Sunday 1.11 Up on the Rooftop

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

The employees in the back rooms of Murakawa's supermarket were busy unloading shipments from the trailers of a couple of rigs--monthy or bi-monthly shipments, probably--so Farfarello was able to slip past them unnoticed, even though he was carrying a basket with the Murakawa logo printed in glaring white on all sides. The supermarket took up the bottom floor of a ten-story building, and there was an ancient-looking fire escape in the alley between the market and the bank next door. There was also a permanent escape ladder further on that looked a little newer, and went straight from the roof to ten feet above the ground. Farfarello was no grasshopper like Schuldig, but he could easily make a jump like that--another thing he could thank Eszett scientists for. Of course, while experimenting to enhance both speed and jump-range in the same muscles they'd rendered many other sets of legs completely useless, but they'd had some success with Farf.

In a flash he was climbing madly toward the roof, basket dangling from the crook of his elbow. He was still suppressing whatever it was that was welling up, but it was getting more and more difficult. It felt like if he let it out it would shatter him to pieces, and he certainly didn't want any witnesses for that. Well, except Schu. The telepath had seen (and probably at least partially experienced) a lot of Farfarello's worst moments; he wouldn't mind if Schuldig saw him collapse from this, no matter how messy it was.

Farf used the rails to vault over the edge of the roof, scaring some pigeons away in a flurry of feathers and startled cooing. He let the basket drop, and then collapsed on all fours, releasing his hold on whatever was inside him. It sort of felt like he was going to cough up all of his internal organs; that would be interesting. It would probably amuse Schuldig, too.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, he burst out laughing. It took him completely by surprise. He'd cackled, even chuckled, maybe giggled once or twice, but he couldn't remember ever really laughing. He couldn't even recognize his voice. He fell on his side on the concrete, holding his stomach, laughing so hard that his sides felt like they would split open from the force of them, so loud that he was sure everyone in Tokyo could hear him. Tears streamed down both sides of his face--nothing wrong with the tear duct in his left eye, at any rate. The thought inexplicably made him laugh even harder, and he couldn't stop. It felt like he'd never stop.

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[fireun.livejournal.com]

Schuldich munched on something slightly crunchy and sweet and perfect, and wished for popcorn.
That was something you just didn’t see every day. Or ever, really.
“Hey, Farf, you been holding out on me?” Farf was…laughing, in that so-hopped-up-on-drugs-life-is-amazing sort of way. Not that Farfarello needed to add to his unique brand of brain chemistry, but the thought was amusing. Schuldich couldn’t help but grin. Damn if Farfarello’s humor wasn’t infectious. He could shield, probably, but why bother. There was nothing wrong with a little amused mayhem on the roof in the middle of the afternoon. Nothing at all.
That, and the thought of the Weiss kids trying to sort out what the hell was going on were they to see this made Schuldich chuckle.
Amused? Yeah he was amused. He was positively fucking giddy. So that was what unhinged hilarity tasted like. Schuldich’s grin curved into something that made the cat that ate the canary look innocent.
It really was shaping out to be a damn good day.
“That ice cream you’ve got over there?”

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Schuldig was here, asking him something. Farfarello's hysteria was tapering off naturally already, so he reined in his self-control until he could actually hear his teammate.

"That ice cream you've got over there?"

Still giggling hard, he got to his knees and brushed the roof-dirt off his side. He sat back on his feet, looking up at the sky, and took a couple of deep breaths. He cleared his throat, mostly under control now, and looked into his basket. There was the green tea ice cream, and the other sported a grinning, bandanna-wearing monkey on a motorcycle. He turned the carton. 'Triple-ripple vanilla road monkey.' His lips trembled as he clenched his facial muscles, determined not to lose it again. When he was sure his face was straight, he turned to Schu. "You want the green tea or the road monkey?" he said, the last syllable stretching his lips into Joker's grin that he couldn't get rid of, as he burst into helpless giggles. He pressed a fist to his forehead.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

...road monkey?

No wonder Farfarello couldn't keep a straight face. He was looking at a carton of something that was called road monkey.

