Chapter Text
“People who struggle with decisions are either overthinkers or lack thoughts altogether.”
Kakavasha couldn't have agreed more with the statement of the man sitting next to him at the bar of the Pier Point social club. If it was one decision Kakavasha struggled with, it was deciding from what angle he should approach the notoriously prickly doctor in order to cultivate a relationship that he could potentially nurture into something beyond his frequent flirting and into a genuine relationship. It certainly was not a matter of whether or not he would, but more a question of how.
For him, the man embodied practically anything he could wish for in a partner. From the crown of deep plum framing his aristocratic features, past the pale column of his neck and frankly impressive pectorals, down to his sculpted thighs and calves, hell, even his feet were shaped to perfection. Poised and graceful, with a sharp intellect and even sharper tongue, it had been an enlightening experience when he had first caught sight of the taller man when they had first run into each other at the social club overseen by his superior, Diamond. It had only been a few months after he had been placed under Jade as part of the ‘Stonehearts’ faction. It was a silly name, but many in the Company had begun using it after realizing everyone under their Boss, Diamond, possessed gem stone related aliases.
He had been sharing drinks with his fellow ‘Stoneheart’, Jelena Dvorski, and had taken an interest in the shock of violet hair he noticed towering over many of the other men in the bar. He had risen and started making his way over to the tall man when a spat had broken out between a couple of the street crew members currently loitering near the bar. He had attempted to step in and break up the argument, really these ruffians should know better than to cause a scene in one of the Company’s establishments, when one of the street crew members had missed his target and landed a solid uppercut to Kakavasha’s chin. At the time, he hadn’t been sure if the stars he had seen were from the frankly impressive strike that lifted him off the ground, or the sight of the violet hair beauty jogging over to assess the man who had somehow managed to be sent flying while attempting to break up a scuffle.
Not exactly the most flattering of first impressions, but it had landed him a spot on the rather exclusive list of individuals Ratio deemed interesting enough to bother remembering the name of. According to the other, it was not every day he had to opportunity to witness an individual display a “frankly spectacular display of utter ineptitude” and that Kakavasha, “should endeavor to rectify this gross lack of competency”. He really did have a way with words didn’t he? Still, he had somehow managed to convince the other to join him for a sit down and drink whenever they happened to run into each other in Company territory.
When asked about the surprising frequency of his patronage at Pier Point, Ratio had disclosed that he was quite interested in, as he put it, “observing the social behaviors of those known to associate with some of the city’s better known underground figures”, and that he wished, “to gain a better understanding of why some would rather waste their days chasing after the glitz and glamour of the popularized yet grossly inaccurate portrayal of a life of organized crime”. He knew Ratio was aware he was quite likely part of said organized crime, but so long as the other did not pry too deep, he was content to let sleeping dogs lie. Ratio’s frequent visits to Pier Point meant he had been able to establish a sort of rapport with the standoffish doctor and, at this point, he could confidently say he was one of the few the young doctor would voluntarily approach.
Prolonging his appraisal of the amber eyed man while half listening to what the other was saying, Kakavasha mused how fitting it was that the particular shade of Ratio's violet waves was in fact called gigas violet. Not that he had spent a somewhat significant portion of his off-business hours trying to match paint swatches to a colored image of Ratio he had gleaned after calling in a favor from one of his associates. If his underlings were under the impression the paint swatches were for the sake of repainting his office, well, what they didn't know certainly couldn't hurt them.
"-vgin, "
Reluctantly tearing his gaze away from the man’s impressive, ahem, assets, Kakavasha returned his attention to Ratio’s face, “Sorry, what was that?”
The other rolled his eyes as he gracefully raised his glass to take a sip, “Perhaps if you bothered cultivating an attention span befitting your status as a human, you would be able to maintain a conversation without needing to have portions reiterated at various stages.”
“Oh, go easy on me doctor, you know I’ve been busy with a number of things. I just happened to be distracted momentarily is all.”
He had to bite his lip, seeing the amber liquid travel from the glass and past Ratio’s rosy pink lips really was a special sort of torture. Especially when the doctor swallowed, his throat shifting as the liquor entered his body. Would he be able to swallow as easily if Kakavasha replaced the cold whiskey with something else?
