tp5: Kippei and Ojii

[shattermelt]

Kippei was restless and angry and bored. Also worried and tired and lonely as fuck, but mostly he was angry. And restless. And bored. He missed Shinji with a sharp, intense ache that only got worse as the weeks dragged by and what little news coming out of the station was never good. He hadn't seen Shinji for a month. An entire damn month, and the last time that had happened, he'd gone a little crazy. Hell, he was a little crazy now, and it wasn't entirely about Shinji.

He hated being stuck out here, away from the action, away from any possibility of doing anything, with a sentence of death if he tried anything. He'd try something anyway, but now he had more than one reason not to die and he'd never considered that it might not be a blessing before. Not that he would trade it for anything, but he was feeling the cramp of restraint biting into him and he hated it. A lot. Not having anyone or anything to care about, not having a reason, living damn near suicidal for as long as he had was a hard habit to break, and he almost wished he had that freedom back. He spent a whole week staring at it, the fact that this was what he'd been afraid of with Shinji, when he'd worried that getting involved might make it harder for him to do his job. Maybe he shouldn't be sitting out here waiting. Maybe if there wasn't Shinji to think about, he wouldn't be.

He wrestled it out with himself and finally decided that it didn't matter, because he was still that selfish and even if it was true, he still wanted Shinji more than anything else. He'd been ready once to leave his whole life behind and just go with it, and he would still do that in a heartbeat if it meant staying with Shinji. If he had to. In the meantime, he was caught in the middle, and the unclear choices bothered him more than the single, clear cut decision. He really, really needed to find Shinji, to make sure he was fine, or at least to see him. Talk to him. Failing that, he needed a distraction.

It took him awhile to get desperate enough to hail the one other ship that seemed to be skulking around out here, and ask Rokkaku's ambassador if he had any news. Knowing him, the old man probably had all kinds of inside sources.

Comments

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Ambassador Ojii was not a stupid man. As soon as he traced the call, he hit recieve, and the smile on his face was devious and knowing as he looked at the familiar face on the screen.

"Ambassador Tachibana. And here I was sure they would have had you shipped out like a turkey. But then, I hadn't heard anything, and here you are. I trust you're suitably bored and out of commission?"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei growled at him. He'd forgotten how fucking irritating the old goat was.

"You haven't heard anything?" he demanded. "I would have figured you knew everything that was going on there, even when you're stuck out here." And why are you stuck out here anyway, but he didn't care enough to ask that part.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Ojii blinked at the man, as if he had just said something stupid, which, really, he had.

"Now see, the problem you have, Tachibana, is that you're always making assumptions. Stop assuming things or I'll have to go find a wooden spoon for when you come visit me." He smiled at that, because it would be most enjoyable. He was sure Kirihara could find him something suitable.

"I am stuck nowhere, and I don't need to hear anything second hand when I can go and see it first hand for myself."

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei just stared at him for a minute, and then he leaned forward, wishing he could reach through the viewscreen and strangle the man.

"What? You can? Why the hell are you out here anyway?" God, he hated being the only person fucking Rikkai wanted to shoot on sight, the only person who couldn't even risk sneaking back in.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Ojii just laughed at him, not exactly prepared to say he could tamper with any brain he came across to make sure they didn't see him, but there were others ways onto the station anyway, and off it for that matter. Trade had to go on as usual, whether Rikkaidai liked it or not.

"I like it out here. I conduct my business without...prying eyes. Besides, it is important to Rokkaku that I not appear to take sides. My own ship is my own territory. By remaining on it, I can remain neutral, while still being in full contact with the station."

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei gritted his teeth, reigning in his temper, forcing himself to focus on the important things. Full contact with the station meant communication. It meant...

"You can get a message in?" he asked intently. He wondered vaguely how much it would cost him and decided he didn't care.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Ojii smirked, wondering just what he could get for playing along with Tachibana. There wasn't a lot that Fudomine had to offer, but Tachibana personally? Well, the cameras he had installed in the guestroom were no doubt payment enough.

