Recognition
Well hello there! And welcome to my new story! I hope you enjoy it! It's my first WHR ficlet! Read and review, if you will!
On with the fic!
Chapter one
Michael blinked his eyes, and rubbed them behind his glasses, stretching his arms and his back out. Hearing the satisfying sounds of bones popping, he let out a relieved sigh. Sitting up again, he looked around the office, noting that it was empty, except for a petite form slumped over in the chair, head resting tiredly on her desk, eyes shut in peaceful slumber. Which, as it turned out, was not as peaceful as he had initially thought. Looking at her face, Michael began to worry slightly, as her beautiful features scrunched into a recognizable look of intense pain. Small whimpers were making their way out of her parted lips, her whole body twitching in her sleep. Quietly, Michael rose from his desk, and walked with fast strides over to his sleeping coworker.
"Robin." Michael gently shook her shoulder, trying unsuccessfully to wake her. He shook her a little more violently this time. "Wake up!"
The figure snapped her eyes open, and gave a choked cry, lurching out of her chair.
Behind amber tinted glasses, blue eyes widened in slight shock, as a warm solid body connected with his own. He looked down, and too his dismay, saw Robin, sobbing into his shirt, clasping the material between her slender fingers as if her life depended on it. He never liked to see tears. Especially not on her. They just looked very wrong somehow, like if she cried, then the whole world was upside down. Bright smiles and laughing eyes fit her better, he decided.
"Robin?" the shocked hacker managed to get out, before she let loose another volley of sobs onto his now wet shirt. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"Michael." Robin sobbed, clinging even tighter to the shirt in her hands.
"What's wrong?" He asked her again, concerned now.
"It's nothing important." Robin seemed to have calmed down a little. She sniffed, and looked up at the flustered hacker, and smiled gently. "I'm alright."
"Are you sure?" Michael took a fleeting glance of her small form still lying curled up on his lap holding his shirt in pale slender fingers, and blushed.
"I'm fine." Robin noticed his blush, and was puzzled for a second. Then, she too, looked at their intertwined limbs, and blushed as well, moving to get up. "I am so sorry!" Robin's eyes flashed with embarrassment, and she quickly climbed to her feet, offering Michael her hand. He took it, and she pulled him to his feet. Really, he realized, she was quite strong for a girl of only fifteen. But then again, if you were out hunting witches for a living, you might gain a bit of strength here and there.
His attention slipped back to Robin again, as she continued to apologize profusely. "Robin." He placed a hand gently on her arm. "It's okay. I'm fine, and I'm a little more concerned about you, actually. What's wrong?"
"Oh." Robin kept her head down, bangs slightly shadowing her face. "It was nothing."
"Nothing?" an incredulous Michael raised both of his eyebrows at her. "That was nothing?"
"Yes." Robin's voice was very quiet normally, but tonight, it was much much quieter. Michael, the guy who blasts rock music into his ears every day, and can still hear over it, could barely even hear her.
"I have to go now." Robin's voice was still much too quiet and reserved for Michael's liking. "Good night Michael."
"Uh….Good night Robin." Michael waved in response, and watched helplessly as she walked away, her head hanging down.
Sighing, Michael walked back to his work station, well, more like his life's station, really, and sat down at the computer. Rubbing his face with his hands, he closed his eyes, thinking hard about just what could've possibly gotten Robin so worked up? It wasn't normally like her to be so down. And she hardly ever cried. In fact, Michael tried to recall a time when he had seen the younger girl cry, and his mind came up with a blank. That's it then. He'd never seen Robin cry. That must be why he was feeling strange, right? Right? Yeah, that had to be it. Michael decided to give up, and went into his room, fully intending to sleep the night away. And, as his luck would have it, sleep eluded him, once again. He sighed, and shifted, tossing and turning, each new position just as uncomfortable than the last. He sighed again, giving up on the idea of sleep altogether, and once again walked out into the office.
Walking around, he realized he was still on edge about Robin. It wasn't normal for the craft user to be this upset. What was up with her? Had Amon yelled at her again? He didn't think so, but he could never be sure. Surprised, he felt a twist of anger rush through his body as he thought about Amon yelling at Robin. Dismissing it, he sat back down at his terminal. Glancing at the small pile of work at his side, he shook his head, and began to work his way through it.
Robin
The emerald eyed girl sat on her bed, unwinding her hair. Thinking about the thing that had upset her earlier. She shook her head as the last pull of ribbon unwound, unbinding her hair. Grabbing a brush, she quickly ran it through her long locks of hair, and set it down again once she was finished. For some reason, she wished she hadn't left the office, the company of Michael a welcome distraction from the lonely nights she was experiencing with Touko gone away. Sighing, she debated whether or not she should get something to eat, but decided against it for sleep. Undressing, she slid her petite body under the sheets, closing her eyes with a soft sigh. For several minutes she lay there, before shifting positions, uncomfortable. This continued until it was morning, Robin sitting up to watch the sun rise, resigned to her tired state. Sighing, she got up, and walked around her small room, trying to warm up a little. It had started to rain out, the temperature dropping with the loss of the newly risen sun. Heading into the kitchen, she made herself some toast quickly, but ate it slowly, thoughts dwelling on the reason for her continued nights of sleeplessness. She finally took the last small bite of toast, turning to look at the time. Eyes widening, she shot out of her chair, and frantically ran a brush through her hair. Picking up her ribbons, she quickly decided she didn't have time to put it up today.
