This is a loooooong chapter!! Sorry, but I am so tired I can't thank
everyone who reviewed, but I promise to next chapter!!
~*~
A dark-haired American stood over the almost lifeless assassin, still propped up against the wall like a broken doll where his would've-been murderers had left him. The American sighed and slid his glasses back up the bridge of his nose with an index finger, casting a glance to the boy on his left. "Prodigy, you're going to have to float him back to the car. He's a mess - try to put pressure on the wounds."
The fifteen-year-old nodded, and with a deft flick of his wrist, the telekinetic energy flowed freely about the limp man, lifting him lifelessly into the air, where he hung like a puppet whose strings had been snipped. "Are we not following after Weiss, then?" he asked.
The man shook his head. "We have to get him back to the house. His wounds need taken care of. Gather up the Berserker and we'll be on our way."
With another nod, the teenager glanced over his shoulder at the said teammate, who was busying himself with crouching by the puddle of blood, running his index finger curiously through it. "Berserker, back to the car," he commanded coolly. "You heard Oracle."
Not quite appreciating taking orders from a child, the man raised his head and turned glaring, golden eyes on the Japanese boy. His pale complexion nearly glowed in the darkness, scars wretchedly standing out just slightly darker than his skin. Blood was dribbling from short strands of his white hair, running down his forehead in veins of scarlet fluid.
"Stop giving me that dirty look and forget the blood, Berserker. You can play with your own at home."
~*~
The next morning, Ken found a note from Aya on the kitchen table.
Ken, you weren't up and I didn't have the heart to wake you. Jei and I went to pick up Ran from the airport. Be back later.
He crumpled up the paper in his fist and choked on some angry words. She had gone out with Farfarello?! After last night?! How could one girl be so forgiving? So...stupid?
Just as he was contemplating these matters, the door opened and a tall, lean man with broad shoulders stalked in, carrying a suitcase in each hand. It seemed to Ken that his red hair should be a deeper scarlet, and that his eyes, a faded lilac, should be brighter, more purple. He said nothing though, walked past Ken, and ventured into the living room.
Aya come through next, smiling timidly at him and instinctively raising a hand to cover the bruise on her cheek before forcing it back down again. "Good morning," she said.
Farfarello, who had come in only seconds after her, drew up beside his girlfriend and echoed, "Good morning," in a soft, taunting voice, eyes flashing at Ken as he pressed his lips in a light kiss to her cheek, directly over the swollen skin that had darkened in a somewhat distinguishable hand print.
Ken could feel the rage raising until it reached his eyes and made everything blurry, red. His hands clenched into fists, and they trembled out his sides. "Get out," he seethed, eyes narrowing.
Farfarello allowed Aya to push him away, her blush deepening, and looked at Ken in surprise. "You can't tell me to leave," he said bluntly. "It's not your house."
"But it's mine," Aya said, edging away. "You should go. Please. I'll call you."
Farfarello looked astonished. For a few moments, he seemed to not believe that he was being thrown out by the girl, but then, finally, it seemed to pass through his skull. A scowl twisted his lips and he nodded. "Fine. Call me," he snarled, turning away to open the kitchen door, slipping out with one last glance over his shoulder.
Aya leaned back against the counter and smiled meekly. "Sorry," she apologized with a shrug. "I don't have a car and neither do you. Jei was the only one who could drive me to the airport to pick up my brother."
It was then that Ken remembered Ran was in the house. He had breezed in so quietly and then disappeared, it was like he had never even returned. Nevertheless, he still was upset with her actions, though he wasn't sure how to convey this through words. "Aya, you're going to break up with him, aren't you?" he asked, exasperated.
She nodded once. "I tried to do it on the way home."
"...and?"
"He told me I wasn't allowed."
Ken grunted in frustration. "That's stupid. Wait...your brother was in the car. What'd he say about that?"
"He was on his cell phone, business or something. He didn't hear. Anyhow, he loves Jei. Could die happy if I married him."
"You're brother is only a few years older than you."
"But he thinks he is decades older. Anyhow, when I call Jei later, I'll tell him it's over and I'm not joking. Don't worry, Ken." She patted him on the shoulder as she walked by, her smile fading. "I'm stupid, but not that stupid."
Ran came into the room just as she was exiting, going to the refrigerator to root through its contents in an effort to find something edible. Ken watched as he bent to pull out an apple, examine it, put it back, and then remove a plastic container that held old pizza. Critically, he eyed the food and then sighed, shoving it back again.
"Ran," Ken said slowly, walking up to the other man, "do you like Jei?"
"Hn." Ran grunted, finding a bag of grapes that seemed suitable enough. "I like Jei."
"He hits your sister!"
"Hm? Does he?" Ran sounded only vaguely concerned, as he was preoccupied with washing off his grapes and pouring them into a bowl. Popping one into his mouth, he hummed thoughtfully. "Well, Aya does shoot her mouth off."
