The Venice Incident
by Apple-chan

Disclaimer: insert witty disclaimer remark here

Warnings: PG-13 for adult situations and mild swearing.

Note: Just in case it wasn't clear, Luc has light brown hair and Caesar has red hair. And yupyup, this happened right BEFORE Celebrations, Kitsune.^_^ And also...Marco is with them Venice. He wasn't stationed (and mummified^_~) in Egypt as of yet...that comes later.^_^

Chapter 2 - Drenched


Heaving a small yawn, a red-haired Englishman in his early twenties scratched his head as he walked down the pavement, smiling cheerfully at the people he passed by along the way.

Excitement. Happiness. Curiosity. Contentment.

People's emotions swerved all around inside his heart, and he had no desire to block any of them out, however infectious and overwhelming they could get. Positive feelings were so hard to come by these days, and if he had to count on reading other people's emotions in order to get them, then so be it. It was better than nothing, at least. Better than what he often had within himself. Better than what his two other companions constantly carried within them.

For example, Luc was always pretty much bitter, owing to his dissatisfaction with his own life, coupled with his constant angsting about his "abnormality," as he often termed telekinesis was. Truth be told, though...Luc just needed to loosen up. He needed to stop being so serious all the time. He needed to stop agonizing over his unfortunate fate ALL THE TIME. And honestly, in Caesar's opinion...Luc needed a life. He needed a GIRLFRIEND. Bad.

Lyserg, on the other hand...had a lot of issues. Outside, he was almost always pleasant enough, all friendly and all smiles with everyone. Deep inside the green-haired Englishman, though, there was quite an entanglement of feelings, sometimes hovering on the brink of unfathomable. And the worst thing about it was, his web was composed of mostly negative feelings--sadness, anger, hate, bitterness, pain...and everything else in between. Even though outside, the green-haired Englishman was the ray of sunshine for the whole agency, consistently radiating happiness for everybody--he couldn't fool the empath.

He can -never- fool the empath. Caesar could feel all the hurt inside him. There was so much pain inside his friend that sometimes he wondered how Lyserg could even bear it. But bear it he does...each and every day. And each and every day since the first time they met, Caesar felt all of his pain to the point that he knew he just had to set up his own emotional wall just so he wouldn't get carried away with all of Lyserg's feelings. Even with his shields put up, though...the pain was still there. It wouldn't leave. It will never leave.

Briefly, Caesar wondered what events in his friend's life had led him to keep such kinds of emotions for so long. Although it was common knowledge that he had no family, Lyserg never shared in great detail any events of his past to anyone in the agency. No one really knew how his parents died. Not one of them knew what had happened to him after being orphaned. Caesar knew he could have delved deep inside his friend's mind, searched for the answers himself, but...curious as he was, he would never resort to such kind of invasion. Even if one was an empath, that kind of prying for information should never be used with friends--just with enemies and criminals.

Caesar knew, though, that there was one other person, aside from Lyserg himself, who was privy to the more important events of the green-haired man's past. Strangely enough, this person was also a presence everyone in the agency--most particularly Caesar--always delighted to have. If Lyserg was the ray of sunshine, this person was the embodiment of sunlight, for she radiated cheerfulness, hope and happiness in her whole being. Of course, it didn't hurt that she was also extremely beautiful...but that's besides the point. Anyway, mostly, Caesar was always particularly relieved whenever she was around, because it was during those times when Lyserg's negative feelings were all completely replaced with positive ones. During those times, he didn't feel the need to put up his shields, for Lyserg's being glowed with complete, utter and total happiness...all because of her. Of Jeanne.

To Lyserg, the silvery-blue-haired maiden was Jeanne. To everyone else in the agency, though...she was "Lyserg's girlfriend Jeanne." Although neither of the two denied it, they'd never quite admitted it either. Caesar wondered if they would ever get around to doing that. He was getting quite impatient, having to watch them give each other furtive looks all the time, be extremely polite with each other all the time, and get all awkward and flustered every time they greet each other hello or goodbye. The way they glanced at each other, the way they stared and smiled at each other, and worse, the EXTREMELY intense feelings that they emitted every time they were together--it was all enough to make this empath scream with impatience and annoyance. The feelings were SO strong, SO much, SO intense, that sometimes...

