there, two chapters this time!
Jul. 15th, 2007 09:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maderrSince I won't have Chaos tomorrow *glum* But I am hoping hoping hoping to beat it into submission this week >_o We'll see.
Anyway, two chapters of Meant to Be. ^___^
And am feeling much better, thank you for putting up with my whining <3
Chapter Seventeen
Planet 2154014 (Tredad), Settlement Four
Pyotr sipped his tea as he stared out the window, something which was quickly becoming habit.
More and more he was thinking it was not so bad a habit to acquire.
Especially when every so often he could hear the rustle of linen as Jade shifted or brushed back a strand of hair, his nails clicking as he pressed the keys of his book to shift the pages. The clink of china on wood as he set down his tea.
So quiet, peaceful. So very homey, like spending the evening with his aunt and uncle…except not.
Because it was all too easy to think how this could be, how he wanted it to be.
Not in the forsaken climate of miserable Tredad, but on a planet with warmth and sunlight, in a garden he had spent terms designing and which shortly would be put in the ground. A large house with rooms for everything he might possibly want to do. Not a single one allotted to IG business. Only his antique books, the memorabilia collected from a life as a high-ranking IG official.
Oh, but his favorite was the balcony. Long, wide, deep, looking out over the garden he held so dear.
If he could untangle this last mess…
Pyotr frowned into his tea. Except he couldn't. There was too much to do; he could not simply walk away, even if every day in Jade's presence brought the treacherous thought more and more often to the fore of his mind.
He'd designed the manor off and on for years, always tweaking, improving. Now he had a location to build it…but what was the point? In the deepest recesses of his mind, he had hoped never to live in that house alone. Always, he'd secretly hoped that someone would enjoy tea on the balcony with him, walk in the garden…
That someone had a face, had always had a face, from the moment Pyotr saw him.
But they'd made their choices.
Still, as he listened to Jade move, occasionally felt eyes upon him, all Pyotr could think was what if.
"Did you ever consider giving it all up?"
Jade's teacup hit the table a trifle harder than it had been. "What?" he asked tersely.
"Was there ever a moment when you wanted to walk away, give it up?" Pyotr asked, staring into his own tea, wondering what drove him to speak words that would result in nothing.
"Weak," Jade said scathingly. "The same weakness that led to this very situation. I won't repeat my mistakes."
Pyotr set his cup down and stood, stalking across the room, standing behind the couch, staring. "Too late, Jade. You let me live. I would say that constitutes what you call a weakness."
Jade clicked off his book and stood up, crossing to the kitchen. "Yes."
"Then why did you save me?"
"As you say," Jade said coolly, "it was a weakness. I could kill you now, but having the murder of the HC on my head would not aid my cause. Of course I could simply throw you back out in the snow…"
"You won't," Pyotr said softly, coming up right behind him, not quite close enough to trap him. "For the same reason I won't turn you in."
Jade turned around, laughing bitterly. "No? You nearly captured me once, Petya. You could be done with me once and for all, if you sic your pets upon me from here. I'm good, but with the trail so warm…they would find me before I could vanish."
"Ridiculous," Pyotr snapped. "Don't you think I've had the very best searching for you all this time?" His hand reached out, disobeying his order to stay still, fingers ghosting lightly over Jade's cheek. "As always, you elude me."
Jade jerked away. "If you'd found me, what then?"
"I knew I never would," Pyotr replied.
"Yet here I am, found," Jade said, refilling his tea cup.
Pyotr snorted softly. "I would say I was the one found, but I suppose we are arguing semantics." He didn't move as Jade turned around. "So what now? You can't keep me here forever, Jade."
Jade shrugged and sipped his tea, to all appearances bored with the conversation. But though the man's thoughts ever eluded him, Pyotr had not watched Jade so intensely for years and years without learning one or two things about him.
"Why did you save me, Jade?"
"As I already said," Jade snapped, "I was weak."
Pyotr shot an arm out, blocking him when Jade tried to walk away. "What did you hope to accomplish by saving me, Jade?"
"What are you hoping to accomplish with this?" Jade asked. "We made our choices, Petya."
"Can't we make new choices?" Pyotr asked softly. "I have asked myself that a million times."
Jade laughed, bitterly amused. "New choices? And what does that mean?"
"Would you give it up?" Pyotr asked, turning to look Jade in the eyes, feeling as lost as he always did to those rich eyes, the sharp clarity of that gaze. "Give up Gory, turn him in, be done with it?"
Another bitter laugh, Jade tossing his hair from his face. "That's laughable coming from you, Petya. You’ve been obsessed a decade more than I, surely you know how utterly ridiculous a question that is. Gory took everything from me, and I will take everything from him – then I will kill him."
"Then what?" Pyotr asked quietly, traitorous hand once more going to stroke the fine line of Jade's cheekbone.
Jade jerked away from the touch, tea spilling over the side of his cup, splashing on his pale blue robe. He set the cup down sharply on the counter behind him, fingers flexing in warning. "What of you, Petya? What will you do when you realize the stars are beyond saving? Would you give up your heroics? What would you do without the world to save?"
Pyotr opened his mouth to reply, but before he could speak he was moving, capturing those fine wrists, pressing Jade back, and taking that fine, pretty mouth he had dreamed about, thought about, with far more obsession than his so-called heroics.
He shuddered hard as Jade went still beneath him, stiff with outrage. Teeth bit down sharply on his lip, making him hiss in pain, but Pyotr did not pull away.
Then that slender body went suddenly from stiff to pliant, shivers wracking it as Jade gave in, mouth opening to let Pyotr in, and he tasted like tea and something bittersweet that could only be Jade himself.
Pyotr let go of the wrists he'd been holding, fully expecting to be attacked – but Jade merely buried his hands in Pyotr's hair, those nails digging into his scalp as Jade returned his kiss full measure, a thousand times more addictive, more fatal, than his obsessive imaginings.
"Jade…" he whispered softly as he reluctantly pulled away to breathe. Now would come the nails, the breaking of the spell.
"Weak," Jade said quietly, hands falling away, suddenly looking extremely tired.
"Give it up, walk away," Pyotr pleaded. "I have a place, or will soon. One year and—"
"And what?" Jade cut in sharply. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that after all these years, you're going to give up everything you've gained – your power, your affluence, your pets, your ambition to save the world – to hide away with a wanted criminal? If I were stupid enough to believe that, Pyotr, I would be dead or in Rehab."
Pyotr captured his mouth again, wondering how he was supposed to live the rest of his life now with these stolen kisses haunting him. "I would, Jade. All of it. If you'll come with me."
"You're a fool," Jade whispered, then wrapped his arms around Pyotr's neck and dragged him down into another kiss.
Pyotr knew before he opened his eyes what he would find.
Still, it hurt.
Gone.
Jade was completely and utterly gone. It did not even look as though the man had been here, except for the scent of him which lingered in the sheets, on Pyotr's skin.
He closed his eyes against the pain which washed over him, threatened to drown him.
