Title: Forgotten?
Warnings: Erm... spoilers eventually. Yaoi is a good possibility, although there is none in this chapter.
Pairings: Dunno yet. Let me see how it works out.
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Schuldich rolled out of bed irritably, not a rare occurance for the telepath of Schwarz. Few days passed where he didn't wake up in a bad mood. Yawning and stretching, he rose, sliding into a set of clothes that were laying about and ran a hand through his wild locks of crimson. Gah... his stuff had been taken again. Where his television had sat was an empt space, the desk looking oddly bare without it and his stereo. Even the books he had laying about, ranging from straight out porno to philosophy were gone. Brad must really be pissed to have taken all of his things.
Taking a deep breath, he stalked out into the hallway, glancing towards the closed door of Nagi's room. Unsure fingers rested on the doorknob as he considered. Was it worth it to try to talk to the telekinetic? Schuldich was more than aware that he had serious screwed up on the mission a few nights ago, a mistake that had ended with him taking a bullet for his own stupidity. No, best to let it alone. Naggles would probably side with Brad anyways.
With a scowl painting his lips, Schuldich stalked towards the kitchen, already smelling the strong enough to be paint thinner coffee that the American had brewing. Leaning against the doorjam, he watched Brad Crawford for a few moments as he stared into nothingness. A cup of cooling liquid caffiene sat before Brad, he hands folded under his chin. Those dark brown eyes stared ahead of him at the wall, seeming to be seeing nothing. Tiredness had brought shadows out under those eyes that Schuldich loved to gaze into late at night, weariness had caused a redness there that looked as if Brad had been crying.
"Brad..." Schuldich began softly.
Brad Crawford rose, tossing his coffee cup into the sink violently where it shattered into shards. Without looking at him, Brad strode past him, moving towards the door. The American's voice nearly broke as he murmured softly, more to himself than anyone, "I can't take it anymore."
The door closed behind him with a crash that nearly broke the door and frame, driving them together harshly. Schuldich jumped at the violence of it. Crawford wasn't a man to break easily or prone to anger. Glancing about the silent apartment, he flopped down on the couch, turning on the telly for entertainment. If he was in the doghouse for screwing up the mission, he wasn't going to make it worse by chasing after the other man and nagging at him.
Nagi walked out an hour or so later, heading for the kitchen. Schuldich's eyes followed the silent youth as he moved about, cleaning up the mess of broken glass that Crawford had left in the sink. Farfarello emerged from his basement lair a few minutes later, the two other Schwarz assassins ignoring Schuldich as well. Grumbling to himself, the German stalked back to his own room. Fine. If Brad was going to have everyone mad at him, he wasn't going to put up with it. He had better things to do than sit around here. Bastards. Yawning, he laid down on his bed, ready for a nap.
*
When he awoke later, it was dark outside, a pale sliver of moonlight giving his room an eerie lumiscence as it slid through his bedroom window. Padding out of his room, he rubbed his eyes sleepily, considering whether or not Brad might have forgiven him enough to let him climb into bed with him. That thought alone brought a hentai tainted grin to the German's lips. Some Brad snuggle time was more than deservd for putting up with the silent treatment all day.
Surprise crashed that thought down as Schuldich stopped dead centre of the living room, standing in the place where his favourite flopping couch should have been. Dents were in the carpet where the furniture had been, but the couch itself was gone. So was the telly. The walls where shelves of books had been earlier were empty as well. Heading for the kitchen at a near run, he began jerking open drawers, throwing them across the room. Cupboards were thrown open, revealing more and more of the emptiness that seemed to be cursing the Schwarz apartment. Flicking the lights on, Schuldich ran from room to room, searching for any sign of his former companions. There was nothing. It was as if they had never existed.
The scratch of a key in the lock brought him back to himself as the front door opened, the sound of their landlady's voice reaching him as he stopped his mad rampage through the room that had been Brad's. "They moved out today, Officer, so I know the place is empty. Look at this mess! And the lights! They were off an hour ago."
Using his telepathy, Schuldich hid himself from their view, watching with wide eyes as the woman and policeman walked through the rooms that had once housed the collective of Schwarz. Their minds had no knowledge of where the others had gone. Brad had left him, taking Nagi and Farfarello with him. Just... gone. Nothing. They had tossed him away like an old piece of garbage. As the front door closed behind the others, Schuldich began crying to himself, the hurt sounds of a lost child.
