Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction / Yami No Matsuei Fan Fiction ❯ Red Shaman ❯ One Last Dance ( Chapter 35 )

One Last Dance

 

I thought of all the bad luck

And the struggles we went through

How I lost me and you lost you

What are these voices outside love's open door

That make us throw off our contentment and beg for something more

 

 

Crawford leaned on the windowsill watching Schuldig and Skye in the garden. They had been dancing earlier and were now flopped on a blanket eating and talking. It was obvious that Schu trusted her completely. Which was something he had never seen before from the man. It had nearly killed him to watch Schu kiss her. To watch that sarcastic, vicious, dirty mouth kiss someone else with such tenderness made him want to hide somewhere and never come out again.

 

Pride and competition
Cannot fill these empty arms
And the work I put between us
You know it doesn't keep me warm

 

Stupid. He felt like banging his head on the windowsill. Why was he even doing this to himself? Schuldig had made it very clear to him that it was too little far too late. A million should have's filled his mind. Should have told him sooner. Should have acted on one of the thousand times Schuldig had hit on him. Should have done . . . something. Anything to keep this from happening. That was one of the most annoying things about his gift. He could see for everyone else but not for himself. Not when it really counted anyway. He could see to counter attacks and head off major and minor disasters. When it came to anything personal he seemed to have a blind spot.

 

Schuldig hadn't left the Red Shaman household for more than a few hours since that night. He had stayed there with Skye. Only coming back to the condo to grab some clothes then leaving again without a word. Oh, he'd talked to Farf and Nagi, but not to him. Not even in his head. He hadn't expected that. He'd expected Schuldig to try and scramble his brain. Make him attracted to octogenarians or something freaky. But there was nothing. Just a horrible wall of silence. Which was not normal for Schuldig by any stretch of the imagination.

 

I'm learning to live without you now
But I miss you, baby
And the more I know, the less I understand

 

The silent treatment had been going on for over a week by this point. Schu hadn't said more than two words to him in that time. And those two words had been “Fuck you” when he'd tried to talk to him.

 

He looked out the window again. Watching Schuldig flop into Skye's lap. He couldn't really fault Schuldig's choice. If the tables were reversed and if he liked women, he would have been interested in Skye immediately himself. And why not? She was smart, strong, well educated, gorgeous, and a lady to the very core of her being. And Schuldig was right about her. She had never pushed him away, as he had time after time.

 

“You know it isn't what it seems, don't you?” Sunny said from the doorway.

 

“What isn't what it seems?”

 

“That,” he said nodding toward the window.

 

“Then what is it, Sunny?” Crawford asked, running his hands through his hair. “Because, damned if I know.”

 

“It originally started to get to us. A nice little kick in the ass to wake both of us up to what we were missing in the two of them.”

 

Crawford smiled a little. “That would be so like Schu.”

 

“Skye too.”

 

“Well, it worked. I know what I'm missing. But he hates me now.”

 

“I don't feel that in him. He's hurt.”

 

“Schuldig does not get hurt he gets vindictive. Hurt isn't in his vocabulary.”

 

“Just like love isn't in yours,” Sunny said. “You miss him. Don't try to give me any bullshit lies either. I can feel it.”

 

All the things I thought I'd figured out
I have to learn again

 

“That isn't the point, Sunny.”

 

“Then what is?”

 

“I'm not really sure I know anymore.”

 

“Then let me point something out to you, Oracle. Because I think she's blocked you from seeing it. I can feel her energy signature when you're consciously accessing your gift. She's rerouted the neural pathways so you won't connect to something she doesn't want you to. She's seen something to do with Schuldig. From the minor things she hasn't managed to block, it's something bad.”

 

“How bad?” he asked, suddenly feeling like he couldn't breathe.

 

“The way he's been practically glued to her the past few weeks, I'd say it's extremely bad.”

 

 

 

In the garden Skye was packing up the last of the picnic lunch she had brought out. Schuldig was fiddling with the CD's and making jokes about Southern fried chicken. Then ducking Skye throwing napkins at him.

 

“Come on,” Schu said, holding out a hand to her. “One last dance.”

 

You catch a faint glimpse of love sometimes
But it never blooms

She took his hand and got up. Smiling as he twirled her into the dance steps. He stopped actually dancing after a while and just held on to her. Swaying slightly to the music. She felt him start to tremble slightly.

 

I've been around this block a time or two
And I've made some big mistakes
But I promise you, I promise you

 

“Scheisse. I'm really fucking scared,” he said into her hair.

 

 

This is the worthless evening
That you'll have to spend

 

“Then don't go. Everyone will understand. I'll tell them what I've seen. Or let Oracle . . .”

 

“No!” he nearly shouted. “No, Skye,” he said a little more gently. “This is all planned out. It will take almost split second timing to pull this all off. I know Star and Sunny could probably do this on their own at any given time but there are other things they're needed for. If I don't go it might be someone else . . .”

 

“I never pictured you as a self sacrificing person, Schu,” she said, trying to lighten his mood.

 

“I'm not usually,” he said smirking. “I must be getting soft in my old age.”

 

She laughed. “Hey, I resemble that remark, boy.”

 

“Good thing I like older women,” he said, hugging her. “He's still watching out the window.”

 

“Schu . . .”

 

“I know what you think, Skye. But he deserves it.”

 

“Why? He told you he loves you. Finally.”

 

“That's the whole point. He did it under duress. Hell, I would have told anyone I loved them after all of that.”

 

“So, you think he only told you that because he was forced to?”

 

“That's the way I see it.”

 

“Star didn't create anything for him to say. She never has to. People have enough secrets that they don't want out to begin with. Everything was real and from his own experiences.”

 

“It's the fact that she had to compel him to blather off all of his childhood experiences to get him to admit it. If he can't tell me of his own free will, what's the point?”

 

“When you put it that way, I kind of see your point.”

 

“I thought you might.”

 

“Schu.”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“I won't let them take you,” she said, putting her forehead to his. “Even if I have to fight the Valkyries, I won't let them have you.”

 

Schuldig smiled a little at that. “There are worse places than Valhalla.”

 

“I know that. But I'm selfish. I won't let them take the only person who appreciates cheesy B movies as much as I do and will actually watch them with me,” she said lightly.

 

He smiled a little unsteadily at her. “Have I told you how much I love you lately?”

 

“Not today, but it's always good to know.”

 

I'll figure out some way to keep you safe, my friend. Even if it takes having Star lock you in the manacles tomorrow night.

 

**************************Author's Notes*****************************************

 

The songs are “The Heart of the Matter” and “The Last Worthless Evening” both by Don Henley.

 

Thanks to moimoi-chan, bewsbud, KD and BlueFolly10 for the lovely reviews.