Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Neutral Territory ❯ Two Leaders, Two Approaches ( Chapter 14 )

Title: Neutral Territory [part 14/?]

Author: Enigma

Written: begun October, 2001

Rating: R

Pairings: (Omi + Nagi) (Yohji + Ken) (Brad + Schu)

Category: Shonen ai/Yaoi Angst Friendship Romance Action Violence. AU-OOC. Giftfic.

Archive: fanfiction.net & mediaminer.org [author: "E-sama the Llama"] plus Wuffie.net [author: "Enigma"]

Warnings: shonen ai/yaoi, angst, masculine friendship in many forms, various levels of romance, action, coarse language, whiffs of citrus but nothing detailed, possibly graphic violence, bloodshed, tiny bits of humor, fluff, and sap; more warnings will be added as necessary. AU-OOC. Giftfic for Rubious.

Spoilers: Aya's sister's condition and a few other small things, nothing major.

Disclaimer: "Weiss Kreuz" is the property of Koyasu Takehito and Project Weiss. All original characters featured herein (including but not limited to: Glocksten, Charon, etc.) are © Enigma, 2003, and are not to be used without permission. This unauthorized work of fanfiction is intended for entertainment only; kindly do not sue me.

Notes: Omi's first trip to the public library results in an unexpected meeting when Nagi saves his life without being aware of the Weiss archer's identity. Can two lonely teens overcome the limits of their dark purpose in life to find friendship and possibly love in the midst of "neutral territory"?

//thoughts//

{{mental speech}}

*****

Wednesday night, a little before midnight. Nagi's bedroom.

*****

Late on Wednesday night, after chatting with Omi for almost three hours as well as setting a new scenario in motion for his RPG participants, Nagi bid his new friend goodnight and went to bed even though it was remarkably early for him to do so.

Laying in the comforting semi-darkness of his room, the usually antisocial telekinetic stared at the ceiling and reflected on the time spent in the sunshine that afternoon and how much he had enjoyed being with the outgoing blond archer.

//I don't recall ever having as much fun in one single day as I did today. Who knew that going to a park in the middle of the day could be so pleasant? I've always hated being outside in broad daylight, but I think that's a holdover from my life on the streets when I was little. Daytime was usually when I had to hide from the other kids.//

An errant moonbeam lit a frown which marred the smooth skin of his pale forehead as he fought back the memories he wished he could deny, a past he could never outrun. Sighing as he realized that those painful remembrances would never leave him no matter how much he wished for it to be otherwise, Nagi backtracked mentally to the first day of the week.

//What would've happened to Omi if I hadn't been there when that bookshelf got knocked over at the library on Monday?//

The frail psychic shuddered in sudden fear.

//Oh gods, he would've died! Right there in one of the safest places I know of, someone who can defend himself against even Farfie when he's had to in the past would've been killed by a bunch of dusty old books and no one could've done anything to stop it. That would've been absolutely horrible!//

Another tremble shook his too-thin frame as a disturbing mental image of the way the Weiss tactician's body would have been crushed into a bloody mass of broken bones and ruptured organs came to mind. In an attempt to soothe himself after that frightening thought, Nagi considered what might have been the result if Omi hadn't gone to that branch of the library in the first place.

//If he hadn't been there at all, though, I'd never have gotten a chance to get to know him and we'd never have found out that we had so much in common.//

As he thought more about how Omi had changed his world, Nagi calmed and smiled slightly unawares that the faintest of blushes was beginning to color his usually wan complexion.

//But that isn't what happened, now is it? Maybe it was fate or simple luck that I was there in just the exact right place to rescue him, but either way, I'm so glad that I *was*! And I'm even more glad that he insisted that we talk afterwards. I don't have the kind of self-confidence that Omi does to be able to just talk to anyone the way he must have to do in that flower shop Weiss runs. Hmm, I wonder if that's how he makes his spending money? Selling flowers probably suits him. I wonder if I'll ever get a chance to see where he works? That would be nice.//

Warmth filled Nagi's heart as his mind concocted a fairly detailed image of what he thought such an encounter might be like if fate felt like granting that, too. Granted, Omi had never even mentioned the name of the Koneko to him as part of the unspoken agreement to remain ignorant of the location of each other's homes, so Nagi was free to create his own vision of a florist's paradise to imagine his new friend within. Dark lashes feathered across barely pink cheeks in the moonlight as he allowed the astonishingly sweet fantasy to fill his mind.

//To see Omi surrounded by roses and carnations, happily smiling at me as he explains what each type of flower is, offering me one or two to smell and then telling me which one is *his* favorite and why he likes it would be so nice. Maybe he'd even pick out a type of flower that he thinks *I'd* like best and give me one to keep? I'd probably actually smile again even though other people might see it just because he'd made me so happy, and then I'd…//

Nagi's thoughts froze as he detected a presence nearby. Eyes the color of the darkest sapphires flew wide as he automatically assumed it was Schuldich and that his secret interest in the enemy was out since his shields might've been insufficient for the task of protecting their burgeoning friendship.

