Chapter Text

After The Years Have Passed

Teito carefully looked into the large room before entering. He wanted to make sure his brother was alone or as close to alone as he could get. In his mind a mission was to be completed.

The sun could be seen setting through the towering windows Ayanami had behind his work desk. Some perks did come with having work and home space shared. Ayanami never had a long commute and Teito always had access to his brother.

Ayanami sat behind his desk and only looked up because he knew it was Teito entering. Putting the last document in the folder he beckoned Teito over to him. Teito took the invitation to sit directly on his lap and rest his head on Ayanami's chest.

Ever since Teito had been a young child, he had been active and would rarely calm down and just be still. Sitting on Ayanami's lap and listening to his brother's heartbeat was one of the few things Teito could truly relax while doing. Ayanami believed it stemmed from the trauma of the Raggs War. Teito had lost much during the war and the only way for him to truly feel comfort was to establish life did exist in the ones he loved, especially in Ayanami.

Moments passed and Teito started to relax as usual. Some days if Teito was terribly tired or stressed he would snuggle up to his brother and pass into sleep. That left Ayanami with the unfortunate job of taking his brother to his bedroom and tucking him in for the night.

"Are you going to tell me what you came here for? Before you fall asleep?" Ayanami drawled.

"I'm not falling asleep. I just wanted to make sure your heart was not beating irregularly. Sensei said it could be a symptom of a heart defect." Teito proclaimed. "I am here to propose a trip."

"A trip? And where is this trip leading to?" questioningly Ayanami looked down at Teito with his piercing purple eyes. One green eye gazed back at him.

"Yes, a very educational trip, full of culture and learning." Teito opened both eyes and smiled at Ayanami.

"Yet, you have not told me where this trip will lead to."

"The Seventh District," answered Teito while looking away with a pink hue staining his cheeks. He knew that Ayanami held a grudge against District Seven, but he had never had told Teito the reason why.

A disapproving, uncharacteristic grunt came from Ayanami. He shifted Teito in his lap and started to stroke Teito's hair. If possible Teito molded even more into Ayanami.

"Why the sudden need for a trip to District Seven, Teito?" Ayanami kept his gaze directed at Teito's face.

Slowly Teito looked down and pulled out an envelope addressed to him from District Seven. "This is a letter from Hakuren. You remember Hakuren from the Oak family?" Teito swiveled his head to meet Ayanami's stare.

"Ah yes, the disgraced son of the Oak family. I remember hearing about an audacious Oak that broke the family tradition of politicians and soldiers." With a smirk Ayanami closed his eyes and leaned back into his chair. Teito stopped opening the letter momentarily to look at him.

"And the part of Hakuren being a friend of mine is what? Irrelevant?" Teito sounded surprised.

"Oh yes, I suppose there is also that fact to consider."

"Stop messing with me." Teito spouted indigently. "Anyway, Hakuren went to District Seven to take the Bishop Examination. Since Hakuren is himself, he couldn't stand the small chance of being late and wound up there months before he had to be there. He found out near the end of the summer season the Church holds a festival, so can I go?" Excitement gleamed in Teito's eyes as he looked up at his brother.

"All that traveling for a festival? I think the Capitol holds enough celebrations for all the other Districts." Ayanami opened his eyes again to see Teito's determination be renewed.

"Exactly, I have only been to Capitol celebrations and anywhere place else. What is the point of paying for education and learning if this knowledge isn't applied?" Teito questioned while trying to be persuasive with finances and education.

"I will not say a definite no. I will think over the possibilities. Now get up. I do believe I have a candidate to be a begleiter here for an interview," Ayanami stated while moving Teito out of his lap. Teito gave an affirmative sound before exiting out of the family door; as soon as the family door closed the work door, as Teito would call the different doors, opened revealing the candidate led by Hyuuga.

"Now Mikage, I believe Ayanami wants to interview you. Good luck. Aya-tan looks like he just got some discerning news," leered Hyuuga. Mikage gulped at the last comment Hyuuga made before closing the door to the room and sealing his fate.

Tick tock, tick tock. A clock Mikage had never noticed before was working in a corner of the room that suddenly became quite interesting to him.

"Mikage Celestine, of the Celestine family, currently in service to the honorable Oak family, which happens to be a very important reason for your choice in joining the military."

"Yes." Quickly Mikage's focus centered onto Ayanami.

