The Problems with Raising Aya

FafarellosAya

Weiss Kreuz AU

Rated: R; for Violence and Non-graphic sex

Aya-Ran, Schwartz

Pairing: Crawford/Schuldich, Aya/Ken- Yaoi, Shounen Ai

Summery: During a lull in assignments Schuldich finds Aya on the street. A very scared, very innocent toddler Aya. Not knowing what else to do the telepath takes the child home with him. Discovering Kritiker has made Weiss all children in order to raise them again into perfect killers, and that Aya was the only one to escape, Esset and Schwartz decide to raise Aya themselves as a normal child. Well as normal as a child with psychic assassins for parents can be. A test that will challenge them all to change what they have come to view as normal themselves.

Disclaimer: I do not own Weiss Kreuz, thought I'm sure my friend wishes she did so the kittens would do 'yummy' things- not that they don't already *sigh*

A/N: going off the subtitled version of the show, which is very badly translated at times, so the personalities might be a bit OOC, and well duh AU.

Aya-Chan is not featured in this fic, sorry, for this AU she never existed and Aya-Ran took the name because that's what Yohji called him on this first day Aya was with Weiss and the name stuck.

Thanks much to my Beta Phox; with out her I wouldn't be doing this, literally.

Each part is one year

***

Part One

Chapter One: Oh Why Not!

Schuldich walked down the street humming a random tune to himself, glad for once to be away from Schwartz, Weiss, and anything else reminding him of his job. He was bored with it all. Killing for pay and sport, and the weightiness of everything. Crawford stick-up-his-ass; Farfarello having to hurt god every damn second of every damn day; Nagi and his computers, for once, and not for the first time, the telepath wished for something less 'kill this, kill that' and more… more… whatever it was that the Kittens had. Surely if they didn't have something other than being assassins they would have gone mad by now.

Turning a corner, lost in his musings, Schuldich nearly tripped over what he had wished for. He barely missed the flash of red just below his vision as he passed a child standing on the sidewalk, if it had not been for the flash of recognition coming from the child's mind and a tiny hand reaching out to grab his coat missed at the man strode past, missed at the man strode past, Schuldich would have kept walking.

He stopped abruptly, his back to the child, a frown marring his features. 'No it couldn't be,' he thought, shaking his head. Slowly he turned, just to make sure the Weiss Kitten wasn't simply leaning against a wall. All that met his gaze was a two year old watching him, in recognition, fear, and hope. Each emotion was calling out from the child's mind for him to read as if he had opened a book: recognition because he was someone the boy knew, fear because he wasn't sure what Schuldich would do, and hope because he was all alone, desperately needing someone to save him ; even if it was his enemy.

The telepath looked around the deserted street then walked forward until he stood only a foot away from the toddler. Looking down as the child had to lean back to see his face. Leaning back, Aya looked up at him without the defiance and hatred he usually had around Schwartz. He looked relived that Schuldich had not left him and had not killed him. With teary eyes the boy lifted his arms in a silent request to be picked up.

"This is not what I meant," Schuldich said to himself, leaning down he gathered the child into his arms. He shook his head at the child and wiped a small tear from Aya's face with a gentle finger. "I don't suppose you know how and why you ended up this way, hmm?"

Aya shook his head, staring at Schuldich wide-eyed.

"I didn't think you would," the telepath said with a sigh. "Do you want me to take you back to your friends?" Another shake of the tiny head. "I didn't think so. Are you hungry?"

The toddler contemplated the assassin for a moment then nodded, putting his head on Schuldich's shoulder and clutching the man's jacket with a tiny hand. Schuldich shook his head again and shifted Aya until the child was firmly in his grasp and began walking to a nearby café.

Finding answers to this riddle could wait a while.

***

The waitress seated them and brought over a high chair for the small child to be put in. Schuldich smiled as Aya made a face, plucking at the strap holding him in place; he looked way too adorable.

Turning to look at the child's menu, Schuldich contemplated how strange it would look if he let the child look over the menu himself, than if Schuldich simply decided to act like a parent taking his child out to lunch. It shouldn't be all that hard.

