Disclaimer: Sadly, I own neither Weiss Kreuz nor its characters.
Warning: shonen ai (m/m), violence
Chapter 1
I woke up and for a while just stared at the ceiling. There was no pleasant feeling, no anticipation. For every day was the same, unchanging. Wrapped in the darkness.
I went down and poured myself a cup of tea. Omi greeted me with that smile of his. Too bright, too cheerful. Well, everyone had problems. I sure didn't have energy to try to solve his. Nor I wanted to get attached.
We opened the shop and I managed not to yell at anybody during my shift. Not even when the schoolgirls rushed in and tried to get my attention. Tried to touch me. I remembered that it had used to irritate me. They were too naïve, too happy. They reminded me of what I had lost
I looked up and saw my mirror reflection. All what was left of me disappeared when I had killed Takatori. All my anger just…burned out when nothing changed. When she hadn't woken up.
There was a knock at the door.
"Aya-kun?"
"Yes?" I answered.
"Manx is here."
"On my way." I turned the water off. A new mission, then. It didn't really matter. Less time to think.
I looked into a hall wondering what the hell so many people were doing there. It was late in the night and according our information the small factory should have been empty with the exception of the guards. It seemed that either the demand for drugs had dramatically increased lately, or they had heard someone was going after them and wanted to make more money before closing the shop.
They were mostly scientist so they didn't know how to fight. I went through them and Ken followed me, leaving a bloody path behind us while Yoji and Omi took care for the remaining guards.
When we finished I turned around and caught Yoji staring at the dead scientists with a haunted look.
I had to wonder why he felt pity for them. They had to know what they were doing. It didn't matter if they were armed or not.
/ Because he's a bleeding heart. Care to find out how he would bleed in real/
I froze. The others had to notice my sudden stiffness because they looked at me.
"Schwarz," I had almost forgotten that there were still some people who I would wring a neck with pleasure.
I heard a laugh and looked to the door. They stood in our way out. Schuldig and Farfarello entered first. The German was smirking at me, wearing his usual green jacket and a gaudy bandanna, while the madman stared at the bodies. I couldn't see any knives. Yet.
Naoe and Crawford followed them and I spend a while pondering on why Crawford didn't walked in first.
"Nice mess," purred Schuldig. "I heard them screaming all the way out."
"Shut up," snapped Yoji, hand on his watch.
Farfarello looked up at these words with a hungry expression. His attention focused on Ken, who was staring at him back. He slowly took out two knives from his vest.
"Unfortunately, they were meant for Farf. And he does not take kindly when his toys are broken before he can even get to them."
"What a pity," retorted Ken.
For a moment nobody moved. Then Farfarello leaped forward and Ken met him in a half way. I saw Omi to throw a dart which was stopped in the air and then I lunged at Crawford. I didn't think I would be able to kill him, with that strange power he had, but it would improve my day nicely, if I managed to nail him. Or at least hit him.
/ Ah, woke up from your zombie mood, didn't you/
/ Shut up. / I barely managed to dodge a blow to my jaw. Why did Schuldig annoy me when he was fighting with Yoji?
/ Bother Yoji/ I thought and for a while I heard Schuldig's laugh. A real one, without mockery. The surprise slowed me down and Crawford punched me.
"Damn him," I cursed, even though I didn't know if I meant Schuldig or Crawford who was smugly waiting for me to catch a breath again.
/ You know, Farf is not the only one, who likes a little bit of fun. I could almost swear, that Crawford enjoyed that punch. /
"Shut up," I snarled.
"Shouldn't you pay more attention to me?" asked Crawford.
I just sneered at him, founding the whole situation utterly unreal.
His next punch was much harder and sent me through the room. I tried to get up while Crawford calmly walked towards me. My head swam. Oh God, how I would like to wipe that conceited expression off his face.
I shakily got up and prepared to a fighting position. Crawford merely raised an eyebrow, waiting for my attack. I calmed down and tried to cast out every thought except the feeling of the sword in my hand. My muscles tensed in anticipation.
/ By the way, I visited your sister today. /
My breath got caught in the middle of my throat and my head snapped in his direction. I saw him smirk and then ran in a flash through the door and disappeared.
I acted without thinking, launched after him, not caring about Crawford at all. Maybe I managed to surprise him because I get through and then I heard him clashed with Yoji.
I ran out of the room and sought for the Schwarz bastard.
/ Pshaw. /
A flash of orange and a movement in the door at the end of a corridor. Even though I knew that it wasn't the best idea I couldn't care less and rushed after him. I ran into a small dark room and heard the door closed after me, cutting the last of the light. Swirling around I attacked blindly after the sound, trying to split him in a half. But my sword did not meet any resistance.
/ She's not just an empty shell, you know. /
For the first moment I didn't understand what he meant. As I realized who he was speaking about, I stiffened. He was answering to my nightmare but I didn't understand why. Probably he just lied to tell me the truth afterwards.
/ Nein, I was there. In her mind. /
"Why?" I choked out, my own voice strained.
/ Why not? I'm a curious person. Or did you ask about why I told you that? Maybe because the truth is even better. /
I clenched fingers around the sword, waiting for the slightest sound to attack. My mind was picturing him beheaded or with a sliced gut. I heard his mental snort.
