Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ The Problems with Raising Aya ❯ Part One Chapter Two: Christmas ( Chapter 2 )

Part One, Chapter Two: Christmas

Thanks lots to Phox for beta'ing this for me

"Oh, what an adorable child!" a woman screeched in Aya's face, leaning down to get a good look at the red-headed child. Aya shrank back from the blob as it moved closer to him scrunching up his face; if the blob got any closer he was going to scream.

"Thank you ma'am." Schuldich said quickly, mentally suggesting that the woman be on her way.

"That's going to get annoying." Nagi said dumping cans of green beans in the shopping cart Crawford steered.

Schuldich looked upside-down at the Aya sitting in his stroller, Aya stared back a scowl on his face. "I think the little Kitten's already annoyed."

"I would be too if strangers came up to me and stuck their faces in mine." Nagi said reading over the list, "Why does Farfie want candy canes?"

"He said if he decorated the tree with them Aya would stay away from the presents." Brad said absently.

The teenager opened his mouth then closed it with a shake of his head. "I don't even want to know why he thinks that."

Schuldich plucked a box of candy canes off the shelf, took one of the candies out of the packaging, un-wrapped it, and handed it to Aya. Crawford glared at him. "I know, and I don't want to know."

Crawford glared at Schuldich. "Just for that he's sleeping with you tonight." He said, knowing Aya would be awake all night from the sugar.

"Aww….I'd rather sleep with you Crawfie!" Schuldich cooed, batting his eyelashes at the pre-cog.

Brad turned as red as Aya's hair.

"Ha! Now I know where the little tike gets his red hair from!" Schuldich said with a laugh.

Brad narrowed his eyes. "She was your sister!" he countered quickly.

"Then why is Nagi's hair not as red?" Schuldich pointed out.

Point, set, match.

Crawford looked at Nagi, then Schuldich and back again. Aya did the same until his nose started to tickle.

"Achoo!" the toddler sneezed.

Two adults and one teenager looked at him.

Aya sneezed again and batted at the air, he like the smell around him. Schuldich reached into the stroller and put a hand on Aya's forehead to check for a fever. Aya pushed the hand away with a whine of protest. He was not sick! Didn't they smell the smell he didn't like?

Sensing from the child his reason for sneezing, Schuldich frowned and looked around the stroller. On one of the shelves, at Aya's head level, was a spilt jar of garlic power; its odor strongest where a child's sensitive nose could smell it.

Schuldich simply pushed the stroller further down the aisle. Aya sniffed loudly making sure the smell wasn't still there and stuck his candy back in his mouth.

Brad watched with narrow eyes. "Nagi, get a bottle of child's cough syrup just in case."

"Ok." Nagi agreed, handing Brad the shopping list, going in search of medicine aisle.

//Think he's going to get sick when we least expect it? // Schuldich asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"He'd do it just to spite me." Crawford said aloud.

Aya blew a sticky raspberry at him.

Schuldich looked between the two, something wasn't right here. //You're suppose to love him, not think he's out to get you, you know// the telepath commented.

[He's a little brat, that's what he is!] Brad answered sourly ignoring the child as Aya held out his arms to be picked up.

//What happened? // Schuldich demanded.

[I can't do this.] Crawford shot back angrily.

Schuldich snorted. //Bull! You can do anything you put your mind to I've seen it! Don't tell me that one child is beyond your skill. //

Aya held out his arms, using baby-talk to tell them he wanted to be picked up. Schuldich leaned down to lift the child out of the stroller. Aya yelled his protest making it clear Schuldich was not the one he wanted to hold him.

Schuldich looked at Brad with a raised eyebrow. "Well? Aren't you going to pick up your child?"

Brad gripped the handle on the cart tightly his head turned so he wouldn't have to look at Aya. Seeing this Aya began to cry, making sounds that could have been 'daddy' in English.

Both men stared at each other in challenge.

