And here's an overdue Christmas fic! Heh, sorry for the delay… I was late writing this, and a bunch of other things cropped up, like Pokemon Gold (yeah, I know it came out years ago) and looking for a job now that I have a long break between different schools.
Anyway, Get Backers doesn't belong to me. ;D Enjoy the fic!
Season's Greetings
By Aquarius Galuxy
Perfect circles of steel-backed rubber crunched across the frosty tarmac, driven by the noisy purr of several engines along the orange-lit road. Clusters of pedestrians flowed languidly along the sidewalk, made almost tiny in the grander scheme of the decorated city, where skyscrapers stretched ever hungrily for the diamond-speckled sky. Spots of coloured illumination glinted across darkened car windows as the vehicles swept past.
Some of the pedestrians were clothed finely; others were dressed to a lesser extent. Nevertheless, the Yuletide cheer was accentuated by blaring festive music pervading covered ears, and bright, flickering lights on tall Christmas trees.
A chilly wind swept along the concrete-lined road, setting bare branches and folds of clothing to sway. Tendrils of air curled along exposed skin.
Fuuchouin Kazuki shifted slightly in the velvety confines of his coat, stepping a little closer to the man next to him. Juubei seemed to notice, if but just vaguely, turning in his direction. Then again, how was he supposed to stay warm in a halter-neck dress, a woman's coat and animal-hide boots that stretched to mid-calf?
As if belittling him, another gust of air blew, toying with the locks of bound hair on either sides of his face. Twin bells tinkled next to his cheek.
At the very least, Juubei was fortunate enough to be loaned a decent suit, complete with tie, coat and shoes. The man had left his visor on, drawing curious stares from the people around. But neither of them paid mind to the attention.
-
"Kazuki-kun, did Madoka-chan invite you to her Christmas concert as well?"
Hevn leaned in curiously, her reflection sharp in the polished counter. He looked up at her from his usual plate of ham sandwiches. Metallic tinkles wound their way through locks of his hair. How had she known?
Across the counter, Paul lowered the sheets of newspapers that often masked his face, just so the top arcs of his violet-tinted sunglasses could be seen. Coffee brewed just behind the smooth wooden surface, its strong aroma mingling with sweet wafts of Hevn's perfume. Somewhere in the shop, Natsumi busied herself with serving the few other patrons.
"Aa, I received two tickets to 'Season's Greetings'," he replied carefully, blinking. They were tokens of appreciation for the time he saved the violinist from thugs in a Shinjuku underpass. The actual rescue hadn't been much of a big deal to him, hence the surprise when she thought enough of it to express her gratitude.
"Two tickets?" The blond ventured further, her lips, twitching in a tiny smile. Slender eyebrows rose on her smooth forehead. There was a teasing sparkle in her amber eyes that suggested her prior knowledge of his reply. "Do you have anyone in mind? To attend the concert with you, I mean."
The choice between rolling his eyes and heaving a sigh was resolved by his proclivity to remain polite. Still, it didn't quite seem fair that people – perhaps not that many of them, he admitted – were interested in his relationship with his protector.
"I do." He exhaled slowly through his nose. At the woman's probing stare, he continued, looking away, "since Juubei has lost his sight, I figured that something he could enjoy with his ears would be a good alternative."
Hevn-san was about to smile, he knew, but he cut her off before she could. "Due to a shortage of funds, though, I don't know if we can be dressed suitably for the occasion."
It was true. The festive season usually saw copious amounts being spent on gifts, and a considerably smaller number of information-seeking jobs doled out as a result. Withdrawing his word on attending the concert clashed with his beliefs, and the only other choice seemed to entail running themselves into debt. Unless, of course, a less costly loan was available.
"I have a solution to that," the negotiator offered. He slanted his gaze back towards hers.
"What do you suggest, Hevn-san?" With a slight shift of white-sleeved arms on the polished surface, he faced her again. There was a slight glimmer of hope at the back of his mind, but he didn't want it to flare too brightly.
The woman's amber eyes had taken on a certain glazed touch. "There's this boutique at which I have clothes rental discounts."
He felt his eyebrows raise. It was certainly an offer worth taking up.
"However… As far as I know, they're out of suits your size. There's more than one choice for Juubei-kun, but those would look too big on you."
"Then…" Kazuki blinked a handful of times, his mind racing. There was a trace of disappointment nagging at the back of his mind, but he suppressed it.
"Drop that glum face, Kazuki-kun." Hevn-san suddenly sounded fivefold as cheerful. There wasn't any lapse in time for him to wonder about the implications of her tone. Imperceptibly, he drew away from her. "There's another option in your case."
What is it? Truth be told, something made him less keen on this other option for himself. It lingered at the back of his mind, a muffled nagging that he had felt somewhere before.
