Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Midvalley's Serenade ❯ Paintballs and Blue Balls ( Chapter 12 )

Paintballs and Blue Balls

The next week, E.G. Mine kept a very low profile in class ,but to make up for it, Zazie stepped up his offensive on Chapel during a Planning and Tactics class.

"I read several archived newspaper accounts of the Drake execution and I am a little confused," he said. "The academy account lists 51 found dead, but the papers report 53. Did you murder Drake's wife and daughter, Chapel?"

I wondered how Nick would respond. He had harbored guilt feelings for so many years, but he said, "I shot Mrs. Drake in self-defense. It was an accident that one of the bullets passed through her and hit the child."

Zazie seemed a little disappointed by Chapel's admission. I guess he was hoping to catch Nick in some kind of deception. His next accusation concerned the little girl, Molly, in New Junction.

"When you ran to save the little girl, I hope you realize that you were endangering the mission. Pretty irresponsible behavior. What were you thinking?" asked Zazie.

Chapel responded, "I was thinking that Master Knives was angry with the Crimson Blade gang for interfering with his town. Their indiscriminate slaughter of citizens was disruptive. I thought that if one of Knive's representatives were to go out of his way to help one of their citizens, as a show of good will, it would do a lot to restore faith in Master Knives, which was somewhat shaken by the audacity of the gangs robberies. Any more comments, Zazie?" Nick asked.

"Well, yes. That report you filed after Midvalley's injury was a joke," sneered Zazie looking around at his classmates for moral support.

"I wasn't trying to impress anyone," said Nick. "I was concerned about my partner's welfare. The report was short, but concise and it covered all the salient points. When you have a reliable partner, or in my case, an outstanding one, you don't want to lose him, which brings me to the subject of today's lesson. Injuries and Illness."

Chapel launched into his lecture with fervor.

"It is sometimes not acknowledged that due to the high death rate from violence on Planet Gunsmoke that there is a high turnover in hospital staff and it can often be difficult to find qualified help. The papers are full of horror stories about applicants falsifying credentials to earn higher wages and you don't want your partner bleeding to death from a gunshot wound because some fake intern is banging a nurse in a therapy room and a real surgeon can't be found. You have to be vigilant and really look out for your partner, especially in a hospital."

Chapel was thorough and knowledgeable on the subject and Zazie wasn't able to get another word in for the rest of the period.

For whatever reason, Zazie stopped challenging Chapel in the classroom, but from the little student gossip I picked up, I heard he was practicing his quick draw constantly and bragging about how he was going to teach Chapel a lesson.

I was in the hall after the last class of the second week ended and heard Zazie say to Nick, "You don't have any special talents. All you can do is shoot a gun and I can do that better than you. I challenge you to a shoot out."

"I wouldn't want to hurt you," Nick said.

"You're just afraid that I'll show you up, chickenshit."

"What is it about this class and that word, Midvalley?" Nick turned to me and asked shaking his head, then he turned back to Zazie and said, "I'm sick of your crap, so how about paint balls out on the range right now, and we'll see who the real chickenshit is."

"Fine," said Zazie. "We'll do it now, just to prove to you what a loser you are and then in front of a crowd later at the end-of-school shoot out. A no-talent like you should be publicly humiliated."

Quite a group of students and instructors went out to the range despite the heat. Caine the Longshot was chosen to officiate the match, and loaded the pistols with paint balls. Chapel and Zazie strapped on their holsters. I watched Zazie practice his quick draw a couple of times. He was really fast and he was laughing out loud.

"I'm gonna leave my mark on you, Chapel."

"Nick," I said, "I hear he's been perfecting his quick draw and working on it every day for over a month. Don't you want to practice at all?"

"Nah, this is fine," he said.

Caine held up a derringer.

"I own you," Zazie jeered at Nick.

Nicholas lit a cigarette and strolled down to take his place. There was some 30 yarz of distance separating the two combatants. The small group of onlookers was quiet. Then Caine's derringer barked and a moment later Zazie's forehead, crotch and each shoulder bloomed a red rose of paint and he dropped to his knees with a squeal.

Chapel holstered his pistol and walked over to Zazie, whose hands were frantically rubbing each area where he'd been struck to try to ease the sting. I could see that Zazie's pistol hadn't even cleared the holster.