Memories rose up to haunt him, the silk of dark gold hair as it brushed over his skin, how soft and warm Jade had been beneath him, the heat that had flared for once in cool amber eyes, how intoxicating it was to hear Jade cry his name in passion.
And now he was gone.
Pyotr's mouth twisted in misery, bitterness. He would have given up everything, and it seemed that simply was not enough.
Perhaps Jade was right – it was too late to change the choices they had made.
Tamping down on the emotions tormenting him, Pyotr threw back the blankets and stalked to the shower. When he emerged a half hour later, he padded across to the kitchen area.
All of his belongings were set out, looking as new as the day he'd acquired them. Even his uniform, surely ruined in the explosion, the fall, looked perfect. The silver trim gleamed in the dimmed lights.
Voice rough, Pyotr ordered the lights up and slowly began to dress. After so many days in comfortable house clothes, lounge pants, the uniform felt strange and stiff. Every day of his life he wore either the more casual dark blue uniform or the formal black. Rarely did he wear anything else…now he did not feel right in the thing.
Well, he would settle back into it soon enough.
Dressed, he combed his hair and smoothed the uniform down. Yes, already it was beginning to feel familiar again. He would settle back into everything just fine. Reaching out to the table once more, he flipped open the case that held his in lens, slipping it over his right eye. From a larger case, he took out the keypad and flipped the switch to activate the screen.
Codes and numbers flashed across his in lens as they transmitted to the datascreen.
A familiar face appeared on the screen, expression twisted into a scowl. "It's about time," Tau Ceti snapped. "We're almost to Tredad."
Pyotr smiled faintly. "So you did find me."
"Of course I did," Tau replied haughtily.
"What have I missed?" Pyotr asked, cutting right to business.
Tersely Tau told him, tail lashing furiously all the while, betraying to those who knew him best just how upset the Gremlin had been.
Pyotr listened in grim silence, though he was briefly amused to learn where Raoul had landed – and so very happy he had survived. "Send the Darkside or Brilliant to retrieve me."
"No!" Tau protested, his angry mask momentarily slipping to reveal something far more fragile. "I'm not letting any of those—"
"I need you to do something for me Tau," Pyotr cut in.
Tau stilled, silent a long moment as he regarded Pyotr carefully, then he sighed. "What?"
"A few things, really," Pyotr replied. "Dig up all the information you possibly can on Wyleen Pastor and Boris Cathartes, and cross them both with Gory Cohen. I need the sort of information no one else has been able to find, Tau. Overlay all of that with soul traffic reports, both closed and open cases…tell me what you find. If you need information from the archives, I'm transmitting access codes now. Toby can get you what you need. Also – that planet Raoul was on. Haven. Lock it down. No one enters or leaves until I say so. I don't care if you sic Meiki on the lot of them. Call in help if you feel like it, the Melee, is more than up to the task."
Tau scowled. "That's all stupid easy stuff. And I’m not asking that flea-bitten alley cat for help." He considered. "Though it might be worth it just to hear Meiki call him a pretty lady kitty…"
"I'm not done yet," Pyotr murmured. "I also need chaos. Starting from the moment I'm picked up, until about half an hour after I dock in Zero. I want no one to be aware of my arrival, I want communication to be nigh on impossible." His face hardened. "It's not really necessary…but I want them scared. They've gone too far this time." He looked at Tau and smirked. "Can you give me controlled chaos, Tau?"
"Have I ever given you uncontrolled chaos?" Tau asked, adding in the same breath, "Don’t answer that."
"Thank you, little brother," Pyotr said, then cut the connection. He sat down in one of the dining chairs and closed his eyes.
So much to do, and he was suddenly too tired to do it anymore.
But, he had no choice.
Anger stirred to think that an entire race was on the verge of extinction because a backstabbing bastard was more interested in his soul farm. Authority High Command. It made him sick. The man had always been a comrade, an ally.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, that he'd been so easily fooled by someone he trusted. Perhaps he really was getting too old for these games.
But what reason had he to stop? People depended on him, looked to him…and while all his 'pets' would do just fine without him…
In the end, it didn't matter. He'd made his bid, and Jade had left. All he had left was the memory of bittersweet kisses and the deep marks sharp nails had left on his back. He touched his cheek, where the earlier marks Jade had given him were still healing.
Shoving the memories aside, burying them deep and locking them away, Pyotr summoned up the manner which had long ago earned him the codename 'Winter'. He picked up the stunner lying on the table and swiftly checked it, then slid it into its shoulder holster beneath his jacket.
Next he picked up the bracelet that allowed anyone with the proper clearances to track him. He had no reason to turn it on now, Tau would have given his coordinates to the ship picking him up, but he slid it on his wrist all the same.
Calling his data screen back up, in-lens flashing, the High Chancellor returned to work while he waited to be picked up.
Chapter Eighteen
Planet 0000000 (Zero), the Palace of Eternity
Val wanted very badly to hide.
The room was chaos. Absolute, utter chaos.
Everyone was waiting for a ship to arrive, bearing the High Chancellor's bodyguard, who was miraculously alive.
He hadn't felt this much tension in a room since Tresnor had nearly been killed. This was actually worse.
It also felt, once again, like everyone knew something but him.
He couldn't take it. More than anything he wanted…
Val flushed guiltily. He wanted to be back on the Frankenstein, just him and Dr. Bikendi and wasn't that a horribly selfish thought? Bikendi had better things to do with his time than baby sit a stupid kid who broke down over the dumbest things.
Especially when that stupid kid was having increasingly inappropriate, far from kid-like thoughts about the mercurial scientist. He still didn't know where those had come from, and he was a thousand times grateful that no one in the group had telepathic magics because then he really would have to kill himself.
He may yet anyway, if all this chaos didn't drive him insane first.
Desperate for distraction, he pulled out his datapad and switched it on, pulling up the questions, answers, all the notes he'd made on the things he and Bikendi had talked about at dinner a couple of nights ago.
It had been the best night of his life, a dream come true, sitting across the table from Bikendi and simply talking to him, asking all his questions, giving all his thoughts – and Bikendi had not once seemed annoyed or angry with him, nor had he worn that patronizing look so many adults always gave him when indulging his curiosity.
Bikendi had insisted on his staying when they'd finally finished, and he'd spent the night in a guest room on the ship.
He wanted to be back there now, but he seriously doubted Bikendi would ever be that nice again and anyway with all the chaos around them the trials still could resume at any moment.
Across the room, Mendel and Jundel talked quietly. Baxter was speaking to a handsome young man on a datascreen, and Val wondered absently if that was the man who was lover to both twins.
Cheeks burning at the thought, he turned his attention elsewhere. Mythril had vanished to attend Tresnor…and Bikendi he did not see. Where had Bikendi gone? Val frowned, hurt that Bikendi had not mentioned he was leaving.
Then he called himself a million different kinds of stupid. What right had he to be hurt? Just because he…
He what? Val grimaced at himself. Obviously he had some stupid crush on a man who was not only older than he, but completely out of his league. He'd always known he had a bit of a silly boy's crush on the scientist—obsessively following all his lectures and publications was sort of a hint – but now it was getting out of hand.
