Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Painting You Gold ❯ 05 Hybrid Rainbow ( Chapter 5 )

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Disclaimer: I don't own Schu and his friends; that's for Tsuchiya-sensei and Koyappi/Project Weiß/TV Tokyo to work out. Or not.

Warning: This fic in its entirety involves explicitly implicit yaoi (shounen ai) in conjunction with character death, feelings, nonconsensual sex, original characters, shota, soap operatic/supernatural-type twists, spoilers, unpardoned French, Weiß, and yakuza. Squick factor is probably obvious here. ;)

Post-it: As always, thanks for your time.

/…/ = communicative thoughts and the like
[…] = memories, stuff remembered, and the like

Painting You Gold

By Koyuki Aode

5 ~ Hybrid Rainbow

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[memory]

"I'm going now, Shinzui-sama. Are you sure I can take this jacket?"

Shinzui sat at his desk, sorting through a mess of papers in order to organize another, his rolodex acting as his secretary and only friend in the world. He felt slightly irritated when Nagi's voice interrupted his thoughts, but the feeling thawed as he looked up to see the boy's small form overtaken by the oversized jacket.

"Well, sure!" Shinzui exclaimed, jamming his pen into the rolodex to save his place, "I don't think she'll be coming back for it, and she did give to me as a gift." Only the latter had been fact, he thought to himself with a smirk. He motioned for Nagi to come closer.

"Thank you, Shinzui-sama," said Nagi. He padded towards Shinzui in his socks, shoes dangling from his fingertips. "I'll try to keep it clean for when you come next week."

"Next week? Why do I have to wait so long?" Shinzui asked, gently lifting Nagi into his lap.

Nagi bent his head backwards to look up at Shinzui. "Remember? Musashi said he was losing business without me, and Chazuke can't handle his shift since the twins left."

"Oh yes," Shinzui nodded gravely, staring out at the vast mountains of paperwork on his desk. "Can't wait until then. Then Musashi'll have his money, you won't have to move around so much, and this business-" he nodded to his papers and rolodex, "-All of this business will be through."

"Sorry I'm so expensive." Nagi said. He pulled a document closer for inspection. "I can help you with this--" Just then the doorbell rang. "Oh..."

"It's fine, Unagi," Shinzui murmured, kissing Nagi's forehead before helping him to the floor, "Sweet delicacy." After taking the pen and tucking it behind Nagi's ear, he bid a quick farewell: "--Next week!"

[end]

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Despite the shock of Shinzui and Nagi's acquaintance, the meeting carried on relatively well. For most of us. Shinzui managed only to slip when he took note of Nagi's bloodstained clothes. Tugging at Nagi's shirt (and generously forgiving him for Ishida's death) and straightening damp, wayward locks of hair, Shinzui commented at how well Nagi had grown. He then remembered out loud when the boy was only "this tall" and his hair was "that short."

Crawford took this all in with one of his unintelligible grunts. I'd resorted to chewing at the insides of my cheeks. Not only did I have to deal with Shinzui's mind, but Farf had tucked my lighter away in some well-protected pocket and refused to let me smoke for at least another twenty-four hours. I probably could have taken it back as he tapped at Shinzui's desk with a small blade and stared quite hungrily at Shinzui. But, I knew from experience, it wasn't best to push him when he looked like he was positioning a crosshair with his eyes.

Nagi only blushed at the attention. I'd been tempted to take everything from a chair to my gun to the iron lock on Nagi's mind, but the way he coolly navigated Shinzui back on track was enough to convince Crawford that the matter was meant to be handled elsewhere. It was one of the few times I witnessed Crawford taking a cue from anyone.

What I had found in Shinzui's mind, other than his memories, only aggravated the apprehension I entertained. It was obvious that the businessman felt, with that imperceptible glint in his eye and smug smile, as if he'd retrieved something long lost.

The cafe had not been a planned stop, but, as it was one of Nagi's favored local eateries, Crawford decided just before we'd reached our home that he would try and give Nagi some incentive to reveal any more pertinent secrets. /Yes-/ he admitted, /-I am spoiling him for information./

Coaxing Nagi with food, unfortunately, was a fruitless endeavor. The dish set before him, with chopsticks placed neatly across its width, had, ironically, only the pieces of unagi missing from it. I briefly considered snatching up a piece of fish for myself (every once in a blue moon a craving struck for the bright raw salmon) but Nagi couldn't look more uncomfortable or ill as he sank into his seat, which now shared his dampness. His arms were crossed, his eyes pegged on some object outside, and there was a fairly noticeable downturn pulling at his lips. And, of course, that's when Crawford simply had to open his mouth.

