Title: From a daughter's perspective.
Summary: Kohina doesn't like that human but her papa does. She learns to compromise with it.
Pairing: Kagetane Hiruko/Satomi Rentarou
Rating: T.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot of this fic.
Note: Psst, it's unbetaed.
Kohina doesn't like that human whom her papa has taken an interest in. That human who goes by the name Satomi Rentarou.
First of all, he is weak, so weak that it's no fun at all playing with him. The little girl wonders how her papa had met this miserably weak human. Second of all, she just utterly, unfathomably can't understand her papa's taste in human. Perhaps, just as he said, she is still too young to understand.
Or maybe he is just the most confusing person on Earth.
She knows all too well where he is going every night he heads out. It's to that dark alley near the human's apartment. Kohina doesn't bother tailing him, simply because her papa would be mad at her if she doesn't listen to him. She tried spying on him once and witnessed what happened in that alley. Her papa's arm was encircled around Rentarou's waist and his hand was tilting his mask up. The way Rentarou was leaning up against papa was the final straw that made she turned away and quietly left.
There is another reason to why she dislikes that human; he almost killed her papa. How could he do something like that with someone who nearly ended his life not so long ago? It is just too much for her ten years old little head.
She knows her papa was aware that she was there, he was too sharp to miss out something like her presence. When he came back to the secret base, she was on the bed, pretending to be asleep. Without a sound, he sat down next to her and ruffled her head. She remembered telling him she hated him. The man just chuckled and hummed in amusement, saying between Rentarou and him, there was unfinished business. The blue haired girl didn't make any remark, instead, she sat up and hugged him tightly.
'Don't leave me, papa.'
She muttered under her breath and her papa just continued stroking her soft hair.
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Being left alone hurt, she realized that when the civil officer delivered the final blow on her papa, smashing his mask and sent him sinking in the dark surface below. Losing him meant the end for her little world. Throughout those ten years, he was the one who has been taking care of her and the one who sacrificed for her the most. She recalled all too well the desperation when she jumped into the cold sea to pull his body out of the water. She thought she had lost him and her eyes stung as her chest hurt. Even though she had just lost in a combat fight with Rentarou, even though her whole torso ached and there were scratches all over, she had to drag his body out of that place.
Being a mechanized soldier gives her papa great vitality and higher chance of surviving fatal injury, she was glad that what those scientists back then at the lab said wasn't a lie when she felt a pulse, though weak, but definitely a pulse from his damaged body. Everything happened after that was a blur. People came to collect them and her papa was taken away for treatment. Throughout the weeks of recuperation, he was bored which was obvious because being bedridden means no fun at all and that also equal no field work for Kohina.
But of anything out of hundred things her papa could do when he was well enough to use the internet, he decided to do research about a certain civil officer despite the fact that he could ask others to get him the information that he needed. She had never seen her papa showed such great interest in anyone, more than her mother even, she thought, because he barely talked about her at all. He even tracked that human's number and called him just to say hello. As far as the young Initiator recalled, her papa never paid this much attention to anyone other than her.
She was curious, if not a bit jealous but her papa told her he was fascinated by that human, that he was just like them. She didn't get her papa at all. She also failed to see the similarity between Satomi Rentarou and her papa. The human is weak and papa is strong. The human doesn't like papa even though papa likes him a lot. What about him that made her papa so worked up?
She just couldn't understand.
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They met again in the third Kanto war.
The civil officer was in trouble and her papa offered him their help. Enju wasn't with him much to Kohina's disappointment and he was injured. Papa told her he wasn't the enemy this time and he made it clear that she wasn't allowed to cut him. She wasn't happy with this at first but seeing that the civil officer was bitten by those Gastreas, she just thought that it was enough for now. The girl couldn't wait to cut him down later.
When he was patching himself up, he told papa that he was sent to kill a dangerous Gastrea on his own. Kohina didn't mind his rudeness because judging from his body language, he was influenced by their presences. To be more precise, his shoulders were tensing, he was pointing a gun at them and it was easy to note that the discomfort aura that was radiating from him because he felt threatened. It was normal to behave this way around something that serves as a potential menace, she thought, it was the same way for him. Needless to say, the Initiator was delighted that he viewed them as a threat.
However, she failed to notice the way her papa had tried to get under Rentarou's skin.
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They fought together to end the Kanto war, simply because her papa thought it was amusing to observe Rentarou's leading skill. Kohina didn't mind though, as long as she got to cut something down and smash what annoys her to the ground, then it was good enough for her.
When Aldebaran exploded and her blade cut down the last Gastrea which dared to bare its fangs at her, her papa looked up the mushroom shaped smoke pillar and gestured her to stop. They had done their part and it was time to go.
'Are you leaving without saying goodbye to Rentarou-niisan, Hiruko Kagetane-san?
The Owl asked and her papa simply chuckled as he walked away.
