Angels in Heaven
Part Two: Ran Nagi
"I hate school." Nagi murmured tugging on his uniform jacket as he stood in front of the school doors beside the redhead teen.
"Don't worry I wont let anything happen to you." Ran said looking up at the large private school with trepidation. "As long as you don't let anything happen to me."
"Deal." Nagi said.
Ran nodded and stepped forward gripping the handle to the door. "Ready?"
"Oh for the love of- will you two stop stalling?" Jei asked from behind the two teenagers.
Nagi and Ran exchanged grins then the redhead opened the door. The followed the adult down the hall toward their first class so Jei could make sure they actually arrived. After Schuldich had shown up the Irishmen had become paranoid about them making their first class; his argument: where one appeared the other wasn't long in coming. Crawford showing up was dreaded more then anything, though Nagi and Ran didn't know why.
"Do you have your shot?" Jei asked Ran just as they reached the classroom.
"Yes," Ran and Nagi replied in unison.
Jei turned to give them an odd look. Understandable since Nagi was only mildly allergic to grass and everything Ran was allergic to sent him into anaphylactic shock.
"Nagi is carrying one just in case." Ran explained pulling on the sleeve of his jacket nervously.
Jei sighed. "Try not to have to use either alright?" he said. "This is your class; have fun."
"We won't." Both boys promised in unison then entered the classroom before the man could say anything. Politely Ran closed the door behind him silently, knowing they had disturbed the class enough by being late; something they were only allotted this one time.
"You must be Ran and Nagi." The teacher said pointing toward two seats in the back. "Please have a seat gentlemen, I trust you won't be late again."
"No sir," Ran said softly and pushed Nagi ahead of him before the older teen could say anything. It wasn't exactly their fault they were late. 'It must be the last names,' Ran thought. 'Dante isn't really a Japanese name and there's no point explaining we were adopted.'
After they sat the teacher continued on with his lecture throwing questions at students by name skipping them over if they hesitated. He seemed to give the hardest questions to other foreign students including Ran and Nagi. Luckily for them the two teens had more of an education then the others so they answered the questions promptly and without hesitation.
Once class was over they quickly exited the class headed for the next one intent on not being late. Jei had made sure they had all the same classes. It gave them some respite from being new students, and social outcasts from their life experiences.
"Do you think the next class will be better?" Nagi asked following Ran quickly down the hall.
"No," Ran answered weaving smoothly between other students his fingers curled around Nagi's jacket sleeve to keep him from being lost.
"Then why were you so happy to be at school?" Nagi asked.
"Beats being at home." Ran said stopping in front of the door to their next class.
"What's wrong with home?' Nagi asked confused.
"Wrong home," Ran answered softly then walked into the class dragging Nagi with him.
888
Nagi didn't get a chance to question Ran until lunch and by then he was so tense about his next class he was afraid to ask. Teachers generally didn't like anyone with a non-Japanese last name because half of them didn't speak Japanese. The only teacher that didn't care was the gym teacher, he was more interested in why their gym cloths were pants and not shorts, then in Ran as he ran a mile in under eight minutes.
"The coach wants me to stay after school and try out for the track team." Ran said from where he sat at an empty table across from Nagi during lunch.
"Are you going to?" Nagi asked.
"I have to ask permission and I doubt Jei will let me." Ran said with a shrug.
"You know last year you wouldn't have cared what anyone thought." Nagi said. "You'd just glare and do it anyway."
The redhead threw down his sandwich with a deep frown. "A lot can happen in a year." He said bitterly and got up to leave.
"Ran," Nagi said sighing at his stupidity. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
Ran shoved a hand through his hair and suck back down in his seat. "It's true." He admitted. "Until six months ago I didn't have reason to care. Do you know how hard it is to be an adult when you're still a child?"
"No," Nagi answered honestly. "Even when I was on the streets, there was always one or two of the adults that looked out for me. Then Schu and Jei made sure I could be my age as much as possible."
Ran nodded. "No one looked out for me." He said his voice holding a little of the ice the brunette associated with the assassin Aya.
"What about with your family?" Nagi asked, surely he was happy before his parents died.
"Never," Ran said definitively. "Not ever."
Nagi sat back in his chair milling that over. If Ran's family really were as bad as his voice indicated then why did he go to so much trouble to avenge them? Or was he only avenging his sister?
"Until now," Ran finished softly more to himself then to the brunette. He smiled a little. "Jei is a very interesting person to live with. He doesn't treat us any different."
