part 155: "Do you really have to wear a telekinetic full-body condom?"
Previous installments are available through the 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.)
"Glass Houses" part 155/?
By Viridian5
RATING: R. If m/m interaction bothers you, pass this by. AU.
SPOILERS: "Mission 22: Miteid-- Final Reconciliation" and 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 Kasha, Thorn, Confidentsoba, Juls, and Helleboredoll 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, Maya's V Mix the Second CD (Jane Jensen, Kidneythieves, Garbage's "Butterfly Collector," 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 "Prostitute."
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.
========================
"Glass Houses" part 155
By Viridian5
========================
After Rex took Crawford's coat, Mamoru said, "Please sit."
"Thank you."
Interesting. Crawford usually preferred to stand. Also, the precog had been wearing dark suits lately but right now wore a cream one that looked somewhat unsettling with his silver hair. Had he chosen his outfit as a reminder of the Crawford he used to be?
Mamoru motioned for Rex to leave them, than sat as well, with the desk between him and Crawford. He didn't think about what he'd done on the desk yesterday or that Crawford probably knew about it, given what seemed to be a total lack of privacy within Schwarz. "I didn't have a chance to ask the last time we saw each other," being too busy trying to get Yoji out of Schwarz's clutches, "but how was your flight back?"
"Uneventful, as I prefer it. It's good to be back. We've gained a certain fondness for Japan. I may have been born in the United States but I've spent most of my life elsewhere."
"You intend to continue operating in Japan?"
"For the foreseeable future. You know why I'm here to speak with you."
"I have a guess. I'd prefer to be certain, so please enlighten me."
"Your request for Nagi's services as a teacher was inappropriately done in several ways. I can't let it pass."
Mamoru had thought so. It hadn't been until later that he'd realized that suggesting it in bed after sex gave him an unfair advantage, even though he'd done it innocently. Sometimes good ideas occurred to him during the afterglow and he became enthusiastic about them. "Actually, I agree that the time and place were wrong."
Surprise very briefly flashed on Crawford's face before the stillness returned. "You also shouldn't have done this without me."
"Nagi doesn't have any say on his free time?"
"If he had no say, you wouldn't have been in a position to make your request where you did. The problem here is that accepting that offer affects Schwarz. We're freelancers, not Kritiker employees. You would have him training people who could be our competition."
Mamoru forgot that sometimes. His fond hopes of Schwarz joining Kritiker could be placed in the same box with his hopes for getting Nagi to move in with him. Considering Nagi's repeated refusals, sleeping and waking up alone most of the time might be Mamoru's destiny. Expecting Schwarz to be any different might be a losing proposition. "I see."
"I'm Schwarz's manager, and I should be present for negotiations for all such offers and requests. Are you even offering to pay him for his time and aggravation?"
...no. Mamoru had seen it as a favor, even though he knew better than to mix his personal and business lives. He hadn't paid Nagi for the second consultation with Elena either. In defense, trying to hide weakness, Mamoru answered, "There was no talk of monetary compensation for his help with Yoji's ability."
"That was meant to be a favor, not a presumption on all future work. Besides, Nagi will find teaching a class to be even more unpleasant than training a single man. He should get something out of it."
True. Damn it. He'd taken advantage of Nagi.
He hadn't known he *could*. Nagi was so hard, so misanthropic. Who knew Nagi would get soft for him? It was... sweet. Mamoru had to make sure Nagi didn't regret it.
"As a paid favor, we might let Nagi do the seminar if he wishes to and finds all the terms agreeable," Crawford said. "You'll have to make an offer, and I'll have to talk to him."
"You said that you didn't want to help your competition."
"I'm in a mood to be generous."
Arrogant, more likely. Still, if Nagi consented to teaching, Mamoru had no qualms about taking advantage of Crawford's arrogance. "I appreciate generosity."
"But it will cost you."
"Of course."
******************************************************
Crawford felt pleased by his negotiations, having bargained for a fair price for Nagi's services and an agreement to give Nagi another chance to turn the seminar down while he wasn't under the influence of pheromones, afterglow, and mild emotional blackmail. Having agreed once, though, Nagi would probably agree again, out of pride. Backing out now would make it look like he'd made a mistake before.
It would be interesting to see if Crawford's prediction of the boy's behavior turned out true. He had confidence in his insight, but Nagi continued to evolve into an adult, his own person. It made him less predictable.
When Crawford returned to the apartment he saw most of his team bunched around Nagi's laptop, while Farfarello sat on the nearby couch and looked meditative as he sharpened one of his knives in long, consistent strokes.
"--dossier he wants us to come up on the enemy gang from behind and kill them, moving forward until the leader is alone," Nagi said. "Hi, Crawford."
"How dramatic of him," Aya answered.
"Pot and kettle, o prince of darkness," Schuldig said, then he took a look at Crawford as he removed his coat and said, "Muraki!"
Nagi sneered. "And in today's installment of The Unlikeliest Otaku...."