"WHAT?!"
"Hey, she does it to you all the time. I'm sure you've felt the frustration." Ran smirked briefly before turning to leave again. "Keep your nose out of other people's business. Aya is happy."
Ken snorted, brown eyes narrowed as he watched the older man leave.
~*~
That night, Ken watched in fascination as the house was turned upside down, as well as invaded. Two boys trooped in around six, much to his shock, both wearing school uniforms that matched Aya's and carrying fancier clothes over their arms. The blonde boy with deep blue eyes bounced up to Ken and gave him an enthusiastic smile while chattering on about how happy he was he had been invited before dashing up the stairs and calling out Ran's name repeatedly.
"Omi has never been to a concert before," explained the other boy, quietly, with a frown. He was dark-haired and had stormy colored eyes, wide and liquid, yet, at the same time, blank. He seemed hesitant, glancing around quickly, and then, quietly, he murmured, "My name is Nagi. We met at the party, but you never caught my name."
Nagi...
Ken snapped his fingers, feeling a jolt of realization shoot through his body. "You're Jei's nephew! The son of his sister..." Slowing his speech, he frowned and murmured, "Your mother died recently, didn't she?"
If Nagi felt any sorrow at the statement, he hid it well. His huge, dreary eyes blinked once and he replied steadily, "Yes."
"I'm sorry..."
"It's ok." A pause. "I wasn't sure if I'd be welcome here after what Jei did to Aya."
"Hey, that was him. You didn't have any say in it." He slapped the boy's back, grinning. "We both need to get ready for the concert. Upstairs with Omi."
Ken knew Omi well, now that he thought about it. He was a senior at Aya's school, one of her best friends and the self-proclaimed computer genius. He spent many an afternoon at their house, trying to teach all the residents within the finer points of video gaming while persuading Ken to put more and more of his favorite junk food items on the grocery list.
Ken climbed the stairs and turned into his bedroom, seeing that, much to his bewilderment, a black tuxedo had been laid out on his bed already. With a startled chuckle, he realized that Aya must have left it out for him, and shook his head in amazement. Was this event really so fancy?
Apparently so. When he swung open his door, Omi and Nagi and Ran were dressed much the same, and Aya was wearing a fancy, Chinese evening gown made of a sleek lilac material that glistened every time she moved. It rose into a latched mandarin collar about her throat, the sleeves short, the slits up the sides past her knees. She smiled as he joined them in the hallway, brushing a stray bang towards her temple, the rest of her long hair tied back and put up in a bun.
"Ok, so, just how formal is this thing?" demanded Ken, hopping on one foot to shove his left shoe on. A shoe he had never seen before. Did Aya shop for him as well?
Ran glanced dryly at him. "It's huge." Quickly, he dismissed Ken then, as if he wanted to forget his presence, and asked snootily of his sister, "Where is Jei?"
As if she was intimidated, she shrunk away slightly. "Um, I told you...we broke up."
"What? Does Jei know about this? I can't imagine he'd agree to such a thing."
Ken tried to exchange a puzzled glance with Omi, only the boy didn't seem to find anything strange. He merely rolled his eyes, as if tired of it all, while Nagi glanced away with hooded eyes. No one thought Ran's behavior was out of the ordinary, or that he was normally more caring, more protective.
"This isn't a marriage, for heaven's sake," cried Omi, suddenly coming to his friend's defense. "Lay off, Ran. They were only dating. She doesn't need a reason or his permission to break things off."
Ran snorted.
"We should get going," urged Nagi. Ken was beginning to find that the boy didn't like confrontation. He looked to be about fifteen...
They headed out to the cars.
~*~
Omi drove himself, Nagi, Aya, and Ken to the concert hall, while Ran took a separate car, which seemed fitting enough. They walked through the warm spring air into the building and then took their seats, Ken being between Aya and Omi. As the others talked excitedly about Schuldig's first concert, he took his time looking around the theater, at the high, high ceilings that seemed to drip chandeliers, the gold gilded walls, airy pictures of clouds and divine figures.
"I'd be a nervous wreck if I was Schuldig," commented Aya, and Ken assumed she was speaking to him since no one answered her.
"Do you think he is nervous?"
"Nah, he's a great violinist, and he knows it." Aya smiled, looking as if she was going to comment further on his talents, and then frowned, suddenly caught up in a wrinkle that had appeared in her dress. Her hands smoothed over her stomach, trying to flatten out the material, and then she sighed hopelessly. "It fits everywhere but in my waist, where it is too loose," she complained quietly, mostly to herself. "I hate this dress."
Before he knew it, Ken had thrown in his comment. "I like it."
"Really? Jei says it makes me look fat." She smirked, quickly flicking her eyes away and then turning back to him, seeking reassurance.
"I think we've all seen how much Farfarello's opinion matters," he commented dryly, momentarily turning bitter at the mention of the other man. "The dress is nice. You look nice tonight, Aya."
