Project F**ked Up

Series: Weiss-sorta.
Disclaimers: I don't own them.
Warnings: Forgive me for what I have done.

Summary: Boy meets boy (Brad and Ken) Boy likes boy ( Brad and Ken still) Boy wants to be bonded with boy ( Brad and Ken once again) Boy (Brad) is forced to work for yet another boy (Schuldig-dich-dirt whatever) boy (Schuldig) likes boy (Brad) boy (still Brad) doesn't want to like boy (Schuldig) boy (Schuldig) doesn't like to give up. And that's only the beginning. There is a throat slitting eye gouging serial killer on the loose-and boy-er Ken's old flame wants back in his life.
Confused? Good!


~*~

Folding himself carefully into the leather chair, Bradley Crawford looked around the plush office of his employer. Mister Takatori had called him early to brief him on a new incoming client.

" Bradley it's wonderful you could make it."

" You called me sir."

Smiling slightly Reji Takatori leaned back in his chair, " Yes, I did but since I've had to force that ' accumulated' vacation time on you these last two months, I'd thought perhaps you'd take a trip…or something. I just knew that girlfriend of yours would insist on one."


Brad's face remained neutral, " Sir I believe my boyfriend has asked you repeatedly not to refer to him as a woman."

Reiji laughed, " Of course I just couldn't resist. How is he doing anyway?"

Brad was silent for a bitter moment, then finally-" He's been pestering me to take him somewhere."

Reiji arched a brow.


" I'd thank you not to silently mock me sir."

" Would you prefer me to do it out loud?"

"…What is it that you wanted me for sir?"

" I want you too loosen up and take that boyfriend of yours SOMEWHERE! I pay you well for christ sake, but the way you horde money people must think I don't pay you at all!"

Brad pushed his glasses up and took a small white envelope out of his pocket, leaning forward he laided it face up on the desk.

" What's that?" Takatori asked.

" It's an invitation to our commitment ceremony."

It took Reiji a second to understand finally he slapped his desk laughing, " So he finally roped you into marrying him eh?!"

" I prefer the term bonded." Brad corrected, " And he didn't rope me into anything it was a mutal decision."

" Right…bonded married roped whatever…. congratulations."

" Thank you sir."

Takatori's smile died away quickly, " Well then, I guess you won't be able to take this job."

" Sir?"

" The new job, it's long term and travel heavy. I wouldn't dream of drawing you away from-"

" The ceremony isn't for three months sir. And our trip won't be longer than two weeks in…" Brad twitched, " Florida."

" Florida? The States? What the hell are you gonna do in Florida?"

Brad's face twisted in disgust, " He wants to see Disney world."


Takatori laughed…

Finally after about 10 minutes Brad spoke up. " Mister Takatori…the case please?"

" Right right the case, " clearing his throat, Reiji opened a manilia folder on the corner of his desk, and pushed it to sit directly in front of Brad.


The picture of a smirking red head glared back at him.

" Schuldig Schwarz, lead singer of ' Dark Cloud's Lover'." Reiji said, all business now, as he laid five more pictures down in front of him. One was a blank eyed boy with a grim expression, another was an older blond sporting sunglasses a half smoked cigarette rested in one hand while a half empty bottle of Jack was clutched in the other. Brad sighed drinkers were always trouble. Another picture caught his eye a second red head this time a woman winked coyly up at him…wearing the strangest curls he'd ever seen, and after her was another girl with bouncy looking purple hair.

" These are your other charges." Takatori began, " The rest of the band, Nagi Youji, Manx, and Tot. I've checked them all out with other agencies and everyone adores them…except Schuldig. I've got statements on him ranging from ' he's an annoying spoiled brat that needs a beatings.' To ' he's the devil's disowned son.' "

" A problem?"

Takatori nodded, " Yes but don't worry, he doesn't act anything like the last rock star you were assigned."

Brad twitched, " I'd prefer not to speak of him sir."

" I understand. How's Ken doing anymore nightmares?"

Brad shook his head, " He still wakes up screaming sometimes, he says a giant Koji is chasing him down the street screaming, ' Izumi, Izumi come back!' while a chibi Katsumi is running in front of him asking him to pretend to be Izumi just for a little while. But not as often as he used to."