"Hmm… let's see… fish sticks?" Aya looked up at him making a face, and reached out for the menu for himself. Schuldich held it just out of reach. "Uh-huh, you can't have it until you've decided what you want. I don't want crayon all over the paper where *I* can't read the selection," he said sternly, emphasizing the point that Aya shouldn't be able to read yet.

Aya blew a raspberry at him.

Schuldich snickered. "No fish sticks then," he said looking down at the paper again. "Chicken strips?" he asked. "Humm, everything on here is finger food."

Aya sighed blowing his bangs out of his eyes with a look of exasperation, then nodded. Schuldich held back a laugh and gave the boy the menu with a hand full of crayons then looked at his own menu finally deciding on something he could share if Aya wanted. It was the least he could do; he didn't think he'd want to be stuck in the body of a child either.

The waitress came back and took their orders, a moment later returning with a cup of coffee and a plastic lidded cup of non-caffeine soda for them. Schuldich watched her go then put a straw in the lid and handed it over to Aya, who took a sip and made a face looking at Schuldich accusingly.

"It's not like I'm going to give you caffeine," Schuldich said with a smirk. "I expect to be able to sleep before next week." Aya stuck out his tongue and sipped at the soda again. The telepath raised an eyebrow. "Don't you talk?"

Aya looked at him and opened his mouth, babbling at the man. Or quite possibly the child was speaking and Schuldich simply didn't understand a word he was saying. Aya stopped his gibberish once his point was made and started scribbling on the paper. Schuldich sighed reaching out to brush too long blood red hair out of the child's eyes. He watched with interest as Aya took each crayon and colored something at random with no mind for what color should go where. Aya looked up at him with vibrant violet eyes then set down his crayon and held out his arms toward the telepath.

Schuldich got the hint and unbuckled the strap keeping Aya in the highchair and lifted him out setting the child down in his lap and holding him close. Aya curled against Schuldich, clutching to the man's clothing tightly, he was taking this situation harder than the telepath would have thought. Schuldich knew the child was confused and scared by what had happened to him. He was also very tired, confirmed when next Schuldich looked down to find the child asleep in his lap. Sighing, but with no less amusement, he caught the waitresses attention and had their food made to go.

Once outside Schuldich shifted the child to where he was laying against his shoulder, and began to walk the few blocks back to the safe house.

Crawford met them at the door without a word, blink, or raised eyebrow. The telepath guessed the man had had a vision and left it at that. Behind the American Nagi sat at his computer typing away at a fast pace while Farfarello sat on another chair rocking back and forth.

"Nagi has already figured out what happened." Crawford informed him shutting the door as Schuldich walked inside and took the bag of food to the kitchen. "So far what he has found is not looking good."

Schuldich nodded. "I didn't think it would be considering," he said motioning to the sleeping child with his free hand. "Is this a solitary case or are the others affected as well?"

"All of them," Nagi said absently, not looking up from his typing. "Kritiker used an experimental drug to make Weiss children so they can train them from a young age. They have to grow up again literally since there is no antidote."

"I would guess that Fujimiya managed to escape before they could apprehend him," Crawford said taking the child from the telepath walked to a large crib that was standing against a far wall, and set Aya in it carefully. "You can imagine how ecstatic Esset was when they found out you had him."

Schuldich frowned; leave it to them to know something like this within minutes of the telepath finding the child and having supplies provided accordingly. "And what do they wish we do with him?"

"What else?" Crawford asked condescendingly. "Weiss will be out of action for at least ten years; Fujimiya Ran is in essence, defeated. Esset wants to make sure he stays that way."

"If they want us to kill him, count me out," Schuldich said flatly.

Crawford shook his head. "They want to experiment as well," he said, smirking in amusement. "They want to know what would happen with a child raised by the likes of us. Raised in a normal way no less."

"Normal way?" Schuldich repeated. "As in, their normal or human normal?"

"Normal, normal," Crawford clarified. "School, toy's, little friends to annoy us." He shrugged, "I don't know which will be harder. I'm interested to find out."

Schuldich snorted. "You're still an ass," he said and walked into the kitchen.