"Nagi," Crawford started forcefully. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Itakunai," Nagi whispered very curtly to his reflection.

"Why don't you want to?" Farf tried.

"Juuyou ga ar--"

"--It is important!" insisted Crawford. He paused to lower his voice after eliciting some stares. "You knew what he would be to us, and that he would recognize you. If it wasn't important, you wouldn't have hidden--"

"I didn't think it mattered." Nagi lifted his chin and he turned to stare, undaunted, into Crawford's eyes. "When would it ever matter that I was paid to make him come?" When Crawford only blinked, Nagi returned his gaze to the window, looking back up at the sky.

Crawford privately insisted it was a productive conversation. I shook my head, pondering again Shinzui's thoughts.

[That boy looks as if he hasn't smiled in years.]

Could Shinzui have genuinely cared for Nagi? Was that even possible? His previous performance only further supported the theory.

"Pedophile," I muttered louder than necessary, before tapping and blowing into the straw of my pearl tea. With a little effort, the tapioca ball plunged back into the tan sea. I looked up to find Crawford staring at me from across the table. Farf only glanced at me, having shifted his attention to the window, searching for whatever it was that captivated Nagi's vision. "Shinzui," I added, to assure Crawford that I wasn't calling him that.

/Could you possibly find anything more appalling to say at this point?/ He scowled.

I shrugged. /Someone had to say something. I'll come up with more if you really want me to./

/That's quite all right./

Farf knocked the table lightly with his knuckle. /I don't get what he's looking at./

/It's something in the sky./ I looked to where he sat beside me, before turning back to Crawford. /I was thinking--/

/--God help us--/

/--Funny…/ I tilted my head. He motioned for me to continue. /I'm getting the feeling that Shinzui might have been more than…/

/More than…/ This seemed to peak Crawford's interest. /More than a client?/ I nodded. He gave this a moment of thought, running his hand through his hair. Then he sat up and turned to face Nagi beside him, saying in a softer voice now: "Nagi."

/How would that come about?/ Farf wondered curiously. /Being more than a client?/

I shrugged. /Anything's possible./

Nagi's mouth drew open at Crawford's tone, and his eyes slipped from the window to the tabletop. He still refused to face Crawford, who in turn refused to budge.

"What does he know about you? The telekinesis?" Farf leaned forward in his seat now, curious.

"… Un." Nagi pressed his lips together, nodding once. The chopsticks on his dish began to roll back and forth.

"What do you know about him?"

"… Nai."

Crawford reached out to stop the sticks. "There isn't anything?"

Nagi bit his lip. After a few moments of thought, he stood up and announced, "I need to use the restroom."

Crawford stood to give him room, but grabbed his arm before he could move. "Until we know more, you will not associate with Shinzui or his errands in any way. This includes Tot."

Nagi's mouth dropped open as he glared up at Crawford. "That isn't fai-" he started, before belatedly catching himself. He snapped his mouth closed and inclined his head in apology, his eyes darting nervously across the table.

"We've already nearly lost you. We won't make the same mistake."

"Un."

Crawford let him go, sliding slowly back into his seat.

"Hey," Farf said, pointing in disbelief at Nagi's retreating back, "Nagi never talks back."

"He's never been that nervous," Crawford noted, looking at me. "He's never been nervous, period."

"Hm." I nodded, staring into my tea. "He's been rather preoccupied. After all, he did just turn sixteen. No celebration. Then this business starts up…"

"Is that all?" Crawford said.

"Is that all?" I repeated in astonishment. "He's legal now!"

"In this country."

"Well, if he actually attended school he could legally drop out. And if he weren't handcuffed to you, he could go to orgies if he wanted. You might consider getting him something for it. He hasn't had the greatest week."

Crawford exhaled slowly. "You really didn't know about Shinzui beforehand?"

I snorted. "I didn't know about what they've done until I saw what they've done. You just be happy with what you're dealing with."

"If he's such a problem," Farf said, "We should get rid of him."

"No," Crawford shook his head, "Not yet. There's more that needs our attention. Something else."

"Bad?" I asked, standing up.

"Very possible," Crawford nodded.

"Wonderful," I rolled my eyes as I walked over to the window and bent down to Nagi's eye level. "I guess I'll see what I can dig out of him-- Huh… Well, I guess it figures."

"So what was he looking at?"

I shrugged as I retreated. "Rainbow."

tbc

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