Wolfwood took a couple of drags of his cigarette, then threw the butt to the sand and extinguished it with the sole of his right shoe and said, "You might want to work on that quick-draw, Zazie. If you feel that I could give you some pointers, I'd be happy to help you at the weapon range."

Zazie growled in reply.

Wolfwood asked, "Do you need a hand up?"

"Fuck you!" screamed Zazie.

"I'll take that as a no," Nick said, and after pausing to light another cigarette, he went over to a table where Caine and I were sitting, unbuckled his gunbelt with one hand and slid it over to Caine.

Zazie was finally able to stand up. I heard a wheezing sound coming from behind Caine's mask.

"You all right, Caine," I asked.

Caine pointed towards Zazie. My eyes followed the direction of the gloved finger and I threw back my head and laughed. From forehead to crotch, red paint had dripped in a vertical line and from shoulder to shoulder and across the chest where Zazie had frantically rubbed to ease the sting there was a horizontal line. Chapel had marked him with the sign of the cross.

"That turned out better than I expected," murmured Nick. I looked closely at Caine, who was still wheezing and thought I detected maybe a gleam of amusement in the eyes under the mask.

"Brat," was Caine's final word on the subject.

Nick started to walk away. He was headed back to his quarters.

"Wait up, Chapel," I said. He turned and paused while I caught up with him and then we both walked side by side. I heard a flurry of steps behind us and heard a young, urgent voice behind us call out, "Just a minute, Mr. Chapel, sir!"

It was Bernie Welch whose face was glazed over with what I'd call an extreme case of hero worship.

"I just wanted to tell you that having you almost shoot my balls off was the best thing that ever happened to me."

Chapel chuckled, "Just so we're clear on this, I missed them on purpose."

"Right, right, Mr. Chapel, sir. You're the greatest gunman I've ever seen. I just wanted you to know, that that , wow!" he was talking really fast and breathless. "Burns, Drake, weapons range, now this. You're my inspiration. I want to be just like you when I graduate!"

"Thanks for the enthusiasm, Bernie. You could probably find someone better to inspire you but good luck," and Nick held out his hand to Bernie who grabbed it and shook it vigorously as if he could absorb some of Chapel's gun talent through the contact. Finally he let go and said, "Hot damn, Mr. Chapel, sir, oh, sorry for the curse. You are modest, too, just like Mr. Evergreen said." He colored, turned and ran back to where his three buddies were clustered.

Nick turned back towards the billets and sighed, started walking and then got quiet.

"You okay, Nick?" I asked.

"I'm okay. Just bothers me a little. There goes another kid who will never know peace because of me."

"Well, maybe he'll live a little longer."

"Or die a little sooner."

"Stop beating yourself up, Nick."

He moved closer to me and started to slide his arm around my shoulders.

"Hey! Not in public like this," I hissed and quickly stepped away.

"Sorry, Midvalley. I forgot. It's just that I miss being with you a lot more than I thought I would. It was a lot easier being celibate when I didn't know what I was missing."

"I wish you hadn't said that, Nick. It's just going to make things harder on us. I'm going crazy wanting you, but everyone's eyes are on us, and not that many are friendly."

"Come to my room for coffee," he invited me with a hungry look that told me that coffee was the last thing on his mind as we arrived at the instructor apartments. Just as I was about to say yes against my better judgment, the front door of the building opened and Chapel the Evergreen glided down the front steps, his peculiar red eyes alight with recognition.

"Nicholas!" he said, "I was hoping I'd find you here. Good afternoon, Midvalley," he said, acknowledging me. Then he turned to address Nick again.

"Now that classes are over for the week, I was wondering if you could run an errand for me to Mei City. It won't take you too long, just overnight at the most and you'd surely be back and able to rest before classes start up again. You make such good time on your motorcycle, Nicholas. One of our bishops has documents that need to travel in trustworthy hands. I would go myself to pick them up, but Master Legato is expected soon, perhaps this evening, and I want everything in readiness for his arrival."

"I'd be happy to run the errand for you. Midvalley might want to come along if you have no objections. He has musician friends in Mei City that he would like to see."