"While i find your current hilarity new and exciting, it's almost terrifying. And not in the fun blood splatter sort of way. I'll take the green tea."

Now, the important question, get close enough to snatch the offered snack or sit back and wait for the giggling man to toss it over. Aw, hell, you only live once. Schuldich sauntered over and plopped down next to his teammate.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farf finally--probably--managed to get himself under control. "New and exciting, eh. You're responsible for this, ye know." He fished out his blunted tanto, the one he used for everything except cutting or killing, and held it out in offering. It was one of the first knives he'd acquired in the field, when he'd still had the scientists' mega-dope in his system for the transfer, causing him to be careless. It was thoroughly dull, and just as clean as all of his other knives, so hopefully Schu wouldn't have a problem with it as an eating utensil. Unless he'd come across a spoon somewhere downstairs, or Crawford had advised him to bring one when he left the house.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"I'm responsible?"

Schuldich eyed the tanto contemplatively. Sure. Why not. Farfarello was meticulous with his blades. It was cleaner than the silverware at home most likely. Schuldich accepted with a smirk and dug into his treat.

"So. Explain to my how this particular bit of hilarity is my fault."

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farf raised an eyebrow as he pulled out a dagger and sampled the road monkey. "Do ye think I'd have been able to pull off a mindfuck like that if I hadn't learned it all from the Mastermind?" he asked, swallowing. "I have paid some attention to the three of ye all these past years, ye know. Well," he qualified, brow furrowing, "to you, at least. Ye pull my attention out of my own skull more than anyone else I've been around on a daily basis, me lovely."

This road monkey stuff was pretty good, actually. Farf sucked some more off his knife and chewed through a piece of fudge.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"I've always wanted an attentive little protegee." Schuldich smirked around the icecream-laden tanto hanging out his mouth, then slurped in a merry disregard for manners.

Schuldich muddled his way around a case of brain freeze, and frowned, humor dropped. "Back at you, by the way. With the paying attention stuff. You're the most interesting thing I have ever had the fortune to run across. Fascinating really."

Sitting on his ass on the roof with Berserker, after a fascinatingly blood free confrontation with Weiss, having some sort of heart to heart. It was almost too surreal for belief. Schuldich took a minute to brush across the milling herd of humanity in the store below, in the street, letting the world reassert its reality.

"Hey, mind if i try a taste of that?"

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farfarello smiled, fighting to keep a flush from his cheeks. It was exceedingly rare that he was complimented on anything, much less for just being his usual lunatic self.

When Schuldig asked for a taste, he contemplated giving it to him mouth to mouth, but decided against it. He didn't think Schu would be freaked out or offended by it--there was precious little in this world that could do either of those to a telepath, much less one of Schu's caliber--but he didn't feel like venturing into such new territory right now, just after he'd come down off his first fit of genuine mirth. Self-inflicted, no less. He just handed the carton over, instead.

Remembering what had caused his hilarity to begin with, he asked, "Did I ever tell ye about the little sister and me? Back when she was in our custody?"

[fireun.livejournal.com]

Schuldich was very, very tempted to try and take a peek, sort out just what had inspired the smile on Farfarello's face, but sneaking into that twisty brain was never an option and he was enjoying the current easy companionship too much to fuck it up. He liked messing with people, but he also liked icecream and not crawling home and explaining why he was suddenly full of holes. And damn if he didnt actually like the crazy bastard. He filed that bit of personal epiphany away to ignore or deal with later as he saw fit and gave the monkey icecream a try.

"Story time, and icecream. This is the best evening I have had in weeks. Do tell, and remember to put in some outrageous embellishments for flavor."

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Turning his eye skyward, Farf said, "Don't even think this will need embellishment for ye to find flavor in it." He picked up the green tea and savored a mouthful of it, while he decided how to begin.

"It was an evening about a week after you and I picked her up from the cat-house. Crawford was meeting an Eszett rep, and ye were out gettin your freak on, I suppose. Nagi was where he always is, and I wasn't locked in--ye probably unlocked me after Crawford left. So of course I didn't stay in my room like a good boy.

