Mad Dancing ~ The Quick Step
Disclaimers: If I owned Weiss Kreuz, I'd give my friends Ranken, SchuOmi and BradSchu in the original anime & Gluhen, OVA and drama CDs. Aren't you glad that I don't? ^_~
Author: Avium
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Crawford x Ken
Fic length: One-shot
Timeline: Indefinite
Author's note: Ah… A one-shot fic ^_~ Brad x Ken is taking over my mind at the moment thanks to a RP that I'm playing in right now. RPs sure makes you change your attitude towards certain characters *coughsBraddykinscoughs*…
All my Ranken fics are running into long series, so I'm not going to post them until I determine that I can actually finish them ^_^:;
EDITED on 16th May 2003, REPOSTED 23rd May 2003: All //Crawford// and //Ken// headers have been removed from the beginning of each of their segments. I did this after some discussion with one of my bestest (I know there is no such word) buddy, but was too lazy to repost them until now. So guess what? It's up to you to find out who is speaking when now ^_~
Remember that there is only Ken and Crawford speaking in this fanfic, and that they will always take turns when speaking.
-@-@-@-@-
Have you ever fallen down?
That's right – I am asking you a simple question. Have you ever fallen down?
No, don't give me your fucking metaphorical stumbles; about your emotions
taking over you and causing you to go headfirst down the hill and smack into
the boulder like something out of the Saturday morning cartoons. Just tell me
already if you ever fell down and scrapped your knees raw, bleed yourself all
over the pavement and bawled for mummy dearest.
You're hanging your head. You're shaking…no, trembling. Your eyes are darting back and forth – uncertain of how to answer this sudden, strange question…
You look up at last, and you whisper… "many times."
Thank you. That is a beautiful answer.
What? You want to know my answer now? Did I ever fall down?
… I did once.
Don't tell anyone, will you?
… Wait. Why am I asking you to keep a secret for me? That was my single mistake, and my only mistake. I fell hard enough to realise that the asphalt tastes like dirt and grim; that mud cushions you only to drag you under a moment later. They have no mercy for the weak.
I watch my step after that single incident. I never fall again, naturally.
Don't look at me that way – I don't want to see that pitying look in your eyes directed at me. I'm infallible. I cannot be hurt anymore.
On the other hand, you're Weiß – the white that can be stained black; the white that encompasses all the other colours of the fucking pretty rainbow. The white that has already been tarnished. You've yourself to worry about.
I don't need your concern, or your mothering. All I need is you. Whenever I want you.
You understand?
Good - clever boy.
See? Everything will be fine if you just listen to me.
-@-@-@-@-
Every time I pass by the action figure section in the department stores, I always stop for a moment longer to look at the GI Joe figures.
What? You think that's weird? Dig Aya – he measures the out amount of soy sauce he needs using the tiny little cap that comes with the bottle, and he'll "shi-ne" you if you so much as breathe in the same room as him when he's doing so. But don't let him know I told you that – Aya hates having to discuss his quirks with anyone.
Man, it's freaky, you know? Who in the world has got biceps of that size? What were the manufacturers thinking when they designed these guys? Even those monsters on the WWE don't pack that much muscle in one body. Now if you split the muscles over 2 of those gigantic ring fighters, you *may* actually come close. Close, but not quite there yet.
Send guys of that size onto the battlefields, and I bet they'll win the war by ramming into the enemy tanks – whoo! Who needs elephants now, Hannibal?
Hmmm… This guy is the scariest so far – GI Joe Extreme…
You know who he reminds me of? Brad Crawford. GI Brad Extreme – now that's a nice ring to it, isn't it?
Hold those rude snorting noises back, lady. Listen to my explanation first. Gee, the way you are laughing, you must think I am a flipping pancake or something!
See, Crawford (I've got to say Crawford – he gets all stiff and upset whenever I call him Brad) has got this GI Joe mentality too. He won't believe it even if his mother told him, so Hidaka Ken trying to convince him of that is going to be worth 3 and a half headaches – with no guarantee of success. He may not pack as much meat as this guy, but he still goes into missions with complete assurance of a victory like these freaky action figures.
Yeah, yeah. I know what you're going to say. I've got something to say to you too - precognition schmescongition. And don't give me that "you know that cold, calculating bastard leader of Schwarz – Mr. Bullet-proof Man?"-kind of stuff. Typical, really. Clairvoyance plus confidence plus 101% accuracy with a handgun plus those flashy eyeglasses equals to V for victory for Schwarz. It's amazing that Weiß is still around after so long, right?
Crawford doesn't know it, but he's only human. He's mortal and fallible. He's so wrapped up in becoming untouchable that he's forgotten that he can still be defeated. All that confidence in battle is going to destroy him one day.
I don't guess it – I know it. And I don't need to be a clairvoyant to know that either.
That's why he's got to hide it behind this little GI Brad Extreme façade.
It's quite sad, really.
-@-@-@-@-
Schuldich says a lot of crap, but I bet you know that already. He's been asking me if I'm alright. Quite a silly question, don't you think so? How can I not be alright? Now that question is most certainly the crap of the crap. I may have to teach him some manners one of these days.
The stock market is up again – a rather bullish week on Wall Street this week. I already knew about that, of course. It's not everyday you get a chance to milk every penny out of those loathsome big corporations and their…
Don't you like the wine, Ken?
Ah… You're looking at me with those turquoises again, Ken. I'm disgusted by how easily you display your emotions, but since we're in town enjoying dinner in a classy restaurant, I shall tactfully rephrase my sentence before I blurt it out. We can't have you running out into the streets and screaming vulgarities directed at me while in that suit now, can we?