"That would give me pleasure," I said and turned away a bit to hide the erection that had grown in my pants at the thought of what would really give me pleasure.

"Oh, by all means. Be back before classes and safeguard the documents. Meet the bishop at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning at the Mei City Church. I'm sorry this is such short notice."

"I'm happy to do it," said Nick. "I'll get ready to go now."

I went to my room and packed a few overnight articles. I had mixed feelings about a motorcycle trip. I have never found the idea of exposure to heat, dust, and sun appealing, but this was offset completely by the thought of my arms around Nick as we rode and the sex to follow when we got a hotel room, far out of Legato's telepathic range. In a way, the errand from Evergreen couldn't have been more providential.

When I finished packing, I stepped across the hall to Chapel's room and knocked on the door.

Nick opened the door, pulled me in, took Silvia and my travel bag from my hands and set them on the floor. He closed the door behind him, pulled me to him, covered my mouth with his and gave me a long, hungry kiss that raised my cock and my heart rate.

"We can't," I mumbled and disengaged my lips from his. "Legato…" My body had a different agenda, though and unable to control myself, I slid my hot wet tongue into his mouth and kissed him with desperate abandon until my common sense reasserted itself. "Not here. Not now," I moaned as I withdrew my tongue. I rested my forehead against his and braced my hands on his shoulders as if by doing that I could stop us from going through with the act.

But I looked at him and got lost in his eyes, and my lips went back to his as if I was dying of thirst and his lips were water. "We should stop," I groaned as I pulled back a fraction from the kiss but a second later found myself with my lips on his again, tongues tangled, sinking deeper than ever into this passionate communion.

"Legato's not here yet. He's hours away." Nick whispered urgently. "I want to fuck now. Oh, God, please, Midvalley, I want you so bad." His eyes were full of desire for me.

I found it irresistible. "Get some oil or lotion, hurry, Nick," I begged. While he stepped quickly into the bathroom, I struggled to undo the buttons of my suit jacket, but my hands were shaking so hard, that I only got one undone by the time he came out with the bottle in his hand. Just at that moment there was a knock on the door and Nick slipped the bottle into his pocket.

I don't know how we were able to go from unbridled lust to business-as-usual faces in a moment, but we did, looking peaceful as doves. It was Nick's father, Chapel the Evergreen.

"Oh, Nicholas. Just one more thing. I got to thinking that it would be an ideal time to give the Bishop some information that he requested. I could send it by mail, but would feel safer knowing that you handled the transaction. If you could give him this packet of documents when you meet him?" he asked and handed Nick a large envelope.

"Happy to do it, father," said Nick.

"You two try to relax and enjoy yourselves in Mei City. With Master Legato here for the next week or two, you'll want to be well rested, so that we can do our best for him."

Nick nodded, and Chapel the Evergreen turned, walked down the steps and exited the building.

Nick sighed and said, "I want you more than ever, but we might as well go, Midvalley. It looks like we'll never get privacy here. But when we get to Mei City, we are going to finish what we started."

We exited the billets, with our scant luggage in hand, walked down to the area where Nick's motorcycle was parked. After a brief check of the vehicle to see that all was in order, Nick revved the engine into life, I got on behind him and we headed off into the west. It was about four in the afternoon when we left and the suns still had some bite in their teeth, but I buried my face against Chapel's back to try to save my skin from the worst ravages. The first sunset at 5 mellowed the heat and brightness considerably and I began to enjoy the ride more and more as twilight fell.

I had been correct earlier when I thought that having my arms around Nick as we rode would make up for the sun, dust and heat. I can hardly describe the happiness I felt hugging him so close to me and in anticipating the closeness to come in just a few more hours.

We arrived in Mei City at eight and took a room at the Maytime Hotel. Tired and dusty from the four hour road trip, contrary to our expectations, we weren't in the mood for sex, but after we showered and shaved, we went straight to the night club where Lenny's band was supposed to be playing. Midvalley brought Silvia along. Sure enough, when we got to the Desert Queen, which was the name of the night club, The Midvalley Four was the name lit up on the marquee.

It was pretty fancy club. We asked the girl who seated us if the kitchen was open.