" Aa, you know in the 10 years you've worked for me I've never seen you haul off and hit a client before."

" His brother stabbed me and tried to run me over, and then he tried to rape my boyfriend sir. I think my reaction was justified. "

" Point made…so he's left poor Ken alone then? He hasn't been hanging around the school or anything has he?"

" No. He's been respecting the restraining order."


" Wonderful! So do you think you can handle this job?"


" I can."

Takatori smiled. " Great. You can meet them at their studio at 5. It's 24 hour surveillance for the first two weeks. Then alternating day and night shifts, you get priority.

" Day."

" Great Birman and Kase will do night. This is your case Brad, they answer to you. Now payment is a little different this time around. For the two weeks since Schuldig is a difficult client you will be paid more…so you are going salary. Then when you start the steady 15 hour shift, it'll be hourly.

Brad nodded, " All right."

" Here's your pass and the address, good luck."

Rising stiffly, Brad wondered what he was getting into.


· * *

" Bye! Hidaka-san!" A tiny pink haired girl latched onto her Mother's leg.

" Bye Hana see you tomorrow okay?"

" Okay!" she said her face turning suddenly serious, " Now before I leave Crawford-san said to make sure you took your pill." She said.

Ken laughed, " Oh don't worry I will."

" Hidaka-san…" she said doing her ' Crawford-san' impression, " You need to take your medicine now."

Sighing Ken took the small bottle of pills out of his pocket and removed two small pills showing them to the little girl he popped them in his mouth and dry swallowed, " Happy?"

" Stick out your tongue." She said crossly.

Ken obliged.

Finally Hana nodded her approval, " Okay." Her face broke into a broad grin, " Now back to why you won't marry my kaachan-"

Ken blinked at where the little girl and her mother had been a second ago, shrugging he turned and looked around his demolished classroom. " Oh boy…hurricane five year old really did a number on me today." He said blandly blowing up his bangs, he set to work on cleaning up, finger paints, papershreds, a sneaker? Yuusuke…..

" Don't they have janitors here?"

Looking up sharply Ken tilted his head to the side staring at the man holding a large wrapped gift in his door. " Brad!" he smiled, " You brought me a present…why?"

Brad pushed his glasses u and walked completely into the room, and took a seat (rather uncomfortably) on one of the kindergarten chairs. " I got a new assignment."

Ken arched a brow, picking up another pink plush rabbit, " That's great, but why the gift?" he asked staying just out of reach.

Brad set the box down on the table and gestured Ken closer.

Ken complied kneeling on the floor beside him.

Brad smiled and pulled him in for a light kiss.

" Mmm. I get a gift and public affection. What's wrong?"

Brad snorted and slid his hand down Ken's back, " Does something always have to be wrong for me to do something nice?"

Ken shook his head, " Brad we've been together for 5 years, on our second date you unveiled your ' five year relationship' plan…with diagrams."

" It's worked hasn't it? I'm putting the finishing touches on our ten-year marriage plan. It'll be ready for presentation by Monday."

Ken shook his head, " Stop distracting me, what's the new job?"

Brad looked at him solemnly.

Ken's face froze, " Oh my god…not…not Koji again…."

" No not Koji Nanjo …but another star."

Ken visably relaxed, " Woo you scared me for a minute…so who is it?"

" The band Dark Cloud's Lover."

Ken lowered his eyes, " Oh…"

" Ever heard of them?"

" Aa, they're agent is my best friend. "

" Aya Fujimiya? He's that red head that you go out with on the weekends?"

" Yeah that's him…and I dated a member of the band…way back before they got famous."

Brad pulled him closer still; he often forgot…or tried to forget that Ken had a life before him. " And who would that be?"

Ken snorted, " Lead guitar himself Kudou Youji."

Brad went though his mental catalog trying to remember which one-the blond with the Jack bottle? He hardly seemed Ken's typ-

" I know what you're thinkin' and you're right. He's a cheating unfaithful arrogant jerk, and I'm so very happy I broke it off…and yes it is very much over."

" You know me so well."

Ken propped his chin on Brad's shoulder, " Five years Robto. Five years." He whispered planting air like kisses across his cheek.


" Hey look Kaachan! You were right Hidaka-san does like men more than women just like you said! Hi Crawford-san have you seen my shoe-"

Ken held up the shoe sheepishly, " Hi Yuusuke."


