Between Angels and Insects: Chapter 2

People seem under the impression that a return to consciousness is always sharp and quick, even after losing blood…

This is not the case- not for Nero anyway. For him, awareness came in short bursts.

First he knew he was no longer in the sun, but nor was he moving in a truck. He knew it was cool wherever he was; he felt steel beneath his back and restraints on his wrists, ankles and neck holding him down.

The next sense to awaken was his hearing. He heard the steady blip of computer monitors, a soft swish of a mechanical door sliding open, footsteps on steel grate and the quiet hiss of fabric being moved to allow a warm, large hand to touch his chest. He heard breathing, deep rich, accompanied by a steady, strong heartbeat near his head, and a thoughtful sound rumbled from within a swelled chest.

Then it was smell, and Nero found it was this that he was most pleased to have back. He could smell the sterility of the medical wing and the thicker latex stench that always made him feel like he had some kind of powder stuck in his throat. More importantly he could smell HIM. That almost cedar like smell mixed with man and musk that swam around him, match hot breath dancing over his chest when he inspected Nero, raising goosebumps in its wake. He could smell the clean soap left on his skin from a recent shower and the almost nostalgic aftershave on his face… Nero imagined he could smell his mood too… he imagined with was something worried, but controlled and affectionate…

“Nero.” With the vocal recognition came excitement, memories in quick little flashes of the inside of a worm's mouth- and then pain.

Nero arched just a little and hissed, but a firm press on his flat stomach pushed him back down onto the table and stilled him.

“Nero, calm down.”

“Yes… Weiss..” he managed to wheeze, struggling to obey his master, and Weiss' free hand moved to his cheek.

He opened his eyes, and saw just what he expected to. Weiss' oceanic swirls of green and blue eyes were staring down at him with a weird mix between concern and disapproval. The thick white hair looked very wet, and was lying nearly flat down his back and face, occasionally dripping a bit of water onto the table by Nero's head. He didn't even have his weapons on him… all evidence that he'd hurried to the medical wing as soon as he'd received the news, and yet his expression was focused and clear, face a little pinched as it sometimes got when he was trying not to be as annoyed about something as he'd like.

“Do you know what happened?”

“I…” Nero trailed off, reluctantly returning to his rebuilding memories, “The thing was a worm.. it grabbed me but I think I killed it, Lord Weiss.”

Amusement, and Nero's chest bubbled with pleasure upon seeing it, “yes Nero you killed it. You also blew apart half of the medical wing, fractured Azul's arm, and teleported me out of my shower into the throne room… which was…. Odd.”

“My apologies brother-“

“Oh and… we've yet to find the three medical staff you sucked into a vortex.”

“I will try to retrieve them-“

“Not to mention of course that you wouldn't uncurl long enough for anyone to treat your wounds..”

“That must be why I'm restrained-“

“Still, in the long run you completed the mission.” Weiss sighed then, and Nero blinked, distracted by watching the thoughts play across his brothers face. One would have to know Weiss as well as he did to see it, but the Emperor was actually very expressive… it was just… subtle.

Weiss seemed to become aware of the intense look of concentration on Nero's face before he'd even looked back down at him, and snorted lightly, pressing the tip of his index finger into the furrow on his younger brother's brow to try and smooth it out.

“Your wounds have been treated, the worm is dead, and I'll expect you to return to active duty within the week. Understood?” that worked… any time Nero looked like he was lost- or losing himself- a solid order form Weiss would ground him back in reality.

“Hail, Weiss..” he agreed, “but- brother I think I saw something strange during the battle with the worm.”

“What would that be?” Weiss was listening, but he was also inspecting the newly stitched and bandaged hole in Nero's stomach somewhat dubiously, like he expected it to break open again at any moment.

“I thought I saw the Restrictor out there… that's why I was distracted.”

“The medical team said heat stroke.” More amusement, like the thought of Nero getting heat stroke was laughable, but not totally insane, “dainty, pale little flower that you are.”

Nero frowned at him, and the darkness responded to the change in mood by swiftly ripping the restraints from his hands, neck and ankles, allowing the boy to sit up and wrap his arms tightly around Weiss' neck. The Emperor started to pull back and twist them, but the Sable arched a bit, managing to flip his brother around and tighten the hold just enough to still the more muscular male, effectively trapping him… even if it hurt, and blood was starting to seep into the bandaging.

Weiss paused, considering his current situation, and then he drew in a deep breath and laughed. Nero loved that sound most in the word, because he rarely heard it, but here Weiss was, laughing in the midst of a choke hold with his shoulders shuddering and his eyes closed.

“Alright, Alright you've proved your point.. let go before you hurt yourself.” He snorted when he was able to regain breath, and Nero released to flop onto his side and pretend his body wasn't seriously hurting right now, a smirk curving his lilac colored lips.

Weiss sat on the edge of the table, one hand anchoring himself on the edge, and the other running absently along the currently empty metal wing joints installed on Nero's thorasic spine, hooked into the very nerves to be controlled like limbs when they were connected, and the most sensitive place on Nero's body. Consequently, the raven had to try pretty hard to pay attention to what Weiss was saying.

“Anyway.. if you say you saw the Restrictor I'll take your word for it.. but that concerns me. No one else saw him, and he did nothing to aid in the attack against the worm…. I'll have to look into it myself I imagine, since my right hand man went and got himself hurt.”

“My apologies, brother…”

“Forget it, just recover quickly so you may resume being of use.” Weiss moved the hand to lightly stroke the thick, tangled black hair and then slid to his feet, “rest. Hojo will be down shortly to accelerate your healing processes.”

“Pleasant.”

“I know, but do try not to banish him from this dimension… Horrible little man or not, he has his uses.” Weiss directed with a short chuckle, “just deal with it and return to my side when you can.”

“As you wish, Nii-san.” Nero agreed faithfully, and Weiss bade him a faint grunt of acknowledgement before parting from the small room, the door sliding shut behind him and leaving Nero alone… or at least until Hojo would show himself.

Gods above… Nero hated getting hurt. He hated that he couldn't carry out any orders during recovery. He hated that he seemed weakened for that brief amount of time…. Most of all, Nero hated Hojo.

Vile man if there ever was one.