To go the Extra Mile
A Ravant unlike any other. Unique; yet so simple it is amusing. Obtaining it would bring riches and power. Would some kill for it? I will.
Vivid cerulean skies, an ideal warm breeze, and crowds of happy people piling in from neighboring towns were what made Aoi call this the perfect work day. It was to be expected that the restaurant was busy, and it was quite so. Many of the regular's faces were hidden amongst numerous new customers, and it made Aoi proud that they were already at full capacity. He had heard only two weeks before hand that the circus was to arrive, and so he had prepared and studied hard to try and learn new recipes for the small restaurant to provide their customers, and to prefect the already existing ones. Dis had watched him in great amusement as he ran around the whole time, spouting ideas here and there, and excitedly showing him his newest creation.
"Aoi," said boy felt his skin litter itself with goosebumps as he stirred some curry and looked up to the owner of the voice. It had been only a few months that Dis and himself had started living together, after the fear of losing his life at 18 had been eliminated, and they had been a mixture of some of the greatest times he has ever had, to some of the most tense and confusing. His feelings for the older man were unclear to him. Had it not been not that long ago that he wished for the man's blood spilt?
Shaking himself from these dark thoughts, and of the blush that jumped to his cheeks he replied," Yes Dis?"
Smiling the man nodded his head to a cart with some drinks and condiments set on it," Would you please see if any of our customers would like a beverage? I am almost done with this last order, and then I'll have you come grab it."
"Yeah sure," smiling Aoi tapped the pot with the ladle and set it aside. He glanced to the dark haired man as he turned to begin sautéing some onions. He was handsome, Aoi admitted, and kind with talent. But was that all that caused him to spare the older man's life, when he so willingly gave it to him? What was it truly that he felt. Going to the cart he looked to the pitchers of juice, water, lemonade and milk, and pushed the plate with the iron kettle of tea a little further away from his thumb before going to see the customers. He knew that many said he did better with the people then Dis did. Though he would normally try and tune out the many reasons given. His pretty face, and bright innocent eyes, the smile that he would present to everyone, his small delicate almost woman like hands- shaking his head in anger at the thought of being compared to a woman he promptly went up to the first table and began to take drink requests.
He felt that-like this- life was perfect.
By the time the sun had begun to dim in the sky, business had slowed to a crawl. Only three of their regulars, and a young couple from out of town resided. Aoi felt his feet hurt more than they ever had, and he secretly blamed Tris, as for the man was constantly dressing him up today not being an exception. The bright eyed boy was currently wearing a simple shirt that was cut off at the shoulder, and covered his neck, it was black with golden flowers embroidered about the seams and had little white hooks from the neck to the very bottom that held it together, with it he wore a pair of plain black pants with matching embroidery that reached his knees and a white sash around his slim hips. Neither of those he had complained about, but it had been the oddly shaped boots that raised his heel just slightly that caused him great deals of pain.
Growling while setting a new kettle on the stove for tea, he refused to even think of them as high heels.
Dis chuckled next to him, as if knowing of what ailed him. Sending a dark look to the other he stated in a dry tone," Do you find something amusing?"
"Oh Aoi," the older continued to wipe off the counter," any day with you is quite amusing. You are great entertainment. "It seemed as though with each passing day, Dis made it his job more and more to tease the poor boy.
The younger blushed and turned back to the kettle before the door opened, and the little bell chimed announcing the arrival of a new customer. Looking up Aoi watched with mild interest as the cloaked man made his way to the very back table, and sat, arms crossed. Aoi felt a strange crawling in his stomach, as if the there was something wrong about this man, but ended up grabbing a menu and pitcher of water with cup anyway.
"Hello," he said kindly as he approached the man," here is a menu, were out of today's special soup, since it is near closing, so were offering the curry as the special for the rest of the evening." He set the menu In front of the man, and began to pour the water but stopped a little surprised as the man handed him the menu back. Blinking he looked to the darkened face that was shadowed by his hood.
"Did you already know what you want?"
There was a chuckle from the man as his only reply. Aoi stood there for a moment in silence, feeling a little odd.
"Aoi, can you come here?" it was Dis.
Nodding his head he finished pouring the water, and stole the menu away under his arm ,he turned around when a hand lashed out and grabbed hold of his wrist. He resisted a yell of fright form the tight sudden grip.
"Curry."
Aoi nodded without turning around and the man rewarded him with the freedom of his hand. Dis was completely still, eyes glaring over Aoi's shoulder as the boy quickly scurried to the kitchen part of the restaurant.