"The sister was in the recliner in the living room for some reason, so I sat on the couch to watch telly. But I ended up watchin her instead. It was near twilight, with the sun shining gold on her skin, and I got it into my head that she was responsible for the dying of the day. A starlight princess, all pale and thin, bringing on the night. I moved closer to her so I could see her better. Her eyelids were all delicate and purple, and I thought if I were to pull them up, I would see night spilling out of her sockets with one star in the middle. Sort of enchanted me, that idea, and her purple-black braids against her nightgown that was almost the same shade of white as her skin. So I..."

Farf paused, dropping his eyes to his hands, suddenly not certain if he wanted to tell this story. What had started him on it to begin with? He couldn't remember. It wouldn't mean anything to Schuldig anyway, except as a fleeting source of entertainment, and maybe something else to make fun of him for.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"Uncertain doesnt look good on you." Schuldich passed the icecream back with a air of rare attentiveness. "You going to share the rest or are you going to make me come up with the next part?"

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farf took the carton from Schu, meeting those cobalt eyes for a moment. The telepath seemed to really be listening, instead of half there, half somewhere more amusing. It was enough.

Around a melting mouthful of monkey he continued: "I wanted to touch her, so i reached out and touched her arm. I ran my hand up her arm to her nightgown, and down her side. Her skin and her gown had almost the same texture, the same kind of silk. I thought if I pulled her gown off it would be like peeling off a layer of skin, and the thought was too delicious not to do. I took it off, and underneath she was wearing these awful little pink panties with lollies all over them--Tot probably put them on her--so I took those off too. I laid her out on the couch so I could sit next to her, and crossed her hands between her breasts like she was dead. She was so pretty. Not stunning the way her brother is, but very fair and pretty, like an enchanted princess. I wanted to know how far into death she'd gone, how much of her was still alive." Farfarello could see the tableau before him on the roof, remember exactly how he'd felt. He grew half-hard from the memory. "I put my fingers inside her, rubbed her clit with my thumb, sucked her nipples, nibbled her skin." He grinned. "She wasn't far enough into death that she didn't get wet for me. Not dead enough not to want me. Though her breathing and her face were the same, and she didn't move at all. It was so intoxicating. I tasted every part of her, from her stale mouth to her cold fingers to the heat dripping between her thighs. It was amazing. I made love to her that way, wondering if my cock would wake her up, and if she would want to put her arms around me or push me off. I'd read that coma patients could hear what went on around them sometimes, and I wondered if, should she ever wake, she would ever remember me spilling into her. I wondered if she would get pregnant and carry a half-demon child in her half-dead princess body."

Farf shook his head, bringing himself back to the rooftop. He hadn't meant to share quite that much of himself, but it probably didn't matter. "When I saw her today I wondered if she would know me somehow, but...I get the feeling she doesn't know that she has this night-princess inside her, so of course she wouldn't know me. I wonder, if I meet her a few more times, if I tell her...I wonder what she would say." He took a huge bite of ice cream, staring out at nothing.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

Schuldich chuckled, shaking his head in awed appreciation. "I never regret talking with you, Farf. You always tell me the most amazing things...Damn, Abyssinian would be spitting mad if he knew." Oddly aware of, and actually giving a shit about the tension his slight amusement brought to the situation, Schuldich braved a quick, stabbing death and slumped down into a casual sprawl that landed his head on Farfarello's thigh. He had been listening, he had been paying attention. No taunting, no teasing, just a business like appreciation and fascinated approval of Farfarello's actions.

"Ya know though, its enough to make a guy jealous."

About that stabbity death he had so blithely dismissed seconds earlier...

Knowing when to keep his mouth shut had never been one of Schuldich's strong points.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farf chuckled, fingers idly toying with Schu's brilliant flyaway hair. "I wouldn't mind Abyssinian knowing. I would get to fight him again, and his goal would be me. No taking off with meddling Kritiker, this time." The thought of meeting those cold, distant purple eyes when they were wild with passionate hatred for him and him alone, clashing blades again...he was glad Schuldig's head was short of his crotch, because he was throbbing hard against his zipper.

