[EXO] [PD3] Dress to Kill 2/2
Title: Dress to Kill 2/2
Fandom: EXO (sort of fused with Final Fantasy VII)
Series: Phoenix Down (#3)
Pairing: Lu Han/Kai
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, crossover (sort of)
Dress to Kill 2/2
Part 1
The Sector 7 slums are worse than Kai remembers, some of the buildings merely bent frames draped with ragged bolts of cloth. They don't pass his old house on the way to the 7th Heaven bar and restaurant, which is where, Lu Han tells him, they will find their mystery man. They do pass the hall where he used to take ballet classes, now barricaded with planks of wood over the doors, and the foundations of the old schoolhouse, all that remains after the fire. It's hardly a sightseeing tour and he's careful not to look too much about him as he leads Lay and their chocobos to the bar.
They draw attention anyway, from a couple of young kids who try their hand at picking Lay's pocket (he doesn't notice, but Kai intervenes - Lay doesn't notice that, either), and a group of toughs who think better of messing with them after Kai glares in their direction.
Nobody Kai recognises, and he's grateful for that. He's never been inside the 7th Heaven, so hopefully there won't be any familiar faces in there, either. They tether their chocobos to a ring set against the side wall of the bar and he shoots Lay a 'here goes nothing' glance.
"Do you know who we're looking for?" Lay asks. "I didn't see him in the gym."
"I did."
"How did he look?"
"Angry," Kai says. "But that might just have been the eyebrows."
It's nine in the morning, not exactly a prime time for drinking, so while the 7th Heaven's got a few stragglers finishing off breakfast at the tables, there's no one at the bar. Their mystery man's seated at the back by himself, watching the pretty girl playing with the pinball machine in between scribbling notes on a pad. Kai hopes he won't mind being interrupted.
But talking to people is hard. He thinks he might've used up all his words on Lu Han last night.
Lay is much more sanguine about the whole affair and approaches the table without hesitation. "This is going to sound a little strange," he says to the blond man while Kai hovers anxiously at his elbow, "but apparently we used to know each other."
The blond man raises his head from his notebook, giving them about as unimpressed a look as Kai's ever seen. "I don't know who you guys are, but we've never met."
"We hadn't met each other until recently, either," Lay continues blithely. "You'll get the hang of it soon enough."
"The hang of what?"
The blond man stands up, and yep, Kai's first impression was right, this guy's tall. Not that Kai's diminutive himself, but his new acquaintance has him beat by a good few inches.
Now would be a really helpful time for Lu Han to emerge and say his piece, but he doesn't, and he's been remarkably quiet all morning.
"I'm sure you think what you're saying makes sense," the blond man says. "But I'm kind of busy, so-"
"Watching girls?" Kai says. "Yeah, you look rushed off your feet."
"I'm taking notes. It's for work."
"Of course it is." Kai picks up the notebook and begins reading the open page aloud. "Don't stand like you're riding a horse. Glide, don't stride. Huh?"
"Give me that." The notebook's owner plucks it from Kai's hand, shoving it and his pen deep in the pockets of his black leather coat. He's wearing fingerless gloves to match. "Brat."
"That's an interesting line of work," Lay says. "We were told you were a mercenary."
"You were told right. If you're looking to hire me, leave the details at the bar and tell them it's for 'Kris'. If not, can you leave me to work?"
"Kris? That's you?" Kai says. Hiring him's not in the plan.
Kris nods, so Kai hurriedly introduces himself and Lay. He leaves out the part where none of them are using their real names, because none of them know them, so that doesn't help. Lu Han's still annoyingly silent in the background.
"We're not interested in hiring you," Lay says when Kai's done, and that's when Kris turns to leave.
"Then I need to be going," he says. "Got a lot to do today."
"Like taking more notes on girls?" Kai blurts out. "Who pays for something like that?"
"A guy who wants revenge for his dead girlfriend and is prepared to pay for the disguise I need to get myself through the door of a brothel," Kris says.
Kai has a bad feeling about this. "The Honey Bee Inn?"
"Yeah." Kris looks at him curiously. "You know it?"
"Well enough to know you're not getting in there with that sword on your back." Kris looks like trouble, not a customer looking for a good time, and Kai wants to crumple up and die when Kris's glance turns appraising. There are two possible conclusions he can draw from Kai's speech and neither is flattering.
"I wasn't planning on taking it in with me," Kris says at last. "It's not the Inn I need to get into, anyway. My client's holding the owner personally responsible, and he doesn't see anyone but girls."
"So you're going in as a girl?" Lay says. "You might want to try smiling; I'm sure he'd like you better then."
"I'd be smiling right now if you two would leave me in peace," Kris growls. Voice-wise, he's about as well-placed as Kai to disguise himself as a girl. Perhaps if he never opens his mouth?
"Are you sure you can handle it yourself?" Kai asks. "Don Corneo keeps heavy security."
"Your concern's touching but I won't be alone." Kris smirks and unsheathes his sword - just wielding the thing looks like a workout in itself, Kai thinks - to display the glowing red Summon materia slotted into the hilt. "I can move him into something more portable and take him with me."
"Baekhyun," Kai repeats a beat after Lu Han speaks the name in his head.
Kris's smirk dissolves in momentary confusion. "How did you know that?"
"Lu Han told me." Kai pulls back his left jacket sleeve to reveal the materia slots in his gauntlet. "He told us to find you."
"And now you've found me, so what?"
"How about we help you with this job?" Lay suggests. "It sounds like you could use the back-up."
Kris shakes his head and says, with evident sarcasm, "Maybe next time."
"There won't be a next time if you get yourself into trouble," Kai retorts, irritated by the way he and Lay are being casually dismissed.
"And the two of you are going to get me out of it?" Kris says. "I don't think so. I don't even know you."
"Lu Han says you don't know yourself either," Kai says, and notes a flicker of anxiety cross Kris's face.
"That's none of your business!"
With a swish of his long black coat, Kris is out the door before Kai can even offer to explain himself - not that he has the words - and it only takes a heartbeat for him to decide their next course of action.
"We're following him!"
"We are?" Lay almost leaves his staff behind in the rush and ends up bunny-hopping down the steps to catch up. "But won't we overtake him on chocobos?"
Kai points into the distance, where Kris, mounted on a blinding white chocobo, appears to be attempting to set a new speed record. "Not when he's on one too!"
Booking a second night in that inn turns out to have been a wise move after all; back to Sector 6 they go. Kai pulls his hood up again as they enter Wall Market and tries to tune out Lu Han inside his head, telling him he's doing well and to keep going. Explaining himself has never been Kai's strong point. Words in general have never been Kai's strong point.
By the time they dispense with their chocobos, Kris is already disappearing into the boutique.
"He must be shopping for a dress," Lay says. "Do you think he'll wear heels?"
He sounds remarkably calm; an asset, as far as Kai's concerned, because one of them has to be and it sure isn't him.
"I don't know," Kai says, "and I don't care. What I do know is that Don Corneo's security won't play nice with him either way, and somehow I don't think he's going to make the most convincing woman ever."
"I think he'll surprise you," Lay says with a mysterious half-smile. "If you're sure about the security, then we should go too."
Kai expects awkward questions but once again they don't come. Perhaps it's sheer politeness. Perhaps it's that Lay doesn't want to know too much about Kai's past, because then he might have to divulge more of his own. Perhaps he simply doesn't care. It's nice, having someone like that in his life. Lu Han doesn't ask, but Lu Han doesn't need to ask, and that only makes Kai appreciate Lay more.
"As girls?"
"As girls," Lay confirms. "I think you'd look quite alluring with eyeliner."
"I think he's right," Lu Han says in Kai's mind, in between fits of laughter. "Something dark and shimmery, a touch of mysterious eyeliner..."
Kai's stint as a Bee had been rather more enlightening than he'd have liked regarding the use of cosmetics - the girls had enjoyed making up the men, on occasion - and he has a feeling Lu Han, as a sometime customer of the Honey Bee Inn, is well aware of this. Not exactly the kind of support and encouragement he's looking for from his Summon...
