Red Shaman

Tazzy: Schuldig plotting really IS a very BAD thing.

Thanks to everyone reading, I hope you enjoy.



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A thousand lifetimes long ago

We made a promise, we would not let go

So I've come for you tonight

And we live again, before we lose each other.



Blood was everywhere. All over his clothes, in his hair, liberally coating the sword he carried as well. He looked to them and they nodded only once, reaching out and taking his hands in theirs. He felt the first initial pulses of power surge up one arm then the other. He was the power, his male partner was the structure and she was the magick. Damn he was so tired he didn't know if he could hold it. But he had to, with the other two linked in they would die if he didn't.



Nagi woke to strangled screams. His own. Ghost was already out of bed and trying to shake him awake. Omi was on the other side of him holding on to his hands so he didn't hurt himself.



“Nagi! Nagi! Wake up!”



“I'm here,” he said, pulling one hand out of Omi's and putting it to his aching head. He was breathing hard and every nerve ending hurt.



“The same dream?” Omi asked.



“Yeah,” Nagi said, sitting up shakily.



“Okay, that's it. I'm going to Blaze with this,” Ghost said, standing up and pulling both boys to their feet.



“Ghost, don't. You know she's got a lot on her mind. She doesn't need to be bothered with this,” Omi said, wrapping one arm protectively around Nagi's still trembling shoulders.



“She'd want to know, Omi. She's been my mother for the last ten years. So have Star and Skye for that matter. She would want to know if something was bothering me. And this is obviously something major since all three of us are having the same damn dream night after night. Even when we're not together. Come on, get in bed,” she said, pulling both of them toward the bed. They both balked for a second. “Oh, for the love of the gods! We need to sleep. We sleep better touching each other; you two know that by now.”



They both nodded and climbed into the bed. Nagi somehow ended up in the middle with Ghost curled up against him on one side and Omi on the other. He wasn't certain if the sigh he uttered was one of exhaustion or contentment. Ghost was right; they did sleep much better touching. They had discovered that the first night they had all spent together. When Omi had been the one who'd woke up close to screaming. He hadn't quieted until both he and Ghost had put their hands on him. They had all slept on the floor, tumbled on the futon mattress like a bunch of puppies.



This was good, Nagi thought. He felt better than he ever had in his life with these two. Here were two people who wanted him to be okay, who wanted him around. Moreover, he was simply wanted. There was still lingering awe in that thought. No one had ever really wanted him before. Sure Schwarz had taken him in and they formed a little family that frankly put the fun in dysfunctional. Omi had been his enemy for what seemed like forever. It was decidedly odd to be lying next to him with no concern whatsoever for his life. The connection both of them had to Ghost was even stranger. But she seemed to balance them out. He wasn't sure he could let go of either of them when this mission ended. He blinked, startled at the tears that had suddenly come to his eyes.



“Shhh. S'okay, Nagi,” Omi mumbled, throwing one arm across Nagi's chest, his fingers tangling with Ghost's which were already resting there.



“Go to sleep. We'll chase off the nightmares together,” Ghost said.



Nagi fell into dreams again. Not good, not bad, just dreams. Dreams of a woman's voice singing, a man's smile. Dreams of watching someone's nimble fingers making arrows for hunting. Dreams of a healer's touch. Dreams that felt more like memories than dreams.





Ghost woke at dawn to someone knocking softly on her door. She started to scramble up until she saw Skye come in and close the door behind her.



“Ghost, you'd better get the boys up and to their own room before Sunny gets home. He'll be here in about fifteen minutes.”



“Thanks,” she said smiling. “Skye?”



“Yes, sweetheart?”



“Do you know anything about dreams?”



“A little. Why?”



“We've been having the same nightmare for over a month now. Every time it gets clearer and more intense. We're not sure what to make of it.”



“Hmmm. I don't know either. Maybe you should ask Goddess about it when she comes in today.”



“I will. Oh, you'd better have Star straighten things out between Ran and Yohji, otherwise they won't be speaking to each other for a quite a while. That could compromise the mission.”



“I will,” Skye said, heading out the door. She paused for a moment and turned to look at them all. “You know the three of you make a very good team.”



“How far have you seen that one go?” Ghost asked, smiling.



Skye smiled back at her. “Centuries.”





“You're going on a what?” was Crawford's disbelieving question upon Schuldig announcing his intentions for the evening.



“A date,” Schuldig said, speaking slowly so there was no mistaking what he'd said.



“You do realize that we're in the middle of planning a mission? And not knowing where you are until all hours of the night for several nights running might interfere in it. Not like it's ever stopped you before. I just don't want to have to hunt in every sleazy club in the greater Chicago area to find you.”