*
Time passed, months or more by Schuldich's estimation. He had no desire to leave, no reason to go anywhere but here. Brad would return for him. He always did. Most of his time was spent in his old room, sometimes in tears. At other times, he would stalk about the apartment, throwing things in his fury. It didn't matter, at least to him. It passed the time until he knew Brad would be coming back to him. Anything was better than the roaring silence he now heard on all sides of him. It was as if his telepath had simply stopped working. There was no more chatter, weeping, screaming, sobbing, or whispering in his head anymore. The only times it did work was when someone came into the flat to check on the noises or to look the place over for letting it. It cloaked him well from their eyes then. Sometimes was better than nothing, he supposed.
Fall had just passed into winter, the snow laying a dusty cover of white across the world outside the windows as Schuldich stood staring out into the slowly approaching twilight. The first stars had just broken the purple blue skies of the evening. Their gemlike glitter passed over the Mercedes below as it pulled up out front. Four people got out, the tallest one's head turning upwards to the window where Schu stood watching. A flash of light raced across the dark haired man's glasses, a thrill leaping through Schuldich's heart. Brad! It was Brad back finally. The American hadn't left him. Punishment was over.
Their time apart had not been kind to Brad. Lines were cut within the American's formerly smooth face, leaving him looking older than he should have. Nagi followed behind him, grown at least a half a foot taller. Only Farfarello had remained unaged, perhaps a few more scars, but Schuldich didn't care. It was Schwarz! They were all together again. Everything would be better. The landlady's birdlike voice drilled into his skull as she wandered in behind the other three, a slender young woman at the other's side. "Crawford-sama, this place has simply been chaos since you left! Are you considering moving back to Toyko? I can't let this flat to anyone. The lights keep coming on at all hours, the cupboards and drawers fly open and sometimes end up smashed, and I swear I can hear someone walking around up here at all hours of the night. I've even had a few people say that they saw someone up here from the outside..."
Brad Crawford appeared to be ignoring them all as he walked down the hall, leaning against the open door of Schuldich's room and gazing in. A single tear slid down his cheek as he gripped the doorframe in one hand. "I don't think we are, Anyo-san. We've... found interests elsewhere. You think this place is haunted?"
"Hai!" she agreed too quickly, nodding and once more listing the occurances to the leader of Schwarz as she followed him.
Schuldich's hands pressed to his cheeks, trying to not hear what was being said... that he was being ignored all over again. A soft touch on the backs of his hands brought his attentions back as he glanced upwards. The other female that had been with them was crouched before him, her large dark eyes centred on his own. A soft smile, one of comfort crossed her lips as she slid her fingertips down his skin. Turning her head away, her voice reflected that serenity, a soft note of pleading in it. "Anyo-san, could we... have a few moments alone? To discuss whether or not we would like to relet this place? Think it over?"
A look passed between Nagi, Farfarello, and Crawford as they ushered the elderly woman to the door and out, being kind but firm. Schuldich barely noticed them, a hand of his own reaching up to touch against the girl before him. Those depthless eyes were once more on his, an almost pitying expression within those too dark pools. Crawford knelt at her side, an anxious and worried expression on his face. "He's here? Are you sure?"
"I know my business, Oracle, and I have found your Mastermind."
In Schuldich's mind's eye, he was replaying the night he had been shot. He had been too busy listening in on Kudou Youji's thoughts to notice the bodyguard until he was right on top of him. He had felt the circle of cold steel press against his backside and the muffled report of the gun as the trigger was pulled. Flashing images of Brad cradling him and getting them all back here ran together, the American's voice calling down the corridors of his memory, telling him not to die... to do anything but just not die on him.
"And I did, didn't I?" Schuldich whispered to her.
"Hai... you died roughly ten minutes after they laid you in your own bed," she replied quietly. Turning to Brad, she sighed softly, "He's been here all this time. He's confused, disoriented. There was no understanding of why you and the rest of Schwarz left him. Mastermind is still half convinced that you did it as a... means of hurting him for causing the mission to be a failure."
The strong features of Brad Crawford broke at that, the man's hands pressing to his face. "Tell him that we never would have left him... never hurt him like that. We didn't know! If we had known he was still here sooner, we would have come back. Fuck, we never would have left!"
Schuldich's hands tried to curl about the woman's once more, tring to stroke them even as they passed through them. Funny how he had never noticed before that nothing really stayed in his grasp for long. "I can hear them, but they can't hear me?" he asked, directing his question more to her than anyone.
A soft chuckle came from the woman as she nodded to Schuldich. "Hai. He can hear you, Oracle. He hears and sees everything. Now... where is this Fujimiya Aya that the Elders tried to use in the ceremony. If there's a way to bring your Mastermind back, she may be the key."