Throwing them down with a quiet growl, she quickly dressed in her normal attire, and grabbed the keys to her vespa., and dashed out the door. It was a normal routine for her, but today she was going to be late. Rushing down the stairs in her mild panic, she had forgotten to pull up the hem of her skirt. With a cry of surprise, she crashed to the ground, stunning herself. It was when she felt rain seeping in through her dress, that she realized she'd forgotten her coat. Groaning, she raised herself slowly off the ground. Oh well, she decided she had no time to go and get it. So, she sighed, and trudged over to her vespa. Starting it up, she put her helmet on, and drove to the office.
at the office
Michael glanced at the clock once more. 'Damn. Robin's never been this late before. I wonder what's going on?'
Michael wasn't the only one thinking that. Doujima looked up from her magazine, and in a bored voice stated that she wasn't the last one here ALL the time, now was she? Amon paced the room, impatiently waiting for his partner to show up. Karasuma shot a look at Doujima, who was slacking off once again. Sakaki just sat there, and wondered where Robin was. And admiring Doujima from his seat.
Growling, Amon spat out "Where is she? She was supposed to be here a half an hour ago!" he looked at the clock once again, confirming the time, and resumed his pacing. On the inside, Michael was panicking a little. What if something had happened to her? What would he do then? She was the only one he knew who could understand his feelings, and the only one who had even tried when she brought doughnuts and coffee for them to share. A small 'ding' sounded from the elevator, and everyone turned to look. Almost everyone's eyes widened, as they saw the state of the younger hunter.
She looked like she had been through hell and back. She was soaked, and her hair was plastered to her face with water. Annoyed, she brushed it away, and walked over to her desk. She looked like she had been battered by something that looked a little painful, as she had bruises all over her arms, and a small one on her forehead. Her sleeve was ripped, and Michael was alarmed to see a steady trickle of blood coming form her arm.
'You're late." Amon barked at her.
Robin raised her head. "Yes." She said, not meeting Amon's eyes.
"And look at you!" he pointed to her ragged appearance. "Could you not have worn a coat? Then you wouldn't be trailing puddles of water everywhere."
She flinched. Michael was seething on the inside. How DARE Amon treat Robin like that?!
"And you haven't even brought your glasses with you, I bet, have you? " Amon narrowed his eyes.
"No." Robin seemed to be drawing in on herself.
"How can you be so disorganized?!" Amon ranted at her. That was it. She'd had it then. She snapped.
"HOW CAN I BE SO DISORGANIZED?!" everyone's eyes widened at the volume she'd been able to achieve. The usually soft spoken hunter was angry now. "look outside, Amon. It's raining hard out, and I forgot my coat because I was late already! Don't you dare try to tell me I'm always this disorganized. Don't you DARE try to tell me that it's not okay to be late because I fell. DON'T YOU DARE!"
silence. "Robin, you're bleeding." Michael's pale face had gotten a little paler with the knowledge Robin had hurt herself.
"Thank-you Michael." She held up her dripping skirt, so she wouldn't trip on it again, and walked to the bathroom with rapid angry strides.
The room was still silent. Amon looked around, and his gaze landed on Karasuma. "Karasuma, since Robin is unable to come with me at the moment, you will have to come instead." Amon looked over at Doujima. "Doujima, you will escort Robin back to her home, and she can change her clothes. Once she is finished, bring her back here. She can work in the office today. And you will go with Sakaki to find out about those strange rumors going around about that witch we found the other day. Karasuma, let's go."
Amon and Karasuma left the office, and Doujima sighed. "Wow. I wish I could yell at him like Robin did. She's got guts huh?"
"Yeah." Michael nodded.
"Where did she get them from is my question." Sakaki pondered. "I mean, she's always so quiet, and she never even raises her voice to anyone! Not even me."
"hmmmmmmmmmm." Doujima was thinking. "Amon said we have to go check out that witch, right?"
"Yeah." Sakaki nodded.
"Well, what does he want us to find out, exactly? I know he wants us to find any information, but why doesn't he just ask Michael?" she pointed to the person in question.
"I dunno." Michael shrugged. "But I do know that Amon is Amon, the guy doesn't really tell us anything."
"Yeah." Doujima agreed. "Oh! Hey Robin."
"Doujima." Robin smiled.
"I'm supposed to take you home, and you can get new dry clothes on, and clean up better there, okay?" Doujima smiled.
"Yes." Robin nodded.
"I'll wait here until you come back, okay Doujima?" Sakaki asked.
"Fine."
"see you later." Michael waved at the two, wincing as more of Robin's blood dripped off of her arm.
"good-bye Michael." Robin smiled softly at him.
