Debts - 12. Chapter 12

- XII -

“I don’t get it,” Julian said several hours later, watching Raven trace every single cut on his chest with his tongue, cleaning them thoroughly. “I don’t get it,” he repeated after Raven shot him a quick look without raising his head. “The blood... I know, I am not the one to talk,” he hemmed after seeing Raven’s expression. “That’s not what I meant, however. I simply don’t get it.”

Raven finally raised his head and smiled, running his tongue over his lips. Without saying anything, he traced one of the still bleeding cuts with his finger, and brought it to Julian’s lips. The blond looked at him thoughtfully, then looked at his finger with droplets of blood on it, shrugged, and slowly wrapped his mouth around slender digit.

“I don’t get it,” he said a few minutes later, and Raven smiled again.

“Believe me,” he said, lowering his face onto Julian’s chest once again. “It’s a very good thing that you don’t have this particular kink...”

“I guess...” the blond closed his eyes, enjoying sensations on his skin. “By the way...” he said several minutes later. “For curiosity's sake... What were you after back in August when I caught you?”

Raven blinked. “Goddammit,” he thought and briefly closed his eyes. “You managed to forget, you horny idiot...” He sighed, opened his eyes, and straightened up.

“I was planning on telling you about it,” he nodded. “It might be important, I don’t know... I forgot,” he admitted. “Got distracted...” his eyes darted towards Julian’s hips and he sighed once again. “There is a rock in your office... Well,” he frowned. “It was there back in August, I don’t know if it’s still there.”

“A rock,” Julian repeated slowly.

“Yes,” Raven nodded. “Dark-green, oval-shaped rock.”

“My paperweight?” the blond asked incredulously and propped himself on one elbow. “Someone hired you to steal my paperweight?!”

“Yup,” Raven nodded again. “And they were willing to pay a hell of a lot of money...”

“How much?”

“Let’s say...” Raven said slowly. “Let’s say, I would be able to buy at least three of your paintings... Full price,” he added in a second.

Julian frowned, clearly not buying it.

“Are you sure...” he started saying, and Raven interrupted him.

“Positive,” he said and reached for his pants. “I used to think it was some crazy prank, but now, after the mirror, I don’t think so anymore. Magda said those people were asking whether I reconsidered the whole rock deal... I said no.”

“Just take it,” Julian shrugged, watching him getting dressed. “If they are willing to pay you...”

“No,” Raven shook his head and pulled on his shirt without buttoning it. “That mirror got me thinking... It looked ridiculously simple, but I am sure it’s some sort of an artifact...”

“Huh,” the blond reached for his clothes as well. “You think it’s the same case with the rock?”

“Pretty sure it is,” Raven nodded. “And I have this feeling...” he shrugged. “I don’t know... I am not sure if I want someone to get hold of something like that, if it’s as nasty as I think it is... Is it still in your office?”

“Yes,” Julian zipped up his pants, never bothering with the shirt, and headed towards the door.

Raven glanced at the mess they left on the floor, and then shrugged and followed the blond. Someone would clean it, he thought, impressed by staff’s ability to stay out of Julian’s way; it seemed like they weren’t even here, which Raven knew wasn’t the case.

They walked into the office, and Raven just sighed when he saw that very familiar desk. Apparently, Julian’s mind waves were on the same length as Raven’s, because the blond shot a quick look at the dark-haired thief, and there was a smile running across his mouth. Julian walked up to the desk and picked up a dark-green rock.

“That’s the one?” he asked, and Raven nodded.

“That’s the one... How much do you know about magic?”

Julian thoughtfully looked at him for several seconds, as if contemplating something.

“Enough,” he said finally. “I am not really into magic, but I know how to use it when I have to... Even though I don’t advertise that fact,” he added with a small nod.

“Do you know much about artifacts?” Raven asked, trying to ignore the weird warmth that decided to stir deep inside his chest after he realized that the blond just told him something he didn’t want everyone to know.

“No,” Julian looked at the rock. “I don’t know anything about that...”

“How did you even get it?” Raven walked closer, staring at the dark-green rock.

“Found it in some antique store a while ago,” the blond replied. “Liked the color and the shape.”

“How long ago was that?”

Julian shrugged.

“Seven years ago... Maybe longer than that, I don’t remember.”

“Put it somewhere,” Raven carefully touched the rock. “Like a safe... Just in case,” he shrugged after Julian looked at him.

The blond frowned thoughtfully for a minute or two, and then nodded.

“All right,” he said. “I don’t have a safe in the house though...”

“Really...?” Raven blinked in disbelief.

“Really,” the blond said patiently. “I don’t need it. I have one in my office, however... Let’s go.”

“Are you going to get dressed first?” Raven asked, perfectly aware of the fact that he was glad all of a sudden that the blond wanted him to come along. “You look... complete,” he heard in his head and closed his eyes for a second.

Julian blinked and looked at his bare chest.

“Oh, yeah...” he muttered and handed Raven the rock. “Here, hold this.”