Her face brightened, and she leaned her elbow onto the armrest, shifting closer. Her voice dropped to a low murmur as she said, "Thanks for being so nice to me, Ken. I've been having a hard time accepting the new Jei, and you're tolerating it all so patiently. When you first moved in...I didn't think we'd be friends, but you're a really nice guy."
For some reason, her words sounded a little hollow. Like he had wanted her to tell him something more, or something more significant. He wasn't really sure what he wanted from her.
The lights dimmed then, signaling that the curtains were about to open. When they did, the scarlet material sweeping back across the polished stage, Schuldig was already standing there, his violin in one hand and the bow in the other. A round of applause, he bowed, and then, silence. Elegantly, he lifted the violin and settled his chin onto the rest, soft auburn hair pulled back in a short ponytail that had been tied in a straight fall. The bow glided down to touch the second string, pulled back, and then sang out the first note. His wrist bent, craned, and angled in fluent movements as he closed his eyes and concentrated on playing his piece.
Ken leaned back in his seat and listened intently, as was everyone else was. Not a single person was talking or moving, which was impressive, or at least he thought so. It went on for quite a while, different numbers, breaks and intercessions. By the end, Schuldig seemed a bit restless on the stage, his expression of calm concentration fading to exhausted focusing.
Towards the end, Aya seemed to become particularly anxious as well, constantly looking around, glancing at the exit, and Ken didn't understand until he followed her line of vision and saw a lean figure standing in the doorway, light red hair and golden eyes making him recognizable even from the distance.
So, Farfarello had had the nerve to show.
Aya's hand on the armrest was clenched into a fist, and Ken, feeling sympathetic at how the Irishman was still trying to intimidate her, placed his hand over hers and leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Wanna take care of it?"
Without a word, she began to rise, and when he followed, her hand lighted on his shoulder to push him down. "This'll take a second," she whispered, and quickly hurried down the aisle, tripping over Nagi's feet as she went.
Ken kept his eyes on them until Aya met Farfarello, motioned for him to step aside, and the two disappeared into the lobby. Then, once he was sure they couldn't see, he got up and followed her path, the violin music filling the air with energy behind him. He didn't dare glance back to see if Schuldig, his supposed best friend, was watching him leave during his big debut.
"Jei, stop it."
He heard her voice before he saw her. Well, he never actually got to see her. They would spot him if he even attempted to crane his neck around the corner.
"Aya, I told you that I was sorry. Please, forgive me. Come on, what would you think if you saw me with Schoen like that?"
"It doesn't matter. This just isn't working. And if you can't accept that I've said NO, then you're not the kind of person I want to be with either." Aya sounded as if she had stamped her foot on the ground in anger and determination then.
Jei remained calm and quiet. "You said you understood. You said you were going to help me through losing my sister."
"I know I said that! But - this...! It's just... Oh, I don't know! You hit me! And I just don't trust you anymore."
"You've hit me before though. You're not being fair, Aya."
Ken pressed his back to the wall and shuddered slightly, making a disgusted face at the calm tone Farfarello was using, almost psychopathic.
"Listen, stop calling me. Stop picking me up for school. It's over. Now, I have to get back to the concert. Ken will get worried."
"Ken."
A pause.
And then, a loud thud - the sound of a body being thrown heavily against the wall.
"It's always been Ken, hasn't it?!" Farfarello cried, and there was another thud, which prompted Ken to come out of hiding and skid around the corner, eyes darting wildly to the scene. Much to his surprise, Farfarello was standing with his forehead pressed against the wall, and then, leaning his head back, he brought it forth again and screamed, slamming his head into the wall for another heavy thud. Then, he began to sob, shoulders shaking, body slowly beginning to tremble.
Aya carefully laid her hands on his back in an effort to comfort him, still having not noticed Ken. "No," she said quietly. "It's ok. I wasn't cheating on you. There's NOTHING between me and Ken. I just don't think we should go out anymore. We're too different..."
Farfarello sniffled pathetically. He was quiet a few moments, giving Ken time to grow uneasy, a sense of horror slowly building up, and then, the Irishman whirled violently about, throwing out his arm to strike Aya, his limb going across her neck so that she choked and fell back, hitting the wall. Tears sprung to her eyes as they watered, and then, just as she was gasping, trying to regain her breath, beginning to sink down to the floor, he gathered her up in his arms and hugged her close, sobbing into her shoulder.
"I just want to be with you!" he whispered hoarsely.
"Aya!" Ken stalked towards them, thrust an arm between them, and pried her quickly out of Farfarello's grasp, the other man struggling slightly but ultimately giving up, backing off as Ken took Aya by the shoulders and quickly brushed some hair out of her dazed face and inquired upon her health.
Still a bit shaky, she answered, "I'm fine, Ken. Thanks." The quickness of her words and the blush in her cheeks gave way to the fact that she was embarrassed.