Caesar stopped abruptly as he extended his empathy further.

He could sense those feelings right now. In this place. Where is this place...? He looked around him.

St Mark's Square. THIS was the place where he was supposed to meet Lyserg and Luc. He glanced over his watch, mentally scolding himself for taking too long in tasting those cookies at the coffee shop. He just couldn't resist cookies. They were his life--especially the chocolate ones with cream on top and a little cup of hot cocoa to dip it all in...

Yes, he had no doubt about it now...THESE were Lyserg's feelings.

Lyserg's feelings...and one other. Hmm...

Frowning suspiciously, Caesar walked a bit more towards the center of the square, bypassing his glance over the people around him, until his eyes spotted a familiar tuft of bright green hair.

A green head of hair...and there was a familiar silvery-blue head beside it.

Caesar could feel the grin spreading slowly across his face as he walked closer, very subtly, towards his friend...and his friend's oh-so-familiar companion.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"I...I was waiting for Sister Sarah..." Jeanne uttered in a very surprised murmur as she stood there, still staring at Lyserg disbelievingly.

"I didn't mean THAT," Lyserg said dryly as he hastily picked up the cell phone which he had, indeed, managed to drop on the ground. "I meant...what are you doing in Venice?"

"Shouldn't I be asking that?" Finally recovering, she threw back the question at him. Her eyes distractedly shifted towards the water again as another gondola floated past them.

"I asked the question first, Jeanne." The green-haired Englishman pointed out, frowning at his cell phone. It would probably need quite a lot of fixing, if the fading LCD was any indication. He sighed, depositing the mobile in his pants pocket. Then, he turned back to her. "Don't tell me you're stationed here...?"

"I am. I mean, Sister Sarah and I, and Marco and Sister Vicki and everyone else." She nodded vigorously, looking him over from head to toe, a slight smile forming on her face. No matter what he does, he never ceases to make her feel...somewhat happy. "We've been here for four days, counting today." She explained, holding her breath as another one of the magnificent boats passed them. She really needed to get a ride on one of those. She -would- get one, even if it kills her. "...And you?"

Lyserg shrugged, smiling faintly. "Same thing. We actually just got here late last night, though." He followed Jeanne's gaze to the water, wondering what she was looking at. "Those gondolas are really something, aren't they?" He commented, his smile evolving into a pleasantly amused grin as he watched her extremely enthralled face. It was weird, how right before she appeared, he was on the verge of feeling annoyed at his two friends, and then, suddenly...one look at her and all of his irritation was completely erased. It was strange, the way she made him feel so...so light, like he was floating...

"Yes," She murmured, her eyes completely transfixed as she continued to look in awe at the vessel in the water. "They're...beautiful..."

And Lyserg had an idea. "Do you want to ride one?" He asked in a rush.

Jeanne's head snapped back and she gazed at him, startled. "What? Oh..." Blushing slightly, she averted her eyes. "Y...yes. I mean, I do, but...Sister Sarah will be come along in a little while, and I'm supposed to wait for her..."

"I'll pay for it," He offered with a smile.

"What? No!" She shook her head vigorously. "I just found out how much it costs. I mean, sixty pounds for a person! Lyserg, that's--"

"Expensive?" Lyserg interrupted dryly. "Not a problem." A grin.

Jeanne couldn't help but smile back. "Still, we shouldn't waste such a hefty amount of money for just a mere luxury..." She murmured hesitantly.

"Sixty is nothing compared to what we earn at the agency." A cheerful male voice proclaimed.

"CAESAR?!?!?" Lyserg almost fell backwards as he glared at his friend, extremely startled. "How long have you been behind me?"