888

" Yes…we just try and do our best and hope that the fans enjoy it! Since what we do is for the fans you know." Schuldig said waving the MTV reporter out of his soundstage.

The door hardly closed behind him before Schuldig's smile dropped like twenty-five pound sack of flour. " Where the FUCK is my agent? Who arranged for that damn interview?! My hair isn't done! My make-up artist isn't here, and just look at my cuticles! Someone find Aya damn it and find him NOW! And while you're at it fire the doorman, and get me a fucking cigarette!"

" M-mister Schuldig-"

" And where the hell is my fucking iced mocha?! I asked for it TEN minutes ago!!"

" Mister Schuldig?" the young girl asked again.

Schuldig sat down pensively in front of his vanity three people with make-up kits, nail kits, a foot massager, and various other beauty products descended on him. Amidst all the screaming and general ass kissing. ' Oh Schuldig you have the most beautiful hair, oh Mister Schuldig your skin is just so perfect Oh Schuldig this or that.' A cell phone screeched.

" Give me my damn phone, where the hell is my cigarette? And someone get me my FUCKING ICED MOCHA!!"

Immediately a hand holding a cigarette, and another with a lighter appeared before him, a third and fourth hand produced the desired cellphone, and the mocha. Taking the cigarette the hand holding the lighter lit it for him. Sucking in a hefty breath of lung ruining smoke, he finally took the insistently ringing phone.

" Hello?" he was all politeness again, and the make-up artist got back to work.

" Andrew?!"

An audible groan passed through the room.

" Shut up all of you! Hi baby how are you?…What? What happened? YOU SMASHED MY CORVETTE?! MY VINTAGE 1967 FULLY RESTORED CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE?! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE ALL RIGHT I LOVE THAT CAR MORE THAN ANYTHING YOU KNOW THAT! ---Well-uh-I NOTHING YOU'RE DRUNK! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU IT'S OVER! HEAR ME?! OVER I WANT YOU OUT OF MY HOUSE BY TOMORROW! BYE ANDREW--OW DAMN IT WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?! TAKE MY EYE OUT?!"

" S-s-sorry…"

" GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME YOU IDIOT! YOU'RE FIRED!"

"B-but!"

" OUT!"

Ahem.

" Who the hell are-"

" Bradley Crawford. I'm the new head bodyguard, for you and your band."

Schuldig snorted and turned to look at the man that spoke.

Tall, trim dark haired, glasses… Nice…" So you're the new bodyguard? You're a lot cuter than the last one."

The man was unaffected,

Waving his flock away Schuldig leaned back in his chair, sipping his mocha and smoking his cigarette, blatantly looking Brad over.

" If I may enquire of the rest of the bands whereabouts."

" Somewhere around here." He answered flicking the cigarette away.

" I need to-"

" Sir you can't come in here without-"

"Yeah I know, but fine just bring this to Bradley Crawford he'll be very upset once he realizes he forgot it in the car and-"

" Yeah fine."

" Ken?!"

" Ken?"

" Brad? Youji."

" Let him in." a blond man drawled walking pass Brad to the slightly stunned brunette.

" Whose the boy scout?" Schuldig asked.

Ken didn't seem to notice he was watching the blond skeptically, and casting 'help me' glances at Brad.

" You took your damn time coming back Kenken. I thought I'd paid for my sins enough a while ago don't you?" Youji said wrapping an arm around Ken's waist in a very familiar embrace, and lowered his face close to Ken's for a kiss.

Brad moved forward smoothly, but Ken had broken the embrace himself, " I didn't come back. I'm here to bring Brad his briefcase." He said sharply., holding up a black leather case defensively, then extended it to Brad. " Here you go."

Brad's lips twitched upwards in a smile. " Thank you sweet." He said taking the case.

" I'll see you later then?"

" Of course." Brad smiled, " Take your tegretol Ken."

Ken rolled his eyes and started for the door, " Okay okay…"


" Hold on a moment…Ken." Schuldig called honey sweet voice and smile…his eyes were a different matter all together. " You just got here, I haven't had the chance to apologize on my staff's behalf. They didn't know you were with my new bodyguard. Please have a seat…besides I must admit I'm a little curious about the man that inspired, our biggest hits."