But they were matched…
That didn't mean anything and he knew it.
He couldn't take it anymore. There was too much noise, too much everything and maybe if he went to the lab for a bit, the quiet would help him calm down and start thinking straight. This Zero life wasn't for him, it just wasn't. As soon as the trials were over…
Val stopped short in the hallway, fear making his chest go tight.
What would he do when the trials were over?
Well, if the verdict was to kill the Draconis, that was obvious enough.
Oh, stars. Bikendi. He was matched to Bikendi. If they lost the trial and the Draconis were sentenced to die…Bikendi would die too, because the prosecution was pushing for immediate annihilation.
That wasn't fair. Bikendi was brilliant and amazing and wonderful even though he'd seemed so mean and scary at first.
Val wandered blindly through the halls, desperate to reach the lab, the only place where anything made sense, where he didn't feel like a lost, dumb kid with no place—
He crashed hard into something – someone, he realized a moment later, dropping his datapad as he landed on his backside on the floor. "S-sorry," he said, looking up – then stopped.
Cathartes. Val swallowed. What was Cathartes doing here? He swallowed again, looking at the man beside him.
Even he wasn't stupid enough to miss that uniform, the medals and pins and marks of rank upon it, sharp and bright against the dark steel gray uniform. Of the dozens of things pinned or sewn to his jacket, the bright silver infinity symbol overlaid with a gold seven-pointed star was the most obvious give away.
The man had hair only a shade or two lighter than his uniform, face sharply chiseled, too severe to be truly handsome. His eyes were dark; Val couldn't tell their exact color. He was as large and intimidating as a Telsken. This was Authority High Commander Pastor.
"Well, well," Cathartes said in a tone Val didn't like one bit. "The mutant is running around all by himself. Not trailing after your precious doctor like a bitch in heat today?"
Val's eyes widened, face burning with mortification. Was he really that obvious? Oh, stars, maybe that was why Bikendi had left without saying anything. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen him much sense they'd left the Frankenstein. Maybe Bikendi was avoiding him. The thought made him feel sick.
Slowly he stood up, retrieving his datapad, clicking it off and sliding it into its usual pocket in his pants. "Excuse me," he said quietly, staring at the ground. "I was in a hurry. I didn't mean to crash into you."
"I see why you think they're matched," Pastor said, speaking to Cathartes, ignoring Val completely. "The eyes are very similar."
Val fought to remain expressionless, to give no reaction. "W-we're not m-matched," he said, wishing that just once he could lie. Or that he'd been smart enough to stay with the others, instead of fleeing like the stupid kid he was. "I-I don't have m-magics. That's why I'm a m-mutant."
Cathartes sneered. "Sure. Kavalerov brought you all the way here just to be a useless, love struck nitwit? I don't think so."
Stars, he was going to ruin everything. They'd told him a thousand times that it was important no one figure out he and Bikendi were matched, that it was better kept secret so no one could counter the defense team arguments. So no one would see it coming. "We're not matched," he said, voice a bit more firm. He couldn't screw up. He couldn't.
Because if he did, then they might lose the trial and he'd die and that meant Bikendi—
"Then why are you here, mutant?"
"Because I'm a mutant," Val said, finally looking up. He licked his lips. "Maybe I'm proving the Draconis are evolving out of the need to match, which means we're not a danger anymore."
Cathartes eyes widened briefly, then narrowed. "Really?"
"It's a theory," Val said.
Pastor laughed. "Yet not even you look stupid enough to tell the truth to your enemy. Who do you think you're fooling, boy?"
"I don't want to get hurt," Val said miserably, meaning it. Then he lifted his chin, refusing to be completely cowed. He was Bikendi's match, he couldn't be completely pathetic, that would make Bikendi look bad. "Anyway, even if you know our defense, Dr. Bikendi and Tresnor and Baxter and all the others are way smarter than you."
Cathartes laughed. "Oh, yes, so smart Tresnor is barely alive and that incestuous slut he calls his son must pick up the pieces of daddy's defense. Run along like a good dog back to your master, little mutant. And next time watch where you're going."
Val nodded, and watched miserably as the two walked past him down the hall, heads bent close as they talked quietly.
Then he turned and began to make his way back to the suite, not willing to risk screwing up even more.
Just as he reached it, the door slid open – Bikendi filling the doorway. "Val. There you are. What are you doing out here?"
Val's stomach twisted as Cathartes' words came rushing back to him. He wasn't—he didn't—
Turning around, he again tried to flee, no longer knowing where he was supposed to be, where he should go.
A hand caught his wrist, yanked him back, and he went crashing into Bikendi. He fumbled for balance, trembling despite himself as an arm wrapped around his shoulders. "S-sorry," he managed, wishing that the ground would just swallow him up.
"Val, what in the stars is the matter?"
"I-I-I was going to the l-labs," Val said, talking to Bikendi's shirt. "I ran into Cathartes and the High Commander. I tried to lie but—"
Swearing softly, Bikendi held tightly to his hand and dragged him away – not back inside, as Val had expected, but through the halls to the docks…to the Frankenstein.
All but pushing him to the couch, Bikendi sat down next to him and forced Val to look up, fingers gentle and so very warm against his skin. "Now, Val – tell me what they said."
Face hot, Val told Bikendi what had been said – minus the parts about him chasing after Bikendi.
When he finished, he waited miserably for Bikendi to yell at him.
Instead a hand ran gently through his hair, combing it back from his face. "You did well, Val," Bikendi said quietly. "Very good, to give them such a plausible theory to stew on. Especially since it's one well documented where you're concerned."
Relief poured through Val, easing some of his misery. He'd only thought of it because he remembered people discussing it – that maybe Draconis were evolving to not have magics, so that they need not bond. But he'd always been affected by magics, which meant he must have them, if only at a very low level. Though that tiny fact had never counted for anything back home.
"Something is still bothering you," Bikendi said. His lips quirked briefly. "Do I need to fetch the brandy?"
Val shook his head furiously, though remembering how relaxed the stuff had made him, he was sorely tempted. "It's nothing," he said. "Just stupid stuff." He flushed and looked away, staring hard at the carpet.
"What stupid stuff?" Bikendi asked, voice hardening. "What did those bastards say to you, Val?"
"N-nothing," Val said, misery making his chest tight all over again. Stars, he didn't want to think about it. If they'd noticed, what was everyone else saying about him? He must be the most pathetic person in the stars. "Nothing that matters."
"It matters to you," Bikendi said firmly, grasping his chin and forcing him to turn around and look up. "What did they say?" he repeated, voice brooking no argument, the tone the same as when they were in lab.
Val crumbled, resigned to abject humiliation, and miserably repeated all that Cathartes and Pastor had said.
The fingers on his chin tightened to the point of pain, causing him to wince.
Immediately Bikendi let go.
"I'm sorry," Val whispered, and stood up to go – somewhere. Anywhere but here, because now Bikendi knew exactly how pathetic and stupid he was and—
He let out a soft cry of surprise as he was yanked back down, landing awkwardly on the opposite end of the couch, head against the pillows, legs lying haphazardly across Bikendi's.