/ She's alone in the dark where no one can reach her. And she's slowly going mad. Sometimes she just forgets, who she is and simply exists, staring to the emptiness without any coherent thought. It's just a matter of time before she becomes a lunatic or vanishes completely. /
I closed my eyes, feeling the slight tremors running my frame. It's not true, it's not true. He's a liar. Don't listen to him, kill him…
"Better to kill her than this."
I opened my eyes and attacked. The sudden light flooded the room as he turned the light on but it didn't slow me down. I felt how my sword slid on his coat and then he was behind me, gripping my wrist and throwing me against the wall he had leaned before. He was so close that I could feel the warm of his body and my elbow flung backwards without thinking. He grunted as it connected with his abdomen but didn't release his grip.
/ Where no one can reach her but I. /
I stopped struggling, my heart pounding, waiting for him to make his point. For a while we just stood there, immobile. Then he lowered his head, I could feel his hair falling around my face. His breath was hot and damp against my skin when he whispered:
"Tell me, how does it feel? To try to kill the only one, who can wake her up?"
He released me and moved to the door. I was so stunned that I didn't try to stop him
We arrived to Koneko No Sume half an hour later. Obviously, Schwarz had left the factory shortly or at the same time as Schuldig had finished with me. The way back had been tense but nobody said anything until we were inside. Omi made for the first aid because Ken had got a long scratch from Farfarello and right now was too tired to care.
"Ok, what the hell happened there?" exploded Yoji.
I lifted my eyes and gave him a disinterested look. He was standing in the middle of den, both hands clenched in fists, glaring at me. One side of his jaw was starting to colour. Apparently, his fight with Crawford didn't go well.
"What the hell did Schuldig tell you, that you went after him like that?"
…where no one can reach her but I…
"You are supposed to fight Crawford, you are both close-ranged."
…how does it feel? To try to kill the only one, who can wake her up…
"Not anymore," I answered.
"Not anymore what?" Yoji asked, confused. Omi returned to the room. I could feel their eyes on me.
"You won't fight Schuldig anymore. I will."
"But… Aya-kun…"
"You've got to be kidding me…"
I ignored them and turned to leave. If Schuldig had said the truth, then it should be me, who would crush that last hope that still remained.
The door burst open and I looked up to see agitated Manx. Her eyes found me, fingers clenched the railing.
"Aya," she told me, "your sister's been kidnapped."
The afternoon light was slowly creeping into my room. I was sitting on my bed, arms embracing knees, and trying to figure out what to do next. I hadn't slept last night. All was in a blur, my argument with Manx, run to the hospital and futile searching. Now I was too tired to do anything. And probably there was nothing I could do right now because they had her. I should have done more when I had met them yesterday. There had to be a way how to defeat them. Had to be.
There was a knock at the door but I didn't brother to answer it. I wasn't interested in talking with anyone.
"Aya, I know you are there."
Ah, great. It was Kudou. The last person I wanted to see right now.
"I'm going in." The handle moved and I realized, that I had not locked the door. I was really out of my mind.
He came in, moving hesitantly, his green eyes full of pity were fixed at my face. It made me sick. He stopped before my bed, looking uncertain as if he didn't know what to say.
"How are you feeling?"
I scowled at him. Look, Kudou - a counselor.
"I know it has to be hard for you right know, but…"
"Mind your own business, will you?" I snarled at him, feeling exhausted and without any desire to be patient. A little talk with Kudou wouldn't solve anything. "I don't need your pity or anything else. I'll deal with it alone."
"But you don't have to," he failed to become irritated, staring at me with a sympathy. "You're not alone. We'll help you."
"And how exactly do you want to help me? Schwarz has her and if you've noticed, we aren't really a match for them."
"Kritiker is. We'll find a way…"
"Kritiker wasn't able to protect her," I said through clenched teeth. Just hearing the name made me angry again. Kritiker was responsible for Aya-chan. They had promised me to keep her safe, to take care for her. And they failed. Kudou was maybe stupid enough not to see that but I wasn't. "So why should I believe they would be able to save her? You are being ridiculous."
"Well, and what do you want to do, then?" he asked me with a little annoyance. "Just sit here and sulk?"
"That's nothing of your business. Weren't you going to get drunk again? Please, don't let me or my trouble stand in your way."
He looked at me, stunned. "Aya…," he began.
"Get out," My voice became cold, emotionless. "I don't want you here. Just get out."
He left without any other word.
An hour later Omi crept in, carrying a tray with food but thankfully didn't say anything. Ken came around, looking at me with interest. He didn't try to actually enter my room, just remained in the door and remarked:
"You should eat that food. If Schwarz really has her, you'll need all strength you have. For whatever will come."
He left with that statement but it was the first thing which made sense today, so I obeyed him. Schwarz surely had taken Aya-chan with some purpose. Probably to manipulate me and maybe even Weiss. So they would call me and tell me their demands. I waited and tried not to fall asleep as daylight slowly disappeared.
The last thing I remembered was Kudou trying to get into his room later in the night, muttering something as he moved in unsteady feet.
But no call had ever come.
I apologize for mistakes…ehm, a non-native speaker here. Feel free to point out mistakes, e-mail me or leave me a review. Thank you.