Lay's surprisingly efficient when it comes to organising their disguise, picking out their dresses with confidence Kai only wishes he possessed. Pale blue works well for Lay, with his fair skin, and for Kai, he hits upon a short, purple-black number with a sparkling silver panel in the front to match Kai's collar and show off his legs - which he refuses to shave, so they get him thick dark tights, too. They get a discount because Lay heals the boutique owner's sprained ankle, and he even throws in the shoes for free. (Men's sizes, the owner assures them, are not a problem. Half the guys at the gym wear his shoes - guaranteed not to wobble in a fight.)
Glamorous they might be but girlish they're not, until Kai has the bright idea of borrowing wigs from the guys at the gym. It takes winning an impromptu dance contest - Lay's no slouch on the dancefloor himself, as it turns out - before they're granted the loan of a shoulder-length red wig for Lay, and a straight, dark brown wig for Kai that falls down almost to his waist. They're too late to borrow the blond wig - Kris has beaten them to it.
They spot him from time to time around Wall Market, equipping himself for the night. They'll all need to be convincing if they're going to get through the door, and that'll take more than pretty dresses. Perfume's expensive, so they make liberal use of the testers at the counter, and Kai reluctantly looks up one of his former Bee colleagues to enlist her help in painting their faces. She also lends him a shoulder bag to keep his gauntlets in while he's in disguise. Lay's staff, regrettably, they can't hide, so it remains in the inn with their regular clothing.
"My dress isn't much longer than my wig," Kai says when they get ready for the night. This is like being a Bee again, only ten times more embarrassing. On the plus side, he doesn't have to wear wings anymore. "You look like a lounge singer. I look like the waitress in some sleazy bar."
"Not so sleazy," Lay says, stuffing another handful of tissue down the front of his dress, "but a bit stand-offish. Try to look more...playful?"
Lu Han, who's reclining on Kai's bed while he watches the two of them prepare in front of the mirror, looks entirely too amused as far as Kai's concerned. There's no helping it, though - Kai can't hear him otherwise, now he's no longer wearing his gauntlets, and they need Lu Han to tell them when Baekhyun and his master are on the move.
"Do the kitten claws," Lu Han suggests. "You look playful then. And the little smile that bares your teeth and says 'I think I'm fierce'."
"I'll claw you in a minute," Kai snarls.
Lu Han grins at him, utterly unconcerned. "Promises, promises."
Kai swipes gloved fingers in Lu Han's direction and goes back to wrestling with his tights. They're both wearing dainty gloves to cover their short, bare fingernails - black for him, white for Lay. Kai misses the comforting weight and feel of the mythril studding his gauntlets. These flimsy little things aren't going to do him much good in a fight.
Lay excuses himself to the bathroom when they're done, so Lu Han takes the opportunity to conduct a hands-on inspection of Kai's disguise. "You're not quite even," he says, reaching for the lumpy mounds of tissue plumping out the front of the dress, and then freezing, fingers hovering in mid-air while he asks, with an eyebrow raise, if it's okay.
Kai nods; Lu Han redistributes the padding more evenly without actually brushing any skin at all. It's still the most they've touched since last night.
"You look lovely." Lu Han steps back when he's done.
"Not too weird?"
"Not a very girly girl," Lu Han admits, "but you do make an excellent exotic warrior princess."
Maybe it's not so bad. Kai's sleek black boots aren't so high he can't run in them, and the toes are steel-capped. He's been physically active all his life, leaving him with strong, shapely legs and arms that, if somewhat more muscled than the average woman, are not going to draw too much attention to him - his dress being minus sleeves, and indeed minus a great deal of fabric that might otherwise have covered him. Still, the less he's wearing, the less can get wrecked in a fight.
And there will be fighting, he's certain of that.
"I'd love to mess up your lipstick," Lu Han says, "but Baekhyun's on the move. If you want to catch up with them you need to leave soon. I assume you know where you're going?"
Kai attempts to gulp down the knot of apprehension that's just formed in his throat. "I know where it is."
"I'm glad one of us does," Lay says as he returns. "I'd hate to get all dressed up for nothing."
"Hardly 'nothing'," Lu Han says, taking one of Lay's white-gloved hands and bowing graciously over it. "You'll knock 'em dead."
Kai gives Lu Han a sharp swat as a reminder to keep his hands to himself. "That's the plan."
Lu Han's sudden look of elation surprises Kai, but not as much as his own realisation that this is jealousy, this ugly, burning need that has him trying to stake his claim, in much the same way Lu Han did by giving him the collar. It's ridiculous, he knows. There's no need for it. Lu Han's only playing around.
Jealousy's an awful emotion, Kai decides, but he's never had cause to feel it before - no one he's ever wanted for himself. Being with Lu Han's expanding his horizons in more ways than one and most of them, on reflection, are good. The rest are...well, they're an adventure. His life's unlikely to be boring ever again.
Lu Han escorts them north, one on each arm, so he can give them updates on Baekhyun's location while acting as a deterrent for anyone who might feel inclined to make a pass. Now more than ever, Kai hopes not to be recognised. Lu Han's supremely self-satisfied smile ensures no one gets close enough to take a good look at their faces under the gaudy yellow-green glow of the Wall Market lights.
They spot Kris up ahead, approaching Don Corneo's mansion. Lu Han mutters a quick warning before vanishing back into his orb, giving Lay and Kai just enough time to disengage and steady themselves before they fall into each other. They catch up near the gates, before the doorman can spot them, and drag Kris around the nearest corner for a quiet word.
He's less than thrilled to see them. "You guys again! I knew you were following me!"
"Shh." Lay puts a finger to his lips. "Not 'guys' tonight."
"We're here to help," Kai says.
Kris takes a step back, crossing his arms "Thanks, but I'm doing fine by myself."
That appears to be true, at least regarding his disguise. Kris makes a very statuesque woman indeed, in a long cream gown with puffy sleeves to his elbows and a large pink bow in the back, in the middle of which is pinned Baekhyun's materia orb. It's not the most aesthetically pleasing colour combination in the world, but the soft blond wig, with its single thick braid trailing down between Kris's shoulders, makes up for it.
"Very pretty, Miss Kristina," Lay says. "How's that light, girlish whisper?"
Make-up does nothing to soften Kris's scowl. "I'm working on it."
A hasty comparison of voices settles the matter: 'Miss Layla' will have to do the talking, as neither 'Miss Kristina' nor 'Miss Kailee' can produce suitably feminine tones. Kris is understandably reluctant, but grudgingly agrees to working together on this job as long as he doesn't have to split his fee three ways. Also, they are never, under any circumstances, to admit to having seen him in a dress.
"I'm not in a rush to make this public either." Only the fear of smudging his make-up keeps Kai's face out of his hands. His one consolation is that the other two are in this as deep as he is, and he's not standing out here in a dress by himself. "What's the plan?"
"I hear the Don's in the market for a bride," Kris says. "And he's conducting all the interviews personally. I planned to kill him when we were alone. You okay with that?"
"What if we get in there and he decides to 'interview' one of us first?" Kai asks, pointing to himself and Lay.
"Then you hold him off until I get there. This is my responsibility." Kris is awfully earnest about this. "I have to be the one who does it."
That's fine, unless Kai's the one picked first, in which case Lu Han will probably pop out and slaughter Don Corneo if he so much as breathes near Kai. They're not talking about that, either. Kai figures it's easier to explain afterwards. He's more concerned about Lay, who has neither his staff nor Minseok with him, but Lay assures him it won't be a problem.
Kai's never been inside the mansion but he's seen more than enough of Don Corneo, making his rounds at the Honey Bee Inn to inspect his property. Lucky for him, the Don's not interested in keeping company with men - not unless they're on his personal security force and ready to die to protect him. Some of them might get to do that tonight, if they get in Kris's way.
"You go first," Kris instructs Lay, like he's been giving them orders all his life and didn't meet them for the first time this morning. "If the doorman says you're okay, tell him you've got a couple of cute friends you want to bring, and then come get us."
