Sum – Wanted something posted for Valentine's Day, so here it is. It is a side shot 'what if' for First Gig my GitS story. Some spoilers, I guess. And this was not edited much since it was more of a rushed idea. Hope some enjoy anyway and have a pleasing Valentine's Day : )
Be Mine
After a long day of work, Batou invited Togusa out for a drink. Nobody else had been in the mood to go with him. Matti happened to have a day off, but left her backpack at work from the day before. Batou took if from her locker and brought it home before going out.
His sister sat at the kitchen table when he and Togusa entered, writing on a small red box with a pen. Around her, strips of ribbon, markers, and small red boxes were scattered.
"So this is what you do on your day off?" Batou asked, picking up one of the boxes. Small heart shaped chocolates were inside.
"Only for today," she answered, finishing writing a name on the one in her hand, "It's Valentine's Day in a week and I wanted to send the guys something at home. Ma used to help me bake them cookies, and since I can't, I decided to make chocolate instead!"
"You made these?" Togusa asked, picking up an imperfect one from the table. A bubble had formed and hardened on the front.
"Yeah. It wasn't that hard. Well, the first batch was." She laughed a little. "They sort of exploded in the microwave…" She took a pink ribbon and began tying it to the closed box. "I made a ton of milk chocolate ones and made a really small bunch of some with mint. Only Ma and Patrick eats them." Togusa shrugged, popping the candy in his mouth.
"Not bad," he complimented, "It's pretty good."
"Want to take some home? It can be your Valentine's Day gift for your wife!"
Batou, tossing her bag on the living room couch, reminded, "He can do that on White Day. Remember? You only give a guy something on Valentine's Day then he gives something to you on White Day."
"White Day?" Matti asked, "Guess I did forget…"
"You only celebrate Valentine's Day in America, right?" Togusa asked, "White Day is in March…why don't you make a new batch for me then? My wife and I really don't exchange candy anymore, but I always get my daughter something."
"Sure! I don't mind!" She placed the small chocolate filled boxes into a bigger box she bought at the post office. Togusa took a few more from the reject pile.
"You know, chocolate doesn't go great with beer," Batou enlightened his friend, "You can sit here and make candy with my sister if you want. I'm going to the bar." Togusa frowned as he followed the cyborg out.
Matti took the remote to the television in the living room and heightened the volume. She finished packing the box, scribbling the address on the package, then placed it on the coffee table so she would not forget to mail it on her way to work in the morning. She returned to the kitchen, eyeing the box with overflowing left over chocolates. Shrugging and deciding to make a plan for them in the morning, she went to the living room and sat on the couch to finish her show.
"So, what are you getting Matt?" Togusa asked.
"For what?" Batou questioned, "Her birthday is next month. I haven't even started thinking of a present."
"No, I mean for Valentine's Day!" The cyborg shrugged, taking a swig of his whiskey.
"Nothing. I have to wait for White Day." Togusa sighed.
"You can take the girl out of America, but not America out of the girl. She wants to do Valentine's Day the way she's used to, Batou. Get her something." Batou frowned.
"Listen, Mom, when she came here, she said she has to learn this country's culture all over again." He sat back, lightly pushing his empty glass aside. "Maybe I'll find something…" He smiled, thinking. "When she was little and we had a fight I used to go to this really small store by our house. They sold all kinds of candy there. I'd get the biggest bag they had and fill it with what ever they had. When she wasn't around, I'd leave the bag in her room. It was my way of saying I was sorry." Togusa chuckled. He finished his beer.
"Aw, you're so sweet, Batou. You should do something like that for her for Valentine's Day. I think she'd appreciate it."
"Maybe…" Batou rubbed his head. "She's not a kid anymore, though…" He stood, Togusa following. "I'll find something she'll like." They paid their bill and walked out of the warm bar.
After driving Togusa home, Batou found his sister already in bed. He walked into the kitchen to turn out the lights, when he saw what was left over of her homemade goodies. She had already made him a batch made of ingredients for cyborgs. The box was half eaten in his room. Matti was always thoughtful for everybody else, especially him. She deserved something…
He grinned.
He really should pay her back for everything…
Section 9 had a very easy work day with no terrorist deciding to make a move, possibly saving it for another day. Everyone had taken to catching up on work or keeping a watchful eye out for wayward criminals in the news.
Saito and Paz had returned from lunch to hang around in the sniper's office till they were called. A small red box sitting on his desk greeted Saito as he entered the room. He frowned and picked it up as Paz sat down in the chair across from the desk.
"What is it?" The former gangster asked curiously. His friend shrugged, taking the folded white tag that had been taped to the closed top as he set the box back down. Paz took it and opened it. He rose an eyebrow. "Who made you chocolates?" He sampled one. "Good chocolates…"
"I dunno…" Saito turned the paper over. "It just says, 'be mine?'."
"Secret admirer?" Paz wondered, taking another. Saito took the small package from his hands and placed it on the desk top. Not bothered, Paz stole back to box.
"Must be." He sat in his chair. Frowning, he gave his friend a look. "Are you going to leave me any?" Paz shrugged.
"You don't look impressed that someone left you some sweets, never mind stole their heart," he argued with a grin, "If you won't appreciate them, I will!" He popped two more in his mouth. The sniper reached over and pulled the box from his fingers. He peered inside.
"Gee, thanks, buddy…" he grumbled, "I hope that human food makes you choke…" Paz smirked.
"It's not my fault you can't get a girl on Valentine's Day every year!" Saito rolled his eye. He heard this before many times from his best friend. "I just have the charm the ladies go for!"