Schuldig shook his head. “You're missing the point, Bradley. I'm not going to a club. Does this charming ensemble look like I'm going to a club?” he asked, turning around several times to give the full effect of the nicely tailored Armani suit he was wearing. “Someone would spill booze on it in a heartbeat. I have a date. There is a very subtle difference. Club-means being with many people at once. Generally in the desperate hope of getting laid. Date-usually means taking one person to dinner, movie, etc. Also in the hope of getting laid. But with the general knowledge that it's less likely to happen. Remember? You say, “Hey would you like to go on a date with me?” If the person says yes, you go out on said date.”



Crawford's look was close to murderous. “What poor, desperate person would agree to go out with you in the first place?”



“That would be this poor, desperate person,” Skye said from the top of the stairs.



Schuldig smiled and leaned his arms on the bottom post of the stairs. Taking in the emerald green silk dress Skye was wearing complete with matching accessories.



“Love the shoes. Hope those aren't the Mistress' stilettos.”



“They aren't.”



Schuldig smiled up at her again.



Crawford blinked at him in surprise. Schuldig hadn't smirked; it had been a genuine smile. Twice. At least he thought it was. He only remembered seeing a real smile from him once before. Hell must have officially frozen over.



“Let me know how he is later, Sis,” Star said, looking up from her magazine.



“Are you out of your mind?” Sunny said, staring at her in shock.



“No. Why would I be?” she said, coming down the stairs.



Schuldig took her hand and kissed it gallantly. “Absolutely gorgeous.”



“Goddess, aren't you going to say something about this?” Sunny protested.



Blaze looked up from where she was teaching Omi how to play chess. She was sitting on Watari's lap and had been watching 003 try to sneak Omi's chess pieces to better spots when she thought Blaze wasn't looking. “Have a good time. Make sure you're back early because we have an eight a.m. planning meeting.”



“Will do, Mistress,” Schuldig said, opening the front door and letting Skye go out before him.



“Sunny, shouldn't you and Yohji be getting ready to go to the club? We still need the recon reports from the two of you,” Blaze said. “Checkmate.”



“Goddess!”



“Sunny, she is an adult. She can date anyone she damn well pleases as long as it doesn't interfere with this mission. Since it's her night off and we don't have any meeting about it until the morning and we don't need Isakk right now, I see nothing wrong with it.”



Outside Skye and Schuldig were trying desperately to keep from laughing. Schuldig made a big show of opening the car door for her, knowing even without telepathy, that either Crawford or Sunny were watching out the window. He turned to her grinning as he got in.



“So, should we go ahead and do dinner? Since at least one of them will probably follow us.”



“Good idea. Besides, I'm starving.”



“Me too.”



“I'll even take you to see “The Potato That Ate Muncie” afterward,” she said grinning. “It's in 3-D”



“Ah, a woman after my own cinematic inclinations. I think I love you.”



She smirked at him. “Down, boy. We have coworkers to torture. Which requires a certain degree of subtlety.”



“I can do subtle,” he said.



She burst out laughing. “Schuldig, darlin', you are about as subtle as a cannon ball shot through a piece of rice paper.”



He laughed. “Love the drawl.” He put the car in gear and pulled out of the driveway, heading north into the city proper.



Skye smiled a few miles down the road. “We have a tail.”



“Naturally,” Schuldig said, glancing in the rearview mirror then over his shoulder. “Looks like Brad wins the prize tonight.”





Meanwhile, back at the house, things were less relaxed.



“Damn it, Goddess. Why won't you let me follow them?” Sunny said, pacing the living room like a caged tiger.



“Because, Oracle already is. Not to mention, it is none of your business who Skye dates. It's your night to do recon, Sunny. Since you and Balinese are the best suited to go into the clubs without arousing suspicion. Your reputations are known far and wide in both the States and in Tokyo. Don't give me that look. If you don't like my orders we can take this upstairs to the training room,” Blaze said over her shoulder.



“No,” he said then stomped up the stairs to his room. Presumably to find club clothes.



“Koishii,” Watari said gently. “Don't you think you're being a little bit hard on him?”



“He's a grown up, Yutaka. I shouldn't have to remind him of things like he's some sullen teenager.” She looked at Ghost, Nagi and Omi. “Sorry guys, no insult intended.”



“None taken,” Nagi said, looking up from his laptop.



“He's welcome to refuse any mission. Since he didn't refuse this one when it first started I expect him to fulfill his duties.” She turned and looked at him suspiciously. “Exactly why are you still here? Not that I mind or that I'm complaining. But Chiro should be home by now. Wait a second; weren't you two supposed to be out on assignment?”



“Yes. Since part of said assignment trailed over to the States, I thought I'd visit you for a bit.”



“Hmmm. What are you up to, Honey?”



“Me? Why would I be up to anything?”