Lay nods and glides elegantly towards the front gate of Don Corneo's mansion.
Kris sighs. "I wish I could move that well in heels."
"Are you even wearing heels under that dress?" Kai asks. The material falls almost to the ground; he can't see the shoes beneath.
He gets a withering look for his trouble. "Combat boots, of course. We're going to have to leave in a hurry."
Of course. Kai tries to look as though he does this kind of thing all the time and knows what he's doing, and just hopes Lay remembers which building he left them behind.
He does, returning after a few minutes to lead them over to the mansion. The doorman wolfwhistles when he catches sight of them, a sound Kai hasn't heard since his Bee days, and it's as much an irritant as ever.
"You weren't kidding about them being cute!" the doorman says to Lay. "The Don's gonna be spoilt for choice tonight! You come right on in, ladies. Maybe one of you will be the lucky girl who gets to snag the Don's heart."
"Miss Kristina here has her heart set on it," Lay says sweetly, grabbing Kris by the arm. "She just can't wait."
Kris's smile is pained, to say the least. The doorman escorts them inside the mansion and leaves them in the care of one of Don Corneo's armed minions, with an offer to mend any broken hearts that might result from rejection by the Don. It's highly unlikely any of them would be that desperate, but they give him adoring smiles anyway and wait for the man himself to put in an appearance.
The reception area's all scrolls and dragons, a vision in red and gold decorated with antique vases, sturdy chests and tall, elegant plants. Kai's surprised by how respectable it looks, given its owner - who doesn't come down to see them but waves a careless hand through a door at the top of the stairs, prompting their guard minion to usher them up. The central door is far grander than the ones on either side; the right one is shut and the left, while open, appears to lead down a flight of dark stairs, to places Kai thinks he probably doesn't want to know about.
The central door leads to what can only be described as a throne room, complete with a long red carpet and a bunch of scary-looking statues. It's not designed for comfort - not for anyone other than its owner, at any rate - and lining up on the carpet, waiting for judgement, gives Kai the creeps. The handful of armed men standing at the back of the room don't help. Don Corneo's not exactly the most welcoming presence, either. Obese, balding, with a greasy stripe of blond hair that doesn't even come close to covering the gaudy red tattoo on his skull...should the Don ever manage to snare a wife, Kai thinks it's unlikely to be on the strength of his looks.
He paces up and down, looking them all over with a greedy eye that instantly makes Kai feel in need of a long, hot shower. This isn't about finding a bride and everyone in the room knows it. Once Don Corneo's done sleazing his way up and down the red carpet and made his choice, the chosen one can look forward to a night of...well, not much of a night, really, because even if the Don thinks they're women right now, that illusion's going to last only as long as it takes for him to get close enough to cop a feel.
Kai plasters a smile on his face and tries to look bright-eyed and eager. The expression seems more natural, less forced on Lay. On Kris, it looks downright scary.
Clearly, that's what Don Corneo likes, though, because he stops in front of 'Miss Kristina' and tells her to come with him for an 'interview'. Kris doesn't have to mask his look of triumph, though he still can't say anything without giving the game away.
"Oh, Miss Kristina, aren't you lucky?" Lay says, spreading it on with a trowel. "Of course you're the strong, silent type who won't say anything in public, but when he gets you alone..."
Don Corneo needs no further encouragement and grabs Kris by the hand, half-dragging him into the next room. Kai and Lay are left with a quartet of armed men, all of whom are giving them speculative looks.
"Come with us," one of them says. "We'll keep you girls from getting lonely while you wait for your friend. Let's give them a little privacy, huh?"
Kai doesn't know how much noise Baekhyun makes when he's summoned, but it's a fair bet that if Kris makes a move while they're all next door, the Don's men are going to hear it. Best to go with them, dispatch them out of earshot, and return for Kris. He and Lay allow themselves to be ushered out the door and into the room at the top right of the stairs.
It's a recreation room for the security guys, from the looks of things. There's a pool table, comfy seating, half-finished meals and a general air of slovenly disarray that's missing from the more public areas of the mansion. There's also a layer of tension so thick even Kris's broadsword might have a tough time cutting through it. Kai's not stupid. He knows what the deal is here, what it means to be a leftover. Don Corneo gets first pick, and his underlings get to play with the rejects.
Lay's still wearing that same amicable expression; Kai's not sure he appreciates the situation but there's no time to think about anyone else when the door lock clicks into place and the man with the biggest gun reaches for Kai. Getting shot isn't an option, not with no Restore materia to hand. They need to get those guns.
Kai all but throws himself at the man reaching for him, making like he's only been waiting for him to make the first move before unleashing a torrent of passion. He clings desperately to the man's side with one hand, pushing him down into a pile of cushions on the floor with such fervour that everyone else in the room starts laughing.
The laughter abruptly stops when Kai sits up with a pistol in his hand...and the howling begins when Lay smashes in the head of the man nearest him with a chair. It's an oddly brutal move for someone dressed so daintily. Kai sweeps the legs out from under another one, clocking him under the chin with a front snap kick for good measure, and that just leaves the fourth, who takes one look at his three dazed comrades and hands over his gun immediately.
Other than the guy who took a hit from the chair, the rest will be on their feet before long and they can't have that. Fortunately, thugs these men might be but they're all in uniform - including belts. Kai keeps the gun trained on the one who's still on his feet while Lay uses the men's belts to tie their hands behind them. It won't hold them for long, but it'll do.
No need to keep up the disguise now. Kai strips off his flimsy, shimmery gloves and jams them in his handbag, replacing them with his gauntlets. There, that feels so much better. Leather and metal and most importantly, Lu Han, where he belongs.
When the room's as secure as it's going to get Kai and Lay race back to the now-empty throne room. As Kai reaches for the bedroom door a blinding white light shines through the gap between door and frame, forcing him to shield his eyes when the wood itself seems to dissolve in one bright, brilliant burst. Lay yanks him back by the arm; Kai slips on the rug, pulling them both down to the floor. Rushing into the bedroom's off the cards; they can't even see if it still exists. It hurts too much to look into the light.
Kai keeps his face to the floor, occasionally peeking up to check the situation. When the light's dimmed sufficiently that he no longer has to fear for his eyesight, he cautiously approaches the bedroom, Lay right behind him. He expects to see the entire room torn to shreds, body parts splattered from floor to ceiling, Kris's beautiful cream dress drenched in blood.
Instead he finds Kris standing in the corner of the room, holding his hand out for a high-five, reluctantly given to him with a smirk and an eyeroll from a dark-haired, darker-eyed young man in white. Baekhyun, Kai assumes, though he doesn't get the chance to ask before the handsome young Summon vanishes back into his orb.
On the bed, Don Corneo lies flat on his back, slowly withering away to nothing. His fingers shrivel up into his hands, and then into his wrists. His bare toes curl up into his feet, which shrink into his ankles. His rolls of fat recede until they fit inside his baggy jeans once more, and then eat away at his dying organs beneath. His head - his tattooed, greasy blond head - is worst of all, the skin of his terrified face flattening, sinking into the crumbling bones of his skull. Kai watches with revulsion, unable to turn away despite his churning stomach. He's seen blood, and gore, and beatings of all colours and flavours, but he's never watched anyone become undone before.
"Baekhyun uses Judgement," Kris says quietly when there's nothing left on the sheets but rumpled clothing. "And if he judges you and finds you wanting..."
That Don Corneo has been found wanting is no surprise to anyone. It's only when Kai finally drags his eyes away from the bed that he realises Kris is no longer wearing his wig, and there's a tattoo peeking out from inside one torn sleeve. The wig's on the floor; Kai picks it up and hands it back. It does need to return to its owner at some point, after all.
"Did he put up a fight?" he asks.
Kris nods. "I had to give him time to remember her face. My client was pretty insistent on that point. Make sure he knew exactly why he had to pay."
Kai doesn't need to ask what happened to the girl. There are two ways working for Don Corneo can end in death, and both of them are his fault.