"I'm not some desperate fanboy. I just think all that white looks hot." He tried to rest his head atop Nagi's then growled, "Mean." No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't close the final five-centimeter space between his chin and Nagi's hair.
"I don't want anything of yours in my hair."
"You won't let me touch your shoulder, your hair.... Do you really have to wear a telekinetic full-body condom?"
"Around you? Yes."
"You've also been looking at my ass," Aya said.
"Everybody looks at your ass," Schuldig replied. "I'm just feeling friendly and affectionate."
"You're feeling horny," Farfarello said as he examined the edge of his knife on one fingertip. "If you're that desperate, I have several things I'll be happy to poke you with."
"Brad, save me!"
"You got yourself into this," Crawford said.
"You're all so mean. I'll wither away from neglect."
"Lick it up, baby. Lick it up," Nagi answered.
"You're just pissy because you're thinking deep, dark thoughts about your relationship with Omi."
"I'm this close to breaking one of your fingers."
"Fine, fine. You just don't appreciate my love. Brad, we already have a big start on a plan for tonight's job. You can check it and make suggestions."
His team showing initiative and drive always made him happy. "Very good."
It was a good plan, thoughtful and cautious yet not too cautious. It took variables and escape routes into account. He had suggestions to add but mostly approved his team's directives.
Finally, Crawford presented Nagi with a paper listing the pay Persia had offered for the seminar and said, "You can refuse to do it. I bargained that out of him."
Nagi seemed disinterested in the pay, which wasn't all that surprising since they all had money. For them, pay was more about the principle of the thing. "I'll do it," he said. "I don't want to back out of a commitment I already made." But he looked somber and thoughtful.
Crawford called Persia and let him know that Nagi agreed to the job and terms. Persia didn't let a hint of emotion show in his voice, very professional. Crawford took note. The boy was dangerous.
With the planning finished, everyone went to their own preparations for the night's work. Schuldig said, "I think I'll get some target practice in. I haven't killed anybody who was a real challenge in a while." He put on his coat, then his chauffeur hat.
Crawford fought back a smile. "Schu."
"I'm a tall white guy with bright blue eyes and blazing orange hair. I'm not gonna blend in without using telepathy, so why bother?"
Crawford felt rather warm and mushy in general at the moment. "Are you doing something to me?"
Schuldig's surprise looked genuine. "Nope. Why?"
"I'm feeling sentimental."
"Heaven forefend that the man with the steel spine who can eat iron and spit out bullets starts feeling affectionate. The world might end."
"I'm feeling much less warm toward you now."
"Goody."
"Nagi seemed moody." More than usual.
"He's blocking me, but some of his misery and 'going around in mental circles' bleeds through anyway. At least to someone who knows him as well as I do and is as incredibly powerful as I am. He feels stupid that he agreed to do Omi's bidding so easily, and he's second-guessing his decision to be involved with Omi. He's... torn."
"It would be easier and safer for him and Schwarz if he weren't involved with Persia."
"I know. He's just the drastic type. I could see him becoming celibate for the rest of his life because this one didn't work out. That would be a shame."
Distracted and unhappy team members didn't perform well, Nagi particularly. Crawford remembered the disaster with Tot. "Keep an eye on him."
"Was gonna do it anyway. Hey, wanna go to the practice range with me?"
He could stand some practice. "Sure."
"Don't get too excited. Your heart might burst."
"I don't have one."
Schuldig grinned. "Oh yeah. I forgot."
******************************************************
"Come in," Nagi said after Aya knocked on his door.
"Thank you. Can I sit down?"
"Yeah, go ahead." Nagi pointed him to the bed, touched and amused at the idea of a teammate who actually asked first, and turned his chair around to face him.
Aya sat. On Nagi's bed. Looking gorgeous. "Thanks again." He also looked a little wary, a little awkward. "I want to apologize for Farfarello last night."
"He should be making an apology himself, but thanks. Anyway, he does this sometimes to amuse himself. It's one of the reasons why he and Schuldig got along."
"Then that's not what you're brooding over today?"
Did Nagi want to talk to Aya about this? He didn't know. "It's not."
"Is it about Omi?"
"No comment."
"I see."
"It's just that I feel so stupid about this. I never thought I'd start feeling this way or being so weak."
"You're not weak," Aya said fiercely.
"All right. What do you call agreeing to do something I hate just because I was in a good mood from having sex?"
"That sounds crass."
"Okay, maybe because I like Omi too, but either way it led to me doing something against my best interests."
"Does he make you happy?"
"Sometimes. But I get so anxious about when I should go see or whether I should stay over. He wants me to live with him, and I can't see that. He's only one of our potential employers, and this is a conflict of interest on my part. I'm going to have to remember to weigh everything he asks versus the best interests of my team." He was doing an excellent job of not commenting, wasn't he?
"I've never had to worry about whether to stay over with someone. I wish I could give you advice."
"It would be easier if I stepped away now."
"And never engage with anyone again?"