Caesar watched with amusement as his fellow detective tried to gain back some semblance of his dignity, without much success. "About...three minutes." He announced, pointing his finger cheerfully at his watch. Turning to the silvery-blue haired maiden, he grinned. "Hello there, Miss Jeanne," he greeted with a small bow.

"Good afternoon, Caesar," Jeanne greeted warmly in return. "Lyserg, I appreciate your offer, but..." She shook her head. "It's just too much."

"Weren't you listening to what I said?" Caesar asked dryly. "Sixty is only a minute fraction of what we special detectives earn for each job. Isn't that right, Lyserg?" He raised an eyebrow, nudging his friend.

"Yes it is." Regaining his balance, Lyserg coughed and glared once again at the red-haired man. "Where were you? I've been waiting for more than thirty minutes, and why the bloody hell weren't you answering your cell phone?" He demanded.

"At a coffee shop three blocks from here. And my cell phone wasn't ringing." Caesar replied breezily, fumbling in his clothes for the electronic contraption. "It's not here...oh! I forgot!" He exclaimed. "I left it in my hotel room because BOSS Luc was in such a big hurry," he added sarcastically.

"Hmph." Lyserg rolled his eyes. "You and coffee shops. Honestly, you remind me so much of this Japanese friend of mine who loves sweets," he shook his head. "Anyway, just be thankful Luc isn't here yet. Your paycheck won't be cut down."

"Glory Hallelujah," Caesar muttered under his breath. "HE should get his paycheck cut down--not that it's ever going to happen." He sighed. "Anyway," He grinned brightly, glancing back and forth in between Lyserg and Jeanne, "I didn't realize you two were having a rendezvous."

At this, the pair simultaneously looked away and blushed. "We weren't!" They said defensively, in unison.

"Yeah. Right." Caesar said knowingly. "Ah, hell. It's your business, anyway." He smiled sweetly. "Getting back to the subject...like I told you earlier, Miss Jeanne," He said with air, "We special detectives earn quite more than sixty per job. A LOT more, believe me." He added emphatically. "So...it wouldn't much matter if Lyserg spends even six times sixty pounds. He'll get that back in a month or so. And besides..." he raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure he thinks it would all be worth it if it's you...right?" He nudged Lyserg once again.

"Yes, definitely!" Lyserg nodded vigorously. Then, upon realizing what he just agreed to, he blushed with slight embarrassment. "I...I mean, money's no big deal at all..." He added lamely, shrugging at his own stupidity.

"Well..." Jeanne still looked a bit hesitant. "...I should wait for Sister Sarah first," she decided. "I'm certain she wouldn't mind, but we were supposed to tour the rest of the city together..."

"What time were you supposed to meet?" Lyserg wanted to know.

"Right about now, I believe," She replied, frowning slightly as she looked around for any sign of the silvery-golden haired nun. "I wonder what's taking her so long..."

"I wonder what's taking Luc so long," Lyserg muttered, his eyes wandering aimlessly, searching for that familiar light-brown head. "He was the one who specifically asked us to get here on the dot. And where is he? Huh, Caesar?" He demanded.

Caesar gave him a broad grin. "Over there. Look." He pointed his finger towards the direction of St. Mark's Basilica, where a familiar tall figure in a forest green trench coat was walking towards them.

Jeanne's eyes brightened. "Sister Sarah!" She waved slightly as the nun approached.

"Wait a minute...THAT'S Sister Sarah?" Caesar exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes practically falling out of his head as he stared at the beautiful lady...no, nun, who was beside Luc. Talking to Luc. Talking a mile a minute to Luc.

...And Luc was answering back. Luc was replying animatedly. Luc was talking to a WOMAN.

A nun, yes. But still...a woman.

"Again, I am SO sorry about what happened with your phone..." Sister Sarah was saying.

"Like I've said quite a number of times, it wasn't your fault. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," Luc was explaining as he walked towards Lyserg and Caesar upon spotting them. "I almost dropped your purse into the water. If anyone should be sorry, it should be me."