"Farfarello, I swear..." Ken could barely face the other man - he was too angry. "I swear, if you touch her again, I'll kill you!"
Farfarello smiled eerily. "I'll see you tonight, Aya," he replied almost obliviously, and rushed off as a crowd started to gather.
~*~
Schuldig was backstage, Ran and Nagi and Omi at his side, when Ken caught up with him. The German's hair had mostly fallen out of the ponytail, damp with sweat, his face aglow with relief that he had made it through his first concert. He was wearing a white tuxedo, and he had carelessly tossed his shoes aside so that he stood in black socked feet. "Ken!" he called out, waving an arm when he saw his friend lingering on the side of the stage, trying to get past security. "Ken! Ah, jeez, let him through, will ya'?"
Ken and Aya edged past the guard and walked up to the others, who didn't seem to sense anything wrong.
"What'd you think, Ken?" Schuldig asked hopefully. "Did you like it? You're usually my biggest critic, so if you thought it was good, then it really was."
That didn't sound right at all. Ken was almost edgy around Schuldig. His instincts told him that his best friend was a sneaky, lying fiend just waiting to hurt him.
But could he ever play the violin...
"You were great," he told him honestly.
Schuldig's face brightened. "Thank you! My heart was pounding!"
Nagi looked curious. "I didn't think you got nervous, Schuldig."
"Everyone gets nervous, kid."
Aya was standing slightly apart from the group, looking pale and rubbing her bare arms anxiously. After a little while, she glanced up, tugged on Ran's sleeve, and whispered, "Could you drive me home...?"
He rolled his eyes at her. "I don't want to miss the after party."
"I'll do it," Ken volunteered. Omi tossed him his keys and Ken nodded his appreciation. "I'll bring the car back to you in the morning," he said.
"S'ok, I'll just catch a ride with Nagi. Jei should be waiting for us."
Aya shuddered and Ken quickly took her by the arm, pulling her out the back way. As they drove home in silence, it began to rain, and then to pour, and then to thunder. He escorted her quietly into the house, watched her disappear up the stairs, and was standing there only minutes later when she came back in her pajamas, looking slightly frazzled.
"Can I sleep with you?" she asked.
He choked on the water he'd been drinking. "Wha?!
"Just in your bed." She tugged absent-mindedly at her too-long sleeve. "I'm scared, to be honest. Jei has a key to this house. He's come in before and come up to my room to apologize to me after a fight. Then he left through the window. It was just last week." She looked at the floor guiltily. "If he comes in tonight, I don't want to have to face him. He won't come to your room."
"Fine. I'll sleep in your bed."
"No!" Even she looked surprised at her protest. "What I mean is...I'm scared, so... Ok, the truth is, I would ask my brother if I could stay in his room, but he's not here. Please, Ken. I know it sounds really weird for me to ask this, but I just really need some company right now. Ever since Jei started to get really possessive, I've sorta been alone...no friends anymore."
Ken sighed and slumped his shoulders. "But...if your brother sees us..."
"Are you joking? He'll be too drunk when he gets home to notice."
Ran? Drunk? What?
Ken waved a hand, dismissing the subject, and then told her, "It'll be fine. Come on, let's get to bed then."
She grinned and ran up the stairs like an excited child, and by the time he reached the room, she was snuggled under the covers and hugging his favorite pillow to her cheek. He quickly undressed in the bathroom, putting on a pair of gray sweat pants and a black T-shirt only because she was there, and then flicked off the lights, crawling into the bed and laying over the covers with only a few inches between them. His bed wasn't very big, but he figured it wouldn't be too awkward if he didn't get under the covers with her. Folding his hands beneath his head, he stared at the ceiling and listened to the rain pelting down on the roof, smiling at the sound of it. He loved the rain.
Aya mimicked his position and then shuddered as thunder shook the house. "I hate it," she mumbled, "when you can feel the thunder through the floorboards."
He laughed. "It's cool."
"Hey...Ken?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm not bothering you too much, am I?"
"Nah, it's ok."
"Oh, ok. Thank you." She rolled over onto her side, facing away from him, and then a few moments later, turned to face him, her eyes barely open. "Hey, Ken?"
"What?"
"You're one of my best friends."
His eyes widened slightly, and although he glanced quickly over at her in shock, she had already fallen asleep by the time his gaze alighted on her form. Still in shock, he turned his line of vision back to the ceiling, the hands tucked behind his head starting to feel sharp little needle pricks from the loss of circulation. He hadn't realized he and Aya were all that close - then again, he could barely recall upon anything, and although he didn't feel like Schuldig was anything more than a name he could put to a face, people told him they were best friends.
Again, he looked at Aya, her dark hair veiling her face. Carefully, he pushed it back off her cheek, tucking the loose strands behind her ear, smiling slightly.
Ok, so maybe what Aya had told Farfarello wasn't totally true.