"Why should he?" Nagi asked. "It wasn't like you chose who your enemies would be. Jei isn't one to hold grudges unless its personal, and you weren't personal in that way."
"In what way am I personal then?" Ran asked.
"Jei was our age when his mother killed his entire family." Nagi said looking around the emptying cafeteria. "And like us he had to face the danger he was in head on and had to be creative to keep himself safe. He could have let you stay in the hospital, he could have sent me back to Crawford. He didn't. He could have gone on with his life, but he chose to take us in as his own. Doesn't that say something?"
"It says a lot." Ran agreed touching the bracelet that listed his most severe allergies. "My father would have let me die."
"Why?" Nagi asked curiously.
Ran shrugged. "Come on, I better call Jei before the next class starts." He said gather up his forgotten lunch and threw it away.
888
Jei had allowed Ran to stay after school and try out for track so long as Nagi stayed also. Schuldich would pick then up at four when practice was over.
Once again Ran, dressed in his gym clothes stood, outside the track field with Nagi standing next to him. The brunette would watch their things while Ran tried out which wouldn't be until the end of practice when the redhead wasn't as fresh, a good strategy to find weakness and strengths.
However halfway through practice a group of older boys showed up and made their way to the bleachers where Nagi say watching their backpacks. Ran didn't need Crawford to know that would turn out bad. Carefully he started disentangling himself from the group wandering toward Nagi as if he needed to talk to the brunette. When the first boy pushed Nagi off the bleachers Ran was already running to the others aid.
"Are you alright?" the redhead asked the older boy stopping his run to kneel beside him.
"Dose it look like I'm alright?" Nagi spat picking himself up. He glared at the older boy's, the wind kicked in a little around them as the brunette struggled to keep control.
"They aren't worth it." Ran said putting a hand on Nagi's shoulder. "You're better then them."
"What's he worth to you?" One of the bigger boys asked with a sneer. "He your boyfriend gaijin?"
Nagi didn't even get a chance to move, Ran had already stepped forward and punched the bigger boy in the face. Breathing hard Ran watched in horror as the boy fell and blood started pouring down his face. He backed up on step then another and another, then turned and fled. Nagi shouted after him, giving chase as Ran hurried from the school, their school bags forgotten and replaceable.
By the time he arrived him his chest hurt from the non-stop run and the angry tears threatening to spill. He ran past Jei in the shop ignoring the man calling his name and didn't stop until he reached the safety of his room. Before he even had time to catch his breath there was a knock at the door.
"Ran open the door," Jei's voice was muffled but no less demanding.
"No," Ran said sliding down the wood door to the floor.
"What happened?" Jei asked through the door his voice a little calmer.
"I don't want to talk about it!" the teen shouted. "Leave me alone!"
There was a pause where Ran was sure Jei was calculating his position in the room. "I'm giving you the count of three." He said already pushing Ran's weight against the door, "One…Two…Three…." There was a hard shove and Ran was scooted forward enough for the adult to slip inside.
Ran screamed as he was pulled to his feet and roughly spanked five times then sat on the bed.
"That was for fighting." Jei said leaning over so he was eye level with the teen. "Is there anything else you've done wrong today?"
Ran took a deep wrenching breath trying to keep from crying. "I left practice without permission and left Nagi behind."
Jei nodded. "Anything else?"
"I told you 'no'?" Ran asked unsure the last thing he did wrong.
Jei raised an eyebrow but shook his head. "You attacked someone that didn't have the knowledge to defend themselves against you." he said capturing the redhead's chin so he couldn't look away. "You let your temper control your actions even if you were defending Nagi. By the way you broke that kid's nose."
"I'm sorry," Ran said softly.
"I know you are." Jei said releasing the boy and sat next to him on the bed. "So… I know you have more control then that, even when someone says or dose something you don't like. So what happened today that made you lose the control?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Ran said curling up on the bed with his back to the adult.
"Alright," Jei said and sat back waiting patiently.
Ran closed his eyes blocking out the room and situation as much as possible. He must have fallen asleep for when he opened his eyes again it was night. He had been redressed in his pajamas and moved so he was lying properly in his bed covered with a blanket. Across the room Nagi's soft breathing could be heard from his bed.
Carefully he slipped out of bed rubbing his rear absently from the force he had been spanked earlier. Silently he walked out of the room to the one next to his and opened the door slipping inside. He trusted Jei wouldn't hurt him as he walked across the floor to the bed then climbed in. Jei shifted to accommodate the addition of the thin teenager. Nothing was said as Ran settled resting his head on the man's chest one arm draped over mid-torso. He listened to the steady rhythm of the Irishmen's heard beat with his eyes closed and was already drifting back to sleep when long fingers slipped into his hair.