"You call it charm, eh?" Saito said, "I'd rather be alone. I like being alone. There's no need for love if you're a sniper." Paz rubbed his chin, looking at the emptied box that lay on Saito's desk.
"…that's not exactly what you said at the bar the other night." He looked up at Saito who had narrowed his eye at him. "I'm pretty sure that was not the alcohol talking either…" The sniper sat back in his seat, folding his arms.
"Stay out of my business," he started, "Just because it's that time of the year, doesn't mean you should be playing cupid. Leave her out of this."
"I'm just saying," Paz defended, "Now would be a perfect time to maybe hint at something to her…" Saito shook his head.
"No, she thinks I am a creep anyway…"
Paz chuckled, "I don't think she sees you as a creep, I think she's just afraid of you. You are a pretty terrifying guy."
"I didn't even do anything to her!" Saito claimed, "How can I even get close enough to say something." His friend shrugged, pulling a pack of smokes from his jacket pocket.
"Corner or something…" Saito's face fell.
"That would scare her more…" He stood, clearly frustrated. "Why am I taking advice from a player?!"
"You needed dating guidance from a pro," Paz called as Saito left.
Matti was searching through her back pack when Togusa entered the strategy room. He asked why Batou said she had been looking for him.
"Brother told me how much you liked the candy I made," she said, handing him a crimson colored box, "So I saved some for you!"
"Thanks, Matt!" He took the gift.
"I doubted anyone else would eat it, but got a little carried away when I was making it…" She laughed a little. "I'm glad you like it! You and I can get rid of the rest!" Togusa sat on the couch, pulling away the pink ribbon wrapped around the box.
"I'm surprised Batou doesn't like chocolate," he mused, "I can see him as having a sweet tooth."
She shrugged, saying, "Not that much anymore, I guess. I made him some with the cyborg recipe I have, but he said he wouldn't eat it." Her cell phone chimed against her hip. Plucking it from her belt, she read the letters after flipping the front plate. "Speak of the devil. I'll see you later." She took her bag and climbed the stairs. Saito held the door for her as she left.
He walked down the stairs, at first using the room as a shortcut, then saw what Togusa has in his hands. The detective offered him one of the heart shaped treats.
"Where'd you get that?" Saito asked.
"Matti," Togusa answered, "She made a bunch for Valentine's Day to send some overseas to her family. She said she still has a lot left and she gave me some since I like them so much." He ate the one he offered to the sniper, seeing he was not going to take it. "If you want, I can tell her to give you some…" After a moment, Saito shook his head.
"No, thanks." He continued on his way, hearing Paz's advice in his head.
At the end of the day, most of the team had called it quits and went home a little early. Matti finished up some work in her office. Saito started taking apart the rifle he used during target practice.
As she straightened out some papers, Matti turned at hearing foot steps pause behind her. She found Saito in the doorway, watching. Her stomach tingled with slight fear. It only lasted a moment, knowing he was her friend. It was simply because of his viper-like patience and stone cold countenance.
"H-hey. I didn't know you were still here," she started, "Usually it's either Togusa or I that are here after hours."
"I didn't know you were here either," he said, "I saw a light was on and came to see if you were still here."
"Well, I was just packing up to leave. You need a ride?"
"No."
"Oh…uuh…" Matti set her papers aside nervously. She felt her face flush as she tried to figure out what the sniper wanted. She felt a little awkward standing there in silence. "Is there something you wanted to see me for?" She turned around as he entered the room and walked up to her. She swallowed.
"Actually, I did. I wanted to tell you that…" He smirked, handing her a white piece of paper as he whispered in her ear, "I will."
"You-You'll wh-what?" she stammered, blood heating her face, her fingered gripping the small note.
"Be yours," he told her, bringing his arms around her shoulders gently, "I will be yours on Valentine's Day."
Matti shakily brought her hands up, resting them flatly on his shoulder blades. Truthfully, she had never felt so warm in another's embrace. It was unlike what she felt when Batou held her or how she used to lay with John. She sensed a completely different passion from Saito.
Secretly, she had a lot of admiration for the sniper, but did not dare express it. Not only would she be teased by her brother mercilessly, she was also afraid Saito would tell her he was not interested and had the feeling his occupation told her that much already.
"H-How did you know?" She murmured against his shoulder.
"How did I know what?" He asked, pulling away to see her face. He smiled at her vividly pink face.
"That…That I…that I liked you?" she muttered, "I never told anyone…"
"You left that Valentine's Day gift on my desk," Saito told her, "I saw Togusa had the same one, so I put two and two together." He laughed a little. "You know, if you handed to me I would have figured out who it was from faster. I had no idea." He looked at her curiously as she stared at him in confusion.
"I didn't give you one," she claimed, "I only gave one to Togusa. I thought you wouldn't eat chocolate so I didn't give you any." She looked away. "I was going to make you a card, but felt a little silly so didn't…"
"So…you didn't leave that box of candy for me?"
"N-No…then who did?" After a few moments, the sniper sighed.
"I have a pretty good idea…someone who likes to play cupid…" He shook his head as she cocked her head to the side. "Never mind. How about we finish up here and go out?"
"Sure!" Picking up her things, they left together, hand in hand.
Well…that's it. Hope it wasn't too cheesy or just…horrible. I did write this late into the night hours and hardly edited it. And this is a one shot so I won't be doing any chapters on it.
Oh yeah, and I can see Paz and Togusa having a mean sweet tooth, which is why they liked the chocolate so much.