Maybe there was a little something between them.
At least he thought so.
~*~
Review!!
~*~
A dark-haired American stood over the almost lifeless assassin, still propped up against the wall like a broken doll where his would've-been murderers had left him. The American sighed and slid his glasses back up the bridge of his nose with an index finger, casting a glance to the boy on his left. "Prodigy, you're going to have to float him back to the car. He's a mess - try to put pressure on the wounds."
The fifteen-year-old nodded, and with a deft flick of his wrist, the telekinetic energy flowed freely about the limp man, lifting him lifelessly into the air, where he hung like a puppet whose strings had been snipped. "Are we not following after Weiss, then?" he asked.
The man shook his head. "We have to get him back to the house. His wounds need taken care of. Gather up the Berserker and we'll be on our way."
With another nod, the teenager glanced over his shoulder at the said teammate, who was busying himself with crouching by the puddle of blood, running his index finger curiously through it. "Berserker, back to the car," he commanded coolly. "You heard Oracle."
Not quite appreciating taking orders from a child, the man raised his head and turned glaring, golden eyes on the Japanese boy. His pale complexion nearly glowed in the darkness, scars wretchedly standing out just slightly darker than his skin. Blood was dribbling from short strands of his white hair, running down his forehead in veins of scarlet fluid.
"Stop giving me that dirty look and forget the blood, Berserker. You can play with your own at home."
~*~
The next morning, Ken found a note from Aya on the kitchen table.
Ken, you weren't up and I didn't have the heart to wake you. Jei and I went to pick up Ran from the airport. Be back later.
He crumpled up the paper in his fist and choked on some angry words. She had gone out with Farfarello?! After last night?! How could one girl be so forgiving? So...stupid?
Just as he was contemplating these matters, the door opened and a tall, lean man with broad shoulders stalked in, carrying a suitcase in each hand. It seemed to Ken that his red hair should be a deeper scarlet, and that his eyes, a faded lilac, should be brighter, more purple. He said nothing though, walked past Ken, and ventured into the living room.
Aya come through next, smiling timidly at him and instinctively raising a hand to cover the bruise on her cheek before forcing it back down again. "Good morning," she said.
Farfarello, who had come in only seconds after her, drew up beside his girlfriend and echoed, "Good morning," in a soft, taunting voice, eyes flashing at Ken as he pressed his lips in a light kiss to her cheek, directly over the swollen skin that had darkened in a somewhat distinguishable hand print.
Ken could feel the rage raising until it reached his eyes and made everything blurry, red. His hands clenched into fists, and they trembled out his sides. "Get out," he seethed, eyes narrowing.
Farfarello allowed Aya to push him away, her blush deepening, and looked at Ken in surprise. "You can't tell me to leave," he said bluntly. "It's not your house."
"But it's mine," Aya said, edging away. "You should go. Please. I'll call you."
Farfarello looked astonished. For a few moments, he seemed to not believe that he was being thrown out by the girl, but then, finally, it seemed to pass through his skull. A scowl twisted his lips and he nodded. "Fine. Call me," he snarled, turning away to open the kitchen door, slipping out with one last glance over his shoulder.
Aya leaned back against the counter and smiled meekly. "Sorry," she apologized with a shrug. "I don't have a car and neither do you. Jei was the only one who could drive me to the airport to pick up my brother."
It was then that Ken remembered Ran was in the house. He had breezed in so quietly and then disappeared, it was like he had never even returned. Nevertheless, he still was upset with her actions, though he wasn't sure how to convey this through words. "Aya, you're going to break up with him, aren't you?" he asked, exasperated.
She nodded once. "I tried to do it on the way home."
"...and?"
"He told me I wasn't allowed."
Ken grunted in frustration. "That's stupid. Wait...your brother was in the car. What'd he say about that?"
"He was on his cell phone, business or something. He didn't hear. Anyhow, he loves Jei. Could die happy if I married him."
"You're brother is only a few years older than you."
"But he thinks he is decades older. Anyhow, when I call Jei later, I'll tell him it's over and I'm not joking. Don't worry, Ken." She patted him on the shoulder as she walked by, her smile fading. "I'm stupid, but not that stupid."
Ran came into the room just as she was exiting, going to the refrigerator to root through its contents in an effort to find something edible. Ken watched as he bent to pull out an apple, examine it, put it back, and then remove a plastic container that held old pizza. Critically, he eyed the food and then sighed, shoving it back again.
"Ran," Ken said slowly, walking up to the other man, "do you like Jei?"
"Hn." Ran grunted, finding a bag of grapes that seemed suitable enough. "I like Jei."
"He hits your sister!"
"Hm? Does he?" Ran sounded only vaguely concerned, as he was preoccupied with washing off his grapes and pouring them into a bowl. Popping one into his mouth, he hummed thoughtfully. "Well, Aya does shoot her mouth off."
"WHAT?!"
