This is the shortest chapter so far, but I liked where it ended, so meh. More Crawford and Ran in the next Chapter. Wanted to give Schu the spotlight again since it had been a while.
Enjoy.
Breakdown
Chapter 10: Mastermind
It wasn't funny anymore. It was no longer a game. Schuldig had stopped being amused because Crawford had taken things too far. His pride had been wounded.
Abyssinian's pout was NOT cuter than his!
/How could you say such a thing, Bradley/ Schuldig screeched through the mental link he'd opened up. It was a fluke that he'd managed to catch his leader's words through all the usual cacophony of noisy minds, especially since the words had come from the mind of the ice kitten, Abyssinian. '…your pout is cuter than Mastermind's.' That was definitely not true.
/Braaadley/ Schuldig whined again.
Crawford was slow to respond and for a moment Schuldig thought he was just being ignored, but when Crawford's slightly shaky voice came across the link, Schuldig remembered that he'd given him the telepathic equivalent of a punch in the head just before he'd opened up the link. Perhaps it had been slight overkill to attack his leader as he had done, but Schuldig had been upset and he hadn't thought before he'd hit the American with the force of his hurt. Schuldig couldn't help being sensitive and reckless.
/If you are still looking for me, Schuldig, I suggest you stop immediately/ Crawford began in an unsteady growl. /I may have been searching for you out of worry before I decided to take a small break, but now you have made me realize that it is not worth my while to continue./
Schuldig blinked. /You were worried about me/ He never thought he'd hear those words from his cold leader.
/Were being the operative word, Schuldig. As leader of Schwartz, I am meant to worry about the well-being of my teammates. But in your case, I no longer care what you do/
It hurt more than it should have to hear Crawford say that. Schuldig's brow furrowed. /…Yes you do/ he argued weakly /You have to. Like you said, we're a team/
/Not for much longer/ Crawford answered.
/What do you mean/ the German asked with growing distress.
/It means that I no longer feel like dealing with you and your…shit/ Crawford explained eloquently. Swearing was a rare occurrence for him so Schuldig knew that this was serious. /I have put up with you this long because you are an asset to the team, but if you are going disobey my orders and attack me for such childish reasons, then you become expendable. Esset will see things my way. You are a loose canon, Schuldig, and I have defended you long enough from them. Esset will not hesitate to grant my request to have you removed from the team/
Schuldig gasped and started panicking. He couldn't leave Schwartz. He couldn't leave Crawford. He couldn't go to them.
/You can't do this, Crawford. PLEASE/ he pleaded.
/ I can do whatever I please Schuldig. I lead Schwartz and it is my call to say who stays and who goes/
Schuldig's hands shook and he had difficulty keeping the link open. /But I don't want to go. You know what Esset will do to me if I'm off the team. I don't want to be their lab rat, Crawford. You can't let them have me/ he whimpered pathetically.
He waited for Crawford's response and the silence nearly killed him. He was terrified that the American would suddenly shut down the link and that would be the end of things. Was Crawford really heartless enough to hand him over to Esset?
The answer came just when Schuldig thought he was going to explode.
/Then grow up Schuldig. Nagi is the child, not you. Go home and wait for me there. We will talk when I return./
It wasn't enough to calm him. Until Crawford said the exact words 'you're staying' or something of the like, Schuldig knew that he'd be a wreck, but at least it was something.
/When are you getting back/ Schuldig asked meekly.
Crawford sighed. /When I do Schuldig. Now go home immediately. If you are not there when I return, it's over. Do you understand/
/Yes/ Schuldig nodded weakly for his own benefit. /Yes I understand/
/Good/ Crawford answered. /Because if you disobey this order, I suggest you try not to be found. I suggest you try very hard/
/Crawford/ Schuldig asked tentatively.
/What/
/Did you mean it/
/Yes, I meant it/ Crawford sounded very annoyed. /You said you understood/
/No. Not about that/ Schuldig said, feeling a little hesitant to continue with his question since he was skating on thin ice, but he had to know. /About the kitten and his pout…did you mean it/
/Schuldig…/ Crawford growled in warning. /Don't start/
/Well what are you doing with the kitten anyway/ The German inquired moodily, falling back on his hurt and jealousy to override his fear. /Is this why you wouldn't let me play with the kittens and why you didn't want me out of the house? Because you already had a date with one of them tonight/
Anger floated through the link. Crawford thought he'd gone too far.
/Put down the shovel, Schuldig. Your grave is deep enough/
The link slammed closed like a heavy iron door, and the telepath's stomach sunk to his feet. He hoped to hell that he hadn't just ruined his chances for redemption by asking about his leader's chosen company, but it bothered him that Crawford was spending time with the enemy, of all people. And it had hurt like a stab to the chest when Crawford had both complimented the Weiss kitten and insulted Schuldig at the same time.
So the Oracle liked redheads. He just didn't like ones with personality. He didn't like Schuldig.
Suddenly being tortured by Esset didn't sound like such a bad idea.
Schuldig went home with the hope that Crawford was just messing with everyone and it was all a part of a plan that he hadn't revealed to the rest of the team just yet.
Too bad it didn't make what Crawford had said to him hurt any less.