'We will meet again, there's no need to say goodbye now.'
'Let's play sometime 'k, Owl?'
The blue haired girl giggled and waved at the Owl Model Initiator before following her papa's footsteps.
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It was a few weeks later and she found out that her papa was having affair with that Owl's adoptive brother.
It's started out when he told her that he need to go out and take care of something. Gradually, it falls into a pattern for him to go out twice or thrice a week, off to a rendezvous that Kohina knew the exact location of.
Her distaste for Satomi Rentarou wasn't gone yet and she was still stuck with the question about her papa's relationship with him.
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On a particular nice day, they returned to their base only to find out that the fridge had ran out of groceries, saved for two packs of beef which are used for hotpot. They couldn't really make anything with that and Kohina was too hungry to go shopping. And then papa came up with a brilliant idea. Kohina went along because she thought it would be fun.
When a certain civil officer got home, he found a masked man who has horrible taste in guns and his psychopath of a daughter making themselves at home in his apartment. To say Rentarou was annoyed was an understatement. The expression on his face was of great, great annoyance and the way he stood with a hand on his hip showed that he was expecting an explanation for this sudden intrusion from them. Enju, who was hiding behind him, looked puzzled but she didn't start a fight or kick they out. She just seemed genuinely curious in the reason of these two uninvited guests' sudden appearance.
'Hotpot, Satomi-kun?'
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An hour later, the four of them is sitting at the table with a boiling pot of cabbage, shrimp and tofu on top of it. Enju asks why does Kohina's papa turn his back on them and he replies that it wouldn't be a good idea for them to see his face. Rentarou tells her to drop it and asks Kohina to pass her papa's bowl to him. When he receives it from the girl, he picks some cooked slices of beef from the pot and puts them in his bowl before telling Kohina to give him her bowl too so he could pass her some foods. The girl does as being told and he picks some cabbage with shrimp for her.
'It's been a long time since I had hotpot with anyone. You made good broth Satomi-kun.'
The man says as his back is faced against the table.
'Of course he made good broth, Rentarou's cooking is the best in this world, ojii-san.'
Enju pokes the civil officer and praises him unabashedly. Kohina watches them and chews on her piece of cabbage.
'Does he also have to do the dishes, Enju-chan?'
'Yes, he even does the laundry, cleaning, shopping, teaching me stuff. Basically, Rentarou is the best!'
The twin-tailed girl brags about her guardian's skill in doing housework and Kohina simply shifts her gaze to Rentarou. He just sighs and passes some meat in Enju's bowl. His cheeks are painted with a light shade of pink and the blue haired girl knows it isn't from eating hot food.
'I see... Rentarou makes a good housewife, right, papa?'
She smirks and turns to her papa. The young man whom she is talking about is lucky because he isn't eating anything, if he is, he would surely choke on his food when the sword-user's father nods in agreement and makes a comment.
'He does.'
The short haired girl takes note of how flustered the young civil officer is and how he masks it with diverting the subject to something else. His Initiator doubles over in laughter and he has to tell her to stop laughing or she wouldn't get to eat bean sprout for a week.
'I'm not a woman so stop it will you? Kohina, pass me his bowl.'
'Rentarou, there's no need to be embarrassed. I would try and fulfill my duty as a husband to you.'
Enju rubs her head against his rib and her body shakes with laughter. It is so funny that Kohina couldn't help but giggle a little. She has never thought the civil officer has this side to him and it surprises her a little.
Dinner passes and everyone helps with cleaning up. The short haired girl decides to help Rentarou doing the dishes by drying them. Enju is cleaning the table with a washcloth and her papa is bringing the hot clay pot along with the remaining bowls and plates to Rentarou so he could wash it.
'Do you want to have a drink later, Satomi-kun?'
Her papa suggests and the other shakes his head.
'I'm underage.'
'The law said it was illegal to kill, doesn't stop you from trying to kill me though.'
'It's different, you are a criminal and I-', Rentarou retorts and is cut off by the older man.
'It's all excuses, Satomi-kun.'
The young officer is silent as he thinks about it. His shoulder drops in defeat and he mutters.
'Fine.'
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Papa keeps a lot of alcohols in the base but he rarely touches them. Drinking is something that papa never does and the alcohols that he stores in the base are gifts. One thing Kohina knows about those bottles is that they are super expensive and that normal shops don't sell them. Yet, today, he brought three of those bottles with him and asked Rentarou to drink with him. It is strange to see her father does so many things he doesn't usually do in just a day.
The clock strikes eleventh and Rentarou shoos Enju to bed. She looks very sleepy but refuses to go to sleep nonetheless. Kohina knows she doesn't want her Promoter to be alone with the man who is their enemy. Before Rentarou can have a say in this, the blue haired girl informs her papa that she would be going to bed too and drags the Rabbit Model Initiator to her room, closing the door behind her. Unlike the clueless Rabbit, she knows her papa wouldn't do anything bad to the civil officer, at least for now.
