Another -22 february '15
Disclaimer: G-boys are not saru's... and saru already forgotten the details of the anime too.
Warning: saru suddenly had a bad mood over the new portable keyboard, was trying to type just for the sake of getting used to the buttons… just found out the 'ctrl' button didn't work- saru's fault for not checking every button last week after buying it, and it's already passed the cooling off period to the store. Alright! Let's just use this keyboard for playing games… and continue with depressing fic!
chapter 27
Seven months ago the Red Tower was closed with high security placed on every door up to its top chamber. The red spell-imbued crystal panes on the windows refracted the sunlight into multiple colors in light-plays; its red pointy roof glinted boldly under the sun, even the City folks could see it like a warning from their King.
The blond boy stopped in the middle of the flight, the spiraling stairs mocked his heavy agonized breaths, holding at his chest- twisting the fabric of his white cloth as if by doing so he could get a good grasp on his pains and conquer it. The cold sweat fell from his forehead, to his pale cheeks and dripped from his chin and jaws; he wiped them with his sleeves and continued his climb. The guards ignored him as he passed slowly and unsteadily on his small legs; people didn't see him as threat with his ailing body… it somewhat saddened him, knowing what he couldn't do… what couldn't be…
The red pointy double doors stood proudly in their silence, waiting patiently for his weak knees to stop buckling and his breaths to stop wheezing. His cold sweat had given up on him half way up, swaying on his feet with a trembling hand propped his weight on the wall, he knew he needed to drink soon or he'd collapse from the fatigue and dehydration… how he hated his weak body…!
It took about 15 minutes until his trembling subsided, he watched the plain white ceiling as he sat rested to the wall, grateful that there was no window-ceiling there… because he wouldn't survive the sunlight in that condition-
Looking down at his lax hands on his laps, a prick of anger stung his heart at the thought; it's not the sunlight and the stair flights that were his enemies…!
Gripping at his loose tunic, he stood up holding onto the wall for support, using his anger to force his body to obey him; knowing a smile was waiting in the room, more patient than those doors. Ignoring the eyes of the guards following his groggy moves, he took a deep breath facing the sturdy doors, and knocked 3 times on the thick panel; the white room behind the doors was lit with mesmerizing colors. The kind smile bloomed only for him as he entered.
He smiled happily in return, entering the room with light steps and bowed slowly as he stopped near the bed. The tussels lining the white bed drapes swayed in an invisible breeze welcoming him. The air took him as its possession; he presented himself to the claim. The white hand beckoned him so he took a step closer and held that fragile hand gently, kissing it with affection. A happy chuckle answered him, the loving strokes on his head…
"Come sit by my side, Treize… The child has been waiting for you anxiously…!" the beautiful eyes drooped with a smile.
His brows pushed up a little, eyes brightened with a shy happy flush on his cheeks; he pushed himself up onto the fluffy white bed, facing its sitting occupant. ". . . really?" he asked to the beautiful pale face watching him intently.
"Mm-hm…" The beautiful woman nodded, "…kicking impatiently until just now. That's how I know that you were coming here…"
The boy's eyes clouded a little, eventhough he still didn't lose his smile. Looking down to the bulging belly covered with thick blanket, trying a ghostly touch over it. "…I'm sorry… I took too long coming here…"
The frail hand covered his small hand and pressed it to her belly.
"Ah-…" he almost objected in fear of endangering his precious person in there, but a light thump on his palm greeted him. "Ohh…!" his eyes widened with mesmerized surprise.
The woman chuckled satisfactorily at his expression. "…it's alright, it doesn't hurt when you do that." She smiled wider.
He was torn between his lines and the wonderment he felt on his palm, looking up at the gentle face and the bulge under his hand. An uncomfortable heat rose up his face; "Please forgive me for being insolent…-" he said with small voice, but his hand didn't feel his shyness and acted on its own, stroking again and again with care.
The woman let him drowned himself in his wonderment, knowing he'd gone to a world where only he and her child possessed. She poured a glass of water from the glass table at her side, dipped her fingers into the water bowl next to the crystal pitcher and flicked them at the boy's face.
"Drink, Treize…" she smiled when the boy's eyes turned at hers again after exactly 14 seconds passed, it's his routine -or should she say his pace…?
He took the offered glass with both hands, drank its content in one go with small gulps; sighed heavily when he pulled the glass from his mouth. "…thank-you, Milady Queen…" he said shyly when he offered the empty glass. The woman took the glass and put it back on the table, cupped his pale cheek with her hand, knowing the boy didn't flinch from the cold… his cheek was also cold-
"Elina said you had another fever last night…?" she tried, playfully stroking the soft cheek; impressed by the softness of children's skin and their frailty.
"I'm fine. Please don't concern yourself with my condition, Milady Queen." He smiled.
She nodded in understanding; pulling the blond head down gently. "Come, let me hug you…"
The boy widened his eyes when he was pushed to recline on her belly, the side of his head on top of it, her arm draped on him casually but trapped him there. He opened his mouth to protest.
"Shh- don't fight with a conceiving lady…!" she reprimanded him with a stern voice still with a smile. ". . . I won't be able to hold my child later, so… let me hold both of you Angels like this for awhile…" her voice broke a little at the end; he clamped his mouth shut and tried a reassuring smile.
"Can you hear anything…?" she asked; he pretended he didn't notice the wet layer on her eyes.
"Uh-huh." He closed his eyes and nodded. "A gentle song…" he smiled. "Na -nana na-naa… na nana…na naa…" he hummed.