"I might be an ass, but I'm also the ass that keeps this little experiment in insanity stable and well financed. No one else is going to play the stern parent and I'll be damned if I let this child have the childhood I had or anyone of us had just because he had the misfortune of being our enemy and made helpless by his own people!" Crawford pinched his nose. "Yes I'm an ass, I know, great!"

Schuldich snorted. "It's no fun if you admit it," he said, glancing out of the kitchen to make sure Farfarello hadn't moved. He was surprised to find the psychopath had moved to stare down at the sleeping child, his hands firmly clasped behind his back. "You don't think Farfarello will be a danger to him do you?" he asked, concerned nodding toward where the Irishmen stood. "We might be able to deal with him, but Aya is undoubtedly helpless."

"Uh…" Crawford turned and started forward in panic as Farfarello reach out suddenly and picked up the child. Aya opened his eyes, startled out of his sleep and automatically started crying.

Everyone froze.

"Shh..." Farfarello shushed cuddling the boy, rocking him gently as he walked to the couch and sat down making soothing noises as the child continued to cry.

Crawford, Schuldich, and Nagi exchanged looks of surprise as Aya calmed down and started to suck his thumb, laying his head against the psychopath's chest.

"Well they did say experiment," Nagi finally said with a sigh.

***

A streak of red sped past Schuldich's vision, followed closely by a very annoyed teenager giving chase.

The telepath looked up from his paper as Nagi chased a very naked wet little boy around the living room with a large towel held out in front of him. It was very obvious the teen was trying hard not to simply use his gift to stop the child. It had been decided not to show any of their gifts openly until the boy was a little older. Nagi was the only one that had been truly restricted, for Crawford couldn't help his gift and Schuldich wasn't going to follow any rule he didn't want to.

Two months ago all four of them had sat around the kitchen table while Aya was asleep and planed out any detail they would need in raising a child. Esset had made arrangements for a birth certificate to be made for a deceased woman, and Crawford had been voted to be the 'father'. Nagi was now Aya's older brother by the same mother and Schuldich was the 'Uncle' that got to spoil the child rotten. Farfarello was… well… Farfarello and they just felt lucky he didn't chase the child around trying to kill him.

Speaking of which… Schuldich hid a laugh as little wet naked ran right into the psychopath with a squeak. Nagi took the opportunity to wrap the child in the towel and let Farfarello take over from there. They all had to admit the Irishman really did well with the child, it was the only time he seemed the least bit sane.

Taking the child to Crawford's room where the cradle and clothes chest was stationed for now, until they moved to the next safe house that was being made just for the housing and raising of a small child. He carefully worked Aya into a pair if pull-up dippers then into clothing he could wear outside.

"Playing in dirt hurts God," Farfarello said matter-of-factly, handing off Aya to Crawford, where he sat at his desk finishing his paper work- an application for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school all in prestigious private schools only the rich of the rich got into and getting in could be murder if one didn't apply years in advance.

"Thank you for that information Farfarello," Crawford said dryly, holding the giggling child in his lap. He signed the last of the applications and stuffed it into the preaddressed envelope, then offered it to Aya to lick, then sealed it and stuffed it into his pocket to be mailed on their way to the park. Crawford stood holding Aya, letting him wiggle and giggle all the way back into the living room where he startled Schuldich by dumping the boy into the telepath's lap. "Do hold that a while, hmm?"

Schuldich shrugged and set down his paper to play with the child while Crawford set about making sure the day bag was prepared and the stroller was properly set up. No one else would do it, though Nagi did try. Crawford sighed as he thought how in another month Aya would be fully regressed and will have forgotten everything of his past life, making him even more of a child than he already was.

//You worry too much// Schuldich said in Crawford's mind calmly. //Be glad he won't remember, and be glad he won't talk for at least another year. //

[That's not what I'm worried about] Crawford admitted, [it's the breaking him before then]

Schuldich snorted. //You won't break him if you show just a little affection; don't be one of those parents that spawn children simply to have an heir. // A shriek of laughter could be heard in the living room. //We'll teach him to be smart, how to defend himself, and what not; but he will grow thinking you're his father. Do you want him to hate you for it? //

[No.] Crawford said flatly.