A sigh. "But still...your phone. It would be very expensive to have that repaired, " The nun countered quietly. "...And I wasn't paying attention to where I was going either," she added.

Luc shook his head. "Money is no big deal at all," he informed her. "Believe me, it's NOT," he insisted upon seeing the doubtful look on the silvery-blonde haired woman's face. He then turned to his two companions, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

"You're late, Luc." Was Lyserg's curt reply. He shifted his gaze to the nun. "Good afternoon, Sister."

Sister Sarah smiled brightly at him. "Hello, Lyserg. I see you and Jeanne have bumped into each other already," she remarked meaningfully. "And good afternoon to you too, uhm..." she gave Caesar a questioning look.

"Caesar. Caesar Silverberg," Was the cheerful answer. Turning back to Luc, he grinned. "Guess you're going to get your paycheck cut down, huh?"

"Shut UP." Luc shot back with irritation. "Jeanne," he greeted, nodding his head briefly at the silvery-blue haired maiden, who smiled at him in acknowledgment. "Lyserg...don't tell me YOU were meeting HER here?"

"I wasn't!" Lyserg said defensively. "I just managed to bump into her, that's all. Everything's just a mere coincidence."

A snort. "I'm sure," Luc remarked dryly. "What are YOU looking at?" He glared upon noticing Caesar glance back and forth again and again between him and the nun.

"Nothing..." Caesar replied innocently.

"Good." Luc muttered.

"...Except that the two of you look quite good together," Caesar grinned cheekily, obviously referring to Luc and Sister Sarah. "Just like Jeanne and Lyserg here," he added, sending the aforementioned pair into another blushing fit.

Luc glanced at Lyserg and Jeanne with slight amusement before he turned back to Caesar and frowned darkly. "What is THAT supposed to mean?"

"Figure it out." Caesar smiled sweetly.

Fully recovered from his blushing, Lyserg exhaled. "Don't start with this again, you two," he warned his two fellow detectives. "Where did you and Sister Sarah meet each other, anyway?" He asked Luc.

The person being addressed glared one last time at his offender before turning to Lyserg. "Around two blocks from here. I was talking to Albert on the phone and I didn't see her coming." He explained. "By the time I realized, it was too late." A sigh. "Good thing I managed to uhm..." He coughed, "...her purse. I ended up dropping my phone in the process, so..." he shrugged.

"I still don't understand how you managed to get my purse from the water. I mean, I was so certain that it fell in..." Sister Sarah murmured.

Jeanne, who had also recovered from her blushing, exchanged a brief knowing look with Lyserg. "Let's just be thankful that he somehow managed to save it in the nick of time, Sister," She told her superior with a smile.

"...Yes. You're right," Sister Sarah agreed. "Thank you so much, uhm...what was your name again?" She smiled apologetically at the light-brown haired Englishman.

"Luc Hikusaak. And you're welcome," Smiling brightly, Luc took the nun's hand in both of his and shook it politely.

"Luc." The nun repeated, an odd expression crossing over her face as she stared at her hand, which the detective refused to let go of even long after the handshake. "T...thank you, and again, I'm really sorry about your phone..." she managed in a small whisper.

He shook his head. "Like I've told you a number of times, you have nothing to feel sorry about." He stayed like that, gazing at the nun and holding her hand for several more minutes without even realizing what he was doing.

"Uh...Luc?" Jeanne asked tentatively.

"Yeah?" He shifted his eyes briefly.

"You can let go of Sister Sarah's hand now," Jeanne said helpfully, amusement lacing her voice.

"What...? Oh!" Extremely startled, Luc dropped the fair nun's hand like a hot potato. He turned his back and fought away the redness that threatened to stain his cheeks. "I...I apologize." he said quietly.

"It's...it's fine," The nun assured, barely above a whisper. She shook her head, sighing softly as she turned to Jeanne. "I think I'll go on ahead back to the missionary house. I feel a little warm. I might be coming down with something..." She tapped her slightly flushed cheeks gently. "I trust you'll be alright here. Lyserg, just make sure she gets back before nightfall, please."