His eyes flickered over to Paul, then to Natsumi, who had since returned behind the counter. At Hevn's pause, they looked up, first the teenage waitress, and a while later, the shopkeeper. The only visible action within this circle was that of Natsumi drying the edges of a plate with both hands. Patrons in the shop provided the background buzz of clinking crockery and metal. Past the window, a convertible drove along the street, glinting under the afternoon sun.
"You'd fit almost perfectly in an evening gown," the negotiator finally proposed. She raised a blond eyebrow, as if to challenge his opinion.
He felt blood drain from his face. Him, dressing like a female? The kimono was one thing, but an evening gown? Something in his mouth suddenly tasted sour.
A creak sprung from the side of the shop, followed swiftly by the jingle of bells.
In a couple of heartbeats, the door swung open to allow passage of two people into the room – one blond, the other black-haired. Hevn turned her attention to the newcomers, as did Natsumi. Paul remained on his stool, barely shifting an inch. Kazuki threw a glance at them from the corner of his eye.
As if their presence aided in his decision, he responded, quietly, "I refuse."
At the same moment Ban announced, "We have money again, Paul!" with a smirk curving his lips, Ginji spotted him, right next to Hevn. "Minna-san, we're back! Eh, Kazu-chan is here – refuse to do what, Kazu-chan?"
"Wear a dress," the negotiator supplied helpfully. He gave her a hard stare from the corner of his eye. To garner votes, it seemed, she added, "to Madoka-chan's concert."
Suddenly the shop felt too quiet. If Kazuki didn't know better, he would have thought that patrons and staff alike had been stupefied out of their wits. He knew, though, that he had successfully, albeit unwillingly, ensnared the attention of everyone within earshot. If he had a choice untied to his upbringing, he would have glared a hundred koto strings' worth of weaponry at her.
Natsumi joined the supposed conversation moments later, though no one knew if it was to her favour. "Aa, but Kazuki-san, I'd love to do your makeup again! You looked so pretty the last time, too!"
His insides were vaguely roiling. He wasn't quite sure which way to turn, either. Prickles danced along his bare shoulders, across the covered skin of his arms. The rows of glasses ahead were a good distraction.
"Awww, come on, Kazu-chan! You can't not go!" Quite suddenly, he found the excited, beaming face of the Thunder Emperor right next to him, locks of blond hair falling across his eyes. The man groaned inwardly. Anyone but Ginji-san… "The rest of us have already agreed with Madoka-chan!"
He blinked. The rest of these people would be present as well?
"Say 'Yes', Kazu-chan… It'll make me really happy if you could come along too!" He couldn't miss the undercurrent of hope in Ginji-san's chestnut eyes. The sandwiches stared unhelpfully back at him from the plate. Was there another choice, really?
-
Fortunately, the trying on of dresses hadn't been all that nightmarish. Hevn had requested for a private dressing room, so that only she knew of his cross-dressing. Perhaps the dress – tied to his neck with thin strips, no less – had been overboard, but the woman had made up for it by volunteering to subsidize the cost.
His eyebrows drew together slightly. There wasn't any turning back now. The least he could do was to pull this off with dignity. Smooth fabric slid along his skin as he walked.
Juubei had made no mention of his attire once throughout.
It was natural for his protector not to speak of what he wore, yet he felt that, somehow, there was a small part of him which was vaguely curious to know what the older man thought. But it most certainly wasn't in his nature to ask.
"The weather isn't too cold for you, is it, Juubei?" he finally ventured, breaking the companionable silence between them. Their quiet footfalls matched perfectly on the cold pavement, almost lost in the noisy chatter of the crowd. His twin bells tinkled as he turned to glance at the Kakei.
"It isn't, Kazuki." Without missing a beat, he added, "I've been through worse."
A smile quirked the corners of his lips upwards. Never-ending fights came to mind, as did a fire, injuries, and struggles to survive. He couldn't quite remember his parents' faces, now. Just a handful of friends and acquaintances, and the occasional person on the street. And, of course, the countenances of his clients and their targets. Softly, he replied, "We've all been through worse."
Juubei nodded once. Strands of his hair glinted honey-gold as they passed under a streetlamp.
More curious glances flew their way, at the svelte woman with bells on one of two bound locks of hair next to her cheeks, and her tall companion, who had visors on at night. Kazuki stepped closer yet to the man, so that their sleeves brushed lightly.
The tall, imposing structure of the concert hall drew up ahead, lit pale champagne by hidden spotlights in the bushes at its base. Stone angels froze in an eternal dance near the roof, thick pillars supporting the horizontal ledge that was their stage. A singular path led right up to the front steps of the building, wide and stone-paved with a fountain in the middle. Beams of orange light emerged from the foyer windows.