“If you’re having difficulty managing your responsibilities to the point where you are unable to participate in a simple conversation, you may wish to consider lessening your workload.” The doctor murmured as he set his glass down, his lips wetted from the sip he had taken, “While it is optimal to maintain a certain level of productivity, excessive work with no respite for recreational activities can lead to side effects detrimental to one’s health.”
He gave Ratio a lazy grin, “Aww, are you worrying about little old me? How unusual.”
“Do shut up. To have such a lackadaisical approach to one’s wellbeing leads me to believe you have a death wish.”
“A little death, perhaps.” He smirked lasciviously at the other, “Are you offering?”
“Hardly.” Ratio’s eyes darted around the room, “And do have a bit more discretion when declaring such suggestive intent.”
He rolled his eyes, “Relax, Doctor. The times may be against us, but this place is well established as being open to all kinds of freaks and un-naturals.” He stood and offered his hand to the young doctor, “Why don’t we make a bet?” He offered.
Ratio arched a shapely brow, “And what, pray tell, could you possibly offer that I would be remotely interested in?”
“I propose that no one would notice or kick up a fuss if I kiss you. In fact, I’ll wager than not one person would bat an eye should I start ravishing you against the back wall.” He wetted his lips in anticipation, “When I win, you’ll join me for an outing of my choosing.”
“If you win.” The young doctor paused, before glaring at Kakavasha, “And there shall be no “ravishing” as you so eloquently put it. Do not mistake me for one of those whores who prostrate themselves in front of you and your ilk.”
“If I must restrain myself then so be it.” He smiled tauntingly, “However, I’m quite confident I’ll win this little bet of ours.”
“Very well. I accept your challenge.” The other’s brownish pink eyes narrowed, “I’m trusting you to refrain from selecting an utterly outrageous activity or location should you be proven correct.”
Rising from his seat, he took the other’s hand and raised it to his lips, giving it a feather light kiss before reaching up with his other and cupping Ratio’s chin. Running his thumb under the other’s plump lower lip, he guided him into a chaste kiss, pulling back after a few seconds. He smirked when he saw Ratio’s eyes dart around the room in alarm, only to find that no one seemed to have noticed or care.
Pulling Ratio from his bar stool, he spun him around and lowered him into a dip, the younger man wrapping his arms around Kakavasha’s neck in surprise as he was quite literally swept off his feet.
“Care to dance Doll?” The frigid glare he received could have frozen flames, “Aw, don’t be like that Lovely, no one here will judge.”
“Not on your life.” grumbled the other, “Let me up.”
Acquiescing, he righted the young doctor who promptly walloped him upside the head. He chuckled as the taller man huffed and turned to make his was towards the club’s rear exit, his long legs carrying him quickly towards the door. Adjusting his favorite teal ribboned fedora, he followed Ratio into the cool night air, the back alley behind the club dimly lit by the single streetlamp flickering from the other side of the chain link fence running along the rear of the lot.
As he caught up to the violet haired man, he caught his arm, halting the other. The yellow glow of the streetlamp and the weak light shining from the club’s windows made the young doctor’s eyes glow like a fiery sunset.
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” He gave the other a lascivious smirk, “It appears that I have won our little bet, which means you need to accompany on an outing of my choosing.”
“I suppose I must uphold my end of our agreement then.” Ratio ran his fingers through his bangs, pushing them back and out of his eyes, “Did you have a particular time in mind for when? Or am I to be expected to wait for you to call upon me at whatever time happens to suit your fancy?”
“I was thinking I could invite you out next Friday and show you some of the more exciting places that don’t come alive until evening.” He grinned mischievously, “Would the good doctor be so kind as to provide an address?”
The look he received could have melted tungsten, “I hardly think you and I are close enough for me to even begin to consider providing you with my place of residence. However, I am not against meeting you at a predetermined location, so long as I am given a sensible amount of notice.”
“I suppose that’s reasonable.” He removed his sandwisp yellow scarf, sliding it around Ratio’s neck and letting it settle on the man’s front, “I’m afraid I must bid you adieu for tonight. I trust you’ll manage to make your way home safely?”
“You waste your worry.” Huffed the other, “I would presume between the two of us you are the one who should take care for safety’s sake. Especially, given your occupation which you still refuse to fully disclose.”
“Ah ah ah, now that would be telling now wouldn’t it?” He winked, “Take care Lovely and I shall see you in a sennight.”