But not anymore. Someone else will take over the reins soon enough, but tonight, they've done something good.
"Is there anything else you have to do here or can we leave?" Kai asks. "I'm dying to get out of this dress."
"Yours does look kind of tight," Kris says. "And yeah, we can go. I've got my proof." He dangles a gold chain Kai recognises from Don Corneo's ugly neck. It's custom work and not a trinket the Don would have parted with, unless he'd also parted with his head. As far as evidence goes, it's as good as a corpse.
They make it as far as the door of the throne room before another wave of security attacks them. The man who surrendered before, he's with them, along with the one Kai tackled. The other two must still be down. There's not a lot of room to fight on the balcony. Punches now reassuringly heavy thanks to his gauntlets, Kai slams his right fist into the jaw of the nearest guard, sending him staggering back against the railings. Quick as a flash, Kris hikes up his skirt and uses a long, bare leg to trip him backwards. The resulting crash splinters the thin wooden railings, sending broken rods and a broken man to the floor below.
Lay's dress clings to him rather too much to allow him to do the same thing, but he's more than nimble enough to seize one of the rods for himself, using it to smash the hands of the first guard who tries to raise his gun. Someone else fires; the bullet goes wide, embedding itself into the far wall of the throne room. Kai tries to stay low, relying on the close quarters to keep most of the guards from firing. They're more likely to hit each other as they crowd up the stairs.
"There are more trying to climb up!" Lay calls. "I don't think we're getting down the stairs any time soon!"
Kai could teleport himself away from the mansion but that doesn't help the other two. Going out the window's not an option either - not unless they want to land on barbed wire - so Kai mentally crosses his fingers and hopes his Summon's had enough time to recharge since his last outing.
"Lu Han!"
At Kai's call, there's a deafening crash of metal and the guards lining the lower half of the staircase topple over like dominoes, suddenly displaced by Lu Han's arrival. It's been a while since Kai's seen him dressed for battle, in his gleaming armour and dark blue cape. His scimitar glows blue, the brightest light in the mansion now Baekhyun has disappeared, and hungry for blood.
Lu Han's smile lasts an instant alone, long enough to serve as a eulogy for Don Corneo's men, before the first falls beneath his blade. Nothing can withstand Zantetsuken. These are not monsters but mere humans, with thin, easily-cut skin and bones that shatter at the scimitar's touch. Lu Han dances his way through the mass of bodies, untouchable and utterly without mercy. Corpses pile up in the stairwell and below, enough that some of the men try to save themselves by leaping off the balcony. Some even make it out the door that way. Kai doesn't care. Anyone who gets out alive tonight ought to be smart enough never to return, and he won't be here if they do.
When it's over, mere seconds after it's begun, Lu Han takes Kai's gloved fingers in his own and bends down on one knee before him, somehow avoiding kneeling in any stray body parts. Kai's very conscious of Kris gawping next to him, and Lay's small, mysterious smile that he now knows represents extreme hilarity and amusement in Lay's own, understated way.
"What..." Kai begins, hoping this doesn't mean his Summon's about to ask for his hand in marriage.
"Since you're dressed the part, I thought I'd play the knight, my lady." Lu Han winks, which only makes him look like he's got something in his eye, and Kai's torn between wanting the ground to open up and swallow him and wanting to throw his arms around Lu Han's neck - not to strangle him, though that option could also work. Lu Han really does have a knack for earning him all the wrong kinds of attention.
"I'm not your lady!"
Kris is laughing in a most unladylike fashion now, mouth open wide, wiping at his eyes like this is the funniest thing he's seen in weeks. It might well be - he doesn't look like he gets much in the way of entertainment, if his perpetually annoyed expression is any indication. Lay's somewhat more sedate in his laughter. Great, Kai thinks. It's nice that they're bonding, but does it have to be over his embarrassment?
"You're not my lady," Lu Han agrees, rising to his feet, "but you should keep the dress." He cups a hand around Kai's ear and leans in to whisper, "I'd love to see you in it again sometime."
Kai resolves to shred the damned thing the second he's back in his own clothes. "Can we just get out of here before the rest of the city decides to come in and join us?"
"They'll never make it in here," Lay says. "Too many body parts on the floor."
The route down to the ground floor is rather treacherous, thanks to Lu Han's efforts, but Kai's all the more determined to navigate it himself when Lu Han jokingly offers to carry "his lady" down the stairs. At least, Kai hopes he's joking.
Three hot meals and three hotter showers later, Lu Han's back in his orb and Kai, Kris and Lay are crammed in Lay's room at the inn, all in their normal clothes. Kris has collected his payment - which, owing to the fact that he'd never have got in the mansion without Lay, and never got out without Kai, he actually offers to split between them - and there's something much less strained in the atmosphere now. Blood spilt is blood shared, perhaps. Whatever it is, Kai's relieved, because it might make Kris more receptive to what he has to say.
"You walked out on us when I suggested you didn't know yourself," Kai says. "You did that because it's true. right?"
Kris doesn't move from his position on the room's only chair, but his tone becomes guarded. "And if it is?"
"You're not the only one." Kai's not sure how much to give away about himself, about the past that he does remember and wants to put behind him, and the past he has no idea about but would like to discover. "I don't know if Baekhyun ever talks to you about you having been someone else, before?"
"We don't get a lot of time for talking," Kris says. "I found him recently; he's not strong enough to stay out all that long yet."
"Well, Lu Han talks a lot. Not that he tells me much," Kai admits, "but enough for me to believe him. He says we have to stick together to find out who we were."
"If he knows, why doesn't he just tell you?"
"Summons are mysterious," Lay says. "Minseok doesn't like to explain anything either. I don't think they're allowed to."
"So what, I'm supposed to follow you two around like a lost puppy while you go on a quest to find yourselves?" Kris shakes his head. "I don't think so. Tonight was a one-off. My identity's none of your business. Thanks for the help, but if I have to split everything three ways I'm never making any money."
"There's more to life than money." Kai wonders if Kris is also from the slums, if he's used to doing without, and that's why he's financially driven. "You could've died tonight."
"So? You think it'll make a difference if it happens now or when the world finally ends?"
"Maybe not." Kai shrugs. "The way things are going, that might not be far off. But if it's money you want, then look at it this way: think of the greater variety of jobs you'll be able to accept with the two of us and our Summons on your side. Lay's a healer, too. You didn't get hurt tonight but..."
"Maybe next time," Kris finishes for him. "Yeah. Okay. I can see your point. You might be useful. But this is my show, and if I think it's not working out, I'm walking."
They shake on it before Kris leaves them for the night, arranging to meet for breakfast to discuss their next move. Kai thinks one way or another, it'll probably come from Lu Han, but it doesn't sound as though Kris will be terribly receptive to that. If money's what he wants, money they can get. It's not as if Kai has any idea how long this is supposed to take, or how he's supposed to learn about himself. They have to survive in the meantime. There's time for Kris to come around, to come to terms with everything. He's only just met them - Kai doesn't blame him for not wanting to open up about himself.
"What if you say one thing and Kris says another?" Kai asks Lu Han later, when he's alone in his room and Lu Han's voice is a comforting hum in his mind. He'd rather keep things that way for the moment, at least until he's had a chance to burn the dress, and after last night's awkwardness he'd like to take the time to think things over for a bit. The more he learns about Lu Han, the more questions he has - he's working on accepting that some answers, they'll have to find together.
"Then you follow him," Lu Han says. "You used to, long ago. He'll find that out before you will, I think."
"But what about you?"
"You'll remember me one day too."
That's not what Kai was asking, but he knows it's useless to press his point when Lu Han's wilfully misunderstanding him. So he asks something else.
"In that time I don't remember, were we together like this?"
Lu Han doesn't reply immediately; Kai can picture him considering the answer, how much he can tell. In the end he says, "Not as master and Summon, but we've always been together."
Kai smiles to himself, hoping Lu Han can pick up the burst of happiness from his thoughts. "Then I have something good to remember."
"Cling to that thought," Lu Han advises. "Because I can promise you this: the rest is a past you'd all rather forget."