"Is it a message you want me to get in, or is there something you would like me to get out?"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

"In." Kippei hesitated a split second before correcting himself. "Both." He shook his head, face going stern as he pushed aside his annoyance and focused on the problem.

"A message, I need to get a message to someone. And...maybe. Get someone out." He paused, considering. "Can you...is it just a message, or do you have a way to make calls?"

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Honestly, some people were so slow. Or they just really underestimated him.

"Kippei...I built that station, need I remind you. I built this ship. They go together." Like little boys and maid outfits. "How about you bring that nice little fighter your boytoy made you over here, park it in my garage and we'll do some business, hmm?"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei's face darkened, and he was this close to snarling at the man, but instead he nodded curtly and shut off the transmission. Perverted old bastard, and how did he know that anyway? Never mind. If he could make a call to Shinji, Kippei was willing to put up with just about anything.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Smirking at the dead line, Ojii set his coordinates to the fancy fighter and hurried off to check that the guest room was in proper order and that the skeleton crew he had with him was aware they would soon have a guest. Then he waited, more than a little impatient. He had been bored before Kippei called and now he might actually get to have some fun.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei locked in the coordinates and zoomed in toward the larger ship, finding his way to the docking bay with unerring accuracy and shutting off the engines. He was impatient too, eager to get there and make his call and not even caring that he would have to put up with Ojii for the duration. It was worth it. He jumped out and locked his ship down, and went looking for his irritating host.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Ojii really didn't appreciate being called irritating, even if it was just in someone's thoughts. Grumbling, he went opened all the doors to the bridge for Tachibana, already sitting in the pilot's seat himself, arranging a link to the station's system that would allow Kippei to make his 'call'.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei found the doors open and stepped in, allowing himself a single brush of his fingers along the bulkheads, a low appreciative murmur in his throat to the lovely ship. An apology that she belonged to someone like Ojii who surely couldn't appreciate her properly.

He took a seat, only mildly surprised to find that Ojii was already setting things up--he'd wondered if he'd have to do a little more bargaining for this, if Ojii was going to grudge him the chance to use his systems. Apparently not. For whatever reason, he was grateful, though all he did was tilt his head in absentminded nod of acknowledgement. He hesitated before he actually punched in the codes to make the call, slanting a sideways look at the old man.

"You going to sit there and listen?" he asked grimly, not really liking the idea but not having the leverage to tell him to get lost, either. The idea of having the other sitting in on a conversation with his lover, having an audience, made him vaguely uncomfortable, not that he was going to let that stop him.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

"Well, I can put you on speakerphone if you really want," Ojii murmured, amused. He sat back in his chair and turned idly from left to right. "If the signal gets picked up I am assuming you want me here to answer it rather than revealing where you are to Rikkai." It was a perfectly valid point that Tachibana could not hold against him. And he got to stay and eavesdrop legitimately.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei set his jaw and nodded tightly, admitting the point. Of course, Ojii was right. It would be pointless to contest the issue. He went ahead and put in the call, waiting tensely for the answer. He didn't even know if Shinji would be able to take it, if he was alright or busy or where he was or what he was doing. His hand curled into a fist in his lap and he prayed for good timing.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Shinji was sleeping, or trying to, but was finding it hard. The whole station felt thin and breakable and the tension in the air was driving him insane. That, and he missed Kippei fiercely and was starting to give up any hope of him coming back. He knew it wasn't possible while Rikkai controlled the station, but when were Rikkai ever going to leave? And then there was the fact he was a core mechanic, pulling double shifts with minimum sleep between. He was tired, to the point of exhaustion, lying in his own rooms, where his calls were being transferred. All two a day he got telling him to go to work. The call came earlier than he had expected and he grunted, getting up and not bothering to answer it, only as he was pulling on his boots he happened to glance at the number and frowned, because it wasnt generated by the station. Curious, he sat down and idly answered, then stared. It wasn't possible, and yet he wanted it to be true so badly.

