Genre: AU Shadow Hearts II/Covenant
Rating: R (darn it!)
Yaoi implied
Dance Fever
Carla, the elder owner of the Divination shop, stood in the center of the room, one foot tapping agitatedly while her hands were jammed into her ample hips. Her sharp eyes, hidden behind her glasses, were no less powerful in communicating her anger.
"Just what did you two think you were doing?" she demanded, stopping before her two best dancers as they sat on their heels on the floor, knees bent and heads down. "I have a rule about fighting! You both broke it. Not only that, you fought with each other!" She crossed the room to a settee and snatched up a sheaf of papers, carrying them back to shake them under the noses of the two men kneeling there.
"Look at these bills! The basket-weaver, the Magimell Item shop, the Food and Liquor bazaar and, of all things the nave of San Jacopo Sopr'Arno cathedral - all destroyed!"
The two men at her feet looked down at the elegant flooring, the pattern burned into their memories from hours of dancing and recitals. Now, those same patterns would continue to be familiar for months longer than either had hoped.
"Your bill, Hyuga, which you had just about paid in full, is now in arrears! You each owe me 10 billion lire. To be paid either in gold or on your backs!"
Two faces blanched, looking up in tandem toward the older woman who stood scowling down at them.
"Ten billion lire! But we don't have that much!" both said in unison.
Carla looked first at the dark young man, Hyuga, his face bruised, a red weal running from his left shoulder to his right hip. That will leave a scar if it's not treated, she thought. Then to his right, the blond whose jade eyes looked totally lost, like a child. He too wore bruises, one eye blackened, and gouges crossing his belly and back.
Carla sighed mentally counting to one hundred. These two, if they could ever work together, would be a danger to the world. As it is, they are a danger to the world and to themselves. She looked down at the sheaf of bills. And to my bank account.
"You should have thought of that," Carla said, disappointment in every syllable.
"It's not like we planned it," Nicholas began.
"Hey, it was their fault, not ours!" Hyuga chimed in.
"There was no one else around but you two when the smoke cleared," Carla informed them and the two bruised and battered combatants looked at each other, surprise plain their faces.
"There wasn't?" they said in unison again.
"No," Carla said with a shake of her silver-grey head, "there wasn't."
"Oh," the blond said softly.
"We're screwed," the brunet agreed.
"Damn," they both said.
Earlier
Lucia was dangling her feet over the side of the dock, her shoes tucked in neatly behind her and her bare toes occasionally tipping the water, causing ripples to bounce around and out into the river. She watched as a small boat moved by, the punter along the near shore singing a little song and she laughed, waving to him.
"Giacomo, cantate così bene! Il mio amore voi ed alla vostra moglie bella!" she called and the man in the boat paused, catching sight of her and waving back.
"Il mio bello Lucia. Come incantandoli osservare oggi!" he called back.
Lucia giggled to herself and then pulled out a piece of fruit from her bag. She had been shopping and bought a large selection of fruits and some delicious sweet-cakes.
"Everybody loves you, eh, Lucia?" The velvet smooth voice behind her made her turn and smile, waving the young man down to join her.
"Uruuuu," she burbled.
Uru took the dock stairs two at a time, jumping the last few feet to land beside Lucia. They were friends, dance partners and cohorts in crime more often than he cared to think about since they both worked for Carla's Divination shop. But, where he danced for his supper - a job not unlike being a fighter - Lucia was a prognosticator. She danced with her cards, making them spin and turn while she danced among them in what Uru had often thought was the most erotic display of feminine wiles he'd ever seen.
"Hey there, Luce," he said with a grin and sat down next to her and instantly rummaging in her bag. "Whattcha got in there?"
Long manicured fingernails tapped his hand and tried to flick him away.
"No, no, those are mine," she said with mock despair. "You can't have any!"
Uru grinned as he pulled out a sweet cake dripping with honey and nuts.
