Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Home ❯ 39 ( Chapter 39 )

39

I don't understand how you've done these things to me

I cannot comprehend your lack of loyalty

Noontime sun beat down on us as we drove toward the little bar where we had first met. Yohji and I hadn't talked much this morning; I had the feeling that everything had already been said. I also had the feeling that neither one of us really wanted me to leave, but that could have been my own vanity.

As he slid into a parking space, I unfastened my seat belt and started to lift my bundle of clothes. A hand on my arm stopped me. "Be careful," Yohji murmured, frowning behind his sunglasses. "I don't like the way the streets look today."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "I will. You too," I added, realizing that he still had to drive back to his place.

For a moment I thought he was going to kiss me. For another moment, I thought I was going to kiss him. The moments passed.

I smiled and told him, "I'll try to look you up in a couple of days."

"You know where I live," he replied, lighting a cigarette.

"See you around, Kudou," I said as I got out of the car and hefted my unwieldy bundle of clothes, all tied together by the straps of the holster.

Yohji nodded and gave a little wave.

I took a deep breath and turned toward my destination. All around were muffled thoughts, held back by my refreshed shields and easy to deflect. Behind me I could sense Yohji, watching me walk away. I briefly considered going back to the car, leaving this insane life and starting a new one in Amsterdam, but I didn't look back. Nagi needed me, and Brad was going to be leaving with Farf any time now. And I had promised I would be there.

The Seven roared to life again, and sped off the way it had come.

My steps didn't falter. I had work to do, an obligation to fulfill. I would be there.

By the time I stood at the door to our apartment, I had nearly convinced myself that this was for the best.

The door opened. Nagi looked up at me with eyes too old for a child and ushered me inside. I set the bundle down by the door. "They didn't leave yet, did they?"

Before he could answer, Brad's voice came from his room. "Ah, excellent. You're right on time."

I turned to see a Brad transformed, and my mouth hung open. His hair had been trimmed short, the sideburns lightened to grey. He sported a neat black mustache that couldn't have been his own, there hadn't been enough time. He wore no glasses, and his eyes were blue. As he strode toward me, he adjusted the cuffs on his Italian suit jacket, charcoal in color. The effect was of a very rich and powerful man, a man with soft, unbloodied hands.

"You're staring," Brad said, smirking at me.

"You're right!" I blurted. "Damn, Brad! I'm impressed!"

"Don't be. I'm trying to be unnoticed."

"It'll never work on me," I replied with a smile.

Brad reached into his jacket and produced two passports. "These are yours," he stated, handing them to me. "One is Austrian, the other French. If you need to move out while I'm gone, use the French one and hide the other one securely. Nagi already has his, you won't have to worry about that. The car will stay here. We'll be taking another to the airport. Make sure all your stuff is either stowed in the car or ready to go. I won't have any missteps at this stage. Any questions?"

I tried to think of one, but nothing came. Instead, I opened the passports and studied them. The one that said I was French showed me with shorter brown hair and sported the name of Armand Duvier. It had been stamped for entry into Japan. The Austrian passport had a picture of me with lighter hair, and according to it I was one Ritter Stedmann. It, too, had been stamped in Japan, but in addition to that I had apparently visited China beforehand. My eyebrow went up and I asked, "Why China?"

"We all have identities in China now, and you are known to travel through there regularly. Congratulations, you're a photographer," Brad told me, not smiling. "We may have to go there for a while. I'll let you know when I get back."

"They're here," Farfarello called softly from his room, and I nearly panicked before I realized he meant the other car.

Brad looked into my eyes, the contact lenses eerily mirroring my own color. He gave a slight sigh and nodded. "Take care of him, Schu. We'll be back in two and a half days. Remember, if that phone rings, get out fast." He gripped my arms gently, then pulled me to him and kissed me.

I melted against him, while inside my soul conflict raged.

Behind me, Farf cleared his throat softly. Brad pulled away from me, gazing once more into my eyes. Then he turned to speak with Nagi, and I turned toward Far.

Farfarello wore a chauffeur's uniform, the hat tucked under his arm. All visible skin had been bronzed with liquid tan. His hair had been dyed black, a braided extension hanging between his shoulder blades. On his face, a "tattooed" dragon obscured the scars, and instead of an eyepatch he wore forbiddingly dark wraparound sunglasses. With great precision he lifted the hat and set it in place, tilting it very slightly over his missing eye.

"Looks good, Far," I murmured, quite amazed at the effect. He looked like a Chinese mafia bodyguard or something.

"I'll bring him back safe," Farfarello replied, his voice soft. "You keep the boy safe. That's your job this time."

I nodded.

Brad opened the door and paused. He looked back at me, then smiled. "Two and a half days." Then he was gone, Farfarello carrying two small suitcases behind him.

Nagi closed the door, then sighed heavily. "I hate this."

"What did he tell you, kiddo?" I asked, hoping it was more information than he'd given me.

