Xenosaga Fan Fiction ❯ 30 Kisses ❯ Sharing ( Chapter 7 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Niu Shiy-Ue 
#1 Look over here
Non Anime: Xenosaga Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.06.2005 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.6K | Visits: 407 | Status: Work In Progress
#1 Look over here
Non Anime: Xenosaga Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.06.2005 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.6K | Visits: 407 | Status: Work In Progress
As Director of the Kukai Foundation, Gaignun attended dozens of formal events, meetings, galas, promotions and whatnot. As Nigredo had been a quiet, self-effacing child, it had taken him years to get used to the publicity that surrounded his position. The haircut, the perfectly pressed suit and the flamboyant lapel pin, all hideously expensive. The charming half smile, the ebb and flow of casual conversation, all the product of hours and hours of practice with Rubedo. Rubedo had put in an unbelievable amount of work in creating the suave persona of Gaignun Kukai and Nigredo had been determined it would pay off.
And it had. The media had eaten up the image like candy. Whatever else people felt about Realians, the Foundation or Militia, there was no question that Gaignun Kukai was the "#1 Eligible Bachelor", as a certain gossip mag stated. Although the title might have been a bit premature.
"Mary! Shelley! We're going to be more than fashionably late if you don't hurry up."
"As if we'd dare! Chibi-sama would hustle us out the door, even if we were half-naked!" Mary laughed and took his right arm while Shelley took his left. They made a striking pair, Shelley with her hair pinned up and in a shimmering, peacock colored sheath, Mary with her usual hairstyle (though she did leave behind her beret) and a white dress topped with a lacy blue bolero jacket that matched her eyes.
Gaignun never went to any formal event without at least one of the Godwin sisters, usually both. Tabloids paired him with one or the other, creating rumors of break-ups, catfights, infidelity and threesomes over the years. As he recalled, the latest stories had him paired with Shelley but eying Mary, with a possible fight breaking out of his illegitimate 'son'. Or was it the other way around, with talk of an argument about an abortion? He never could keep those things straight, although Junior always got a kick out of them.
He snorted. Mary and Shelley shot him a brief look from the back of the limo, but quickly returned to their discussion. (On Jr. and MOMO he realized. He tuned it out. He didn't want to hear about the pink-haired Realian.) If only the paparazzi really knew why he always took Mary and Shelley with him.
The fact of the matter was, Gaignun Kukai was frightened. Not merely frightened, terrified, horrified, scared out of his wits. The first time he had gone out alone, after his 'father', the former Director Soze Kukai, had died had been a complete disaster. Rubedo had been with him, watching from security cameras, directing him towards important investors, whispering the right things to say in his mind, almost like a prompter.
But Rubedo was still only a child, and when an aggressive young woman had cornered the young Director in an abandoned hallway, he had been left with no way to fend her off. Thank God for Rubedo, his 'bratty little brother' act had not only interrupted her seduction attempt but attracted enough attention that there was no way she could claim anything had occurred. As a matter of fact, he hadn't seen the humiliated young woman for the rest of the night, although they later met after her marriage to a prominent Senator.
Rubedo had pulled off his 'bratty little brother' act quite a few times in the years afterward. He'd watch on the holo, as close as he could get, or he'd get himself into security (Nigredo had never asked how he did this; he was afraid of the answer) and act as Gaignun's 'Eye-in-the-Sky'. Awkward questions, assassination attempts, aggressive gold-diggers, sometimes when Nigredo was just too tired to put up a facade, Rubedo was there for him.
It got easier after he had drafted Shelley into running interference and even more so when he started bringing Mary as well. Now people spent more time whispering about him than approaching him, and those that did usually had something more serious to discuss. Rubedo spent less time giving advice and more time poking fun at the silly stuffed shirts. It became less a battle to suppress the desire to run home and more a battle to suppress the laughter that was bubbling to his lips. From dreading these parties, he began to look forward to them.
"Gaignun-sama, we're here."
He stepped out of the car and gracefully assisted the two Godwin sisters. Turning towards the wall of flashes he put on that practiced half smile. It's show time.
~*~*~*~*~*~Several hours later~*~*~*~*~*~
In the Durandal, things were almost the opposite of the wild party he had just attended. There were only a few 100-series around, and they were all quietly bustling with work assigned to them by Junior. They offered him quick 'Hellos' and shy smiles, but didn't pay him any more attention than that. Even Mary and Shelley split off, to sleep or perhaps Junior had some project he wanted them to do. If Gaignun Kukai was the focus of the outside world, then Gaignun Kukai Junior was the center of the world inside the Durandal. Even Gaignun felt himself beginning to bend to the force of his older brother's personality.
In any case he was looking for the red-headed boy. For some reason, Junior had been curiously silent tonight, not a joke, not a word, not even a flicker from him. The younger/older Kukai was always going on about something, even when they attended these events together. Why was his brother blocking him?
Long-legged strides quickly brought him to a small computer room. Junior was speaking to someone on the holo while Ziggurat 8 looked on over his shoulder.
