Note [7/16/15]: I'm just going through and cleaning up the deplorable writing for the umpteenth time because apparently I really sucked at this two years ago. I'm not rewriting it (there's already a half-hearted revision posted on AO3), though I will change a few things here and there to make the overall quality a lot better. Once that's done I'll work on the tenth chapter. Thank you for your understanding!
The Bodyguard and the Client
It rained the first time she encountered him.
Muddy puddles covered the sidewalk and road. Dark grey clouds rumbled and lightning flashed, illuminating the sky in brief bursts of light. The streets were largely empty, save for the occasional harried passing of a person caught without an umbrella. Everywhere, doors were closed and windows shut against the cold, wet wind.
Only an hour ago it had been bright and sunny.
Just goes to show what awful luck I have sometimes, Madoka sighed. The one day she decided to take the initiative and walk home by herself, the weather conspired against her. Her day had started normally enough: she went to work, had lunch with her friends, and afterwards her chauffeur had taken her on her errands.
On her way home, however, she had spotted a small bookstore and decided to browse around. Despite her chauffeur's protests ("Kaname-san, you mustn't! Think of what Miki-san will do to me if she finds out that I left you by yourself!"), Madoka decided to send him home.
It would've been a waste of time for him if he had stayed, when really there's no need to do so.
She spent a merry hour at the bookstore before realizing that she had to hurry home to dinner before anyone got worried and came looking for her. Unfortunately, the moment she stepped out of the bookstore, the dismal sight of a rain-drenched street greeted her.
Biting her lip nervously, Madoka glanced around and wondered if she should call her chauffeur to pick her up before deciding that it would be too much of a bother to make Kyo-san drive in this wretched weather.
I made my choice and I must live with it.
Does the bookstore sell umbrellas, she wondered. It's not like there's a rule saying I can't do anything to make it easier on myself!
Nodding, she reentered the little store, only to sigh dejectedly when it became apparent that only books and stationary items were sold here.
Or maybe there is such a rule….
"Do you need help, miss?"
Madoka looked up, jerking. A young man stood next to her; she hadn't heard him approach.
He smiled at her, though somehow Madoka thought there was something vaguely wrong in his too-cheerful smile. Then, with a thrill of uneasy surprise, she realized that the fellow was albino: he had very pale skin and hair and his eyes were red. Unfazed, he let her openly stare at him.
"I'm sorry if I scared you. I am Kyubey; I work nearby."
His smile never wavered as she flushed and replied, "O-Oh, no. It's ok. I should have been paying attention anyway, haha..." Nor did he blink, his bright red eyes staring back at her intently.
They stayed like that for what seemed an eternity, staring at each other, one bewildered and the other self-satisfied.
"It's raining and you seem rather upset. Here, take my umbrella, please," Kyubey offered her a simple black umbrella.
Madoka took a step back. "N-no, that's alright. I-I don't need it," she declined, waving her hands. Now she was starting to wish that she hadn't told Kyo-san to go home without her. "Umm, I-I'll be going now, thank you." With that, Madoka practically fled the bookstore.
It was still raining lightly when she rushed out, but that mattered not to Madoka.
She walked quickly, also not caring that the splashes she made splattered mud on her sundress. Then again, it really did not matter because the rain soaked her clothes anyway. She hastily made her way to the nearest bus stop, almost falling into puddles several times.
Gradually, she calmed down and felt silly for overreacting to the young man in the bookstore. However, as she calmed she also began to notice how cold and uncomfortable she felt, drenched in rain.
Sayaka-chan's going to be mad when she finds out, she thought miserably. She started to shiver and her teeth chattered.
I'm totally going to get sick, and my clothes are all clammy, ugh.
Slowing down to catch her breath, Madoka became aware of sloshing footsteps behind her. She stopped, and the footsteps stopped. Unease gripped her again, and she started once again for the bus stop.
There was someone walking behind her.
Oh, what do I do? What if it's some creepy stalker? Or maybe it's just someone else hurrying home…
At the bus stop, Madoka turned back and froze in surprise. Standing several yards behind her was the same albino man she had encountered in the bookstore: Kyubey?
What is he doing here?
Kyubey stood in the rain, his smile—no, his smirk—never wavering, his red eyes never leaving her. The rain had soaked his clothes too, but he didn't even tremble. His pale hair was plastered to his forehead and the rain on his face made it look almost shiny. Kyubey appeared to be perfectly at ease, as if standing in the middle of a storm and staring at a frightened girl intently was perfectly normal.
"You know, you would be the perfect addition to my company." He did not raise his voice, but she heard him clearly over the soft pattering of rain. A whimper built up in the back of her throat.
For another eternity, Madoka and Kyubey stared at each other.
Suddenly, a car honked.
Madoka jumped, and the spell broke.
Her chauffeur got out of the car, exclaiming, "Kaname-san! You're all soaked through! Oh, Tomoe-san and Miki-san were worried when you weren't home in time for dinner, and they'll have a fit when they see the state you're in!"
Madoka, in a daze, let him lead her to the car and buckle her in. "Oh dear, you must've caught a cold by now," he fretted as he drove away.
She glanced out the window and was somehow not surprised to notice that Kyubey had disappeared.
