Walk forward, into the world

Title: Walk forward, into the world
Author: Ainzfern
Genre: Ai no Kusabi – Post OVA
Code: Iason/Riki
Rating: NC-17
Parts: WIP – 8/?

Travelling back through the streets of Midas towards Eos, Katze found that he was navigating his way almost automatically, directing only minimal attention to his chauffeuring. He kept glancing in the rear-view mirror at the silent and contemplative form of Raoul Am, sitting in the rear seat, one arm propped against the sill of the car window, his chin cupped in his elegant hand. The Elite was looking unblinkingly out into the night, but Katze doubted that he was even registering the brightly lit and crowd-filled streets. His expression was almost vacant, his green eyes inwardly gazing as he very obviously meditated on all that had passed this evening.

And there was a hell of a lot to meditate on, Katze had to admit that. He drew his thoughts back to his driving for a moment as he reached the intersection that would lead towards Eos. Checking the crossways, he signaled and turned, merging smoothly into the flowing traffic before once more glancing back at the Blondie.

Although he almost desperately wished to voice his questions, Katze wisely kept his silence. At least for now. With Iason, he had always known just how far he could push his limits, how much his former Master would accept, how many questions he would answer, and exactly what warning signs Katze would need to take note of to ensure he didn’t cross the line.

But Raoul Am was a different animal altogether. He might be Iason’s closest Elite friend, but he was not Iason. Katze had seen enough flashes of the Blondie’s awful and glacial temper to know that.

Instead, as the crystalline lights of Eos grew closer in the distance, Katze contented himself with replaying the conversation he had witnessed earlier in the night when he had taken Iason and Raoul to his safe-house, trying to reconcile what he felt about the whole damned thing…


******


///“There was one other detail you failed to mention to me about the events following Dana Bahn, Raoul,” Iason had told his friend softly as the lights beyond the car window alternately washed his flawless face with flashes of illumination and shadow.

Seated beside him in the spacious rear of the vehicle, Raoul had tilted his head. “Oh?”

“My death,” Iason had clarified. “You failed to mention to me that I had, in fact, died that day.”

Outwardly composed, but with a wealth of pain in his eyes, visible even to Katze’s fleeting glances in the rear-view mirror, Raoul had nodded slowly. “Yes, it happened. But it was only for a few moments, Iason. We saved you.”

Iason had sighed wearily. “But she felt it, Raoul.”

Raoul had frowned. “She?”

“Jupiter,” Iason had clarified, his voice soft with remembered anguish. “She felt it… and it hurt her.”

Even in the front seat, even over the purr of the engine, Raoul’s gasp of shock had been clearly audible to Katze’s ears.

“It was her... emotional response to my death, to the pain that she felt, that made her call me to her all those times. She had never experienced anything like it before and she was trying to comprehend her own reactions, by investigating mine,” Iason had smiled slightly, almost ruefully. “In essence, my friend, I was her ‘research’ into the unknown.”

“So,” Raoul had faltered a moment, struggling with it, “She has decided to rethink her entire dictate on Elite behavior because of you?”

Iason had shaken his head slightly. “Because of all of us, Raoul.” He had huffed a soft chuckle at Raoul’s perplexed expression. “To a certain extent she can sense the innermost feelings of all of her Elite children.” He had shifted slightly, looking intently into Raoul’s eyes, “You lied for me, Raoul. Many times. You protected me, even though you disagreed with what I was doing. Even though you knew it was wrong. Jupiter knows all of this.”

“Iason…”

“You did this, out of friendship,” Iason had continued implacably, “and friendship is a form of love.”

Raoul had looked away for a moment, his shoulders rigid with discomfort.

“Are you going to deny that?” Iason had asked softly.

Flushing, ever so slightly across his pale cheeks, Raoul looked back at him and shook his head in silence.

“So,” Iason had leant back, settling himself more comfortably. “She believes that she understands now. We are evolving. Even though the Elite have been genetically enhanced, we are still – at our core – descended from human stock. We are still capable of emotion. This cannot be denied any longer.”

“What will this mean for us, Iason?” Raoul had asked him, his voice shaking slightly. “What, in the end, will it mean for all of us?”

“It will mean that we will finally be allowed to fulfill our full potential, Raoul,” Iason had replied.

“I don’t understand.”

“She believes that if her Elite are allowed to have something worth loving to achieve great things for,” Iason’s answer had been sure and certain, “then they will only become more passionate, more powerful, in the service of Amoi.”

Raoul had stared at him for a long moment. “And what do you believe, Iason?” he had asked eventually.

Iason’s expression had been almost beatific. “I believe she is right.” ///


******


Shaking himself slightly, Katze pulled his attention fully back to the present and glanced once more into the rear-view mirror.

“We are entering Eos, Master Am,” he advised quietly, almost hesitant to break the silence. “Do you wish me to take you into the central district for a while?”

Slowly, Raoul blinked and lifted his green eyes to meet Katze’s in the reflection of the mirror. “As a matter of fact, I don’t,” he murmured his reply in a profoundly thoughtful tone. “Take me to Eos Tower.”