"Nothing useful. We're not to leave the apartment unless we have to. Either one of us." Nagi glared at me, then added, "Especially not you."

"That figures," I grumbled, reaching for my bundle of clothes and storming into my bedroom. Damn, this was going to be bad. The kid still hated me for being an asshole, and I really couldn't blame him. But, hell, did he have to hold a grudge? I untied my things, then refolded everything relevant. I put the holster back on and took the gun from my waistband. Probably didn't need it in the apartment, but after the fiasco with Nagi when I had been unarmed, I didn't care to take the chance.

Hauling Far's jacket out with me, I bundled it back into his travel bag, then headed for the kitchen.

Nagi sat at the kitchen table, picking at a bowl of plain rice.

"Hey, chibi?" I pulled a chair over next to him and sat. I had to ask him this, or we'd never make it for the next two days. "Do you hate me now, or what?"

Nagi looked up, his eyes dark. "No."

I sighed and tried again. "Look, just tell me, okay? Something isn't right, and now that we're stuck together for a couple of days, I want to know what's going on with you."

"Does there have to be something wrong with me, Schu? Is that the only reason you came back?"

I sat back, stunned. "No, chibi, that's not it at all."

Nagi merely stared.

"Kiddo, we are Schwarz," I told him. "Now and forever. We've thrown our lot in with Brad and Farfarello, and with each other. We are a team, and I will never abandon my team." I swallowed hard. "Not for anyone."

"Will Brad?"

Remembering my own fears, I thought about my own answers to them. "No, Nagi. He won't betray us."

"Will he die?"

My breath hitched in my chest. Swallowing again, I shook my head and told him, "He'd know, kiddo. He'd know and at least warn us if it were at all possible. Brad promised they'd be back in two and a half days, and I believe him."

"But they say precogs never See their own death," Nagi asserted, hanging onto his fear like a bulldog. "How would he be able to warn us if he didn't See anything?"

"Chibi, that's the whole idea." I didn't like this topic, but I had to see it through before it took any deeper hold on the kid. "Brad Saw his return to Japan, right? So obviously he won't die on this trip. If he hadn't Seen anything after, then I'd be worried." Worried sick, I thought, but refrained from saying.

Changing direction as smoothly as a bird in flight, Nagi asked, "So where were you, anyway?"

I got up and walked toward the fridge. "Nowhere important."

"Bullshit, Schuldig. Crawford wasn't happy about it, so it had to be something bad."

The bottle of water trembled in my grip. I couldn't decide if I was angry, or terrified. "Chibi, leave it alone, okay?"

The chair scraped across the floor, then soft footsteps left the kitchen.

I opened the water, nearly spilling it in the process. Damn, that kid was too fucking smart. And observant, just like Yohji. I leaned against the counter and tried to calm down.

Nagi avoided me for the rest of the afternoon, staying in his room except for the occasional foray to the toilet. I tried to watch some television, but I was too agitated. It was bad enough leaving the sanctuary of Kudou's apartment; leaving it for Nagi's chill was damn near unbearable.

Dinnertime found me staring at the contents of the refrigerator as cold air seeped into the kitchen.

Nagi ghosted in around me and pulled some boxes from the top shelf, then said, "You can shut the door now."

I stared at him. "What, are you in charge of food?"

"Unless you were at a two-day cooking academy, yes."

I retreated to the table and watched him portion out food onto plates, then place one in the microwave. "Chibi," I started, "do you remember the time in Brad's apartment, before the team was complete?"

"You mean when I was just a little kid, and you had to take care of me?"

"Yeah, that."

"You were barely competent, you know."

"Thanks," I growled. "So, what special instructions did Brad leave for you, gaki?"

"I told you," he said, bringing over a plate and chopsticks and setting them in front of me. "Keeping you out of trouble and inside the apartment."

"Kiddo, I'm not going anywhere."

Nagi only stared at me, his eyes vaguely accusing.

"I mean it, Nagi." Then I remembered something he'd said, and I met his gaze. "I won't abandon you. Ever."

The boy offered me a very small smile, then turned to retrieve his dinner.

I watched him eat. He picked at his food, choosing the smallest pieces of meat and avoiding the larger vegetables. He sipped tea between each bite. This was odd, even for him. "Nagi, are you all right?"

He sighed, his thin shoulders hunching with the movement. "I throw up if I eat too much," he whispered. "Sometimes it's okay, but if I get a headache, I throw up, and it hurts more if I ate a lot."

Fear clutched at my chest. "Does Brad know about this?"

Nagi nodded. "He told me to eat small bites, and to go slowly. And I'm not supposed to use my powers, not even to practice. It makes it worse."

"Did he get you any medicine?" Anger was quickly replacing the fear. Damn Brad for leaving the kid in this condition! And damn him for not telling me.

"I can't take it. It makes me sick." Nagi continued picking delicately at his meal.

I had lost my appetite. "So what the hell am I supposed to do for you? What do I do if you get sick?"