"Hey, she does it to you all the time. I'm sure you've felt the frustration." Ran smirked briefly before turning to leave again. "Keep your nose out of other people's business. Aya is happy."
Ken snorted, brown eyes narrowed as he watched the older man leave.
~*~
That night, Ken watched in fascination as the house was turned upside down, as well as invaded. Two boys trooped in around six, much to his shock, both wearing school uniforms that matched Aya's and carrying fancier clothes over their arms. The blonde boy with deep blue eyes bounced up to Ken and gave him an enthusiastic smile while chattering on about how happy he was he had been invited before dashing up the stairs and calling out Ran's name repeatedly.
"Omi has never been to a concert before," explained the other boy, quietly, with a frown. He was dark-haired and had stormy colored eyes, wide and liquid, yet, at the same time, blank. He seemed hesitant, glancing around quickly, and then, quietly, he murmured, "My name is Nagi. We met at the party, but you never caught my name."
Nagi...
Ken snapped his fingers, feeling a jolt of realization shoot through his body. "You're Jei's nephew! The son of his sister..." Slowing his speech, he frowned and murmured, "Your mother died recently, didn't she?"
If Nagi felt any sorrow at the statement, he hid it well. His huge, dreary eyes blinked once and he replied steadily, "Yes."
"I'm sorry..."
"It's ok." A pause. "I wasn't sure if I'd be welcome here after what Jei did to Aya."
"Hey, that was him. You didn't have any say in it." He slapped the boy's back, grinning. "We both need to get ready for the concert. Upstairs with Omi."
Ken knew Omi well, now that he thought about it. He was a senior at Aya's school, one of her best friends and the self-proclaimed computer genius. He spent many an afternoon at their house, trying to teach all the residents within the finer points of video gaming while persuading Ken to put more and more of his favorite junk food items on the grocery list.
Ken climbed the stairs and turned into his bedroom, seeing that, much to his bewilderment, a black tuxedo had been laid out on his bed already. With a startled chuckle, he realized that Aya must have left it out for him, and shook his head in amazement. Was this event really so fancy?
Apparently so. When he swung open his door, Omi and Nagi and Ran were dressed much the same, and Aya was wearing a fancy, Chinese evening gown made of a sleek lilac material that glistened every time she moved. It rose into a latched mandarin collar about her throat, the sleeves short, the slits up the sides past her knees. She smiled as he joined them in the hallway, brushing a stray bang towards her temple, the rest of her long hair tied back and put up in a bun.
"Ok, so, just how formal is this thing?" demanded Ken, hopping on one foot to shove his left shoe on. A shoe he had never seen before. Did Aya shop for him as well?
Ran glanced dryly at him. "It's huge." Quickly, he dismissed Ken then, as if he wanted to forget his presence, and asked snootily of his sister, "Where is Jei?"
As if she was intimidated, she shrunk away slightly. "Um, I told you...we broke up."
"What? Does Jei know about this? I can't imagine he'd agree to such a thing."
Ken tried to exchange a puzzled glance with Omi, only the boy didn't seem to find anything strange. He merely rolled his eyes, as if tired of it all, while Nagi glanced away with hooded eyes. No one thought Ran's behavior was out of the ordinary, or that he was normally more caring, more protective.
"This isn't a marriage, for heaven's sake," cried Omi, suddenly coming to his friend's defense. "Lay off, Ran. They were only dating. She doesn't need a reason or his permission to break things off."
Ran snorted.
"We should get going," urged Nagi. Ken was beginning to find that the boy didn't like confrontation. He looked to be about fifteen...
They headed out to the cars.
~*~
Omi drove himself, Nagi, Aya, and Ken to the concert hall, while Ran took a separate car, which seemed fitting enough. They walked through the warm spring air into the building and then took their seats, Ken being between Aya and Omi. As the others talked excitedly about Schuldig's first concert, he took his time looking around the theater, at the high, high ceilings that seemed to drip chandeliers, the gold gilded walls, airy pictures of clouds and divine figures.
"I'd be a nervous wreck if I was Schuldig," commented Aya, and Ken assumed she was speaking to him since no one answered her.
"Do you think he is nervous?"
"Nah, he's a great violinist, and he knows it." Aya smiled, looking as if she was going to comment further on his talents, and then frowned, suddenly caught up in a wrinkle that had appeared in her dress. Her hands smoothed over her stomach, trying to flatten out the material, and then she sighed hopelessly. "It fits everywhere but in my waist, where it is too loose," she complained quietly, mostly to herself. "I hate this dress."
Before he knew it, Ken had thrown in his comment. "I like it."
"Really? Jei says it makes me look fat." She smirked, quickly flicking her eyes away and then turning back to him, seeking reassurance.
"I think we've all seen how much Farfarello's opinion matters," he commented dryly, momentarily turning bitter at the mention of the other man. "The dress is nice. You look nice tonight, Aya."