"Enough," Bikendi said, violet eyes unusually bright, a strange focus to them. "I've had enough."
"I'm sorry," Val said again, struggling to sit up. "I didn't mean for you to—"
Bikendi pressed a finger to his lips, and Val went immediately silent.
"You're far too young for me, Val, even if most of the stars would say otherwise. Surely there is someone back home who waits for you to come back. Had you no sweethearts in school?"
Val shook his head, old bitter sadness welling up in him. "Some of the kids used to try to dare each other to kiss the mutant freak. That was all." They always thought he couldn't hear them, like he was deaf as well as magics-less.
Bikendi made a strangled sound, face clouding with anger.
"I was trying to leave," Val said.
"Leave?" Bikendi asked, and his anger faded into faint amusement, the brightness of his eyes sharper than ever. "No, I'm afraid it's probably too late for that."
Val frowned. "What?" He started to struggle to sit up properly, mortified that he was half-laying on Bikendi, but the hand that suddenly slid along his cheek, into his hair, stopped him short.
Then his head was tilted ever so slightly, and Val's eyes widened as he realized – there was no way – and then he was being kissed, really and truly kissed by Bikendi and he wondered if someone was going to make him wake up and he really hoped not.
A tongue slid across his lips, and Val opened them in surprise, starting when Bikendi's tongue slid into his mouth, seeming to take it over, and all he could do was close his eyes and hold on tight, mimicking as best he could and oh stars—
Bikendi broke away with a rough sound, and his eyes blazed brilliant violet as he stared at Val. Were his own eyes just as bright? He realized at some point he'd grasped the sleeves of Bikendi's coat, holding so tight his hands shook with the effort.
"Why did you do that?" he finally managed.
"I think it might surprise you, Val, how many people would not mind being me right now," Bikendi said dryly.
Val blinked, utterly confused. "You don't mind…that they said those things…"
"Oh, I mind very much they said those things," Bikendi said in a cold tone that was far worse than his shouting and snarling. "They will pay dearly for saying those things. They are extremely lucky they are human, or they would be dead right now." He cupped Val's chin in his hand. "But if you mean am I upset you want me – no. Though I think I am a poor choice for you."
"You're my match," Val said shakily. "I—all I've ever wanted was to meet you, talk to you. I was content just to be close to you for as long as I could. I'm just a dumb kid, and you're—" Everything, he wanted to say, but that sounded lame even in his own head.
Something flashed in Bikendi's eyes, something both tender and fierce, and then Val was being kissed again, and the second time was even better than the first, and stars he hoped he wasn't too awful at it because he really didn't want them to stop.
He blinked, disoriented, when the kisses stopped again.
"Is this really what you want, Val?" Bikendi asked.
Val nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
Bikendi stared at him for a moment, then gave a nod of his own. Then he sat up and stripped out of his lab coat, tossing it aside before shifting, stretching out alongside Val and tugging him close so they lay flush against each other on the couch.
An arm slid around his waist, tugging him even closer, and Val wasn't sure where to put his own arms, except they seemed to settle all by themselves on Bikendi's shoulders as the wonderful kisses returned and oh stars he tried not to think about everything he could suddenly feel, still half-convinced he was dreaming—
A sharp chiming sound broke into the kisses, followed by Bikendi's angry snarl as his in-lens flashed. Reaching over Val, he pushed a button on the underside of the low table in front of the couch, activating a data screen. "What?" he snapped.
Mendel blinked – then suddenly smirked. "I was calling to inform you dinner was ready, but I guess you'll be eating on your ship."
"Yes," Bikendi replied curtly, then killed the connection.
Val flushed hotly, certain his scales would burst into flame any second. He wanted to die.
Then Bikendi started kissing him again, and he decided that was much, much better than dying.
Anyway, two chapters of Meant to Be. ^___^
And am feeling much better, thank you for putting up with my whining <3
Chapter Seventeen
Planet 2154014 (Tredad), Settlement Four
Pyotr sipped his tea as he stared out the window, something which was quickly becoming habit.
More and more he was thinking it was not so bad a habit to acquire.
Especially when every so often he could hear the rustle of linen as Jade shifted or brushed back a strand of hair, his nails clicking as he pressed the keys of his book to shift the pages. The clink of china on wood as he set down his tea.
So quiet, peaceful. So very homey, like spending the evening with his aunt and uncle…except not.
Because it was all too easy to think how this could be, how he wanted it to be.
Not in the forsaken climate of miserable Tredad, but on a planet with warmth and sunlight, in a garden he had spent terms designing and which shortly would be put in the ground. A large house with rooms for everything he might possibly want to do. Not a single one allotted to IG business. Only his antique books, the memorabilia collected from a life as a high-ranking IG official.
Oh, but his favorite was the balcony. Long, wide, deep, looking out over the garden he held so dear.
If he could untangle this last mess…
Pyotr frowned into his tea. Except he couldn't. There was too much to do; he could not simply walk away, even if every day in Jade's presence brought the treacherous thought more and more often to the fore of his mind.
He'd designed the manor off and on for years, always tweaking, improving. Now he had a location to build it…but what was the point? In the deepest recesses of his mind, he had hoped never to live in that house alone. Always, he'd secretly hoped that someone would enjoy tea on the balcony with him, walk in the garden…
That someone had a face, had always had a face, from the moment Pyotr saw him.
But they'd made their choices.
Still, as he listened to Jade move, occasionally felt eyes upon him, all Pyotr could think was what if.
"Did you ever consider giving it all up?"
Jade's teacup hit the table a trifle harder than it had been. "What?" he asked tersely.
"Was there ever a moment when you wanted to walk away, give it up?" Pyotr asked, staring into his own tea, wondering what drove him to speak words that would result in nothing.
"Weak," Jade said scathingly. "The same weakness that led to this very situation. I won't repeat my mistakes."
Pyotr set his cup down and stood, stalking across the room, standing behind the couch, staring. "Too late, Jade. You let me live. I would say that constitutes what you call a weakness."
Jade clicked off his book and stood up, crossing to the kitchen. "Yes."
"Then why did you save me?"
"As you say," Jade said coolly, "it was a weakness. I could kill you now, but having the murder of the HC on my head would not aid my cause. Of course I could simply throw you back out in the snow…"
"You won't," Pyotr said softly, coming up right behind him, not quite close enough to trap him. "For the same reason I won't turn you in."
Jade turned around, laughing bitterly. "No? You nearly captured me once, Petya. You could be done with me once and for all, if you sic your pets upon me from here. I'm good, but with the trail so warm…they would find me before I could vanish."
"Ridiculous," Pyotr snapped. "Don't you think I've had the very best searching for you all this time?" His hand reached out, disobeying his order to stay still, fingers ghosting lightly over Jade's cheek. "As always, you elude me."
Jade jerked away. "If you'd found me, what then?"
"I knew I never would," Pyotr replied.
"Yet here I am, found," Jade said, refilling his tea cup.
Pyotr snorted softly. "I would say I was the one found, but I suppose we are arguing semantics." He didn't move as Jade turned around. "So what now? You can't keep me here forever, Jade."