She chuckled, "My child is singing to you…?"
"No…" he opened his eyes, "I hear it in my heart… I wish Milady's child to hurry and hear me singing it to him…"
She chuckled longer at that, offhandedly stroked his blond head. "…oh, Treize… I wished I could wish the same…" the clear liquid hang on the ends of her eyes, he saw it clearly this time.
The double doors blasted open as if answering her, banged to the walls with a loud noise, a billowing sound marked the arriving of the King.
The Queen gasped, Treize pushed his body up in reflex, eyes wide to the doors. A maid came running from one of the small rooms lining the inner wall, prostrated on the floor by the side of the red carpet; she couldn't help herself and trembled in fright.
Two men stood by the doorway; sharp boiling air around them. Treize swallowed his nervousness and pushed his feet to the floor; looking at them walking in with fast proud strides. He bowed deeply when they got near, put his composedness in his actions and tried to not stand out in the sudden stormy presence.
The King stood near him when they stopped, giving an uncaring glance at his figure before glaring at The Queen. "When is it due?" he asked coldly.
The Queen's face turned neutral like a mask, she refused to stare at The King and kept her eyes to a far spot in front of her. "When it's due." She said with dignified tone, sounding like a completely different person from the one speaking with Treize moments before.
The King narrowed his eyes dangerously at her bulging belly. "If it's a boy-…" he grumbled like a beast.
"He will never get out of this tower." The Queen continued his words with a stern voice.
"As a corpse." He ended.
The Queen widened her eyes and tuned her face to The King to glare, he glared back coldly. "You can depart with him; babies need their mothers, after all." He snarled with hatred. She thinned her trembling lips, twisting the gripped blanket in her fist, glaring poisons at her husband who didn't fazed at all by her show of contempt.
The King turned his head with a snap at the small blond head standing at his right, on the space between the bed and his standing point albeit not exactly in front of him, as if keeping himself there like a small wall shielding the air of him and The Queen. He snorted at the thought; such a frail wall it was…! He turned around sharply and walked to the open doors without anymore words. The other man tailing The King took his time to glare at Treize with narrowed eyes; the boy felt it but he paid no heed, he only straightened his body when the double doors closed with another loud bang that literally made the frightened maid fell limply to the floor… it wasn't a long fall, thankfully.
He sighed after he glanced at the maid, a little worried that she might get a heart attack, but smiled a little at her when she perked her head up and tried a nervous smile at their direction… she should worry about them, and not the other way around; the maid thought. She mustered her strength and got up on her unsteady feet, pouring a glass of warm water for her Lady with trembling hands, managed to do it without spilling too much water on the table…
He took the cold hand gripping at the blanket, opening the stiff fingers gently and put it on his chest open-palmed, covering it with both his smaller hands willing for the coldness to go away.
"…Milady, please calm down…" the maid said when The Queen refused to drink from the glass that presented to her lips. She was glaring anguish to the end of the bed, defiantly didn't want her tears to fall. The maid almost sobbed and put the glass down, dabbed the wet cloth from the bowl to her Queen's face instead. She closed her eyes and eventually let her tears fall, the maid moaned her sympathy and took her upper body and head into her embrace, kissing her head repeatedly, whispering soothing words she herself didn't believe.
The Queen sobbed and yielded, "…Elina-…!" she begged.
"I'm here…!" the maid tried a snicker with her teary eyes, "I'm here, Sweetheart. Don't worry, My Child…!" she whispered with stronger tone, letting The Queen sobbed in her arms.
A steady beat on her palm gradually calmed her, such soft gentle thumps that didn't give in to the storm she still felt in the air and in her heart… On her palm, she knew, she felt the heart that beat with frailty but steady with determination. It's like a silent prayer with unwavering faith.
The Queen opened her eyes to see Treize's smiling face, calm and warm like sunrise; she pushed herself forward from the maid's embrace, and beckoned him for a hug with her other arm. "Oh, Angel, don't do that…" she pleaded, "…don't oppose The King…" she whispered to the blond head.
"I don't want my Prince to have pearl-blond hair…" -like the King's; he said somewhat childishly. The Queen froze at that. "Golden like mine would be nice. It will be like a uniform-…"
The maid covered his mouth kneeling at his side, hushing him to be quiet with his daring words. He blinked at the maid now looking like she might get a real heart attack if he were to finish his words.
The Queen snickered weakly, continued to a yielding chuckle. ". . . that's right. Such beautiful color…" she pulled the hand from the boy's chest and played with his golden locks; he smiled from behind the maid's hands still covering his mouth. "…like a uniform… just for the two of you…" she whispered dreamily.
"Milady…" the maid warned silently, fearing whose ears hearing them right now-
One of the double doors banged open again; the poor maid jumped and pulled her hands to her front like she was already waiting for the oncoming punishment, trembling in fear. He frowned in disagree to the poor maid, turning his eyes to the doorway with a protective frown; he knew who it should be.
"Treize. Go home." The low flat tone was apathetic, it was only marred with a sense of ownership.
He didn't move; so this time it took 8 minutes 44 seconds for The Great General Kushrenada to excuse himself from The King, he thought with sarcasm.
"Nooow." The low voice carried unspoken threats; it didn't need to be a growl to make its points.
The maid jerked and pushed him to move, mouthing 'Go' with worried face.
He sighed again, and kissed The Queen's hand, kissed the ends of his fingers and put them on her belly. The Queen glanced worriedly at the man narrowing his eyes as the boy did that. "I'll take my leave, Milady Queen." He bowed.
