Relic
When the second firework heralding the New Year pops in the Foundation's seasonless night, chaos turns to him and replies placidly, "You're welcome. But why?"
"You were the one who first showed them to us."
"A tiny sparkler," says chaos, "one night in the summer." A comfortable pause. "But that wasn't anywhere near as spectacular as this."
Fireworks are nothing new to Gaignun by now, but each time he can't seem to stop marveling. He rests perched on the edge of the desk and gazing out the glass plate window, his champagne flute forgotten in the cradle of two fingers.
"How long has it been, already?" He spares a little thought, a little space in case chaos wants to give him the answer first. Then, without weight, while a fantastic burst sets them alight with color, "twelve years."
chaos had looked so much older than they did, in those days. Now is different: now the proof of his greater age lies solely with his eyes and his smile and his silence.
"Oh!" chaos breaks his silence. "That reminds me." From somewhere unknown he produces a small, heavy box and extends it to Gaignun.
"Your birthday is soon, right?" he says diffidently, though he isn't really asking the question at all.
Gaignun empties his glass and sets it safely behind him before receiving chaos's offering. Wryly, a gentle tease: "Right as the grand finale starts. That's unusually romantic, coming from you." chaos rightly ducks his head in response, but his smile is broad and earnest.
"Well… Twenty-five's an important year, isn't it?" And once again chaos feels him reach, an unintentional tendril featherbrushing against the utterly impermeable barrier of his mind. He smiles and closes his eyes, temple at rest against the window; having become aware, Gaignun retracts.
The Foundation's grand finale spans several glorious minutes. City lit up like day, Gaignun rests his elbows on the knees of his crisp suit slacks like a young boy and adores.
"chaos. I wonder," he finally says, and gazes sidelong at the man's boots. "If you might be willing to…"
chaos smiles again.
"No," Gaignun continues as the last boom reverberates in the sky. "It's not something I should ask of you. It isn't mine to see."
He looks over at the touch of a gloved hand on his shoulder. "You wouldn't have wanted to see anyway," chaos near-whispers, his eyes focused on the desk. Then he reaches out to it and balances the retrieved gift on Gaignun's forearms. "Go on and open it," he says. Gaignun does.
In the box sits a badly weathered book, leather cover worn pale. Gaignun peers inside and finds its long-coveted pages yellow and flaking and frayed, and something else as well, and for a moment all his words have gone.
"This is a first edition. How is that even possible?"
"Oh, it wasn't too hard." chaos extends his arms to the ceiling and the stars, stretching. "We should meet up with Jr. soon, shouldn't we? He's probably on the Elsa with Captain Matthews and the others, and knowing them, the party's only just begun."
Gaignun hugs him. He returns it, turning his face into Gaignun's lapel so as not to touch his skin.
fin