“Please refrain from intentionally modifying your speech to include archaic terms for time units. It is unlike you to bother with such fanciful speech, and such embellishments are entirely unnecessary.” Ratio’s stern glare softened as he gave him a small, dare he say shy, smile, “I much prefer you when you’ve removed all of the luxury and extravagance you put on as a show.”
He watched as Ratio walked away, his figure shrinking until his silhouette disappeared behind a street corner. Straightening his vest, he made his way back into the club, it was time to meet with his fellow captains about some of the rumblings in the underworld that had been growing louder as of late. Slipping through the crowded main room and behind the bar to the door that led upstairs, he ascended the steps to the upper floor where Jade and Diamond sometimes called Company meetings.
“Have fun tonight?” Jelena asked as he settled into the chair next to her, “Don’t think I didn’t see you putting the moves on that doctor again.” She grinned, “You thinking about claiming him?”
“Not yet.” He removed his hat and set it on the table beside his Cold M1911 and his beloved white phosphorus dice, “If I move too quickly he’ll see it as a challenge to his autonomy and resist.”
His fellow captain frowned, “I don’t understand your mind at times, but suit yourself. Investing in victory means playing the long game, but hesitating too long could mean missing your opportunity and overall failure.”
“You forget, Topaz, my fascination is with the game of chance, but this is not a game I’m willing to lose.” He gave her a vicious smile, “The doctor will be mine. I just need to wait until the right time to reveal my hand and he will come to me of his own free will.”
They waited for the remaining Stonehearts to arrive, Jelena reading through some notes while he fiddled with one of the gambling tokens he always carried with him. Minutes passed and more people entered the room. Captains Sugilite, Obsidian, and Jade, and Underboss Opal, each taking a seat around the circular table, before Diamond, the Company’s boss entered the room. It seemed the remaining captains were away on business, or had already been briefed and were not required to attend.
“Enough chatter children.” Jade silence them all with a wave of her hand, “We have business to attend to.”
Jade had some audacity likening him to a child. Jelena may be young, but he had made his bones years ago and had climbed the ranks to captain by his mid-twenties. Now in his mid-thirties, he was far from being a child.
“Thank you Jade.” Diamond interlinked his fingers, a slight frown crossing his features, “I’m sure you’re all aware of the recent incursion of the The Family into our territory and their meddling in some of our projects. I’d like for each of you to handle a piece of this little inconvenience. Jade, you are to look into the Alfalfas. They have been interfering with our friends over in the financial district. Sugilite will be reporting to you and will be your assistance should you need one.”
“Yes sir.”
He dismissed the woman and she left to begin her assignment, the white haired man following after her openly scowling at the thought of being relegated to someone's assistant, “Topaz, you will be looking into the Bloodhounds and identifying which of them were involved in the altercation by the Golden Hour. I expect you to make them an offer they cannot refuse. Should they refuse to pay for the damages suffered, you are welcome to use ‘stronger’ means”
“Yes sir.” She retrieved her Beretta M1951 and exited the room, the creak of the wooden stairs signaling her return to the main room below.
“Aventurine, you are to handle the Oaks.” Diamond’s gaze hardened and his frown deepened, “I will not tolerate their attempts at territorial expansion. They have recently obtained ownership of the Dewlight Jazz Club, and I refuse to have them located so close to Pier Point. Do what you must to remove them from the vicinity.”
“Yes sir.”
Collecting his firearm, dice and hat, he dipped his chin to his Boss and head out of the room to begin preparing for his assignment.
Veritas Ratio had had mixed feelings when he had first encountered Kakavasha Avgin inside the main room of the Pier Point social club. The shorter man had stood out from the crowd with his teal ribboned fedora and flashy golden scarf that complimented his gold trimmed suite jacket. He typically avoided such individuals as their gaudy outerwear often indicated a certain lack of noticeable intelligence.
However, Mr. Avgin had demonstrated a surprising amount of awareness of his surroundings when he had deftly stepped between a rather gruff man and one of the establishment’s staff when the male had attempted to come onto the woman despite her clear rejections of his advances. Unfortunately, this show of aptitude was swiftly overshadowed minutes later when the blond man had intervened between two squabbling men and had taken a rather solid uppercut to the face.
He had waded his way through the shocked onlookers to evaluate Mr. Avgin’s wellbeing, his training as a medical doctor coming to the forefront as he gripped the man’s chin, gently but firmly shifting the blond’s head to assess the damage from different angles. Other than the increased blood flow that pooled in the other man’s cheeks and across the bridge of his nose, Mr. Avgin appeared surprisingly unharmed despite having been lifted off of his feet by the strike.
