Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Through the Eyes of a Child ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Through the Eyes of a Child

By Llewlyn

Summary: After episode 24, Crawford takes an unconscious Schuldich to New York City to take care of him. But when Schu wakes up, he isn't the same man he was before. How will Crawford adjust to taking care of a telepath with the mind of a five-year-old?

Rating: R for language, adult situations, violence, and references to child abuse, prostitution, and drug use.

Disclaimer: I don't own them, as much as I like to think I do. But if you do and want to give them to me…

Warning: Blatant self insert!

Chapter Three

I woke early the next morning, feeling piercing eyes staring at me. "Wake up… I'm hungry…" a nasal, commanding voice ordered, and I looked over at Peter. "I'm hungry," he repeated, glaring at me.

"You're a big boy… feed yourself…" I muttered. I wanted to wallow in self-pity for a few more hours. I shivered under the sheets and realized that I was still naked from last night. "Go away so I can get dressed, Peter… kitchen's around the corner. Watch some TV or something." I rolled over, presenting my back to him.

Sniff…-well, shit… he's going to start crying…- And as sure as if I'd Seen it, Peter crawled over me and looked at me with big, tearful green eyes, sniffling softly. -Great…- I thought, and sat up. "Fine! I'll make you breakfast. Just go and let me get dressed!" Peter grinned and bounded off the bed, and I heard him heading to the kitchen. Groaning softly… was I supposed to be this sore and, well, old-feeling? I was only 27… I got up and went to the closet, quickly pulling on jeans and a long sleeve shirt before following the boy to the kitchen. He was sitting on the table, kicking his feet and watching the doorway expectantly. When I stepped through, he brightened. "Finally!"

"Patience is a virtue, Sc- Peter," I said calmly, cursing myself for the slip. It was something I'd told Schuldich so often… usually when we were making love. He rolled his eyes at me… -must everything he does be so like Schuldich?- I began fixing breakfast for Peter, wishing absently that I had the kind of sugar coated crap he'd always eaten back in Tokyo. Instead, he'd have to make do with shredded wheat (a/n: Crawlie is getting old… shredded wheat?) I handed him the bowl of milk-coated cereal to him with a spoon. "Eat," I ordered. "When you're done, go watch TV in the living room." I made sure he started eating without too much fuss and took the portable phone out into the hallway and dialed a number I hadn't called in years.

Riiiiiing… Riiiiing…

"Hello…" A familiar, quiet male voice answered.

"Llew… it's good to hear you again."

"Crawford?! You son of a bitch, I thought you were dead! Why'dn't you call me sooner if you were in town?!" Ah, yes… My friend from Rosenkreuz, Llewlyn. I knew I could rely on him to swear at me the instant he picked up the phone.

"Why did you think I was dead? You know we all have to fake our deaths to get out of the organization…" I answered, laughing a bit. "I remember when you did it! And I didn't call you sooner cause I didn't have a reason to. Look, Llew, I need to ask a favor…"

"Favor, huh… well, I'll be there in a little bit." Now that he knew I was in New York again, Llewlyn could scan for my mind and literally follow the scent right here.

"Thanks, Llew… knew I could count on you…" He laughed and hung up, and I did the same. I turned to walk back out to the kitchen to Peter, but instead ran into him. He peered up at me with curious eyes.

"You sound different when you laugh," he said bluntly. "And you look different, too." I blinked, a bit taken aback at his direct speech. "Your eyes get sparkly. You're pretty when you smile." he declared, proudly as though he'd made an amazing discovery. I smiled at him; his grin of pride was infectious and always had been.

Then, a buzzer sounded… the doorman wanted to know if I wanted a Mr. Llewlyn Gentry to come up. I responded that I did, and only moments later, the elevator opened onto our floor, expelling a short- but still lanky- blonde man into the entry. "Hey…Crawford, you here?"

I grinned. "Go wait in the living room… someone's here to talk to you," I commanded gently, and Peter obeyed. I followed him down the hall, then turned the other direction to greet Llew.

Llew smirked at me the instant I showed my face. "Crawford is playing nursemaid? I never would have guessed it. How've you been, Brad? It's been a long time, eh?"

I shook my head, shaking his outstretched hand and pulling him into a quick embrace. "I've been… up and down…" I said quietly. "Look, I'd really love to catch up right now, but I need your help. The boy you heard me nursemaiding… well… he's not really a little boy. He's Schuldich." I watched Llew's face for his reaction- a slack pause, then disbelief bloomed.

"That… five year old mind… is our guilty bastard?" he said, amazed. He'd known Schuldich as well at Rosenkreuz.

"One and the same…" I answered my telepathic friend, and quickly told the story of Schuldich's injury, month-long coma, and Peter's awakening. I finished with, "And I just don't know what to do. I can't See what's going to happen anymore… the concert hall's destruction messed me up too. I'm just human again- and I can't deal with this."

Llewlyn wrapped his arms around my shoulders and squeezed comfortingly. "It's ok. You want me to talk to him, see if his proper mind can be restored and the memories repressed again." I nodded and he released me. "I'll get started right away then."

"Thanks, Llew… I owe you one."

"You owe me more than one, Crawlie, but I stopped counting a long time ago." He smiled. "I'll try." He walked into the living room, sat down, and began speaking with Peter, checking his mind stealthily. I stood in the doorway, watching the two interact.

After a time, Llew rose and came back to me, leaving Peter watching the best of American TV- reruns of Buffy: the Vampire Slayer. Perhaps not the best of shows for a man with the mind of a five year old, but I thought nothing of it. We'd seen- done- worse as Schwarz, and Peter had probably seen much of the same on the streets of Berlin.

"So? How is he?" I asked, studying the man-child's reaction to the TV.

"Well… he's still the strongest telepath I've ever known…" Llew gave as a non-answer.

"Llew…"

"I can't fix him. All his memories of Rosenkreuz are behind tighter walls than yours, and as far as I know, you're the only one no one could ever read fully. He might get better eventually, but you're going to be raising a child, Brad. I'll stay with you and help you train him, if you want, but that's all I can offer."

"Thanks, Llewlyn." I said. "Would you stay? I need all the help I can get." Llew nodded. "Thanks again."

Peter continued to watch Sarah Jessica Parker, oblivious to the rest of the world.

*sniffsniff* Awww, SchuSchu can't be fixed!!! More soon, hopefully… Well, I'm grounded, so maybe not, unless I can load this on the computer at school… I'm grounded at home, so don't expect a lot! Sowwy!

Next time (whenever the hell that is ^^): Back to Tokyo, and Weiß !