Chapter 7: Friendly Overtures
Bring not all mischief you are able to upon an enemy, for he may one day become your friend.
-Saadi (1184 - 1291)
Nagi settled his heavy book bag higher on his shoulder with a silent sigh. He knew that he should go home and start studying on his history test, but he didn't want to see Schuldig right now. School was a strain for him. The classes themselves were nothing at all. He coasted through with little worry. It was his classmates that bothered him.
To be around normals most of the day, then to go home to Schuldig, who—despite his best efforts to hide it—was getting stranger and stranger every passing day.... It was too much for him to handle today. He had never wished for a normal life until recently. Instead of worrying about school and taking his home life for granted, as most of the other students did, he took his schoolwork for granted and worried about his home life.
Schuldig was coming apart. Nagi was no telepath, but he had worked with one of Esset's best for years. And he knew Schuldig. The telepath thought himself to be strong, but he had depended heavily on Crawford, and of all people, Farfarello. This schism in Schwarz affected Nagi. It affected Schuldig much more strongly. He knew that Schuldig hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in weeks. Not since they left. He hadn't even come home last night.
He didn't know what to do for Schuldig. He had a bad feeling that this was going to get worse before it got better. If it got better at all. Mulling over his situation, he walked into a nearby café. He headed to the back, away from the windows, searching for a safe corner that would give him a good vantage point over the whole café. He may no longer be an assassin, but old habits died hard. The only table that fit that description was already occupied. His bag slid off his shoulder and hit the floor with a dull thump when he saw who it was.
Nagi stared down at his former enemy. He didn't know what he should feel. He had no reason to love Weiß. He had no real reason to hate them, either. Omi stared back, expression guarded, but his gesture was friendly enough. He waved to the chair across from him. "Would you like to join me? They have the best melon torte here."
Years later, Nagi would still wonder what had gotten him to agree to share a table with a member of Weiß that day. However, he was glad he had, for Omi was right. They did have the best melon torte.
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A/N: Here ya go. A mini chapter to hold Schwarz off until the weekend. Thanks to Malik's love and Hisoka (again! Thank you, thank you!) for the sweet reviews. Hope to have 8-10 posted this weekend, if Schuldig will cooperate. Maybe sooner, if they're all good.