Ken flushed. " I-I couldn't my kids are waiting for me."

" Your kids?" Schuldig snapped his fingers and a new lit cigarette was placed in his hand.

" Yeah…I coach little league soccer. I promised to take them out for ice cream today."

" How…sweet of you."

Ken blanched, " Then forced a smile for Brad, " See you for dinner." He called as he turned for the door.

" You too."

" Hey Ken wait up." Youji spoke up wrapping his arm around Ken's waist.

Brad stiffened and firmly reminded himself he wasn't the jealous type.

" Back-off!" Ken shoved the unwelcome arm away and stormed out.

Youji looked down at his arm as if stunned that someone would reject him, then ran out after Ken, " I can't believe you're still pissed! Come on baby I-" the rest of Youji's pleading was cut off by the heavy metal door.


Schuldig smirked and crossed his legs, " I can't believe that little…him was the reason Youji wrote those songs."

" What songs?" Brad asked.

Schuldig looked up at him and grinned, " Oh you didn't know?"

" No. And I'm sure Ken didn't either otherwise he would have told me."

Schuldig laughed, " Someone bring our musically challenged friend here the fire side cd." He said to the room at large then went back to Brad, " He drank for two weeks straight after that guy left him. Broke his selfish little heart I tell ya…and when he came back…a little he came with some good tracks, and even better lyrics. Fire eyes, Love's light, Picture, and Need." Schuldig laughed then began singing softly, " Love freely given from a selfless heart the surest of the sure ways to be ripped apart. Love is an addiction love is a need something-"


" That's nice, I'm sure at some point I'll hear all your songs."


~*~

Authors notes: In case you didn't notice this is PAINFULLY ooc . This was done on purpose I thought one day-what the hell let's write something really wrong so I did. Hey if you recognize what Schuldig is singing at the end let me know!

...Though you shouldn't- I wrote and tacked it on there just before posting it.

~*~

The problem, Schuldig decided was not him, it was Brad. Of course there couldn’t be anything wrong with him, it was all Mr. I’m-a-rock Bradley Crawford.

He glowered at the straight-backed man that sat at his desk. He was like clockwork. Wake-up at 5:30 am, make sure that Schuldig was in bed at least, go to the bathroom wash up. Get dressed, and sit at the desk in the living. Call Ken at 6 am ‘ Time to get up sweet.’ Disgusting. Call office at 8 am ‘ The band is cooperating’ bastard. Call Ken again at 1. ‘ Just checking up on you. I love you.’ Freak. Call Ken AGAIN at 5 pm. ‘Did you take your pill?’ Nauseating. Call Ken yet again! At 9 pm ‘ Good night I love you.’ UGH!

I hate this guy! But then again… How many people would do that for someone else. How many people loved someone so much that they called them 5 times a day everyday just to let them know that you care?

How many people had done that for him? Schuldig snorted and lit another cigarette, “ BRAD!” he growled rising from his chair and stalking towards the bathroom.

“ Yes?” he asked not bothering to look up from his laptop.

“ I’m going out.”

“Very well Birman will be along shortly-“

Schuldig stopped and clutched the doorjamb, and glared at Brad over his shoulder, “ I don’t WANT BirBITCH I want YOU! Now get ready!” he punctuated this with a slam of the bathroom door. Effectively ending any reply that Brad may have given.

~*~

Bradley glared at the closed door, then down to his phone. Never again would he take any job involving rock stars, musicians, or actors. Ever. They were entirely too temperamental for his tastes. Kaze had quit after the first week, Birman was threatening to follow suit and Mr. Takatori had yet to even find someone willing to take Kaze’s place!

Brad sighed, and looked at his watch, 9 pm. Ken… picking up the phone he quickly dialed the number. A sleepy sounding hello met him a second later.

“Took your meds I see.”

Ken laughed weakly, “ Yeah, aren’t you proud.”

Bradley frowned, “ Very much so, but you only willingly take your medication when you get warnings.”

There was silence for a moment, then a strained cheerful chuckle, “ I just had a little bit of a stomach ache, and my head felt tight that’s all.”

“ Are you going to be alright?”

Ken sighed, “ Of course I’ll be fine, I’ve been fine my whole life!”