"Carla would kill you if she saw this," he said waving the delicacy beneath her nose. "So how about I make sure she doesn't know anything about it?" and before Lucia could stop him, he jammed it into his mouth, smearing honey, nuts and crumbs over his chin. He chewed loudly for a minute, eyes rolling, head bobbing as he tried to chew and swallow the confection, and Lucia watched, her own chin quivering with crocodile tears before they both broke out in silly laughter.
"You are such a pig, Uru," Lucia said with a giggle and Uru nodded.
"Yup, I come by it naturally."
Lucia took a bit of lace tucked into her bodice and dipped it into the water before quickly rubbing Uru's face clean. Uru waved her off, snorting and chuckling.
"Damn you're worse than my mother!" said with a snort. "I can think of nicer things to do with lace from in there than wipe my dirty face," he pointed at her décolletage. Lucia's brows snugged together as she thought that over then swatted him with the lace.
"And here I thought you were a gentleman."
"Nope. That's Mr. Nikki-boy."
Lucia bit into her fruit, thinking about her two friends, Nicholas Conrad and Uru Hyuga. They were so different! Uru was wild, reckless and, in spite of the Yadorigi Curse, he was alive - breathlessly alive when he did such silly things as steal her food, or her kisses. In stark contrast was Nicholas. He was thoughtful, soft-spoken and methodical. He was more an older brother, never once being inappropriate with her. She knew Nicholas brought the curse onto Uru; he had told her so. Yet these two men lived together, danced together for Carla, and had yet to kill each other. She blinked over that thought and then smiled. It must be because they love each other, she thought and then giggled.
"What's so funny?" Uru asked. He had let his mind wander, watching the boats along the Arno, the play of sun on the water reminding him of other rivers and lakes he'd sat beside with another young lady.
"Oh nothing. I was just thinking of how nice you and Nicholas are to each other."
Uru's back stiffened.
"Not like we have a choice right now," he said. No, they really didn't. Living expenses were high, and Carla paid them very little, keeping most of their earnings and tips to pay off... well to pay of my debt. Damn! All this shit just for information! He scratched his head. I wonder why Nick's here? And why he's dancing? "Hey, Lucia, do you have any idea why Nick is here? I mean with Carla?"
Lucia looked over at him and batted long lashes, her eyes clearly not focused. "Nooooo."
"Truth?"
Lucia blinked and smiled. "He came looking for work. He has a lot of dancing experience, and Carla hired him right away. You seem to know him from before - he hurt you - but he's never mentioned to me why he's here. He could be hiding you know. The war and all..."
"No way," Uru muttered. Well yeah, he's got reason to hide if he's avoiding Sapientes Gladio. Still, that bastard put that Yadorigi curse on me - that Holy stick - and tried to kill me more than once. I shouldn't trust him, he thought. Then whom else could he trust? Karin? She had her own reasons for traveling with him, and not all of it was humanitarian. She'd love to get into his pants and they both knew it. Lucia? Well she wasn't really with them but she was Carla's best student and, she may be dumb but she's damn easy on the eyes. Joachim followed him around because he could. He promised to tell me where I've met him before, but he hasn't yet. And Gepetto, well, he's Alice's uncle and it's not as if I would confess anything to him. Not like I confess anything to Nick either.
Lucia watched Uru as he thought, his eye staring at her décolletage without seeing. She silently counted the seconds, and when that got boring she worked on a new essential oil formula, something to enhance a fighter's ability to attack and defend, mentally calculating which oils would work. Finally, she nudged the man next to her.
"Uru?"
"Huh?" he looked up, realizing he had totally forgotten what he was doing and laughed. "Sorry." He rose and offered his hand. "Come on, I'll walk you back to Carla's."
Together they climbed the stone stairs up to the main street running along the river, Uru holding the bag of food while Lucia chatted happily. They crossed the Arno at the A Ponte Santa Trinitia, turning south along the Borgia San Iacopo. It was there they spotted Nicholas and Karin coming from the other direction. They were laughing and it was obvious to Uru the pair had spent the afternoon together, Nicholas's arms filled with bags and packages.
Hmph, spending all his money, Uru thought then caught sight of figures moving in from just past the nearby church. He handed Lucia her bag.