"Actually, yes. That would be safest." Depressing, but safest. He wouldn't be so plagued with self-doubt then either. Crawford said that self-doubt occasionally came with greater intelligence but that it should never be allowed to paralyze you.
He hadn't decided what to do about himself and Omi yet. Not really.
"I thought the same in the past."
"My flirtation with Tot was a disaster too."
"You weren't well-suited for each in many ways, and she was on a rival team."
Hmph. Rival. That gave Schreient too much credit.
"The rest of us will be paired up while you have no one, ever, and you'll be fine with that?" Aya asked.
"I'll be fine. I don't have to be celibate." Good luck with that on this team anyway. "I just won't look for anything long term. Don't look at me like that. We're assassins. I can't bring anyone in who might find out and freak about it. And report us to the authorities, though being believed about us might take some work. Then there's my telekinesis...."
"I remember your worries about finding someone who'd accept that about you."
Omi accepted it. Occasionally Nagi felt that Omi liked the use of telekinesis too much. "Yeah."
"I don't have any answers to your concerns, Nagi. I wish I did. I just don't want you to be alone." Aya could be very sweet in his quiet way.
The part of him that wanted to tell Aya that one way to make him feel better and less alone would be to lie back on the bed and have sex with him could just shut up, because that wasn't going to happen. "I haven't made any decisions yet. Besides, on this team I'm never alone, even when I want to be."
Aya smiled a tiny smile. "You know what I mean."
Having Aya sitting here on his bed trying to get him to talk in the hopes of making him feel better gave Nagi such an ache inside.
******************************************************
Their suitcase was buzzing. Buzzing and vibrating usually denoted weapons or sex toys. Farfarello carefully flipped its top open using the tip of one of his knives, saw some of their clothes subtly moving, and used his knife to push those aside as well. He found his kitten's cell phone. They'd forgotten about it.
Grinning he answered it, "I told you not to call me here."
"What? Excuse me?" Persia asked.
For a moment Farfarello felt angry suspicion, but then remembered that Aya was using the arch-kitten to help find them a place of their very own. Thus, he would be polite and helpful. "Sorry. I didn't expect a call. Have you found a place?"
"Farfarello?" Persia sounded so shocked, then recovered as he went on. "No, not yet. It's difficult, as we expected. First we have to find two side-by-side apartments that either already have the features you want or could be modified. Then they have to be in a building where the neighbors aren't too nosy."
This didn't sound good. "Hmm."
"I have Kritiker housing that gives me more say in the conditions, but I don't think your leader would be amenable."
"You're right."
"The only progress I've made is that I've eliminated some possibilities. I called more to make sure that Aya could be reached at this number." After a moment, he said, "I can also help switch your service to a local number."
It mattered very little to Farfarello, but he answered, "All right."
"Can I talk to Aya?"
"I can give him your message."
"I'd still like to talk to Aya."
Persistent. Still, Persia was helping them, so Farfarello could give him a small boon, a little tidbit to entice him to work harder. "All right."
He found his kitten trying to cheer the smitten boy, who looked at Aya with such longing. It would be good to break this up. "Puisín. Phone."
******************************************************
Nagi watched and listened as Aya spoke on the phone. "Hi," Aya answered, then smiled a little. "Yeah. I should have thought to leave some way for you to contact me. I hadn't thought ahead.... Switching the service over would be good, but that was a long, intricate contract they made us sign. You might need lawyers. Hnh. Yeah, it would have to be a place where the neighbors don't snoop. We're a flamboyant looking group that would keep odd hours, never mind the killing and occasional coming home bloodstained. Yes, really. Thank you. We'll talk again."
So Aya had enlisted help in finding an apartment. Very smart. But Nagi didn't want Aya to move out, ever, and it had nothing to do with how "hot" Aya was. But Aya wanted his own space. It would be selfish to refuse him it for a reason like this.
Nagi didn't have a problem with being selfish. It was a good thing Aya hadn't asked him for help on apartment hunting, because he didn't think he'd be able to give it.
Farfarello shot him a measuring, knowing, somewhat threatening look. Nagi stared back, defiant.
******************************************************
Boxes filled parts of their bedroom. Some part of Farfarello enjoyed all the opportunities for cover in case of attack but most of him hated their presence for the reminder that he and his kitten still lived like children in Schwarz's home. Aya had infected him with a love for space and privacy where before he hadn't cared.
"What did the boy want?" he asked his kitten. "He's not still upset about my little confession at dinner, is he? A member of Schwarz should let such roll off his back or he'll not survive long."
"That's not it."
Farfarello grabbed him and rolled on the bed with him back and forth. "There are no secrets in Schwarz. Besides, it's no secret at all that the boy is upset about something that will come out sooner or later no matter what you do." He nuzzled the soft nape of Aya's neck, loving the crimson of the hair there.
Aya breathed out. "You don't really care."
"You care so I care. Now spill. We all know each other's business."
"This seminar issue has just reinforced for him how rocky his relationship with Omi can be."
"That wasn't so hard. And?"
