Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Chains ❯ Guess Me ( Chapter 71 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Miko No Hoshi 
Anime/Manga: Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.21.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 243 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.21.2011 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 243 | Status: Work In Progress
Notes: Sorry for the delay, especially since so many of you took time to review the last chapter! The evil doctor (no, not the fun kind of evil, either) finally let me out of the hospital, so I thought I’d post a quick chapter to tide every over until I get a longer one in order.
Chapter Seventy-One: Guess Me
Takatori Reiji didn’t stand when they entered the office. He made no pleasantries and didn’t even offer them a chair. Sitting behind an oversized wooden desk, big hands sorting through stacks of papers, he barely nodded in acknowledgement of their presence.
Though Crawford’s face remained unchanged, it was clear he was angry at the slight. It didn’t show in the stiff set of his shoulders, or the easy way he approached, but Nagi knew it just the same. It had become second nature to find a corner of the room, to stand silently while Crawford approached. That’s why the man brought him; Nagi knew how to stay out of the way.
“Good afternoon,” Crawford greeted, offering a mannerly bow with his right arm folded elegantly across his stomach.
Takatori grunted in reply, then, “Tell me about the girl.”
Aggravated at the lack of manners, Nagi debated if he could pick up the desk and beat the man over the head with it. Well, not so much if he could do it as if he could get away with it. He had spent less than an hour total in Takatori’s presence, but the thought of reducing him to a stain on the carpet struck Nagi as a fine idea. Still, as satisfying as that would be, Crawford would be upset.
“She is as expected.”
“Are there any problems I should know about?”
“No, sir.”
“The boy is out of the way?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good,” Takatori pressed his lips together and leaned back in the heavy chair. His hands rested on the arms and he looked at Crawford for the first time, “The elder Fujimiya proved to be quite a thorn in my side; I will not have his brat ruin this. I still believe we should kill him.”
“Sir, I cannot—”
“Enough. I don’t want to hear it again. I said I would trust your visions, Oracle, at least until they are proven wrong. I am more concerned with the girl, at any rate. Where is she?”
“She is safe.”
“And is she ready?”
“Almost. There have been a few setbacks in interpreting the text, but—”
“Why didn’t you mention this before! I said I wanted to be informed of every problem. Do not cross me Oracle, or—”
“It is a minor issue, Takatori-san, not worth your time. I assure you.”
Having half-risen in anger, the older man sank back in his chair, a lingering redness of his face the only hint of the near explosion.
“Despite our best attempts, neither the Paris nor the Berlin laboratories have managed to produce another suitable vessel. Masafumi will continue in his attempt, but at the moment, the girl is our only hope of channeling the power.” Takatori’s dark eyes gleamed as he spoke, and he stared at Crawford as if judging him of some heinous crime. “I will not tolerate any mistakes.”
“No, sir.”
“Masafumi will have the documents for you in a week. Take them back to Tokyo.”
Their eyes remained locked for a few more seconds, then Takatori turned his chair away, facing the large windows and staring out over the bright city. He said nothing else, and it was clear that they were dismissed.
Crawford made a small motion with his hand, and Nagi followed him out of the office. He paused only after the heavy doors were closed behind them. Lifting his glasses off, Crawford took out a cloth and cleaned them.
“Arrogant ass,” he spoke quietly but with conviction. There was no anger on his face, but he was far from pleased.
Nagi said nothing, but he shared the feeling, to be drug here and there at that human’s whim, their own plans set aside for weeks merely to cater to his desires for a brief meeting. There was no need for it, and it was painfully clear that the only reason they were in France was to prove that he could make them wait on him.
Once Crawford replaced his glasses, they headed silently to the waiting town car. Directions were given, and they were on their way before Nagi decided Crawford was calm enough to risk a question.
“How much longer will we need him?”
A slight smile curled the edge of pale lips, “Not much longer, I think.”
Nagi waited, making sure Crawford was done speaking; it wouldn’t do to interrupt him.
“Why does he want the girl?”
“He read the reports and trusts them. Though Masufumi altered both unborn children, according to the data it is only the female fetus that should be affected. Takatori has made an assumption.”
“But…he saw them.”
“There’s no accounting for fools,” Crawford answered coldly.
“Will you give him the girl, then?”