"Ta-ta." Doujima waved over her shoulder, and tugged on Robin's hand.
The two walked out to Doujima's car, and got in.
"So Robin. What happened this morning?" Doujima briefly glanced at Robin, before turning her eyes to the road once more.
"What do you mean?" Robin blinked at the blonde beside her.
"Well, you gave all of us a little scare with your temper this morning, when you yelled at Amon. You're just usually so quiet, we were all wondering."
"Oh." Robin smiled a little. "It was just a bad morning. I'm sorry for yelling like that."
"It's alright!" Doujima smiled. "Besides, it was pretty entertaining to see Amon being yelled at like that. Oh look, we're here."
Doujima parked the car, and got out with Robin. "Damn, still raining?" she followed Robin into the house, and her eyes took in the bleak white walls, empty of anything that would make it home-like. In fact, the only home-like objects in the room, was the furniture, and even that was sparse. Looking around in the other rooms, Doujima saw it was the same. There were almost no personal items in the entire house! How could Robin live like this? She'd never be able to stand living in such an empty home.
Robin had changed into black fabric pants, and a simple black tank top, but she looked really nice. Doujima noted that she left her hair down, and that only enhanced her face. She threw her coat on, and smiled at Doujima. "I'm ready to go now."
"Alright. Let's go back to the office. I'll have to go after that with the others, so I'll only drop you off, alright?" Doujima queried.
"What do you mean?" Robin blinked. "What about me?"
"Oh! That's right!" Doujima slapped her forehead. "Amon told us you were going to work in the office today."
"Oh." Robin hung her head down again, and Doujima felt a little sorry for her.
"But you'll be with Michael, so you won't be totally alone, right?"
"Yeah, I guess." Robin smiled. Doujima looked closely at the young girl's face. Was that a blush she saw? Hmmmmmmmmmm.
"Alright, let's go!" Doujima pointed to the car, and they both got in.
After an uneventful ride back, Robin waved farewell to Doujima, and went up in the elevator.
"Oh, hey Robin." Michael turned to see her, and was a little surprised to see her in pants. He'd only seen her out of her dress on that one mission at Harry's.
"Hello Michael." She smiled at him, and pulled self consciously at her shirt, still not used to it yet.
"Yeah. I hear you're going to be working in here today, am I right?" Michael's heart skipped a beat.
"Yes." Robin nodded her head, and walked over to her desk. Sitting down, she opened a file, and began to review it. Michael watched her for a few minutes, and then turned to face his own computer. Typing continuously, he scanned the data presented to him, and let out a very loud triumphant 'ha!"
Robin jumped at the noise, promptly falling off of her chair. Michael looked around quickly to see what that crash had been, and saw a bewildered Robin, sitting on the floor, blinking with surprise. Michael just looked at her for a second, before realizing what had happened.
"Robin, you okay?"
Said hunter looked up at the concerned face of Michael, and blushed with embarrassment. "Yes, I am fine." Getting up, she winced as her arm touched the desk. Michael saw this, and bounded out of his chair to see her arm that was still, to his dismay, bleeding quite heavily for a cut that size.
"Oh Robin." He looked at it, touching it gently, but pulling away when she winced in pain. "You really should get that cleaned up, you know."
"Yes." Robin gently removed her arm from Michael's grip, missing the contact already. "I would, but I need both hands, and I only have one at the moment."
Seeing her problem, Michael blushed a little, and volunteered to help her out a little.
"Thank you Michael." Robin smiled at him. Michael's face, however still retained a bit of concern, as she winced again from the pressure of the medical wraps he was winding around her arm.
"I'm sorry Robin." Michael felt a jolt guilt run through his body.
"It's alright." Robin smiled gently at him, but flinched from his hand as he wrapped the cut a little tighter.
"I really don't want to hurt you, but it needs to be tight. See where you've cut it?" Michael slapped his forehead mentally. Or COURSE she saw where it was cut! "Well, it requires a lot of pressure to stop the bleeding, and for the skin to scab over."
"Ah, I see." Robin smiled at him. "I know you don't want to hurt me Michael."
"Yeah." Michael quickly turned his face back to the wrapping, to hide the blush on his face. After several minutes of silence, "All done!" Michael tapped the wrap shut, and put everything he'd used back in the medical kit that was kept in the office, and restocked every now and then.
"Thank-you Michael." Robin looked at her co-worker, and smiled happily, glad that it was over, but a little sad that Michael wasn't touching her anymore.
"No problem Robin." Michael smiled back at her. "But I have to get to work now. Amon and Karasuma are out on a hunt, so I have to provide the specs of the buildings to them. You could work on those files I placed on your desk, okay?"
"Sure." Robin sat at her desk, and went through the files, typing them up on the computer. Michael had gone back to his desk, and had started to rapidly call up information about the current hunt onto his screen.
Owari
So, what did you people think of the first chapter? I spent a while on it, but the second one is being worked on already, so it won't be too long until the next update, I hope. Well, you know what to do! Prod the next chapter out of me with reviews! - thanks for reading!
P.C.D. out!