"I care about them both, and they do seem to be causing each other as least as much misery and uncertainty as happiness, not that I'm any expert to judge. I think they do love each other but love isn't always enough."
Farfarello felt into him a little and said, "You have your own concerns as well."
"Omi is one of our employers. In the future, the conflict of interest may manifest in even bigger ways than this seminar situation. Nagi already feels torn in two and is chastising himself for being weak-willed, which is unfair. He's seriously thinking of breaking up with Omi and never getting involved with anyone ever again. Meanwhile, I'm not sure he even *should* stay with Omi."
That was not good. That was very bad. Persia distracted the boy from Aya. Farfarello had the sudden mental image of a kitten-smitten boy *forever* gazing after Aya with a look of hopeless adoration and misery, which wouldn't be a happy and healthy situation for any of them. "He must have someone of his own."
"That's what I thought. But he made very good points about his job and his telekinesis being a stumbling point to keeping a lover."
"Best would be another assassin and talent." When Aya shook a little, Farfarello asked, "What? You're amused by me?"
"No, I just had the most ridiculous idea."
"What? What? Now you have to share."
His kitten sounded amused. "I don't. I won't."
"You do. You will." He quickly stroked up and down his kitten's body making him writhe, partly to get a confession and partly because his kitten felt better and better to him as his damages slowly healed. Sensation-drunk, Farfarello grinned. "Tell."
Aya suffered in stoic, if almost breathless, silence as he fruitlessly wiggled and struggled for a while in some show of putting up a fight until finally choking out, "Yoji. I thought of Yoji for him because my brain is cracked."
After the initial thought of "What the fuck?" Farfarello saw the poetry in it and said, "No, that's perfect." He turned his assault on his kitten into slower, more meditative motions.
"It's insanity!"
"The age difference isn't truly so bad. The boy is very mature."
"Yes, and that would be a problem."
"The slutkitten is immature?"
"I'm not having this conversation and don't call him 'slutkitten.'"
"It's funny."
"Maybe, but I know that it's going to slip out in front of him some day."
"So?"
Perhaps seeing that he wouldn't win on that, Aya said, "It's the pairing of crackheadedness. They have almost nothing in common."
"They're assassins who have telekinesis."
"And that's it."
Not quite. More importantly: "They're both lust-struck by you. That suggests some overlap in taste."
Aya stilled. "Is that what this is about? You think that getting them hooked up with someone, here each other, will stop them from wanting me?"
His kitten was far too clever. "That's no doubt too much to expect of them." Trying to yank the flow of conversation back to where he wanted it, he continued, "The height difference is easily surmountable, given that they're both tekes."
"Nagi's far more likely to push Yoji down to his knees than to float up to meet him. Farfarello, it's a ridiculous idea, and we have no matchmaking skills anyway."
"Speak for yourself."
Nagi's relations with Persia left him unsettled and unhappy and thus available to orbit Aya. The slutkitten's occasional third wheel routine with Crawford and the mindbreaker left *him* far too much freedom and time to consider Aya. They had to be settled and anchored.
Besides, Farfarello didn't like to see the boy mope. Or, rather, mope more.
Once he wouldn't have cared about any of this.
"You're not going to do anything," Aya said.
"No. Anything I did would probably only make them more contrary." When Aya winced hard suddenly, Farfarello petted him and asked, "What happened?"
"I felt myself trying to grab into you and yanked myself back from it. I think part of me wanted to see if you meant it when you said you wouldn't interfere."
He felt such pride. "You're a quick learning kitten." That some part of Aya felt distrust of him didn't bother him at all. Distrust would help keep the kitten alive, and Farfarello knew that he couldn't always trust himself.
"It worked this time. I think. But I have a headache now."
"You'll get better." Farfarello spilled some ki into Aya to help. "Better?"
"Somewhat."
"Good. I don't enjoy your pain."
"Luckily for me."
"So, what did you tell the boy to do?"
"I told him that he had to do what he felt was best. I also told him that he shouldn't be alone for the rest of his life."
"You might have contradicted yourself there."
"Life's not clear-cut. Why should advice be? In any case, it's not as if I have vast experience to draw on to guide him. I was mostly a sympathetic listener."
"One he enthusiastically bared his heart to."
"You were the one who once wanted him to bare other things to me, as you reminded us and revealed to Crawford and Schuldig last night, so you can hardly cry jealousy now."
"Cruel kitten." But fun. He liked it that Aya made him work hard to get away with anything.
******************************************************
"You really are feeling... sentimental," Schuldig purred as Crawford set his hand on the small of his back. The telepath smelled of gunpowder and sweat....
Crawford wanted him, right here, right now, in the hallway leaving the firing range, but... "I would fuck you now if I didn't foresee people walking in on us forcing me to stop so I could kill them. It would be such a annoying mess." This aroused, he even found Schuldig's hat charming.
Schuldig grinned. "I guess we'll just have to take out our sexual frustrations on our targets until after the mission, when we can finally actually fuck."
Blood, gunpowder, sweat, and anticipation made an even greater aphrodisiac, a pleasant side effect of their work. "I'm looking forward to it."
