I&#39;ve seen your faces

[His eyes flash red, both from anger at this entire mess and the determination coming over him. Nagi's forcing himself back in control bit by bit, even though it seemed to be completely exhausting him.]

Of course I remember and I'm not going to throw any of it away. I've been trying to fight this thing back since it took over!

[But he didn't have the strength to do it on his own. It had taken both of their help to get him capable of it, which Nagi wasn't likely to forget anytime soon. How embarrassing.]

I've said it before, but I'll repeat it now. I will always be part of Schwarz. [Imitating Schuldig, the words and both spoken and mental. Ken played his part in this, but Nagi's not going to admit to any gratitude for that. Whatever had taken over his mind, it looks to be gone now.]

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Fuck you Schuldig, you could have found a better way to get through! That's less breaking through and more breaking!

[Ken sighed, pulling his hand down over his face.] Well, at least you sound normal now.

[He honestly didn't know if Nagi had completely beaten the thing back or was just faking to get loose, but he just wanted this to be over with soon. He didn't like seeing people in emotional pain.
]

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Good to hear it. [Schuldig leans back in his chair, looking relaxed; unlike Ken, he can tell when it's truly gone.] Did you really have to make me work that hard for it, then?

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You try living with...whatever that was in your head for a few days.

[Nagi's eyes are back to normal and he frowns at Ken.]

Untie me.

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[Ken looks at him harshly.] Do you promise not to try and bite me again?

[He is however moving towards Nagi and reaching out to untie him anyways, taking Schuldig's relaxation as a good sign.]

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How did it get into your head? [Schuldig had been planning on holding a grudge after what Nagi did to him, but he more or less took his revenge in breaking Nagi while the boy's mind was messed up - meaning that Nagi lucks out.] You didn't seem to even realize anything was different.

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I don't know. The last thing I remember clearly is...a tea party. I wanted to see what I could learn there.

Don't laugh at me for it. You've done enough mocking me for the next month

[He nods at Ken and squirms to try and get free. There's no reason for him to attack Ken right now.

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Calm down, you'll be untied once I get all the knots undone. And seriously? A tea party? [Ken is very much trying not to sigh. He remembered his conversation with Hughes, the one about Rue. This was bad.]

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[Schuldig doesn't even try to stifle his grin. It was almost worth working with Ken to have Ken say what he wanted to.] I suppose Crawford would be pleased to see you doing reconnaissance.

And considering what you did to me, I think some verbal brutality was hardly out of line. Especially since it served a practical purpose.

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What else am I supposed to do here?

[Once he's free, he rubs his wrists and eyes Schuldig's bandaged arm sheepishly.]

It wasn't me that hurt you. It was whatever had control of me.

[He wipes his face off with his shirt. Realizing that he'd cried makes him feel pathetic.]

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Don't use your shirt, you know Miakis spends a lot of time figuring out the laundry. [Ken of course grabbed a cloth and handed it to Nagi.

Man this was so surreal.]

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I can't really complain to it, though, can I?

[Ugh, and there Ken goes being domestic again. Schuldig rolls his eyes.] When Siberian is done fussing over you, Nagi, you could make me some coffee. It's the least you owe me. [This is, in a weird way, Schuldig's way of smoothing over the awkwardness - by acting as though nothing had happened at all.]

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Complain to whoever made it happen in the first place.

[He grumbles at Ken and pulls away. Miakis worrying about laundry isn't something he cares about.]

And how am I supposed to know how to make coffee when the drip pots we're used to don't exist for another 25 years?

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[Right. Crisis over. Why in fuck was he still here.]

I'm gonna head home. Nagi you can come when you're ready. Schuldig, don't warp him too much.

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Coming from the man who set the bar for that? I think he's safe with me.

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I'll be back eventually.

[For now, though, Nagi's going to be relatively comfortable around Schuldig.]

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Fuck off Schuldig. I don't need that from you right now. [Have a brief flash of memory of his claws going through sisters stomach, how pleasing and utterly disturbing it felt.]

Yeah yeah, just don't get droned. [with that he slams the door behind himself]

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[Schuldig smirks as Ken leaves before glancing at Nagi.] You know, I may go out of my way to make people's lives difficult and painful, but you've got a hell of a natural talent for it.

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I don't intend to make your life difficult.

And thanks for the help.

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I know; you just seem to pull it off with perfect, accidental grace. Like an idiot savant.

You are Schwarz.

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And you didn't even have to kill me to get me back to normal this time.

I know. I always will be.

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Don't think I didn't entertain the idea. Especially after all this. But that would've been like admitting I couldn't beat whatever games they'd played with your head. I don't know who did it to you, but it wasn't this town, and there's nothing else that can fuck up a mind better than I can.

So long as you don't ever try to maim me again. You practically undid whatever bonus points you won for getting me to the hospital with all this.

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We'll find out and I'll let you deal with them since I'm still powerless.

I don't want to maim you again. I don't know why it happened the first time.

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Not to mention that I suffered more indirectly from their little stunt than you did.

You declared me 'useless', as I recall. I'd be willing to write it off if it didn't sound a lot like the natural extension of your 'you haven't done anything for me to thank you for' remarks...

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