"-while since then. It has been a while since I've had a vacation; if I can convince Gaignun I'll come down to Second Militia and spend some time with you. Speaking of which-"
MOMO.
Rubedo had abandoned him to talk with that copy?
Blue eyes looked up and spotted him standing at the door. "-be fine. Could you hold on a bit, MOMO? There's something I need to take care of. Why don't you spend some time talking to Ziggy?"
*Sure*
He got off the chair and made his way over to Gaignun. "Hey"
"Hello"
"Is something wrong? You look somewhat pissed."
"Watch your language," he replied absently. "Do you know what day it is?"
He received a puzzled look. "Friday?"
"Tonight was the Linderman Party. For the Guzman account?"
"Oh. Oops. Was I supposed to attend?"
"No" Why am I making such a big deal out of this?
"Oh good. Because MOMO called and-"
"I know." He started walking down the hall toward his room. "But what if something had come up, Rubedo? Mary, Shelley and I were expecting you to be there, helping us."
"Aw, Gaignun, you're all old enough to take care of yourselves. You don't even need my help anymore."
"Perhaps not with the paparazzi or the-"
"Even if something happened, Security would inform me. I don't have to hide now."
"I know you can't always watch out for us and I'd understand if it had been something like a Zohar or a Gnosis attack or if Helmer had asked you to do something. But-"
"Good grief Gaignun, I just wanted to speak to MOMO. I've been so busy I haven't talked to her since Militia fell. So I missed one party, no big deal."
Gaignun bit his lip. It's a big deal to me. We worked hard for this, Rubedo, and now you throw it all away for some cheap replica of Sakura? I won't let you do that. I won't let you ignore me for some toy! "Still, I would feel safer if next time you did your job."
"Okay, okay, fine. Next time remind me and I'll be sure to be there. Now if you excuse me, I'm still on the holo with-"
"No, I think you should apologize to Mary and Shelley first."
Junior stopped and looked up at him. "This isn't about me missing the party, is it? This is about spending time with MOMO."
"Rubedo-"
"A-ah. Come down here." Gaignun knelt so that he was at the same height as his older/younger brother. "Nigredo, I'm your older brother. I'm not leaving or abandoning you or any silly thing."
"I never said-"
"I know you never said. But you certainly were implying it." The shorter boy leaned forward and kissed Gaignun's forehead. "It's not just you and me any more. There's Mary and Shelley and chaos and Ziggy and Shion and that stupid guy Allen. MOMO's just one more person we're sharing with, OK?" He stepped back and allowed Gaignun to stand up. Before the man could say anything however, Ziggy poked his head out into the corridor.
"Junior, MOMO has to get off the holo soon. She wants to say good-bye to you."
"Be right there." And with a wave at the taller man, Junior disappeared back into the room.
Damn it Rubedo.
I worked so hard . . .
But I might as well have disappeared when you met MOMO.
Look at me Rubedo. Look back at me.
And it had. The media had eaten up the image like candy. Whatever else people felt about Realians, the Foundation or Militia, there was no question that Gaignun Kukai was the "#1 Eligible Bachelor", as a certain gossip mag stated. Although the title might have been a bit premature.
"Mary! Shelley! We're going to be more than fashionably late if you don't hurry up."
"As if we'd dare! Chibi-sama would hustle us out the door, even if we were half-naked!" Mary laughed and took his right arm while Shelley took his left. They made a striking pair, Shelley with her hair pinned up and in a shimmering, peacock colored sheath, Mary with her usual hairstyle (though she did leave behind her beret) and a white dress topped with a lacy blue bolero jacket that matched her eyes.
Gaignun never went to any formal event without at least one of the Godwin sisters, usually both. Tabloids paired him with one or the other, creating rumors of break-ups, catfights, infidelity and threesomes over the years. As he recalled, the latest stories had him paired with Shelley but eying Mary, with a possible fight breaking out of his illegitimate 'son'. Or was it the other way around, with talk of an argument about an abortion? He never could keep those things straight, although Junior always got a kick out of them.
He snorted. Mary and Shelley shot him a brief look from the back of the limo, but quickly returned to their discussion. (On Jr. and MOMO he realized. He tuned it out. He didn't want to hear about the pink-haired Realian.) If only the paparazzi really knew why he always took Mary and Shelley with him.
The fact of the matter was, Gaignun Kukai was frightened. Not merely frightened, terrified, horrified, scared out of his wits. The first time he had gone out alone, after his 'father', the former Director Soze Kukai, had died had been a complete disaster. Rubedo had been with him, watching from security cameras, directing him towards important investors, whispering the right things to say in his mind, almost like a prompter.
But Rubedo was still only a child, and when an aggressive young woman had cornered the young Director in an abandoned hallway, he had been left with no way to fend her off. Thank God for Rubedo, his 'bratty little brother' act had not only interrupted her seduction attempt but attracted enough attention that there was no way she could claim anything had occurred. As a matter of fact, he hadn't seen the humiliated young woman for the rest of the night, although they later met after her marriage to a prominent Senator.