Jade shrugged and sipped his tea, to all appearances bored with the conversation. But though the man's thoughts ever eluded him, Pyotr had not watched Jade so intensely for years and years without learning one or two things about him.
"Why did you save me, Jade?"
"As I already said," Jade snapped, "I was weak."
Pyotr shot an arm out, blocking him when Jade tried to walk away. "What did you hope to accomplish by saving me, Jade?"
"What are you hoping to accomplish with this?" Jade asked. "We made our choices, Petya."
"Can't we make new choices?" Pyotr asked softly. "I have asked myself that a million times."
Jade laughed, bitterly amused. "New choices? And what does that mean?"
"Would you give it up?" Pyotr asked, turning to look Jade in the eyes, feeling as lost as he always did to those rich eyes, the sharp clarity of that gaze. "Give up Gory, turn him in, be done with it?"
Another bitter laugh, Jade tossing his hair from his face. "That's laughable coming from you, Petya. You’ve been obsessed a decade more than I, surely you know how utterly ridiculous a question that is. Gory took everything from me, and I will take everything from him – then I will kill him."
"Then what?" Pyotr asked quietly, traitorous hand once more going to stroke the fine line of Jade's cheekbone.
Jade jerked away from the touch, tea spilling over the side of his cup, splashing on his pale blue robe. He set the cup down sharply on the counter behind him, fingers flexing in warning. "What of you, Petya? What will you do when you realize the stars are beyond saving? Would you give up your heroics? What would you do without the world to save?"
Pyotr opened his mouth to reply, but before he could speak he was moving, capturing those fine wrists, pressing Jade back, and taking that fine, pretty mouth he had dreamed about, thought about, with far more obsession than his so-called heroics.
He shuddered hard as Jade went still beneath him, stiff with outrage. Teeth bit down sharply on his lip, making him hiss in pain, but Pyotr did not pull away.
Then that slender body went suddenly from stiff to pliant, shivers wracking it as Jade gave in, mouth opening to let Pyotr in, and he tasted like tea and something bittersweet that could only be Jade himself.
Pyotr let go of the wrists he'd been holding, fully expecting to be attacked – but Jade merely buried his hands in Pyotr's hair, those nails digging into his scalp as Jade returned his kiss full measure, a thousand times more addictive, more fatal, than his obsessive imaginings.
"Jade…" he whispered softly as he reluctantly pulled away to breathe. Now would come the nails, the breaking of the spell.
"Weak," Jade said quietly, hands falling away, suddenly looking extremely tired.
"Give it up, walk away," Pyotr pleaded. "I have a place, or will soon. One year and—"
"And what?" Jade cut in sharply. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that after all these years, you're going to give up everything you've gained – your power, your affluence, your pets, your ambition to save the world – to hide away with a wanted criminal? If I were stupid enough to believe that, Pyotr, I would be dead or in Rehab."
Pyotr captured his mouth again, wondering how he was supposed to live the rest of his life now with these stolen kisses haunting him. "I would, Jade. All of it. If you'll come with me."
"You're a fool," Jade whispered, then wrapped his arms around Pyotr's neck and dragged him down into another kiss.
Pyotr knew before he opened his eyes what he would find.
Still, it hurt.
Gone.
Jade was completely and utterly gone. It did not even look as though the man had been here, except for the scent of him which lingered in the sheets, on Pyotr's skin.
He closed his eyes against the pain which washed over him, threatened to drown him.
Memories rose up to haunt him, the silk of dark gold hair as it brushed over his skin, how soft and warm Jade had been beneath him, the heat that had flared for once in cool amber eyes, how intoxicating it was to hear Jade cry his name in passion.
And now he was gone.
Pyotr's mouth twisted in misery, bitterness. He would have given up everything, and it seemed that simply was not enough.
Perhaps Jade was right – it was too late to change the choices they had made.
Tamping down on the emotions tormenting him, Pyotr threw back the blankets and stalked to the shower. When he emerged a half hour later, he padded across to the kitchen area.
All of his belongings were set out, looking as new as the day he'd acquired them. Even his uniform, surely ruined in the explosion, the fall, looked perfect. The silver trim gleamed in the dimmed lights.
Voice rough, Pyotr ordered the lights up and slowly began to dress. After so many days in comfortable house clothes, lounge pants, the uniform felt strange and stiff. Every day of his life he wore either the more casual dark blue uniform or the formal black. Rarely did he wear anything else…now he did not feel right in the thing.
Well, he would settle back into it soon enough.
Dressed, he combed his hair and smoothed the uniform down. Yes, already it was beginning to feel familiar again. He would settle back into everything just fine. Reaching out to the table once more, he flipped open the case that held his in lens, slipping it over his right eye. From a larger case, he took out the keypad and flipped the switch to activate the screen.
Codes and numbers flashed across his in lens as they transmitted to the datascreen.
A familiar face appeared on the screen, expression twisted into a scowl. "It's about time," Tau Ceti snapped. "We're almost to Tredad."
Pyotr smiled faintly. "So you did find me."
"Of course I did," Tau replied haughtily.
"What have I missed?" Pyotr asked, cutting right to business.
Tersely Tau told him, tail lashing furiously all the while, betraying to those who knew him best just how upset the Gremlin had been.
Pyotr listened in grim silence, though he was briefly amused to learn where Raoul had landed – and so very happy he had survived. "Send the Darkside or Brilliant to retrieve me."
"No!" Tau protested, his angry mask momentarily slipping to reveal something far more fragile. "I'm not letting any of those—"
"I need you to do something for me Tau," Pyotr cut in.
Tau stilled, silent a long moment as he regarded Pyotr carefully, then he sighed. "What?"
"A few things, really," Pyotr replied. "Dig up all the information you possibly can on Wyleen Pastor and Boris Cathartes, and cross them both with Gory Cohen. I need the sort of information no one else has been able to find, Tau. Overlay all of that with soul traffic reports, both closed and open cases…tell me what you find. If you need information from the archives, I'm transmitting access codes now. Toby can get you what you need. Also – that planet Raoul was on. Haven. Lock it down. No one enters or leaves until I say so. I don't care if you sic Meiki on the lot of them. Call in help if you feel like it, the Melee, is more than up to the task."
Tau scowled. "That's all stupid easy stuff. And I’m not asking that flea-bitten alley cat for help." He considered. "Though it might be worth it just to hear Meiki call him a pretty lady kitty…"
"I'm not done yet," Pyotr murmured. "I also need chaos. Starting from the moment I'm picked up, until about half an hour after I dock in Zero. I want no one to be aware of my arrival, I want communication to be nigh on impossible." His face hardened. "It's not really necessary…but I want them scared. They've gone too far this time." He looked at Tau and smirked. "Can you give me controlled chaos, Tau?"
"Have I ever given you uncontrolled chaos?" Tau asked, adding in the same breath, "Don’t answer that."
"Thank you, little brother," Pyotr said, then cut the connection. He sat down in one of the dining chairs and closed his eyes.
So much to do, and he was suddenly too tired to do it anymore.