"Yes, take care." The Queen said, stealing worried glances at the man looking at the boy with darkened eyes.
He walked to the doors with steady steps, the door panel closed with unnecessary force behind his back mocking his helplessness; his father didn't wait for him as he'd already descending the flight of stairs in front of him. He stared until that cold back disappeared by the spiraling staircase, could only heard the first lower door closed as the man passed it.
He looked at his feet, noticing that his knees almost buckled… again; looking up at his father's aide waiting patiently at his side, he took his bedroom slippers off his cold feet, held them at his front and looked up at the man's face again. The Aide nodded and took him up in his arms, and descended the stairs without a word.
General Kushrenada's study was large and cold; it had grim air despite the tall windows giving light from the outside. Treize let the slippers fall down from his hands after the Aide put him down to sit on the long sofa facing the dark-wood desk.
"I told you to stay away from the Red Tower." General Kushrenada said from behind his desk.
It's not the first time his father caught him fleeing his sick-bed and went there; although, it was the first time he caught him there while he was escorting The King… but would it make any difference? Treize didn't look at his father's eyes; the man could try and chained him to the bed post like last time, it only gave him things to practice fleeing with.
"Putting yourself between The King and his hatred…!" General Kushrenada continued. At that Treize looked up; that child that's going to be born is NOT a 'hatred'…!-he objected with his frowning eyes.
-a blast of wind without a sound, but he could see it like a see-through blade cutting the air; and the wall behind him made a loud crash and crumbled, leaving a long diagonal large gap as the leftover dust rained from behind him. The Aide couldn't suppress his surprised jerk and steeled himself in fear; he almost felt sorry for the man… but his father wouldn't lay a hand on him… he'd die from a normal fist's blow to the head, or chest; his father wouldn't attack him with his power-
"I COULD KILL YOU ANYTIME!" General Kushrenada exploded; the poor Aide jerked again, his father almost never raised his voice, Treize thought… he didn't need to in most cases; he didn't even need to growl or snarl or hiss to make his point. It's the kind of power he possessed.
General Kushrenada's face turned neutral again in a click, almost like a doll; he looked much younger than The King and his stern forever-unhappy expression. People would classify his face as lady's-man's looks… if only his possession with his presence wasn't as sharp as making people felt like they were strapped on a guillotine's base… Only The King could stand his presence like it was natural; it's because The King's possession was even more offensive… like he was wearing a time-frozen fire explosion around his being that could unfroze anytime with even the slightest trigger that could be anything.
Staring apathetically at his son, General Kushrenada cued his Aide to get out with his chin; the man almost ran to the doors, Treize noted; he missed his father walked towards him and almost jumped when he saw his father's front blocking his sight of the dark-wood desk. Looking up to his face, he knew that his father was sharp and cold, like a guillotine blade that could kill anyone anytime as it pleased… without feelings, without thoughts… almost like the course of a natural disaster. Almost like he were not a human-
Treize held his breath when his father's hand pulled him up by his upper arms as his feet dangled, keeping him at his eye level, letting the boy stared into his apathetic eyes, knowing he'll break eventually by his own fear he could see reflected back on his unfeeling eyes. The boy took much longer time than anyone else to react to his stare, that much The General gave credit to his son; and anyone else would feel satisfied seeing his lips trembled dignifiedly, trying in vain to hide his fear while it wafted like a putrid rotten carcass from his being… but not him, General Kushrenada never felt satisfaction for anything, except that one time when he had Nil as his conquest.
"Do as I say, Treize." He began, pulled the small body and whispered in the boy's ear, "…and I will hand over the Throne to you…!" he pushed it back to see the boy's face changed; still he didn't feel the satisfaction in it. Tossing the boy casually to the sofa, he didn't spare another glance as he left the boy alone; didn't even care as he tasted the tears in the air before the door to his study closed behind him.
Treize almost couldn't believe his hearing… He never questioned the reason that would make the kind of person his father was to be serving The King; all this time, he kept thinking of that phrase… 'birds of the same feathers flock together'… right? That even as inhumane as he was, his father would still feel something, like something akin to loyalty, or sense of servitude, or sense of belonging. But he was deluding himself…! His father didn't even think about him when he said those words about the Throne; he was never a son in his father's eyes, never a human, never even a living being… such concept was never in his father's mind. He only did what he did and strife for things because he wanted them to be; because he could; there wasn't even satisfaction in achieving them!
-a light thump on the carpeted floor; Treize caught himself and hastily wiped his tears with his sleeves. The Aide was standing at the side of the sofa for only that man knew how long, he was waiting patiently but he had other tasks to attend to, as well; he'd rather his young master to cry in his own bed and not in that unfeeling room.
"…I'm sorry, Jacob; please take me back to my room…?" Treize tried a smile; his eyes were red and puffy with tears that yet cried. The Aide bowed and took him up in his arms again, one hand took his small slippers from the floor as he did; then walked to the boy's room in another building. A white pigeon with bluish back landed on the man's shoulder as he stepped outside into the court corridor, cooed to the boy that had surrendered to his fatigue and was sleeping soundly as if he had no burdens in life.
-if only it were true…
x - - - - - - - - x
The General opened his eyes in a snap. His stare was wild and somewhat disoriented.
A small gasp and the shadow above his face sprang behind with fright; he turned his wide eyes to that direction, knowing who -what it was. His lips pulled to the sides in a leer, looking delirious as his eyes still looked bewildered. The bundle of tapestry shrunk and pressed itself harder to the headboard; if it could hole it out, there should have been a hole on that board, his mind mocked as he straightened his upper body on an elbow. The rustles of his movement made the bundle froze.