He had always wished he could have done this as a child. To slip into his fathers bed and be comforted for no other reason then to have the reassuring presence of a parent while he slept. He wasn't sure why he did it now with a man that wasn't his father but was more of a father then his had ever been. Maybe it was because Nagi's question earlier that day had brought back memories he didn't want. Or maybe he knew that unlike his own father Jei would never deny him the right for comfort.
88
When Ran woke the next morning Jei was still there patently wait for the teen to wake. His fingers were still soothingly running through the baby fine red hair his other arm holding him tightly with none of the perversions Ran might have associated with if Ken had been that kind of man.
Doing this wasn't new to him. At age thirteen, literally kidnapping him from the hospital, and held hostage by the knowledge the only person that had ever cared about him was in a coma, Ran had found himself thrown into a living situation with older boys. Yohji had been the one that saved him in the end by mistakenly thinking his name was Aya. But it had been Ken that protected him. They knew what his true age had been; one didn't get into fights with people trying to kill you first without having to be stripped naked to get patched up. The others knew all too well what happened when the young had to live that life and had shielded him as much as possible.
Puberty had done strange things to him and his teammates has hidden the side affects from Kritiker as well as taught him how to cope. Ken had taught him how to shave with a fake razor since they didn't want to promote premature hair growth. Yohji had calmly explained why it was ok to get aroused and jerk off at the sight of turtle wax- only because at his age anything would get him aroused (Yohji or Ran we'll let you decide)- just not in public. Omi taught him how to hide it all from others even deepening his voice so it wouldn't crack so much.
They had done it to protect him the only way they could. They had died protecting him. Ken had died making sure he lived.
Suddenly the arm around him tightened and Ran realized he was crying. He didn't move, pretending to be crying in his sleep was so much easier then facing the adult now, knowing it wasn't Ken and this wasn't a nightmare. Of he opened his eyes he would once again have to face the reality that the parental figure holding him wasn't the right one, but he wasn't sure which one really was. He would have to admit that one day he was fifteen on one final mission to save his sister and the next he was sixteen under the care of his supposed enemy.
If he opened his eyes he would finally have to face the fact they weren't coming back.
888
When he woke again Jei was still there, only in a different position suggesting he had gotten up only to return. Opening his eyes carefully Ran sat up rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"Good evening sleepy head." Jei said softly from where he sat against the head board dressed in jeans and a tee shirt.
Ran looked around confused wondering how long he had been asleep and why hadn't he been moved back to his own bed. His confusion must have shown on his face for Jei smiled a little and brushed the teen's bangs aside.
"You've been asleep two days from the time you woke up crying until now." The adult informed him. "Schuldich and I felt you needed the rest after he informed me of exactly why you had been crying."
"Oh," Ran said softly, well he guessed then was another thing they could mark against him.
Jei sighed. "Ran, you're not in trouble." He said softly. "You have every right to morn then and every right to be angry their dead. They were our enemies out of necessity, not because we had any animosity toward them."
"Is that why you took me in?" Ran asked.
"No," Jei answered, he felt honest saying it. "My reasons are personal and somewhat irrational."
"Dose that mean you regret it now?" the teen asked almost afraid of the answer.
Jei's smile was slightly amused. "Sorry kiddo but your stuck with me." He smiled wider when the team raised an elegant eyebrow. "Oh don't look so confused, you above all people should know when a man like me lays claim to someone it's for keeps. Ken was the same way."
"Lot of good it did him." Ran said bitterly refusing to get his hopes up again.
"Someday you're going to tell me what happened to you." Jei said with a sigh. "I hope then you realize I'm not going away and I'm not going to hurt you either." Then he tugged Ran into a laying position. "Now go back to sleep you need it."
88
"You know they're not coming out." Schuldich said leaning against the wall where Nagi sat on the floor pouting. "And Jei isn't going to hurt him like you seem to be expecting."
"He hasn't been out of there in two days." Nagi said no need to explain which 'he' to the telepath. Besides, Jei had left the room in those two days.
"He's been asleep." Schuldich said, "He's ill."
"He wasn't sick the last time I saw him." Nagi argued.
"There are more ways than one to be ill kinder." The German said, "His is of the heart and spirit. He never mourned for anything and now it's catching up with him. Like it will do for you when you finally let go."
"Crawford raped me." The brunette teen said dispassionately.