But, he had no choice.
Anger stirred to think that an entire race was on the verge of extinction because a backstabbing bastard was more interested in his soul farm. Authority High Command. It made him sick. The man had always been a comrade, an ally.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, that he'd been so easily fooled by someone he trusted. Perhaps he really was getting too old for these games.
But what reason had he to stop? People depended on him, looked to him…and while all his 'pets' would do just fine without him…
In the end, it didn't matter. He'd made his bid, and Jade had left. All he had left was the memory of bittersweet kisses and the deep marks sharp nails had left on his back. He touched his cheek, where the earlier marks Jade had given him were still healing.
Shoving the memories aside, burying them deep and locking them away, Pyotr summoned up the manner which had long ago earned him the codename 'Winter'. He picked up the stunner lying on the table and swiftly checked it, then slid it into its shoulder holster beneath his jacket.
Next he picked up the bracelet that allowed anyone with the proper clearances to track him. He had no reason to turn it on now, Tau would have given his coordinates to the ship picking him up, but he slid it on his wrist all the same.
Calling his data screen back up, in-lens flashing, the High Chancellor returned to work while he waited to be picked up.
Chapter Eighteen
Planet 0000000 (Zero), the Palace of Eternity
Val wanted very badly to hide.
The room was chaos. Absolute, utter chaos.
Everyone was waiting for a ship to arrive, bearing the High Chancellor's bodyguard, who was miraculously alive.
He hadn't felt this much tension in a room since Tresnor had nearly been killed. This was actually worse.
It also felt, once again, like everyone knew something but him.
He couldn't take it. More than anything he wanted…
Val flushed guiltily. He wanted to be back on the Frankenstein, just him and Dr. Bikendi and wasn't that a horribly selfish thought? Bikendi had better things to do with his time than baby sit a stupid kid who broke down over the dumbest things.
Especially when that stupid kid was having increasingly inappropriate, far from kid-like thoughts about the mercurial scientist. He still didn't know where those had come from, and he was a thousand times grateful that no one in the group had telepathic magics because then he really would have to kill himself.
He may yet anyway, if all this chaos didn't drive him insane first.
Desperate for distraction, he pulled out his datapad and switched it on, pulling up the questions, answers, all the notes he'd made on the things he and Bikendi had talked about at dinner a couple of nights ago.
It had been the best night of his life, a dream come true, sitting across the table from Bikendi and simply talking to him, asking all his questions, giving all his thoughts – and Bikendi had not once seemed annoyed or angry with him, nor had he worn that patronizing look so many adults always gave him when indulging his curiosity.
Bikendi had insisted on his staying when they'd finally finished, and he'd spent the night in a guest room on the ship.
He wanted to be back there now, but he seriously doubted Bikendi would ever be that nice again and anyway with all the chaos around them the trials still could resume at any moment.
Across the room, Mendel and Jundel talked quietly. Baxter was speaking to a handsome young man on a datascreen, and Val wondered absently if that was the man who was lover to both twins.
Cheeks burning at the thought, he turned his attention elsewhere. Mythril had vanished to attend Tresnor…and Bikendi he did not see. Where had Bikendi gone? Val frowned, hurt that Bikendi had not mentioned he was leaving.
Then he called himself a million different kinds of stupid. What right had he to be hurt? Just because he…
He what? Val grimaced at himself. Obviously he had some stupid crush on a man who was not only older than he, but completely out of his league. He'd always known he had a bit of a silly boy's crush on the scientist—obsessively following all his lectures and publications was sort of a hint – but now it was getting out of hand.
But they were matched…
That didn't mean anything and he knew it.
He couldn't take it anymore. There was too much noise, too much everything and maybe if he went to the lab for a bit, the quiet would help him calm down and start thinking straight. This Zero life wasn't for him, it just wasn't. As soon as the trials were over…
Val stopped short in the hallway, fear making his chest go tight.
What would he do when the trials were over?
Well, if the verdict was to kill the Draconis, that was obvious enough.
Oh, stars. Bikendi. He was matched to Bikendi. If they lost the trial and the Draconis were sentenced to die…Bikendi would die too, because the prosecution was pushing for immediate annihilation.
That wasn't fair. Bikendi was brilliant and amazing and wonderful even though he'd seemed so mean and scary at first.
Val wandered blindly through the halls, desperate to reach the lab, the only place where anything made sense, where he didn't feel like a lost, dumb kid with no place—
He crashed hard into something – someone, he realized a moment later, dropping his datapad as he landed on his backside on the floor. "S-sorry," he said, looking up – then stopped.
Cathartes. Val swallowed. What was Cathartes doing here? He swallowed again, looking at the man beside him.
Even he wasn't stupid enough to miss that uniform, the medals and pins and marks of rank upon it, sharp and bright against the dark steel gray uniform. Of the dozens of things pinned or sewn to his jacket, the bright silver infinity symbol overlaid with a gold seven-pointed star was the most obvious give away.
The man had hair only a shade or two lighter than his uniform, face sharply chiseled, too severe to be truly handsome. His eyes were dark; Val couldn't tell their exact color. He was as large and intimidating as a Telsken. This was Authority High Commander Pastor.
"Well, well," Cathartes said in a tone Val didn't like one bit. "The mutant is running around all by himself. Not trailing after your precious doctor like a bitch in heat today?"
Val's eyes widened, face burning with mortification. Was he really that obvious? Oh, stars, maybe that was why Bikendi had left without saying anything. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen him much sense they'd left the Frankenstein. Maybe Bikendi was avoiding him. The thought made him feel sick.
Slowly he stood up, retrieving his datapad, clicking it off and sliding it into its usual pocket in his pants. "Excuse me," he said quietly, staring at the ground. "I was in a hurry. I didn't mean to crash into you."
"I see why you think they're matched," Pastor said, speaking to Cathartes, ignoring Val completely. "The eyes are very similar."
Val fought to remain expressionless, to give no reaction. "W-we're not m-matched," he said, wishing that just once he could lie. Or that he'd been smart enough to stay with the others, instead of fleeing like the stupid kid he was. "I-I don't have m-magics. That's why I'm a m-mutant."
Cathartes sneered. "Sure. Kavalerov brought you all the way here just to be a useless, love struck nitwit? I don't think so."
Stars, he was going to ruin everything. They'd told him a thousand times that it was important no one figure out he and Bikendi were matched, that it was better kept secret so no one could counter the defense team arguments. So no one would see it coming. "We're not matched," he said, voice a bit more firm. He couldn't screw up. He couldn't.
Because if he did, then they might lose the trial and he'd die and that meant Bikendi—
"Then why are you here, mutant?"
"Because I'm a mutant," Val said, finally looking up. He licked his lips. "Maybe I'm proving the Draconis are evolving out of the need to match, which means we're not a danger anymore."
Cathartes eyes widened briefly, then narrowed. "Really?"
"It's a theory," Val said.
Pastor laughed. "Yet not even you look stupid enough to tell the truth to your enemy. Who do you think you're fooling, boy?"