"Glass Houses" part 155/?
By Viridian5
RATING: R. If m/m interaction bothers you, pass this by. AU.
SPOILERS: "Mission 22: Miteid-- Final Reconciliation" and 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 Kasha, Thorn, Confidentsoba, Juls, and Helleboredoll 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, Maya's V Mix the Second CD (Jane Jensen, Kidneythieves, Garbage's "Butterfly Collector," 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 "Prostitute."
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.
========================
"Glass Houses" part 155
By Viridian5
========================
After Rex took Crawford's coat, Mamoru said, "Please sit."
"Thank you."
Interesting. Crawford usually preferred to stand. Also, the precog had been wearing dark suits lately but right now wore a cream one that looked somewhat unsettling with his silver hair. Had he chosen his outfit as a reminder of the Crawford he used to be?
Mamoru motioned for Rex to leave them, than sat as well, with the desk between him and Crawford. He didn't think about what he'd done on the desk yesterday or that Crawford probably knew about it, given what seemed to be a total lack of privacy within Schwarz. "I didn't have a chance to ask the last time we saw each other," being too busy trying to get Yoji out of Schwarz's clutches, "but how was your flight back?"
"Uneventful, as I prefer it. It's good to be back. We've gained a certain fondness for Japan. I may have been born in the United States but I've spent most of my life elsewhere."
"You intend to continue operating in Japan?"
"For the foreseeable future. You know why I'm here to speak with you."
"I have a guess. I'd prefer to be certain, so please enlighten me."
"Your request for Nagi's services as a teacher was inappropriately done in several ways. I can't let it pass."
Mamoru had thought so. It hadn't been until later that he'd realized that suggesting it in bed after sex gave him an unfair advantage, even though he'd done it innocently. Sometimes good ideas occurred to him during the afterglow and he became enthusiastic about them. "Actually, I agree that the time and place were wrong."
Surprise very briefly flashed on Crawford's face before the stillness returned. "You also shouldn't have done this without me."
"Nagi doesn't have any say on his free time?"
"If he had no say, you wouldn't have been in a position to make your request where you did. The problem here is that accepting that offer affects Schwarz. We're freelancers, not Kritiker employees. You would have him training people who could be our competition."
Mamoru forgot that sometimes. His fond hopes of Schwarz joining Kritiker could be placed in the same box with his hopes for getting Nagi to move in with him. Considering Nagi's repeated refusals, sleeping and waking up alone most of the time might be Mamoru's destiny. Expecting Schwarz to be any different might be a losing proposition. "I see."
"I'm Schwarz's manager, and I should be present for negotiations for all such offers and requests. Are you even offering to pay him for his time and aggravation?"
...no. Mamoru had seen it as a favor, even though he knew better than to mix his personal and business lives. He hadn't paid Nagi for the second consultation with Elena either. In defense, trying to hide weakness, Mamoru answered, "There was no talk of monetary compensation for his help with Yoji's ability."
"That was meant to be a favor, not a presumption on all future work. Besides, Nagi will find teaching a class to be even more unpleasant than training a single man. He should get something out of it."
True. Damn it. He'd taken advantage of Nagi.
He hadn't known he *could*. Nagi was so hard, so misanthropic. Who knew Nagi would get soft for him? It was... sweet. Mamoru had to make sure Nagi didn't regret it.
"As a paid favor, we might let Nagi do the seminar if he wishes to and finds all the terms agreeable," Crawford said. "You'll have to make an offer, and I'll have to talk to him."
"You said that you didn't want to help your competition."
"I'm in a mood to be generous."
Arrogant, more likely. Still, if Nagi consented to teaching, Mamoru had no qualms about taking advantage of Crawford's arrogance. "I appreciate generosity."
"But it will cost you."
"Of course."
******************************************************
Crawford felt pleased by his negotiations, having bargained for a fair price for Nagi's services and an agreement to give Nagi another chance to turn the seminar down while he wasn't under the influence of pheromones, afterglow, and mild emotional blackmail. Having agreed once, though, Nagi would probably agree again, out of pride. Backing out now would make it look like he'd made a mistake before.
It would be interesting to see if Crawford's prediction of the boy's behavior turned out true. He had confidence in his insight, but Nagi continued to evolve into an adult, his own person. It made him less predictable.
When Crawford returned to the apartment he saw most of his team bunched around Nagi's laptop, while Farfarello sat on the nearby couch and looked meditative as he sharpened one of his knives in long, consistent strokes.
"--dossier he wants us to come up on the enemy gang from behind and kill them, moving forward until the leader is alone," Nagi said. "Hi, Crawford."
"How dramatic of him," Aya answered.
"Pot and kettle, o prince of darkness," Schuldig said, then he took a look at Crawford as he removed his coat and said, "Muraki!"
Nagi sneered. "And in today's installment of The Unlikeliest Otaku...."
"I'm not some desperate fanboy. I just think all that white looks hot." He tried to rest his head atop Nagi's then growled, "Mean." No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't close the final five-centimeter space between his chin and Nagi's hair.
