig keeps calling you for booty calls is that it decreases Weiß’s telekinetic firepower. You’re inadvertently helping him keep your team at a disadvantage.”
Yoji refused to believe any of that for even a second. “Hell, no. Schuldig calls for me because I’m irresistibly sexy and he’s an insatiable pervert.”
“If he could help Schwarz and screw over Weiß by fucking someone he already wants anyway, you think he wouldn’t do it? It would add *spice* for him.”
“He would do that in a hot second, but that’s not what I was getting at!” Yoji shook his head. “My ability isn’t strong enough to justify it being necessary, and if abstinence is a requirement for nurturing my telekinesis, my telekinesis can go hang because I’m not doing it. I never asked or wanted to be a teke!”
“I’m sure Friendly would be thrilled by your priorities. Like I said before, you’re lazy and not willing to put in the work necessary. Also, none of us asked for our abilities. Calm down. You’re making a public scene.”
“If you think this is a scene, you have no idea.”
“I have Schuldig and Farfarello on my team, so *you* have no idea, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you to make even a small scene.”
Aya, buzzed, cracked first and snickered, then Nagi grinned. Annoyed, Yoji said, “So you *were* putting me on. Very funny.” That’s what it took to put a smile on their faces? “What if I agreed to try abstinence?”
“There’s no chance in hell you would’ve agreed to try it,” Nagi replied.
“In the highly unlucky event of you actually trying abstinence, we’d probably be placing bets on how long you’d last,” Aya said, making Sasha snicker.
“That’d be a great idea,” Nagi said. “Though I doubt Yoji would be able to abstain for long, especially since Schuldig would be tossing himself at Yoji even harder, which would actually go along with my prank hypothesis.”
“If Yoji said yes to abstinence, he still might try to sneak some sex in on the sly, as if we wouldn’t find out.”
“I thought you guys cared about me!” Yoji said.
“We do, but Yoji, you have so much sex that going without for a little while wouldn’t hurt you,” Aya answered. “It might even be good for your health.”
“That’s just nonsense. Why and how are you all ganging up on me?”
“I saw Nagi start off and couldn’t resist.”
“Ditto,” Sasha said. “You suffer so prettily.”
“*You* I’m not surprised about since you already betrayed me once today,” Yoji replied.
“Given the circumstances, can you really blame me?”
...not entirely, but he didn’t have to *say* that. “I’m more shocked about Aya and Nagi.”
“You mean the people on an opposing team?”
Argh. Pouting, Yoji said, “I’m not so sure I want to take you all out after this kind of treatment.”
“We’ll be good!”
“You better be. All of you.”
Nagi smirked but said, “Fine.”
“Aya?” Yoji asked.
“You know I don’t start these kinds of things, but all right, I promise to be good.”
“You don’t have to promise to be ‘good,’ just promise not to taunt me or help in taunting me. In fact, I can’t help hoping you’ll be a bit bad with me.”
“You’re terrible,” Aya said though he apparently couldn’t help smiling for a moment. But then he said, “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you a bit. I don’t think I could do a club today. With the saké and good food, not sleeping well last night, and the earlier emotional rollercoaster, I’m too tired. It’s catching up with me again. A quiet, safe place to sleep sounds like heaven right now. Please go out to have a good time without me. I mean it.”
Yoji had assumed that Aya’s sleepy-eyed look had come from the saké, but it seemed that at least some of Aya’s mellowness had come from gradually getting actually sleepier. Damn. Yoji had so been hoping to get Aya out on a dance floor and try to get him to cut loose as much as he could, something that might be possible with Aya buzzed, but if he needed to go to sleep Yoji wasn’t selfish enough to deny him that.
“I’d offer to let you sleep over at the apartments above Kitten in the House--it’d certainly make Elena somewhat happier with me--but I’m sure that would start a war with Schwarz,” Yoji replied. Too bad. Too bad Farfarello was a deeply jealous and violent nutcase and Crawford already has a huge bug up his ass about him.