"I don't want to get hurt," Val said miserably, meaning it. Then he lifted his chin, refusing to be completely cowed. He was Bikendi's match, he couldn't be completely pathetic, that would make Bikendi look bad. "Anyway, even if you know our defense, Dr. Bikendi and Tresnor and Baxter and all the others are way smarter than you."
Cathartes laughed. "Oh, yes, so smart Tresnor is barely alive and that incestuous slut he calls his son must pick up the pieces of daddy's defense. Run along like a good dog back to your master, little mutant. And next time watch where you're going."
Val nodded, and watched miserably as the two walked past him down the hall, heads bent close as they talked quietly.
Then he turned and began to make his way back to the suite, not willing to risk screwing up even more.
Just as he reached it, the door slid open – Bikendi filling the doorway. "Val. There you are. What are you doing out here?"
Val's stomach twisted as Cathartes' words came rushing back to him. He wasn't—he didn't—
Turning around, he again tried to flee, no longer knowing where he was supposed to be, where he should go.
A hand caught his wrist, yanked him back, and he went crashing into Bikendi. He fumbled for balance, trembling despite himself as an arm wrapped around his shoulders. "S-sorry," he managed, wishing that the ground would just swallow him up.
"Val, what in the stars is the matter?"
"I-I-I was going to the l-labs," Val said, talking to Bikendi's shirt. "I ran into Cathartes and the High Commander. I tried to lie but—"
Swearing softly, Bikendi held tightly to his hand and dragged him away – not back inside, as Val had expected, but through the halls to the docks…to the Frankenstein.
All but pushing him to the couch, Bikendi sat down next to him and forced Val to look up, fingers gentle and so very warm against his skin. "Now, Val – tell me what they said."
Face hot, Val told Bikendi what had been said – minus the parts about him chasing after Bikendi.
When he finished, he waited miserably for Bikendi to yell at him.
Instead a hand ran gently through his hair, combing it back from his face. "You did well, Val," Bikendi said quietly. "Very good, to give them such a plausible theory to stew on. Especially since it's one well documented where you're concerned."
Relief poured through Val, easing some of his misery. He'd only thought of it because he remembered people discussing it – that maybe Draconis were evolving to not have magics, so that they need not bond. But he'd always been affected by magics, which meant he must have them, if only at a very low level. Though that tiny fact had never counted for anything back home.
"Something is still bothering you," Bikendi said. His lips quirked briefly. "Do I need to fetch the brandy?"
Val shook his head furiously, though remembering how relaxed the stuff had made him, he was sorely tempted. "It's nothing," he said. "Just stupid stuff." He flushed and looked away, staring hard at the carpet.
"What stupid stuff?" Bikendi asked, voice hardening. "What did those bastards say to you, Val?"
"N-nothing," Val said, misery making his chest tight all over again. Stars, he didn't want to think about it. If they'd noticed, what was everyone else saying about him? He must be the most pathetic person in the stars. "Nothing that matters."
"It matters to you," Bikendi said firmly, grasping his chin and forcing him to turn around and look up. "What did they say?" he repeated, voice brooking no argument, the tone the same as when they were in lab.
Val crumbled, resigned to abject humiliation, and miserably repeated all that Cathartes and Pastor had said.
The fingers on his chin tightened to the point of pain, causing him to wince.
Immediately Bikendi let go.
"I'm sorry," Val whispered, and stood up to go – somewhere. Anywhere but here, because now Bikendi knew exactly how pathetic and stupid he was and—
He let out a soft cry of surprise as he was yanked back down, landing awkwardly on the opposite end of the couch, head against the pillows, legs lying haphazardly across Bikendi's.
"Enough," Bikendi said, violet eyes unusually bright, a strange focus to them. "I've had enough."
"I'm sorry," Val said again, struggling to sit up. "I didn't mean for you to—"
Bikendi pressed a finger to his lips, and Val went immediately silent.
"You're far too young for me, Val, even if most of the stars would say otherwise. Surely there is someone back home who waits for you to come back. Had you no sweethearts in school?"
Val shook his head, old bitter sadness welling up in him. "Some of the kids used to try to dare each other to kiss the mutant freak. That was all." They always thought he couldn't hear them, like he was deaf as well as magics-less.
Bikendi made a strangled sound, face clouding with anger.
"I was trying to leave," Val said.
"Leave?" Bikendi asked, and his anger faded into faint amusement, the brightness of his eyes sharper than ever. "No, I'm afraid it's probably too late for that."
Val frowned. "What?" He started to struggle to sit up properly, mortified that he was half-laying on Bikendi, but the hand that suddenly slid along his cheek, into his hair, stopped him short.
Then his head was tilted ever so slightly, and Val's eyes widened as he realized – there was no way – and then he was being kissed, really and truly kissed by Bikendi and he wondered if someone was going to make him wake up and he really hoped not.
A tongue slid across his lips, and Val opened them in surprise, starting when Bikendi's tongue slid into his mouth, seeming to take it over, and all he could do was close his eyes and hold on tight, mimicking as best he could and oh stars—
Bikendi broke away with a rough sound, and his eyes blazed brilliant violet as he stared at Val. Were his own eyes just as bright? He realized at some point he'd grasped the sleeves of Bikendi's coat, holding so tight his hands shook with the effort.
"Why did you do that?" he finally managed.
"I think it might surprise you, Val, how many people would not mind being me right now," Bikendi said dryly.
Val blinked, utterly confused. "You don't mind…that they said those things…"
"Oh, I mind very much they said those things," Bikendi said in a cold tone that was far worse than his shouting and snarling. "They will pay dearly for saying those things. They are extremely lucky they are human, or they would be dead right now." He cupped Val's chin in his hand. "But if you mean am I upset you want me – no. Though I think I am a poor choice for you."
"You're my match," Val said shakily. "I—all I've ever wanted was to meet you, talk to you. I was content just to be close to you for as long as I could. I'm just a dumb kid, and you're—" Everything, he wanted to say, but that sounded lame even in his own head.
Something flashed in Bikendi's eyes, something both tender and fierce, and then Val was being kissed again, and the second time was even better than the first, and stars he hoped he wasn't too awful at it because he really didn't want them to stop.
He blinked, disoriented, when the kisses stopped again.
"Is this really what you want, Val?" Bikendi asked.
Val nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
Bikendi stared at him for a moment, then gave a nod of his own. Then he sat up and stripped out of his lab coat, tossing it aside before shifting, stretching out alongside Val and tugging him close so they lay flush against each other on the couch.
An arm slid around his waist, tugging him even closer, and Val wasn't sure where to put his own arms, except they seemed to settle all by themselves on Bikendi's shoulders as the wonderful kisses returned and oh stars he tried not to think about everything he could suddenly feel, still half-convinced he was dreaming—
A sharp chiming sound broke into the kisses, followed by Bikendi's angry snarl as his in-lens flashed. Reaching over Val, he pushed a button on the underside of the low table in front of the couch, activating a data screen. "What?" he snapped.
Mendel blinked – then suddenly smirked. "I was calling to inform you dinner was ready, but I guess you'll be eating on your ship."