"Hmmm…" he sounded appreciative but in a bad way, "So you were watching me sleeping…? Every night?" he asked with a smile, his eyes drooped with a sadistic joy. "What was it you were enjoying? This face…? Or any-…" his words paused when his fingers playfully stroked his own face; finding wet trails from the ends of his eyes to the side hair lines under his temples, that the hair on those spots were damp by salty moisture. His face turned neutral as he felt the hair between his fingers, he didn't like the almost-sleek feeling on it; it disgusted him.
So he was crying in his sleep…?
-since the first night? He thought as he remembered seeing the looming shadow of his new-toy from that time, just as he opened his eyes; which soon disappeared as if it was an afterimage of the dream he was having that night.
…a dream; or a distant memory… -maybe not so distant since he felt as if he experienced it yesterday… this was… "Your master still put up a fight…?" he asked apathetically to the bundle, getting no reaction. "Is it because I tried to push his master off the balcony yesterday?"
He averted his eyes to the bedpost behind the bundle, "That was a pathetic failure…" noting the fractures on the wooden post that weren't there before; "…I should have known better than to use these very hands to do that… Something like that…!"
Narrowing his eyes as they glinted in the dark room; "Having Rockefeller said it to my face was an insult I don't need…!" he almost sounded like he didn't care; but the bedpost exploded with a muted sound; the bundle jerked feeling the wave of the excess power hit the tapestry-shell like a sudden blowing wind. "…who were you playing with when I wasn't around?" the flat tone almost took the threat out of that question. A long defiant hiss answered him.
He turned his head a little, as if he was inspecting his room with bored eyes; the dark room answered him with silence. His patience snapped and with enough force he pulled the tapestry bundle with both hands, sprawled it under him and held the thin wrists at its sides. The face under his stared him back with wide shocked eyes, fear and bafflement flashed on them in turns; a gasp of realization heard before he covered those slacked lips with his mouth.
Some defiant jerks…
A knee kicked his midsection. His left grip loosened for a fracture of second-
A cool brush on his face, too fast for his senses to register the pain for now.
The lithe body instantly curled itself to the headboard again, cocooning itself with the tapestry half looking like a snail with one side of its upper body exposed.
A long hateful hiss; the black cat-ears flattened and pulled back…
He chuckled throatily, enjoying the reaction he got instead of the forced kiss he tried. Moaning in complaint when he felt the sting on his face; "…not on the cheek again…!" he muttered as his finger brushed the small lines of blood making their way to his chin.
A tearful gasp; and a clawed hand reached out to his wound. The creature before him froze with a caught look in a click as his gaze turned to it, as if he could hear a cracking noise of petrifaction; the ends of the blade-like black nails a centimeter away from touching him.
"Don't hurt this body if you're that hurt hurting it…" he criticized with a bored tone, pushing his head forward, ghostly brushing the ends of those nails with his bleeding cheek, to the cold opened hand, fawning like a cat; smiling at the thought that their positions were reversed. "This is your master's blood… is it warm?" he asked softly, almost with a kind tone.
The caught face in front of him bent in pain, the clear black liquid welled up in the wide eyes. He smiled wider breathing in the inhuman scent along the pale arm to the face; kissing the wet cheek offhandedly several times, snuggled his head between the shoulder of the extended arm and that face, feeling the soft furry feathers from its temples brushed his skin. Feeling the stilled arm yielded a little as he put his arms around that small back in its cocoon.
"…Riankitten…" the gentle voice was too familiar to be denied; the-cat sobbed once and let his hand fell to the bed… he wanted to just surrender; if only he could…
"Kitten…" the warm cheek brushed lightly on his, "We can play this game all night… again!" the kind smile turned alien; and the-cat pushed that body with all his might in fear, fell to the bed in his effort.
Treize was amazed that the-cat could fling his body half across the bed in that condition at all, he chuckled at the miserable heap trembled and jerked helplessly losing its leftover strength to thrash about, looking like it were a fish out of water… or a worm drying in scorching sunlight on heated rock; he could even hear the sizzling sound.
Or a continuous hiss…?
"Aaw, Kitten, I'm sorry. Did I tease you too much…?" the playful tone carried a smile.
The-cat gritted his teeth and snapped his eyes at the all-too-known figure of his master with hatred, and widened his eyes in shock and guilt as he saw a piece of wood from the broken bed post protruding from his master's shoulder. He fast glanced at his bloody hand; small bits of woods were embedded on his palm skin and fingers testified for how much strength he used to grip that piece of wood as he stabbed it into his master's flesh. He sobbed in disbelieve and deeper fear, he didn't even realize it when he did that…!
Treize watched the Familiar with apathetic smile, "You know…" he started conversationally, pulling the piece of wood from his shoulder, didn't flinch when the blood spurt to his front and face. "I haven't hurt this body even once since the beginning; not a broken skin or a broken nail… It's all your doing." He said gently.
The-cat's face turned to him again, bent in pained anguish; the clear black tears ran down his cheeks in streams. He knew that voice all too well, that kind tone, and that somewhat uncaring smile… the smell of that red blood, that warm touch of those hands, that golden reflection on the soft locks, that scent… that's all his Treize-
His Treize…
His Treize that wasn't his Treize!
The gaze inside those eyes was alien to him; the-cat screamed in frustration and curled back into his cocoon, wailed in pain and sobbed like an abandoned child.
