Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Run ❯ Analysis ( Chapter 6 )

 

Schuldig made a slow but steady recovery over the next month and a half. At least physically. The bruises faded as did the soreness in his muscles. There would be scarring on his lip and just under his eye where his cheek had been opened. Everyone knew the mental scars would take much longer to heal. It had taken an insane amount of effort to get him out of the penthouse for even a few minutes. Even after that he had refused to go outside. The doorman had to have thought the whole lot of them were crazy, with Farf and Crawford having a hold on either one of Schuldig's arms and Nagi trying to coax him out the door.

 

He seemed to need contact with any one of them at all times. Or at very least to have them within his line of vision. All three of the other Schwarz members had woken in the morning more times than they cared to count to find him wrapped around them in bed. Farf usually poked at him until he woke up. Crawford just sighed and wrapped the covers more firmly around the other man before getting out of bed. Nagi only checked to make sure they were both under the blankets before going back to sleep.

 

It became clear to them all just how bad Schuldig really was when Nagi made a move toward him too fast and they'd nearly had to peel him off the wall. He had instantly put his hands up in a defensive gesture and turned away as if to block a blow. Crawford and Farf had stared in mild shock while Nagi simply took Schuldig's hands and said, “I'm not him, Schu. I would never raise a hand or a gift to harm you. None of us would.”

 

“I know that,” Schuldig said, looking around at them all. He was shaking but trying to control it. “It's just . . .”

 

“It's called post traumatic stress, Schuldig. It's a term for the psychological consequences of exposure to or confrontation with stressful experiences, which involve actual or threatened death, serious physical injury or a threat to physical and/or psychological integrity and which the person found highly traumatic,” Farf said.

 

Nagi, Crawford and Schuldig stared at him.

 

“I have a PHD in Psychiatry. What do you expect?” Farf said with a shrug.

 

“For you to not sound like you've eaten the DSM VI and regurgitated it back to us,” Crawford said.

 

“Is it just me, or is anyone else highly disturbed by the fact that the psychopath is a psychiatrist?” Nagi said, putting an arm around Schuldig's shoulders and guiding him to a chair at the kitchen table.

 

“Having met a wide array of individuals in my field, I'd say it's more of a common thing than anyone might believe,” Farf said, pulling a knife out of his boot and beginning to sharpen it. “Though I'm not quite certain why we all don't suffer from some degree of PTSD considering what we've done for a living all these years.”

 

Schuldig sighed and raked his hands through his hair. “I think I'll go back to bed for a while. I'm not feeling so hot right now. I'm sorry, Nagi. It's just . . . hard to get past after all those years of it.”

 

“There have been debates over whether or not domestic assault over long periods of time causes a modified version of Stockholm syndrome. I'm inclined to believe it's highly probable,” Farf said thoughtfully, getting up and snagging the bag of potato chips from the counter. “Though there has never been any Empirical evidence to test the theory as it would be highly unethical.”

 

“I think we should change his codename to Freud,” Crawford said.

 

“I'm rather proud of the fact that I finished a PHD in five years, thank you,” Farf said.

 

“It's because they were afraid of what you'd do to them if they didn't give it to you,” Crawford said.

 

Farf pinned his tie to the table with the knife.

 

Schuldig smiled faintly. “For whatever it's worth, it's good to be home,” he said, getting up and heading for the stairs. Nagi watched him go and something sparked in his eyes then went utterly cold.

 

Farf and Crawford looked at each other and the silent communication which went between them was that they knew there would be a body to dispose of before nightfall.

 

Yes. There certainly will be.

 

**********************************Author's Notes*************************************

Happy Samhain, everyone! That's Halloween to most of you. May the day and night be safe and blessed for you all. I thank you for reading my little stories and giving me feedback. Thanks to the always wonderful moimoi-chan for the reviews and support. (Even when grumpy with me for not revealing who Schu's former lover is) You'll just have to read the next chapter and see.