Nagi returned with several boxes in his arms, he raised an eyebrow at the two adults, dumped the medicine in the cart, and lifted Aya out of the stroller.

"Honestly, could you to have the pissing contest later?" Nagi asked one arm under the child's bottom to keep him supported on his him while the free hand rubbed circled on Aya's back. "And Brad, really, all parents go though the 'I cants', they can't give back their children and neither can you1" with that he walked away, Aya's cries following him.

"He's right you know." Schuldich said folding the stroller and slid it under the cart. "You can't give the Kätchen¹ back; and I don't think you want to."

"What do you care?" Brad shouted angrily.

Schuldich sighed, turned, and walked out of the aisle. //I'm not the one that should be asked that question, liebe². //

Crawford watched the telepath's retreating back in shock. [What's that suppose to mean?]

//If you don't know, I won't tell you. // Schuldich answered.

***

"Here are your candy canes, Farfie." Nagi said, handing the box to the Irishmen as he took it out of the grocery bag. "I don't know how well your plan will work; Aya's already had two."

Farfarello frowned at the teenager. "That's the point."

Nagi sighed; he still didn't want to know.

"Where's Aya?" Farfarello asked as he watched Schuldich and Crawford walk into the apartment arguing. The two dumped the food in the counter and continued down the hall. One bedroom door slammed and the shouting got louder.

Nagi stared at Farfarello blankly for a moment, and then ran out the door, down the stairs, and into the parking garage.

Aya was still strapped in his car seat in the jeep wailing loudly; it was a wonder that Crawford and Schuldich hadn't heard the child over their shouting. Nagi ran to the jeep door, yanking it open hard enough to dislocate his shoulder.

"It's ok Aya-chan," the teen said soothingly climbing into the back seat with the child and un-strapped him from the car seat. "I've got you, you're safe now."

"Nayi!" Aya cried crawling into Nagi's arms. Nagi spent a moment cradling Aya in his arms then carefully slid out of the jeep and stormed upstairs.

Schuldich and Crawford were still shouting when he returned; Nagi's anger rose as he stomped to Crawford's bedroom and used telekinesis to force open the door. The hard wood door crashed against the opposite wall with a loud 'bang', both men jumped.

"Are you outta your minds?!" Nagi shouted before either adult could say anything. "Tomorrow is Christmas! A time of celebration and opening presents with the people you love; not pissing and moaning about how much you are both stupid cowards!" he glared at Schuldich and Crawford daring them to say something; wisely they stayed silent.

"And to make matters worse you left Aya in the jeep! Alone! In the dark! In the cold! He's a child! A. TWO. YEAR. OLD. CHILD! Are you two so incompetent that you can't get that thought your thick sculls? He could have died!" Nagi took a deep breath; deep down he was very thankful they hadn't gotten over their shock yet. "If you two don't get over what ever your problems are; IF something like this EVER happens again; I will personally demand a transfer out of Japan and take Aya with me! Do I make myself clear?!"

Schuldich and Crawford dumbly nodded.

Nagi huffed. "Good." He said calmly, went over to Aya's clothes chest and took out pajamas and a dipper. "By the way, Aya said his first word; it was Nagi. Or at least as close as he's going to get at this age. Now if you'll excuse me I'll be in my room, where Aya will be until you two solve your differences." With that he turned, walked to his room and shut the door quietly behind him.

***

Nagi woke the next morning to find Crawford sitting on the edge of his bed watching Aya and him sleep. The teen sat up carefully, making sure to keep the blankets on the toddler.

"I'm sorry about last night." Brad said quietly. "I've had a lot on my mind about something and then Aya came and complicated everything. It's not his fault and I shouldn't have taken it out on him; but…well…I panicked, and well…here…."

Nagi took the envelope thrust into his hands and opened it carefully. Inside were three documents, one in English, one in Germen, and one in Japanese. The teen looked up at the older man. "What are there?"

"Adoption papers." Brad answered bluntly. "For here, America, and Germany."

Nagi was still confused. "Are these Aya's?"