"Yes, I will." Lyserg nodded reassuringly.

Jeanne frowned. "But Sister Sarah, I thought you said we were going to go around the city a little bit more..."

Sister Sarah smiled faintly. "Right now, I don't think I'm up to it." She took a deep breath and managed a smile in both Caesar and Luc's directions. "It was very nice meeting you both. I hope we see each other again soon," she added, nodding briefly before turning around. "Goodbye!" She called out over her shoulder with a wave, walking as fast as her legs could carry her.

"I'll be back tonight, Sister!" Jeanne called back as she gave a slight wave.

"So...does this mean you're taking me up on my offer?" Lyserg asked Jeanne, eyebrow slightly raised.

"I certainly am." She answered with an eager nod. "Yes."

Lyserg grinned. "Great!" He turned to his fellow detectives. "Would you mind waiting for me? This'll only take about an hour."

Caesar rolled his eyes as wave after wave of his friend's happiness came over him. "Take your time," he said dismissively. "I'm going back to the hotel. I don't think either one of you will be up to doing a little more investigation, from the looks of it," he glanced meaningfully at Luc, who was still staring off deeply at the direction Sister Sarah disappeared to. "Anyway, you and Miss Jeanne have fun," he added with a knowing grin.

"Luc?" Lyserg waved his hand in front of the other man's face.

"Yeah?" Luc's head snapped back and he gazed at his friend blankly. "What?"

Exhaling impatiently, Caesar pulled on Luc's coat. "Let's get back to the hotel, boss." He started to walk away. "We'll meet you there, Lyserg. See you, Miss Jeanne!" He yelled out with a wave as he dragged the other man by the neck of his dark green trench coat.

"What the F**K! Let go of me this INSTANT, Silverberg!" Luc protested loudly as he struggled out of the red-haired detective's grasp. "I need to go somewhere..."

Caesar held on tightly to the other man and wouldn't let go. "Yes, you do. You need to go back to the hotel so you can cool off before you go after Sister Sarah." He said dryly, tugging Luc's coat forcefully.

"WHAT? I am NOT going after HER! She's a NUN, for crying out LOUD!"

"Right, right. If you say so..."

"Aaargh! Let me GO, Silverberg!"

Lyserg rolled his eyes in exasperation at his two friends. "I'll see you both back at the hotel!" He called out. Then, turning to Jeanne, he smiled faintly. "I'm sorry. They're just..." his voice trailed off as he shrugged helplessly. "Those two will never learn."

Jeanne chuckled. "Don't apologize for them. I think it's kind of funny..." she smiled. "Besides, I believe this is the first time I've ever seen Sister Sarah look so embarrassed right after being introduced to a man. Luc's had quite an impact on her, it seems."

"Luc has an impact on every woman he meets," Lyserg replied dryly. "Although none of them has ever affected him quite as much as Sister Sarah obviously has." He added.

"Hmm...a nun and a detective...it's like a novel of some sort..." She mused, sighing. "Just like the gondolas..." she added in a murmur as another one sailed right past them.

"Speaking of the gondolas..." Lyserg began brightly, "shall we go on that ride?" He held out his hand graciously.

Jeanne smiled cordially as she accepted his hand. "Yes, of course."

*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'm going back to the missionary house," Jeanne told her companion as she sneezed, pulling Lyserg's black hooded overcoat tighter around her as she walked.

"No, you're not," Lyserg countered as he shook off the rain from his hair and walked briskly beside her. "You're wet. We're going back to the hotel where I'm staying. It's nearer." He said firmly. "Morphin, set up a makeshift umbrella or something, please?" He told his power spirit, who cheerfully obliged to the request. Although the makeshift furyoku umbrella did wonders to shield them from the harsh storm, it didn't do anything much to assuage the wetness of their clothing.