“ But you’ve been having more and more warning-“

“ Baby it’s epilepsy not cancer. As long as I take my pills, and have my injections.”

“ Did you-“

“ No I didn’t. I’m fine.”

Brad looked at his watch again, “ All right don’t get yourself upset. I was just calling to say goodnight, it looks like I am going to be working late.”

“ Mr. Crawherd.” Youji sauntered into the room smirking and holding a cordless phone in one hand.

“ Yes. Youji.” He managed to bite out. From day one Youji had been going out of his way to make Brad miserable, make him work late, any and everything he could to make life difficult for him.

“ Birman just called, seems she can’t make it. Your boss wants to know if you can do her shift for her. “

“Damn it.” He hissed, pressing his cellular against his ear. “ Honey, It seems I’ll be working later than I thought. I’m sorry…”

“ Hm? Em okay…”

The pills must have really been kicking in at that point. “ Alright…I love you.”

Youji snorted.

“ Love you too Braddy.” Then the clomp of a phone dropped on the hook.

Brad sat silently for a moment his chin resting on the back of his hand. Ken had been getting warnings a lot more than normal. Maybe he wasn’t eating right, or it could just be stress. Stress was a big trigger for his seizures. There had been far too much stress in his life lately, what with his ex being my current employer. Me always away from home, no one to cook or make sure he’s eating properly.

“ You know…” Youji began his voice almost a purr. “ Even at my worst I never left Ken alone when he was verging on a fit. Be damned whatever else I was doing, he was more important.”

“ Just all the other times when he needed you, you weren’t there right.”

Youji’s smug grin turned into a bare tooth snarl, “ I was ALWAYS there for Ken.”

“ Really?” Brad asked coolly, “ Then why aren’t you with him now?”

Youji opened his mouth then shut it, and turned on his heel and strode away.

Brad sighed, a tight knot in the base of his stomach warned him, Ken should not be left alone in the house that night. Picking up his phone, He quickly dialed Aya.

~*~

“ Come on Brad!” Schuldig grinned, leaning his hips against the desk.

Brad glanced up at him, and raised one finger. “ Believe me if I could go home I would, but Birman has backed out, Kaze has backed out and my boss can’t find anyone. And you sir specified that someone is to be with and watch them at all times... Please just do this for me, he’s your friend too, your best friend.”

Schuldig rolled his eyes, “ Brad I said COME ON! I don’t care about your personal life I want to go OUT NOW!”

Brad looked up at him levelly once again, then back down to the desk, “ Yes. Schuldig wishes to go out. If you would care to come here instead so I can get some downtime- you’ll go? Great thank you.”

~*~

Ken thought he heard the door open, but that could just as easily be the wind. Or it could be the pills rattling around in his blood stream.

“ Ken?” a slightly annoyed, slightly worried tone.

“ Aya?”

“ Lay back down.” He whispered. Impatient but gentle hands readjusting his pillow.

“ Bradley…”

“ He had to work late, he asked me to come and stay with you for a while.”

“ Bradley isn’t…. he works to hard.” He mumbled.

“That he does.” Aya sighed, and settled himself down on Brad’s side of the bed. A book propped open in his lap.

~*~

Brad decided he hated his job, and the only thing he hated more than his job was a rock star. Scratch that, the only thing he hated more than his job was Schuldig.

Sighing bored Brad looked down at his watch, then back to the figure twisting itself about on the dance floor. He hadn’t stopped moving since they’d gotten there over 4 hours ago. With a bored sigh, he gestured to the bartender who promptly gave him a new can of caffeine free diet Pepsi.

“ Sure you don’t want anything stronger?” he asked again.

Brad looked into his neon green kohl rimmed eyes then back to Schuldig, it didn’t look like he’d be slowing down anytime soon. “ Yeah, better make it a regular Pepsi.”

~*~

Brad listened with barely half an ear, as the band practiced for that nights performance. Schuldig was in a particularly nasty mood, what with that hangover he had, and having to rise at 8 am after finally collapsing into bed at 7:45. Brad smirked, served him right.

“ GET ME MY FUCKING COFFEE!!! NOW! BRAD TELL THESE ASSHOLES I NEED MY DAMN COFFEE!”

“ Not my job.” He mumbled, and glanced down at his watch.

“ UGH! I can’t do this today.”

