The Beginning of an End

"Schwartz, Esset is gone. We are free."

Silence greeted Crawford's words, the three others seated around the coffee table of their shared apartment staring up at him. Nagi had wide innocent eyes, blinking slowly. Farfarello looked unfazed, fiddling with one of his many knives, a faraway look clouding his eyes. Schuldig was the first to react.

With a woot of joy, Schuldig jumped to his feet, knocking the armchair to lay on it's back. He grabbed Brad tightly around his waist, crushing the man with the shiny glasses in a hug, laughing.

"We're free!" He cried, letting Brad go to pounce Nagi, who immediately squealed, dodging the insane German man. "We're FREE!" He pinned Nagi to his chest, squashing him to his chest, cutting off the boy's air supply and causing him to splutter and go red.

Half of a year before Schwartz had dismissed the idea of taking over Esset, instead trying to make normal lives for themselves once they could. Brad had had a vision some days before they decided on this, and he'd told them to try and lead a normal life, as he had already began. They agreed half heartedly, Nagi returning to his computer, Schuldig to his cooking channel, and Farfarello to his decorating of his padded room.

Schuldig calmed from his abrupt happiness, dropping the near strangled Nagi back onto the sofa and scratching his head. He yawned. "I'm gonna go take a nap."

The sound of his door closing was the end of the scene. The others went to their own devices.

That is how the four men of Schwartzcame to a silent agreement thatthey should stay together, even after they disbanded.