"I know," Schuldich said simply. "How do you think he never saw you running away coming? I might not have been about to do anything about it, but I could at least give you that chance."
"You promised he'd never touch me." Nagi said bitterly looking down at his feet.
"I promised he'd never touch you as long as I was around." Schuldich corrected offensively. "I thought with you older he wouldn't see you like that anymore. I can't fight him, and Jei had his own personal issues, I thought he couldn't have handed you and Aya by himself."
"Then how do you know he won't do the same thing to Ran? Or to me?" Nagi said suppressed emotion coloring his words.
"This isn't because Jei is suddenly untrustworthy is it?" Schuldich asked kneeling down next to the teen. "This is because he literally adopted Ran and made himself a parent."
"Why would he do that?" Nagi said emotionless again. "If he didn't intend on hurting him…like…."
"Like what?" the German asked unable to pry into this teens mind. "Do you know I'm a little bit of a telepath?" Nagi asked seeming to be changing the subject.
"I had wondered sometimes." Schuldich said when no more information was forth coming.
"I can only listen, and only when someone is close and unshielded." Nagi continued. "Do you know Ran was abused by his father?"
"I was never interested in his childhood when he was with Weiss." Schuldich said.
"Ran wasn't his real son, so he didn't see any reason to be nice to him." Nagi said softly. "Ran isn't Jei's real son."
"Jei chose for him to be his son." Schuldich explained. "There's a difference between wanting someone and not wanting them." He smiled a little. "You like Ran don't you? Now that he's your age."
"Yes," Nagi said a light rose huge coloring his face. "I don't want to hurt him like Crawford hurt me."
"Crawford's a sadistic bastered who can't get it up unless he's hurting a child." Schuldich said his voice dripping with venom. "You aren't him Nagi. Jei isn't him, I'm not him. As long as you are here he will never hurt you again." Then without another word dragged Nagi to his feet and picked him up carrying him right into Jei's room. "I got another patient for you where do you want him?"
Jei smiled a little from his perch at the edge of the bed and carefully stood. "Might as well put them together." He said softly beckoning Schuldich to lay Nagi on the bed. The teen went willingly curling up around the redhead once he was settled. In moments they were both fast asleep.
"There are something's I need to tell you." Schuldich said leading Jei out of the room.
888
"Ran."
Something tickled his nose bringing him from the land of dreams to that of the wakened. Lifting his hand Ran absently brushed at his nose then settled back to sleep.
"Ran, wake up."
Blinking awake Ran looked around the room finding it empty except for the feel of someone behind him. Turning carefully he found Nagi fast asleep on the bed halfway curled on his side.
Something tickled his nose again. A deliberate little scratch of a finger tip. Confused the teen looked around again still finding no one else in the room. He could have sworn Ken was telling him to wake up and tickling his nose like he did to wake the teen up.
The bedroom door opened on silent hinges on its own accord.
"Come on Ran," the voice said seemingly in the hall. Carefully the teen got out of bed and padded bare foot to the door. He felt a light brush across his face and laughter to his right. Following it Ran silently made his way down the hall toward the stairs leading to the upper levels. Yohji's apartment was on that level and the next held the attic, training room, and stairs to the roof. He followed Ken's soft voice into Yohji's room which now seemed to be Schuldich's and a hidden compartment in the closet that seemed to be just big enough for him and maybe Nagi to fit into.
The voice changed a little become scolding and had an accent. Ran quickly hid the compartment and slipped out of the closet just before the German walked into the room.
"What are you doing in here kitten?" Schuldich asked making the last word seem like a fond nickname for a beloved child.
"I thought I heard something," Ran answered honestly trying to keep his thoughts away from his discovery.
Schuldich raised an eyebrow, but weather he knew about the find or not he kept it to himself. "Come on kitten back to bed." He said ruffling Ran's hair and led him back to his bedroom. He put the teen to bed then left the room coming back a moment later with Nagi in his arms. He settled the brunette into bed with Ran then covered them both with the blanket.
"Get some sleep. You can get out of bed tomorrow." The German said leaning down to give each boy a kiss on the head.
"Schu," Ran called softly using Nagi's nickname for the man.
"Yes kitten?" Schuldich asked turning to face the room from the door way.
"Why did I cry?"
Schuldich stared at the teen for a long moment. "Because you had to." He answered and shut the door behind him.
888
It was two more days before Ran was allowed out of bed. He had snuck out of bed the next night for the same reasons he had the first once again ending up in the German's room. Unfortunately Schuldich was occupying the room at the time so to keep from getting into trouble he crawled into the man's bed, curled up against him and went back to sleep.
