Writer's notes: I entered the Black Cat fandom about...less than a week ago. Long story short, plot bunnies happened. xD I really struggled with the characterizations for Black Cat characters, but I hope I got Train, Sven and Eve right.
Written for a writer's 100 theme challenge on Deviantart. I hope readers will enjoy. : ] I don't know if I'll be writing more such drabbles, so I'll be posting this as a completed one-shot for now.
- Invisi-Writer/Writer
Disclaimer: I don't own Black Cat. Simple as that. [/hey that kind of rhymes. -silly- xD]
XLIX…Or forty-nine : Umbrella
One umbrella was less than adequate shelter for two tall men and one girl. Nevertheless, it was raining cats and dogs right then and you couldn't have gotten them to risk the wet for the world. So it was they were proceeding at a snail's crawl along a packed city street, huddling under an umbrella among a sea of other umbrellas.
"This is stupid," Train muttered. So far his attempts to keep his clothes dry were failing miserably. "Why did we have to go out for groceries today, of all days?"
"And who's to blame for not bringing another umbrella?" Sven said grouchily. Being the tallest among the trio, he was responsible for keeping them all dry by holding the umbrella.
"I thought you would bring an extra, Sven."
"Today's weather report did say there was going to be a thunderstorm," Eve pointed out calmly, though she had to raise her voice over the rumbling thunder and rain drumming the roads and sidewalks. If I don't interrupt, they'll start quarreling again.
"They're never accurate." Train scowled and cast a dark look at the pouring skies. "Well, mostly."
"You know what they say: three's a crowd," Sven joked weakly.
Eve looked up at that. "I've read that in a book once," she mused thoughtfully. "But I don't think it's true."
Train laughed. "Not everything in books is true, little princess," he said lightly. He skipped across a puddle of rainwater easily.
"You hardly ever read," Eve pointed out, sounding slightly put-off. Her irritation however, only served to deepen Train's amusement; he grinned like she had made a particularly clever remark.
"You read enough for Sven and me," the sweeper retorted.
Sven opened his mouth at that, possibly to protest his partner's comment but Eve was already readying a second volley.
""Sven and I"," she corrected. If there was one thing Eve got heated up about besides Train's nonsensical comments, it was about the use of proper grammar.
"See?" Train's smug grin could have rivaled the Cheshire cat's right then.
Eve decided to maintain a dignified silence. Sometimes it was best not to argue with Train; the sweeper could drag an argument like no one else. When it became clear that she wasn't rising to the bait, he (predictably) got bored and fell into a discussion with Sven about their next possible target on their sweep lists. From prior experience, Eve knew it would take some time for them to finalize their plans, so there was little point on listening in. With nothing else to do but walk, her mind wandered to what she'd said earlier.
Three's a crowd. She, Sven and Train made three people. But it wasn't a crowd at all, aside from the fact that three people weren't a crowd if you were going by a dictionary's definition.
This warm feeling I get when I'm with them… It feels like… home, she realized abruptly.
Especially during the evenings when they were at their main base: Sven was busying himself in the kitchen, Train sneaking into the kitchen looking for a quick snack (he was usually chased out by an irate Sven: "You can wait until dinner time!") and she was reading a book while nestled in the big armchair by the window.
No, Eve thought, three was never a crowd.
Even under an umbrella.
Omake!:
"We're finally home!" Train heaved a deep sigh of relief as he entered his small, but well furnished, room. He dumped his satchel on the bed. Funny, why does it feel heavier than normal? On a whim, he upended it and emptied the contents.
Wallet, cell phone, and then various odds and ends he hadn't bothered throwing away like leaflets and maps of places they'd traveled to. And…
A parasol.
"Oops." Hah, better not tell Sven…