"Don't worry, Kyo-san. I'm fine, really," she found herself saying.
Had it all been her imagination?
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
The sun shone bright the second time she encountered him.
The parking lot was relatively busy as people came and went with their friends and family, and some came and went by themselves. Cars of every color reflected the bright sunlight and blinded pedestrians and drivers alike. Noises of all kinds permeated the air, from kids' laughter and yells to couples arguing over spending too much; there was rarely a moment of silence at this busy mall.
"Oh, Hitomi-chan, how is Kyosuke-san doing?"
Madoka was out shopping with Hitomi one Sunday afternoon, having decided to spend time with her, since Sayaka and Mami were both on an assignment and she felt a bit lonely. Grading papers was rather boring, after all. The two were currently eating at a Panda Express just outside the mall and a passing person carrying a bag with a treble clef on it had reminded Madoka of Hitomi's boyfriend.
Hitomi adjusted her sunglasses daintily as she replied. "His arm has been hurting a bit lately. We'll visit the doctor in a few days. He's much happier lately, though, and that makes me happy." She smiled sweetly, thinking of her sweetheart.
Madoka could only nod, remembering how many painful months Sayaka had spent trying to make Kyosuke happy before letting Hitomi take over. That incident had left Sayaka depressed for a while before resigning herself to the fact that Kyosuke would never love her.
Agh, why do I always make myself sad when I'm trying to be happy?!
They chatted amiably for a few more minutes before Hitomi excused herself to the restroom.
Madoka kept eating, glancing around the enclosed restaurant area and observing the people around her. So many happy people…, she thought, smiling to herself. Then, she spotted someone sitting alone at a nearby table.
He had pale skin, pale hair, red eyes, and pale lips that never ceased to smirk. Though she had last seen him on a dark and rainy day, the broad daylight only served to accentuate his… strangeness.
Madoka froze.
Once again, Kyubey's eyes looked deep into her, and Madoka began to tremble. She noticed his expression never changed: it was always that same self-satisfied smirk that she had mistaken for a smile the first time she had seen him.
That too-cheerful smile in the bookstore wasn't a smile. Madoka considered fleeing. But Hitomi-chan will wonder where I went.
Kyubey ate his fries meticulously and Madoka pushed her food around as she fought to keep herself from running away.
When Hitomi returned, Madoka hastily managed to convince her friend that it was time to return to their respective homes ("Certainly, Madoka-san. Are you feeling unwell?" "J-just a little tired from the heat—nothing serious!").
To her growing horror, every time she glanced back Kyubey was there, following them at a distance. He left, however, once Hitomi's chauffeur got out of the car.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Madoka caught Kyubey following her four more times after that.
"What! If some creepy dude is following my future bride around, then I'll punch his lights out!" Sayaka glowered, already strangling Kyubey in her mind.
They were at Mami's apartment, having tea and cake after a day's worth of work, and Sayaka had just managed to get the story out of Madoka.
Madoka laughed nervously and shook her head, nibbling on a biscuit. "I was thinking of going to the police, but he never does anything except stare at me, and he disappears quickly," she explained.
Mami-san smiled at Sayaka's grumpy expression and offered her another slice of cake to occupy her. "Perhaps what Madoka-san should do is hire a personal bodyguard," she suggested, avoiding a blow from Sayaka.
Immediately, Sayaka beamed and, cake forgotten, exclaimed, "Yes! Madoka, I will be your bodyguard from now on and make sure that weirdo doesn't bother you again!"
Madoka hesitated, beginning to seriously consider the idea.
Before she could answer, Mami spoke once more. "Well, that is thoughtful of you, Sayaka-san, but you must remember that our particular firm does not allow us to act as bodyguards for our own friends; it is considered unprofessional. Neither of us can be Madoka-san's personal security agent. Still, I think you should come by our headquarters and file a request for a bodyguard," she said, addressing Madoka at the end.
Sayaka visibly deflated at her words and Madoka felt disappointed, but she knew she couldn't possibly impose herself on her friends like that. '
If there was one thing that Madoka hated, it was being a useless burden to her friends.
They're both so strong, Mami-san and Sayaka-chan, while I just kind of stumble through life, depending on people to help me.
"You know, Mami-san, I think I will go to Security Firm and hire a personal bodyguard. I-I hate to admit it, but that man is seriously starting to scare me," Madoka sighed.
Sayaka and Mami both nodded and urged Madoka to go early the next morning.
Ruffling Madoka's hair, Sayaka reassured her, "Don't worry Madoka. Security Firm has the best bodyguards you can get! And with your money, you won't have to worry about paying, hahaha."
Madoka could only smile hopefully.
Hopefully this nightmare will be over soon.
/\
A/N: I took a lot of liberties in writing this, lol. First and foremost: I made Kyubey a weirdo albino stalker. Now, please keep in mind that I am not insulting albinos, nor am I making fun of them. I just couldn't keep Kyubey as an alien-white-cat-thing for the purposes of this story—not yet, anyway. As for the bodyguard stuff… it's all from my head. I have no idea how one would go about hiring a body guard.
I apologize for the lack of shoujo-ai/yuri/fluff in general.
The quality of writing will hopefully also improve as I get the hang of it again. ~Teddy.