Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Paying the Devil ❯ Chapter 2

Paying the Devil

By Nix Winter

Disclaimer: Am just playing. Don't own these characters

Aya went still. It was too late to prevent the poison from entering Ken. He had to concentrate on getting it out. The bars against Ken's back seemed to hold him up, but Aya watched him slide down towards the floor as Nagi walked way. The boy was laughing, delighted with himself. Aya, knowing that Ken had traded his life for his, did not know how to describe how he felt.

The next fifteen minutes were excruciating, filled with Aya's struggles to free himself and the shaking that took Ken. Fifteen minutes of waiting to see if the youngest Schwarz would keep his word, or not.

When the restraints finally released, Aya grabbed the key to Ken's cage from the little table, knocked it over, and ran, skidding on the wood floor. His nerves rebelled at movement so soon after such a long restraint and his fingers shook as he tried to get the key into the hole. "Ken! Hidaka! You had better talk to me!"

Ken lay on his side, knees drawn to his chest, sweat already sticking brown hair to his face. "Aya," he gasped, then groaned, arms tightening around his chest. "Aya, you have to get away!"

"Fool," Aya growled, kneeling, fingers pressed to Ken's pulse. He would have done the same for Ken, easily, but Ken's life was worth so much more than his own. "Give me your arm!"

Ken didn't resist when Aya pulled his arm out, examined the injection site. Already the skin was purpling, bruising. Aya suddenly didn't want this, didn't want Ken to be hurt at all. "Ken! Why? Oh god."

"Schuldig," Ken whispered, wondering why the room was so cold. Aya took hold of him by his shirt, and hauled them both to their feet. That he'd expected, then to be thrown over Aya's shoulder maybe. He hadn't expected, to feel one arm go around his back, another strong arm slip under his knees, or to feel Aya's cheek press against his forehead. "I couldn't let him hurt you," Ken murmured, not sure if he said it out loud, or not.

"And you think this doesn't hurt," Aya snarled, carrying the limp body of his teammate, of his, he didn't know what to call Ken, but he kicked the door to the cage open roughly and carried Ken out. One usually strong arm fell, dangling as Aya carried him out.

True to Nagi's word, the outer door was open, but they were … somewhere that Aya didn't recognize. In a forest, maybe miles from anywhere, let alone a hospital. He turned to look over his shoulder, to consider if there could be a way to contact Youji or Omi, but Crawford and company would be back soon. Running, Aya took off into the forest, picking a direction that felt right. Ken would not die. Aya would not let him.

Aya ran for maybe an hour, felt like longer. He was conscious of Ken's breathing against his chest, of the soft brown hair brushing against his throat. The sun had started to set in that time and Aya found himself at the edge of a lake. Mist covered it, as the warm evening air drew the mountain lake up to itself. He also found a boat, just a little metal rowing boat, but he set Ken in, so that Ken's head would rest against his knee as he rowed. It would cover their tracks, break the line of tracking. Aya rowed with all his strength, taking them into the mist. "I'll take care of you, Ken. Trust me."

Ken murmured, fingers seeking the edge of Aya's pantleg. Without opening his eyes, he mouthed, soundlessly. "I do."