“Since when aren't you up to something? I swear, if you've tested something on Chiro and are afraid to go home . . .”



“I'm not that crazy. He'd kill me again.”



“Therein lies utter truth.”



“Do I need a reason to visit my wife? Especially when my husband is buried in paperwork up to his glasses and sort of kicked me out of the house so he could get some peace and quiet.”



Blaze nearly rolled out of his lap laughing. 003 took the opportunity to move several of Omi's chess pieces around on the board while Blaze laughed herself nearly to tears. Omi smiled and scratched her behind a wing in appreciation.



Upstairs they heard a very distinct slam and then “Goddamnit, Aya!” from Yohji.



“Star, I thought you were going to fix this,” Blaze said, looking at her pointedly.



“I would, but he won't listen to a word I say. Keeps saying he took unfair advantage of Yohji. I keep trying to tell him that Yohji really didn't look or sound like he minded being taken advantage of . . .”



“Spare me the details. Maybe someone else should try to talk to him,” Blaze said thoughtfully.



“I'll do it,” Ken said, moving Star's feet out of his lap and heading up the stairs just as Yohji was coming down them.



“Stupid, stubborn bastard,” Yohji was muttering under his breath.



“Daaaammnnnnn!” was Star's reaction to Yohji's club outfit. “I want to go clubbing too!”



“No you don't. You've had more than enough fun lately,” Blaze said. “And those had better not be my handcuffs still attached to your bed.”



“They aren't,” she said smiling. “They're Ghost's.”



“WHAT!?!” was Sunny's exclamation as he followed Yohji down the stairs.



“Just kidding. Good gods, Sunny. You're getting worse than Abyssinian.”



“Don't kid when it will most likely get either me or both of the guys killed, Star,” Ghost said, reaching over Omi's shoulder and moving one of his chess pieces.





Ken knocked lightly on the door to the room Aya was staying in. He heard movement but there was no answer. He tried again, knocking a little louder this time.



“Aya,” he called. “It's Ken.”



He heard the sound of a lock being thrown. The door opened a crack and one of Aya's beautiful purple eyes was just visible. He opened the door wider when he saw Ken was alone.



“Can I come in? I need to talk to you for a minute.”



Aya merely pulled the door open completely and stepped aside. Then closed the door again once Ken was inside the room. Ken took into account the room and Aya's state of advanced disarray. Things looked as though they had been thrown against the walls. Aya himself looked far worse for wear. His hair was mussed as though he had run his hands through it in frustration several times in the last few minutes. He was wearing only an incredibly faded pair of jeans and looked ready to either murder someone or die on the spot himself. This was not normal Aya behavior.



Before Ken could even open his mouth Aya said, “I know I need to talk to Kudou. I just . . . can't seem to face him right now.”



“Can't face him or can't face yourself, Aya?”



Aya stared at the other man. Frankly astounded by the fact he had hit the nail directly on the head. Since waking up yesterday morning he couldn't quite bring himself to look at his reflection in the mirror.



“So, you figured out you like guys. Big deal. We all have something about ourselves we'd rather not know about.”



“That isn't the point, Ken.”



“Then what is the point, Aya? Because he's a team mate? I know that excuse is bullshit and so do you. I think it's because you know that neither one of you were that drunk and you came on to him. You're just embarrassed considering the way you woke up. You're also embarrassed because he remembers all of it in great detail and so do you.”



“The fact remains that I took unfair advantage of him.”



“I was in the same room. Remember? Looked and sounded to me that he was an extremely willing participant in the exchange. Now, here is your mission. You are going to talk to him when he gets back. Not provoke him to beat you senseless because you think you deserve it. Not glare and grunt like a damn Neanderthal. Talk. Or I swear I'll sic the triplets on you. Which is a fate worse than death.”



“The triplets?”



“Have you met Omi, Ghost and Nagi? Those three could make a saint feel like the biggest lowlife on the planet.”



Aya's lips twitched slightly. “Fine, I'll talk to him.”



“Make sure you look him in the eye when you talk to him, Aya. He deserves to know that your problem is with yourself and not him.”



“I'll make sure to do that. Anything else?” Aya said, almost sarcastically.



“Yeah, there is,” Ken said, snagging Aya's orange sweater off of the chair back. “I'm taking this to Goddess so she can burn it. This is hideous. Even a straight man knows better than to wear orange if he's a redhead.”



“Give me back my damn sweater, Ken,” Aya said, eyes narrowing dangerously.



“Not happening. Get your shit together. No one wants to follow a leader who freaks out over a little thing like being gay. Or at very least bi,” Ken said, walking out the door. Leaving Aya to stare after him as though he had lost his mind completely.



***********Author's Notes*******

The song used at the beginning of this chapter is "Forget Me Not" by Bad English.