Schuldig's last statement caught up to him, and a puzzled frown crossed his face. "What do you mean by jealous?" he asked, looking down at Schu.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"Eh, you know me, always running my mouth." Half true. to support his flippany nonchalance Schuldich should have at least attempted to remove his head from its current Farf-pillow.

But that was like work, and he was comfortable. Or had been until Farfarello had chosen to pull out of his reverie and notice that one, flip little escaped sentence.

"Pass me some of that money icecream" Anything to ease the tension of wanting to say something but not wanting to risk saying anything. The Mastermind, flustered and fussy. It was enough to make Schuldich sulk in his own churlish brand of embarrassed.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farfarello narrowed his eye, tilted his head. "Ye do run your mouth, my lovely, but ye don't usually care what I think of what comes out of it. Ye look almost embarassed, and that's not like ye."

He scooped some road monkey up with his dagger, and held it up to Schuldig's lips, pointedly. A melted drop fell off the tip and slid down Schu's lower lip. It was probably just the state he'd worked himself into, but he really wanted to lick it off.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

A quick perimeter check informed Schuldich his shields were up and running. Wonderful. He wasnt leaking, which meant Farfarello knew him well enough to notice the little things, and was as of late lucid enough to do something about it.

A bit of icecream landed on his lips and slid its way south. Schuldich decided there was something decidedly feral in the way Farfarello was looking down on him. It was an interesting perspective on life. Schuldich decided to see how much more interesting he could make it. With a bit of languid sensuality he licked the icecream off his lower lip, keeping his eyes on Farfarello's face the entire time.

Half to dare, half so as to be able to get as early warning as possible should feral shift that little bit that would make it murderous.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Things were becoming strange. Schuldig was staring him down, sensual, challenging him, and that remark about jealousy...

Ah. Of course. He was being teased. Schuldig had decided he was conquest material. In a way, it was flattering, but more than anything it hurt. He knew how long Schu's conquests were apt to last, and the end--after however many days or weeks it took for Schuldig to get bored--was usually a major mindtwist. He approved of the style generally, was even greatly amused by it, but thinking of Schuldig applying the same flippant style to himself...it wasn't something you'd do to someone you thought of as your equal, your teammate, your...well. They'd never really been friends, had they? Schuldig was just most often assigned to babysit him.

At least his erection was killed, now.

He looked away and pulled the knife from Schuldig's lips quickly, making a shallow cut where the ice cream had dripped, and stuck it into his own mouth. He considered moving his thigh out from under Schuldig's head, but that would have just been petty. Besides, even now, he couldn't deny that he liked it there.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"Blood and chocolate, while interesting in theory, dont mix well." Schuldich probed at the shallow cut with his tongue. Honestly, he had been expecting to bleed a bit more for his current streak of audacity.

Something though, something he had done hadnt quite pissed his companion off, but it had sure as hell killed whatever mood had been mumbling in the background.

"I can move if you want."

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farfarello sighed. "I don't want ye to move. And I've always been rather fond of blood and chocolate." He looked back down at Schuldig, at his stark European features, long lashes, mischievous eyes and full, bleeding lower lip. He'd always had a thing for Schu, ever since he'd first seen him after being shipped from the bowels of Rosenkreuz to...Crawford's team. (He couldn't even remember where they'd been when he'd joined them. Germany? Japan? Jamaica? Could've been Saturn, for all he knew.) Schu hadn't ever expressed that kind of desire for him--not that he could remember--and he could be far more direct if he wanted to fuck someone. Farfarello was probably just reading too much into the situation. Schuldig knew the concept of subtlety, but didn't often employ it if he didn't need to. And why would he need to with Farf? If he wanted to fuck, he'd probably say, 'let's fuck.' Ergo, he probably didn't want to. He was just teasing.