“ To bad.” Aya said calmly striding into the room. Impeccable as always in a black turtleneck sweater, black jeans and black rimmed sunglasses with crimson lenses. “ Perhaps you should have thought about that before you decided to go on that drinking binge hmm?”

“ Shut up.”

Aya ignored him, and turned his attention to Youji, and Manx who were sitting companionably on two black boxes tunning their instruments. “ Youji the Gestapo would like you to have the new songs ready for them tomorrow.”

Youji nodded.

“ They mean it this time Youji.”

“ They’re done all ready! Sheesh.”

Aya frowned but nodded, “ Whatever. Schuldig you sound like crap, I want you to run through fire eyes for me once then you can go back to bed.”

Schuldig snorted into his newly acquired cup of coffee.

“ The soon you all do this, the sooner, you can all leave.” Aya said blandly.

The band let out a collective sigh then rose and began an unenthustic rendition of ‘Fire Eyes’.

Brad leaned in his corner brow cocked, “ I’m no music buff but that sucked.”

“ Once more from the top.” Aya sat in the front row, chin propped in one hand. “ Maybe this time, you can play like you aren’t zombies.”

Nagi lowered his drumstick to rest on his knees, “ Basically you’re saying we’re doing this until you’re happy with it.”

“ Right in one.”

“ I have a desire to get out of here TODAY. Pep it up some Schuldig!” Nagi growled, “OneTWoTHReeFOUR!”

‘ You hold my heart

I hold your spine

I guess we’ll be even if given time

Fire eyes

Only you can hurt me

Fire eyes only you understand

Fire eyes you make me weak over and over again

I run to your flame

I must be burned

But you always tell me

Wait my turn

Fire eyes won’t you see

The stripped husk you’ve made of me

The cold in my heart melts with your flame

Fire eyes don’t make me call your name

The still waters of my obsession lock me still till I’m your possession

Fire eyes only you can hurt me

Fire eyes only you understand

Fire eyes you make me weak over and over again

I love you

I love you more than I should

Fire eyes I love you enough to finish you for good.

“ Can I go home now?” Schuldig growled before the last chords died away. Brad blinked in surprise then his eyes settled on Youji, he had written that song. That was Ken, my Ken…

Aya waved him away, “ That’s fine go home Schuldig. Brad, your boss told me to tell you that he would have someone to relieve you come this afternoon. If you could just hang in there that long.”

“ That’s fine. I just need to call Ken and tell him, I can’t pick him up after school today.”

Brad completely missed the too bright smile that lit Youji’s face. Schuldig didn’t….

“ Brad! Take me home now!”

Brad turned to look at him then, disgust barely restrained from his features. “ Would everyone else care to go back to the hotel as well.”

Manx shrugged, Nagi shrugged. Youji rose and headed to the far door. “ Nah I actually got a full nights sleep. See you all later!”

~*~

Youji pulled up outside of Jyounana neko elementary school and put his car into park; well this was his big chance, what was the worst thing that could happen. He winked at his reflection, then climbed out of the car.

Ken had talked a lot about becoming a kindergarten teacher when they were still together. There was that pang again. He’d let the alcohol, the self-pity the selfishness rip them apart, he was better now. He hadn’t drank in over 2 years, and a late night in over twice that. He could be what Ken needed now. He could prove to Ken that he wasn’t wrong when he’d said he was the one.

“ Aa”

“ aa”

“ii”

“ii”

“OO”

“oo”

“EE”

“ Ken-san! There’s a man by the door!”

Ken looked up surprised, his entire face frozen when the saw the grinning mug through the window.

“ Dat’s not Bradley-san.” Yuusuke pointed out loudly.

Ken’s smile tightened, “ Yes I can see that Yuusuke. Now why don’t we finish up our vowels okay? Once more from the top, “ AA-“

“ I think he’s trying to get your attention Ken-san. Maybe you should go see what he wants.”

“ Yes, but maybe later, right now we’re having class.”

“ You stop class for Bradley-san?”

“ He’s not Bradley-san now-“

“ You don’t like him?”

Ken grit his teeth, and managed to smile at the little girl, he was sure they meant well pointing out his visitor to him. Twenty-six wide pairs of eyes looked up at him in confusion. With a defeated sigh, he rose and went to the door, opening it swiftly to slam against Youji’s nose.