"You better wait here Lucy. I smell trouble," he said and sprinted up the street.
Nicholas paused to adjust the packages he was carrying, one slipping down his arm, requiring Karin to catch it. She laughed as she did and held on, snatching a couple more from off the top.
"I'm sorry Nicholas, I wasn't paying attention. Here I am using you like a beast of burden!"
Nicholas shook his head, laughing. "We should have brought Uru. He makes a better mule."
"Nicholas!" Karin exclaimed, laughing, then turned and ran smack into someone ahead of her. "Oh! I'm sorry!"
The man, a big, burly fellow, snatched Karin's wrists to steady her, but he did not let her go.
"Hey now, honey," he said and Karin recoiled from his thick breath. Behind him were four other men, two were average height and two a bit bigger, with more muscle and all were wearing black and looked like trouble. Karin tried to pull free but the man was having none of it.
"Let me go!" she commanded. Behind her, Nicholas peeked around his arm-full of packages and instantly recognized two of the men.
"You!" He dropped the packages and drew his sword.
"YO!"
Coming at a fast run was Uru, his fists balled and ready for action.
Well it appears he saw trouble coming. Good. He stepped forward, taking Karin's shoulder in one hand, gently pulling her back.
"Let her go," he said. But the big man sneered, grabbing the woman's upper arm and pulling her back, a leer smearing his rough looking face.
"Bitch wants to go with me now, don't ya, honey," he said and he made a point of grabbing Karin's breast with his other hand. Instantly Karin's leg went up, knee aiming for his groin but missing as the burly fellow yanked her sideways and threw her to the ground.
"Bitch!"
Karin hit the ground jarringly hard, her head cracking against the pavement. Stunned, she could only watch as Nicholas jumped over her, his sword raised to attack.
"How dare you!" he swung his sword at the burly man, slicing through sleeve and flesh, and the man pulled back a bleeding arm.
"Bastards!" This was Uru, shouting as he saw Karin hit the ground and Nicholas slice into the offending ruffian. The other four turned at his shout and pulled out knives and guns. "So. Let's dance," he said through a clenched jaw and leapt toward the closest man, landing on him, fists pummeling the neck, shoulders, head and face while his legs swung around, scissoring the man by the middle and flinging him to the ground.
Three more bodies landed on top of him and Uru roared, his fists pummeling the nearest man even as he climbed over the first one. Nicholas continued to carve on the burly fellow, slicing a sleeve here, a pant leg there, slipping his blade down the front and popping off the shirt buttons before a swift motion brought cascades of shorn hair floating down to the paves.
Meanwhile Lucia, still carrying her bag, ran up the street, her tight dress preventing a fast sprint. She got to Karin and set aside her bag, pulling the other woman by her arms out of harm's way. A trickle of blood oozed from the redhead's skull and Lucia frowned, all concentration as she knelt and pulled a small phial from her ever-present pouch.
"Here," she said, "this will help." She daubed a bit of the contents onto Karin's wound and watched as it slowly began to coagulate. Then she pulled another small bottle and removed its stopper, pouring a generous amount into one open palm. She was reaching into the pouch again when Karin tapped her knee.
"I'm all right. Do you need -?" Unspoken was the request and Lucia nodded, lowering her hand toward her friend.
"Just a little."
Karin, grey eyes blurry with injury, called on her power, the heat of the sun, the burning flame of passion and, with one finger touching the oil, ignited it. Lucia did not hesitate before rising and taking the few steps toward her fighting friends before blowing on it. It was feeble compared to using her fan, but it did the trick. Billows of smoke rose from her hand, wafted across the few feet to the fighters and bathed them in its perfume. Both Uru and Nicholas breathed in the special blend and she saw their eyes ignite with renewed concentration and power. Unfortunately, so did the other men and Lucia bit her lip.
"Darn!"
Suddenly, what had been a mere street brawl ignited into a full-on melee. Nicholas summoned Blessed Light Holy magicks to cascade down onto the ruffians. Normal, human men screamed in pain and turned to flee, bruised, bleeding. Neither Nicholas nor Uru let them retreat, pursuing them as they pounded up the street, following them as they sought to escape in the sanctity of the church.