"Just sandwiches and whatever you want in the way of liquor," she said.

She took our drink and sandwich order and was back in less than five minutes with both.

"The cook must have known you were coming," she joked as she set down the plates of salmon sandwiches and two bottles of ice cold beer.

"Has the band started yet?" I asked.

"They just finished their first set. Oh, there's the piano lady," she said and pointed out Dixie. Dixie happened to glance in my direction and I waved at her. She gave a double take when she saw me and walked over to our table. She looked like she'd lost about twenty pounds. She was dressed in blue satin and had dyed her hair platinum blonde. She looked good.

"Midvalley, you pervert, stand up and give me a hug. I'm so glad to see you again. You too, Chapel. You're both looking gorgeous as ever. I see you got a little sun today, Midvalley, and you brought Silvia with. Lenny's gonna shit when he sees you.

"You look good, Dixie. Lenny told me about your husband's death. I'm sorry. He was a good man."

"Yes he was. On the plus side, though, I was so depressed that I couldn't eat and lost some weight and then I got the offer from Lenny and the music is helping me get through it. I guess all I need now to make me completely happy is for a crazy sax player to show up and jam with us tonight. Looks like my prayers were answered. Right, Chapel?"

Nick just chuckled.

Dixie's eyes were darting around the room as she talked.

"Hey, Sonny, Toby, come on over and look what the cat drug in," she called out.

Sonny, dressed in blue jeans with a black and blue checked flannel shirt, grinned as he walked over and extended a hand to me. I gave him my hand and he pressed it warmly, "God, it's good to see you again, Midvalley. You too, Chapel."

Toby just stood with his hands in his back pockets stretching his back and grinning. I grinned back. The three were clustered around the table with their backs to the bandstand.

"Hey, guys," Lenny's voice called from up front. "Time for the next set!" When the three turned to go back to the stage, he saw me, and tripped over himself getting down to the table.

"God, Midvalley, it is so good to see you. Can I hug him, Chapel?"

"Not on your life, Lenny."

"Will you let him play at least, Chapel?"

"I don't own him," said Nick.

"Yes, you do," said Lenny.

"Do you mind if I play, Nick?" I asked him.

"You know I love to hear you, Midvalley."

"Can you play this set, Midvalley?" asked Lenny.

"Give me ten minutes or so to finish eating and I'll join you on the third number."

The audience had started to fidget, "I gotta get busy. The natives are getting restless. Ten minutes."

The band played a heavy rocking blues number called "Hell and Damnation". Even with four pieces they managed to sound like five. Dixie played keyboards and had a couple of harmonica breaks. Lenny was working overtime on percussion, his sticks racing over the drums, cymbals, claves, and cowbell. I hadn't heard this tune before, but I liked it a lot and thought about where I might fit Silvia in on rhythm or on a solo break. I looked up from my reverie to see Chapel looking at me with a fond expression in his eyes.

"Eat your sandwich. Drink your beer," he said.

I hadn't made much progress so I began to chew and sip. The tune ended and the audience applauded warmly and the band swung into a slow moody number, "All Night Long Without You" that featured Toby's bass and Lenny's drums to begin, then Sonny played his heart out on this one. I don't know anyone who can pull emotion from a guitar like Sonny. I about broke down in tears, it was that good. Dixie filled in at the end with a short harmonica break and the chords she played were so full of desperate longing, that I actually did break down, when I recalled how close I had come to losing Nick's love.. I looked over at Nick and saw that he was almost as lost in his emotions as I was.

There was a lot quiet applause for that number, not that it was unappreciated, but it had touched the audience on an emotional level. I pulled Silvia from her case, put her strap around my neck and I stepped briskly up to the bandstand as Lenny announced me. To my surprise, there were a lot of whistles, cheers, and wolf calls. I didn't know that there were that many sax fans in Mei City.

I hadn't played much in a couple of weeks, not since the trip on the sand steamer, but Lenny knew I was fresh on "Cocksure", so we played that next. As hungry as I was for Nick, I played the hell out of it with the best band on the planet. Some of the customers got up on the tables and were bumping and grinding to it. A few of the more daring ones removed clothing. Bouncers had to escort them out to let them cool off. We had the audience screaming for more after that. It was a great warm-up for me. I had fun through the rest of the set, but then, making music is what I live for.

