-smack-

"Ow! What the hell, Wolfina? Why did you hit me again?"

"Pervert."

"What'd I do?!"

"Seriously, Gamma? An eleven-year-old?"

"Hey, it's not like that! And besides, Angelle's almost twelve."

"And that makes things so much better." Wolfina brandished her ladle again.

Gamma cringed. "It's not like we're actually lovers or anything! You really think I could get together with someone like her? Not to mention she's a little girl." He sighed and looked aside. "She's just an overly excitable kid who tends to get ahead of herself."

"Only tends to?"

"Shut up."

"Hmph. So then why'd you say you'd sleep with her?" The journalist raised a brow.

"I said in the same bed with her! God, I didn't mean it like that!"

"Well, that's obviously not what she heard." Wolfina cleared her throat, crossing her hands over her ample chest and closing her eyes with an impressively faked flush, before quoting in a high, slightly obnoxious voice that was eerily similar to Angelle's, "'But these guys are gonna be in the next room! They'll hear us! I'm a screa-"

"I distinctly recall questioning her as to where she learned something so dirty after that particular outburst," Gamma interjected, cutting off the busty brunette with the flat of his currently harmless blade pressed to her lips. She just blinked before grinning mischievously and, just to tease the surprisingly prudish silverette, licked up to the tip of the weapon. Thusly, Gamma blushed a satisfying pink color, before simply huffing and looking away, much to to Wolfina's amusement. "Geez, what's with you?" He muttered.

The 'wolffish' photographer just laughed and sat down beside her semi-new companion on the sun-warmed cement of the roof. "Relax, I'm just messing with you." Sending him a slightly mocking grin, she added, "For being an S-Zero rank criminal, you sure are touchy."

"For being 'Il Giornalista di Giustizia', you're awfully relaxed around said S-Zero rank criminal."

"...Touché."

There began a long silence that stretched comfortably between the two, and there was a lack of awkwardness in the situation that made it feel as though the journalist and the reputed 'Black-Armed Shinigami' had known each other for far longer than a mere month. Then again, they had nearly died together on more than one occasion by this time.

It was Wolfina who finally broke the silence. "So, how did you two meet, anyway?"

"Eh?"

"That girl. Angelle. How'd you meet her?"

"Oh, Angelle." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I met her at Gemini Laboratories around four or five years ago."

"And..."

"And what?"

"And that's it?"

"Yeah, that's it. Why?"

"Well, it's just..." She coughed slightly. "If nothing happened, it kinda makes me wonder how a kid like her fell so hard for a guy like you."

"And just what, exactly, is that supposed to mean?"

"Never you mind."

"...Hn. Whatever. Oh, and by the way, about what you said earlier... You don't have to."

"What did I say earlier?"

"You said you wanted to pay me back for saving you. And usually I like to ride people about repaying their debts to me, but... You already have enough crap to deal with, what with your brother and everything, so-"

"Are you kidding me? Just what do you take me for anyway?" The brunette huffed, crossing her arms. "Wolfgangina Lalla Getto always repays her debts!" Her gaze as it met Gamma's was challenging, as if daring him to contradict her. Thankfully, the 'Black-Armed Shinigami' let the subject alone.

Absently twirling the ladle in her hand, Wolfina directed her gaze out toward the horizon that was gradually being dyed with all manner of gold and crimson. "And another thing I said before... I meant it when I said you can talk to me about anything." She turned her gaze back to the silverette, and when he turned to look at her with an expression of surprise (which made him look adorably childish, in her opinion), she continued, "I really mean it, Gamma. I saw how pained you looked earlier, while you were sleeping, and, well..." She sighed, returning her eyes to the sky. "I can't ignore it. I won't tell anyone about it, but... Everyone needs someone to talk to, you know?"

The stern honesty in Wolfina's eyes and voice caught Gamma off guard, until he just closed his eyes, laying back on the roof again. "Thanks," he replied simply. Simply, but honestly.

Once again, the former silence renewed itself, and the pair remained comfortable just like that... Until Wolfina once again broke the quiet. "So... About ways to pay you back... Any ideas?"

"Mm... Nope, I got nothin'."

"...Ya know, the offer I made you back at my house still stands."

"What offer...?"

The photographer grinned devilishly as her hands went to her collar. "Remember...~?"

"I- G-Gah! No, I don't want to feel your boobs! And stop taking your shirt off!"

Wolfina pouted and re-buttoned her shirt, safely hiding her H-cups again. "Aw, c'mon, Gamma, you're no fun. Can't you take a joke?"

Gamma just sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as his flush from before returned with a vengeance. "Just leave me alone..." He muttered.

"If you tell me to go away, I'll lock you out here until you finish the rest of my soup." She tapped the ladle to the edge of the pot with a raised brow. "And I do believe there's s'posed to be a snowstorm tonight..."

"..."

"..."

"...Fine, you can stay."

Wolfina just grinned. "Knew you'd see it my way."