Uru plowed in first, catching the slowest runner, the large man with the shredded clothing and bleeding arm. He pulled the man by his pants, shredding what was left of them until the man ran with only his small clothes, up the nave toward the sanctuary. Shouts filled the church now, screams of alarm and fear. Curses followed Blessings and roars of fusions followed explosions of magic until the parishioners had all fled, the priest had hidden behind the altar and the four ruffians, the fighter and the exorcist-priest held the church nave in a maelstrom of thrown benches, candlesticks, broken votives, smashed glass and smoking, burnt ruin.
Nicholas paused from flinging magic to move closer, the desire to see blood on the faces of these interlopers overwhelming his sense of decorum. He lunged at the nearest one, slicing instead down the back of Uru, his leather jacket now scored from the holy blade.
"God damn it Nick, watch what you're doing!" Uru called back as he rolled away, one foot catching on the ruins of a pew and sending it smashing into the blond priest's face. Bloody but unrepentant, Nicholas slashed the bench away and moved forward. Now it was personal! Forgotten were the remaining ruffians who fled the church. Forgotten was Karin, lying injured in the street outside. The only thing on his mind was the Godslayer and his twice-damned soul.
"Time to finish this, Godslayer!" the blond said through clenched teeth, his jade green eyes glowing with Lucia's scented enhancement.
Uru, sprawled on the church floor, rose with a smirk.
"Fine then. Bring it on." His voice, usually chocolate smooth, sounded like grinding stones and in the next heartbeat, he had fused with one of his monsters, his body encased in stony protection.
They came together, body to body, and the explosion of anger and power sounded like a bomb echoing in the church. While at the doorstep, Lucia and Karin, moving slowly and limping, climbed to the crushed door, and leaned there, weakly. Karin's grey eyes blinked to bring the smashed and destroyed nave into focus while Lucia held her own hands to her breasts, and whimpered.
"It wasn't supposed to do this; it wasn't supposed to do this..."
"How- how do we un-do it, Luce? They'll destroy the church!" Karin asked. She touched her hip, wishing she had brought her own sword. Not that I could wield it right now... and why was Nicholas wearing his? Thoughts jumbled upon thoughts and she realized that she was suffering from a concussion. I should lie down, she thought. "Lucia?"
"I- I don't know. I don't know what I did wrong."
Karin looked with fading vision at her friend. "Then you'll have to knock them out, hard and fast," she said and began to slide slowly down the doorjamb, the church fading away to greys and black.
"Knock them out? Hard and fast? Can I do that?" Lucia patted her pocket-less dress and then remembered that Karin would have the crests, those magical seals that they had been collecting in their travels. She knelt beside the now unconscious swordswoman and rummaged through her clothing, finding one lone crest tucked into her belt buckle. "All right, this will have to do," she said and rose, holding the crest in long, manicured fingers. A glance at the crest showed her two wide wings with the word Seere written carefully along the border.
Seere? She cast a quick prayer to the Goddess of Fortune and then cast the Crest magic, calling forth hurricane force winds. The winds spun and twisted, ripping through the church in a shriek of fury. It tore what was left of the cornices from the ceiling, shredding through the broken pews and tipping over the altar before exploding out of the church through shattered windows, the coloured and leaded panes floating down to the church nave like rainbow dust.
"Uh-oh."
That night
Nicholas opened the paint pot and stirred it gently, adding more gold flecks to the mixture. He looked up at his reflection in the glass and sighed. This was not how he envisioned spending his night. He looked across the makeup table to his dance partner Uru. No doubt he dislikes it as much as I do, he thought. His partner was taking careful pains to paint the black lines down his left arm, around his breast and down his side, but would need help doing the rest.
Silently he put on his own paint, gold flecked with gold, spiraling it around his body, up and down his limbs like lines of force. It amused him that Carla thought of that, and it amused him she hadn't thought of wings. Oh God, Nicol, don't even breathe that!
