Walking in the leaves
In a certain city in Japan there walked a boy. He wasn't a innocent boy, not by a long shot. You couldn't kill over 10000 people, taste human flesh and still be regarded as innocent. However you could call him somewhat heroic because he changed his life around (it was only the true monsters that had to fear him these days). You could also say that under all that blood and darkness clinging to his soul there was a Lost Boy.
Perhaps that why he was currently (grumpily) following a Young Girl, perhaps that's why he guarded her with his life. Guilt, regret and a sliver of hope mixed with a lot of sympathy and anger at the word that had covered him in blood and darkness was probably a fairly accurate way to explain that link... maybe.
His name of choice was Accelerator and hers was Last Order, they were part of odd sort of family.
"Ahh another type of hue, says Misaka as Misaka picks up another leaf!"
While the girl looked about ten, her true age could be measured in months. This was her first Autumn, this was the first time she had seen the leaves fall from the trees in all the different hues, and they fascinated her.
"How many more are you going to collect brat, this basket of yours is getting fucking heavy!"
It went without saying that this Lost Boy really lacked a delicate way of talking, it went without saying that this Lost Boy didn't really know how to speak words with affection.
"All the hues, Misaka admits as Misaka put another dozen leaves in the basket!"
It went without saying that the Lost Boy would continue to help the Little Girl in her task, through he would moan and complain all the way. Through he didn't know how to show his affection in words, his actions showed the strength of there bond (like say that time he took a bullet to the head for her sake and other modest gestures).
"Good to see you again Ahoge-chan!" Came the voice of a young girl with a flowery headband. Her name was Uiharu Kazari, and because of her Level 1 Esper ability, you could have possibly have called her Thermal Hand if you really wanted too. However she would likely have given you a nervous little laugh and told you to call her Uiharu, she was the sort of person, the sort who hadn't come out a tube or whose soul wasn't covered in darkness and blood, she was somewhat normalish (obsession with a upper class lifestyle withstanding).
"Its not a ahoge, says Misaka as Misaka adamantly refuses to give into pressure on her hairstyle!" The Little Girl spoke defiantly.
"But it's so cute!" Said the girl with a flowery headband (who was unlike to be called Thermal Hand on regular bases any time soon) as she bent down to bring her eye's level with the far younger girls.
"And my indicator is Last Order says Misaka as Misaka waves her finger at you angrily!" Said the Little Girl as she wa... well you can probably figure out the rest on your own.
"Anyway." Spoke Ms Flowery Headband as she looked up at the looming parent like figure of the Little Girl (he had looming down to a fine art). "I'm glad to see you've properly recovered, that fight you had with Kakine was pretty tense."
Pretty tense of course was a polite understatement of a point were a boy had hovered inches away from falling into the dark pit of true despair. But Ms Flowery Headband was a well manned and (mostly) normalish girl.
"It was a fucking awful day, but most of those bastards who made it so awful had a fucking worse one." Explained the boy in language that wasn't really suitable to be using around a small child, but no one had ever had the nerve to suggest a swear jar to him (yet).
Ms Flowery Headband giggled slightly, much to the Lost Boy's surprise.
"You remind me of another Misaka I know". Ms Flowery Headband explained to the Lost Boy. "She all rough and aggressive on the surface, but has a big heart underneath too."
The Lost Boy was lost for words (there probably a joke in there somewhere). he wasn't use to backhanded complements from pretty girls.
"And it's ok, you don't need to talk if you don't want too." She continued. " I can tell there's a mountain of thoughts and feelings behind those red eyes of yours that you're not really ready to share. But I like people who take big risks for the sake of the innocent... even if there all complicated and messed up".
"You don't know the half of it..." he replied in a cynical manner.
And it was true, the normalish girl didn't know the Lost Boy's dark story, but she had seen enough of him to know he had a beating, if deeply troubled, heart that deserved affection.. and she wanted to give it some.
"I'm sure you'll explain in time." Ms Flowery Headband told the Lost Boy as she stood up to her full height (a unimpressive 153 cm, but she felt taller in her own head.) "But I know a hero when I see one, even if call himself otherwise."