"Kippei?"

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

"Shinji," Kippei breathed in sweet, sharp relief, relaxing so hard his muscles ached with the sudden release of tension. "Hey. You okay?" He wanted to say a hell of a lot more, but all he could do was drink in the sight of Shinji's tired face, the smudges under his eyes almost dark as bruises, but apparently not hurt.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

"...Yeah." Okay was relative. He wasn't hurt, which was what the soldier in Kippei was asking, but he ached for the image on the little screen to be right there with him, in flesh and blood and it was a selfish wish, that went unvoiced, but it was there nonetheless.

"How...where are you?" Obviously not on the station, or Shinji didn't doubt he would be there, with him. But close, to get a video signal. How close?

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei sighed, fingernails biting into his palm as he restrained himself from reaching out to touch the screen. Useless and stupid, the image only an image. He was vaguely aware of Ojii's presence beside him, but he pushed it aside, focusing on Shinji in front of him looking close enough to touch, but so far away.

"Not too far," he answered tiredly, such a lie, but truth for all of that. "In the asteroids out beyond the station. On the Rokkaku ambassador's ship at the moment."

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

"Ojii!? What the hell are you doing with that old goat? I know you're listening you lecherous old windbag, you touch him and I'll plaster your skin to the Core reactor, you understand?" Shinji fumed a little, hearing laughter in off the screen somewhere. Dirty old fucktard.

Ojii couldn't contain himself, laughing even harder at the look on Ibu Shinji's face, delighted. He smirked a little at Tachibana, and managed a lecherous wink before spilling into another bout of uncontrollable laughter that left his old ribs aching.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei threw a scowl at the old man, a quick sideways glance that promised retribution, conveying his annoyance with the interruption.

"He won't," he said grimly to Shinji. "I wouldn't let him." Of course he wouldn't. Still, it made something a little warmer deep inside him to hear Shinji warning the old man off, being possessive and protective and it wasn't because he needed it, but rather for what it meant.

"You look tired," he noted, trying to get back on track, ignoring the still cackling man behind him, needing to say, to hear things and he didn't know how long this call was going to last, only had so much time to say everything that needed to be said. "I miss you." Such simple, inadequate words for the ache that was tearing his guts out.

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

"Mmm, working double shifts," Shinji murmured, feeling better somehow with Kippei in sight, He relaxed in his chair and leant his elbows on the table, barely restraining a yawn. "It's hard to sleep...the bed's always cold." He smiled, wondering if Kippei had trouble sleeping without him. "I miss my wings." He looked at them in the mirror every morning, as a reminder that Kippei would come back, but it wasn't the same as being able to reach out and touch them on Kippei's back. He wanted them back; wanted Kippei back.

[shattermelt.livejournal.com]

Kippei bit down on his curse, a sour taste in his mouth. Double shifts, wearing himself out and Kippei wasn't there to.... well, he didn't know what the hell he'd do if he was there, but at least he'd be there.

"Yeah," he said, sighing, leaning back in his seat and slumping down, rubbing his face. "It's hard to sleep." He hadn't been sleeping much at all, really, light and short and restless all the time. "How are things there?" he asked, meaning, when is this going to be over?

[ayretala.livejournal.com]

Shinji shrugged, not sure what to tell Kippei.

"I guess its like living on Rikkaidai. I don't like it...no one does, really. There are soldiers everywhere. Haven't heard anything about the Captain though, so I guess that's a good thing." He sighed, reaching out despite himself and touching the face on the screen before blushing a little and letting his hand drop, fingertips cold from the cool glass of the screen.

"You can't come home, can you." It wasn't a question and he realised that some small part of himself had immediately hoped for a miracle when he saw Kippei, despite what he knew.