"Hmph! So much for night-games…!" Treize muttered and lied down under his own blanket again, not minding his blood seeping into the white bedding and pillow, fully ignoring the miserable sounds coming from the trembling bundle near his head. He closed his eyes with a contented smile; that could chase away the aftershock from that memory-attack he had just then.
He sighed and succumbed to sleep's claim.
Odin stared at the bird staring at him while cocking its head to the sides. He'd been staring at the bird for over 5 minutes now… the bird had been staring at him for over 5 minutes too, to think one of them should give in by now...
-splotch.
The bird's dropping gave in… -or out, by now.
-crack.
Odin's arteries popped on his temple with an audible sound. He gave a lizard grin to the bird still staring at him innocently. With a growl he gave in and extended his hand to receive the message carried by the bird; it watched Odin's fingers curled in a code succession and dropped the hays from its beak to the open palm… and flew away after adding another dropping to the floor as it turned around.
"GAAAHH!" Odin yelled swaying his fist to the flying bird's direction. "Bird droppings!" he frowned to the demon when the demon glanced at him from the kitchenette, he blinked at the man standing by the hole in the wall and left to his cooked breakfast. "Hmph!" Odin snorted at his fisted hand, the hays felt heavy; -why now after over 20 years, Jacob? His eyes clouded when he opened his fingers.
There were four pieces of hays on his palm. Three were tied together by their base-ends; the longest one, a straw -human, four large specks -a general, light almost golden colored -hint of personal disposition, two knots on the far end -danger… above the specks -credibility, a cut in the middle near the knotted end -two-siding agent…no; what's the separated two-parts into the knot meant? He never got that kind of message before; perhaps the cut got longer being hit by the wind when the bird carried them here, he asked himself, but immediately ruled it out since what baffled him was that the straw end was cut into two-parts before knotted. Odin frowned accusingly at the straw, and continued reading that longest one; a nick at its side between the first and second specks -fatal wound, two nicks at the opposite side between the second and the third specks -help.
Huh? He arched his brows; he was asked to help a traitorous general whose credibility known to be flawed? …really? -Oh, could it be for interrogation's sake?
The middle one was a blacken hay making a loop as both ends knotted in the three-tied group, a knot in the middle of its curved length. Odin frowned again to that; hay -not human, black -hint on personal disposition… so he was supposed to have seen the creature with his own eyes; not the unseen that had been bothering him since yesterday, then…! Both ends into the knot …doubled over? As in down? A knot in the middle -captured. Odin frowned deeper. That hay was the shortest of all four; a small black-colored inhuman creature-…? He widened his eyes in realization; there weren't that many inhuman creatures with that description in the Palace!
Gritting his teeth, he read the third one; BROWN! He hissed at his suspicion; hay with four white lines at its upper sides… he didn't need to read deeper into that piece, the creature was behind him in person, cooking breakfast in his kitchenette. "BIRD DROPPINGS!" he almost bark when his demon poked his head from the kitchenette again, apparently feeling his air changed to offensive.
Heero frowned at the man stood stiffened facing the hole in the wall, looking down at his hand which was blocked by his large body. "Is it attacking you?" he asked; if he were a cat, the demon imagined Odin had his furs standing on ends.
"NATURE'S ATTACKS!" Odin said through gritted teeth. The demon wasn't impressed and snorted his comment; he continued with arranging the table and finished his cooking.
A loose knot under the white lines -possible/incoming danger. He knew that already! He growled low in objection.
The singled one was another straw, it was yellowish brown in color, Odin didn't mind its color aside from being average, blackish dried smudge at its far end… like the straw had been dipped in the mud and washed but the mud's color had seeped in. Odin blinked; someone from the underground? Average, black… one large speck and two small ones -a lieutenant…? A knot in the middle of its length -captured; two nicks opposite each other between the first and second specks -possible fatal wound; two knots at its base-ends… -missing!
-now he felt a knot in his guts… what a way to start a morning, just before breakfast too! He complained in his mind.
Odin growled and crushed the message in his angry fist, crumpled it and threw it into his mouth, chewing until the hays and straws succumbed to the strength of his jaws.
"You chew the nature's attacks…?" Heero frowned in disagree from the table, his cooked breakfast was already arranged on a big plate, fresh salads of colorful leaves and fruits in a large bowl next to it, a pitcher of warm water with a big mug just got filled.
Odin snorted and swallowed. "Nature bites! I bite harder!" he growled with dignity.
Heero stared at the man, and the certain spots behind him. "The nature's attacks are still on their natural spots." He pointed. "You didn't chew the bird, did you?" he narrowed his eyes with suspicion.
"Hah! It's a Jacobin." Odin made a mock-burp, walking towards his breakfast and sat heavily on the chair.
Heero took his apron off, put the folded cloth on his side of table as he sat on his chair. "Jacobin…" he muttered.
"A fancy pigeon." Odin supplied as he took his first bite of the breakfast.
"A pigeon…" Heero muttered. Pigeons didn't come to Odin's chamber, they're too afraid of his predatory air; only crows did, sometimes eagles in certain seasons; bats were afraid of his scent, or the scent of the Sauria on him, so he never found them around, as well. Glancing behind at the certain spots, "…attacked you twice." He added.
"You didn't swallow the bird, did you?" Heero asked again. Odin gave him an insulted stare. Heero snorted and let the man finished his breakfast in silence.
x - - - - - - - - x
"Practice court?" the demon asked from the sink, hearing the sounds of the man putting on his gears like usual.
"Like usual." Odin answered uncaringly. The demon paused his plate-washing, noting a different tone in his voice. "I got a meeting before that." Odin continued, tapping the sole of his boots to the floor after wearing them.