...An hour or so later, the rock was resting in a safe with a complicated-looking lock. Raven knew that lock wouldn’t stand a chance against him; however, he doubted that anyone else in their right mind would try breaking into Salamander’s office, let alone safe. He nodded, feeling strangely relieved, and followed Julian outside where he winced at that blasted wind, which decided to knock all breath out of him.

“I am hungry,” Julian said and glanced at his watch. “Let’s go.”

Without asking, ‘Go where?’ Raven followed Salamander to the restaurant across the street, realizing that he was hungry as well. After they finished their meals, it was only logical to go somewhere they served great coffee; therefore, they did just that. Right before they finished their coffees, Julian asked:

“Do you enjoy pool? I mean the game.”

Raven looked at him thoughtfully for a few seconds. “Pool?” he thought. “So now we are actually doing something together besides sex...?” He couldn’t figure out what he felt, but it was definitely not disappointment. “...complete,”Magda said in his head, and he blinked.

“Yes,” he said finally. “I like pool.”

“Let’s go,” the blond said with his usual smile and got up.

Once again, ‘Go where?’ seemed like a futile and useless question.

...“So, tell me...” Raven said a couple of hours later, narrowing his right eye ever so slightly, measuring the distance between several balls. He slowly walked around the table, aiming the cue. “How many willing partners have you had...? Including me,” he shot a quick glance at Julian who was watching him through his eyelashes.

The blond was silent for several seconds.

“Three,” he said finally, and Raven almost messed up his shot.

“Three?” he repeated incredulously after quickly fixing the alignment. “That’s it?”

“That’s it,” Julian nodded, watching Raven pocketing five balls at once.

Raven didn’t even bother asking how many partners the blond had in total. He suspected that Julian wouldn’t even know; he doubted that the blond kept count.

“You are the third one, obviously,” Julian said, watching Raven intently. “My first willing one was a...” He let out a small smile. “Sex for hire,” he nodded, and Raven blinked. Julian certainly didn’t look like someone who would need a whore to get off. “I was eighteen,” the blond said, and Raven nodded. Now it made more sense, he thought. “He didn’t charge me, however,” Julian said in a thoughtful voice. “He said that he enjoyed it as much as I did, if not more...” He shrugged. “I didn’t argue.”

“Did you hurt him...?” Raven tutted when he messed up the shot he thought he had pocketed.

“No,” the blond walked around the table, aligning the cue. “He wasn’t into that.”

“Who was your second one?” Raven asked after the blond performed an impressive shot.

Julian straightened up and was silent for a few seconds.

“Vivienne,” he said finally, looking at the tip of the cue. Then he looked at Raven. “She was my mate.”

“Mate...?” Raven thought dumbfoundedly.

“Was...?” he asked aloud.

“Yes,” the blond nodded and turned towards the table once again, aligning the next shot. “She died nine years ago.”

“What happened...?” Raven watched Salamander perform another impressive shot.

“She...” the blond sighed and straightened up again. “She was killed,” he finished finally, and Raven frowned.

“Killed...?” he repeated.

“Yes,” Julian sighed again after his next shot wasn’t anywhere as impressive, and stepped aside to give Raven more room. “Business affairs,” he answered Raven’s unasked question. “She was one of the people running for the president’s chair of the company, and she was the one mostly to succeed... Someone did not want that. They hired an assassin.”

“Was it your company?” Raven leaned on the cue, forgetting about the game.

“It is now,” Julian nodded.

“Do you know who placed the hit?” Raven finally remembered about the game and turned towards the table, eyeing the balls.

“Yes,” Julian said calmly, watching Raven pocket four more balls.

“How did you find out?” the dark-haired man straightened up a little, getting ready for the next shot.

“I have my ways,” Julian answered solemnly.

“What did you do?” Raven smiled to himself with the corners of his mouth after his shot went the way he planned.

“Killed both of them,” the blond said thoughtfully, watching Raven to get ready to pocket the last ball. He stepped closer. “The woman and the assassin.”

“A woman placed the hit?” Raven muttered, lowering the cue just a little, to get better alignment.

“Yes,” Julian walked even closer, and Raven shot him a sideways glance.

“What?” he asked when the blond just stood there without saying anything.

“You are rather good at this,” Julian said and nodded at the table.

“Oh...” Raven hemmed and looked at the ball again. “Yeah, I know... I pretty much won this game, you know that, right?”

“Maybe,” the blond walked closer, and the minute Raven’s cue started moving, he placed his hand on the smaller man’s hip, and slowly slid the palm towards his inner thigh.

Raven’s hand jerked and he missed the ball desperately and hopelessly.

“Son of a...” he hissed and straightened up, glaring at the content blond.

“I don’t think you’ll win this one,” the blond said and made his shot before Raven got a chance to do anything to him in return. “See?” he turned around after pocketing the last ball, and Raven gritted his teeth at that small, satisfied smile.

“Bastard,” he muttered, putting the cue on the table. “Cheating bastard...”

“I didn’t cheat,” Julian said with as much content as a minute ago. “You are simply easily distracted.”

