It was around Christmas time, a blanket of white covered the concrete streets of Shinjuku and people were buying the presents for the family and friends, trying to finish the shopping early so as to have everything in check, and relax at home where it's warm.
The few who weren't home or going home, either were the unlucky ones to have night shifts or those who simply didn't have any home.
The Get Backers belonged to the last one but, this day they were both sleeping under the roof of the Honky Tonky, courtesy of Paul Wan -"The heater's going to be on all night. Might as well have you enjoy it!"
With this benevolent action, two very tired retrievers could rest properly without freezing. Yes because the Ladybug's heater was broken and, sleeping surrounded by metal when it's snowing it's very, very… unadvisable.
Both were sleeping in the backroom: one on the couch, the other on the bed (why the café owner had a bed they didn't know).
Ban Mido was the one on the couch, sleeping contently and in peace, a book next to him.
The Jagan user managed to find a Charles Dickens book and had read it until falling asleep. Now he was dreaming.
Of what? Hmm… let's take a peek.
- Ban's dream -
Ban walked in darkness, cigarette on his lips and hands in his pockets.
A small impatient growl escaped his throat "Where the hell am I?" an eco of his angry question answered him. With a sigh, he sat on the floor, stubbornly refusing to leave until someone answered him.
To pass the time, he played with his lighter, eyes absently watching the object. Without his permission, his mind conjured a scene of his past. He shook his head violently to erase it.
"Bad memory?" a voice in front of him asked. A very familiar voice he hadn't heard in about two/three years.
He snapped his eyes open and stared at the person. At the definitely dead person that was watching him with a very amused smile. At Yamato.
They stared at each other for a few seconds until the older one gave a sheepish smile and grabbed one of his own cancer sticks "Have any light?"
Ban smirked and lit it "Lost your lighter or something?"
Taking a long breath, inhaling the nicotine, Yamato gave a grin "Nah, someone is taking care of it."
They spent some minutes in silence, enjoying the company and the nicotine.
"Why are you here?" serious, the Jagan user studied the man in front of him more intently but nothing seemed amiss.
"Just to give you a trip." The snake like eyes narrowed behind his customary purple shades, muscles tensing ever so slightly. "Don't worry, it's just a trip to memory lane."
"Why would you do that?"
The man shrugged and started to walk away "You coming?"
The invincible Mido Ban-sama gave a small growl before getting up, discard the used up cancer stick, and following Yamato.
For awhile nothing changed. Only dark. When it started to change, he wished it had stayed dark.
The word monster echoed around him. The voice of the one supposed to be his mother, sounding.
"Well, isn't she nice?" the sarcasm was not lost to Ban but he said nothing, opting to study every move the one he was following made, ready for the case of needing to fight. Of course the memory of his mother wanting to kill him struck a cord. He just didn't let his concentration go.
Another not so nice memories surrounded them in a twirl of colors and sounds, each one cursing him or madding a vow to kill him. His mood was dropping to murderous really fast.
They suddenly stopped.
"Tired of watching my memories?" although the warning was clear in his tone, Yamato (or one that was imitating Yamato) simply gave a lopsided smile.
"There's just one more."
That was the last drop "Listen you, I don't know who the f*ck you are but-" a scream interrupted. Eyes wide he turned around and saw Himiko staring with tears on her eyes at him. He looked down at his hands and saw them drenched in blood. Involuntarily, he glanced at the dead body of one he considered a brother. "W-what?"
The scene disappeared, along with the blood on his hands.
"You do know you aren't really at fault here right?" the voice of Yamato said and the Jagan user half turned to look at him. His instincts told him this Yamato wasn't a fake and, and at the same time, it wasn't the real one.
"Who. Are. You?"
The man discarded his cigarette before answering "I'm Yamato and I'm the ghost of the Past… or something, I don't really care. I'll be fast. What did you see in these memories?"
"That I'm hated by many people including my own blood."
"Does that include being a bastard and an idiot?" he received a withering glare "Right. Well, let me ask you. Why are you regretful of something that wasn't your fault?"
"I killed Yamato. Nothing changes that fact."
"That you killed one you considered practically family?" silence met his question "That you couldn't protect him?" the 'ghost of the Past' stopped as the feeling of a hand at his throat starting to squeeze "Heh. Are you going to kill me, again?"
"You're not Yamato."
"How are you sure?"
They locked their eyes "Because you are just a memory. Yamato is dead. I'm not a plunderer anymore. I'm stronger than that."
The man smirked "Are you going to uphold your promise?"