Rubedo had pulled off his 'bratty little brother' act quite a few times in the years afterward. He'd watch on the holo, as close as he could get, or he'd get himself into security (Nigredo had never asked how he did this; he was afraid of the answer) and act as Gaignun's 'Eye-in-the-Sky'. Awkward questions, assassination attempts, aggressive gold-diggers, sometimes when Nigredo was just too tired to put up a facade, Rubedo was there for him.
It got easier after he had drafted Shelley into running interference and even more so when he started bringing Mary as well. Now people spent more time whispering about him than approaching him, and those that did usually had something more serious to discuss. Rubedo spent less time giving advice and more time poking fun at the silly stuffed shirts. It became less a battle to suppress the desire to run home and more a battle to suppress the laughter that was bubbling to his lips. From dreading these parties, he began to look forward to them.
"Gaignun-sama, we're here."
He stepped out of the car and gracefully assisted the two Godwin sisters. Turning towards the wall of flashes he put on that practiced half smile. It's show time.
~*~*~*~*~*~Several hours later~*~*~*~*~*~
In the Durandal, things were almost the opposite of the wild party he had just attended. There were only a few 100-series around, and they were all quietly bustling with work assigned to them by Junior. They offered him quick 'Hellos' and shy smiles, but didn't pay him any more attention than that. Even Mary and Shelley split off, to sleep or perhaps Junior had some project he wanted them to do. If Gaignun Kukai was the focus of the outside world, then Gaignun Kukai Junior was the center of the world inside the Durandal. Even Gaignun felt himself beginning to bend to the force of his older brother's personality.
In any case he was looking for the red-headed boy. For some reason, Junior had been curiously silent tonight, not a joke, not a word, not even a flicker from him. The younger/older Kukai was always going on about something, even when they attended these events together. Why was his brother blocking him?
Long-legged strides quickly brought him to a small computer room. Junior was speaking to someone on the holo while Ziggurat 8 looked on over his shoulder.
"-while since then. It has been a while since I've had a vacation; if I can convince Gaignun I'll come down to Second Militia and spend some time with you. Speaking of which-"
MOMO.
Rubedo had abandoned him to talk with that copy?
Blue eyes looked up and spotted him standing at the door. "-be fine. Could you hold on a bit, MOMO? There's something I need to take care of. Why don't you spend some time talking to Ziggy?"
*Sure*
He got off the chair and made his way over to Gaignun. "Hey"
"Hello"
"Is something wrong? You look somewhat pissed."
"Watch your language," he replied absently. "Do you know what day it is?"
He received a puzzled look. "Friday?"
"Tonight was the Linderman Party. For the Guzman account?"
"Oh. Oops. Was I supposed to attend?"
"No" Why am I making such a big deal out of this?
"Oh good. Because MOMO called and-"
"I know." He started walking down the hall toward his room. "But what if something had come up, Rubedo? Mary, Shelley and I were expecting you to be there, helping us."
"Aw, Gaignun, you're all old enough to take care of yourselves. You don't even need my help anymore."
"Perhaps not with the paparazzi or the-"
"Even if something happened, Security would inform me. I don't have to hide now."
"I know you can't always watch out for us and I'd understand if it had been something like a Zohar or a Gnosis attack or if Helmer had asked you to do something. But-"
"Good grief Gaignun, I just wanted to speak to MOMO. I've been so busy I haven't talked to her since Militia fell. So I missed one party, no big deal."
Gaignun bit his lip. It's a big deal to me. We worked hard for this, Rubedo, and now you throw it all away for some cheap replica of Sakura? I won't let you do that. I won't let you ignore me for some toy! "Still, I would feel safer if next time you did your job."
"Okay, okay, fine. Next time remind me and I'll be sure to be there. Now if you excuse me, I'm still on the holo with-"
"No, I think you should apologize to Mary and Shelley first."
Junior stopped and looked up at him. "This isn't about me missing the party, is it? This is about spending time with MOMO."
"Rubedo-"
"A-ah. Come down here." Gaignun knelt so that he was at the same height as his older/younger brother. "Nigredo, I'm your older brother. I'm not leaving or abandoning you or any silly thing."
"I never said-"
"I know you never said. But you certainly were implying it." The shorter boy leaned forward and kissed Gaignun's forehead. "It's not just you and me any more. There's Mary and Shelley and chaos and Ziggy and Shion and that stupid guy Allen. MOMO's just one more person we're sharing with, OK?" He stepped back and allowed Gaignun to stand up. Before the man could say anything however, Ziggy poked his head out into the corridor.
"Junior, MOMO has to get off the holo soon. She wants to say good-bye to you."
"Be right there." And with a wave at the taller man, Junior disappeared back into the room.
Damn it Rubedo.
I worked so hard . . .
But I might as well have disappeared when you met MOMO.
Look at me Rubedo. Look back at me.