Since he had been on his way out, he had given the man his business card along with his office contact. He hadn’t originally intended on providing his residential phone number, but the charming man had somehow convinced him to scribble the seven digits on the back of the card.
That had been a matter of weeks ago and he had found himself frequently visiting the Pier Point under the guise of observing the social lives of those who chose to drink and party away their days, foregoing any sort of productivity or pursuit of growth. At least, that’s what he had originally thought. Through his observations of Mr. Avgin and some of the people he interacted with for longer and in greater frequently, he had come to the conclusion that not all at the Pier Point was as it seemed.
Sure, there were the typical upper middle class suits and gowns flaunting their wealth and wasting away the day in high spirits and with spirits. But there was also a subset of individuals who came and went from the side and rear entrances, and who, though well dressed, did not carry themselves with the same stiffness he had come to associate with those who have money in excess. Mr. Avgin was among those who seemed to stalk the rooms, his eyes lacking the carefree joy, or the glassed over drunkenness, of the libertines and socialites, and possessing a much more predatory nature.
It had been quite a while since he had found such an intriguing individual, let alone one who seemed equally as interested in him beyond his medical accolades and physical appeal. His previous relationship had ended rather abruptly once he had realized the man was after little more than his body. While Madam Herta and Mr. Screwllum made for intelligent conversation, there was only so long he could tolerate the air of superiority they, along with their fellow Society members, carried with them. Unlike members of the Society, he had come from a much more humble background. His innate curiosity and intelligence feeding his ambition, and his industrious nature leading him to force open doors that would typically remain closed for anyone not of the upper class.
As the weeks had gone by, he had found himself gravitating towards Mr. Avgin, despite the other’s habitual and increasingly flirtatious teasing. At first, it had simply been coincidental meetings where the blond would sidle up to him and offer him a drink and a chance at some tolerable social interaction. These little talks had increased in frequency to the point where it had become a routine for him to seek out the other’s company whenever he visited the Pier Point. Eventually, he had begun looking forward to the time he shared with the blond, the other flashing him a Cheshire grin each time they drank together.
The shorter man was quite the intelligent individual, but had a frustrating tendency to conceal his intellect behind seemingly spontaneous or reckless decision making. It was even more noticeable whenever Mr. Avgin convinced him to join him at any of the game tables as a spectator. During these session, the blond more often than not made bets and wagers that would initially seem highly improbable to the point of erring towards the practically impossible. Yet each time Mr. Avgin managed to secure a victory, whether it be a winning hand at cards or a lucky roll of the dice, or even predicting the results of a roulette spin.
The damned gambler had even begun coercing him into participating in some of his antics, sometimes asking him to hold his darts, or to roll the dice for him. Sometimes it was as if Mr. Avgin was viewing him as one of those women some high rollers would have accompany them to gambling houses, whose presence was essentially ornamental and indicative of the gamester’s wealth.
Tonight’s antics had been far more forward than what he had expected from Mr. Avgin, the man’s teasing flirtations taking on a much more salacious tone than usual. It had been extraordinarily bold of the blond to have dared lay a kiss on him. While he was certain many at the Pier Point could care less where and with whom a man satisfied his vices, the audacity of Mr. Avgin to suggest that two men could kiss in public was somewhat shocking, even if it was quite in line with his character. Standing at a respectable 5’9, he wasn’t exactly ‘delicate’ or ‘feminine’, thus leaving little to no room for Mr. Avgin to explain his actions as simply mistaking him for a more boyish woman.
Still, as he made his way back to his small apartment above his practice, Mr. Avgin’s golden scarf around his neck, he smiled to himself at the thought that the gambler may view him as more than just a pretty face. Considering the man had given him what had to be a rather expensive scarf, the high quality of the silk and the delicate stitching of the subtle diamond pattern indicative of its worth, he wistfully hope the other man was not just toying with him and leading him along for entertainment.
Reaching the doorstep to his practice, he looked back down the street. There were a few pedestrians out late but also returning to their residences, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of watchful eyes tracking his every move. He frowned but decided to ignore the strange feeling for the time being, nothing good would come of worrying over what was probably just a roaming street cat seeking a naïve human it could deceive with its act of innocence before relieving them of anything edible.