Fandom: EXO (sort of fused with Final Fantasy VII)
Series: Phoenix Down (#3)
Pairing: Lu Han/Kai
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, crossover (sort of)
Dress to Kill 2/2
Part 1
The Sector 7 slums are worse than Kai remembers, some of the buildings merely bent frames draped with ragged bolts of cloth. They don't pass his old house on the way to the 7th Heaven bar and restaurant, which is where, Lu Han tells him, they will find their mystery man. They do pass the hall where he used to take ballet classes, now barricaded with planks of wood over the doors, and the foundations of the old schoolhouse, all that remains after the fire. It's hardly a sightseeing tour and he's careful not to look too much about him as he leads Lay and their chocobos to the bar.
They draw attention anyway, from a couple of young kids who try their hand at picking Lay's pocket (he doesn't notice, but Kai intervenes - Lay doesn't notice that, either), and a group of toughs who think better of messing with them after Kai glares in their direction.
Nobody Kai recognises, and he's grateful for that. He's never been inside the 7th Heaven, so hopefully there won't be any familiar faces in there, either. They tether their chocobos to a ring set against the side wall of the bar and he shoots Lay a 'here goes nothing' glance.
"Do you know who we're looking for?" Lay asks. "I didn't see him in the gym."
"I did."
"How did he look?"
"Angry," Kai says. "But that might just have been the eyebrows."
It's nine in the morning, not exactly a prime time for drinking, so while the 7th Heaven's got a few stragglers finishing off breakfast at the tables, there's no one at the bar. Their mystery man's seated at the back by himself, watching the pretty girl playing with the pinball machine in between scribbling notes on a pad. Kai hopes he won't mind being interrupted.
But talking to people is hard. He thinks he might've used up all his words on Lu Han last night.
Lay is much more sanguine about the whole affair and approaches the table without hesitation. "This is going to sound a little strange," he says to the blond man while Kai hovers anxiously at his elbow, "but apparently we used to know each other."
The blond man raises his head from his notebook, giving them about as unimpressed a look as Kai's ever seen. "I don't know who you guys are, but we've never met."
"We hadn't met each other until recently, either," Lay continues blithely. "You'll get the hang of it soon enough."
"The hang of what?"
The blond man stands up, and yep, Kai's first impression was right, this guy's tall. Not that Kai's diminutive himself, but his new acquaintance has him beat by a good few inches.
Now would be a really helpful time for Lu Han to emerge and say his piece, but he doesn't, and he's been remarkably quiet all morning.
"I'm sure you think what you're saying makes sense," the blond man says. "But I'm kind of busy, so-"
"Watching girls?" Kai says. "Yeah, you look rushed off your feet."
"I'm taking notes. It's for work."
"Of course it is." Kai picks up the notebook and begins reading the open page aloud. "Don't stand like you're riding a horse. Glide, don't stride. Huh?"
"Give me that." The notebook's owner plucks it from Kai's hand, shoving it and his pen deep in the pockets of his black leather coat. He's wearing fingerless gloves to match. "Brat."
"That's an interesting line of work," Lay says. "We were told you were a mercenary."
"You were told right. If you're looking to hire me, leave the details at the bar and tell them it's for 'Kris'. If not, can you leave me to work?"
"Kris? That's you?" Kai says. Hiring him's not in the plan.
Kris nods, so Kai hurriedly introduces himself and Lay. He leaves out the part where none of them are using their real names, because none of them know them, so that doesn't help. Lu Han's still annoyingly silent in the background.
"We're not interested in hiring you," Lay says when Kai's done, and that's when Kris turns to leave.
"Then I need to be going," he says. "Got a lot to do today."
"Like taking more notes on girls?" Kai blurts out. "Who pays for something like that?"
"A guy who wants revenge for his dead girlfriend and is prepared to pay for the disguise I need to get myself through the door of a brothel," Kris says.
Kai has a bad feeling about this. "The Honey Bee Inn?"
"Yeah." Kris looks at him curiously. "You know it?"
"Well enough to know you're not getting in there with that sword on your back." Kris looks like trouble, not a customer looking for a good time, and Kai wants to crumple up and die when Kris's glance turns appraising. There are two possible conclusions he can draw from Kai's speech and neither is flattering.
"I wasn't planning on taking it in with me," Kris says at last. "It's not the Inn I need to get into, anyway. My client's holding the owner personally responsible, and he doesn't see anyone but girls."
"So you're going in as a girl?" Lay says. "You might want to try smiling; I'm sure he'd like you better then."
"I'd be smiling right now if you two would leave me in peace," Kris growls. Voice-wise, he's about as well-placed as Kai to disguise himself as a girl. Perhaps if he never opens his mouth?
"Are you sure you can handle it yourself?" Kai asks. "Don Corneo keeps heavy security."
"Your concern's touching but I won't be alone." Kris smirks and unsheathes his sword - just wielding the thing looks like a workout in itself, Kai thinks - to display the glowing red Summon materia slotted into the hilt. "I can move him into something more portable and take him with me."
"Baekhyun," Kai repeats a beat after Lu Han speaks the name in his head.
Kris's smirk dissolves in momentary confusion. "How did you know that?"
"Lu Han told me." Kai pulls back his left jacket sleeve to reveal the materia slots in his gauntlet. "He told us to find you."
"And now you've found me, so what?"
"How about we help you with this job?" Lay suggests. "It sounds like you could use the back-up."
Kris shakes his head and says, with evident sarcasm, "Maybe next time."
"There won't be a next time if you get yourself into trouble," Kai retorts, irritated by the way he and Lay are being casually dismissed.
"And the two of you are going to get me out of it?" Kris says. "I don't think so. I don't even know you."
"Lu Han says you don't know yourself either," Kai says, and notes a flicker of anxiety cross Kris's face.
"That's none of your business!"
With a swish of his long black coat, Kris is out the door before Kai can even offer to explain himself - not that he has the words - and it only takes a heartbeat for him to decide their next course of action.
"We're following him!"
"We are?" Lay almost leaves his staff behind in the rush and ends up bunny-hopping down the steps to catch up. "But won't we overtake him on chocobos?"
Kai points into the distance, where Kris, mounted on a blinding white chocobo, appears to be attempting to set a new speed record. "Not when he's on one too!"
Booking a second night in that inn turns out to have been a wise move after all; back to Sector 6 they go. Kai pulls his hood up again as they enter Wall Market and tries to tune out Lu Han inside his head, telling him he's doing well and to keep going. Explaining himself has never been Kai's strong point. Words in general have never been Kai's strong point.
By the time they dispense with their chocobos, Kris is already disappearing into the boutique.
"He must be shopping for a dress," Lay says. "Do you think he'll wear heels?"
He sounds remarkably calm; an asset, as far as Kai's concerned, because one of them has to be and it sure isn't him.
"I don't know," Kai says, "and I don't care. What I do know is that Don Corneo's security won't play nice with him either way, and somehow I don't think he's going to make the most convincing woman ever."
"I think he'll surprise you," Lay says with a mysterious half-smile. "If you're sure about the security, then we should go too."
Kai expects awkward questions but once again they don't come. Perhaps it's sheer politeness. Perhaps it's that Lay doesn't want to know too much about Kai's past, because then he might have to divulge more of his own. Perhaps he simply doesn't care. It's nice, having someone like that in his life. Lu Han doesn't ask, but Lu Han doesn't need to ask, and that only makes Kai appreciate Lay more.
"As girls?"
"As girls," Lay confirms. "I think you'd look quite alluring with eyeliner."
"I think he's right," Lu Han says in Kai's mind, in between fits of laughter. "Something dark and shimmery, a touch of mysterious eyeliner..."
Kai's stint as a Bee had been rather more enlightening than he'd have liked regarding the use of cosmetics - the girls had enjoyed making up the men, on occasion - and he has a feeling Lu Han, as a sometime customer of the Honey Bee Inn, is well aware of this. Not exactly the kind of support and encouragement he's looking for from his Summon...
