THE LOVING GIRL
A/N: Written for darkaccalia520's Girl Power Challenge.
The setting is between episode 20 and 21.
All disclaimers apply.
Upon hearing a loud bang, Grave opened his eye, pushed himself out of the metal recliner, and stood up. His unsteady legs were forcing him to fall back to his seat, but as his ears registered more gunshots, he limped ahead. If those syndicate goons were nearby, he had to teach them a lesson, else Mika and Doctor Tokioka would be in danger.
"Grave, go back to sleep. You aren't healthy yet."
Grave stopped walking. That didn't sound like what somebody from a criminal organization would utter. Only a doctor could say something like that, yet he didn't see Tokioka around.
"You hear me, Grave?"
The voice prompted him to look at his left side. Tokioka was standing there with his hands in the pockets of his lab coat.
"You know, if you don't have a left eye, you should pay more attention to your left side," the doctor joked. "Anyway, you needn't worry. I don't see any mobsters outside."
Grave nodded, but he soon resumed his walk and wobbled out of the trailer. Okay, Tokioka was fine, but what about Mika? It was still a bad idea to leave a girl alone outside. Those gunshots made it worse, since she might have picked up her revolver again.
Gripping her revolver tightly, Mika glared at the empty paint can that stood on a wooden crate in front of her.
Bang!
The bullet whizzed over the paint can.
Lowering her arm and shaking her head, she murmured, "I'm really helpless. I still can't hit the target after spending six bullets."
All of a sudden, she felt that her revolver was slipping away from her hand.
Eyes widening, she gulped. Perhaps the mobsters had found her? But why wasn't there any noise?
That was just creepy.
She remained still for a few seconds. Only when she felt a huge palm on her head would she turn around, since the person who often did that was nobody other than Grave.
She looked up at his face. "Grave? You're up already? You feel better now?"
Grave smiled and nodded.
She smiled back. "I'm so happy."
He grinned before shifting his glance to his left palm, on where a revolver rested.
"Er, well, I..." Mika looked down. "I was really worried earlier. I thought I could train myself to shoot better." She raised her head. "I just want to help defend you from those scary people. Who knows they'll find us when you're sleeping?"
He stood still for a moment before keeping the revolver in the pocket of his trousers.
She blinked. "Huh? I may not use that again?"
He pointed at the scar on the left side of his face.
"I know. Guns are dangerous," she muttered, "but girls have to be strong too. It's so that they can protect their loved ones."
He shook his head. "You're already strong without a gun."
"Me?" She chuckled. "I don't think so. I can't knock a paint can off its perch with six bullets."
He only turned around and walked away slowly in a stooped position
Looking at the limping Grave, Mika said, "Oh, yeah, let's go back to the trailer. You sure need to rest." She walked towards him, grabbed a massive arm of his, and let it wrap around her back. "Just hold onto me, Grave."
He smiled at her. "See? I don't call you a strong girl for no reason."