They made their way up the path, past the dark frosted grass and bare-branched trees along the way. Strings of coloured lights were threaded through those branches, glowing ruby and emerald and topaz. The fountain itself was illuminated a cool sapphire. It gurgled as they passed, curtains of blue silk flowing from basins into the round pool at the base.
There were other people drawing towards the concert hall as well, mostly in pairs, and mostly couples. Without the streetlights on either sides of the path, they would have been silhouettes against the building some distance away.
Past the benches right outside the building were the stone steps. People were gathering and mingling in the foyer, a fair number of them not entering the hall yet. Despite the colour of the sky, it was still too early for the concert to begin.
"Careful, Juubei. There're steps ahead." He wound an arm casually around Juubei's at his slight nod in response, pressing lightly to guide the man in the direction of the steps. His protector would have refused to take the wheelchair ramp, claiming that he still had an able body. But Juubei's body was warm, and this was as good an excuse as any to be close to the man.
The cavern-like foyer echoed with a hundred voices. Arguably, the people there were fewer in number, but the reflective marble floors distorted the count. Intricate brackets high on the walls cast the place in an orange glow.
It wasn't long before Kazuki spotted Paul at the side of the vestibule door, a folded newspaper in hand. He had retained his purple-tinted sunglasses, occasionally looking up to glance at the occupants of the enclosed space.
It was when he entered that the Honky Tonk owner caught sight of him, dropping all pretense of reading the papers. Paul-san's stare was lengthy, exactly like the time he'd dressed up as a hostess at Ginji-san's request. The discomfited flush rising on his cheeks was fought down with some effort. Maybe it'd be simpler if they shifted to a corner where no one knew them…
Natsumi lingered at her employer's side, gazing awestruck at the grand chandelier suspended from the carved stone ceiling. Like the females present, she was dressed in an evening gown, though she lacked the cluttered appearance brought on by strings of jewellery. Instead, there was a simple silver chain on her neck, with a single pendant, that made him wonder about its origin.
At Paul's turn of the head, she looked over as well, chocolate eyes widening when they focused on him and Juubei. Granted, she had never seen him hold his protector in such an intimate fashion, though it was probably the dress that caught her notice. She started over – he would have put a hand over his face if he could.
"Kawaii ne! Kazuki-san, you and Juubei-san match each other so well!" Her eyes fairly sparkled. Somewhere above his head, the intangible cloud of dread grew. "If only you'd let me apply makeup for you!"
"Aa… Thanks for the offer, Natsumi-san. It isn't all that necessary, really." He flashed the schoolgirl an awkward smile, seeking not to disappoint her. His heart pounded all too loudly. With a small gesture, "if you don't mind, we'll be going ahead first."
She nodded, smiling so cheerfully that her eyes could barely be seen. "Okay, then. Have a good night!"
It was a while before Juubei muttered, just loud enough so he could hear, "Onee-chan used to like playing dress-up and dabbing cosmetics on my face."
The memory drew a low chuckle from his throat. He gave his protector's arm a light squeeze.
A swish of blond hair caught his attention. Half-hidden amongst a group of men in suits was Hevn, clothed in an elegant gown that dipped past her cleavage. It was probable that she was attempting to snare a companion home tonight. Or perhaps she wanted more business contacts. Kazuki gave a mental shrug.
She saw them in that instant, slender eyebrows lifting in a smug smile. He returned the greeting, though it was born more of gratitude than familiarity. Within moments, Hevn had disappeared again.
The crowd parted slightly, allowing him a view of the entrance to the concert hall. He blinked.
Standing on either side of the doorway were two figures in colourful suits, one of Santa Claus, and the other of a reindeer. Two synthetic horns protruded from a mess of blond hair. A brown, furry suit and a scarlet sphere completed that outfit, with paws for the hands and feet.
Santa himself was thinner than conventionally so. In fact, this character, if not for the red-and-white cap and suit, would not have passed for Father Christmas. Spiky black hair peeked from under the white fluff of the cap, accompanied by telltale purple glasses perched on his nose.
Ginji caught sight of him and waved. "Hiya, Kazu-chan, Juubei!"
He had untangled his arm from Juubei's and was almost out of his coat – the radiator worked in here – when he saw the greeting. It was a few seconds before he had the coat slung over his other arm, freeing his right hand for a wave in return. Juubei nodded in acknowledgement. Mido Ban stared.
"They're doubling up as doormen for extra cash. Ginji accepted the violinist's offer."
The rough feminine voice sounded familiar. He turned to his side, as did Juubei. In a moment, the gap in the crowd had closed, and his visual connection to the Get Backers was lost.
Lady Poison stood to his left, forest-green hair as messy as he last saw it. Her ivory gown was off-shoulder and oddly reminiscent, yet it complemented her tanned skin and vibrant shades. She was staring at the crowd where Ginji-san and Mido Ban had been. Her violet eyes were exceptionally lucid, luminescent in the warm glow of the foyer.