"Meeting?" the demon asked, putting the wet plate to the rack and turning off the tap. He was in the middle of drying off his hands with a towel when Odin suddenly stormed to his front, pushing his back to the sink with both hands on his shoulders, and knelt.
The demon blinked, it felt familiar; "Odin…" he mumbled his warning about his dislike being treated like a maiden again, not so un-girly with the hand-towel in his hands separating their bodies while he was wearing his apron for washing the plates, too.
"Heero…" Odin began, looking too serious for a petty warning; the demon recognized it and let him continued. "I have to say this first. I'm sorry…" he pushed his upper body forward, hugging the uncomplaining demon tightly and mouthed to his ear, knowing Heero could hear him perfectly. "-but the world you left to sleep and the world you woke up in afterwards are different."
The demon blinked to that; if Odin was talking about the sudden escalating rates of the invisible activities in the Palace, he'd felt it even before he woke up. It didn't make him concerned; they're still below his-
"Please!" Odin hissed with enough pressure, "Just for this one time, I ask you to sit this one out!"
The demon glanced at Odin's face on his left shoulder, couldn't really see the man's face with their arrangement. "…sit?"
"Don't do anything! ANYthing…! -leave everything to me…!" Odin pulled back and stared into the demon's eyes; the man sounded like he was really begging for once. There was something implied there… an order of sorts… the demon stared, knowing Odin didn't give him any other option but to comply; he nodded his answer once, feeling the lost of his too-strong embrace already.
Odin searched into his eyes for some long seconds, cupping his face with his large hands; his neck felt the pull of the Contract burnt into his skin as Odin's wrists were on his red-lines' level; the man must have felt that pull in his wrists, too.
The man's eyes clouded, "I wish I could swap the places where our Contract-lines etched…" he mumbled.
"So that you could let your head roll as a shortcut out of this place?" Heero asked flatly. The man smirked; "That's not why I stayed." The demon criticized.
"Why you stayed…" Odin breathed, "I don't care. What I wanted to ask you was why you didn't choose to leave…"
A flash of something in the demon's eyes, and he opened his mouth almost looking defiant- "But I don't care about that now." Odin said in closure. "I love you, Heero." The man said seriously.
The demon clamped his mouth almost in surprise. Odin smiled at that.
"…my Blood loves you." He continued.
The demon's eyes widened with an alarmed almost caught look; "You knew-". Odin's thumbs instantly shut his lips up.
"Take it as whatever you want… I just wanted you to know it, for what's coming your way outside these doors might not be to your liking." Odin said with grim face.
They looked into each other's eyes; feeling the pull of their Contract-lines lessened with each passing second… Heero knew Odin chose his duty over him, and the man didn't let him to do anything-
"Don't die." the demon said flatly. "I still want my head in its rightful place."
Odin snickered and chuckled for his choice of words; "I'll keep that rightful place safe…!" he smirked his usual villain's smirk, but his eyes were still soften with affection. He stood up and walked to the doors, his sturdy back looked determined.
The demon suddenly felt that prickly cut of distance in his presence. He threw the hand towel somewhere and took the apron off, letting it fell to the floor as he fast chased the man's figure.
-he felt like he was left behind.
"Commander Odin asked for a meeting with you, General." The attendant bowed to him, keeping his gaze to the floor.
Treize smirked, snorted his complaint for the wait; "Let him in!"
The attendant fidgeted on his feet.
Treize plucked a blue grape with his mouth from its stem; he chewed it while chuckling at his other hand gripping a handful of black cloth. He noticed the attendant was still fidgeting there after he swallowed it. "Well? What are you waiting for?"
"N-…now? -Sir?" the attendant shrunk, visibly trembling.
Treize gave him the-stare; it was filled with soul-freezing coldness that the attendant fled with a choked yelp just from feeling the goosebumps on his skin without actually seeing his eyes.
"Odin is here, General." Odin reported as he waited with the closed doors behind his back.
"Yes. What do you want, Odin?" Treize smirked playfully as he tossed the grapes to the table, got a good grip at the end of the black cloth and pulled it back to the sofa with both hands, pinning the length with his right knee, as his left leg half dangled from the cushion and propped his weight a little on its toes.
"If you are too busy right now, I could pick another time later." Odin half turned to face the closed double doors; the sound of a glass shattered as it fell to the floor stopped him for a second, but he proceeded pushing the door panel-
"WAIT! Come join me, Odin…!" Treize chuckled while catching a swatting limb and pinned it down with his left leg; a pale skinned foot was visible from under the black cloth, Odin didn't take a glance to see it.
Odin sighed; "If you really don't mind my being here as of this moment, then I'll proceed with my business with you…!"
"-haahaha! Just say want you want of me…!" Treize laughed as he caught another kicking foot, pressing it down and used his lower body to keep them still. He snickered enjoying the easy game, "What, Odin?"
A choked moan filled the paused as Odin took his time before speaking.
"…where is Treize, General?" Odin asked with low -almost gentle- voice.
"Haha! What…?" Treize asked somewhat distracted with his thrashing toy.
"I asked you; where is your son, General Kushrenada…!" Odin pressed the last part; the body under Treize stilled making a teary mewl, a pale hand was pushing his shoulder up at arm length to keep the blond away from its face still covered by the twisted cloth.
The air turned cold instantly… Odin knew it all too well; he didn't need to see the apathetic eyes glaring frost at him from the sofa.