Lay's surprisingly efficient when it comes to organising their disguise, picking out their dresses with confidence Kai only wishes he possessed. Pale blue works well for Lay, with his fair skin, and for Kai, he hits upon a short, purple-black number with a sparkling silver panel in the front to match Kai's collar and show off his legs - which he refuses to shave, so they get him thick dark tights, too. They get a discount because Lay heals the boutique owner's sprained ankle, and he even throws in the shoes for free. (Men's sizes, the owner assures them, are not a problem. Half the guys at the gym wear his shoes - guaranteed not to wobble in a fight.)
Glamorous they might be but girlish they're not, until Kai has the bright idea of borrowing wigs from the guys at the gym. It takes winning an impromptu dance contest - Lay's no slouch on the dancefloor himself, as it turns out - before they're granted the loan of a shoulder-length red wig for Lay, and a straight, dark brown wig for Kai that falls down almost to his waist. They're too late to borrow the blond wig - Kris has beaten them to it.
They spot him from time to time around Wall Market, equipping himself for the night. They'll all need to be convincing if they're going to get through the door, and that'll take more than pretty dresses. Perfume's expensive, so they make liberal use of the testers at the counter, and Kai reluctantly looks up one of his former Bee colleagues to enlist her help in painting their faces. She also lends him a shoulder bag to keep his gauntlets in while he's in disguise. Lay's staff, regrettably, they can't hide, so it remains in the inn with their regular clothing.
"My dress isn't much longer than my wig," Kai says when they get ready for the night. This is like being a Bee again, only ten times more embarrassing. On the plus side, he doesn't have to wear wings anymore. "You look like a lounge singer. I look like the waitress in some sleazy bar."
"Not so sleazy," Lay says, stuffing another handful of tissue down the front of his dress, "but a bit stand-offish. Try to look more...playful?"
Lu Han, who's reclining on Kai's bed while he watches the two of them prepare in front of the mirror, looks entirely too amused as far as Kai's concerned. There's no helping it, though - Kai can't hear him otherwise, now he's no longer wearing his gauntlets, and they need Lu Han to tell them when Baekhyun and his master are on the move.
"Do the kitten claws," Lu Han suggests. "You look playful then. And the little smile that bares your teeth and says 'I think I'm fierce'."
"I'll claw you in a minute," Kai snarls.
Lu Han grins at him, utterly unconcerned. "Promises, promises."
Kai swipes gloved fingers in Lu Han's direction and goes back to wrestling with his tights. They're both wearing dainty gloves to cover their short, bare fingernails - black for him, white for Lay. Kai misses the comforting weight and feel of the mythril studding his gauntlets. These flimsy little things aren't going to do him much good in a fight.
Lay excuses himself to the bathroom when they're done, so Lu Han takes the opportunity to conduct a hands-on inspection of Kai's disguise. "You're not quite even," he says, reaching for the lumpy mounds of tissue plumping out the front of the dress, and then freezing, fingers hovering in mid-air while he asks, with an eyebrow raise, if it's okay.
Kai nods; Lu Han redistributes the padding more evenly without actually brushing any skin at all. It's still the most they've touched since last night.
"You look lovely." Lu Han steps back when he's done.
"Not too weird?"
"Not a very girly girl," Lu Han admits, "but you do make an excellent exotic warrior princess."
Maybe it's not so bad. Kai's sleek black boots aren't so high he can't run in them, and the toes are steel-capped. He's been physically active all his life, leaving him with strong, shapely legs and arms that, if somewhat more muscled than the average woman, are not going to draw too much attention to him - his dress being minus sleeves, and indeed minus a great deal of fabric that might otherwise have covered him. Still, the less he's wearing, the less can get wrecked in a fight.
And there will be fighting, he's certain of that.
"I'd love to mess up your lipstick," Lu Han says, "but Baekhyun's on the move. If you want to catch up with them you need to leave soon. I assume you know where you're going?"
Kai attempts to gulp down the knot of apprehension that's just formed in his throat. "I know where it is."
"I'm glad one of us does," Lay says as he returns. "I'd hate to get all dressed up for nothing."
"Hardly 'nothing'," Lu Han says, taking one of Lay's white-gloved hands and bowing graciously over it. "You'll knock 'em dead."
Kai gives Lu Han a sharp swat as a reminder to keep his hands to himself. "That's the plan."
Lu Han's sudden look of elation surprises Kai, but not as much as his own realisation that this is jealousy, this ugly, burning need that has him trying to stake his claim, in much the same way Lu Han did by giving him the collar. It's ridiculous, he knows. There's no need for it. Lu Han's only playing around.
Jealousy's an awful emotion, Kai decides, but he's never had cause to feel it before - no one he's ever wanted for himself. Being with Lu Han's expanding his horizons in more ways than one and most of them, on reflection, are good. The rest are...well, they're an adventure. His life's unlikely to be boring ever again.
Lu Han escorts them north, one on each arm, so he can give them updates on Baekhyun's location while acting as a deterrent for anyone who might feel inclined to make a pass. Now more than ever, Kai hopes not to be recognised. Lu Han's supremely self-satisfied smile ensures no one gets close enough to take a good look at their faces under the gaudy yellow-green glow of the Wall Market lights.
They spot Kris up ahead, approaching Don Corneo's mansion. Lu Han mutters a quick warning before vanishing back into his orb, giving Lay and Kai just enough time to disengage and steady themselves before they fall into each other. They catch up near the gates, before the doorman can spot them, and drag Kris around the nearest corner for a quiet word.
He's less than thrilled to see them. "You guys again! I knew you were following me!"
"Shh." Lay puts a finger to his lips. "Not 'guys' tonight."
"We're here to help," Kai says.
Kris takes a step back, crossing his arms "Thanks, but I'm doing fine by myself."
That appears to be true, at least regarding his disguise. Kris makes a very statuesque woman indeed, in a long cream gown with puffy sleeves to his elbows and a large pink bow in the back, in the middle of which is pinned Baekhyun's materia orb. It's not the most aesthetically pleasing colour combination in the world, but the soft blond wig, with its single thick braid trailing down between Kris's shoulders, makes up for it.
"Very pretty, Miss Kristina," Lay says. "How's that light, girlish whisper?"
Make-up does nothing to soften Kris's scowl. "I'm working on it."
A hasty comparison of voices settles the matter: 'Miss Layla' will have to do the talking, as neither 'Miss Kristina' nor 'Miss Kailee' can produce suitably feminine tones. Kris is understandably reluctant, but grudgingly agrees to working together on this job as long as he doesn't have to split his fee three ways. Also, they are never, under any circumstances, to admit to having seen him in a dress.
"I'm not in a rush to make this public either." Only the fear of smudging his make-up keeps Kai's face out of his hands. His one consolation is that the other two are in this as deep as he is, and he's not standing out here in a dress by himself. "What's the plan?"
"I hear the Don's in the market for a bride," Kris says. "And he's conducting all the interviews personally. I planned to kill him when we were alone. You okay with that?"
"What if we get in there and he decides to 'interview' one of us first?" Kai asks, pointing to himself and Lay.
"Then you hold him off until I get there. This is my responsibility." Kris is awfully earnest about this. "I have to be the one who does it."
That's fine, unless Kai's the one picked first, in which case Lu Han will probably pop out and slaughter Don Corneo if he so much as breathes near Kai. They're not talking about that, either. Kai figures it's easier to explain afterwards. He's more concerned about Lay, who has neither his staff nor Minseok with him, but Lay assures him it won't be a problem.
Kai's never been inside the mansion but he's seen more than enough of Don Corneo, making his rounds at the Honey Bee Inn to inspect his property. Lucky for him, the Don's not interested in keeping company with men - not unless they're on his personal security force and ready to die to protect him. Some of them might get to do that tonight, if they get in Kris's way.
"You go first," Kris instructs Lay, like he's been giving them orders all his life and didn't meet them for the first time this morning. "If the doorman says you're okay, tell him you've got a couple of cute friends you want to bring, and then come get us."