After that things started getting strange.
Sitting in the old mission room doing an assignment for home school- as Jei had decided school with others wasn't a good idea- Ran started hearing things. It was like Ken's voice or Schuldich's in his head, this was as if he was standing on a busy street and everyone was talking at once. Nervously he reached out to pick up his glass of juice only to have it slid away from his fingers to shatter on the floor. Blankly Ran stared at the empty space then looked around to yell at Nagi for playing games; only Nagi was still upstairs doing his own homework.
Telling himself he must have accidentally knocked the cup off the table Ran went up stairs to get a rag, broom, and dust pan. However when he reached the kitchen he found Nagi sitting at the kitchen table; his throat slashed, blood splattered over his school books. Ran screamed and ran in blind panic.
"Ran?" Nagi asked from where he was sitting at the table doing his work, alive and unharmed.
Jei and Schuldich rushed in a moment later alerted by the scream.
"What happened?" Jei demanded.
"I donno," Nagi said clearly disturbed. "I was just sitting here; Ran came in, screamed like he'd seen death, and raced out of here."
"Where did he go?" Schuldich asked.
"Up stairs I think." Nagi answered.
The German nodded and hurried upstairs. Using his telepathy Schuldich followed Ran's scattered thought up to his room and in the closet. However when he opened the door he found it devoid of human life. Except the panicked thoughts were still coming from there. A smooth crack in the wall caught his attention something unnoticed except the lining hadn't been completely sealed. Kneeling down Schuldich carefully removed the false paneling at the bottom of the wall to reveal Ran curled up in the tiny cubby hole, eyes squeezed shut, murmuring- in French no less- at too fast a pace to for the adult to catch.
"Ran?" he said softly scooting into the closet to be closer to the child. "Kitten?"
Tearful violet eyes slid open and the teen stopped murmuring to look at the German. "He's dead," the boy whispered.
Schuldich blinked in confusion. "Who's dead?" he asked already carefully shifting through the boy's memories for what happened.
"Nagi's dead," Ran whimpered. "I saw him dead, someone killed him!"
Schuldich played back the events of what happened with a frown, this was not good. Reaching out he very slowly pulled Ran out of the cubby hole and held the child close. "Shh kitten," he said softly. "Nagi's not dead, what you saw wasn't real."
Ran started to sob, "Yes it was!" he insisted hysterically. "I don't want it to be but it was!"
Schuldich just held onto the child tighter rocking him back and forth as he called Nagi to come and to hurry. Light footsteps sound on the wood floors just before Nagi appeared in the door way looking terribly frightened.
"Ran?" the boy asked dreading that someone had hurt him from the way he clutch Schuldich.
"Go away!" Ran yelled in panic squeezing his eyes shut. "You're dead, you're dead I saw you dead!"
Nagi's eyes widened for a moment then he took on a resolve face and walked into the room lowering himself to his knees and took Ran's face between his hands. "Ran…look at me please." Nagi begged, slowly the younger teen's eyes opened, his bottom lip trembled as he looked the brunette over. Then he disentangled from Schuldich and latched on to Nagi sobbing harshly.
"I saw you dead," Ran cried, "I was so scared, I didn't want you to be dead."
"Shh," Nagi soothed holding the redhead tight. "It's ok, I'm not dead, and you don't have to be afraid."
Schu, what's wrong with him?Nagi asked the telepath silently.
Schuldich frowned. if I'm not mistaken, I'd say latent psychic gifts are appearing.he answered silently reviewing what he had seen through the boys mind; telekinesis, pre cognitive, telepathy…he seems to be mirroring all of us except for Jei, hopefully. I just hope no more pop up
88
As it turned out those three abilities were not the only ones to appear.
Ran had started sleeping in the German's bed to keep the voices out of his head and so Schuldich would know if anything else popped up. The teen slept a lot now as his body wore out quickly to defend itself from the strain on his body. Luckily the worst of the visions of death went away after a week and when he did have one they were vague and no longer personal. The telepathy was as strong as Schuldich's, but the telekinesis was no where near the strength Nagi had, but was stronger then it should have been.
After some experimenting it was found Ran could manifest fire and ice, heal himself and others, and literally walk through walls and teleport short distances. Each new ability blended into one another. When he called fire he then called ice to counter it, when the fire and ice ended up hurting Jei he healed the wounds then ran through a wall to escape what he thought was a punishment.
