Title: Saving Me.
Author: Saku
Rated: PG- for 1 word
Warnings: none really
Word count: 1710
Summary: The boy slumps bonelessly, his head falling back sharply, into the Bishop's arms (and Frau is reminded of just how much Teito looks like those princesses in the fairy tales that the boy reads to Capella at night).
A/N: Ack, I hope this turned out ok. My muse must like torturing me since she just made this so hard to write! Anyways this was written for LJ's community springkink. The prompt was: 07-Ghost, Frau/Teito: damsel in distress - You just can't stay out of trouble, can you?
x-x-x-
"Hey!" Teito screams out as he runs for the group of guys. Somewhere behind him he hears Capella cry out, crying for him to not get any closer. But Teito refuses to listen as he pushes himself between the young girl and the gathering men (Mikage would have never just left the girl alone, and Teito refuses to either). "Why not try picking on someone your own size for once." Emerald eyes narrow as he tries to size the three men up.
Air whistles past Teito's ears as he feels the solid ground under him suddenly disappear. Panic freezes the air in his lungs leaving Teito with only a choked cry as tries to cry out for help. Eyes widen as he watches the cliff raise higher and higher. He knows this will only end badly for him, as his hand raises up as if to try to grab for the cliff.
The girl, she looks barely over thirteen, seizes this moment and turns and runs away leaving Teito alone with the three men. He only breaks the stare with them long enough to watch the girl run before turning his attention back. At least now he has one less person to worry about. Slowly he raises his hands, his right foot sliding back to brace himself as his knees bend slightly. He is poised and ready to attack.
For a second, though his hazy mind, Teito remembers this sensation before. He remembers back a long time ago when the Hawkzile that he had stolen (while trying desperately to escape from the military) had stopped working, leaving him nothing but dead weight in the air. He remembers feeling the same floating, lightness that he feels now. (And he remembers the arms that grabbed at him before he passed out.)
He concentrates so hard on the three before him while trying desperately to not rely on the military training he had lived by for so long. Instead he tries to rely on what he has learned from his Bishop training. He refuses to use the vile military's tactics (even if it could save his life in a few easy seconds). He wants nothing to do with them, especially after what happened to Mikage.
Everything seems to slow down, each inch seeming to take minutes (maybe even hours) to reach as he watches the sky fly further away from him. His mouth falls open as he tries to scream again, but nothing comes out except for a silent puff of air, a sound that blends perfectly with the air around him.
His concentration is broken quickly as Capella screams out to him. 'Look out!' it sounds like and Teito glances at the little boy, confusion etched onto his face. He notices the boy's terrified look before following the small wet finger that points behind him, off to the side. Eyes widen as he gasps turning in time to watch the board slam into his head, blurring the world for a second.
His head throbs as he tries to keep his eyes upwards, staring against the blinding sun. Teito refuses to look down at the quickly approaching ground. He rather not think about that, even if it is inevitable. Rocks dig into his sides and arms scratching and ripping his clothes. Hisses escape his lips as he feels the sharp rocks (accompanied with the speed of his fall) dig into him. His right hand is wet with blood and as he raises it up (in a desperate attempt to grab the raising cliff) he feels drops land on his cheek.
He barely can react, his mind still muddled from the board slamming into his head. He hears their sneers ("too bad he isn't a girl," and "you made loose our prey") but Teito's currently swimming in too much agonizing pain to really care. He remembers seeing Capella edging closer to the trees and he remembers feeling the hands roughly grab at him. Before he can scream out a warning or even try to fight back (what a pathetic fight it had been anyways, he should have protected himself better) Teito feels the ground suddenly leave him. In a brief second that he has to see before gravity takes over Teito watches as Capella turns and runs (and he is relived that at least the kid is going to be safe).
Off in the distance, Teito swears that he can hear someone call out for him. Calling out his name. Emerald eyes flutter shut as he waits for the impact. And for a second he swears that the voice calling out is becoming louder. He tries to focus on the voice, he knows that he has heard it before.
And for a second he wonders if this is what a true near-death experience is like. His have always been plain, memory less experiences (he has heard that people on their death beds relive their life as the Keeper of Heaven watches and judges their souls). However, the only experiences he has had with near-death is how the adrenaline pumps through his veins, leaving him nothing more then a jittery mess of limbs as he tries to walk straight afterwards.