Not that he cared, but Nagi liked to know what was going on. Crawford was rarely in the mood to discuss his plans, and Schuldig was less than helpful even though he seemed to know more about them. He was surprised when the dark haired man turned in his seat and offered his full attention; it made Nagi nervous, but he was careful to give no outward sign.
The cruel, little smile was back at the edge of Crawford’s lips.
“I had almost forgotten.”
Nagi didn’t miss the almost, knowing very well that Crawford did not forget details. He didn’t forget anything.
~*~
“Hey,” Yohji spoke softly as he jostled the boy in his arms, “time to wake up.”
Aya mumbled something and tried to snuggle down closer to his chest.
“Hey,” he tried again, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice, “Come on. Omi made supper.”
After a few more gentle shakes, Aya finally roused enough to raise his head and look at Yohji. His eyes blinked a few times, and his hair stood out at various angles, making him look even younger than he was.
“You awake, princess?”
For that he got a little glare. True, he was deliberately aggravating the other, but Yohji also wasn’t sure precisely what to call the boy after the earlier revelation that he had been going by his sister’s name.
Once he figured out what was going on, Aya sat up and pulled away. Slightly reluctant to lose him, Yohji still let him go, sitting still as the redhead repositioned himself further away on the couch and rubbed a hand over his face.
“Okay?” Yohji asked.
He nodded, yes. Yohji wasn’t so sure. Still, it felt like some wall between them had been broken.
“You want to go upstairs, Ay—uh…” He sat for a second, hoping Aya would fill in the blank. It didn’t happen, and Yohji found he wasn’t even surprised. “Okay. Weird question. What do you want me to call you?”
Aya looked up at him again, and Yohji wondered if he was also thinking about his first day here, Yohji using the silly nickname, asking his name. At least things had gotten better, a little better. At least Aya was looking at him.
“Come on, Ay—” Now he smiled; sometimes it was just too much to stress over. “What did Omi say your name was? Ran?”
“No!”
The smile fell suddenly off Yohji’s face, not at the word, but at the way Aya cringed after saying it.
“I’m sorry, Yohji,” he said, quietly, “I just…I’m not.”
It took a second, but Yohji worked it out, “You don’t go by that anymore?”
Again Aya nodded, apparently not trusting himself to say anything.
“Aya, then?”
Another nod.
Yohji stood and stretched, reaching a hand back to help Aya off the couch.
“I can do that. Too late to change now, anyway. I’d just fuck it up all the time.”
~tbc~
Converting /tmp/phpdDZ1Ho to /dev/stdout
Chapter Seventy-One: Guess Me
Takatori Reiji didn’t stand when they entered the office. He made no pleasantries and didn’t even offer them a chair. Sitting behind an oversized wooden desk, big hands sorting through stacks of papers, he barely nodded in acknowledgement of their presence.
Though Crawford’s face remained unchanged, it was clear he was angry at the slight. It didn’t show in the stiff set of his shoulders, or the easy way he approached, but Nagi knew it just the same. It had become second nature to find a corner of the room, to stand silently while Crawford approached. That’s why the man brought him; Nagi knew how to stay out of the way.
“Good afternoon,” Crawford greeted, offering a mannerly bow with his right arm folded elegantly across his stomach.
Takatori grunted in reply, then, “Tell me about the girl.”
Aggravated at the lack of manners, Nagi debated if he could pick up the desk and beat the man over the head with it. Well, not so much if he could do it as if he could get away with it. He had spent less than an hour total in Takatori’s presence, but the thought of reducing him to a stain on the carpet struck Nagi as a fine idea. Still, as satisfying as that would be, Crawford would be upset.
“She is as expected.”
“Are there any problems I should know about?”
“No, sir.”
“The boy is out of the way?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good,” Takatori pressed his lips together and leaned back in the heavy chair. His hands rested on the arms and he looked at Crawford for the first time, “The elder Fujimiya proved to be quite a thorn in my side; I will not have his brat ruin this. I still believe we should kill him.”
“Sir, I cannot—”
“Enough. I don’t want to hear it again. I said I would trust your visions, Oracle, at least until they are proven wrong. I am more concerned with the girl, at any rate. Where is she?”
“She is safe.”
“And is she ready?”
“Almost. There have been a few setbacks in interpreting the text, but—”
“Why didn’t you mention this before! I said I wanted to be informed of every problem. Do not cross me Oracle, or—”
“It is a minor issue, Takatori-san, not worth your time. I assure you.”
Having half-risen in anger, the older man sank back in his chair, a lingering redness of his face the only hint of the near explosion.
