Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Midvalley's Serenade ❯ A Reunion ( Chapter 10 )

Reunion

The next morning before breakfast, I checked in at the hotel desk for mail and sure enough there was another big envelope from headquarters. Chapel was splurging this morning and actually ordered some bacon and eggs in addition to his black coffee. I was pleased to see that he had an appetite and at least for the moment no pressing financial concerns.

The letter we got from headquarters informed us that we were going to be guest instructors at Evergreen's Academy.

Chapel was less than ecstatic about the assignment.

"I need real assignments that will make me some money."

"We get mission pay," I said.

"I bet we don't get hazard pay."

"As a matter of fact, I think there is some available if you end up instructing at the weapons range. I hate to remind you, but you've got to recall how dangerous Mazarov was. One of the worst shots ever. He put out a lot of wild rounds. I'm sure you'll be wanted on the weapons range, so you'll get hazard pay for sure."

"But no bonus potential, I bet."

"You surely take the money end of it seriously. It's supposed to be enjoyable."

"Maybe if hearing confessions paid as well as music gigs, I could afford to be offhand about it. But I have debts that have to be paid. Is there a bonus available?"

I passed him the paperwork. "There's a lot of fine print in there. You're welcome to read it. I seem to recall I got a bonus a few years back when a certain percentage of the class that I instructed did well in the final exams. Headquarters really treats this as seriously as a mission."

"I guess it might be okay then," he said grudgingly.

"Is there something else about it that bothers you?"

"I don't like the idea that I'm training the next generation of killers. I don't want other kids having to grow up like I did."

I sighed. "God, Nick. I don't know where you come up with this crap sometimes. This assignment isn't a request. It's a command performance. You went to the school and you know damned well that the fundamental truth of our lives is kill or be killed. If that bothers you with the students, concentrate on the fact that you are teaching them valuable survival skills. Do you think we could have survived this long without our training?"

"Probably not," he acknowledged.

"Master Knives is a great man. I've never lost sleep second-guessing myself about whether to obey his orders. It seems to me that on every mission we've been on, everyone we killed needed killing. Damn, Chapel. You're the best partner I've ever had, but the way you talk about the job sometimes gets me concerned."

"You don't love the job, either, Midvalley. I've seen you happy and I know what makes you happy and it's not the job. It's the music."

The music and you I wanted to say, but I had a couple of thoughts in my mind about the two of us that worried me a little.

"Nick, I know this job will be the death of me someday. I like to think that with your luck, you'll live forever. But the odds are against us. I've been a guest instructor before and I enjoyed it. Try to have a good attitude about it.

It was a pity that Chapel was in such a negative mood, because I sensed he was going to react even worse to my next suggestion. I tried to ease into it gracefully

"The last time I was there, I hung out with Dominique and got to know her pretty well. By the way, she had an interesting piece of gossip about Caine."

"What about him?"

"What makes you so sure Caine's a he?"

"What? You've got to be kidding!"

"Dominique told me he's a she. I couldn't tell if she was yanking my chain or not."

"What about his voice?"

"Think about it. It's not a high voice, but it isn't a deep voice either. And Caine doesn't waste words."

"Come to think of it. I've never seen him take a leak."

"Neither have I. A hard person to get to know.

"Now you've got me wondering. Never thought of it that way before. I always assumed. I wonder what she looks like under the mask."

"I don't know. I used to think he was hiding a bad case of acne. Dominique tells me she's really shy but has phenomenal powers of concentration."

"Yeah, that's important in a sniper. Is it supposed to have some deeper meaning?"

"Just that she also has the ability to concentrate sexually."

"And I still don't get it."

"Well maybe you would if she was concentrating on blowing you. Aren't you in the least bit curious about how they are in the sack? I think Dominique likes you. She thought that Caine might enjoy spending some time with me."

"Midvalley!" Nick went pale and shook his head as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He looked like he wanted to say something, but just sighed, and stared into space.

