By: The First Light
Note: More updating! You might just get to see the two mysteries.
Disclaimer: I don't own any Weiss items or anything of the sort (since I'd be living Brad's life if I did), but I do own anything unfamiliar to the show/series/OVA/whatever.
Summary: Keizekiel, or just Zeki, is the first person to break Brad Crawford's boundaries and hit his only weak point: his own coldness. How will he deal with a girl such as Zeki?
Characters you'll meet:
Tsukasa Hirotikami/Heruziel: a young archangel whose dream is to find the legendary angel known as Retsukel. He's a subordinate of Gavin now.
Gavin: a "big brother" sort of person to Tsukasa, he is an immortal spirit that is neither light nor dark, but something in between.
Chapter 2: Run Away
Run away with me, for you are mine and mine alone.
Crawford lay on his couch in his office, one arm draped over his face. When he took off his arm, everything seemed blurry and the light blinded him, so he rolled over onto his stomach to block it out and clear his vision. He sighed and stared out at the dark sky. He hated cities, partially because he grew up in L.A., and also because they blocked out the beauty of the stars. He let out another sigh (wow, two sighs in the span of ten minutes), and laid his head in his hands. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, an old habit that never seemed to fade.
"Hi."
"Hello," he answered the voice stiffly as a ball of light appeared.
The ball of light slowly took the form of a young boy, about fourteen or fifteen years old. "Do you know who I am?"
"Yes. You are Brad Crawford, who died eleven years ago," Crawford answered, staring at the boy as he pushed his glasses up his nose again.
The boy mimicked, smiling. "That's right. I, Brad Crawford, died eleven years ago at the age of fourteen. I remember that. The slick feels of blood. I had lost all hope for my future, but I didn't want to die."
"As do I. I don't know how you can stand to think about it though. I knew Mom and Jamie had left their bodies. So I came out to talk, just a dark side of you," he answered, sitting up and pulling his legs to his chest.
"Yeah...I would've died too, if Jamie hadn't protected me. He foresaw it. You appeared asking me what I would do that was worth living for. I told you I wanted to read and study..."
"Let me use you. I would like to make your dreams come true, if you'd let me."
"But...Mom and Jamie are dead...and soon I'll die too. Okay then, promise me this. Studies, read, do whatever. But on top of all of that, make sure everyone you come into contact with hates you! I'll always love everyone I meet very much, but I don't want them to grieve when I die. Make absolutely sure everyone hates you."
"I'd never felt anything before that, so I couldn't understand how you showed your love to anyone like that. But I became a part of you: your kindness, emotions, your love- it all became a part of me," Crawford muttered remembering those words.
"Do you love Keizekiel? She's seems nice...her aura is warm...and pretty too."
"I do."
"And Schwartz?" Brad smiled.
"Hmm...yes. I do."
"Because their your partners in Eszet?" Brad asked, tilting his head to the side.
"No...I love them because...they're normal and awkward. But they live life with everything they've got, risking their lives for the sake of my orders, you see?" he asked, thinking.
"Like little brothers?"
"Yeah, I guess. I...love this stupid world of yours. Then...and even now...it's been so much fun. I've lived and learned, I've...loved. All because of you," Crawford said, sighing.
"You know what? I think you've become human, Crawford. So you live the life the way you want to. I'm feeling tired, so I'll stay asleep inside of you for a little while longer," Brad smiled, slowly disappearing.
"Yeah...okay. Good night, Brad," he answered, smiling at the disappearing boy.
Crawford awoke at four-thirty in the morning, pulling on some baggy jeans and a T-shirt along with his sneakers. He shove some clothes into a backpack he had, along with five thousand-yen and a water bottle. He quietly shut his door, then jumped a little when he heard a noise and turned to find Schuldich staring at him.
"Where're you going?" he asked blankly.
"Away for a while. Leave me alone Schuldich. I don't want to be here anymore."
"So you're leaving? Just like that? Abandoning us?" the red head said quietly, his sky blue eyes staring at him.
"Look, I just hate living this way. Your Crawford is guilty. So if I leave, you won't have to take responsibility for anything anymore. Man, you're thick," he answered coldly, giving Schuldich a smirk to go along with it. "He was just a side of me, a spirit if you will, that took control of me when I was fourteen. You and I...we're complete strangers, Mr. Schuldich. I've lied to you for so long. So go ahead! Hate me! Hate me for everything I've ever put you through! Then leave go wherever you want! Just go away! And don't ever show your mug around me again, you hear?! I don't ever want to see your face again! I'm sick of playing your leader!"
With that, Crawford turned and walked out the door, his head lowered as he began to jog away. Forgive me, Schwartz. This is...the only way I know of now. Forget about me. Start a new life without me in it. You don't need me. With Brad...we will pray for your happiness. Good bye...you who were my friends. Crawford turned the corner and bumped into Zeki.
"So I was right? You are a self-centered prat."
"You were. You were completely right. I'm just a coward, running away from everything. But...even so..."
Crawford suddenly pulled her into his arms, his vision blurring for some reason now. These tears...what is this warmth flowing down my cheek? I don't understand...this pain in my chest...and the sorrow I feel...I cannot understand! Zeki hugged him back comfortingly, feeling his warmth engulfing her.
"Hold still! This is the last one!" Zeki shouted angrily.
"Ow! That hurts!" Crawford answered with just as angry a voice as the girl finished pinning in the last earring. "Why do I need these anyway?"
"It'll bring you good luck if you're leaving. And one last thing..."
She held out a necklace with a cross on it. He motioned for her to put it on so she wrapped her arms around his neck to do so. As she pulled away, he second the motion and held her there, inhaling her smell.
"Thank you...Zeki," he muttered, giving a small tug on the cross on the left earring. His other ear however, held three small hoops in them.
Zeki sat at his side and gazed at him, his raven black hair, and his inviting lips. She shook her head as he stood up and thanked her, walking out the door. This was it, he was about to leave...for good. He was about to leave the life of assassins, of killers, and of blood. He wanted only a peaceful life, alone and untainted by blood. But even as he glanced down at his hands, he realized the truth. These hands of mine are so sullied that...they can no longer be cleansed.
Translations:
This is the second chapter! Yay! (Drum roll). I'm not really that happy, but still, I'm happy that I managed to update. It's amazing that I've managed to get this far without some flames or something. I've been on a tight schedule. Oh well. And if anyone's interested, portraying Crawford like this wasn't very easy...but I like troubled men like him. As for Brad...I thought it was a nice idea (yes it is copyrighted to Kaori Yuki, so I give them credit for the idea.) since I always thought of it that way.