Intuition
Teito felt a pull at the hem of his shirt and looked down at the child by his side.
"Teito-niichan!" Capella clamored for the teen's attention, dancing around his legs. Teito laughed a little.
"What has you so excited?" He asked, reaching down to take the child's hands.
"Teito-niichan, you really care about Frau-niichan, don't you?"
"Eh- What?!" Teito jumped back, a shocked and horrified expression claiming his face. "O-of course not! Why would I care about that perverted bishop, anyway?"
"But Teito-niichan, your face is all red." Capella stared up at him with his wide, innocent child-eyes.
Noticing the heat creeping up his cheeks, he began to stammer again. "I-I…"
"What's all this about, then?" Teito suddenly found himself dangling a few inches above the ground, held up by his collar. He didn't even need to turn to know who it was, or to know that there was that little smirk on the person's face.
"N-nothing!" The brunette insisted, beginning to struggle.
"Hmmph. How many times do I need to tell you not to wander off, anyway? You're like a Kor magnet, ya damn brat." Frau hefted him up further and slung him over his shoulder. "Come on, Capella."
"I'm not a damn brat! And put me down!" Teito protested, squirming in the blonde's grip. His face was still red, though, and he thanked God that Capella wasn't old enough to want to tease him for it.
-
Later that night, Teito lay on the bed of the inn, fiddling with the pink fur of the small fyulong that snoozed on his chest. Capella was curled up next to him, fast asleep in that way that small children have, from which it would take no less than a violent earthquake to wake him. Frau had yet to return from whatever it was he did every night before they went to sleep. Teito frowned, thinking that maybe he really didn't want to know.
"Teito-niichan, you really care about Frau-niichan, don't you?"
The brunette mulled this over as the dragon chewed on his fingers. He thought back to the time the bishop had been imprisoned, and how upset he had been when he discovered that Frau had been sentenced to execution.
"As long as I am in you, my heart will always be with you."
Yes. Frau really was important to Teito. Despite his insufferable attitude, his perverted obsession with porn…
"Rrrr. Just thinking about it is making me want to smack him!" He lifted up the dragon.
"Burupya~!" Replied his furry companion.
-
Teito woke the next morning to the sound of rustling, and blinked open his eyes to see Frau toweling off his hair. "When did you get back?" He asked blearily, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes with the back of his wrist.
"Mm… probably 'round eleven," Frau estimated, turning to look back at him. "I was kept pretty busy." He smirked, trying to imply that he'd been doing things which could get him kicked out of the clergy. Really, he'd been out scouting for Kor- Teito really did attract those little monsters. But of course, Frau wasn't going to tell him that- otherwise, Teito would undoubtedly insist upon coming along, and that wouldn't do. The kid was better off thinking he'd been off soliciting the services of beautiful women.
As usual, the teen snapped up the bait. "You," he growled menacingly, although it was a bit ruined by his just-woken-up face and tousled hair. "You're a bishop! You shouldn't just go off and play around like that!"
"What's the matter? You jealous?" Frau teased, reaching out to pat the kid's head as he passed. The brunette always seemed to hate that.
Teito opened his mouth to protest vehemently, but stopped when he noticed the warmth of the man's hand. Once again, he remembered how cold Frau usually was, and once again remembered why. He let his mouth fall shut and stared at the blanket instead.
The blonde watched him, knowing quite well what he was thinking. "Hey," he said, frowning. "Don't look so forlorn. I'm here, aren't I?" He ruffled the teen's hair. "And it's not like I'm going anywhere. So don't worry about it." Frau graced him with a lopsided grin, trying to lighten him up, and lowered himself onto the bed next to Teito.
They sat in silence for a while, listening to Capella's even breathing.
"Frau…" Teito was still looking downcast. "If things start getting too dangerous… you and Capella should leave. I-"
"Are you crazy, you damn brat?! What'll happen to you, then, huh?"
"But I don't want you to get hurt!" He cried, looking up at the bishop with wide, frantic eyes, that expression that always wrenched Frau's heart. "I can't let you get hurt! I won't lose someone important to me again!"
"Listen!" Frau twisted to grab hold of Teito's shoulders. "I told you already, didn't I? I have to protect you! And what about me, huh? Did you ever think of that? What if I lose someone important to me…?" He stopped, and slowly released the stunned boy, turning back to stare blankly at the wall.
"Frau…"
"You know… Labrador said something to me once, before we left." His tone was much calmer, almost hollow. "'Don't let go of Teito's hand.' Like I would," he muttered, and then nearly jumped. Teito had slipped his arms around the blonde's neck, having to get up on his knees to be able to press awkwardly against him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, not quite knowing why. "Frau, I'm so sorry…"
"Damn brat…" Frau replied quietly. "What're you apologizing for?" And he reached over, pulling the boy against him. His arm throbbed, but he didn't care- it felt so good to really, finally hold him.
"Teito…"