Lay nods and glides elegantly towards the front gate of Don Corneo's mansion.
Kris sighs. "I wish I could move that well in heels."
"Are you even wearing heels under that dress?" Kai asks. The material falls almost to the ground; he can't see the shoes beneath.
He gets a withering look for his trouble. "Combat boots, of course. We're going to have to leave in a hurry."
Of course. Kai tries to look as though he does this kind of thing all the time and knows what he's doing, and just hopes Lay remembers which building he left them behind.
He does, returning after a few minutes to lead them over to the mansion. The doorman wolfwhistles when he catches sight of them, a sound Kai hasn't heard since his Bee days, and it's as much an irritant as ever.
"You weren't kidding about them being cute!" the doorman says to Lay. "The Don's gonna be spoilt for choice tonight! You come right on in, ladies. Maybe one of you will be the lucky girl who gets to snag the Don's heart."
"Miss Kristina here has her heart set on it," Lay says sweetly, grabbing Kris by the arm. "She just can't wait."
Kris's smile is pained, to say the least. The doorman escorts them inside the mansion and leaves them in the care of one of Don Corneo's armed minions, with an offer to mend any broken hearts that might result from rejection by the Don. It's highly unlikely any of them would be that desperate, but they give him adoring smiles anyway and wait for the man himself to put in an appearance.
The reception area's all scrolls and dragons, a vision in red and gold decorated with antique vases, sturdy chests and tall, elegant plants. Kai's surprised by how respectable it looks, given its owner - who doesn't come down to see them but waves a careless hand through a door at the top of the stairs, prompting their guard minion to usher them up. The central door is far grander than the ones on either side; the right one is shut and the left, while open, appears to lead down a flight of dark stairs, to places Kai thinks he probably doesn't want to know about.
The central door leads to what can only be described as a throne room, complete with a long red carpet and a bunch of scary-looking statues. It's not designed for comfort - not for anyone other than its owner, at any rate - and lining up on the carpet, waiting for judgement, gives Kai the creeps. The handful of armed men standing at the back of the room don't help. Don Corneo's not exactly the most welcoming presence, either. Obese, balding, with a greasy stripe of blond hair that doesn't even come close to covering the gaudy red tattoo on his skull...should the Don ever manage to snare a wife, Kai thinks it's unlikely to be on the strength of his looks.
He paces up and down, looking them all over with a greedy eye that instantly makes Kai feel in need of a long, hot shower. This isn't about finding a bride and everyone in the room knows it. Once Don Corneo's done sleazing his way up and down the red carpet and made his choice, the chosen one can look forward to a night of...well, not much of a night, really, because even if the Don thinks they're women right now, that illusion's going to last only as long as it takes for him to get close enough to cop a feel.
Kai plasters a smile on his face and tries to look bright-eyed and eager. The expression seems more natural, less forced on Lay. On Kris, it looks downright scary.
Clearly, that's what Don Corneo likes, though, because he stops in front of 'Miss Kristina' and tells her to come with him for an 'interview'. Kris doesn't have to mask his look of triumph, though he still can't say anything without giving the game away.
"Oh, Miss Kristina, aren't you lucky?" Lay says, spreading it on with a trowel. "Of course you're the strong, silent type who won't say anything in public, but when he gets you alone..."
Don Corneo needs no further encouragement and grabs Kris by the hand, half-dragging him into the next room. Kai and Lay are left with a quartet of armed men, all of whom are giving them speculative looks.
"Come with us," one of them says. "We'll keep you girls from getting lonely while you wait for your friend. Let's give them a little privacy, huh?"
Kai doesn't know how much noise Baekhyun makes when he's summoned, but it's a fair bet that if Kris makes a move while they're all next door, the Don's men are going to hear it. Best to go with them, dispatch them out of earshot, and return for Kris. He and Lay allow themselves to be ushered out the door and into the room at the top right of the stairs.
It's a recreation room for the security guys, from the looks of things. There's a pool table, comfy seating, half-finished meals and a general air of slovenly disarray that's missing from the more public areas of the mansion. There's also a layer of tension so thick even Kris's broadsword might have a tough time cutting through it. Kai's not stupid. He knows what the deal is here, what it means to be a leftover. Don Corneo gets first pick, and his underlings get to play with the rejects.
Lay's still wearing that same amicable expression; Kai's not sure he appreciates the situation but there's no time to think about anyone else when the door lock clicks into place and the man with the biggest gun reaches for Kai. Getting shot isn't an option, not with no Restore materia to hand. They need to get those guns.
Kai all but throws himself at the man reaching for him, making like he's only been waiting for him to make the first move before unleashing a torrent of passion. He clings desperately to the man's side with one hand, pushing him down into a pile of cushions on the floor with such fervour that everyone else in the room starts laughing.
The laughter abruptly stops when Kai sits up with a pistol in his hand...and the howling begins when Lay smashes in the head of the man nearest him with a chair. It's an oddly brutal move for someone dressed so daintily. Kai sweeps the legs out from under another one, clocking him under the chin with a front snap kick for good measure, and that just leaves the fourth, who takes one look at his three dazed comrades and hands over his gun immediately.
Other than the guy who took a hit from the chair, the rest will be on their feet before long and they can't have that. Fortunately, thugs these men might be but they're all in uniform - including belts. Kai keeps the gun trained on the one who's still on his feet while Lay uses the men's belts to tie their hands behind them. It won't hold them for long, but it'll do.
No need to keep up the disguise now. Kai strips off his flimsy, shimmery gloves and jams them in his handbag, replacing them with his gauntlets. There, that feels so much better. Leather and metal and most importantly, Lu Han, where he belongs.
When the room's as secure as it's going to get Kai and Lay race back to the now-empty throne room. As Kai reaches for the bedroom door a blinding white light shines through the gap between door and frame, forcing him to shield his eyes when the wood itself seems to dissolve in one bright, brilliant burst. Lay yanks him back by the arm; Kai slips on the rug, pulling them both down to the floor. Rushing into the bedroom's off the cards; they can't even see if it still exists. It hurts too much to look into the light.
Kai keeps his face to the floor, occasionally peeking up to check the situation. When the light's dimmed sufficiently that he no longer has to fear for his eyesight, he cautiously approaches the bedroom, Lay right behind him. He expects to see the entire room torn to shreds, body parts splattered from floor to ceiling, Kris's beautiful cream dress drenched in blood.
Instead he finds Kris standing in the corner of the room, holding his hand out for a high-five, reluctantly given to him with a smirk and an eyeroll from a dark-haired, darker-eyed young man in white. Baekhyun, Kai assumes, though he doesn't get the chance to ask before the handsome young Summon vanishes back into his orb.
On the bed, Don Corneo lies flat on his back, slowly withering away to nothing. His fingers shrivel up into his hands, and then into his wrists. His bare toes curl up into his feet, which shrink into his ankles. His rolls of fat recede until they fit inside his baggy jeans once more, and then eat away at his dying organs beneath. His head - his tattooed, greasy blond head - is worst of all, the skin of his terrified face flattening, sinking into the crumbling bones of his skull. Kai watches with revulsion, unable to turn away despite his churning stomach. He's seen blood, and gore, and beatings of all colours and flavours, but he's never watched anyone become undone before.
"Baekhyun uses Judgement," Kris says quietly when there's nothing left on the sheets but rumpled clothing. "And if he judges you and finds you wanting..."
That Don Corneo has been found wanting is no surprise to anyone. It's only when Kai finally drags his eyes away from the bed that he realises Kris is no longer wearing his wig, and there's a tattoo peeking out from inside one torn sleeve. The wig's on the floor; Kai picks it up and hands it back. It does need to return to its owner at some point, after all.
"Did he put up a fight?" he asks.
Kris nods. "I had to give him time to remember her face. My client was pretty insistent on that point. Make sure he knew exactly why he had to pay."
Kai doesn't need to ask what happened to the girl. There are two ways working for Don Corneo can end in death, and both of them are his fault.
But not anymore. Someone else will take over the reins soon enough, but tonight, they've done something good.