“Despite our best attempts, neither the Paris nor the Berlin laboratories have managed to produce another suitable vessel. Masafumi will continue in his attempt, but at the moment, the girl is our only hope of channeling the power.” Takatori’s dark eyes gleamed as he spoke, and he stared at Crawford as if judging him of some heinous crime. “I will not tolerate any mistakes.”
“No, sir.”
“Masafumi will have the documents for you in a week. Take them back to Tokyo.”
Their eyes remained locked for a few more seconds, then Takatori turned his chair away, facing the large windows and staring out over the bright city. He said nothing else, and it was clear that they were dismissed.
Crawford made a small motion with his hand, and Nagi followed him out of the office. He paused only after the heavy doors were closed behind them. Lifting his glasses off, Crawford took out a cloth and cleaned them.
“Arrogant ass,” he spoke quietly but with conviction. There was no anger on his face, but he was far from pleased.
Nagi said nothing, but he shared the feeling, to be drug here and there at that human’s whim, their own plans set aside for weeks merely to cater to his desires for a brief meeting. There was no need for it, and it was painfully clear that the only reason they were in France was to prove that he could make them wait on him.
Once Crawford replaced his glasses, they headed silently to the waiting town car. Directions were given, and they were on their way before Nagi decided Crawford was calm enough to risk a question.
“How much longer will we need him?”
A slight smile curled the edge of pale lips, “Not much longer, I think.”
Nagi waited, making sure Crawford was done speaking; it wouldn’t do to interrupt him.
“Why does he want the girl?”
“He read the reports and trusts them. Though Masufumi altered both unborn children, according to the data it is only the female fetus that should be affected. Takatori has made an assumption.”
“But…he saw them.”
“There’s no accounting for fools,” Crawford answered coldly.
“Will you give him the girl, then?”
Not that he cared, but Nagi liked to know what was going on. Crawford was rarely in the mood to discuss his plans, and Schuldig was less than helpful even though he seemed to know more about them. He was surprised when the dark haired man turned in his seat and offered his full attention; it made Nagi nervous, but he was careful to give no outward sign.
The cruel, little smile was back at the edge of Crawford’s lips.
“I had almost forgotten.”
Nagi didn’t miss the almost, knowing very well that Crawford did not forget details. He didn’t forget anything.
~*~
“Hey,” Yohji spoke softly as he jostled the boy in his arms, “time to wake up.”
Aya mumbled something and tried to snuggle down closer to his chest.
“Hey,” he tried again, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice, “Come on. Omi made supper.”
After a few more gentle shakes, Aya finally roused enough to raise his head and look at Yohji. His eyes blinked a few times, and his hair stood out at various angles, making him look even younger than he was.
“You awake, princess?”
For that he got a little glare. True, he was deliberately aggravating the other, but Yohji also wasn’t sure precisely what to call the boy after the earlier revelation that he had been going by his sister’s name.
Once he figured out what was going on, Aya sat up and pulled away. Slightly reluctant to lose him, Yohji still let him go, sitting still as the redhead repositioned himself further away on the couch and rubbed a hand over his face.
“Okay?” Yohji asked.
He nodded, yes. Yohji wasn’t so sure. Still, it felt like some wall between them had been broken.
“You want to go upstairs, Ay—uh…” He sat for a second, hoping Aya would fill in the blank. It didn’t happen, and Yohji found he wasn’t even surprised. “Okay. Weird question. What do you want me to call you?”
Aya looked up at him again, and Yohji wondered if he was also thinking about his first day here, Yohji using the silly nickname, asking his name. At least things had gotten better, a little better. At least Aya was looking at him.
“Come on, Ay—” Now he smiled; sometimes it was just too much to stress over. “What did Omi say your name was? Ran?”
“No!”
The smile fell suddenly off Yohji’s face, not at the word, but at the way Aya cringed after saying it.
“I’m sorry, Yohji,” he said, quietly, “I just…I’m not.”
It took a second, but Yohji worked it out, “You don’t go by that anymore?”
Again Aya nodded, apparently not trusting himself to say anything.
“Aya, then?”
Another nod.
Yohji stood and stretched, reaching a hand back to help Aya off the couch.
“I can do that. Too late to change now, anyway. I’d just fuck it up all the time.”
~tbc~
Converting /tmp/phpdDZ1Ho to /dev/stdout