Making his way up the stairs and to his small apartment, he was greeted by soft chittering, his two raccoons scurrying up to him and grabbing at the hems of his pants. He had found the two orphans near a dumpster in the corner lot at the intersection of H and Station Street, and had approached them when he saw them crying for their absent mother. After determining they were indeed abandoned or orphaned, he had carefully wrapped them in an old coat and taken them home with him.
Raising the two raccoons had been a test of patience he had not initially anticipated, but Stelle and Caelus had proven to be quite the intelligent little rascals. He had never been able to train them out of searching trash cans, as proven by the sheer amount of clearly discarded miscellaneous items that appeared every morning after the twins had spent a night outside. Despite their proclivity for trash collection, he had observed them picking up various objects to explore what they were, and even employing makeshift tools to help problem solve when they had the proper motivation. Seeing Stelle trying to wield a discarded baseball bat had wrested a bark of laughter from him. Caelus was even more naughty and had returned one early morning with what could only be described as a defunct IED.
“Hello children, I trust you haven’t initiated or exacerbated any situations that may result in damages or hostilities?”
Stelle chittered and tried climbing up his leg while Caelus sat back on his haunches with the most smug expression a raccoon could probably make with their facial musculature.
He sighed, “You have exactly thirty seconds to go retrieve anything you’ve stolen before I start searching. You will not like the consequences if I find anything that does not belong here.”
The two furry creatures scurried off, Stelle towards his bathroom and Caelus towards his kitchen. Shaking his head, he walked and hung his coat and Mr. Avgin’s scarf on the coat hook in the entry way before making his way to his bedroom. He was mostly through his nightly routine and was at the point of undressing and donning his sleepwear when his two procyonid twins wandered back in. Stelle was carrying a pink, scallop-shaped ruched woman’s handbag in her tiny paws, while Caelus had returned tail end first through the doorway, dragging behind him a moderately large leather briefcase.
“What in the name of common sense and decency have the two of you obtained this time?”
Taking the purse from Stelle, he opened the fleur-de-lis clasp and looked inside to see if he could find any sort of identification that could help him locate the unfortunate owner. A few tubes of lipstick in different shades of red, some makeup supplies, a pale pink coin purse, and finally, in a somewhat hidden inner pocket, a wallet. Opening the wallet, he flipped through until he found the name of the presumed owner, a Miss Ana Etilaicos.
Setting the purse aside and making a mental note to deliver it to the police station the next morning, he knelt and took the briefcase from Caelus. Hefting the surprisingly heavy case onto his bed, he glanced down to give Caelus a reproachful look, the raccoon sending him back a toothy grin utterly lacking in remorse.
Sighing, he unbuckled the fasteners holding the suitcase together and found the case to be filled with blueprints and other papers that seemed to be mapping out the inside of the Pier Point and the surrounding neighborhood along with some concerningly detailed notes about the staff of the Pier Point and their schedules and habits. They were not the most detailed and the lack of accuracy implied a lack of access to certain areas, but the contents of the notes implied a certain level of reconnaissance on the part of whomever the briefcase belonged to. He concluded it would be best to give these to Mr. Avgin as the original owner did not appear to have very honorable intentions.
Shoving the papers back inside, he set the case on top of his dressed and knelt down to give Caelus a scratch between his furry ears.
“It seems your legally questionable means of increasing your collections bore some rather interesting fruits tonight.”
He paused, perhaps Mr. Avgin wouldn’t mind meeting his two furry children. After all, it was Caelus who had discovered what appeared to be a plot against the blond and his associates.
“Would you like to accompany me tomorrow when I present Mr. Avgin with you findings?”
The twins both let out a couple of excited chirps, apparently they were quite eager to meet Mr. Avgin. He smiled at their enthusiasm as he led them over to the bathroom and they eagerly clambered into the tub. After a quick wash that left his top a bit damp after Stelle had tried splashing Caelus, he allowed them them a couple full bodied shakes before toweling the two rascals dry.
Now that they were suitably clean and dry, he scooped up Caelus and waited for Stelle to clamber onto his shoulder before walking them back over to his bed. He set the two troublemakers on the bed and slid underneath the covers. Giving them each a quick peck on the tops of their furry heads, he turned over to turn off the bedside light, the twins waddling up to the top of the bed and curling up next to his head. He would call Mr. Avgin in the morning and coordinate when to hand off the papers his son had somehow acquired.