"Is there anything else you have to do here or can we leave?" Kai asks. "I'm dying to get out of this dress."
"Yours does look kind of tight," Kris says. "And yeah, we can go. I've got my proof." He dangles a gold chain Kai recognises from Don Corneo's ugly neck. It's custom work and not a trinket the Don would have parted with, unless he'd also parted with his head. As far as evidence goes, it's as good as a corpse.
They make it as far as the door of the throne room before another wave of security attacks them. The man who surrendered before, he's with them, along with the one Kai tackled. The other two must still be down. There's not a lot of room to fight on the balcony. Punches now reassuringly heavy thanks to his gauntlets, Kai slams his right fist into the jaw of the nearest guard, sending him staggering back against the railings. Quick as a flash, Kris hikes up his skirt and uses a long, bare leg to trip him backwards. The resulting crash splinters the thin wooden railings, sending broken rods and a broken man to the floor below.
Lay's dress clings to him rather too much to allow him to do the same thing, but he's more than nimble enough to seize one of the rods for himself, using it to smash the hands of the first guard who tries to raise his gun. Someone else fires; the bullet goes wide, embedding itself into the far wall of the throne room. Kai tries to stay low, relying on the close quarters to keep most of the guards from firing. They're more likely to hit each other as they crowd up the stairs.
"There are more trying to climb up!" Lay calls. "I don't think we're getting down the stairs any time soon!"
Kai could teleport himself away from the mansion but that doesn't help the other two. Going out the window's not an option either - not unless they want to land on barbed wire - so Kai mentally crosses his fingers and hopes his Summon's had enough time to recharge since his last outing.
"Lu Han!"
At Kai's call, there's a deafening crash of metal and the guards lining the lower half of the staircase topple over like dominoes, suddenly displaced by Lu Han's arrival. It's been a while since Kai's seen him dressed for battle, in his gleaming armour and dark blue cape. His scimitar glows blue, the brightest light in the mansion now Baekhyun has disappeared, and hungry for blood.
Lu Han's smile lasts an instant alone, long enough to serve as a eulogy for Don Corneo's men, before the first falls beneath his blade. Nothing can withstand Zantetsuken. These are not monsters but mere humans, with thin, easily-cut skin and bones that shatter at the scimitar's touch. Lu Han dances his way through the mass of bodies, untouchable and utterly without mercy. Corpses pile up in the stairwell and below, enough that some of the men try to save themselves by leaping off the balcony. Some even make it out the door that way. Kai doesn't care. Anyone who gets out alive tonight ought to be smart enough never to return, and he won't be here if they do.
When it's over, mere seconds after it's begun, Lu Han takes Kai's gloved fingers in his own and bends down on one knee before him, somehow avoiding kneeling in any stray body parts. Kai's very conscious of Kris gawping next to him, and Lay's small, mysterious smile that he now knows represents extreme hilarity and amusement in Lay's own, understated way.
"What..." Kai begins, hoping this doesn't mean his Summon's about to ask for his hand in marriage.
"Since you're dressed the part, I thought I'd play the knight, my lady." Lu Han winks, which only makes him look like he's got something in his eye, and Kai's torn between wanting the ground to open up and swallow him and wanting to throw his arms around Lu Han's neck - not to strangle him, though that option could also work. Lu Han really does have a knack for earning him all the wrong kinds of attention.
"I'm not your lady!"
Kris is laughing in a most unladylike fashion now, mouth open wide, wiping at his eyes like this is the funniest thing he's seen in weeks. It might well be - he doesn't look like he gets much in the way of entertainment, if his perpetually annoyed expression is any indication. Lay's somewhat more sedate in his laughter. Great, Kai thinks. It's nice that they're bonding, but does it have to be over his embarrassment?
"You're not my lady," Lu Han agrees, rising to his feet, "but you should keep the dress." He cups a hand around Kai's ear and leans in to whisper, "I'd love to see you in it again sometime."
Kai resolves to shred the damned thing the second he's back in his own clothes. "Can we just get out of here before the rest of the city decides to come in and join us?"
"They'll never make it in here," Lay says. "Too many body parts on the floor."
The route down to the ground floor is rather treacherous, thanks to Lu Han's efforts, but Kai's all the more determined to navigate it himself when Lu Han jokingly offers to carry "his lady" down the stairs. At least, Kai hopes he's joking.
Three hot meals and three hotter showers later, Lu Han's back in his orb and Kai, Kris and Lay are crammed in Lay's room at the inn, all in their normal clothes. Kris has collected his payment - which, owing to the fact that he'd never have got in the mansion without Lay, and never got out without Kai, he actually offers to split between them - and there's something much less strained in the atmosphere now. Blood spilt is blood shared, perhaps. Whatever it is, Kai's relieved, because it might make Kris more receptive to what he has to say.
"You walked out on us when I suggested you didn't know yourself," Kai says. "You did that because it's true. right?"
Kris doesn't move from his position on the room's only chair, but his tone becomes guarded. "And if it is?"
"You're not the only one." Kai's not sure how much to give away about himself, about the past that he does remember and wants to put behind him, and the past he has no idea about but would like to discover. "I don't know if Baekhyun ever talks to you about you having been someone else, before?"
"We don't get a lot of time for talking," Kris says. "I found him recently; he's not strong enough to stay out all that long yet."
"Well, Lu Han talks a lot. Not that he tells me much," Kai admits, "but enough for me to believe him. He says we have to stick together to find out who we were."
"If he knows, why doesn't he just tell you?"
"Summons are mysterious," Lay says. "Minseok doesn't like to explain anything either. I don't think they're allowed to."
"So what, I'm supposed to follow you two around like a lost puppy while you go on a quest to find yourselves?" Kris shakes his head. "I don't think so. Tonight was a one-off. My identity's none of your business. Thanks for the help, but if I have to split everything three ways I'm never making any money."
"There's more to life than money." Kai wonders if Kris is also from the slums, if he's used to doing without, and that's why he's financially driven. "You could've died tonight."
"So? You think it'll make a difference if it happens now or when the world finally ends?"
"Maybe not." Kai shrugs. "The way things are going, that might not be far off. But if it's money you want, then look at it this way: think of the greater variety of jobs you'll be able to accept with the two of us and our Summons on your side. Lay's a healer, too. You didn't get hurt tonight but..."
"Maybe next time," Kris finishes for him. "Yeah. Okay. I can see your point. You might be useful. But this is my show, and if I think it's not working out, I'm walking."
They shake on it before Kris leaves them for the night, arranging to meet for breakfast to discuss their next move. Kai thinks one way or another, it'll probably come from Lu Han, but it doesn't sound as though Kris will be terribly receptive to that. If money's what he wants, money they can get. It's not as if Kai has any idea how long this is supposed to take, or how he's supposed to learn about himself. They have to survive in the meantime. There's time for Kris to come around, to come to terms with everything. He's only just met them - Kai doesn't blame him for not wanting to open up about himself.
"What if you say one thing and Kris says another?" Kai asks Lu Han later, when he's alone in his room and Lu Han's voice is a comforting hum in his mind. He'd rather keep things that way for the moment, at least until he's had a chance to burn the dress, and after last night's awkwardness he'd like to take the time to think things over for a bit. The more he learns about Lu Han, the more questions he has - he's working on accepting that some answers, they'll have to find together.
"Then you follow him," Lu Han says. "You used to, long ago. He'll find that out before you will, I think."
"But what about you?"
"You'll remember me one day too."
That's not what Kai was asking, but he knows it's useless to press his point when Lu Han's wilfully misunderstanding him. So he asks something else.
"In that time I don't remember, were we together like this?"
Lu Han doesn't reply immediately; Kai can picture him considering the answer, how much he can tell. In the end he says, "Not as master and Summon, but we've always been together."
Kai smiles to himself, hoping Lu Han can pick up the burst of happiness from his thoughts. "Then I have something good to remember."
"Cling to that thought," Lu Han advises. "Because I can promise you this: the rest is a past you'd all rather forget."