"I've told you before, Nick, I want you to get some experience with different sexual partners, and it might be a good thing to try out your new skills with Dominique. She's good in bed if you slow her down."

"I think this is more about what you want than what I want," he said.

I was handling things badly today with Nick and I knew it and wondered what I would say to alienate him next. I could sense he was a little bit sad and upset as he always became whenever I even hinted at the possibility that he or I might have sex with someone else.

"I've told you before, my sex life is complicated. I have a past at the academy. There are going to be expectations."

Though he didn't say anything I could tell through the link that this just upset him more.

"Don't let this ruin things between us. You know I have strong feelings for you." I reached out for his hand and gave it a squeeze. He returned it a little reluctantly, but he did return it.

"When do we have to be at the academy?"

"Three days. There are a couple of sand steamer tickets in the envelope. They also arranged transport for your motorcycle. We leave this afternoon."

Chapel pulled out of his funk and the first night of the trip to Epril Town was a lot more fun than he would have guessed since he'd never had sex on a sand steamer before, and the motion it added to ours was a welcome novelty to him. I know I enjoyed it. Almost too much. I had tried to tell to Nick at breakfast, but I wasn't sure how open we could be about our relationship at the academy, but I decided to bite the bullet and broach the subject with him while he was enjoying a post-coital cigarette.

"Nick," I started, "Legato usually spends some time at the academy in the period just before graduation."

"So?"

"Well, you have always seemed to be immune to his mind powers."

"Yeah, so far, so good."

"I just wanted you to know that Legato might be able to link to you through me."

"WHAT?!"

"Hey, don't get so upset, Nick. He would probably only be able to link to you if you and I are having sex."

"Oh, God! And if our track record for the past two weeks is any guide, what are the chances of that? We've been like goddamn rabbits. Can't you turn that link off, Midvalley?"

"I told you when I'm playing Silvia. I had planned to play more music while I was off work at the academy, but I was thinking that the best solution might be to cool our jets for a while. "

"Cool our jets?"

"Not have sex with each other for a while, at least while we're at the academy. I've talked with you before about trying out your skills with a different partner. I think now would be a good time."

"That's the second time, you've brought up the subject today. If you're tired of me and you want to move on, why don't you just come out and say it?" Nick gave a short exasperated sigh, looked around hastily for the ash tray, which was right in front of him, stubbed out the butt he was smoking after one long last drag and started to get dressed rapidly.

"Calm down, Nick. It's not that I'm tired of you."

"That's not what it sounds like," he murmured.

"You don't understand. I just want to keep Legato off the scent. He doesn't need to know everything about my personal business. You don't know what it's like, but Legato could pretty much enter my mind whenever he wanted."

"I understand all right. You had sex with Legato, too and don't want him to know you've been screwing me in case he wants you back."

"That was quite a leap. You know, I'm getting a little sick of your jealousy."

He could tell I was starting to get angry. He didn't like me mad at him, so he apologized.

"I'm sorry, Midvalley. What seems so easy to you is hard for me, but you've been so good to me, I don't want to seem ungrateful. I'll try to do what you want."

"That's good, Nick. A sand steamer is an ideal place for a quick fling. It's the rocking motion," I said with a grin. "I noticed a lot of attractive people on this steamer. I've no doubt there are several who would love to jump your bones or have theirs jumped by you, so have a good time."

"What kind of person should I pick? I've never done this before."

"That's up to you. Surprise me," I said and I chuckled.

He opened the door, turned his head to give me one last look of distress, then stepped out into the passage way and closed the door quietly behind him.

"Well, that went better than I expected," I said to myself. I didn't need my empathy to be able to tell he was still upset, but I was sure he would get over it once he found someone suitable and got down to business.

I went to the lounge and asked the bartender if I could play my sax for a while. He seemed pleased by my request. So, I threw myself into my playing and for the space of an hour lost myself in music. I finally put Silvia down and tested the link with Nick again. He was still brooding. By that time, a small crowd of customers had gathered in the lounge and they were making song requests.