Her face brightened, and she leaned her elbow onto the armrest, shifting closer. Her voice dropped to a low murmur as she said, "Thanks for being so nice to me, Ken. I've been having a hard time accepting the new Jei, and you're tolerating it all so patiently. When you first moved in...I didn't think we'd be friends, but you're a really nice guy."
For some reason, her words sounded a little hollow. Like he had wanted her to tell him something more, or something more significant. He wasn't really sure what he wanted from her.
The lights dimmed then, signaling that the curtains were about to open. When they did, the scarlet material sweeping back across the polished stage, Schuldig was already standing there, his violin in one hand and the bow in the other. A round of applause, he bowed, and then, silence. Elegantly, he lifted the violin and settled his chin onto the rest, soft auburn hair pulled back in a short ponytail that had been tied in a straight fall. The bow glided down to touch the second string, pulled back, and then sang out the first note. His wrist bent, craned, and angled in fluent movements as he closed his eyes and concentrated on playing his piece.
Ken leaned back in his seat and listened intently, as was everyone else was. Not a single person was talking or moving, which was impressive, or at least he thought so. It went on for quite a while, different numbers, breaks and intercessions. By the end, Schuldig seemed a bit restless on the stage, his expression of calm concentration fading to exhausted focusing.
Towards the end, Aya seemed to become particularly anxious as well, constantly looking around, glancing at the exit, and Ken didn't understand until he followed her line of vision and saw a lean figure standing in the doorway, light red hair and golden eyes making him recognizable even from the distance.
So, Farfarello had had the nerve to show.
Aya's hand on the armrest was clenched into a fist, and Ken, feeling sympathetic at how the Irishman was still trying to intimidate her, placed his hand over hers and leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Wanna take care of it?"
Without a word, she began to rise, and when he followed, her hand lighted on his shoulder to push him down. "This'll take a second," she whispered, and quickly hurried down the aisle, tripping over Nagi's feet as she went.
Ken kept his eyes on them until Aya met Farfarello, motioned for him to step aside, and the two disappeared into the lobby. Then, once he was sure they couldn't see, he got up and followed her path, the violin music filling the air with energy behind him. He didn't dare glance back to see if Schuldig, his supposed best friend, was watching him leave during his big debut.
"Jei, stop it."
He heard her voice before he saw her. Well, he never actually got to see her. They would spot him if he even attempted to crane his neck around the corner.
"Aya, I told you that I was sorry. Please, forgive me. Come on, what would you think if you saw me with Schoen like that?"
"It doesn't matter. This just isn't working. And if you can't accept that I've said NO, then you're not the kind of person I want to be with either." Aya sounded as if she had stamped her foot on the ground in anger and determination then.
Jei remained calm and quiet. "You said you understood. You said you were going to help me through losing my sister."
"I know I said that! But - this...! It's just... Oh, I don't know! You hit me! And I just don't trust you anymore."
"You've hit me before though. You're not being fair, Aya."
Ken pressed his back to the wall and shuddered slightly, making a disgusted face at the calm tone Farfarello was using, almost psychopathic.
"Listen, stop calling me. Stop picking me up for school. It's over. Now, I have to get back to the concert. Ken will get worried."
"Ken."
A pause.
And then, a loud thud - the sound of a body being thrown heavily against the wall.
"It's always been Ken, hasn't it?!" Farfarello cried, and there was another thud, which prompted Ken to come out of hiding and skid around the corner, eyes darting wildly to the scene. Much to his surprise, Farfarello was standing with his forehead pressed against the wall, and then, leaning his head back, he brought it forth again and screamed, slamming his head into the wall for another heavy thud. Then, he began to sob, shoulders shaking, body slowly beginning to tremble.
Aya carefully laid her hands on his back in an effort to comfort him, still having not noticed Ken. "No," she said quietly. "It's ok. I wasn't cheating on you. There's NOTHING between me and Ken. I just don't think we should go out anymore. We're too different..."
Farfarello sniffled pathetically. He was quiet a few moments, giving Ken time to grow uneasy, a sense of horror slowly building up, and then, the Irishman whirled violently about, throwing out his arm to strike Aya, his limb going across her neck so that she choked and fell back, hitting the wall. Tears sprung to her eyes as they watered, and then, just as she was gasping, trying to regain her breath, beginning to sink down to the floor, he gathered her up in his arms and hugged her close, sobbing into her shoulder.
"I just want to be with you!" he whispered hoarsely.
"Aya!" Ken stalked towards them, thrust an arm between them, and pried her quickly out of Farfarello's grasp, the other man struggling slightly but ultimately giving up, backing off as Ken took Aya by the shoulders and quickly brushed some hair out of her dazed face and inquired upon her health.
Still a bit shaky, she answered, "I'm fine, Ken. Thanks." The quickness of her words and the blush in her cheeks gave way to the fact that she was embarrassed.