They all sat in dread of the manifestation of the next ability.
Six months later Ran decided to run away. Not in the packing what he could end hitch hiking across Japan, this was more of packing a lunch and finding some place to be alone for a while. He dressed in Ken's most worn clothes since most of his were new and expensive. He also felt better in the older man's clothes for reasons he couldn't describe. To complete the outfit he slipped on a pair of gloves that covered his hands and arms then slipped out the fire escape.
He wasn't expecting to get far before Schuldich noticed his absence and found him, he was just hoping to have at least an hour before anything came of it. Making his way down the street Ran shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. No one noticed him as he walked along, even if he noticed them and their incoherent thoughts.
"I wouldn't go that way if I were you." a cool smooth voice said to his right.
Ran stopped just about to round a corner and looked at the boy leaning against a building. The boy couldn't really be seen in the shadows, but the redhead could tell they were about the same age except this boy more then likely lived on the streets or pretty close to it.
"Why not?" Ran asked looking around for any kind of danger.
He felt more the saw the teen smirk. "Oh, 'cause I heard the watch talking about some runaway rich kid, red hair, purple eyes, pale skin, 'bout sixteen…."
Ran blinked, that was his description alright. However he'd only been gone for ten minutes and Jei would never call the police he'd just get Schuldich to look for him, it was much faster. He narrowed his eyes at the teen and started to walk away. A strong hand grasped his wrist making him gasp in surprise and thankful the gloves covered his arms up to the shoulder.
"You know most of the time if I saw a rich kid on the streets I'd just mug them." The teen said casually tightening his hold. "But I figure if you'd go to such trouble to hide the fact your rich I figure you don't have any money on you."
That was true; Jei provided anything he could ever want within reason, but he never saw a yen of money; he didn't even have a bank card to get money.
"If I don't have any money and I'm not dressed like a rich kid then what makes you think I am one?" Ran asked ineffectively trying to yank his arms out of the others grasp. The other teen leaned out of the shadows to smell his hair. Ran's eyes widened for completely different reasons.
Same hair, same eyes, even the same face only younger. Ran kept himself from speaking for surely if he let on that he recognized the boy he would vanish.
This was Ken, only it wasn't.
"Your shampoo is expensive." The teen said leaning back to smile. "I guess you're trying to run away, but you're not as scared daddy's gonna send the watch after you. Abused?"
Ran shook his head still not trusting his voice.
The boy's free hand lifted to touch the side of Ran's face lightly. "Then what's with the bruise?" he asked very softly.
Ran lifted his own free hand and touched his left cheek feeling a dull pain flare. "My brother didn't know I was on the other side of the door," he explained softly. This was the first time he had referred to Nagi as his brother, but it seemed to fit. The same with Schuldich as a big brother and Jei as the father he always wanted.
The eyebrow that rose was not Ken's. "Really?" he asked unbelieving. "That seems really convenient."
Ran finally broke free of the teens grasp. "What do you care?' he asked already walking away.
The teen moved to catch up. "Maybe I don't if some dumb rich kid is hit by his daddy or is just clumsy." He agreed, "Maybe I'm gonna mug you anyway."
"No money," Ran said and kept walking.
"Then give me those gloves." The teen said. "I can sell them."
"No," Ran said folding his arms over his chest, if he lost the gloves and touched someone….
"Well then maybe I'll take a piece of your ass," the boy went on. "You're pretty, I'd fuck you."
Ran stopped and spun around with what he hoped to be his death glare planted on his face. The teen lost his teasing smile and backed up a step. Ran followed intent on intimidating the Ken look a like until he went away. He opened his mouth to say something then stopped his glare melting to a look of horror at the sight of the man standing several feet away.
The teen looked over his shoulder then pulled Ran into an alley before the man could turn and look at them. They ran for several blocks winding through several alleys and side streets until Ran was terribly lost, but sure the man had not followed.
"Who was that guy?" the teen asked leaning against a building trying to catching his breath. "He gave me the creeps."
"He's a very bad man." Ran said looking around as if expecting to find the man coming after him. "He used to work with my family, but we thought he went to the States and stayed there.
"So it's a good idea to stay away from him." The teen said. "My names Sake by the way."
"Ran" the redhead said absently looking around until he spotted a pay phone. Hurrying to it he picked up the receiver and checked his pocket for change, then remembered he didn't have anything. A hundred yen coin was shoved into his hand and the brunette street kid smiled at him. Ran nodded his thanks and deposited his coin before calling Schuldich directly.