“I know, and I wouldn’t want to put you in the middle of what’s going on with us, Yoji. I figured I would get a hotel room,” Aya said. Before Nagi could say anything, Aya continued, “Nagi, you should go out and have fun with them. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me too much to let you waste your time monitoring my sleep while you work on your computer. If things with Farfarello and Schwarz have gotten so bad that I need a bodyguard... but they haven’t, and I’m not helpless anyway. It’s also not fair for you to work while the rest of us aren’t doing anything useful anyway, so please take a break.”
Yoji had just assumed he’d lose Nagi along with Aya, which would also be a shame since the last time they’d gone out clubbing together Nagi had been hot and intriguing and he’d seen such possibilities. “We’d love to have you with us, Nagi. Right, Sasha?”
“The more the merrier. I don’t mind,” Sasha answered.
Nagi looked very tempted but said, “There’s still the problem of Crawford being a precognitive buzzkill. He ruined my last night out together with Yoji.”
“The hell with him,” Aya answered. “You do so much for the team, and you’re always working. Just this morning he said you were very valuable. It’s past time for you to be getting benefits for what you put into and bring to Schwarz, so he should at least let you have a *life*.”
“If he tries to drag you off, I’ll argue in your defense,” Sasha said. “I would’ve said ‘fight,’ but I doubt Yoji or Aya want that to happen on a crowded dance floor.”
Despite knowing that Sasha didn’t have completely altruistic reasons for standing up for him to spite Crawford, Nagi briefly showed what looked like surprise and gratitude, a momentary crack in the kid’s usual cynical and negative façade. After all, Sasha didn’t *have* to do anything of the sort or anything at all.
“I’ll fight harder for you this time, Nagi,” Yoji said. Nagi deserved to have a life! “Last time they caught me by surprise.”
“Kind of with your pants down,” Nagi replied as he smiled. Usually it would’ve come out as more of a smirk.
“Your pants were in a similar state.”
“So does this mean you two will defend me for a night of dancing, or are you offering yourself and possibly Sasha too for sex as well?” *That* he asked with a smirk.
“Are you actually interested in that?” Sasha asked. “Theoretically I’m game, but let’s see how things go and how we feel if it comes up later.”
The conversation had kind of gotten out of Yoji’s control. That kept happening. Aya’s amused look at him didn’t help.
Well, Schuldig *had* promised him personal sexytime but hadn’t delivered, and Yoji *had* been expecting a threesome or moresome, so maybe he should be open to where the day took him, which made Yoji answer, “We’ll see how it goes. If you’re interested.”
“I may be,” Nagi replied. “But are we going in there with me as your dom or what? You seemed to like it last time....”
Aya and Sasha looked really interested in hearing about this... and no doubt metaphorically busting Yoji’s balls over it. Yoji just said, “Argh.”
“I’ll stop torturing you.”
“*Nobody* stops doing that. So are you willing to take a chance and go out with us to see what happens?”
“Nagi, you can leave your computer with me. I can keep it in my room with me so it’ll be protected,” Aya said.
It surprised Yoji to hear the world’s number one introvert working so hard to get Nagi to go out on the town for a wild time, but he found it touching. Aya and Nagi apparently looked out for each other in many ways. As much as some of today’s events might have kicked the two of them in the gut, what Yoji saw of them together made him feel better for them.
It also gave him a view of Schwarz’s dynamics that Elena would want to have, maybe enough to buy him some forgiveness. Hell, she’d be interested in a lot of what Yoji had seen go down and what it might mean for the future.
“...yeah, I’m going out with you two,” Nagi replied. “I can use an opportunity to let off some steam. Crawford is in the wrong, as he’s been in the wrong about this the whole time, and his high horse is much shorter than usual today.”
“Yeah!” Sasha looked jazzed about it.
“But make sure it’s worth my while,” Nagi said.
“I will try my hardest,” Yoji answered. “I’m trying to convert you to the wonders of going out, after all.”
“You have a rep to maintain,” Sasha said.
“That too.”
“So we went from Nagi trying to prank Yoji into abstinence to us possibly getting Nagi laid.”
“I’m magic, my friend,” Yoji replied. “Are we done here? Does anyone want dessert?” The consensus seemed to be nope. “Aya, do you know what hotel we should drop you off at?”