The pre-cog shook his head a hint of a smile on his lips. "Aya has two sets, birth certificates for me, and adoption records for Schuldich and Farfarello. Under aliases of course."

"I don't get it." Nagi said after a long silence. "What does that have to do with me?"

Crawford rolled his eyes. "Because they're yours." he said. "All three state that Schuldich and I have adopted you."

Nagi blinked, looking over the documents carefully. "But…how….why?"

"Esset arranged it." Brad answered. "They've been doing so for a long time. As to why, you are still a minor, and in need of more then just…co-workers."

The teen's eyes widened. "You weren't arguing about Aya with Schuldich last night," he stated. "You where arguing about me."

Crawford nodded. "I felt Schuldich should have adopted you by himself; in fact I wanted him to take Aya as well. I am not the kind of person that should be held responsible for one child's well being, let alone two."

"I'm not a child!" Nagi protested automatically.

Crawford raised an eyebrow. "Its Christmas morning." He said and smiled as Nagi started forward but caught himself and settled again. Brad smirked. "You still have a child's reflexes. Go on, and take Aya with you, I'm sure he won't mind being woken."

Nagi glared, slipped out of his bed and took a throw blanket off his desk chair. He wrapped Aya in it carefully and lifted the sleeping child into his arms. "If you don't want him, I'll take him." He said seriously then walked out of his room, into the living room.

"Ah! Nagi, good you're awake!" Schuldich said with a grin from the couch. "Come open your presents!"

Nagi nodded and sat on the floor in front of the Christmas tree. He gently laid Aya on the soft carpet and reached for the gift he got the little boy, silently un-wrapping it he tucked the teddy bear in the blanket with Aya and then he watched the child for a moment.

"Open mine! Open mine!" Farfarello chanted holding out a small package.

Nagi took the gift, un-wrapping it with care, and held up….Farfarello's favorite knife; the retractable sword. Wait! It wasn't the same; this one's handle was silver not gold with some weird writing on it.

//It's Gaelic.// Schuldich supplied. //it means, Kinetic//

"Thank you Farfie." Nagi said setting the weapon aside, and then looked around for something with his name on it. He was not going to be a child and search for presents; he'd let Aya do that.

Schuldich snickered. "Crawfie rub you the wrong way?" he asked tapping a small wrapped box with his toe. "Don't worry so much about being treated like a child or not. Not here anyway; out there you can be as adult as you want."

Nagi shook his head with a small smile. "It's alright Schuschu; I'm fine."

Schuldich didn't look like he believed him. He patted the empty part of the couch waiting for Nagi to curl up beside him. "I may not be an Empath, per say, but I do know when everything isn't right." The telepath said wrapping an arm around Nagi's waist, holding him close. He nodded to Farfarello who was building a present fort around Aya as the child slept. "Look at Farfarello for example. He looks at Aya and sees something he wants to protect and hide at all costs; he doesn't see Fujimiya, Ran, he sees Aya Crawford. As long as Aya is safe everything is right in his world."

Nagi watched as the psychopath closed off the fort very cleverly and left a small hole for air and light. Farfarello lay on the floor and stared into the hole; he looked almost peaceful.

Schuldich nodded. "Now Crawford on the other hand views children as that unknown factor he can't control and can't foresee. Little children are unpredictable; Brad hates that, he fears and hates Aya. He doesn't know what Aya will do from one moment to the next so both hates the child and fears for his safety." He tapped Nagi's chest. "The same goes for you. Its not that he doesn't care; he's just too proud and arrogant to show it."

"Why did you two fight?" Nagi asked resting his head on Schuldich's shoulder.

"He needed to see things my way," Schuldich answered. "He still does, he just doesn't know it yet."

"You love him don't you?" the teen asked with a teasing smile.

"Maybe." Schuldich said.

"Lair." Farfarello sang. "Schuschu loves Crawfie, Schuschu loves Crawfie!"