"Sir. Respect is important to superior officers or has the academy's standards sunk so low basic conduct is no longer taught?"

"Moving on, this year marks some of the worst final testing grades in the history of the military. Your scores are quite remarkable when compared to some of the more esteemed members of your former class. Yet, I see here you refused to finish the criminal." Ayanami drawled.

"That is correct, sir." Mikage answered with no hesitation.

"You will not make it far in the army if you lack conviction."

"I had conviction, sir. The criminal was in a position where he could no longer hurt anyone, Sir. What more should I have done? Sir!" Mikage ended with an afterthought of respect.

"Permanently put the criminal in an immobile position."

"I saw no need to take it that far, Sir."

"And on a mission not taking it far enough can lead to more death; death of you, a comrade, or a civilian. Do you remember what I told you when you remained friends with Teito?"

"Do not stay friends with him unless you are prepared to lose your soul, Sir." It was a line Mikage could never forget. Ayanami had spoken to him the first time Mikage's military plans had been brought up. Teito had shrugged it off as his brother being weird as he was prone to do. Mikage saw intent behind Ayanami's eyes that day though, some sort of dastardly intent.

"And are you?"

"I would do anything to stay with Teito. He is my best friend. Sir." Mikage had never uttered a truer statement than at that moment.

"Teito has broached the topic of a journey to District Seven, have you heard of this?" Mikage looked diagonally toward the windows and away from Ayanami. By now the sun had set and the lights now came from building or street lights. There was very little cloud fair, meaning the stars could shine brightly above the city, not that the residents could see more than a few twinkling lights.

"Yes sir. I don't see how that is relevant to this interview though. Sir." Mikage couldn't quite understand why Teito journey should have any bearing on his interview. If Teito got to make the trip though, Mikage admitted to himself, he would be a little jealous. He hadn't seen Hakuren in ages. Not since his father kicked him out from the family estate.

"It is very relevant since I am looking for a possible guard for Teito. This quest could hold some merit for his future, but I do not trust inanimate objects with Teito, let alone human beings. This will be your true evaluation. Pass or fail. I will have one of my people watch your progress on this trip. Make sure Teito comes back in good health or there will be no need for you to come back at all." A merciless sheen entered Ayanami's already frigid eyes. With some shivers Mikage nodded in affirmation. Ayanami was worse than an over protective father letting his daughter date for the first time.

"You will depart at 0700 hours in two days' time. I trust you to get your worldly affairs in order."

"Yes Sir!" Mikage turned to leave the room.

"One more moment, are you familiar with what a kor is, Celestine?"

"A kor, as in an agent of the fallen Verloren? Then yes, I am."

"Good. The objective of your mission is to protect Teito at all costs, am I understood? The rest of the information will be sent to your current lodging." Finally Ayanami gave Mikage a dismissing gesture so he could take his leave. Teito might insist Ayanami coldness is a front, but Mikage would continue to believe it was true.

"You are, Sir. I could not live with myself if I were to let something happen to Teito. You have nothing to worry about." Mikage gave his trademark smile before exiting the room, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. Why would it matter if he knew what a kor was? Was it relevant to Teito?

Mikage still remembered the adverse effects a kor had on Hakuren's mother when she had been infected. She had been in agony for days until a kind bishop came and destroyed the kor. Still puzzling the idea Mikage went to his residence to prepare for the journey.

"Ne, Aya-tan, keep this up and people will start to think you actually do care about your brother. Me included." Hyuuga barged in after seeing Mikage leave.

"I need another person to shadow the two. I have no doubts Mikage would give his all to protect Teito, but a simple human's all can be not enough."

"A trip to District Seven. Ah, I would volunteer to go myself, but somehow Teito always knows when I am around. I guess you are aware when those you most loathe are near. Oh, your 'brother' is just too cute Ayanami."

"Hn," Ayanami turned his chair to look out at the capitol's night scene.

"I would hate to do this to Kuroyuri, but I think Haruse would be the best candidate to follow Teito and Mikage. He blends in fairly well and has not interacted much with Teito."

"That sounds fine. Give him the mission specifics. If Kuroyuri has a problem with this, tell him to bring it up to me specifically."

"Will do Aya-tan. Shouldn't you be heading to the dining room? It is five minutes for dinner. Teito would never forgive me if you were to be late." Chuckling Hyuuga left to tell Haruse he had his first big solo mission and preparing for Kuroyouri's outburst.