"Here, let me do the rest and you can help me with mine," he said, snatching away the bottle of black paint and offering his in its place. Uru had the harder paint job of the two dancers, his spiraling pattern mimicking the energy patterns he had seen on that strange fusion. Uru had called it Dark Seraphic but Nicholas was sure it was more deadly than that. He hadn't seen it of course, and Uru had drawn the likeness in his child-like hand and, unfortunately for him, Carla had seen it, snatched it up and had it professionally rendered.
"This is your makeup for dancing, Uru. Use it!" she had commanded and while Nicholas laughed, Uru groaned. "And this is yours, Nicholas. Try not to sprinkle gold everywhere." Now it was Uru's turn to laugh and they both had ended up nose to nose in a 'how evil and malicious can you laugh' contest before finally snorting in disgust and walking away.
They had quickly realized that Carla had a vicious sense of humour, forcing her two handsome male dancers to cooperate in putting each other's makeup on and in dancing, for while Nicholas obviously had experience as a dancer, Uru did not. He could leap, crouch, and hold Nicholas over his head - his strength was prodigious - but he knew nothing about fine dance. It was Nicholas's job to teach him. A week of intensive ass-kicking brought Uru around to something passable. He had a natural knack that Nicholas knew how to exploit and so did Carla.
Daubing the last of the black lines around Uru's black dancer's brief, Nicholas sighed, stretching.
"You know who we're stuck with tonight, don't you?"
Uru nodded as he snatched up his comb and brushed his wayward locks.
"Yeah, the Maximellies."
Nicholas sighed. "Magimells. I know you know their names, Uru," he said and then paused. He looked at his dark companion, his makeup swirling up and around his body, around his breast and up to his face. Then he looked at himself, reflected gold circles like holy fire rising from his feet, around his groin and up over his heart. Decidedly erotic, he thought and grinned.
"Uru, I know how we can get the bills paid in record time." His partner looked up.
"Yeah? How?"
Nicholas smiled, his jade eyes crinkling with suppressed laughter. Uru will hate this, he thought and bent to whisper into the other man's ear.
"What?!"
Pierre and Gerard Magimell sat together, nearly shoulder to shoulder in the small viewing room. A tiny table at their knees held drinks, bonbons and a dish for tips. Most dancers hoped to see a few coins in that dish, but Nicholas and Uru planned to get that dish over-flowing. They started with a little spiral dance, hand-to-hand, dancing in a loose-flowing ring, first to the left then to the right. Then Uru leapt over Nicholas's back using him as a platform to come spinning down and around, kneeling at the blond's feet, and his own hands in supplication to the other man, pointedly grazing the white dancing briefs with his fingers. He heard a twitter behind him, knowing he had the Magimell's attention.
Nicholas slid back, away from the supplicant, his body a thin whip of movement. He skirted around, coming up behind Uru and sliding his body over Uru's back, arching his own back as he did so and the answering twitters behind him confirmed they had the brother's attention in full.
Now to get into their pockets, he thought and spun away, pirouetting across the floor to land on Gerard's lap, his hands gently caressing the older man's face, finger plucking playfully at the tailored shirt. His body grinding on the older man's lap, and he could feel the man's interest growing. This would be the hard part for Uru, he knew as he leaned forward, pink tongue jutting out like a delicate bloom to tickle Gerard's lips. The older man's mustaches, long and thin, quivered with excitement and Nicholas moved away, hearing the older man's sigh of disappointment.
When Nicholas moved away toward the shop merchant, Uru had rose, moving toward Pierre, the bespectacled tailor. He fought his stomach's protest as he too slid onto the man's lap, grinding into him, his hands caressing his chest, removing the glasses as his own tongue coming out to tickle each eye before taking the tailor's expectant mouth and thrusting in briefly. He moved away as Nicholas did, spinning out to the dance floor their bodies pirouetting around each other as they switched partners, Uru taking Gerard and Nicholas taking Pierre.