He was beginning to see the downside of lucidity. With lucidity came the ability to overthink things, which was definitely what he was doing right now.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"You know, you are thinking hard enough to give me a headache." Schuldich made a great show of settling back against his thigh-turned-pillow, relaxing, sighing appropriately and showing no inclination to move. Relaxed. Comfortable. Well, to be fair, there was a pebble or something poking him in the small of his back, and his ass seemed to be falling asleep, but he was as comfortable as could be expected. Eyes closed, mind coiled, he was vulnerable as he rarely allowed himself to be. In his own convoluted way, Schuldich was trying to make a point.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farfarello was taken aback. No one, but no one closed their eyes around him. 'He can snap at any moment.' 'Always be on your guard.' 'Always watch him.' 'Never, ever give him an opening.' He couldn't remember how many times he'd heard such sentiments. Yet here was Schuldig, head on his thigh, eyes closed, giving every appearance of being fully relaxed. Even if he wasn't. It...made him feel like he'd been thinking uncharitable things about his teammate. He gently touched the cut he'd made on Schu's lip. "Why are ye letting your guard down around me, Schu? Ye shouldn't, ye know."

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"I do a pile of things i shouldn't. everyone knows that." Schuldich wriggled a bit, trying to shift away from the rock stabbling his back, trying not to nip at the finger on his lip. That was definately on the not to do list.

"Hell, Farf, I trust you to cover my back in a fight. I should be able to trust you refrain from turning me into a creative sort of corpse."

The finger on his lip was a bit too close to a suggestion for Schuldich's comfort. He didnt know if Farf meant it.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Schuldig was showing signs of discomfort now; Farf couldn't really tell if it was because of him or because lying on the roof was uncomfortable. "Even I don't really trust me, Schu," he murmured, surprised at how sad he sounded. He traced his finger from Schu's lip up along one of his sharp cheekbones. "I've always wanted a bouquet of blue eyes to keep in my room, because I love the color of your eyes, have I told ye that? So I could look at them while I went to sleep. I've wanted to cut your eyes out so badly sometimes, especially when I was being punished and hadn't seen ye for days...it feels like past tense, but I don't know if it really is, because I still love the color of your eyes."

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"Ya know, Farf, that might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." Schuldich opened his eyes and sported a crooked grin, leaning into the finger running across his cheek just enough to show he enjoyed the attention.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farf's eye widened momentarily. He'd meant to give an example of why he couldn't, shouldn't, be trusted, but...

Well, Schuldig had just said he did loads of things he shouldn't do.

He laid his palm against Schuldig's cheek, running his thumb just lightly under Schu's bottom lip. There was a twisting sensation in his chest as he stared into those unfathomable eyes, sharp with intelligence, mischief and malice.

"You're acting strange," he said softly.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

Schuldich barked a laugh. Now they were back onto familiar ground. Someone calling Schuldich strange. Typical. Schuldich rolled over, trying to smother harsh laughter against Farfarello's thigh.

Great. Now he had a rock poking him in the stomach.

And it all came full circle, from one bout of hysterics to the next. Schuldich shook with gasping cackles and howling that sounded more like a cat fight than actual mirth.

Strange. Fey and wild. That was Mastermind. Something to toss at the enemies and appreciate the ensuing chaos. Amused at his own self-deprecating turn of thought, Schuldich snorted out a giggle.

The whole situation was rather funny. He hated being submissive to anyone, anything, but there he was, every inch of position and posture suggesting he was less than alpha in this particular situation. He was settling back and letting someone else be in charge, and that someone was perplexed.

"Yup. Strange. That's me." The sound of Schuldich's voice, muffled against Farf's leg, threatened to send him into another bout of unhinged hysterics. "Aren't we a pair."

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

At first he'd thought Schuldig was mocking him with the laughter, but it went on too long for that. It sounded more like he was mocking himself. Not unheard of, but rare. Schu was definitely in a very rare mood. Farfarello couldn't interpret it, not really, but it seemed like his fiery-headed companion wanted something from him. Needed something, maybe. Possibly something Farfarello wouldn't be able to give, but he supposed he'd never know if he didn't ask.

