wintercrazed | [confused teenager noises]

[Nagi could care less about Schreient. There was nothing unique about them. They were assassins, a group molded by Masafumi to be a mirror of Schwarz. A group of fools.

...But Tot was different. She and she alone was unique. She stood out against the others, and Nagi found himself falling hard for her at a pace he couldn't keep up with.

At first, he simply thought about her. Wondered what she might say to him if he tried to talk to her. Kept his distance until one day, he followed her. He had at least some idea of what he was going to do once he got to this point. Stealing her umbrella to get her attention was the first thing, and introducing himself came next. Watching the way Crawford carried himself- the way he stood with confidence, a slight bow and a tip of his head to the person being addressed, with an ever present glint of knowing calmness in his eyes- gave Nagi something to try, though his thoughts kept circling back around to wondering what she might be thinking of him. He was, after all, not exactly someone she should be expected to trust.

But once she started actually talking to him, the facade quickly faded. If nothing else, it was a small comfort to know that she enjoyed seeing him flush the dandelions from the field up into the air with just a flick of his wrist, saving him from having to try to continue a conversation that was headed nowhere.

And back at the Infinity Apartment(tm), he found that he still couldn't get his head on straight, even with how brief the encounter actually was. It was impossible to tell what she thought of him, but she... seemed happy enough. Did he even want to know? Knowing that Schuldig and Farfarello had been lurking the entire time just made things even worse. Schuldig knew, he had to.

Nagi bites back a sudden curse as his foot connects with a corner of the desk in the hallway on the way back to his room. Even with walls that resembled space, it wasn't really like Nagi to go around slamming into things, yet more often than not lately he couldn't make it down the hallway without connecting with something and giving himself a new bruise to think about. He huffs and steps to the side and around the desk before continuing on his way.

Going to his room isn't going to stop his heart from racing, or his face from feeling uncomfortably hot every time he remembers the way Tot looked when she spoke to him for the first time, but maybe his Gameboy will be just enough of a distraction to push all of that to the back of his mind. ...Maybe.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Well, now, that had been a productive day, hadn't it? No full-team obligations with the big man, no stupid posturing in office buildings and research labs to add the flavor of a show of force to what should've been a meaningless little rendezvous between a father and his son. So much the better, in Schuldig's opinion; he really wasn't on board for all this family politicking, anyway.

No, sometimes his quiet little days off were much better. Sometimes Farfarello was actually sociable enough to function for a few hours without killing something, and sometimes Nagi actually developed the social initiative to want to talk to another human being; hell, even if that human being were a member of an enemy team, in Schuldig's opinion it was still worth it. Hence the cute little meet-up in the field.

For the time being, though, there was really nothing to do until Crawford got back, which means that from now until that point, Schuldig's going to be making good use of his free time in the best way possible: lounging on the couch with the door to the hall wide open, flicking through TV channels and drinking a soda while mentally contemplating what the fuck they're going to end up having for dinner.

Golly gee, just another slice of life day in the Schwarzhaus, huh?]

[The sound of the TV going gets Nagi's attention as he walks by with his foot still stinging, slowing once he reaches the open door. Surprise surprise, there's Schuldig- predictably- and any other time he might have just continued on his way because that's the normal thing for him to do. Continue on his way and continue pretending as often as possible that nobody else really exists and that his Gameboy is his only friend.

Yet here he is, not walking on to his bedroom but instead hovering in the doorway like he's not sure if he wants to come in or not.]

You're lucky you're not blocking my light standing over there, or I'd have to kick your ass for that.

[It's an empty threat, of course, but one expected of Schuldig nevertheless.]

What do you want for dinner? The perpetual question in the household of fearsome psychic assassins, huh?

[Nagi remains standing still where he is, watching the back of Schuldig's head quietly.]

Doesn't matter.

Well, well, someone's in a mood.

[He rolls his eyes, tipping his head to look at Nagi with one arm still slung over the back of the couch.]

What's got you so crabby? Don't say "nothing" or I'll throw something at you.

[Nagi's gaze narrows slightly, and he's almost tempted to respond with just that just to see what Schuldig might do.]

Don't worry about it.

[...not that that's much better.]

Since when do I ever worry about shit? Fine, then, figure it out on your own.

[With an effortless click, the channel on the TV changes.]

[Fine, he will.

And with that, Nagi pivots and turns around to leave the room.

....except he doesn't. He doesn't, and for a long time he sortof continues to hover there before he turns back around, slightly, and mumbles.]

Have you-

[He stops there, his voice trailing off a bit abruptly as he grits his teeth and shakes his head, turning away again.]

Never mind. Forget it.

You know, that's what teenage girls do, too. Hint around at shit playing hard-to-get hoping someone will ask so they don't have to do it their own damn selves.

[He looks over again, with a wry half-toss of his head.]

You tell me to forget it, I'm gonna do exactly that, you know.

[....uuuuuuuuuugh.

Nagi stands stiffly for another second or two before swinging right back into the room, but this time he walks over to the couch, standing next to the arm of it.]

You already know anyway. You won't forget.

Still thinking about that little girl, then, huh?

[He shrugs.]

She's cute. You might have to kill her someday, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it while it lasts.

[While it lasts. If he has anything to say about it, it's going to last.

...if he can even get anywhere, um.]

She doesn't trust me. I don't think there's anything I can do to change that.

She shouldn't trust you. You're a killer working for her boss's dad — and that dad isn't all that happy with her boss right now.

[...]

But you want her to, don't you.

...

So what if I do?

So you've got a crush on her. We should get you a cake or something for managing to have a whole feeling.

[HE'S KIDDING.]

I mean, so long as your pining isn't getting in the way of the job, it's not like I give a shit about it. You might want to keep it under wraps from Crawford, though.

[For once, it's good to know you don't care, Schuldig. It's less likely to get to Crawford that way.]

Yeah, I know.

[He looks down at his feet with a sigh, not standing quite so straight and stiff anymore, his hands balling into fists at his sides before slowly releasing.]

...have you...ever had a girlfriend?

[The second he says that- and he's been trying to ask for several minutes, and it comes out so quiet it's barely audible- he realizes just how dumb it sounds, but now it's too late.]

[THINGS HE WAS NOT EXPECTING: THAT]

...Excuse me?

[NAGI, WHAT]

Have you?

[Answer the question.]

I was in Rosenkreuz from puberty upward, what do you think?

[Note: this is not actually answering the question.]

I'm thinking you're not answering my question.

[|8C]

Why does it matter if I did or not?

Because if you did, you might know more than me about what to do in this situation.

[Basically, this is a thinly veiled cry for heeeeeeeelp.]

Ohhh, boy. Okay, so you want me to share my worldly wisdom with you on the girlfriend front. Fine, I'll bite, come sit down and unload your troubles onto me.

[Nagi hesitates for a minute, watching Schuldig warily out of the corner of his eye. Eventually he steps around the couch to another chair nearby, having a seat in it.

He leans back and stares at his hands as he folds them in his lap, eyes half closed as he thinks. The silence stretches on for quite a bit longer before he finally says anything.]

I....want to go speak to her again.

[confused teenager noises]

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