Strange Times

“Yes”, “not at all”, and “what do you want” summed up the current cohesive thinking of Weiss quite well. Schuldich exerted an epic amount of self control and neglected the urge to snicker. Omi quelled the team with a look that promised scolding later, and turned his attention to Aya.



No. not the team, his team. Schuldich made a mental note of the correction, and a reminder to pay close attention to the least assuming Weiss member. It might save him a messy death later. Schuldich met Omi’s gaze and nodded slightly. The boy had a set of balls to match that brain of his. Weiss’ kid brother had grown up.



“We were just about to order.” Omi’s gaze shifted from Schuldich to Aya. “Join us?”



Invitation superseding interruption, Aya nodded and took the empty chair between Omi and Ken. Which left Schuldich in the position of trying to sort out where to put himself at a table made for four.



‘Well, I could sit in your lap, dance on the table itself…’



‘Or you could just pull up a chair.’



‘Bah. That’s like work.’



Cobweb tickles of laughter teased through Aya’s head as Schuldich wandered over to the nearest uninhabited table, bent just low and just long enough to make Yohji go cross-eyed, and returned to the table with his prize. In a bit of tactical brilliance, Schuldich decided not to push his luck and settled his chair in the space Aya obligingly shifted to create between himself and Omi.



Yohji’s narrowed eyes regarded Aya, who was busy keeping an eye on Ken, who was glaring daggers at Schuldich, who was busy exchanging timeless conversational nothings with Omi. It was a recipe for indigestion. A server fluttered over with anxious intent to unify them all with thoughts of what to order, and to her credit she hardly flinched when Aya snapped out his order with icy precision, and aborted the urge to flee when both Schuldich and Yohji ordered through Cheshire smiles.



“Sorry about interrupting earlier,” Yohji muttered into the silence left in the servers wake.



Schuldich relaxed back into his chair, eyes glittering. “That’s quite alright. You did knock, after all. And we were…done.”



The look on Aya’s face informed Schuldich if he opened his mouth again they were done permanently.



“I’m sorry for being such an ass.” Ken’s muttered apology was uncomfortable and unhappy, but honest.



The little dysfunctional family of Weiss, despite having been built upon violence and tragedy, was rather determined to stay glued together. Schuldich watched his four dining companions stumble through the act of apologizing for slights both real and imagined as they struggled to make sure everything was alright, that everyone was ok. That no one was going to leave.



Aya frowned, little bits of gooseflesh marching up and down his arms. Something…



He cast a quick glance over at Schuldich. The telepath was a picture of sublime relaxation, if one ignored the little lines forming around his eyes, the slight strain in his smile. Mentally, Aya went through every set of indecent and inappropriate phrases he had ever learned or heard Yohji shout when the shower ran out of hot water. Having been, however unwillingly, privy to how much his team had meant to Schuldich…



‘A penny for your thoughts.’ Schuldich stood, and smiled slightly as three assassins twitched at the unexpected movement. “Sorry for intruding.” Schuldich tossed some cash onto the table to cover the meal he wasn’t going to be around to eat, tossed a smile at the seated members of Weiss. “I’m going out for a bit, Aya. Call if you need me.”



‘Make good with the team, Aya. I’ll meet you back home.’



Omi watched Schuldich leave with a considering look on his face. “Is he alright?”



“He’s just messing with us. Probably wants Aya to leave and come after him.”



“I dunno, Ken…”



“He’ll be fine.” Aya inhaled a fading hint of cinnamon. The ‘eventually’ and ‘I hope’ weren’t vocalized, but they were more than apparent in Aya’s narrowed eyes.



“Hey, if you guys need anything…” Yohji started, uncertain as to whether or not he was crossing some unspoken line, but determined to get his concern across.



Ken nodded, supportive if not approving. “Ah, is it ok to let him go like that? Telepathic, sadistic assassin in a bad mood out on the town?”



“You want to volunteer to tail him?” Yohji grinned.



Wonderful. For the first time since the tower came down Weiss was almost getting along. Stress and uncertainty, the loss of that insane momentum that had carried them to and through that final confrontation had left them out of sorts, quirks and tempers rampant. Solidarity in the face of a common foe. And they had…Schuldich to thank for it.



‘Thank me later.’



The friendly little suggestions Schuldich sent along with that statement were enough to make Aya cross his legs and scowl. ‘I should have let you drown.’



‘Probably.’ Schuldich gave the familiar answer.



A thought crossed Aya’s mind. ‘…where are you going, dressed like that?’



‘Wouldn’t you like to know? Enjoy dinner. It’s on me.’



“Shit.” Ken whistled, curiosity having prodded him into poking at the wad of cash Schuldich had left on the table. “I hope he doesn’t expect change.”