"Lyserg..." She turned around and frowned at him. "I HAVE to go back to the missionary house. Marco will be waiting for me."

"You need dry clothes," He pointed out. "My overcoat's not going to be much help any longer, since you're very wet. We need to get you to the nearest shelter, and your missionary house is at the very end of the west side." He added. "I don't want you to get sick."

"I WON'T get sick," Jeanne replied with determination. "I have a very strong immune system and I'm sure I...AAACHHOOO!" She sneezed for the second time that afternoon--or night, as the case already was.

Lyserg rolled his eyes heavenward as he pulled out a semi-dry handkerchief from his pocket. "Here."

"Thanks." She took it gratefully from him and sneezed again.

"Strong immune system, huh?" He commented with slight amusement.

She gave him a look. "Just take me back to the missionary house, Lyserg. Please?"

He shook his head. "Not in this rain. We can't possibly travel that far. I'm taking you to the hotel," He insisted.

Jeanne exhaled impatiently. "Lyserg--"

"Jeanne." He gave her a warning look. Tipping her chin up, he leveled her gaze with his. "Don't argue with me." He swept the hair out of her face. "Alright?"

An indrawn breath. "Alright." She managed, trying to calm her heartbeat, which was going a mile a minute...and had everything to do with the fact that he was touching her. And that they were so close.

And that his face was merely inches away from hers...

"Good." Lyserg smiled with satisfaction, perfectly aware of the fact that he couldn't seem to keep his hands off of her...and this began ever since they had set foot inside that gondola and sailed around the Grand Canal. He tucked one last strand of hair behind her ear and reluctantly pulled away. "Let's hurry." He muttered, reaching for her hand and clasping it against his as they continued to walk briskly towards the hotel, which was only about two blocks farther away from where they were.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Sit on the bed, near the warming pan," Lyserg instructed. "...And don't worry about getting it wet or anything. You need to dry up. I'll be right back." He smiled at her briefly before he exited through the door.

"Lyserg, wait! You're wet too, and you haven't changed your clothes yet..." Jeanne's voice trailed off as she realized that he probably couldn't hear her, anyway. Sighing, she straightened out her hair and took off the black overcoat, setting it beside the warming pan as she sat down on his bed. She smoothed out her soaking-wet hair with her fingers as she surveyed her surroundings.

She looked up tentatively at the clock above the door. A quarter past seven in the evening. She sighed again. Marco and Sister Sarah and everyone else are probably worried by now. She wasn't supposed to be gone this long, and this late. More importantly, she wasn't supposed to be with Lyserg, and most -definitely- not in his hotel room.

Oh, well. Jeanne shrugged, smiling slightly to herself. Meeting him here was more of a shock than a coincidence...but it's a -wonderful- kind of shock, anyway...

"Hi!" Lyserg's head popped in through the doorway. "I just called the missionary house...Sister Vicki said Sister Sarah wasn't there," he gave her a curious look. "She hasn't come back since you two left earlier this afternoon. As for Marco-san," he winced slightly upon mentioning the name, "Sister Vicki said he called to say that he'll be back by ten o'clock tonight."

Jeanne nodded gratefully. "That's good. Thank you for calling them."

He smiled brightly. "You're welcome. Anyway..." he gazed at her critically from head to toe, thinking. "I asked the laundry service if they could possibly get your clothes cleaned up as fast as possible...and they said they'll try their best." He paused, hesitantly. "So uhm...Jeanne," he began, "I need you to do something."

"What is it?" She looked at him questioningly.

He took a deep breath. "...I need you to take off your clothes."

TSUZUKU.

End notes:

Um...ehehehe.^^;;; Chapter 3 coming up next week!^_^

I didn't want to sound like a broken record, so I skipped the whole falling scene.^^;;; Anyways, if you've forgotten that part, you can always check back Celebrations [Chapter 5: Thoughts and Feelings], ne?

Reviews...please? I need to know if I'm still going to continue this or not (although I probably will, no matter what happens...).^_^