Nagi looked at me, his young face solemn. "You help me clean it up, Schu. That's all you can do. Crawford said it would pass in time. I just have to be extra careful right now."

I reached for a cigarette, then realized I didn't have any on me. Besides, I wasn't supposed to smoke around the kid, and if he was having problems keeping food down, that was the last thing he needed to smell. "Nagi, do me a favor. Tell me if you start to feel sick, okay? And, talk to me? I didn't know you were having problems like that."

"You weren't here."

I slammed my hand on the table, jarring my shoulder. "Damn it, Nagi! Brad told me to go!"

"You didn't have to stay gone the whole time."

I stared at my small accuser. "He told me to," I repeated. "Brad told me that he knew I'd be gone that long, and he didn't tell me not to. I'm sorry I wasn't here, Nagi, but that's how it had to be."

Nagi sighed and pushed back from the table. "Whatever, Schuldig."

Leaping to my feet, I intercepted him at the doorway. "Nagi, please! Don't keep fighting me!"

The boy turned and glared. "You don't get it, do you? You're treating this like some kind of holiday. Crawford needs the team to stay together, and you keep going off on your own." Nagi's eyes narrowed. "Do you want to know where he went, Schuldig?"

I stopped, mouth suddenly dry. "He told you?"

"He said that once they had left the apartment it would be safe to tell you. Do you want to know?"

"Where?"

"Switzerland. Right under Esset's nose."

My legs buckled and I sank to the floor. "God, no," I murmured. No wonder he hadn't wanted to tell me. It wasn't about me leaking the information, I would have found a way to stop him from leaving. "Why the hell does he have to go there?"

"He's closing all his accounts at one of those anonymous banks," Nagi said, sinking down to sit beside me. "That's why Farf was all done up like a bodyguard. That, and they're hoping they won't be recognized." Big indigo eyes gazed up at me, all hardness gone now, replaced with fear. "They'll be safe, though, right, Schu? He Saw they'd be safe, didn't he?"

I swallowed and forced myself to nod. "Yeah, he Saw he'd be back in Japan," I whispered, somehow less than convinced. This was going to be a long two days.

"Did he see Farfarello coming back with him?"

"Yeah, kiddo. They'll both be fine," I said, the lie rolling off my tongue with ease. Brad had never mentioned Farf's welfare on this trip, only his own. But I couldn't let the kid worry. Desperate to change the subject, I said, "Come on, let's watch some TV or something."

"Schuldig, you know I don't watch that crap."

I got up from the floor and hauled Nagi up with me. "Tonight, that will change."

Nagi rolled his eyes at me. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, you do. Consider it a cultural experience."

It turned out to be a cultural experience all right, but the joke was on me. I couldn't find a damn thing that wasn't in Japanese. Finally I switched the TV off. "All right, you win. Music, maybe?"

"Schu, you know I can't," Nagi protested.

Yohji's words echoed back to me, and I smiled a little. "Chibi, we're going to be on the run, if Brad's right about that part. Do you think you'll be able to avoid all those things that they said would be bad for you? I'd rather get you used to music a little bit, at least. Besides," I added, realizing the truth of it as I said it, "I'll need the music to stay clear in my head."

Nagi sighed. "Whatever. I'm going to bed."

"Wait a minute, will you?" I got my CDs from my bag and went for the stereo. "Just humor me, okay? You didn't power up at the rave club, right? I think this stuff will be okay for you, and it's what I'm going to be listening to whether you like it or not."

The boy settled back on the couch, pulling a pillow into his embrace and closing his eyes as the music started. I could feel his discomfort, his worry born of habit and training. I kept the volume low, and hoped to hell I wasn't going too fast for him.

After a few minutes, he looked up at me and grudgingly said, "Well, it doesn't suck."

"Glad you like it."

"Can I go to bed now?"

I sighed. "Sure, kid. If you want to, go for it." A thought occurred to me, and I asked, "Unless you want to stay in my room with me, like you used to?"

"Please, Schuldig," Nagi muttered, rising, "I'm not a child anymore."

"No, I can see that."

"Besides, you'd probably have one of those noisy dreams of yours and make the bedsprings squeak until I woke up."

"Nagi!"

"Schuldig." He folded his arms across his chest, his expression daring me to deny his allegation.

"Ah, hell. Go to bed already."

I stayed up, listening to my music and thinking about the team, and Yohji. Brad, in Switzerland. God, that was one of the worst places he could have gone. But he'd promised to return to us.

His visions weren't always accurate.

Worry kept me awake through the night. Each time Nagi left his room for the toilet, I listened for the sound of retching, but it never came. I tried not to think about Brad and Far, deep within enemy territory. By sunrise, I found myself thinking about Yohji, sleeping by day as though he alone stood against the demons of the night.

All I wanted was for time to pass more quickly, before I fretted myself into total insomnia.

Dimly I noticed small hands draping a blanket over me on the couch, then awareness fled as I passed into a deeper sleep in the early morning sunlight.