"I can read you like a book, Ken," The fork feels strangely cold. Someone should be making sure that the temperature in this place isn't so low, "Would you like to tell me what is making you so upset tonight?" A proper gentleman's show of concern.
You shouldn't be playing with your dessert, Ken. It's bad manners.
You look up at me at last, that brown fringe falling over your eyes and preventing me from seeing them. I don't like it when people avoid eye contact with me, Ken. It looks as if you are trying to hide something from me. And I don't like to be kept in the dark.
So I reach over and push the offending locks out of my way, tucking them neatly behind your ear. Still, they insist on moving back to their original position. Curses, Ken, but you need some hair gel…
"Brad…"
Lord, but haven't I told you before, Ken? I *hate* it when people call me by my first name…
Wait, that tone.
Oh, I understand now. Not going to make it, are we?
You're such a little boy at times, really. I've seen you kill; seen death taint you – and now you still manage to conjure up naivety when talking. More specifically, when asking for *that*.
I applaud you, Ken.
Now, we'll have to reward that innocence, don't we?
-@-@-@-@-
Crawford thinks he's so in control. I wonder if he even knows how weak he becomes whenever he gets too close to someone emotionally?
He won't tell me how he 'fell' the first time, and I don't think he would ever reveal that knowledge even under a real threat of death. He's being silly, but he calls me silly too whenever I prod him for an answer.
Do you know that Crawford is ticklish?
Funny, huh? The iceman of Schwarz – ticklish. Worth its weight in gold as a joke for his henchmen. I think Eszett will be pretty amused to learn that their highly prized field leader can be felled by a good tickle in the ribs.
I never hear him laugh even under those assaults, though. Instead, he will look at me and smile that scary razor-thin smile of his. I think he's biting his lips under that, but before I can reach over to break that fortress with my lips and steal from them answers, his hands are on my wrists and pulling them away. I know what follows after that – it's one of the rules of this game, but damn if I can stop my lungs from expelling all the air inside whenever he slams me back underneath.
Dirty, dirty tricks, Crawford. I wonder if you play rough because that is how you like it, or because you think I like it that way…
Stop. Rewind that thought. It's always about you, Crawford – you never really care about how I want it. At least you do care enough to make sure you're not the only one coming out satisfied. I blame your attitude towards perfectionism on that.
Like I said – he thinks he's so in control of the situation. But I know his body better than he does. I know the unique slight twist that gets him trembling; the rate of his breathing that indicates how close he is; and that small area on his neck that you have to place your mouth over to get him in the mood – and I manipulate it all to last.
And when he falls back down against me after the release, he always presses closer into the crook of my neck, his warm breath washing over the skin there while his eyes remain shut. His hand will always tighten over my upturned one, interlocking our fingers as he wills his body to recover from its exertions. Sometimes he climbs off within seconds; other times, he inevitably falls asleep still inside of me. It's always strangely reassuring to see him sleeping – when his face is no longer so intent on looking unreadable. It's happening a lot more often these days.
Crawford doesn't think that I notice, but I do.
He is weakest when he is with me – like this. Naked, exposed and relaxed.
Brad Crawford is only a human after all.
-@-@-@-@-
Why are you looking at me like this, Ken? Sometimes, I'm just so sick of trying to read your emotions through your eyes.
Do I have to remind you that you're Weiß and I am Schwarz? We became Schwarz because there was Weiß – we were made to be your mortal enemies. There is no way you can change this reality, painful as it is for you.
… I don't suppose you want me to take your hand, pat it and whisper comforting words to you now, do you? You'll have to take those bugnuks off first if you want me to do that.
There. Caught you, didn't I? You still don't trust me enough to remove your weapons in front of me. Or more accurately, in front of your leader – Abyssinian.
Look at those eyes, Ken. I've never seen him so angry before. You should have fought back before I had you pinned to this wall; before I had my gun shoved against your neck. Nagi is holding him back, but I wonder how much longer will it be before he's forced to throw your leader backwards and break a few bones in the process?
I'm asking you a question.
Why are you allowing us to do this to all of you?
But what I want *really* to know is why are you allowing me to do this to you?
Are you going to give me an answer, or do I have to hurt you?
-@-@-@-@-
Hurt me?
You've hurt me enough, Crawford. Maybe you should stop and think for a moment exactly who is hurting right now. Sometimes, you're so fucking stupid, I feel the urge to ram a pound of common sense down your throat.
That's right – you've Aya screaming and launching enough death threats to last you 75 reincarnations and more; you've Omi and Yohji knocked out on the ground; and you have me, Hidaka Ken, at your complete mercy.
So you say you're Schwarz, huh? Then do what Schwarz would have done.
Kill. Me. Now.
I mouth those words to you, and I see that mask of perfection cracking for the first time.
Kill. Me. Now.
I repeat those words silently, but with more force this time.
I watch amber eyes widen in understanding, and for the first time, realisation surfacing in those usually cold orbs.
You shouldn't cry now, Crawford. Everyone is looking at you.
… Don't cry, do you hear me?
Brad Crawford, I said don't break down now, dammit!
"I remember… the day that I fell," I hear your voice whispering into my ear.
"I fell the day I made a place in my heart for you."
~ End chapter 1
-@-@-@-@-
Author's notes: Aw, that was really crappy . In the end, Crawford states his "fall", and metaphorically no less. What a guy.
GI Joe reference attributed to my social psychology module – the chapter on self-perception. We have strange contents in that book…
Well, gotta go back to studying for my exams again. 4 down, 1 more paper to go -.-;;