“Not really,” Aya answered. “I want a place that’s good to actually just sleep in.”
Nagi fired up his laptop. “The internet will provide. I have a pretty good idea of what you’d like and want.” In a few minutes he said, “Got it.”
“Do I have enough money for it?”
“Use the team credit card in there. Considering why you need a hotel room, Schwarz should damned well pay for it, not you. I think Crawford would actually agree with me on that one. Don’t worry, it’s good.”
“Thanks.” Aya looked nearly as surprised as Yoji felt.
Nagi turned the laptop screen in Yoji’s direction. “Yoji, can you find this address?”
“Yeah, no problem.”
They paid for their meal and left, just about racing to the car to get out of the brutal cold of a winter evening, made more brutal by the restaurant having been *so* much warmer. Yoji immediately turned the heater on.
As he drove, Yoji enjoyed the buzzing air of anticipation everyone in the car had, even Aya, who must have been eager to go to bed. Sitting in the shotgun seat next to Yoji, Aya looked relaxed, which meant that at least some of Yoji’s plan had worked.
Yoji stopped in front of a hotel that looked nice but not *too* nice. Nagi really did know Aya. Although Yoji felt disappointed that he wouldn’t get to take Aya out on the town, he wanted Aya to be *well*. As Aya got out of the car with Nagi’s laptop bag, Yoji said, “Sleep well, Aya. Take care of yourself.”
“You make it sound like I’ll never see you again,” Aya replied lightly, with a smile. Damn it, Yoji needed to get him buzzed again sometime when they *could* spend more time together.
Matching Aya’s lightness, Yoji replied, “You know what I mean! You *better* see me again.”
“*Yes*, Yoji. Thanks.”
Yoji didn’t drive away until he saw Aya go through the doors and noticed that Nagi didn’t stop watching Aya until Aya couldn’t be seen anymore.
“Onward,” Yoji said.
“Where are we going?” Sasha asked. “None of us are terribly dressed up, except maybe Nagi, but none of us want to go back to our respective homes for a change of clothes either.”
“It’s fine,” Yoji answered. “None of us are going out to be on display for prospective hook-ups, right? Sasha! You’re only making that disappointed face to try to mess me up, right?” Sasha knew he’d be able to see it in the rearview mirror.
“Yeah, yeah. We already have our hook-ups together in this car.”
Nagi snorted. “I haven’t promised anything.” He looked excited though, and Nagi rarely did that.
Sasha grinned at him. “You haven’t promised you won’t either.”
“I know a place,” Yoji said. “Have faith.”
******************************************************
“Do you want a room with a really nice view?” the man at the front desk asked.
“I’m not here for a view so no,” Aya answered. Having Nagi’s computer bag with him made him look more like a regular person checking into a hotel for regular reasons, which he appreciated. “I’ll be leaving before check-in tomorrow.”
“Very good. Here’s your keycard, which has the room number on it. You’re going to the second floor. Please enjoy your stay.”
“I expect to.” He better have a quiet, peaceful, solitary, mostly unconscious stay.
His room had a spare, clean and simple aesthetic, mellow colors, and a thick curtain closed over the long window. When he sat on the bed, it had that perfect balance of being neither too soft nor too hard. The soft sheets, blankets, and pillows smelled as if they’d been dried in the sun and clean winds. No sounds penetrated the walls or window. Restful. He would have to thank Nagi later for making a perfect choice.
Once stripped down to his sweater, jeans, and socks, Aya turned off the lights--which, thanks to the thick curtain, left the room in true darkness--and settled into bed. At first it seemed too strange to be alone in one--with no one else’s breathing, warmth, and weight beside him or on him--but he quickly became accustomed to it again and found all the tension drifting out of his body. No one else to be mindful of, careful of. No one he had to please or placate. No possessive grasp he had to settle himself into. Although mental shields often felt too claustrophobic for him, this time he consciously set them up to be as thick and all encompassing as possible, currently finding comfort in a small, close space. Breathing deeply and evenly, he emptied his mind, closed his eyes, and, with gratitude, fell asleep.