Rain and Music Boxes | Chapter 1
A Weiß Kreuz Fanfiction by Majokai Yukiko
This is an amateur attempt and does not intend to infringe the rights of Takehito Koyasu, Project Weiß and their associates.
Pairing: Crawford + Schuldich
A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed this fic. I was close to giving up on it already (due to some stress in real life and all that), but it was the reviews that kept me going. So…guess you guys know what to do, right? [By the way, I cosplayed Schuldich at a convention last year and took some yaoi photos with dear Crawford…Brad says not to put them up publicly…but if somebody actually asks really nicely, I don't think I mind giving them out…*smirks*]
You're mean, how can you forget me?
Who are you?
Who am I?
***
It was a very simply mission, nothing that Schwarz could not handle. To be more exact, it was nothing that Schuldich, the supposed resident whore of the organization, could not settle. It was going to be time-consuming though. For this mission, Schwarz would have to operate without Mastermind for at least six months.
Crawford was silent as he drove Schuldich to the airport. It was a wonder that the American actually took the time out to send his teammate off. But Schuldich was not at all impressed. It was probably Crawford's way of ensuring that Mastermind would not screw up a thing as simply as arriving for his flight on time.
That was how much the Schwarz members trusted each other.
"Brad—"
"That's 'Crawford' for you, Schuldich."
"If I need to irritate the hell out of you to make you say something, I will." Schuldich smirked, pleased with himself as Crawford pursed his lips together tightly.
The car pulled to a half outside the glass doors of the airport. Crawford waited, while Schuldich only nonchalantly adjusted his bandanna with the help of the rear view mirror. Time slowly trickled past. Drivers behind them were yelling at them in anger. Car horns banged on violently, hoping that the mere noise would get the black Thunderbird in front of them to move.
"Schuldich…" Crawford started, his patience running thin. It was so unlike him to attract the attention of the public through such stupid means. Anonymity was the key to survival in their trade. But then again, Schuldich had broken all rules there ever was.
"Aww…no good bye kisses for good old Schuldich?" The German asked with mock innocence, sapphire eyes flashing with obvious amusement in them. "We are not going to see each other for half a year after all."
"At the rate you are going, it might be longer than that. Go get your bags, you have to check in soon."
"Why not you stay with me at the café a little longer? The plane doesn't take off until an hour later." Schuldich did not wait for a reply. Getting off the car, he quickly took his luggage out of the car boot and made his way into the air-conditioned hall.
Sweet dreams for these six months, Schuldich whispered mentally into his leader's mind. Don't miss me too much.
Crawford sighed. Pushing his glasses further up his nose, he removed the handbrake on the wheels and drove off towards the direction of the Diet building.
Schwarz too had a mission to attend to.
***
Diet Building
Tokyo, Japan
"I am here to meet Mister Takatori." The American said, offering a slight smile to the security guard at the door. "I am his new bodyguard. My name is Brad Crawford."
Taking out his guard, he set it on the counter calmly while the nervous guard quickly made a phone call to the minister.
Crawford was distracted, and that was not good. It was less than acceptable for him to not be on his toes twenty-four hours a day. But this was the first time that a member of Schwarz embarks on a mission and the details were not made known to him. Schuldich only said it was a simply job for someone of the likes of him. But still, that was not enough for Crawford. Anything less than complete knowledge of what was going on put him at unease. And the American did not like that feeling at all.
His gun was quickly given back to him after the guard confirmed his words with the politician.
"Takatori-sama is on the 6th floor. Please allow one of us to accompany you up. It's the rules."
Ah, of course, rules were meant to be followed anyway.
"Thank you."
***
A Takatori Villa
Berlin, Germany
"Good morning, Herr Hirofumi." Schuldich greeted the eldest son of the Takatori family cheerfully when the man walked into the living room of the villa. He had arrived in his hometown the night before, but the owner of the villa was asleep and unable to meet him. It was fine with him, Schuldich decided. Since it had given him amply time to explore the villa while getting used to the time lag.
Raising his wine glass at the bespectacled man, Schuldich settled comfortably at the soft leather sofa and smirked.
"I'm Schuldich, sent here by Estet, to…get you better acquainted with the workings of the organization." The telepath explained. It was taking him much effort to resist laughing at the other man's confused expression. Well, that could not help. It could not be everyday that you wake up to a stranger sitting in your living room, appreciating a glass of the best cognac in the estate.
"As you know, your father just became the latest member of the big family, and of course, as part of the family, we try to help you in all aspects possible." In other words, Schuldich muttered straight into Hirofumi's mind. I'm your personal slave over here.
"And yes, I'm a telepath. Oh thanks for the cognac. Very good year, I must say." Getting reluctantly off the couch, Schuldich placed the wine glass onto the coffee table and smiled at his current employer.
"I'll see you later. I didn't exactly sleep last night. Damn jet lags."
"Wait," Hirofumi spoke up for the first time since he stepped into the room. "Why do you call yourself 'guilty'?"
"Because 'innocent' is one word I never knew the definition for. Oh, but don't bother yourself with that, Herr Hirofumi. I never did."
***
"Innocence? What a joke!" Schuldich murmured to himself as he entered the guestroom. The old music box stared accusingly at him from the dresser. The German had no idea why he had brought it along with him in the first place. But somehow, he felt that he would not be able to survive these six months without its presence.
Terrible, Schuldich could almost hear Crawford saying. To be so dependent on something is unbecoming of an assassin.
"Oh, shut up." He swept his unruly flame hair away from his face and dropped himself onto the bed. Burying his face into the unfamiliar smell of fresh bed sheets, he groaned.
Hirofumi seemed like a terribly boring man. Somewhat like Crawford even, with the spectacles, stick-up-the-ass attitude and well pressed suits. Even the Schwarz leader would make a better source of entertainment.
Schuldich threw an arm onto the dresser table and flipped open the lid of the music box. An old German tune began playing. There was a story behind the melody. Something about a doll maker. He had told a friend about it before. But it was probably a mistake in his memories, some confused bits he had after tuning in to too many minds in his lifetime.
Friend? He never had one.
***
End of Chapter 1
Continue to Chapter 2