The gold painted exorcist took up Pierre's hand, guiding him to his white briefs, pushing his pelvis forward, thrusting himself into the tailor's hands and Pierre let out a squeal of girlish joy, his hands suddenly caressing Nicholas rather more intimately than he'd expected. Oh God, if Gerard does this to Uru! There was an answering squeal from Pierre's brother, and he could feel the dark energy coming off Uru in waves. He's going to lose it. We had better move on, he thought. He moved from Pierre's lap and Uru followed suit, the two coming together to dance, face to face, now no longer making athletic leaps but slowly, moving as if making love, hips pressing, lips touching, hands caressing. Uru moved back, swinging around to caress Nicholas's back, his lips whispering in his ears as he passed.
"I'm going to kill you."
Nicholas nodded, as if it were a dance move, guiding Uru back around to him, his hand sliding down the man's black briefs, teasing the flesh beneath the surface.
Uru moved closer, his lips brushing across Nicholas's own, his breath hot, his eyes beginning to burn a dark crimson.
"You may be a dancer, Nick," he breathed, "but you've got the hard-on," he said and flashed a quick smirk before moving on, dancing closer to Pierre for good measure before slipping across the floor to join Nicholas once more, body to body. They moved slowly now, swaying to an internal rhythm that that Lucia had taught them. Think of it like making love to flowers, the beautiful dancer had said and both Nicholas and Uru had spent long minutes laughing. But they knew she was right. Nicholas knew it in his bones and Uru was finding it out.
They were moving slow, like water now, each move a calculation; a gesture here, a subtle move there, each time sending a message to their viewers that each of them was ripe, alive, and very, very stimulated. Uru slid his hand down, caressing the prominent bulge of Nicholas's briefs and the blond shuddered in spite of himself. He had to admit, Uru could send the right messages; whether he knew it or not was another question. Behind them, the twitters of the brothers had grown to calls of encouragement, each brother egging on their favorite dancer to "Take him!" "Ride him like a cowgirl!" "Oh yes! Oh yes!" Inside, Nicholas hoped they'd be able to live it down.
Moving lip to lip, their breaths mingling, Nicholas whispered and Uru nodded slightly.
"Make it convincing, Uru," Nicholas said softly and Uru growled "I'm top."
Uru pushed Nicholas back, holding him by one hand as Nicholas used his free hand to balance against the floor. They thrust against each other for a moment, as if in the throws of passionate sex and then Uru too arched back, both men's faces taking on beatific expressions of satiation and joy. And the tinkle-tinkle-ping of coins tossed into the bowl, falling down onto the floor and then scattering around the dance floor told them they had succeeded.
"Our cup runneth over," Nicholas said softly as he climbed back to his feet and the two of them made their bows.
Later
Uru was in the bath when Nicholas returned later that evening. Nicholas was humming softly as he kicked off his shoes and stripped off his shirt and busied himself in his room. After half an hour, he returned to the bathroom and knocked. He waited, and when Uru did not open up or respond, he pushed open the door himself.
"Come on Uru, I've got to use the loo," he said and paused in the doorway. Uru stood naked at the washbasin, his towel draped over his shoulders, hands gripping the basin lip and his chin resting on his chest. He looked totally defeated. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," was the quiet response, Uru's voice muffled.
Nicholas moved over to the toilet, ignoring his roommate's taciturn response while he relieved himself, but when he joined him at the basin, he had to physically move Uru out of the way.
"Uru," he said as he turned on the spigot and lathered his hands with soap, "I know something's bothering you. What is it? Was it the dancing?" Nicholas could hear Uru grinding his teeth before the dark-haired man looked up at him in the mirror.
"I'll never be able to face them again," he said and his voice was strained. A red tinge was creeping up from his muscular chest, turning his neck and face a livid colour. "I- I'm so embarrassed."
Nicholas sighed. "Do you think I'm not embarrassed? Do you think I enjoyed that?" he asked. He stood next to Uru, turning slightly so they could both see their reflections in the glass. "Look at us, Uru," he nudged the other man and Uru looked from his own reflection to Nicholas's in the mirror.
"Yeah?"