"Oh- I Neigung erklären Ihnen allem²!" Schuldich growled and threw a ball of wrapping paper at the Irishmen.

"It's ok if you do, Schuldich." Nagi said.

Schuldich sighed and reached down to pick up the gift he ad tried to get Nagi to open sooner. "Open this; it's from Crawford and me."

Nagi took the box giving Schuldich a weary look. Carefully he took off the lid and peered inside, and lifted out what looked like a mini flashlight key chain. Nagi raised an eyebrow; he wasn't even allowed to go anywhere alone where he would need something like this, not at night.

"It's a panic button." Schuldich said in answer to his silent question. "Crawford predicts you will need it."

"Oh," Nagi said, there wasn't much else to say.

"Just keep it with you always." Schuldich said seriously.

"Auht!" Aya said his high baby soprano voice muffled by the boxes staked around him. A tiny hand appeared from the hole Farfarello left, waving around as if searching for something. Farfarello poked the hand with his finger, the hand instantly retracted into the present fort. When the hand didn't come back Farfarello took the top off the fort.

Aya lay curled up in the small space, his thumb in his mouth the same arm wrapped around the teddy bear his other hand kneading the fur. Farfarello lifted the toddler out of the fort and sat the child in his lap. "Say Farfarello!"

Aya stared at the Irishmen blankly and continued to suck his thumb. Farfarello shook his head and tickled the child instead making Aya giggle.

***

The rest of the morning was spent opening presents and watching Aya play with the wrapping paper more than he did the toys that had wrapped them. Even Brad eventually joined the festivities, though what was troubling him had still not been resolved.

When it was over Nagi went to his room and stretched out in his bed to stare at the ceiling while Aya played on the floor.

Nothing had been resolved with how Brad treated Aya. By mid-morning he and Schuldich had started arguing again, though they wisely kept it to glaring at each other and telepathy. They might as well have been shouting for all the good it did. The moment the silent argument started Aya- who had been trying to get Crawford to hold him- backed away from the two and crawled into Farfarello's lap whimpering in fear.

It took Nagi three seconds to get fed up with the both of them, take Aya from Farfarello, and left the room, the toys and gifts he and the child had received floating behind him. Thought he wasn't supposed to use his powers. Aya had been left on the floor with his new toys surrounding him, Nagi had put everything but the blade and the panic button in there proper placed. The panic button didn't do well as a key chain, if Schuldich wanted him to keep it on him at all times, so he took it off the loop and found a chain and put it around his neck. The knife he kept in his hands fiddling with it, absently making the blade contract and retract every once in a while as he contemplated what to do if Brad didn't decided to keep Aya soon.

He could have all of Aya and his things packed in a very short time. He could run away and take Aya with him, no one could stop him and no one could hurt him. He'd miss Schuldich and Farfarello, but Aya was more important, Nagi didn't want to see Aya grow up where no one wanted him. He didn't want Aya to become him.

"Nagi." Farfarello said from the door way. Nagi sat up to look at the psychopath, Farfarello had a grin on his face. "Come look."

"At what?" Nagi asked sliding out of his bed and followed the Irishmen out of his room and to the entrance to the living room.

On the couch where Schuldich and Crawford, the telepath lay on the couch the older man on top of him. They were kissing, both trying to undress each other by friction alone every once in a while a word of insult was thrown at the other.

Nagi rolled his eyes; they couldn't even stop arguing while making out. They were made for each other.

Farfarello pulled the teen down the hall back to his bed room and stretched out on the bed with him. "Everything is right now." He said, wrapping a leg around Nagi's slim waist to keep him in place. "All is as it should be."

"Maybe." Nagi said with a sigh, only time would tell that one. "Merry Christmas Farfie."

"Merry Christmas."

***

***

¹Kätchen, (Spelled Wrong)- Kitten

²Oh- I Neigung erklären Ihnen allem -means- I can't tell you anything

*Germen is not grammar accurate

Schuldich is the Americanized name version of Schudig