//We'll all help, but you can't *just* make sure for the financial well being of a child, you have to be the emotional support as well. //

[When did you learn how to take care of a child?]

There was a long pause followed by a mental sigh. //It was how I wish my own father had been. I'd hate to see such a gift wasted because you have no idea what you're doing. //

[I don't have any idea what I'm doing! That's the point!] Crawford said in exasperation. [Why was I voted to play father again?]

[Because you're the best for the job] Nagi threw in as he walked into the kitchen wearing jeans and a tee. The teenager stopped and stared at what Crawford was wearing. "Gee Brad don't you own anything that doesn't scream 'corporate raider'?"

Crawford looked down at himself. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Nagi rolled his eyes. "We're going to a park, not to a business meeting," he said tucking the tee shirt into his jeans. "And while were out, Aya needs a hair cut, his bangs keep getting in his face and he runs into Farfarello."

Crawford sighed and walked back to his bedroom slamming the door shut behind him.

***

"So how dose this work?" Crawford asked Schuldich quietly as they walked into the barbershop that advertised a special on haircuts for children.

"We wait our turn then you tell the barber you want the hair around his face trimmed so it doesn't get into his eyes as much," Schuldich answered. "If he doesn't get it right we can always kill him later."

Crawford glared at the telepath then took Aya out of the stroller and carried him to the main counter where a woman in her late thirties stood.

"May I help you?" the woman asked with the air of someone entirely too bored to be bothered.

"Yes," Crawford said as pleasantly as possible. "I'd like to have my son's hair cut."

//Good you didn't even flinch.// Schuldich said with a snicker.

[Shut-up] Crawford shot back.

The woman tapped a clipboard. "Sign his name here, sir," she said and went back to her magazine.

Crawford nodded taking the provided pen and started writing Aya's name.

//Crawford, Aya. // Schuldich reminded him helpfully.

The Seer obediently wrote the name down then went to sit next to the Germen in the waiting room where other small children where playing. He was reluctant to set Aya down where he could play, one of the older children looked like a bully in the making. Carefully he sat Aya down at his feet where a toy airplane lay. Immediately it was picked up by the two year old who started making noises that resembled a real plane.

Two minutes later the older child Crawford was eyeing crawled over the toys to where Aya was playing and yanked the airplane out of the younger child's hands. Aya stared at the other boy in shock then, with a deep breath, started wailing at the top of his little lungs. Crawford picked him up and held the child close sparing a glare at the other child then sat back and rocked Aya gently, knowing the boy was more scared by what had happened than sad because the toy was taken away.

A younger woman walked over to them snatching the older boy off the ground and chided him with a good swat to the rear. She bowed to Crawford with her apologies and took her child back to the other side of the waiting room, the toy forgotten. Aya calmed and began to suck his thumb drowsily, his body leaning against Crawford's.

By the time the whole escapade was over Aya's hair was slightly shorter and all of them wanted a nap. Nagi had gone back to the safe house earlier to check on Farfarello and finish his homework, while Schuldich had gotten board and soon followed Nagi home, intent on smoking at least one pack of cigarettes, leaving Crawford to deal with a toddler who had gone from hyper to asleep. Crawford wished it was the other way around. Aya was fast asleep in the stroller, his thumb a permanent fixture in his mouth, curled onto his side, the hood over the stroller giving him ample shade, allowing him to sleep undisturbed.

Crawford contemplated going to the park anyway, laying a blanket under a tree and reading for a few hours sounded good right about now. Yes, that would do nicely, and by the time Aya woke from his nap Crawford would be relaxed and willing to play with the child, like a good parent. And he was going to be a good parent!

'Yeah keep telling yourself that,' his internal voice said mockingly. 'See how all that parenting comes in handy when the kid grows up and finds out the truth.'

Crawford sighed, that voice was deceptively right.

//And when have you ever turned down a challenge? // another voice argued. It sounded a lot like Schuldich. //By the time he's grown up he'll understand, as long as you're that good parent//

[Schuldich stay out of my head!] Crawford demanded as he crossed the street heading for the park.