((To be cont...))
Warnings: Erm... spoilers eventually. Yaoi is a good possibility, although there is none in this chapter.
Pairings: Dunno yet. Let me see how it works out.
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Schuldich rolled out of bed irritably, not a rare occurance for the telepath of Schwarz. Few days passed where he didn't wake up in a bad mood. Yawning and stretching, he rose, sliding into a set of clothes that were laying about and ran a hand through his wild locks of crimson. Gah... his stuff had been taken again. Where his television had sat was an empt space, the desk looking oddly bare without it and his stereo. Even the books he had laying about, ranging from straight out porno to philosophy were gone. Brad must really be pissed to have taken all of his things.
Taking a deep breath, he stalked out into the hallway, glancing towards the closed door of Nagi's room. Unsure fingers rested on the doorknob as he considered. Was it worth it to try to talk to the telekinetic? Schuldich was more than aware that he had serious screwed up on the mission a few nights ago, a mistake that had ended with him taking a bullet for his own stupidity. No, best to let it alone. Naggles would probably side with Brad anyways.
With a scowl painting his lips, Schuldich stalked towards the kitchen, already smelling the strong enough to be paint thinner coffee that the American had brewing. Leaning against the doorjam, he watched Brad Crawford for a few moments as he stared into nothingness. A cup of cooling liquid caffiene sat before Brad, he hands folded under his chin. Those dark brown eyes stared ahead of him at the wall, seeming to be seeing nothing. Tiredness had brought shadows out under those eyes that Schuldich loved to gaze into late at night, weariness had caused a redness there that looked as if Brad had been crying.
"Brad..." Schuldich began softly.
Brad Crawford rose, tossing his coffee cup into the sink violently where it shattered into shards. Without looking at him, Brad strode past him, moving towards the door. The American's voice nearly broke as he murmured softly, more to himself than anyone, "I can't take it anymore."
The door closed behind him with a crash that nearly broke the door and frame, driving them together harshly. Schuldich jumped at the violence of it. Crawford wasn't a man to break easily or prone to anger. Glancing about the silent apartment, he flopped down on the couch, turning on the telly for entertainment. If he was in the doghouse for screwing up the mission, he wasn't going to make it worse by chasing after the other man and nagging at him.
Nagi walked out an hour or so later, heading for the kitchen. Schuldich's eyes followed the silent youth as he moved about, cleaning up the mess of broken glass that Crawford had left in the sink. Farfarello emerged from his basement lair a few minutes later, the two other Schwarz assassins ignoring Schuldich as well. Grumbling to himself, the German stalked back to his own room. Fine. If Brad was going to have everyone mad at him, he wasn't going to put up with it. He had better things to do than sit around here. Bastards. Yawning, he laid down on his bed, ready for a nap.
*
When he awoke later, it was dark outside, a pale sliver of moonlight giving his room an eerie lumiscence as it slid through his bedroom window. Padding out of his room, he rubbed his eyes sleepily, considering whether or not Brad might have forgiven him enough to let him climb into bed with him. That thought alone brought a hentai tainted grin to the German's lips. Some Brad snuggle time was more than deservd for putting up with the silent treatment all day.
Surprise crashed that thought down as Schuldich stopped dead centre of the living room, standing in the place where his favourite flopping couch should have been. Dents were in the carpet where the furniture had been, but the couch itself was gone. So was the telly. The walls where shelves of books had been earlier were empty as well. Heading for the kitchen at a near run, he began jerking open drawers, throwing them across the room. Cupboards were thrown open, revealing more and more of the emptiness that seemed to be cursing the Schwarz apartment. Flicking the lights on, Schuldich ran from room to room, searching for any sign of his former companions. There was nothing. It was as if they had never existed.
The scratch of a key in the lock brought him back to himself as the front door opened, the sound of their landlady's voice reaching him as he stopped his mad rampage through the room that had been Brad's. "They moved out today, Officer, so I know the place is empty. Look at this mess! And the lights! They were off an hour ago."
Using his telepathy, Schuldich hid himself from their view, watching with wide eyes as the woman and policeman walked through the rooms that had once housed the collective of Schwarz. Their minds had no knowledge of where the others had gone. Brad had left him, taking Nagi and Farfarello with him. Just... gone. Nothing. They had tossed him away like an old piece of garbage. As the front door closed behind the others, Schuldich began crying to himself, the hurt sounds of a lost child.