"I don't want anything of yours in my hair."
"You won't let me touch your shoulder, your hair.... Do you really have to wear a telekinetic full-body condom?"
"Around you? Yes."
"You've also been looking at my ass," Aya said.
"Everybody looks at your ass," Schuldig replied. "I'm just feeling friendly and affectionate."
"You're feeling horny," Farfarello said as he examined the edge of his knife on one fingertip. "If you're that desperate, I have several things I'll be happy to poke you with."
"Brad, save me!"
"You got yourself into this," Crawford said.
"You're all so mean. I'll wither away from neglect."
"Lick it up, baby. Lick it up," Nagi answered.
"You're just pissy because you're thinking deep, dark thoughts about your relationship with Omi."
"I'm this close to breaking one of your fingers."
"Fine, fine. You just don't appreciate my love. Brad, we already have a big start on a plan for tonight's job. You can check it and make suggestions."
His team showing initiative and drive always made him happy. "Very good."
It was a good plan, thoughtful and cautious yet not too cautious. It took variables and escape routes into account. He had suggestions to add but mostly approved his team's directives.
Finally, Crawford presented Nagi with a paper listing the pay Persia had offered for the seminar and said, "You can refuse to do it. I bargained that out of him."
Nagi seemed disinterested in the pay, which wasn't all that surprising since they all had money. For them, pay was more about the principle of the thing. "I'll do it," he said. "I don't want to back out of a commitment I already made." But he looked somber and thoughtful.
Crawford called Persia and let him know that Nagi agreed to the job and terms. Persia didn't let a hint of emotion show in his voice, very professional. Crawford took note. The boy was dangerous.
With the planning finished, everyone went to their own preparations for the night's work. Schuldig said, "I think I'll get some target practice in. I haven't killed anybody who was a real challenge in a while." He put on his coat, then his chauffeur hat.
Crawford fought back a smile. "Schu."
"I'm a tall white guy with bright blue eyes and blazing orange hair. I'm not gonna blend in without using telepathy, so why bother?"
Crawford felt rather warm and mushy in general at the moment. "Are you doing something to me?"
Schuldig's surprise looked genuine. "Nope. Why?"
"I'm feeling sentimental."
"Heaven forefend that the man with the steel spine who can eat iron and spit out bullets starts feeling affectionate. The world might end."
"I'm feeling much less warm toward you now."
"Goody."
"Nagi seemed moody." More than usual.
"He's blocking me, but some of his misery and 'going around in mental circles' bleeds through anyway. At least to someone who knows him as well as I do and is as incredibly powerful as I am. He feels stupid that he agreed to do Omi's bidding so easily, and he's second-guessing his decision to be involved with Omi. He's... torn."
"It would be easier and safer for him and Schwarz if he weren't involved with Persia."
"I know. He's just the drastic type. I could see him becoming celibate for the rest of his life because this one didn't work out. That would be a shame."
Distracted and unhappy team members didn't perform well, Nagi particularly. Crawford remembered the disaster with Tot. "Keep an eye on him."
"Was gonna do it anyway. Hey, wanna go to the practice range with me?"
He could stand some practice. "Sure."
"Don't get too excited. Your heart might burst."
"I don't have one."
Schuldig grinned. "Oh yeah. I forgot."
******************************************************
"Come in," Nagi said after Aya knocked on his door.
"Thank you. Can I sit down?"
"Yeah, go ahead." Nagi pointed him to the bed, touched and amused at the idea of a teammate who actually asked first, and turned his chair around to face him.
Aya sat. On Nagi's bed. Looking gorgeous. "Thanks again." He also looked a little wary, a little awkward. "I want to apologize for Farfarello last night."
"He should be making an apology himself, but thanks. Anyway, he does this sometimes to amuse himself. It's one of the reasons why he and Schuldig got along."
"Then that's not what you're brooding over today?"
Did Nagi want to talk to Aya about this? He didn't know. "It's not."
"Is it about Omi?"
"No comment."
"I see."
"It's just that I feel so stupid about this. I never thought I'd start feeling this way or being so weak."
"You're not weak," Aya said fiercely.
"All right. What do you call agreeing to do something I hate just because I was in a good mood from having sex?"
"That sounds crass."
"Okay, maybe because I like Omi too, but either way it led to me doing something against my best interests."
"Does he make you happy?"
"Sometimes. But I get so anxious about when I should go see or whether I should stay over. He wants me to live with him, and I can't see that. He's only one of our potential employers, and this is a conflict of interest on my part. I'm going to have to remember to weigh everything he asks versus the best interests of my team." He was doing an excellent job of not commenting, wasn't he?
"I've never had to worry about whether to stay over with someone. I wish I could give you advice."
"It would be easier if I stepped away now."
"And never engage with anyone again?"
"Actually, yes. That would be safest." Depressing, but safest. He wouldn't be so plagued with self-doubt then either. Crawford said that self-doubt occasionally came with greater intelligence but that it should never be allowed to paralyze you.