Even as Nagi readied his powers for a single violent strike against the telepath in a foredoomed attempt at escape, the light from the hallway glinted off of shiny, wire-rimmed glasses. It wasn't Schuldich after all.

Suspicious yet somewhat off-balance mentally due to his fairly detailed fantasy about Omi and the flower shop, he asked, "Crawford? What do you want?" Ordinarily, he would've growled at the American for daring to invade his privacy so blatantly, but at that moment he was still in a pleasanter mood than usual thanks to thoughts of the endearing blond.

The leader of Schwarz blinked, startled by the words since he'd thought Nagi was asleep when he'd opened the door a crack and peered in at the boy whose eyes were closed at the time. The truth was that he'd just gotten in from the meeting he'd mentioned needing to attend and had wanted merely to check on the boy out of what could only be a fundamentally paternal concern, yet he'd never admit that to anyone other than his lover.

Clearing his throat even as he chose deception as opposed to honesty, Crawford commented as if he didn't really care, "I thought I heard a suspicious noise in here, don't overreact." Realizing that Nagi looked a little flushed, he pushed the door open fully and stepped into the room, then walked boldly towards the small figure in the bed and reached out to check him for fever by pressing his hand to the boy's forehead.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Nagi demanded, angry at the unexpected touch yet wise enough to restrain the desire to use his telekinesis to push the much older man away since there were certain rules of conduct he knew were imposed upon him as a subordinate.

Not particularly stung by the boy's harsh reaction, Crawford remarked, "I'm just making sure that you'll be healthy for an assignment from Estet this weekend, Naoe. Calm down."

Nagi, abashed since this was indeed a perfectly ordinary interaction after all, nodded and asked with a bit of curiosity, "Well? Am I running a fever or not?"

Crawford moved his hand away and shook his head, "Borderline. If you feel ill in the morning, we'll make sure that you see a doctor."

The Japanese psychic frowned, then commented, "All right, but I hope I'm not getting sick." He offered no explanation for his remark, choosing instead to focus on something else the man had said by inquiring, "You mentioned an assignment, Crawford. When is it?"

Deep brown eyes gazed at Nagi with open curiosity. The youngest Schwarz psychic usually didn't show much interest in advance knowledge of the activities required of him by the organization he was a part of. Realizing he'd failed to answer the question, Crawford finally said simply, "Saturday night, why?"

Relief flooded Nagi as he realized that he could still plan on going on the date with Omi on Friday.

Caught up in more thoughts of the blond assassin, Nagi failed to mask the small smile that seemed to crawl onto his lips unbidden whenever he thought about the older teen. Suddenly aware that he'd shown such an inexplicable response to the American, he forced himself to blank his expression as he commented coolly, "I just wondered. Now, unless you need something else, I might as well get some sleep before school."

Confused by the boy's obvious relief and his refusal to explain his reactions, Crawford briefly considered ordering Nagi to tell him the truth about what was going on yet decided against it. He also considered questioning him about the vision he'd discussed with Schuldich the previous evening, but the fact that Nagi really did need some sleep convinced him to wait.

Straightening his glasses, the tall man nodded then turned to leave while saying, "Goodnight, Nagi." As he approached the still open door, Crawford added with a hint of hopefulness, "If there's ever anything you want to talk to me about, make sure to let me know."

"Sure, Crawford, whatever," Nagi answered trying to sound like a typical petulant teenager before he added too quietly to be heard by the precognitive, "and goodnight to you too, brad. it's been a really long time since you said something nice like that to me."

Eyes slipping partially shut, the telekinetic reached out with his powers to shut and lock his bedroom door to avoid any other unexpected interruptions to his night. He lay awake for a while longer, wondering about Omi and hoping that he wasn't getting sick. Now he *really* wanted to make sure to see him again before the next assignment since he was worried that the two groups might meet in open warfare before the two of them could figure out how to cope with that aspect of their new relationship.

Unfortunately, that was a key discussion they simply wouldn't get a chance to have before it was too late.

*****

Thursday very early in the morning. First Aya's bedroom then the basement of the flower shop.

*****

Unable to sleep, Aya rolled over in bed and glared at the clock for roughly the one-thousandth time in the course of a seemingly endless night.

//It's three in the goddamn morning, so why am I *still* awake?! Screw this, I'm getting some milk or something.//

The scarlet-haired man climbed out of bed, stuck his feet into well-worn slippers, grabbed a thick robe to go over the sweatpants and T-shirt he'd worn to bed, then stalked out of his bedroom door. Ignoring the pervading sense of exhaustion that was causing him to not think or act like himself, he passed the open door to Ken's empty bedroom and violet eyes rolled in annoyance.

//They must've been playing around in Yohji's room tonight. Maybe that's why I couldn't sleep? It was too quiet?//

Unexpectedly, Aya sighed deeply and shook his head as he simply stood there for a moment. Even though he would never have mentioned it to anyone, he had come to find some small measure of reassurance in overhearing the couple's noisy lovemaking and its absence had indeed registered on a subconscious level.