"Schu..." He trailed off, leaning forward, brushing off his hands and combing both of them through Schuldig's mane, over and over. He couldn't figure out exactly what to say. "My entire life, I've never been so close to anyone as I am to ye, and it still feels like I only have the slightest understanding of ye. If something's bothering ye..." Again he trailed off, suddenly self-conscious. "Is it me?" he asked, never pausing while stroking his fingers through Schu's hair, over his perfectly formed skull. Hsir that wasn't as beautiful as the Abyssinian's, but still looked devastating when splashed with blood. His fingers itched for his knives, to slice his fingers so he could watch the strange play of dark running red and hot orange. "Is it me?" he repeated, whispering.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"Naw, Farf. You wont be bothering me until you stop messing with my hair." Fey humor still intact, Schuldich just barely resisted the urge to gnaw playfully on Farfarello's leg.

"You arent bothering me. I'm bothering me." Conversations and concerns trailed about in Schuldich's brain with the usual unpredictable speed. Play slid back to a skewed sort of concern within the space of an inhalation. "You dont trust me, do you? You think I'm playing with ya."

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

"Maybe. I don't really know what to think. I've never really seen ye like this before. Or I have, and was in such a different frame of mind that I experienced it differently." He switched one hand from carding through Schu's hair to massaging his scalp. "If I can trust you're not playing with me, Schuldig, then tell me, my lovely, what are ye doing?"

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"I believe the word I'm lookin for is 'flirting', in a typically inexplicable sort of way."

Schuldich had a feeling his muttering wasnt going to be muffled or garbled by proximity to thigh enough to render it incomprehensible.

Flirting. With violence, with danger, with a companionship that had been pretty much constant through many years. With something that wouldnt break, that might actually break him. Somewhere between adrenaline and honest affection his brain had nested Farfarello.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farfarello's hands froze; his blood seemed to be going through his veins at several times the normal speed. He suddenly wanted to hold a knife to Schuldig's throat until he started making sense again. This wasn't...he didn't..."Schuldig," he breathed, forcing his hands to start moving again, to be gentle even as his adrenaline began trickling into his veins, "I've seen ye flirt. You're much better at it than this. When ye flirt it can't be mistaken for anything else." He didn't want Schuldig to hide his face anymore. He wanted to pull Schu onto his back again, but such manhandling wouldn't be conducive to Schuldig being communicative. He felt strangely helpless. "Usually no one can get ye to shut up, and now to get anything out of ye, it's like pullin teeth. I don't know what to do...please look at me."

[fireun.livejournal.com]

Catching a hint of Farfarello's almost desperate anxiety, Schuldich hauled himself back so he was facing his companion, ignoring the way the movement caused Farfarello's hands to get tangled and pull in his hair.

"When i flirt for a quick fuck, mind or otherwise, I am damn good at it. Peerless even. I dont expect you want to be a quick fuck." Shit, he hated being honest. It was awkward and uncomfortable and Schuldich promised himself that he wouldnt make a habit of it.

"You dont know what to do? I'm still trying to figure out where all of this came from? Fuck that, I know where it came from, and its insane. I am fucking jealous of that perfect little girl. Jealous enough I want to wrap her mind into a pretzel. Crazy, huh?" Schuldich bared his teeth in a feral smile, eyes narrow and glinting.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farfarello's mouth dropped open. It was damn hard to blindside Berserker, but he'd certainly never expected this from Schuldig. It didn't seem like Schuldig was lying to him. He seemed tense and uncertain, where he usually created tension and uncertainty in others. He backed up and pulled Schuldig to his knees, and surged forward, wrapping his arms hard around Schu's chest, fisting his hands in the soft green of his coat, chin on his shoulder. "Perfect little girl," he snorted, closing his eye and turning his head slightly to inhale the scent of that ridiculous orange hair. "No one's more perfect than you are, Schuldig. Not to me."

[fireun.livejournal.com]

Well, this was getting a little too open and honest for Schuldich's comfort. And an uncomfortable Mastermind was not a very pleasant entity. "Careful now. You're only going to encourage my already daunting arrogance." Humor wasnt really the most appropriate reply to Farfarello's statement, but Farfarello should know Schuldich well enough to realize the telepaths usual defensive technique and not take violent offense.

At least, that was the plan.