*
Time passed, months or more by Schuldich's estimation. He had no desire to leave, no reason to go anywhere but here. Brad would return for him. He always did. Most of his time was spent in his old room, sometimes in tears. At other times, he would stalk about the apartment, throwing things in his fury. It didn't matter, at least to him. It passed the time until he knew Brad would be coming back to him. Anything was better than the roaring silence he now heard on all sides of him. It was as if his telepath had simply stopped working. There was no more chatter, weeping, screaming, sobbing, or whispering in his head anymore. The only times it did work was when someone came into the flat to check on the noises or to look the place over for letting it. It cloaked him well from their eyes then. Sometimes was better than nothing, he supposed.
Fall had just passed into winter, the snow laying a dusty cover of white across the world outside the windows as Schuldich stood staring out into the slowly approaching twilight. The first stars had just broken the purple blue skies of the evening. Their gemlike glitter passed over the Mercedes below as it pulled up out front. Four people got out, the tallest one's head turning upwards to the window where Schu stood watching. A flash of light raced across the dark haired man's glasses, a thrill leaping through Schuldich's heart. Brad! It was Brad back finally. The American hadn't left him. Punishment was over.
Their time apart had not been kind to Brad. Lines were cut within the American's formerly smooth face, leaving him looking older than he should have. Nagi followed behind him, grown at least a half a foot taller. Only Farfarello had remained unaged, perhaps a few more scars, but Schuldich didn't care. It was Schwarz! They were all together again. Everything would be better. The landlady's birdlike voice drilled into his skull as she wandered in behind the other three, a slender young woman at the other's side. "Crawford-sama, this place has simply been chaos since you left! Are you considering moving back to Toyko? I can't let this flat to anyone. The lights keep coming on at all hours, the cupboards and drawers fly open and sometimes end up smashed, and I swear I can hear someone walking around up here at all hours of the night. I've even had a few people say that they saw someone up here from the outside..."
Brad Crawford appeared to be ignoring them all as he walked down the hall, leaning against the open door of Schuldich's room and gazing in. A single tear slid down his cheek as he gripped the doorframe in one hand. "I don't think we are, Anyo-san. We've... found interests elsewhere. You think this place is haunted?"
"Hai!" she agreed too quickly, nodding and once more listing the occurances to the leader of Schwarz as she followed him.
Schuldich's hands pressed to his cheeks, trying to not hear what was being said... that he was being ignored all over again. A soft touch on the backs of his hands brought his attentions back as he glanced upwards. The other female that had been with them was crouched before him, her large dark eyes centred on his own. A soft smile, one of comfort crossed her lips as she slid her fingertips down his skin. Turning her head away, her voice reflected that serenity, a soft note of pleading in it. "Anyo-san, could we... have a few moments alone? To discuss whether or not we would like to relet this place? Think it over?"
A look passed between Nagi, Farfarello, and Crawford as they ushered the elderly woman to the door and out, being kind but firm. Schuldich barely noticed them, a hand of his own reaching up to touch against the girl before him. Those depthless eyes were once more on his, an almost pitying expression within those too dark pools. Crawford knelt at her side, an anxious and worried expression on his face. "He's here? Are you sure?"
"I know my business, Oracle, and I have found your Mastermind."
In Schuldich's mind's eye, he was replaying the night he had been shot. He had been too busy listening in on Kudou Youji's thoughts to notice the bodyguard until he was right on top of him. He had felt the circle of cold steel press against his backside and the muffled report of the gun as the trigger was pulled. Flashing images of Brad cradling him and getting them all back here ran together, the American's voice calling down the corridors of his memory, telling him not to die... to do anything but just not die on him.
"And I did, didn't I?" Schuldich whispered to her.
"Hai... you died roughly ten minutes after they laid you in your own bed," she replied quietly. Turning to Brad, she sighed softly, "He's been here all this time. He's confused, disoriented. There was no understanding of why you and the rest of Schwarz left him. Mastermind is still half convinced that you did it as a... means of hurting him for causing the mission to be a failure."
The strong features of Brad Crawford broke at that, the man's hands pressing to his face. "Tell him that we never would have left him... never hurt him like that. We didn't know! If we had known he was still here sooner, we would have come back. Fuck, we never would have left!"
Schuldich's hands tried to curl about the woman's once more, tring to stroke them even as they passed through them. Funny how he had never noticed before that nothing really stayed in his grasp for long. "I can hear them, but they can't hear me?" he asked, directing his question more to her than anyone.
A soft chuckle came from the woman as she nodded to Schuldich. "Hai. He can hear you, Oracle. He hears and sees everything. Now... where is this Fujimiya Aya that the Elders tried to use in the ceremony. If there's a way to bring your Mastermind back, she may be the key."
((To be cont...))