I sat down with Nick during the set break. I drank another beer and we held hands under the table. I saw Dave moving around on the stage, adjusting some of the instruments, then he and Lenny stood with their heads together sipping beers and hashing out some technical matters, it looked like. They looked contented.

The next set was like a dream. I lost myself in playing. I almost don't feel as though I played the music. It felt more like it was playing me. The audience was loving us. When I went down to sit with Nick during the set break he just said, "That was beautiful. You are amazing to me. Just one more set, Midvalley. Just one more set and we can be together."

The look he gave me when he said it was full of tenderness. Nick made me feel so good about myself that I went into the last set with a feeling of absolute confidence. During the last set, our band could do no wrong . We could have played "Twinkle, twinkle little star" and the audience would have given us a standing ovation. As it was, it was the band played "Hell and Damnation" again for the encore. I took the sax solo break on it that I had worked out in my mind, and we did get a standing ovation. There was a lot of high-fiving on the bandstand. This band was sharing the love. Dixie, Toby, Sonny and I were hugging. Lenny, of course, was careful to keep his hands and lips off me, not that he looked deprived with Dave's loving eyes on him. That made me think of Nick and how soon I was going to be in his arms again. I glimpsed over at him, and just about crapped my pants.

Legato was sitting next to Nick at the table. I turned to Lenny and said, "Something's come up. I've got to go. My boss is here. Don't come over to the table for any reason."

I was having a hard time focusing. A lot of fans were grabbing at me telling me how great I'd been, but I brushed them off as politely as I could and walked over to our table. My higher mind was trying to figure out why Legato was here at all and my animal brain was still trying to figure how to bone Nick despite Legato's presence. The minute I realized how absolutely out of the question that was, everything fell into place and I knew how I had to behave.

"Master Legato," I greeted him.

"Midvalley," he greeted me back in his velvety voice. "Surely we can skip the formalities this evening as we are old schoolmates, no? I was just commenting to Chapel here that you're a rather handsome man. Wasn't I, Chapel?"

Nick nodded.

"But don't you think, Chapel, that when he is playing the horn that he transcends his genetic inheritance and takes on an exceptional, almost ethereal beauty? What? You've nothing to say, Chapel? Ah. The vow of chastity keeps your mouth closed and your lips to yourself. Or does it? But you need not answer. Sit down, Midvalley. Are you either of you hungry? You both look very hungry to me, but I see empty plates at the table. Perhaps what you ate didn't satisfy your hungers. I persuaded the staff to open the kitchen again.

But let's talk a while first. It has been so long since I saw either of you, but I think it is as I thought it was. Yes, when I recognized the motorcycle outside, I said to myself, Midvalley must have come with Chapel." He gave special emphasis to the word "come" and I got a fluttery feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"I asked him for a ride," I said.

"That's amusing, Midvalley. I like a motorcycle myself, but somehow never pictured you as the type. Did you enjoy the ride?" he chuckled with special emphasis on the word "ride". He was toying with me. I feared that all that I could expect from him this evening was an inquisition. He suspected our intimacy.

"You're both so tongue-tied this evening. And Midvalley, your face is a little red. You're usually so pale. How did you get that color in your cheeks? It's a dead give away," he said and paused for a few moments.

"It must have been very hard, for you to hold onto Chapel for so long, Midvalley. Tell me how hard it was.

Did Midvalley fall asleep on you, Chapel? That could be very dangerous you know."

I looked up sharply.

"On the motorcycle, of course. What did you think I meant? Oh, you are naughty. No, on a motorcycle, as in other activities, it's good for the person riding behind to hold on very tight, you know.

You wouldn't want to fall out.

Did I say out? Silly, I meant off.

After a long ride like that, your legs must have been a little shaky when you finally got off. Did yours shake when you got off, Midvalley?

You're both so quiet.

There's no sun in here, Midvalley, but it almost seems as though your face is getting redder. You're not blushing are you? What would you have to blush about. It must be that you got too much sun on the way here.

I have some lotion in my room at the hotel, Midvalley. If you were to come with me, I know I could make you feel so much better."