//We'll it's true you know// Schuldich replied. //He won't hate you as long as you love him. //

[And what about you?] Brad shot back, as he found a nice shady tree to spread the blanket out under.

There was a mental sigh. //I already love him like a little brother// the telepath admitted. //I've been in his mind remember? All he's ever wanted was a family that loved him, but deep inside he knew he could never have that. It's why he was so cold. I think before he fully regressed he discovered he could have that with us; I don't want to be the one to prove him wrong. //

Crawford looked down at the sleeping toddler, then lifted Aya out of the stroller to cuddle him, gently, as he settled down on the blanket and opened his book. In his sleep Aya grunted softly and clutched his tiny hands to Brad's white casual button up shirt and curled up, fittingly against the man he would someday call father.

Brad stared at Aya with a small smile, his walls that made up his stoic demeanor crumbling at the sight. Aya wasn't even fully regressed yet and already trusted Schwartz with his life like he had no other. He trusted Brad to be his father, Nagi to be his big brother, Schuldich to be the over protective Uncle, and Farfarello not to hurt him; all before he regressed and lost the few memories of the life he still had.

Schuldich was right; there was no way Brad was going to prove Aya wrong. The boy would never regret a day he spent with the lot of them, and he would never want for anything.

Even when that dreaded day came and a much older Aya learned the truth.

Aya shifted so his head was buried against Brad's chest as if saying 'everything will be ok.' His breathing was an even rhythm that Crawford listened too soothingly. He would have to remember to get a rocking chair. Aya seemed to like to cuddle when he slept and Brad had the urge to rock every time he held the sleeping child. Although he was weary of what Farfarello would do with a rocking chair; breaking it because it 'hurt God' came to mind.

Brad smiled at the thought, turning the page in his book. That would be an interesting sight, Farfarello rocking Aya in the ruin of the rocking chair, doing his best to pretend the contraption still had legs and rocked back and forth. In the back of his mind Brad could hear Schuldich snicker at the projected thought, and he was sure the telepath was making arrangements for a rocking chair to be delivered later that afternoon just to see what would happen.

***

Twenty minutes later, and just when Crawford was getting to the good part of his book, Aya's eyes popped open. The child smiled up at him, showing all of his baby teeth, then decided Brad's shirt was interesting, and began kneading the cloth with tiny fingers.

Blindly Brad reached into Aya's day bag and took out a bag of Animal Cookies and handed them to the toddler. 'There that should keep him still for a while longer….hey! Where are you going?'

Brad looked up as Aya crawled out of his lap, stood and started to toddle away only to be stopped by the tether strapped to his overalls and attached to Brad's belt. The child cried out in outrage and pouted, reaching out a hand at something on the ground. Curiosity got the better of him; Brad set his book aside and scooted foreword enough for Aya to pick up what ever it was that he wanted. Smiling happily, Aya walked back to Brad and crawled into his lap again holding something out in his hand.

Crawford looked down at the Preying Mantis standing precariously in the child's hand. He looked at Aya and then back to the bug. It was an ugly bug, with strange habits, and the cultural liking of a cricket; he never understood that tradition either.

"That's a Preying Mantis," he told Aya. "It's a bug, put it down."

Aya pouted, protesting with his baby talk, reaching out with the hand holding the bag of cookies to poke the creature gently. Getting the desired reaction Aya squealed in delight and poked the Preying Mantis again. Brad shook his head with a smile and took the bug away from the toddler gently.

"Why don't we let it go where it can have lots of food?" He suggested, while he stood up with Aya in his arms and walked to a near-by bush. He set the toddler on his feet, then at Aya's eyelevel coaxed the Preying Mantis into a leaf on the bush, and let the child watch as the bug walked up the leaf and out of sight. Into the bush.

Aya clapped, turned, and jumped into Brad's arms.

"Ready to go home?" Brad asked lightly, giving Aya a hug.

Aya nodded cheerfully.

End Chapter One

Next: Part One Chapter Two: Christmas!

Crawford is having problems dealing with both Nagi and Aya leading to Aya nearly getting hurt. Then Nagi gets the surprise of his life!