"Play `Daredevil'" hollered a drunk.

I couldn't play that tune without back-up, but I remembered part of the song I had improvised the day Chapel left town after my accident. So I started to play what I remembered and more started to come back to me. The music flowed out pretty well and the audience seemed to like it. I took a few minutes to write down some of the major themes. A pretty brunette bought me a drink and I had a good time flirting with her. When I was finished with the drink, I played "Silvia's tune" and damned if some of the patrons in the lounge didn't start moving to that sexy number on the tiny dance floor. After that, I played my new song. There was a scattering of applause when I finished and I saw Nick had come in and was sitting with his back to me at one of the tables by the window sipping a beer.

I felt through the link. He seemed almost empty of emotion, neither happy nor sad, just somewhere in between. I was about to pack up Silvia and go sit with him, when a passenger who looked familiar, walked up to his table and smiled at him with perfect teeth. Fuck me! What was Dave the Roadie doing on the steamer? Chapel invited him to sit down in the booth seat opposite him.

I got a request to play "Moons Rise" and swung into it with as much grace as I could muster since I have to admit my curiosity was aroused by what was going on at that table. By any objective standard, Dave was a sexy beast. He was average in height with sandy brown hair and an engaging smile, which he was now flashing at Chapel. He had flirty blue eyes and his skin glowed with health. His body was extremely attractive with nicely broad shoulders, a narrow waist and a beautiful ass that was firmly packed into faded jeans. On my scale of attractiveness from one to ten, I had Nick in at an eleven, but Dave was definitely a 10.5.

They seemed to be hitting it off. Nick bought Dave a drink. After that, Nick bought him another one. Dave reached his hand across the table and touched Nick's hand and left it there. The damned flirt.

The bartender requested me to play "Lip Service".

Dave bummed a cigarette. Nick rose from his seat to light it for him. Their faces were close. Dave took hold of Nick's hand to hold the match steady, then released it and grinned, cocked his head, put the cigarette to his lips, sucked on it slowly while staring at Chapel, then exhaled and licked his lips. Could he be any more obvious? No, Dave the Roadie was definitely lacking in class. No wonder I turned down sex with him.

Nick smiled back at him, one of the high wattage ones that he ought to patent. I hadn't seen one of them myself for a while, and I wondered why Dave the pathetic Roadie rated one. I finished the song, took my lips off Silvia's reed and the audience applauded. Chapel reached across the table to brush away a bit of tobacco that had stuck on Dave's lower lip and I felt a shock of electricity through the link. Why the fuck was I playing "Lip Service" anyway?

I got a napkin with a request written on it. "Cocksure?" No fucking way was I playing "Cocksure."

Three customers called out, "Hey, play `Cocksure'".

"Yeah, play `Cocksure!'" called out another handful.

"If you wouldn't mind?" asked the bartender.

I sighed in resignation and swung into "Cocksure" while Dave got up from his seat and whispered something in Chapel's ear. Chapel blushed scarlet and laughed. Dave squeezed into the booth seat next to Nick.

I probably never mentioned it before, but "Cocksure" is the raunchiest tune ever written for sax. The intensity and rhythm of the beat, the slick sliding notes, the moans and growls of the sax leading to a crescendo, I've heard the song described as "Sex in a Sax" and I have to say I was doing it justice not that Dave the Roadie seemed to need any inspiration. I never noticed before, but there's something sleazy about him.

Dave was smoking a cigarette and waving his hands around. It looked like Nick was hanging on his every word. Hanging on the words of a moron. I thought Nick had better taste. Half-way through the song where the rhythm really picks up, Dave put the cigarette down and his hands went beneath the table. Chapel blushed again. How could Dave put his hands on him in such a public place? You'd think a priest would at least attempt to avoid causing a public scandal. Dave whispered something in his ear then got up to leave the car. Nick threw down some double dollars to cover his bar tab and followed him out of the lounge. All of a sudden I felt ill.