It was probably good that her normal associate Saten Ruiko wasn't listening in on the conversation (160 cm tall, good with small children, slightly inclined towards female Aztec Magician's and a avid chaser of wild rumours). Because right now, she certainly be poking fun at the very obvious flirting.
However the Lost Boy wasn't use to being flirted with, in fact the depths of his self loathing made him pretty blind to the idea that someone might even want too.
"I'm not a villain, a real hero shattered that illusion, but I'm not a hero either. I'm Last Order's protector, if someone tries to lay a finger on her or her world, I'll crush them utterly."
His words came out vicious and aggressive, a aura of intimidation oozing from his very being.
"He like a big papa wolf figure, Says Misaka as Misaka makes cutesy wolf claw motions!"
The Little Girl totally broke that image (it may have been deliberate).
"Well you saved my life." Ms Flowery Headband explained. "I want to thank you properly, I want to do something nice for you."
This may have been a somewhat inaccurate statement. it may have been more accurate to say that she wanted to she -really- wanted to thank him properly and do very very nice things (to him). It may have also have been accurate to say she had a developed a great sympathy for her pigtailed fellow Judgement officer wilder moments as of late. But Ms Flowery Headband was a young lady with plenty of self control (and social sensitivity).
The Lost Boy sighed and his self loathing showed it's face.
"Look, I'm not a nice guy, I'm terrible company..."
"Misaka wishes to know if there be ice cream involved? Asks Misaka as Misaka see's a possible opportunity."
"Well I was thinking of inviting you both to a nice family restaurant." Ms Flowery Headband lied (she been planning to invite the Lost Boy to a somewhat private and secluded spot, but she knew a good angle when she saw one!) "And they certainly do ice cream!"
"I guess I come then... if just for the brats sweet tooth." The Lost Boy replied after he looked down at his young charge's eager expression.
"You're the best Acccelerator, Says Misaka as Misaka shouts way too loudly in joy!"
Ms Flowery Headband smiled happily at this (she really want to jump around and do a silly little dance, but that would have been a bit over the top.).
"So what shall I call you, I feel calling you Judgement Officer all the time isn't really going to work?" the Lost Boy asked as he pointed out a obvious issue in there current interactions.
She offered him her right hand in friendship (marriage would have been way too early.)
"I'm Uiharu Kazari." She explained (and resisted temptation to add genius hacker to the end of it).
"Accelerator." He replied as he awkwardly shook it. But she wouldn't let go.
"Your proper name." She said with a firmness that suggested, Level 5 or not, he wasn't going to get away without giving it. Of course she didn't know one of the thing the Lost Boy had lost was his name.
"I can't remember it, it been too long since I used it." He replied awkwardly.
Ms Flowery Headband gave him a glare that suggested that he best remember it soon and the Lost Boy vaguely remembered a certain Anti-Skill officer talking about a fragile looking girl in Judgment who's heart was anything but, who would save the innocent, even if it meant facing her own weakness, who would not walk away just because she was over her head who family name certainly started with a 'Ui' sound and was two syllables long.
He wanted to remember, he wanted someone to offer there hand.
"Yuri-ko... Suzushina Yuriko, through I don't care for it, especially the first part." The Lost Boy said after a awkwardly long moment that would likely get mentioned at some embarrassing point in the future by a certain Little Girl who was currently in one of her rare quiet moments (she was trying to figure out how someone could boss her guardian about, it was a rare sight).
With a happy smile Ms Flowery Headband shook hands with a Lost Boy who's soul was soaked in blood, With a happy smile she shook hands with a boy who been left alone in the dark for far too long.
It was Autumn, a time of death and sleep, but it was also Autumn a time when seeds dropped from tired trees.
Come Spring, who knew what might grow?
A/N: I thought I try a different style from my normal methods for this little one shot, rate and review :)
Acccelaerator name was suggested to me by Rubix22 on the Animesuki forums by the way!