"…do you really think I wouldn't recognize your presence, General Kushrenada?" Odin smiled to the door panel sounding almost bored. "Such an unfeeling coldness that only ghostly brushed with a sense of ownership… as if you have all the right to claim anything you wanted…!" Odin said slowly, feeling over-conscious of his moving tongue. "By acting buoyant and nonchalant, you thought you could hide your frosty air, General?" he leered eventually.
Treize's lips pulled to the sides, smiling in enjoyment, although the feeling didn't reach the depth of his eyes. "Aah…" he breathed appreciatively; Odin could do more than what other people could, after all; although he'd been expecting Odin to come sooner…perhaps the man didn't want to believe his senses when he read his presence even from before yesterday? "Play nice if you want to join the game, Odin. See here? …I'm being nice." He snickered, "This body is so used to smiling that I actually pulled my lips' ends every time I tried speaking…! It's like a reflex!" he said in an awed tone… but the feeling didn't reach his eyes.
-thunk.
Odin thumped his forehead to the door panel, reining in his anger. "…since when?" he asked softly.
A long satisfied chuckle; "…since you weren't around, Odin." If ever, those eyes turned even colder.
Odin closed his eyes at the realization. "…that poisoned knife…!" -the night where he was too preoccupied with his unconscious demon to care about whatever happens outside his chamber, off course!- his lips were still smiling; he tried so hard not to give in to his urge to go on the rampage. -he should have known that Master would have enough reason with his order, especially when it concerned his only guardian… that it was too late to prevent the harm done to save his precious Treize.
"So, where is Treize?" Odin pulled his forehead from the door panel, speaking in business tone; turning his body around and faced the blond General smiling at him with cold eyes.
"Where… I wonder. Why do you even care?" the General said silkily.
Odin stared him waiting for his answer. The blond busied himself to catch a flailing arm, and Odin decided to get his demand. "You swore you wouldn't harm him…!" he breathed out slowly with narrowed eyes.
"-if you finished my task with the bordering Aurilathans, right? I didn't forget my own terms, Odin; look closely… I didn't hurt him in any way…!" the General pulled the limbs tangled in the twisted black cloth until the covered upper body got lifted from the sofa; and pushed it back with a force, somehow got the arms bent as he got good grips on the wrists together with their upper arms in his large hands. He laughed outright when the head jerked and turned in panic, wailing its protest. "…his toy did." The flat accusing tone froze the thrashing figure, it was in the middle of writhing to get free and its head was turned to the side of the sofa, facing Odin near the doorway.
Odin could see it was gasping for air by the movements of the black cloth. "You're hurting his Familiar…" Odin pointed out slowly.
A loud snicker answered him; "Ooh? …and is this part of the deal, Odin?" he smiled with mockery.
"He is part of Treize." Odin said in closure tone.
The General's smile lost its sarcasm; he stared Odin with a generic smile -Odin knew that Treize did that in reflex too, when he was being uncertain about things but didn't want to look like he was indecisive; …he missed his cute young master already, being oppressed in that frosty air for only that long. It's true, he didn't want to believe he was feeling that air again; denying his own thoughts recalling the memory of this certain human; that the readings of such frosty inhumane presence belonged actually to his dead human superior.
The General took a deep breath and sighed, his lips were still pulled to a smile despite himself.
"…I'm bored, Odin. I couldn't ask for a conquest now, could I?" he said conversationally. "…or I could?" he intentionally made it sound like he was testing.
Odin stared for a moment; "Must you still thirst for conquests?" -even in that body.
"I still not get my hands on the THRONE, Odiiinn!" the General raised his voice slowly, but the absence of the heat in his tone made it almost like a crazed exclaim instead of an angry bark. Odin knew that tone too well… his eyes dimmed.
"I can't let you have the Throne." Odin said softly, losing his soldier-tone.
"So, you're here to kill me…? -again?" the General smiled.
"It was The King's order 10 years ago." Odin said.
"…and this time? That-child's request?" the General smirked; "…we're just doing this like routine, don't you think? The cursed fathers and sons."
"Master is not a child anymore." Odin said softly, pulling his sword out of its scabbard.
"Hmmm… -and I'm not the unfeeling General Kushrenada anymore, Odin. I can feel the joy of having a conquest in this body…" the General pulled the right wrist in his left hand down, keeping the arm alongside the length of the lithe pale body under him; bent down and peeled the covering black cloth from the head with his teeth.
A teary sob, a pleading mewl. It was trembling under the General's body claiming dominance; sprawled submissively in helpless and fright… could only closed its eyes when it felt the General's breaths on its cheek, turning its face as far away as it could to escape his touches.
-its pale deathly skin tone;
-its lithe body;
-its short hair;
-its immaculate face;
-its… all… except for the black hair and the cat ears flattened in fear…
-it's Heero's frame!
The General smiled wider as he watched the realization dawned in Odin's eyes; "…especially of a toy you wouldn't share!" he chuckled, "…or would you?"
Odin hissed as he felt his beast-blood surged up to the surface, clouding his mind and pinpointing his target in red vision…-
x - - - - - - - - x
Heero arrived late in front of Treize's study; Odin had already entered, and two of The Sixth guarding the double doors denied him entrance. So he waited by the wall at the opposite side, worriedly watching the closed doors didn't give him any reading… he knew the doors to a General's study should be imbued with warding spells and such; but that time it was too much, he felt like being cut off from Odin's presence completely… as if the man was being in another world separated from his world. There was no such a place in that Palace!
-didn't he say something about the world being different, too?