When I finished the song. I packed up Silvia and sat down at the table that Nick had just vacated. The seat was still warm. I felt faint and feverish. The bartender brought over a tip jar that had about $$50 accumulated.

" This is what the passengers donated for your music. Come back again and play anytime."

My stomach was queasy. I felt for Chapel through the link. He wasn't broadcasting any emotions I could read, just a generalized excitement. When the brandy came, I took a sip of the liquid fire, but shortly after felt another burning sensation on my lips and I knew that they were kissing. This wasn't like the quick sloppy kiss Dave had planted on Chapel at the Come Back Inn, the night of our last concert. This kiss was long, slow, deep, and teasing. Whoever instigated the kiss, I knew that Nick was deeply involved returning it. I could feel the intensity growing and my groin began to throb. I felt I was going to vomit. I hurried into one of the stalls in the men's room and threw up into the toilet bowl. I felt acid in my stomach, pain in my head, then suddenly, my link with Nick broke and I panicked.

I was worried about him. I had to find him. I lurched into the passageway and hurried along, bumping aside passengers who slowed me down.

I found them still dressed in the baggage compartment of the sand steamer. Nick had pressed Dave against the wall. Mouths locked, they were glued in an embrace so tight there was no space between their bodies. Dave's hands were pressing on Nick's buttocks as if he hoped to pull him even closer. They didn't break the kiss even when the door opened. They never even looked my way. They couldn't hear anything over the sounds of their deep sexual groans.

I was aware of a sensation of terrible pain in my heart. Since Nick and I were no longer linked, I knew it was my own. I closed my eyes and when I heard Nick's passionate moan in the throes of the kiss and heard him say Dave's name and not my own, tears spurted from my eyes.

"Nick, please," my voice broke as I wept and I couldn't finish the sentence, but he heard me and slowly pulled out of the kiss.

Nick's body leaned into Dave's like he owned it, but a tear slid down his cheek and his voice quivered when he said, "This is what you wanted, isn't it, Midvalley?" He kissed Dave deeply again and Dave kissed him back. The fevered kiss went on, their two perfect mouths caught in a perfect kiss and I was in hell.

I heard the steamer door open and looked to see who had come in. It was Lenny. He saw Dave and Nick locked in the tight embrace and passionate kiss and started to sob. "Please forgive me, Dave. I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I'm begging you, Dave. Don't do this. I need you."

Dave looked Nick in the eye, ever so gently nudged him aside and sank down against the wall in a crouch and put his head on his knees. He was overcome with tears.

Nick made no move towards me, but slid down the wall and put a comforting arm around Dave's shoulders though his haunted eyes stayed on mine the entire time.

After Dave recovered himself, he hugged Nick, got up and walked tentatively over to Lenny, who enveloped him in hungry arms. Dave looked almost happy like he'd found a home again, but Chapel had fixed me with his deep blue eyes and he looked anything but happy. Lenny and Dave were lost in each other's eyes and walked out of the car holding hands.

Nick got to his feet, and began to walk past me. I grabbed hold of his wrist.

"Wait, Nick. Please."

"You once told me that it hurt too much to be around me, Midvalley. You told me you were leaving because it hurt too much to play games. I think you're playing a game with me, Midvalley, but it hurts me too much to play along anymore. You know I love you, but you don't feel the same. You say I'm special to you, but then you suggest I find someone else to make love with. Well, I gave you what you want today. Did it make you happy?"

"No," I said softly in a choked voice.

"I guess that makes us even."

He shook his hand loose and tried to brush by me.

I was overcome with sadness at the feeling of rejection. I blocked the way with my body and flung my arms around him.

"Don't you walk through that door," I sobbed.

"Why should I stay?"

"I'm sorry. I made a mistake. I didn't know what I was asking of you. I've never been in love before."

"Do you love me, Midvalley?" he asked wistfully.