"Farfarello, I swear..." Ken could barely face the other man - he was too angry. "I swear, if you touch her again, I'll kill you!"
Farfarello smiled eerily. "I'll see you tonight, Aya," he replied almost obliviously, and rushed off as a crowd started to gather.
~*~
Schuldig was backstage, Ran and Nagi and Omi at his side, when Ken caught up with him. The German's hair had mostly fallen out of the ponytail, damp with sweat, his face aglow with relief that he had made it through his first concert. He was wearing a white tuxedo, and he had carelessly tossed his shoes aside so that he stood in black socked feet. "Ken!" he called out, waving an arm when he saw his friend lingering on the side of the stage, trying to get past security. "Ken! Ah, jeez, let him through, will ya'?"
Ken and Aya edged past the guard and walked up to the others, who didn't seem to sense anything wrong.
"What'd you think, Ken?" Schuldig asked hopefully. "Did you like it? You're usually my biggest critic, so if you thought it was good, then it really was."
That didn't sound right at all. Ken was almost edgy around Schuldig. His instincts told him that his best friend was a sneaky, lying fiend just waiting to hurt him.
But could he ever play the violin...
"You were great," he told him honestly.
Schuldig's face brightened. "Thank you! My heart was pounding!"
Nagi looked curious. "I didn't think you got nervous, Schuldig."
"Everyone gets nervous, kid."
Aya was standing slightly apart from the group, looking pale and rubbing her bare arms anxiously. After a little while, she glanced up, tugged on Ran's sleeve, and whispered, "Could you drive me home...?"
He rolled his eyes at her. "I don't want to miss the after party."
"I'll do it," Ken volunteered. Omi tossed him his keys and Ken nodded his appreciation. "I'll bring the car back to you in the morning," he said.
"S'ok, I'll just catch a ride with Nagi. Jei should be waiting for us."
Aya shuddered and Ken quickly took her by the arm, pulling her out the back way. As they drove home in silence, it began to rain, and then to pour, and then to thunder. He escorted her quietly into the house, watched her disappear up the stairs, and was standing there only minutes later when she came back in her pajamas, looking slightly frazzled.
"Can I sleep with you?" she asked.
He choked on the water he'd been drinking. "Wha?!
"Just in your bed." She tugged absent-mindedly at her too-long sleeve. "I'm scared, to be honest. Jei has a key to this house. He's come in before and come up to my room to apologize to me after a fight. Then he left through the window. It was just last week." She looked at the floor guiltily. "If he comes in tonight, I don't want to have to face him. He won't come to your room."
"Fine. I'll sleep in your bed."
"No!" Even she looked surprised at her protest. "What I mean is...I'm scared, so... Ok, the truth is, I would ask my brother if I could stay in his room, but he's not here. Please, Ken. I know it sounds really weird for me to ask this, but I just really need some company right now. Ever since Jei started to get really possessive, I've sorta been alone...no friends anymore."
Ken sighed and slumped his shoulders. "But...if your brother sees us..."
"Are you joking? He'll be too drunk when he gets home to notice."
Ran? Drunk? What?
Ken waved a hand, dismissing the subject, and then told her, "It'll be fine. Come on, let's get to bed then."
She grinned and ran up the stairs like an excited child, and by the time he reached the room, she was snuggled under the covers and hugging his favorite pillow to her cheek. He quickly undressed in the bathroom, putting on a pair of gray sweat pants and a black T-shirt only because she was there, and then flicked off the lights, crawling into the bed and laying over the covers with only a few inches between them. His bed wasn't very big, but he figured it wouldn't be too awkward if he didn't get under the covers with her. Folding his hands beneath his head, he stared at the ceiling and listened to the rain pelting down on the roof, smiling at the sound of it. He loved the rain.
Aya mimicked his position and then shuddered as thunder shook the house. "I hate it," she mumbled, "when you can feel the thunder through the floorboards."
He laughed. "It's cool."
"Hey...Ken?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm not bothering you too much, am I?"
"Nah, it's ok."
"Oh, ok. Thank you." She rolled over onto her side, facing away from him, and then a few moments later, turned to face him, her eyes barely open. "Hey, Ken?"
"What?"
"You're one of my best friends."
His eyes widened slightly, and although he glanced quickly over at her in shock, she had already fallen asleep by the time his gaze alighted on her form. Still in shock, he turned his line of vision back to the ceiling, the hands tucked behind his head starting to feel sharp little needle pricks from the loss of circulation. He hadn't realized he and Aya were all that close - then again, he could barely recall upon anything, and although he didn't feel like Schuldig was anything more than a name he could put to a face, people told him they were best friends.
Again, he looked at Aya, her dark hair veiling her face. Carefully, he pushed it back off her cheek, tucking the loose strands behind her ear, smiling slightly.
Ok, so maybe what Aya had told Farfarello wasn't totally true.
Maybe there was a little something between them.
At least he thought so.
~*~
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