The taller man fell back clutching his injured face, “ What’d ya do that for?!” he growled.

Ken slipped out and closed the door behind him, “ What are you doing here?”

Youji smirked, “ I came to see you.”

“ Right…and you chose to do this when I was in the middle of a class because?”

Youji sighed, “ I’m sorry is that what you want to hear?” he asked.

Ken snorted, “ Is that all?”

Youji reached out for his hand and held it firm, “ I know you miss me. I know you haven’t forgotten what it’s like to-“

“ No I haven’t forgotten, but it seems you have forgotten what I said.”

“ That you never wanted to see me again? That you give up, that you hate me.”

“ That about covers it yeah. So what do you want?”

Youji grinned, his eyes flashing at him mischeviously at him.

Ken knew that look, and glared up at him suspiciously, “ Youji what-“

“ Just this.” He pinned Ken against the door suddenly and pressed his lips to his—hard. Ken sputtered for a moment then surrendered.

The very loud ooohing coming from the classroom pulled them apart, both turned to see several pairs of wide innocent eyes looking up at them with awe.

“ That’s how you make a baby! My kaachan says you don’t make babies where people can see!”

Ken turned on Youji with a glare that could melt steel, “ You-“

“ Going!” Youji then proceeded to run for his life. Ken stormed back into his classroom, and dropped his head to his desk.

“ Ken-san?”

“Not now Yuusuke lets just finish the lesson okay?”

“ But Ken-san!”

“ I SAID NOT NOW!” Ken regretted raising his voice even before he’d finished yelling, it was just that Youji…damn him! Looking up he met a pair of watering brown eyes. Ken sighed and held out his arms to the little boy. He immediately hopped into his arms and cried.

Ken buried his face into the boy’s soft hair, and patted his back. It was going to be a long day.

“ But Ken-san shouldn’t be makin’ ah baby with someone we don’t know!”

Ken groaned, “ A very long day.”

~*~

Brad finally pulled into his driveway free from the turmoil that was known as ‘Dark Cloud’s lover’. Climbing out of the car, he absently reached back inside and pulled out a hastily arranged basket of energy bars. Ken would get the joke he always did…hopefully he would need them later.

~*~

He needed them, he really needed them—however it was not for the reasons he had hoped. Ken hadn’t stopped talking or moving since Brad had come home.

“ Ken.”

“ And maybe we can get the convention center! Yes I think that might be best, if we’re going to do this wedding thing, we need to make sure we do it right…right? I mean bein-“

“Ken.”

“ Invitations…invitations what kind of invitations should I get?”

“ Ke-“ Brad looked down at his left brest pocket—it was ringing. Damn. “Crawford.”

“Bradley…ah how are things?” Reiji sounded wary.

“ No. I will not go back to that hellhole early. I don’t care what happened.”

“ I’m sorry Brad, but Jinx is threatening to walk out, and no one else will take the job!”

“ Count me as part of everyone else then.”

“All right Brad. What do you want.”

“ Never to see Dark Cloud’s lover again.”

“How about double overtime pay?”

“No.”

“Triple.”

“ I’m thinking.”

“ Fine triple with 2 weeks vacation time when this is over.”

“Paid.”

“Deal.”

“Ken, I have to go back to work, they’ve scared off another one.”

Ken paused in what he was doing, and nodded. “ Oh-okay I’ll see you later then.”

Brad nodded. “ Feel free to choose the invitations. Just nothing with soccer balls on it.”

Ken laughed…a bit strained.

~*~*~

Schuldig leaned back on the couch, glaring at the still man across from him. “ You’re mad aren’t you?”

Brad didn’t bother looking up from reading his phone, “ What makes you say that? Just because you’ve taken away all of my downtime, my personal life, and possibly might be ruining my relationship. I can’t imagine why you might think I’m upset with you. Now if you don’t mind, my job is to watch you. Not speak, be civil, friendly, or even treat you vaguely like a human being.”

Schuldig sniffed, “Fine. So how is Kenken? Hm? I never really got to see much of him, Youji never really introduced him to the band— he never really came to rehearsals you know…never really came to our shows either. Youji didn’t seem to bothered about it though, he always had someone hanging off of him.”

“Is that right?” Brad’s hand tightened around the phone.