"Just hang up and turn around." the German said answering his cell on the first ring.
Ran slammed the receiver on the cradle and stood for a moment then turned around. Sure enough the red sports car was parked only a few feet away. Schuldich lifted his fingers holding the steering wheel and wiggled them at the teen before reversing the motion palm up one fingered. The teen sighed and slowly trudged to the car. He hadn't realized Sake was following him until he slipped into the passenger seat and the boy got into the back. Schuldich raised an eyebrow at the brunette teenager then rolled his eyes before driving back to the shop.
"Jei is very angry." The German said, "Crawford is in Japan."
"I know," Ran answered. "I saw him."
"Did he see you?" Schuldich asked.
Ran shook his head. "I don't think so but you never know with Crawfish."
Schuldich smirked a little. "You're still in trouble." He looked in the rearview mirror. "Who the hell are you?"
"Sake," the boy said with a smirk. "Like the drink."
The German glanced at Ran. "Friend of yours?"
"Just met him." The redhead said with a shake of his head.
"Looks familiar." Schuldich commented. "Have you ripped me off before?"
He looks just like Ken.Ran said telepathically. Schuldich spared him a look in return.
"If I did would I tell you?" Sake asked back.
"You can't hang out with this kid." Schuldich told Ran parking in the garage of the shop. "His smart ass will rub off on you and you'd get in trouble every day."
"Mmm." Sake purred. "I'd love to rub off on you Red."
The redhead teen blushed a deep scarlet and hid his face in his hands. Without a word he got out of the car and hurried into the building. Immediately he was enveloped by a pair of strong arms that held him tighter then he would have liked with his hands still coving his face.
"I can't breathe." He said which sounded more like: "Ike caff breef." His hands were removed from his face then he was held tightly again.
"If you ever do that again, you'll be grounded until you're thirty." Jei threatened letting the teen go.
Ran opened his mouth to argue that there wasn't anything to take away or restrictions on movement because this was the first time he had been out in months. Which was really unfair since his movements hadn't been that hindered since he was six. Wisely he closed his mouth and continued on his way to his room.
"You haven't been dismissed young man." Jei said.
Ran turned back to the adult. "Cant I go be embarrassed alone?" he asked.
Jei raised an eyebrow.
"Yo pops," Sake said walking into the house with Schuldich right behind.
The other eyebrow rose.
"Hey Ran you left kinda fast, was it something I said?" the teenager asked sliding up next to Ran and put an arm around his shoulder. He made a move to fix imaginary lapels. "Didn't know I was that smooth."
Ran grabbed the teens hand and flipped the boy over his shoulder onto the floor. "You aren't," he said then pointed to the boy on the floor while addressing Jei. "Street rats can defend themselves, or so I've heard since I'm a spoiled rich kid only trying to be a street rat!"
"Oo baby," Sake said with a laugh picking himself up off the floor. Jei rolled his eyes and shook his head. "How many times have I told you not to bring strays home?"
"This would be the first time." Ran said not getting the joke. "He followed me home; just tell me I can't keep him."
"Oh there's no problem there." Jei said already pushing the teen out the door. "Go home kid; forget you ever heard of us."
"I see how it is pops, I ain't good enough for your little family," Sake said brushing off the adult and fixed his jacket. "Yo, Ran anytime you wanna hook up I'll be around." then he turned on his heel and left.
Watching the boy go Ran didn't notice Nagi's jealous stare from the stairway.
"You could have gotten hurt out there." Jei chided softly.
"I'm sorry," Ran said a little annoyed. "I only wanted to be alone for a while."
"What if Crawford had seen you?" Jei asked letting his concern control his anger. "If he had gotten a hold of you, he could have hurt you."
"I said I was sorry!" Ran snapped. "What more do you want me to say? I'm a fucking prisoner in my own fucking house! I haven't been outside in two months! What am I suppose to do? Huh? I'm not two years old! I have taken care of myself longer before I ever met you!" taking a deep breath to keep from screaming in frustration, he turned on his heel and started for the stairs.
"I only want what's best for you Ran," Jei said following the teen.
"Who asked you?" Ran shout. "You're not my father!" then he slapped a hand over his mouth eyes wide in horror. Without another word he turned and fled upstairs.
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Several hours later Jei came into the shared bedroom carrying a tray and a small bag. Ran lay on his bed staring at the ceiling a pair of headphones covering his ears. Nagi sat at one of the desks in the room absently drawing on a blank piece of paper. Neither looked up when he walked inside and set the tray down.