"Yes," I whispered my face wet with tears.

"Are you sure you even know what it means?"

"I do now."

"Are you jealous?"

"It's killing me."

"Good."

He cradled my head with his two hands and with a look on his face that spoke of a soul at peace, he gave me a kiss that felt like pure love to me. His kiss tore down every last barrier to him that I had erected in my own heart. It healed my jealous heart and reconnected us. Then he took me back to our compartment and made love to me. And when he finished with me, I'm not ashamed to admit that he owned me, body, heart, and soul.

Later Lenny and I were sitting in the lounge chatting.

"Dave, has too much of a sense of self-worth to put up with my shit anymore.

"Same with Chapel."

"That first fight we had in the club when I hit him? I was cheating on him and he called me on it."

"Did he see us in the alley?"

"I'm sure he did."

"Did you see him kissing Chapel the next night?"

"I definitely saw it."

"Let me guess. You got jealous for the first time in your life."

"You got it, Midvalley. But I still didn't really get it until today."

"Neither did I."

Lenny said," It's like I'm pussy-whipped, but I just don't care. I love him too much not to put up with it. I know he's the best thing that ever happened to me and I never want to screw that up again."

I gave a rueful laugh. "I know exactly what you mean."

"Do you think they got together and set this thing up to make us jealous?"

"I don't think so," I sighed. "Nick doesn't play around like that., but I thought I was immune to jealousy. Acted all righteous about it, but the truth was I was never really in love before. I never realized until tonight how it feels when your lover is unfaithful.

"I'll never forget the sight of them kissing. The memory will probably keep me faithful to my dying day. Damn but they looked good together. I was thinking why would Dave want me when he can have Chapel? But who am I to argue with the luck of the draw. Dave loves me and I thank God I've got him back."

I thought back to the sight of them kissing and felt a strong rush of jealousy again, but took a deep breath and felt for Nick through the link. He felt happy.

Lenny changed the subject.

"I heard you playing in the lounge earlier. I was afraid to come in and greet you because I thought Dave might get jealous. But I heard enough to notice a couple of new tunes that seemed to have your signature all over them. One of them sounded like that one I heard you playing when I found you with your face all banged up.

"Yeah, I remembered more of what I was playing that day. I've been doing a bit of composing again."

"It sounded really good."

"Thanks. I have to admit I was shocked as hell when I saw Dave. I wondered if you were with him. Just what the hell are you doing in these parts, Lenny?"

"I picked up a couple of gigs in Epril Town and I'm looking at a couple of long-term engagements in Mei City. When I arrange the contracts, the rest of the band is going to join me."

"Who are you playing with?"

"The Midvalley Four"

"You mean you managed to pry Dixie, Toby, and Sunny loose from the Come Back Inn? I never thought you could persuade Dixie to leave that town. What are you calling yourselves?"

"The Midvalley Four. Dixie's husband died in a shootout. Innocent bystander. So she's a free agent now and she needs the work. By the way, we're looking for a hot sax player to join the tour. You know anyone?"

"No, I played with a guitarist and a drummer who weren't at all bad over in New Junction. I haven't run into any sax players at all for months, but then I haven't been in any big clubs since the Come Back Inn. I'm pretty much stuck in Epril Town for the next month. If you're free one day at the beginning of the following month, I'd like your band to play a gig with me, if it's at all possible. The academy I attended is going to hold a graduation dance and I was going to put together a band to play music. But if there was a chance to play with you guys, well, it would be beyond great."

"If the pay is right, I think you could persuade us."

"I should be able to come up with some good money. And I'm not guaranteeing anything, but I have a hunch that with a new class graduating, I might have a reduction in my work load and then I would have extra time to play some gigs, maybe even go on some short tours, but don't hold me to it."

I gave him my business card. You can contact me through these addresses."

"Thanks, Midvalley. I really ought to go find Dave."

"Yeah, I think I need to spend some quality time with Nick."

And I did.