They were silent for some minutes.
"Yes."
"Are you going to stop with all the crap about 'the curse is going to kill those precious to me' and stop blaming yourself?"
"Wait, how-"
"Then, my turns up. See ya."
And, as if a trapdoor suddenly opened beneath his feet, the Jagan user fell through the darkness
He landed ungracefully on the 'ground', curses in various languages spilling from his mouth. It was dark…. Again.
Someone poked him on the shoulder, startling him. Turning around he met the familiar face of his partner. "Ginji?"
The blond made a so-so sign with his hand before helping him get up.
"Don't tell me… you're a ghost or whatever?" the other grinned sheepishly "Great… Are you mute too?" he nodded and Ban blinked "And I thought it to be impossible…" a playful punch from his 'partner' showed that he spoke too loud.
The Asclepius host's hand was taken hostage by the boy making him have to follow him (however reluctant he was). Once again scenes appeared but, this time, he recognized has being memories from, max, two weeks ago to now.
"You're the ghost of the present?" the other nodded 'Note to self, do not read books before sleeping. It's bad for sanity.' Ban thought. "Wait, weren't you supposed to show what was happening this moment?" The blond shrugged.
He smirked when he saw a fight between Monkey Boy and himself. Him and Ginji on one of Hevn jobs, etc.
They stopped at a scene from a few hours ago.
They had just finished a job and got paid enough for food. Ban had given most of the pizza they had ordered to his partner who had gotten hurt while fighting. A kid had appeared in the middle of a battle with some nobody's and was made into a hostage. He only appeared after Ginji had saved the kid, lightly injured except for a deep cut made by a bullet on his arm.
Of course that was half the reason Paul had let them stay and that he let the idiot get the bed (it's not as if he could do something about it as Ginji, as soon as his head it the pillow, fell asleep).
The scene showed as the ex-emperor's friends said goodbye and they gave him a small look. He gave a growl at it and felt his hand being squeezed by another gentler one.
A sad smile was on the 'Ghost of the Present' face. The Jagan user said nothing. They stared at each other for hours it seemed, until the blond released his hold and took a step backward. His eyes held a small glint of sadness but, before he could ask, he felt himself falling again.
This time, he landed decently. He observed his surroundings. For once, it wasn't totally dark! He could make the shape of, what he presumed, the ghost of the future 'This will be interesting…' he walked to him, her… it?
The figure started walking and he followed. No scenes this time and the darkness was starting to get on his nerves. "Oi, you don't talk much do you?" he asked the figure. He could make out a black robe from head to toe but that was all.
Suddenly they stopped in front of a stone. Wait… a gravestone more exactly "Great, you're going to show how people get happy when I die?" he said this mockingly, remembering the story. The figure seemed to shake his head in dismay before pointing to the stone. He decided that it couldn't hurt and looked, only to have his blood run cold. It was not his name that was written there. It was Ginji's.
"Wha…" the Jagan user turned to the 'ghost' only to stare at the scene in front of him. It was a clearing and two people were there, one on the ground and the other up. Lighting resounded and it's light let him see better. He was the one up, his hand drenched in blood and Ginji was on the ground, usually expressive eyes staring unseeingly at him, dead.
He whispered his partner's name.
A hand was on his shoulder and he looked at the figure. The hood fell and he was staring at his grandmother.
And then he screamed and was falling.
And he woke up, managing to stifle the scream.
He looked around and was satisfied to see everything as he left even if a little cold. He spotted the book near him and glared at the object "All your fault." He muttered.
Ban stayed like that for awhile until he got up. Even knowing it was a stupid dream, he couldn't help but make sure he was alright.
And there he was, the electric eel, dressed in his stupid cow pajama and sleeping oblivious. Unconsciously, Ban's hand was on the other's hair. Before he woke his partner up, he pulled his hand from the hair.
However, Ginji stirred and opened sleepy eyes to his partner "Ban…chan?"
"Go to sleep idiot." The blond did what he was told although with a twist he wasn't expecting. Ban's wrist was captured and pulled and he found himself suddenly serving as a teddy bear. The blond was already asleep when his brain understood what happened.
He mused waking up the idiot and got to the couch but went against the idea.
It definitely wasn't because he was comforted that his partner was alive by being so close to him. He just didn't want to hear the whines that would come from such an action.
Besides, it was warmer this way.
Disclaimer: I own nothing from the GetBackers and anything to do with anything by Charles Dickens
Ok, I started this before Christmas but I forgot about this until today so yeah...
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