Whereas he would not allow himself the warmth of an intimate relationship, Aya was privately pleased that Yohji and Ken weren't limiting themselves in such a harsh fashion. The fact that he valued their happiness while discounting his own only emphasized how dysfunctional his approach to life truly was. The swordsman needed love and affection as much as anyone else did, yet he refused to pursue them. Whether or not he would refuse such gifts if they were offered to him by those who knew him best, however, was unknown.

A frown crossed the violet-eyed man's lips as he pondered something from the previous afternoon.

//I wonder what Yohji really wanted when he suggested that I take a longer break than I'd asked for? He usually has something in mind when he does things like that. I wonder what he's up to?//

Snorting softly and then starting on his way again, Aya growled silently.

//He damned well better not be planning to start harassing me about that idiotic idea he had about all of us taking a vacation at an onsen! I've got better things to do with my time than watch him flirt with Ken while we're all naked and soaking in a hot spring!// [1]

Perhaps a better comment to himself might have been that he wasn't sure he could cope with such a scene primarily since it would only reiterate how alone he himself was. A distant thought that he also didn't want to have to deal with seeing quite so much of his friends' flesh ghosted past the back of his mind, he didn't need temptation to distract him from his pursuit of Takatori Reiji so as to avenge his family.

As his path brought him to yet another open bedroom door, Aya's somewhat confused and inconsistent thoughts were replaced by much stronger ones as the Weiss field leader discovered that his youngest teammate wasn't where he should have been.

//What the hell?! Why isn't Omi in bed by now? He shouldn't be doing those searches this late, what's wrong with that kid lately?//

Stalking towards the stairs intending to solve the mystery, Aya headed first to the unoccupied kitchen and then to the basement where he found Omi fast asleep, head pillowed on his arms in front of the computer. Evidence of the search for Glocksten and Charon was spread out around the slumbering youth. Luckily the chat window from earlier in the evening had long since been closed and replaced by a large and confusing spreadsheet that the Weiss tactician was using to try to correlate information on the leader of the detestable child prostitution/slavery ring.

Amazed that someone as intelligent as Omi could do something as stupid as work himself to the point that he literally fell asleep at the keyboard, Aya considered just shaking the boy awake and telling him to go sleep in his own bed where he belonged. As quickly as the thought had occurred to him, though, he reconsidered.

//Since when do I have to be such a damned hard-ass all the time? Omi's obviously been putting in extra effort on this for all of us, he deserves some understanding.//

One long-fingered hand reached out to brush blond bangs back and the swordsman peered at the sleeping archer with a rarely seen slightly fond, brotherly smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

//I doubt I'd ever admit this to anyone, but there're times when I think of Omi like a little brother since he reminds me of Aya-chan so much. The way he worries over everyone and always smiles even when he's hurting or miserable. Gods, I wish my sister was just sleeping the way he is right now, but she's not and there's nothing I can do for her right now anyway. However, there *is* something I can do for Omi, so why not?//

With great care, Aya moved to lift the smaller assassin into his arms and gently carry him over to the couch, nestling the slumbering boy into the cushions comfortably. Pausing to collect up the throw pillow that rested in the nearby chair to place under Omi's head, Aya observed that the teen was shivering slightly in his sleep. Frowning as he noticed it was indeed a bit chilly in the basement, the older assassin went and retrieved a warm blanket from the linen closet inside the nearby half-bath that also contained a well stocked first aid kit that the team had been forced to use all too often.

Carefully tucking the thick cover around Omi's fully-clothed body, Aya smiled a little once more when a memory of doing something similar for his little sister years earlier occurred to him. Gazing at his teammate's peaceful face, he murmured, "sleep well, omi. we'll resume the hunt tomorrow."

As if in response, Omi sighed contentedly in his sleep while a dream about himself and Nagi enjoying a pleasant trip to the beach played itself out for him with luminous colors and vibrant feelings of youthful joy.

Aya, thankfully unaware of the contents of the images in the slumbering boy's mind, returned to the computer and saved all of the search related information appropriately then set the alarm on it to wake Omi for breakfast. As the screensaver with the pristine white cross surrounded by darkest black reappeared, the redhead yawned and hoped that he felt sleep calling him to itself.

//Good. Maybe now I can get some rest, I'm beat.//

Turning out the lights as he made his way back to the stairs, a vagrant thought flowed through Aya's mind that he hoped that Omi would assume he moved to the couch on his own when he woke up. After all, Weiss' field leader didn't want the team to think that he was getting soft.

Mistaking compassion for weakness wasn't all that rare a trait among men who knew other lives depended on them, but it wasn't a very useful thing to carry through life. Learning the difference between the two would be only one of many painful lessons that he and many others would be forced to learn before a new week began.

*****

To be continued.

Author's Notes:

[1] I've tried to keep my author's notes to a minimum lately, but I just have to say that the very idea of all four members of Weiss soaking in the buff at an onsen makes Erato happy. Um, then again, considering Abyssinian's current situation, perhaps it should just be the three eldest florist/assassins and who knows? Maybe Aya wouldn't be so "icy" anymore?