"Those two brothers - God help us! - like us! They always ask for either of us singly, or together. I simply suggested an idea that would get us the most money for our discomfort."
"But - but they touched me! I let them touch me!" Uru shuddered.
Nicholas put his arms around Uru, his hands clasping together at his chest, his chin resting on the other man's shoulder. He breathed softly, his breath whispering past Uru's ears without saying a word. After a moment, the other man began to relax.
"I know," Nicholas said quietly. "I too feel mortified by our actions. But Uru -"
"You're a pretty twisted priest, Nick," he said, and Nicholas paused, letting his companion set the tone of the conversation. "But I don't know if I can face those two again... we buy from their store! And what about the others? What if they..."
"I didn't think you cared what others thought of you, Uru," Nicholas interrupted and at Uru's "I don't!" he nodded, loosening his arms to let him go. "Then don't. Those two like us, remember? And they paid for liking us."
"I feel dirty," Uru muttered. And that was the truth of it for him. He never minded when those brothers ogled him like a slab of meat when he was buying merchandise from them; he held the purse after all. This was entirely different however. He wasn't fond of dancing to begin with, but to lap dance for those two!
Nicholas sighed again. "Come on, come with me," and he grasped Uru's hand, pulling him out of the small bathroom and down to his bedroom.
"I ain't interested, Nick, not after today."
"Don't be an ass Uru," the blond replied and released his hand at the doorway. "Here," he picked up a small packet from the dresser and tossed it at Uru who caught it midair.
"What's this?"
"It's your share of the proceeds."
"The what?"
Nicholas sighed. "God give me strength," he shook his head. "The brothers were so pleased with our performance today that they paid our debt. All of it. And there was a little left over for a gratuity."
Uru looked startled but pulled open the packet, pouring out a handful of coins and paper money.
"There's ten thousand lire there, your share. We're free of debt in one night's dancing, my friend, thanks to you."
"Free of debt? You mean," Uru looked up at his partner, "No more dancing?"
Nicholas shook his head, a smile curling his lips. "No more dancing."
"Whoohoo!" Uru yelped, leaping into Nicholas's room just long enough to punch his arm, retreating with laughter as Nick threatened with his sword. It was then the dark-haired man noticed the suitcase sitting on the bed. "You're packed? You leaving?"
Nicholas nodded. "Yes. I have to go; I've got things to do," Nicholas looked long at his one-time dance partner, roommate and lover. There was bad blood as well as good between them. Uru didn't owe him anything and yet, in spite of their history, Nicholas felt they had bonded as friends. "Uru," he started, looking down at his suitcase, "I want you to come with me," he said and a sudden chill filled the room.
"Why?" That simple. Why would this guy want me to come anywhere with him, Uru wondered, his brows drawing close as his red eyes stabbed suspicion toward the priest. The truce was over, their partnership dissolved with the paying of their debts.
"I know you were seeking information of Sapientes Gladio," he answered, pointedly laying his sword on the bed away from easy reach. He glanced back at Uru, the dark visage glaring at him. This face haunted him each night for months after Nicholas stabbed him in Domremy. This angry face, the face of a Godslayer. "I wanted to say thank you for not saying anything to the others - Carla and Lucia I mean - the others know of course." He was stalling, feeling the chill in the room as it seeped into his skin, down to his bones and threatened his soul.
"It's not like they care - well, except for Karin," Uru said, his voice still noncommittal.
Nicholas nodded. "You want to know who the leader of Sapientes Gladio is. I can tell you. No," he paused and looked up at Uru, capturing the other man's gaze and holding it with his brilliant green eyes. "I'll show you."
"Where?" An easy question. Uru felt the boiling anger he'd held at bay all these months threatening to explode out of his gut. This man stabbed him, cursed him, and left him for dead. Moreover, he did it for his leader, the leader of some psychotic group of religious fanatics. Uru had found Jovis in Turkey just last month and learned the name, but Nicholas didn't know that. What he needed now was the location. Where was the leader hiding? Uru wanted nothing more than to find him and kill him.
"In Petrograd, Russia."