"Are you ok Aoi?" Dis continued to glare over the countertop through his bangs after taking a quick look over of Aoi," he wasn't one of 'those' was he?"
Aoi mentally shuddered. He knew what Dis was implying. Sometimes sending Aoi out to take the orders wasn't always as pain free as the boy would have like it to be, as for he tended to attracted unwanted attention from the occasional male customer. Aoi huffed. That was quite unwanted, and more than a little insulting on his masculinity, that he knew barely shown.
"No no no nothing like that," at seeing the man unrelenting to the cloaked individual whom busied himself by calmly sipping at his water and looking at a paper, Aoi lightly kicked the other," cut that out. He is just some weird out of towner. You know we get quite the variety in here sometimes."
Dis pushed back his black bangs and sighed," I know that and 'that' happens to be something that constantly bugs me."
Aoi chose to ignore the whispered comment and filled a bowl with curry. As he turned to make his way back to the customer, he found it swept out of his hands.
"I believe I can deliver it Aoi," Dis's stern voice left no room for argument, and Aoi found himself fuming as Dis went to deliver the bowl to the man. Choosing to ignore his anger he went by the tables to see if anyone would wish to order anything.
After taking the young couples money, and giving the group of three friends who always came in together another small loaf of bread along with some more soup- Aoi could not believe how much these men could eat at times, but then again he never worked in anything the required such physical manual labor as they did- Aoi had already forgotten that he had been upset with Dis. He went around cleaning some of the tables and straightening chair to clear his mind, and soon the place was practically shining.
By the time he was back behind the counter Dis was too, and was looking at the time," I think it's about time to be closing up." As he was saying this the three men were burping and pulling out their wallets, knowing all too well that it was about time for the two to close up.
"Here ya go Aoi," one said after they paid, handing him a small tip," Just 'cuz you're always so good to us."
Aoi bowed and thanked him, never one to refuse money, or at least not from anyone he felt he deserved it from.
As the door shut behind the trio Dis had turned to the man," Sir were closing up. So if you could please finish up and pay that would be great." Thought it sounded more like the only thing great in Dis's mind was ridding himself of the cloaked man.
The man had finished his food about twenty minutes prior, and when Dis had went to see if he was finished, the man had just offered his empty glass in return, in which he refilled with water.
The man, as talkative as he had been the whole evening, remained silent as he stood. He pulled out a wallet, Dis had frozen in place when the man reached in his cloak, and reached out a long strong hand filled with enough money for the curry.
Aoi stood next to Dias, and they thanked the man. Yet as the man began to turn, he paused looking at Aoi, pulling out a larger bill, which was even more than his meal and murmured," for the Ravant. Enjoy it while you have freedom."
The man began to stalk out the door, silently, and Aoi dropped the cash in utter horror. He knew. He knew he was a Ravant. The boy began to shake, what would happen? His freedom? Surely he would notify the authorities. He had already outlived his lifespan, surely that was more then illegal.
"Wait, hey you," Dis was more than a little angered at the comment and began to follow the man as he silently slept out of the barely opened door, but when he jerked the door open, he saw nothing but the empty street.
After looking up and down the way for a while, he decided it would be unsafe for him to venture away from Aoi. He returned his attention to the distraught boy.
Aoi seemed to have composed himself for the most part, but he was still looking off to the side shaking, his eyes distant and unseeing.
"Aoi," his voice was soft as he approached the young boy. He felt more and more guilty everyday as he had soon come to relies his feelings for the boy were not as pure as wishing to just give him a home and friendship.
"How could he know? I-how is it possible?"Bright green eyes flittered up to his own darkened ones, and he felt a butterfly flitter about his stomach.
Sighing he looked sadly to the Ravant, just a boy of 18, and saw the internal struggle. He had been threw so much, finally finding some kind of peace among the restaurant, and now it was clearly coming to a point it was going to crumble and break. Dis did not wish this to happen.
"Don't worry," he found himself saying," Tris and I will get to the bottom of this."
The boy seemed to return to his senses and smiled lightly, trouble eyes lingering on him longer then necessary," I'm over reacting. Come on. I'm sorry I worried you, lets clean up."
Dis found himself cleaning beside the boy, a little disappointed that he got a similar response that he always got in the past. The boy really didn't wish for his help, for anyone's in fact. So selfless, it was probably one of the qualities Dis found himself loving about the boy.
They continued to clean in a tense silence for the rest of the night, not knowing a pair of stormy grey eyes was watching them quite closely.
The end of the calm was near.