DISCLAIMER: I don't own Cowboy Bebop, Sunrise Inc. does. I do, however,
own this original story.
AN: I had a request for a sequel to "Every Little Thing", and I thought that wasn't possible. Then I thought about it…and this is the result. Hope you enjoy it.
Beyond Beautiful
By The Lady Razorsharp
Lyrics: "Beyond Beautiful" by Aerosmith
Ch 1: Civilized Savages
You gave up the love you got
And that is that
She loves me now
She loves you not
And that is that
Just when you thought your love was deep
It's finders keepers
Losers weep
If you squinted your eyes just right, it looked just like another large corporation, having one of their high-end soirees. Then you looked closer, and you noticed the Red Lapels seated on the velvet couches. You saw the young men and women in long black coats trimmed with gold braid perusing the sumptuous buffet table. Then your eyes finally turned to the opposite end of the room, where three ancient Chinese men sat silently presiding over all, the glitter of the lights on their rheumy eyes the only indication they were alive.
~And even then, that's doubtful,~ Julia mused, pulling her wine-colored burnout velvet wrap tighter around her bare shoulders. She sighed, turning away from the Van's dais. Vicious was off who knew where, no doubt seeing and being seen by those who needed to see and be seen by him. A smartly dressed waiter offered her a glass of champagne, and she selected one with the elegant lassitude she knew befit the women of her caste.
She took a mouthful of the sparkling wine, feeling it tingle all the way down. ~At least it's good booze. If nothing else, I can tell Vicious I have a headache tonight--and mean it.~ Vicious could be a passionate lover, but he was also a demanding one. Refusing him usually meant an evening of suffering, like some gourmet feast of pain. Appetizer, verbal threats. Salad: a miniature version of the Spanish Inquisition on where and with who she'd been. Soup: bloody noses and black eyes, bruises and torn clothes. Then time for the main dish, where Vicious gorged himself on her broken body, using it to fill the black hole that howled in the pit of his belly. Dessert was usually made of salt--his tears, falling on her as he whispered how sorry he was that he had to hurt her, and that he would never do it again.
Julia drained her glass, then caught the eye of a passing waiter and lifted the glass toward him. The waiter, a young man with dark hair and dark eyes, immediately came over. Julia favored him with a smile, the tiny curving of her lips that she knew made her look like a porcelain doll. Right on cue, the boy smiled back, proffering his tray as if presenting a platter of topazes to a queen.
"You look lovely tonight, Miss Julia," he said politely. Normally the hired help was discouraged from speaking to the guests, but Vicious enjoyed hearing others compliment her. More than that, however, incurred his wrath.
"Vicious-san is a very lucky man."
Julia kept her smile in place until the boy had gone. Then she glanced at her gold wristwatch; it was nearly nine-thirty. Vicious would stay no more than another half-hour, then it would be time to see her home and invite himself upstairs. She turned toward the richly carved doors under the high dais, hoping against hope that they would part in the next few seconds to admit--
The doors swung open as three young men stepped into the room. Julia closed her eyes for a moment, wondering if she had conjured them out of her own longing, but they were still there when she opened her eyes. It truly was Spike, flanked on either side by Lin and Shin, his twin shadows. Calls of greeting floated above the notes of the string quartet, and Spike raised his hand to acknowledge them, his garnet eyes picking out familiar faces in the crowd. Then he saw Julia, his eyes locking with hers for just an instant longer.
Her skin felt hot; it was champagne mixed with desire, threatening to drop her to the carpet in an unseemly swoon. Before she could pass out, she turned and made her way to the balcony, where she dove into the chilled pool of blackness that was the Martian night.
AN: I had a request for a sequel to "Every Little Thing", and I thought that wasn't possible. Then I thought about it…and this is the result. Hope you enjoy it.
Beyond Beautiful
By The Lady Razorsharp
Lyrics: "Beyond Beautiful" by Aerosmith
Ch 1: Civilized Savages
You gave up the love you got
And that is that
She loves me now
She loves you not
And that is that
Just when you thought your love was deep
It's finders keepers
Losers weep
If you squinted your eyes just right, it looked just like another large corporation, having one of their high-end soirees. Then you looked closer, and you noticed the Red Lapels seated on the velvet couches. You saw the young men and women in long black coats trimmed with gold braid perusing the sumptuous buffet table. Then your eyes finally turned to the opposite end of the room, where three ancient Chinese men sat silently presiding over all, the glitter of the lights on their rheumy eyes the only indication they were alive.
~And even then, that's doubtful,~ Julia mused, pulling her wine-colored burnout velvet wrap tighter around her bare shoulders. She sighed, turning away from the Van's dais. Vicious was off who knew where, no doubt seeing and being seen by those who needed to see and be seen by him. A smartly dressed waiter offered her a glass of champagne, and she selected one with the elegant lassitude she knew befit the women of her caste.
She took a mouthful of the sparkling wine, feeling it tingle all the way down. ~At least it's good booze. If nothing else, I can tell Vicious I have a headache tonight--and mean it.~ Vicious could be a passionate lover, but he was also a demanding one. Refusing him usually meant an evening of suffering, like some gourmet feast of pain. Appetizer, verbal threats. Salad: a miniature version of the Spanish Inquisition on where and with who she'd been. Soup: bloody noses and black eyes, bruises and torn clothes. Then time for the main dish, where Vicious gorged himself on her broken body, using it to fill the black hole that howled in the pit of his belly. Dessert was usually made of salt--his tears, falling on her as he whispered how sorry he was that he had to hurt her, and that he would never do it again.
Julia drained her glass, then caught the eye of a passing waiter and lifted the glass toward him. The waiter, a young man with dark hair and dark eyes, immediately came over. Julia favored him with a smile, the tiny curving of her lips that she knew made her look like a porcelain doll. Right on cue, the boy smiled back, proffering his tray as if presenting a platter of topazes to a queen.
"You look lovely tonight, Miss Julia," he said politely. Normally the hired help was discouraged from speaking to the guests, but Vicious enjoyed hearing others compliment her. More than that, however, incurred his wrath.
"Vicious-san is a very lucky man."
Julia kept her smile in place until the boy had gone. Then she glanced at her gold wristwatch; it was nearly nine-thirty. Vicious would stay no more than another half-hour, then it would be time to see her home and invite himself upstairs. She turned toward the richly carved doors under the high dais, hoping against hope that they would part in the next few seconds to admit--
The doors swung open as three young men stepped into the room. Julia closed her eyes for a moment, wondering if she had conjured them out of her own longing, but they were still there when she opened her eyes. It truly was Spike, flanked on either side by Lin and Shin, his twin shadows. Calls of greeting floated above the notes of the string quartet, and Spike raised his hand to acknowledge them, his garnet eyes picking out familiar faces in the crowd. Then he saw Julia, his eyes locking with hers for just an instant longer.
Her skin felt hot; it was champagne mixed with desire, threatening to drop her to the carpet in an unseemly swoon. Before she could pass out, she turned and made her way to the balcony, where she dove into the chilled pool of blackness that was the Martian night.