With silence accompanying him Ayanami put the last essential documents in their place before beginning to leave the room. By now Teito would be at the dinner table wondering where he was.

Konatsu would be joining them for dinner tonight, as he always did after Teito visited the 'doctors'. He had turned into a type of medical adviser for Teito, making sure Teito would get to the laboratory on time, keeping tabs for Ayanami, and caring for Teito after such appointments. Teito had a weak constitution after all.

Entering the room he was greeted by Teito and Konatsu antics. Konatsu was fussing over Teito similar to how a hen mothers over her chicks; asking a multitude of questions and Teito trying to shrug off such affections.

"Konatsu, I'm fine."

"Teito you are not fine. It took you seven seconds to respond to my question."

"I wasn't paying attention."

"It's worse than I thought. You only had so much grey matter to begin with."

"You knew I wasn't paying attention. Konatsu that's mean. Almost to the level of that guy," Teito uttered with unmasked irritation.

While Teito kept saying he was fine, and probably was since Ayanami wouldn't allow his brother to be in a poor condition, Konatsu could not forget the first time he had met Teito. The day they had invaded the ruins of the Raggs Kingdom. The day when Ayanami became an older brother and he became a mother hen.

Teito's head swiveled from side to side following the doctor's finger. He had to go through a lot of tests today but this one was the easiest. He didn't have to run or be poked by those sharp, pointy needles. Teito learned he really didn't like needles, but he wanted to be good for big brother Ayanami. If he misbehaved Teito felt like Ayanami wouldn't take it too kindly. Instead Konatsu had to hold him so he could bury his face while the doctors either gave him a shot or withdrew the necessary blood.

"And there. I think we are done Teito. As far as I can see nothing is noticeably out of the ordinary. It will take a few days for the blood work to come back, but from the tests taken today I can't see anything being wrong with you." While the doctor spoke to Teito most of his speech was directed towards Konatsu.

"Is his head OK? Teito said he couldn't remember anything. He had trouble remembering his own brother, Sir. Is there any reason to be concerned? Does he have a concussion or some brain lesion?" Konatsu rambled off nervously. Ayanami had said to be thorough and he didn't think his leader would be too happy with him if Teito's head wasn't checked out.

"As far as I could tell this little guy's head is perfectly fine. His overall health seems good. The coughing and shivering was due to the dryness caused by the harsh weather and the overall cold." The doctor's voice suddenly dipped lower in volume.

"You found this boy in Raggs, yes?"

"That is correct. He is my leader's younger brother separated due to unfavorable circumstances." Konatsu automatically answered.

"I'm guessing he did not escape the horror of war. From the coughing I'm guessing he was out in the open for a good amount of time. It is possible his memory loss comes from what he has seen. For now, my best guess would be trauma caused little Teito to lose his memories. While he might have avoided being physically injured, he could not shake the mental scars of war. At least he is young and has time to make new memories. Should your leader, Ayanami, choose to he could put Teito into a type of therapy to recover his memories."

"Thank you for your expertise doctor. I'm sure Ayanami will be most pleased to hear that Teito is healthy even with being stuck in that dreadful cold for an unspecified amount of time." Konatsu bowed slightly as the doctor turned to leave. As the doctor shuffled out the door, Konatsu let out a sigh of relief. He was glad nothing was wrong with Teito. Now he could rejoin his group and hope Hyuuga hadn't left him with too much work.

Looking down Konatsu noticed Teito had wondered off to a counter full of medicals tools, dangerous and sharp medical tools to be specific. Slowly in childish curiosity Teito lifted his hand to touch the shiny object when Konatsu dived onto his knees and quickly grabbed Teito's hand. Another sigh left Konatsu mouth. One day and he had already sighed so much. He hadn't even seen the pile of work Hyuuga had left for him today. About to let out another sigh Konatsu instead took a deep steady breath in.

"Hey Teito the doctor gave you a clean bill of health. We are free to go. Why don't we go see what your older brother is doing, huh?" Konatsu diverted Teito's gaze away from the medical supply left out in the open by shifting Teito into his arms. With a reminder in his mind to report the medical staff's laziness he set off to join his comrades. Honestly he already served the laziest military officer. He wouldn't put up with others.

"Well if you don't feel well, just tell me, Teito." Konatsu finished his line of thought and turned his attention back to the dinner foyer in front of him.

Teito turned to look at his brother, "Have you decided yet?"