"I'm fine, really," I said.

"And I have some suncream lotion here," said Chapel. He reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved the bottle that he had concealed from the Evergreen that afternoon. He passed it to me. I opened it and squirted some of the thick, creamy fluid on my fingers. I applied it quickly to my face.

"M-mmm," said Legato. "That looks good enough to eat. I'm in the mood for something sweet, salty and filling. Like a banana split with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry or the immoral equivalent," he murmured with a quiet smile. "You are both so sweet and salty, I think. One was cherry. Did I say that out loud? My mind was wandering.

How thoughtful to carry lotion for Midvalley's sunburn in your pocket, Chapel. It must feel good to have a devoted partner looking out for your welfare."

"That's true," said Chapel. "Master Knives is lucky he has you, Legato. No one works harder than you to help him. I have never seen devotion like yours. He must be missing you now."

"Perhaps, but I am expected at the Academy. It was the cream on your fingers, Midvalley, that reminded me of how hungry I am. But don't you agree, Chapel, that nothing satisfies like big, juicy sausages stuffed in delicious hot buns?"

"But there are different types of sausage," Chapel said, " and once you fall in love with a certain kind, you can't really be satisfied with anything else."

"I disagree, Chapel," he said with some heat. "You could be satisfied with any kind if you were hungry enough, and I am very hungry."

"It would ease your hunger pangs, but it wouldn't truly satisfy because you would still be craving the one you love."

"I never knew that you, who eat so little, would become a philosopher of food, Chapel. But what you say has the ring of truth to me. Will you join me in something to eat. I am missing my master and I am lonely for company," he said and he looked as if he truly meant it.

"Yes, let's have something," said Nick, which surprised me. The girl who served us earlier came back to take our order. Legato ordered a special spiced sausage in a bun and a banana split. Nick ordered black coffee and a couple of packs of cigarettes. I ordered coffee with cream, bacon, toast and scrambled eggs. A lot of times after a gig, I'll order breakfast. When I placed my order, Nick smiled at me, and told the waitress, he'd changed his mind and to please bring him some bacon and eggs too. I knew he was remembering our most memorable breakfast.

While we were waiting, Legato started the conversational ball rolling. I just hoped that it wasn't as packed with innuendo as his monologue.

"But what brings you two here, besides music?

"My father had an errand for me, a meeting with the bishop tomorrow at ten."

"That's what Chapel the Evergreen said when I called him this afternoon. When I heard that our two finest field agents were in Mei City, I got the sudden urge to see you both, so I took a side trip and here I am.

I find that being "the Boss" can be a very lonely job at times. It seems that almost every one near my own age acts scared to death of me. Yet when I spend any great length of time with Leonof or pardon me for saying so, Chapel, with your father, I find myself bored out of my mind. They are always so serious.

It feels so good to have found some company. I'd like you to accompany me back to the academy. I have my armored vehicle and a couple of drivers. We could leave tonight and arrive tomorrow morning. I know where the bishop lives. I could rouse him and you could have your meeting and then we can leave. In fact, it's decided. You will accompany me, will you not?"

"What about my motorcycle?" asked Chapel.

"There is plenty of room on my vehicle."

"Then I'd be happy to return with you," Chapel said.

"Me too," I said.

My hopes for the rest of the night unraveled completely. We ate our meal. Legato tracked down the Bishop who knew of Legato's abilities and was very respectful. Chapel and the Bishop quickly finished their business. Legato, Nick and I checked out of the Maytime at 4 in the morning. Legato's drivers attached Chapel's motorcycle to the armored car frame and by four thirty we were headed back to Evergreen's Academy. Despite Legato's contention that he wanted company, he was fatigued after his meal, and soon after the armored car was headed for Epril town, he told us that he was going to lie down and rest. Legato's armored car, more of a wagon really, slept six comfortably. Chapel and I had both had a very long day and with sex out of the question between us, we yielded to our bodies' need for rest and after one last hungry glance at each other, fell asleep in separate berths.

The armored car traveled considerably slower than Nick's motorcycle had, so the two of us, no, the three of us arrived at the Academy some six hours later horny as hell and with no relief in sight. It was going to be a long, long two weeks until graduation.