"And you've been invited here as well, Lady Poison?" he questioned in return. As far as he knew, the Transporter had hardly a link with the violinist. Juubei remained silent by his side, listening in on the exchange.
"A ticket arrived in the mail. I thought it'd be nice to enjoy myself for a change." She was silent for a moment, her countenance mildly unfocused. "Ban used to play the violin."
"I never knew you were a music person," he remarked offhandedly. It was as good a chance as any other to find out about the Transporter, if just to expand his information bank.
"I never knew you liked cross-dressing so much," she retorted, raising her eyebrows in jest as she swept her violet eyes over his body. Words stumbled and tripped on his tongue. A low chuckle emerged from her throat as she eyed his expression.
"Touché." It was easier to let this comment slide. Lady Poison was quick on her feet, and quicker with her wits. "Any idea, perchance, of who sent that ticket?"
She shrugged, looking around. He watched as she did so, noting a splotch of white and purple from the corner of his eye that Kudou Himiko missed.
A combination of those two colours could never ensure a proper blending into the dark, formal suits favoured by the majority. It was, perhaps, sheer chance on his part that the ex-resident of Babylon City was concealed by others who cared less about his cover being blown.
Those lilac eyes were cold on the most part, almost shadowed by fine locks of flaxen hair. His attention was most definitely on them – rather, on Lady Poison. Kazuki thought he spotted a camera in the man's hand. This was the first time he sighted Kagami Kyoji outside Mugenjou, though his motives still appeared similar.
He chose to remain silent.
With his attention elsewhere, the young woman had slipped to Juubei's side, whispering into his ear on tiptoe. He swerved his gaze back on her, and she grinned innocently in return, stepping away. Metal bells tinkled. Somehow he felt that the whisper concerned him, though her expression promised nothing but harmless fun. His eyes narrowed suspiciously of their own accord.
It would have seemed petty to demand knowledge of that shared secret, so he remained quiet, watching as Lady Poison took her leave.
The heavy wooden doors at the end of the foyer swung open rather abruptly. Within was a large space, vaster than the foyer itself. Dim lights, where they could be seen, twinkled from the high ceiling. Conversations in the vestibule dulled somewhat as people started to flow into the concert hall.
There was suddenly something warm and rough against his back, that made his pulse jump. It was a hand, he realised, Juubei's hand. Quite as suddenly, it lifted from his skin, as if thorns grew from his flesh.
"Ka-Kazuki… Gomen. I didn't realise… your attire…"
His protector looked vaguely uncomfortable, almost embarrassed. There was a disconcerted edge to his countenance that was partially hidden by his visor.
"Lady Poison told me it was proper to guide you into the hall that way."
So that was the spot of mischief she was up to. A quick sweep across the foyer sieved the Transporter out from a corner, lips curved upward in a satisfied grin. She turned away, heading towards the doors.
Truth be told, he wasn't sure whether he should be miffed at the prank. Juubei's touch felt undeniably good. Kazuki smiled as well, albeit his protector couldn't catch his expression. "It's okay, Juubei. I don't mind."
"If you so wish." The hand returned to its previous position on his back, and he leaned into it unconsciously. Having such warmth so close was a creature comfort, but he supposed it didn't really matter at this juncture. It felt right, somehow, and the heat travelled all the way to his chest. His heart all but fluttered. Perhaps wearing the dress wasn't so bad after all.
"Merry Christmas, Juubei," he murmured, as they started towards the double doors. There weren't many people left outside the hall, now, though there was a figure leaning against the wall, who eyed them as they neared him. A smile toyed on Juubei's lips.
"Same to you, Kazuki," came the reply. His companion seemed to notice the familiar presence as well, turning his head slightly to a side.
"Aren't you heading inside for Madoka-chan's concert yet, Shido-kun?" He tilted his head to a side, gazing at the man with interest. It was common knowledge that there was something between the Beast Master and Otawa Madoka, which served to fuel his occasional teasing remark, much to the man's annoyance.
"I've got a seat reserved right at the front." Almost as if he had revealed too much, the former King of Mugenjou fell silent. Instead, he settled for eyeing the Thread Master's outfit, inclining his head to a side in question.
Kazuki lifted an eyebrow and smiled, turning away with Juubei at his side. Shido joined them as they approached the door. The costumed pair turned towards them; Ginji gave a bright grin.
Across the foyer, a shutter closed over an unblinking eye as images appeared behind a liquid crystal display.
-X-
Hmm… How was it? I hope the characters' personalities and behaviours fit… (And hopefully it wasn't boring, too!)
Merry (belated) Christmas, everyone! ;D