"Alright you two come here." Jei said plucking the head phones off Ran's head then sat down. Nagi grudgingly put down his pen and got up to sit on the bed. Jei nodded to himself and took two files from on top of the tray handing one to each of them.
"What's this?" Nagi asked opening the file, he scanned over the contents. "Oh, I already know about this."
"I don't understand." Ran said softly looking over the papers. "How did you get these?"
"I told you," Jei said pleasantly. "Money talks in big words. And as I recall I told you I have custody of you. I just never told you how much."
"You- you…why?"
"I told you that too," Jei said leaning back a little. "Someone had to make sure you are taken care of. Someone that isn't going to take advantage of you. And I volunteered myself for the job."
Ran raised an eyebrow and smiled a little. "Are you sure you aren't regretting that dissection."
Jei laughed good naturedly. "Already told you kiddo, you're stuck with me." He turned to Nagi whispering loudly. "I don't think he listens."
Ran stuck out his tongue out which Jei pretended to try to grab. "I listen when you told Schu he's a natural blond." The teenager argued.
Jei nodded with another stage whisper. "Dyes his hair. After a bet we had to switch hair color."
The naturally redhead teen giggled then sobered quickly. "So it's real?" he asked uncertainly, "The adoption I mean."
"Every bit of it." Jei promised sliding an arm around the teen drawing him close and kissed the top of his head. "Now, I have something for both of you." he went on opening the bag and dumped out its contents. He handed each teen a cell phone a small charm necklace and a small stack of money. "Since you don't get out, but apparently want to you will have these three items on you at all times."
He handed Ran a purple colored cell phone, necklace, and money clip, then Nagi a set in blue. "The phones may be used for personal use, but are meant for emergencies instead of looking for a payphone. The necklaces have tracking devices in them; they are for your protections so don't take them off, I don't care how much you want to be alone. They money is spending money; you will each get an allowance weekly as long as you work three shifts. Got it?"
"Yes," both boys said.
"Good," Jei said getting off the bed and picked up the tray setting it down between both boys. "Now since you didn't get dinner I brought it to you so eat up."
"I'm going to bed." Ran said softly getting up from the bed intent on sleeping with the telepath.
"Eat." Jei said.
"I'm not hungry." The redhead teen said stopping at the doorway. Jei nodded his understanding, Nagi frowned and looked hurt. Ran fled upstairs to Schuldich's room where the telepath lounged on his bed reading a book. For one fleeting moment he could see Yohji doing the same thing with a magazine.
The German looked up and put down his book before sliding out of bed. "You know kitten," he said casually smoothing down the teen's hair. "I think I know why you look so young now."
Ran blinked confused, "Why?" he asked softly self consciously running a hand through his hair.
Schuldich smiled putting his hands on the teen's shoulders and steered him to a full length mirror. Ran stood a foot shorter then the adult something that hadn't been known, carefully hidden with platform boots. His eyes were wider, more innocent then they had been since before the accident.
"It's because you were always narrowing your eyes at everything." Schuldich said leaning down to put his chin on the teen's shoulder, and wrapped his arms around Ran's slender waist. "It's a good look on you kitten. One that has consequences."
"What kind?" Ran asked turning around so he could hug the adult.
"I don't want you to see or talk to that boy again." Schuldich said, holding the teen tightly. "He wants your innocence, and I don't mean sexually. I don't want to see you hurt."
"I don't think I have any innocence to lose." Ran said letting Schuldich go and sat on the bed. "Am I going to die?"
"Why do you ask?' the German asked sitting next to the redhead.
"You said I could." Ran said.
"Ah," Schuldich said enlightened. "I don't think you will. The gifts you have seem to be all you're going to get and they aren't all of the same strength. The danger was in learning them and them coming into focus faster then your body could handle."
"Oh," Ran said softly leaning against the telepath and closed his eyes.
"Are you feeling alright?" the German asked.
"The voice won't shut up," Ran answered. "How do you get them to stop?"
Schuldich sighed putting his head against the soft red hair. "It will take time." He said. "I think the gift will go away eventually."
"I hope so." Ran said shaking his head making his hair flutter.
"You'll be find kitten." Schuldich said drawing the teen close and kissed his temple.
End Part Two
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Thanks to all my Reviewers!
Hikokuryuha, Phantom Sunstorm, Cat on the Web;
Southpaw Boxer: this fic is finished at four parts and Epilogue
Katten: i'd be a hentai if that was hentai not acctually disaplining a child...to bad I'm finished that does give me ideas with the boyfriend...