He hadn't decided what to do about himself and Omi yet. Not really.
"I thought the same in the past."
"My flirtation with Tot was a disaster too."
"You weren't well-suited for each in many ways, and she was on a rival team."
Hmph. Rival. That gave Schreient too much credit.
"The rest of us will be paired up while you have no one, ever, and you'll be fine with that?" Aya asked.
"I'll be fine. I don't have to be celibate." Good luck with that on this team anyway. "I just won't look for anything long term. Don't look at me like that. We're assassins. I can't bring anyone in who might find out and freak about it. And report us to the authorities, though being believed about us might take some work. Then there's my telekinesis...."
"I remember your worries about finding someone who'd accept that about you."
Omi accepted it. Occasionally Nagi felt that Omi liked the use of telekinesis too much. "Yeah."
"I don't have any answers to your concerns, Nagi. I wish I did. I just don't want you to be alone." Aya could be very sweet in his quiet way.
The part of him that wanted to tell Aya that one way to make him feel better and less alone would be to lie back on the bed and have sex with him could just shut up, because that wasn't going to happen. "I haven't made any decisions yet. Besides, on this team I'm never alone, even when I want to be."
Aya smiled a tiny smile. "You know what I mean."
Having Aya sitting here on his bed trying to get him to talk in the hopes of making him feel better gave Nagi such an ache inside.
******************************************************
Their suitcase was buzzing. Buzzing and vibrating usually denoted weapons or sex toys. Farfarello carefully flipped its top open using the tip of one of his knives, saw some of their clothes subtly moving, and used his knife to push those aside as well. He found his kitten's cell phone. They'd forgotten about it.
Grinning he answered it, "I told you not to call me here."
"What? Excuse me?" Persia asked.
For a moment Farfarello felt angry suspicion, but then remembered that Aya was using the arch-kitten to help find them a place of their very own. Thus, he would be polite and helpful. "Sorry. I didn't expect a call. Have you found a place?"
"Farfarello?" Persia sounded so shocked, then recovered as he went on. "No, not yet. It's difficult, as we expected. First we have to find two side-by-side apartments that either already have the features you want or could be modified. Then they have to be in a building where the neighbors aren't too nosy."
This didn't sound good. "Hmm."
"I have Kritiker housing that gives me more say in the conditions, but I don't think your leader would be amenable."
"You're right."
"The only progress I've made is that I've eliminated some possibilities. I called more to make sure that Aya could be reached at this number." After a moment, he said, "I can also help switch your service to a local number."
It mattered very little to Farfarello, but he answered, "All right."
"Can I talk to Aya?"
"I can give him your message."
"I'd still like to talk to Aya."
Persistent. Still, Persia was helping them, so Farfarello could give him a small boon, a little tidbit to entice him to work harder. "All right."
He found his kitten trying to cheer the smitten boy, who looked at Aya with such longing. It would be good to break this up. "Puisín. Phone."
******************************************************
Nagi watched and listened as Aya spoke on the phone. "Hi," Aya answered, then smiled a little. "Yeah. I should have thought to leave some way for you to contact me. I hadn't thought ahead.... Switching the service over would be good, but that was a long, intricate contract they made us sign. You might need lawyers. Hnh. Yeah, it would have to be a place where the neighbors don't snoop. We're a flamboyant looking group that would keep odd hours, never mind the killing and occasional coming home bloodstained. Yes, really. Thank you. We'll talk again."
So Aya had enlisted help in finding an apartment. Very smart. But Nagi didn't want Aya to move out, ever, and it had nothing to do with how "hot" Aya was. But Aya wanted his own space. It would be selfish to refuse him it for a reason like this.
Nagi didn't have a problem with being selfish. It was a good thing Aya hadn't asked him for help on apartment hunting, because he didn't think he'd be able to give it.
Farfarello shot him a measuring, knowing, somewhat threatening look. Nagi stared back, defiant.
******************************************************
Boxes filled parts of their bedroom. Some part of Farfarello enjoyed all the opportunities for cover in case of attack but most of him hated their presence for the reminder that he and his kitten still lived like children in Schwarz's home. Aya had infected him with a love for space and privacy where before he hadn't cared.
"What did the boy want?" he asked his kitten. "He's not still upset about my little confession at dinner, is he? A member of Schwarz should let such roll off his back or he'll not survive long."
"That's not it."
Farfarello grabbed him and rolled on the bed with him back and forth. "There are no secrets in Schwarz. Besides, it's no secret at all that the boy is upset about something that will come out sooner or later no matter what you do." He nuzzled the soft nape of Aya's neck, loving the crimson of the hair there.
Aya breathed out. "You don't really care."
"You care so I care. Now spill. We all know each other's business."
"This seminar issue has just reinforced for him how rocky his relationship with Omi can be."
"That wasn't so hard. And?"
"I care about them both, and they do seem to be causing each other as least as much misery and uncertainty as happiness, not that I'm any expert to judge. I think they do love each other but love isn't always enough."