“Of course, Sir,” Katze replied, adjusting their direction once more.

“You will escort me to Iason’s penthouse once we arrive.”

Startled, Katze blinked and looked back at Raoul once more, seeing the slightly cool smile appearing on the Elite’s face.

“I happen to know for a fact that you have Iason’s security codes, Katze,” Raoul told him.

Katze grimaced slightly as he drove his car into the protected parking bay at the foot of Eos Tower. “Iason told you that, did he?”

“Hmm.” Raoul waited while Katze parked and cut the engine. Then he sighed. “I feel the need for silence… and Iason’s penthouse is the quietest place I can think of right now.”

“I see, Master Am.” Shaking his head at the oddness of the Elite, Katze quickly exited the driver’s seat, moving to the rear of the car and opening the door for the Blondie.

As Raoul gracefully alighted and fell into step with the ex-Furniture, heading towards the penthouse lift, he sighed once more. “So much changed in so short a time,” he murmured, almost to himself.

As Katze summoned the lift, he kept his face averted slightly in a properly respectful pose. “Will you require me to stay once we have reached the Penthouse, Master Am?” he asked quietly.

Raoul glanced down at him, the expression on his patrician face indecipherable. “Only if you want to, Katze.”

Katze felt his eyes widen slightly.

“Oh… and Katze?” Raoul added as they stepped into the lift together.

“Yes, Master Am?”

“You may call me Raoul, if you wish.”


*****

Standing in the cool night air on Iason’s penthouse balcony, glass of fine wine in hand, which Dane had silently retrieved without question at Raoul’s request before quickly disappearing into his own private room, Katze looked out across the bright lights of Midas. He lifted his eyes to the twin moons of Amoi for a moment, nodding at them almost as if they were old friends, before dropping his gaze again.

Even though it was much too distant from his current position to even consider trying to see it, Katze’s gaze strayed almost automatically in the direction of his safe-house in Ceres where no doubt two men – one Elite and one a mere mongrel - were reacquainting themselves with the most impossible love story this world would ever see.

For what it was worth, he really did wish them well.

“So,” Raoul joined him at the edge of the balcony, his own glass of wine cradled in a long-fingered and elegant hand. “Are you going to share your views on your former Master’s pronouncements earlier this evening?”

“Well, I don’t know, Raoul.” Katze made a sardonic little face and cast a sideways glance at the Blondie’s face, “I guess it all depends on how you’ll react. I mean, I don’t really want to have another set of holes punched through my shoulder if I can avoid it.”

To his surprise, Raoul actually winced slightly. “Yes. Well.” He pulled in a deep breath. “Perhaps I was somewhat over-zealous that night.”

“Oh yeah.” Katze looked down at his glass once more.

“Besides, if it serves to ease your concerns,” Raoul huffed a short chuckle, “I believe it is entirely appropriate to say that ‘all bets are off’..? At least for tonight?”

“All right,” Shooting him another narrow-eyed glance, Katze nodded, “All right… you want my spin on this? I’ll give it to you.” Katze turned to fully face the Elite and lifted his chin, flicking his hair back from his scarred face for a moment with a short upward jerk of his head. “I think it’s probably the best fuckin’ thing that will ever happen to you stuck-up, anal retentive bunch of pure assholes. And, in all honestly, with the possible exception of Iason – who has, let’s face it, had a bit of practice in the field - I don’t think you guys have a God damned clue just how complicated your lives are about to get.” He grinned viciously up at Raoul’s stunned expression. “And you know what else..? I think you deserve it.”

It hung there between them in the cold night air for an endless moment before, in a move that shocked Katze right down to his feet, Raoul suddenly threw back his head and laughed. For a second Katze simply gaped at him, almost offended. Then, unable to help himself, he began to chuckle along, his own amusement at the incongruity of the situation rising until he, too, was laughing as long and as loudly as the Blondie Elite now leaning helplessly against the balcony wall.

As the echoes of their laughter faded slowly away, Raoul wiped his eyes with one hand, composing himself, even though his lips still twitched a little with mirth. “Ah, Katze,” he shook his head ruefully. “How long have you been waiting to say that to one of us?”

Katze snorted gracelessly. “About as long as I can remember, Raoul.”

“Well, I’ll offer you this compliment, at least. You were most eloquent.”

“Thanks.” Katze sipped his wine once more, turning around and resting his rump against the edge of the wall. “Raoul?”

“Hmm?”

“You ever been drunk?”

Raoul smiled tolerantly at him. “No. Elite don’t get drunk, Katze.”

“You wanna try?”

Arching an elegant brow at him, Raoul crossed his arms over his broad chest as he considered it. “Why not?” he replied at length. “It’s a night for firsts, after all.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Katze turned and headed back into the penthouse, intending to raid Iason’s liquor cabinet with complete immunity for the first time.

Besides, he thought with wicked delight, he might just let Raoul explain it to Iason in the morning…


TBC...