And Schuldich did settle his face against Farfarello's. Just a little.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farfarello squeezed his eye shut, grimacing. He was apparently way too close to crossing a line, or had already crossed it, or...shit. It wasn't like he had any experience with this sort of thing. He should have known Schu would clam up at this kind of overt statement, this sort of honest...affection.

He made his hands let go and sat back with his knees up in front of him, so Schuldig could have some distance. He fished out two of his throwing knives and made them dance between his fingers, resting his forearms on his knees. A little more focused, now he could see his error. He smiled wryly, focused on the ground between his feet. Just because Schuldig found himself a little jealous didn't mean he felt anything like Farfarello did. He was just possessive, hearing about someone enjoying themselves, getting satisfaction out of being with someone who wasn't Schuldig, meaning that for a few minutes their world hadn't revolved around him. That was all.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

A quicky study of Farfarello's body language made Schuldich wince. "I really am quite the impressive fuck up, arent I?" The great Mastermind, admitting a flaw. The End Times must be nigh.

Physical distance was...appreciated, at least until he sorted himself back into, well, himself. But Farfarello's complete withdrawal was...depressing. Schuldich's telepathy scrabbled after a faint wisp of affection that had been teasing at the corner of his mind, graceless as some kid after a candy.

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farf raised an eyebrow at Schu's statement, unsure of the meaning. But he wasn't about to dig whatever hole he'd started for himself any deeper. If he really meant anything to Schuldig other than a sometimes-amusing teammate, Schu would eventually do something about it. Farf wasn't about to push him.

To defuse the awkwardness, Farfarello looked up and said, "Ye know, I think we should take on Weiss as a project."

[fireun.livejournal.com]

Schuldich flipped his last cigarette and lighter out of his pocket, lit, inhaled, and reclined. "Funny thing, that. We were supposed to go looking for them before you left this morning."

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

"Was that the mission Crawford was going to send us on?" Farf chuckled. He was still in a very good mood, despite the weirdness. He looked up at Schuldig and smiled.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Find Weiss. Dont get caught. The usual." Schuldich relished a long, theraputic inhalation, then smirked. "I'd say we found them."

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

"Ah. Well, we didn't get caught; I caught them. And those boys are just so unhappy. I think we should help them get joy out of life, don't you? Show them how to achieve job satisfaction, and so forth. Since we're such charitable souls." He grinned, baring nearly all his teeth, his knives blurring between his fingers.

[fireun.livejournal.com]

Schuldich finished his smoke in thoughtful silence. He didnt have the tactical brain that Crawford employed with such brilliance, but he did know there were downsides to bothering already riled up assassins. That, and the aforementioned Crawford was most likely waiting impatiently for them to get their collective ass back home.

Tossing the butt into the empty carton of road monkey icecream, Schuldich came to an appropriate, if rather boringly mundane, decision. "I promised Crawford I would bring you back. If I stop listening he will never let us out to play together again."

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

Farfarello rolled his eye, kicking Schuldig's boot. "I didn't mean right now, today, ye daft bugger." He picked up the mostly melted remains of the green tea ice cream and slurped it down quickly, then tossed the carton over the edge of the roof, swiping the back of his hand across his mouth. He focused on Schu, smiling seductively. "I mean sort of a...long term manipulation. Just you and me. If ye want."

[fireun.livejournal.com]

"Ah Farf, you really know the way to a guys heart. It's a date." Schuldich stretched. "Well, i'm out of smokes and you're out of snacks. lets head home before dad comes lookin' for us."

[fieryredqueen.livejournal.com]

"It'll be many dates, if it goes as it should," Farf mumbled inaudibly. He picked up the grocery basket. "I actually did go shopping. For stuff we need. And we did run into Weiss, and there's a lot of info we can give. So Crawford can't be too upset, unless he's in a particularly unreasonable mood." Farf paused, considering. "Which he might be." Anticipating an interesting evening, Farfarello set off for home by jumping from rooftop to rooftop for as long as he could, knowing Schuldig would get home at whatever pace he wanted to, with or without him.

[off to 1.13]