"Yes," Bikendi replied curtly, then killed the connection.
Val flushed hotly, certain his scales would burst into flame any second. He wanted to die.
Then Bikendi started kissing him again, and he decided that was much, much better than dying.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 01:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-17 06:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 01:56 am (UTC)<3<3<3<3<3<3<3
So much love to you for getting them FINALLY together~! It's like AWWWWWWW. *gushes*
You have a lot of font and all over the place; half your chapter was posted twice. ^__^;;
no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 01:57 am (UTC)(no subject)
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From:YES!!!!!!!!!
Date: 2007-07-16 02:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 02:15 am (UTC)Dang, Pyotr is going through the stages of one of those epic, tragic (hopefully not in this case!) romances, eh?
no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 02:39 am (UTC)Poor sweet Pyotr. I can't see the universe being a better place with him stepping down. *sigh* Please say Jade is running a scheme of his own that will make all right and living with Pyotr doable while getting around his criminal background. You have it planned out.. give a hint on the sly. I can keep a secret. I want to read the end and then go back to reading where I left off. Pleeeeeeease.
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Date: 2007-07-16 02:55 am (UTC)But "controlled chaos" is gonna be awesome, especially with Tau behind it...
Also, yay for Val and Bikendi! They're so cute together.
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Date: 2007-07-16 02:56 am (UTC)I don't know whether I should be jumping around dancing and grinning like a lunatic or crying into my pillow.
do you need a stick to beat it into submission, I am sure I can find something.
And I LOVE THE CHAPTERS (just incase it wasn't obvious above) I love Val, he is just so *innocent*
Catherine
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Date: 2007-07-16 03:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 03:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 04:48 am (UTC)If it wasn't you, Meg, I would be in hysterical tears right now.
Bikendi my snarky, mad scientist love, truly you are currently th3 only one doing it right.<3 I think Mythril should go make hawt man love with Tresnor. He is SO asking for it, yus he is.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 09:10 pm (UTC)Where the heck did Tresnor/Mythril come from? You and Kitty need to stop harassing me, cause I am NOT giving into temptation NO NO NO.
(no subject)
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Date: 2007-07-16 05:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 05:49 am (UTC)Holy Crap. That was such a great two chapters. The first one was so sad! I thought that Jade and Pyotr were TOGETHER...FINALLY! But no. Ah well, it just makes their relationship more wonderfully dynamic.
Val and Bikendi. Bikendi and Val. I think I'm just going to go read that chapter another 10 times and bask in their glorious love! You rock!
no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 08:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 10:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 08:40 am (UTC)1. TWO CHAPTERS!!! YESSSS!!!
2. OH MY GOD EVERYONE'S KISSING AND HAVING SEX!!! (Or will be having, in Val's and Biki's case.)
3. Pyotr: *angst kiss angst* Jade: *kiss angst kiss* XD They are so amusing.
4. >.> I need to sort my jumbled thoughts out first. >< You totally killed my mind.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 09:40 am (UTC)I LOVE YOU FOR BEING FOR MAKING TWO OF THE HARDEST CHARACTERS I'VE EVER READ TO KISS EACH OTHER. It must've been damned hard, for them to angst between kisses properly.
(no subject)
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Date: 2007-07-16 10:41 am (UTC)Pyotr/Jade and Val/Bikendi. Rawr.
Also, glad to see Pyotr is back in the game (and hee, siccing Meiki on the lot of them!). It's time to prod some buttocks :D
no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 01:17 pm (UTC)FINALLY. D: I would've smacked Bikendi if you dragged it on further. Same with Pyotr and Jade, but they're angst emo boys so they needs time.
I love you. <3
*squees so hard the dog comes up to look at her funny*
Date: 2007-07-16 03:15 pm (UTC)Also, complaining is vital part of healing process! As your body fixes up all the dinged bits, it's important to also expel the displeasure the dinged bits caused, otherwise it'll just fester, rot, and leave an abcessed blemish on your inner harmony. Damaged calm is never good, therefore you should complain it all out before it has a chance to settle.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 06:26 pm (UTC)2) At least they had one happy moment of smexing in all of it? ;____; *wibbles some more* I'm just going to sit here in my corner and hope very, very hard that one day they'll have all the time in the world to boink each other's brains out without other people or the real world intruding in on them.
3) Wyleen Pastor, Boris Cathartes, Gory Cohen...I keel them! *hisses at them* I love and am in awe at how you keep the plot circling and twisting and doing all those other cool neat things that plots can do. And you make it look effortless. *____*
4) Val is the cutest thing EVER! I want to lick him, he's so adorable. Poor guy. I sympathize with the whole not liking the chaos thing. I love and adore the way his heart is on his sleeve and how he doesn't think he's good enough for the good doctor.
5) *kicks Cathartes and Pastor in the nuts, hard*
6) *__________* Val and Bikendi....Oh so perfect. *tackle hearts* Too perfect for words. *loves on you*
7) You totally rock.*hearts*
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Date: 2007-07-16 09:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-16 10:39 pm (UTC)When Pyotr was noticing that Jade was all gone, I was thinking 'even the nail polish?' I wish he'd left something for Pyotr... I suppose maybe he wouldn't, though, and setting all his stuff out was pretty ...we'll go with 'nice.'
Oh, and Val's first kiss thoughts were so adorable and rang true. He is just about the cutest thing ever. And his mortification with knowing everyone sees how he is crushing on Bikendi... so cute. Thank goodness Bikendi didn't decide to be stupid about the whole thing. ^_^
I hope you are feeling better today!
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Date: 2007-07-16 10:39 pm (UTC)And I'm anxiously awaiting the return of Yevi. Is he the one with a long name that just got the Vrill planet? Televeon, or something like that?
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Date: 2007-07-16 10:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-17 12:19 am (UTC)Though bad Jade, bad! I am sure he'll come to his sences/petyr will track him down... or something...
Have ficbeat stick. ^___^
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Date: 2007-07-17 03:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-22 08:09 pm (UTC)And the bittersweet awakening Pyotr had broke my heart. The poor thing. I hope that Jade is suffering just as much somewhere, with his heart scattered in pieces but the bittersweet of it all - the remembered moments with Jade the previous night, gah, I adored that part. ^___^;; Though I can't help but think that their reunion is going to be the best finale of the three. ^____^ Val and Bikendi are sweet, and Raoul and Yevi are just plain sexy, but Jade and Pyotr are wonderfully bittersweet and I adore it. ^____^
Aaaah, and the second chapter? *_____* Yes! Bikendi gives in! Val is adorable. I love how he manages to bungle his way into giving the defense something to focus on that's not the true defense. ^____^ I love how he gets all upset and that Bikendi is the one who comforts him and the one that Val can't help but tell everything about the conversation to. And his reaction to Bikendi kissing him? ::dies:: Was so adorable. ^____^
And also, on a completely unrelated note, I wish to write for you. ^___^ Anything you want, be it in Kidnapped verse or original or new or whatever, since your writing always is cheering me up. ^____^ Even if I'm two or three gigantic stories behind on reading your stuff.