The Sixth's eyes were staring at him from under their full-faced helmet; they'd probably realized it how nervous he was… even with his stoic face; or was it because he came there running…? Looking lost, too, perhaps?
He decided to close his eyes to ignore The Sixth's eyes on him; if he could just find a flicker of Odin's trace in the air behind those doors… he should be able to sense anomalies around the man-
A huge explosion blew the doors open from the inside, the power shook the floors and walls; his stilled figure missed The Sixth's bodies smashed to the walls at his sides… the wall debris shot at his direction, the raining dust… -but they're all soundless!
He opened his eyes to the shocking sight… somehow every propelled things had missed him on his standing spot; a large piece from the broken door panel embedded on the wall by his right side, like a frozen sail in a white storm of the raining dust, blocking his sight to his right…
A cold sting caught him off guard as it coiled around his neck; he let out a choked sound in surprise as he bent his upper body forward, widened his eyes when a transparent arm caught him from falling. He gasped as he pushed his swaying body back to the wall, eyes snapped warily to his left, finding a smiling face so close to his like their skins almost brushed on each other's…-he felt it ghostly on his cheek like a feather of his own ear-wings!
"-youu…! Why-…" he tried a question, surprised himself when he realized he couldn't let a voice out.
"…why am I in this form?" the transparent face smiled until the eyes almost closed, the long eyelashes looked mesmerizingly beautiful with specks of lights on their ends shining with many colors, changing in waves. "You asked me that the first time…"
The lithe fingers ghosted around his stinging neck, checking whatever it was meant there to be working right… Heero shivered feeling the energy left his limbs; he could only see the smiling face from the ends of his eyes, and that one arm casually draped around his chest as if keeping him standing…the rest of his assailant's body should be in the wall with their arrangement, but since it was almost intangible…-
He opened his mouth to ask again, gravely aware that his lips didn't obey him; just as his whole body getting stiff in alarming rate.
"…we don't want you to die along with Odin." The soft whisper in his ear still carried a kind smile, the transparent hand straightened his body and turned his head forward as if he was a mannequin on its pedestal; facing the destroyed chamber as its owner came out waving his hand to chase away the dust still clouding the air. "I'm sorry…" he felt a farewell kiss like a breeze on his cheek before that transparent hand disappeared from his sight.
He watched the General walked towards him minding the debris and other things on the floor; his eyes couldn't show his shock anymore, as the eyelids stilled in their opened state with his usual stoic expression.
Some people, mostly alarmed guards came running towards them, shouting commands as they seemed to be trained to handle such situation. Some came to The General, giving a salute before asking for explanations and orders. The General smiled and pointed at his direction, the guards turned their heads with wary eyes, and with baffled expression pointed their weapons at him; a healer lady shouted and put a white folded cloth on The General's temple, criticizing him about how could he not felt that major wound while it was bleeding like a river; she ignored him standing by the wall since he didn't seem to have any visible wounds, and proceeded with the two fallen Sixth…
The General smiled at him; keeping the white cloth on his forehead with his left hand… continued his walk, chuckling as he closed the distance between them.
The General that was not Treize…!
"Aah… you could tell just by looking, hm?" The General's other hand nonchalantly brushed at the thing stinging at his neck, moved up to his chin and put the fingers on his lips. The smiling face bent down and whispered, "Stop mouthing 'not Treize'… no one will notice, anyway. The blame for all this is on you…" he paused to steal a peck on the cheek where the transparent-being kissed before; "…since Odin is no more."
The General straightened his upper body, and was amazed when the prussian eyes of the demon followed his movement, somewhat staring at his face unfocusedly. He took the time to stroke under the demon's chin like he was a cat, recognized the dismissal in those eyes as they started to gray and glazed, and the lids drooped like they were sleepy; the white wings half opened, earning frightened gasps from the guards behind him, and closed slowly flattened the feathers to the sides of the pale face like a closure. With a satisfied smile he took the unmoving demon's body into his embrace; breathing in the demon's scent from his brown head and wings… it smelled of unearthly feathers and blood and dust.
His cold eyes narrowed when the General smiled satisfactorily for his conquest…
x - - - - - - - - x
x - - - - - - - - x
Thanx for reading
Saru's note:
So sorry that this is uploaded late… saru was consumed by the time management (as always) of finishing the materials for a comics event next month; the event committee took the opportunity of the decennial commemoration of Asia Africa Conference in town and kind of made the event as part of the month-long agenda (although the event would only be for 2 days)…
ahh, but the strict rules about participants' comics and all the things to be sold there that saru had to make an original comics (it's the first time for us); and it happens that Oni-tan's cat (Pun-pun) had to have a caesarean surgery in labor, and that she couldn't help saru at all with the works because Pun-pun lengthened her recovery time after she successfully pulled 2 stitches off her belly -and Oni-tan freaked out that the cut was open again until she could see the inside…? -to top it all, saru's ground coffee ran out by Monday, april 1st, while the deadline was by 10th, and saru couldn't find that brand in 2 shops and 3 minimarkets around HQ; so saru tried compromising with the brand that sister-snake used to drink… ended up with coffee poisoning (it's like food poisoning, but it was caused by coffee… hence…).
Took 2 days to bounce back from that coffee poisoning; by Friday 3rd, saru went home to buy the supply at the supermarket near the house… took 3 days with the house's menial things, and went back to HQ by the next Monday. Anyway, saru was late by 2 days with the deadline, but since it's done… tried peeking the fic again. Tomorrow will be busied again with the printing and other stuffs for the event; oh, the next chapter next month would probably be late as well… hahahaa.