Digging deep into the recesses of his mind Teito tries to pull up memories he wants to remember before his demise. Of him and Mikage at the academy (how the blond had always seemed to make the worst days livable). Of his time at the church (especially with Castor, Labrador and Frau…Especially Frau). He even tries to pull the first time that he met Hakuren (oh how awkward of a first meeting that had been, but they had become friends quickly too).
He tries hard to pull up Frau's face, remembering how the Bishop reacted when his porn supplies were found by Castor. How the blond's face would scrunch up, his brow pushing closer together, as he fought the Kor-infected people. Of how soft his gloved hands were when he'd brush Teito's cheek, his breath wafting over his ear softly as he leans in to whisper encouragements to the boy…Of how soft his body was (even if his touch was cold at times).
"Teito!"
Alright, he knows that he was not imagining that. Emerald eyes flutter open as he feels his fall stopped abruptly. His back and head jerk roughly and his breath is taken away for a second. Teito's body stiffens as adrenaline pumps through him, his body readying itself to run as eyes roam quickly, trying desperately to pick up the situation. Last he knew he was falling to his death, far away from anyone saving him. No one knew where he was, knew where he would be falling. But now…
…now…
Arms wrap around the hyperventilating boy, hugging him against a firm chest as blond hair enters his blurry vision. Relief floods the boy as he suddenly recognizes the arms.
Warm air wafts over his ear as he feels the body bend over him, holding him close. "You just can't stay out of trouble, can you? Damned brat." A gloved hand gently brushes the boy's cheek, wiping away the last traces of blood.
The only response Frau gets is eyes rolling back into his skull as everything catches up with Teito all at once. The boy slumps bonelessly, his head falling back sharply, into the Bishop's arms (and Frau is reminded of just how much Teito looks like those princesses in the fairy tales that the boy reads to Capella at night).
Frau smiles as he hugs the boy close to him again, before glaring up at the top of the cliff. He wants to head up there, teach the idiots who tossed Teito off a lesson. But the blood that is slowly seeping through his shirt reminds him that there are more important issues.
Carefully he turns the borrowed Hawkzile around (as he hugs Teito close to him) back towards town.
x-x-x-
With a twist, tuck and tie Frau leans back, a smile beaming at his handiwork. A smile that is not reflected as Teito stares at the mess of bandages on his right arm, an eyebrow raising in a silent question.
'An one handed, drunk and blind man may have tied a better bandage,' his eyes say as he twists and turns his arm around, trying to size up the disaster (that was apparently first aid).
"Aw, shut up brat." The bond answers as he turns away, pressing his back against the headboard. He tries to act hurt, though he is just grateful that the boy is not injured worse. Relieved he buries his hand into the brown locks beside him, fingers ruffling the soft hair, before letting his hand slide back down.
"Thank you," Teito whispers to the other man, leaning over until his head rests on the Bishop's arm. Eyes become heavy as he digs into the blankets, perfectly content to just lie against the other man all night. "Thank you for saving me."
Oh, there is just so much that the blond can razz the kid for at this moment (from him actually thanking him all the way to how he's lying on his arm) but Frau wisely lets all the comments slip from his head. Instead he gently brushes a hand through the dark locks, his thumb gently sliding along the boy's forehead, before rounding around his ear.
Teito feels the day catch up with him as eyes grow heavy, and the fingers that are carding his hair do not help relax him closer to sleep. Tossing away his pride (and he readies himself to never hear the end of it) Teito rolls to the side, his unbandaged arm sliding along blond's stomach.
Frau gasps as at the teasingly light touches, before wrapping his arms around the boy. Carefully he rolls to his side (watching for the boy's injured arm) and wraps his arms around Teito. Smiling against the soft brown tresses (as he places a chaste kiss), Frau wraps his arms around the boy as fingers rub gently along the boy's spine, tracing soft and soothing designs along Teito's back.
His arms tighten as he feels the boy slip off to sleep. "Don't worry," he whispers against the soft hair, "I'll keep protecting you, brat."