Farfarello felt into him a little and said, "You have your own concerns as well."
"Omi is one of our employers. In the future, the conflict of interest may manifest in even bigger ways than this seminar situation. Nagi already feels torn in two and is chastising himself for being weak-willed, which is unfair. He's seriously thinking of breaking up with Omi and never getting involved with anyone ever again. Meanwhile, I'm not sure he even *should* stay with Omi."
That was not good. That was very bad. Persia distracted the boy from Aya. Farfarello had the sudden mental image of a kitten-smitten boy *forever* gazing after Aya with a look of hopeless adoration and misery, which wouldn't be a happy and healthy situation for any of them. "He must have someone of his own."
"That's what I thought. But he made very good points about his job and his telekinesis being a stumbling point to keeping a lover."
"Best would be another assassin and talent." When Aya shook a little, Farfarello asked, "What? You're amused by me?"
"No, I just had the most ridiculous idea."
"What? What? Now you have to share."
His kitten sounded amused. "I don't. I won't."
"You do. You will." He quickly stroked up and down his kitten's body making him writhe, partly to get a confession and partly because his kitten felt better and better to him as his damages slowly healed. Sensation-drunk, Farfarello grinned. "Tell."
Aya suffered in stoic, if almost breathless, silence as he fruitlessly wiggled and struggled for a while in some show of putting up a fight until finally choking out, "Yoji. I thought of Yoji for him because my brain is cracked."
After the initial thought of "What the fuck?" Farfarello saw the poetry in it and said, "No, that's perfect." He turned his assault on his kitten into slower, more meditative motions.
"It's insanity!"
"The age difference isn't truly so bad. The boy is very mature."
"Yes, and that would be a problem."
"The slutkitten is immature?"
"I'm not having this conversation and don't call him 'slutkitten.'"
"It's funny."
"Maybe, but I know that it's going to slip out in front of him some day."
"So?"
Perhaps seeing that he wouldn't win on that, Aya said, "It's the pairing of crackheadedness. They have almost nothing in common."
"They're assassins who have telekinesis."
"And that's it."
Not quite. More importantly: "They're both lust-struck by you. That suggests some overlap in taste."
Aya stilled. "Is that what this is about? You think that getting them hooked up with someone, here each other, will stop them from wanting me?"
His kitten was far too clever. "That's no doubt too much to expect of them." Trying to yank the flow of conversation back to where he wanted it, he continued, "The height difference is easily surmountable, given that they're both tekes."
"Nagi's far more likely to push Yoji down to his knees than to float up to meet him. Farfarello, it's a ridiculous idea, and we have no matchmaking skills anyway."
"Speak for yourself."
Nagi's relations with Persia left him unsettled and unhappy and thus available to orbit Aya. The slutkitten's occasional third wheel routine with Crawford and the mindbreaker left *him* far too much freedom and time to consider Aya. They had to be settled and anchored.
Besides, Farfarello didn't like to see the boy mope. Or, rather, mope more.
Once he wouldn't have cared about any of this.
"You're not going to do anything," Aya said.
"No. Anything I did would probably only make them more contrary." When Aya winced hard suddenly, Farfarello petted him and asked, "What happened?"
"I felt myself trying to grab into you and yanked myself back from it. I think part of me wanted to see if you meant it when you said you wouldn't interfere."
He felt such pride. "You're a quick learning kitten." That some part of Aya felt distrust of him didn't bother him at all. Distrust would help keep the kitten alive, and Farfarello knew that he couldn't always trust himself.
"It worked this time. I think. But I have a headache now."
"You'll get better." Farfarello spilled some ki into Aya to help. "Better?"
"Somewhat."
"Good. I don't enjoy your pain."
"Luckily for me."
"So, what did you tell the boy to do?"
"I told him that he had to do what he felt was best. I also told him that he shouldn't be alone for the rest of his life."
"You might have contradicted yourself there."
"Life's not clear-cut. Why should advice be? In any case, it's not as if I have vast experience to draw on to guide him. I was mostly a sympathetic listener."
"One he enthusiastically bared his heart to."
"You were the one who once wanted him to bare other things to me, as you reminded us and revealed to Crawford and Schuldig last night, so you can hardly cry jealousy now."
"Cruel kitten." But fun. He liked it that Aya made him work hard to get away with anything.
******************************************************
"You really are feeling... sentimental," Schuldig purred as Crawford set his hand on the small of his back. The telepath smelled of gunpowder and sweat....
Crawford wanted him, right here, right now, in the hallway leaving the firing range, but... "I would fuck you now if I didn't foresee people walking in on us forcing me to stop so I could kill them. It would be such a annoying mess." This aroused, he even found Schuldig's hat charming.
Schuldig grinned. "I guess we'll just have to take out our sexual frustrations on our targets until after the mission, when we can finally actually fuck."
Blood, gunpowder, sweat, and anticipation made an even greater aphrodisiac, a pleasant side effect of their work. "I'm looking forward to it."