Raven narrowed his eyes, took a step towards him, placed one hand onto his shoulder, and locked his teeth on his bottom lip. The blond inhaled rather sharply at that, and his hand started making its way towards Raven’s hair. Raven bit his lip one last time, ran his tongue over it, making sure he got all the blood, and stepped back before Julian’s hand made it to his hair.

“Let’s go,” he said, and the blond blinked.

“That is a strange revenge,” he said thoughtfully, and Raven smiled without baring his teeth.

“Let’s go,” he repeated.

They went outside, and Raven almost laughed at quite a few dumbfounded looks he received from whoever happened to see him attack Salamander’s mouth several minutes earlier. Julian, it seemed, didn’t notice (or rather cared about) anything. They almost made it to the car when Raven suddenly stopped and muttered:

“Ah, goddammit...”

Julian looked at him with a silent question.

“I left my wristband in there,” Raven said. “Took it off while playing... Be right back...” and he went back inside the building.

He walked inside and watched the blond through the window. Julian walked up to the car, clearly intending to start the engine while waiting for Raven, shoved his hand into his pocket, frowned, checked the other pocket, and frowned even deeper. Raven laughed quietly, spun the key ring with the set of car keys on his finger, and made his way to the back door of the building. He walked outside, hid behind the wall, making sure he was protected from the wind, and pulled on invisibility, while watching quite puzzled by now blond. He waited until Julian went back into the building, which happened at least fifteen minutes later, walked after him, carefully made his way towards pissed off by then blond, and gently dropped the keys into his pocket, wondering if Salamander was going to keep his promise about not hurting him later on when he found out about his stunt. Then he went outside, threw off invisibility, lit a cigarette, and leaned on the car, his expression bored.

Five minutes later, Julian stormed out of the building, and the minute he saw Raven, his eyes narrowed.

“Where is it?” he asked shortly when he got closer.

“Where is what?” Raven frowned in genuine confusion. “Ah, my wristband? Here...” he demonstrated his wrist.

“My car keys,” the blond said evenly. “You made me freeze here for almost twenty minutes...!”

Raven blinked at that.

“Car keys...?” he repeated dumbfoundedly. “You lost your car keys?”

“No,” Julian answered in the same even voice. “I did not lose them; you took them from me. Now I understand...”

Raven shook his head and flicked away his cigarette.

“I have no idea what you talking about,” he said seriously. “The last time I saw your car keys was when you put them in that pocket...” he nodded towards the said pocket.

Julian’s eyes narrowed even more.

“They are not in there,” he said with tight patience. “I checked all my pockets at least four times!”

“Check again,” Raven shrugged. “You never know...”

The blond rolled his eyes and put his hand into his pocket. Then he blinked quite rapidly and stared at Raven.

“Got them?” the dark-haired thief gave him a gentle smile. “Sometimes, people don’t notice things, even after they look several times; it’s quite common, you know...”

“Get in the car,” Salamander said shortly.

“Happened to me a couple of times,” Raven shrugged lightly.

“Get in the car,” the blond repeated in the same tone of voice.

Raven sighed and walked to the passenger’s side. Julian started the engine and threw him a dark look.

“I should’ve just left you here,” he muttered and threw the car in gear.

Raven hemmed and rolled down the window.

“Now who is easily distracted...” he said with a small snort and lit a cigarette.

The blond shot him another dark look and turned on the heater.

“You know,” he said. “Even with my promise not to hurt you...”

“You won’t do anything to me,” Raven interrupted him and handed him a lit cigarette. Julian hesitated for several seconds, and then took it.

“Why is that?” he asked without taking his eyes off the road.

“How many people do you know who would willingly run a knife through you without killing you instantly?” Raven asked with genuine interest.

Julian looked at him briefly.

“I see your point...” he said finally, and Raven smiled.

“Plus,” he said while dragging on his cigarette. “It was a very fair payback...”

Julian’s mouth twitched with something that resembled a smile.

“You owe me...” he said in a low voice. “I froze my ass there for at least twenty minutes...”

“Well,” Raven shrugged. “Your perfect revenge would be to make me walk all the way to my apartment tonight... Because really...” he hemmed. “Whatever you want me to do to you... Or for you...” he nodded thoughtfully. “I would do it without the pressure of IOUs, and you know that...”

Julian shot him another quick look.

“I know,” he said in a softer voice.

“You are going to make me walk to my apartment then...?” Raven frowned.

“No,” the blond said immediately.

“You gonna drive me...?” Raven blinked.

“No,” the blond said once again; and this time, there was that small smile playing with his mouth.

“Then what...?” Raven frowned with curiosity he didn’t need to fake this time.

“You are not going anywhere tonight,” Julian said calmly, and Raven blinked yet again. “You are staying.”

“Oh...” Raven said, trying to ignore whatever the hell it was that made him feel almost giddy.

“Goddammit...!” he thought furiously. “Raven, you are thirty-bloody-four years old, and not seventeen...! What the hell...?!”

His inner-self discarded his outburst with envious indifference, and he gritted his teeth in defeat.

“Sounds fair,” he said evenly, and the blond gave him a smile.

“I know,” was all he said until they got to the house.