'Papa wouldn't hurt your Promoter so relax.'
Kohina smiles and hops on Enju's bed. It's so comfy and warm. The other Initiator looks unconvinced as she pouts.
'Are you sure? You tried to kill us last time we met.'
'He won't. He doesn't seem to be interested in that now,' the Mantis Model Initiator shrugs and puts both of her swords down on the nightstand and lays down on the bed, 'lie down, Enju-chan.'
'Even so... he is super scary to me.'
The twin tailed girl mutters and flops down next to Kohina.
'Papa isn't scary. He loves me a lot. You just don't know papa so you think he is scary.'
The blue haired girl defenses her papa and Enju seems to be confused.
'But you do bad things... you even kill people,' she says.
'They are all mean to us. We would be killed if we don't kill them, Enju-chan,' Kohina replies and buries her face in the fluffy pillow. It smells of Enju's shampoo.
'It must be tough on you right?'
Kohina looks up at Enju and the dim light casting from the other room allows her to see the other girl's eyes. They are glistening with unshed tears.
'A little, but papa is tough. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't make it this fa-'
Enju's little arms pull her into a hug before she finishes her sentence. On instinct, Kohina reaches for her sword but then she notices the other means no harm. It's just a simple hug.
'Kohina-chan is amazing. If only I could be as strong as you...'
'Then try harder Enju-chan, so I could cut you the next time we meet.'
With a small genuine smile, Kohina hugs the Rabbit girl back. The latter falls asleep almost immediately while the blue haired girl stays awake. She thinks the twin-tailed girl is a crybaby but truthfully, she is happy. It's the first time that someone else other than her papa compliments her.
It's a bit past eleventh fifteen and she is still awake. Even though she isn't nocturnal, she is used to staying up late for mission. Staring at the dark, she listens to the conversation that is going on the other side of the door.
'Can't you just take your mask off and drink like a normal person?'
That is Rentarou's voice, speaking in an annoyed manner.
'Don't put me under the same category as them. Then again, I thought you said you didn't want to see my face?'
Kohina's papa replies nonchalantly and she feels the younger of the two is scowling.
'I don't like talking to your back, that's all.'
'I suppose that would be rude of me.'
The light in the other room is turned off and everything turns dark. It is a moonless night and there is no light outside so unless you had the Owl Model Initiator's eyes, it would be impossible to see anything. Kohina's papa doesn't like to show his face to anyone, he only takes off his mask when he knows others can't see his face.
'Better? I'm facing you now.'
'Much better,' Rentarou mumbles.
There is a gulping noise and she hears the sound of the glass being put down on the table rather harshly.
'-the hell! Are you trying to get me drunk? What is this?'
'It's scotch. The price of that bottle is about a million yen. An acquaintance gave me this as a gift for helping him eliminate his competitor.'
'A million yen for a scotch bottle is just crazy.'
'Aren't we all, Satomi-kun?'
It sounds like Rentarou is downing another glass because Kohina hears the glass being placed down again along with the glug-glug of liquid pouring. He is slurring because of the alcohol and the subject is changed to something else. Her papa is asking the other Promoter about the scientist who created him. Kohina can sense the difference in the way the young civil officer speaks. He lets his guard down and tells her papa the story of his life. Papa doesn't say much, he just listens.
And then Rentarou asks him about his own story. The older man promises him that he would tell him some other time and changes the subject. Throughout the conversation, Kohina counts the number of time the glass is placed on the table and it is sixth. Rentarou must be drunk by now.
'I hate you, Hiruko Kagetane. I still do.'
'I can't say that the feeling is mutual though.'
'Why are you doing this? If you're my enemy then fucking act like it... You ain't supposed to go to their house and eat and pretend as if we are friend or something... You ain't supposed to kiss me like that...'
'Satomi-kun...'
'Just die, bastard. I wish you would just drop dead already-'
His voice is cut off and her ears catch a muffle sound. It soon shifts into something else and she realizes that they are kissing. She hears the ruffle sound of clothes and her papa speaks in a low voice.
'You want to be wanted, needed by someone, Satomi-kun. I can give you that because I'm no different from you. This world no longer needs me and my daughter because there is no war, so I understand that feeling very well. I can give you what you want, what that Kisara girl could never give you and I swear to never cast you away like a mange dog. So tell me your answer, Satomi Rentarou.'
The teen makes a choking sound and Kohina thinks he is crying. Then she hears him whispers.
'Just... take me.'
'Not here, let's move to another room... and try to keep it down Satomi-kun, my daughter is still awake.'
There are a lot of noises seeing as they are moving in the dark. The last sound that she hears is the slamming noise of the door and then nothing. Everything falls into silence. Either the wall is thick or Rentarou is doing an excellent job keeping it down as her papa told him to.
She wonders what they are doing, probably an adult thing, and wills herself to sleep.
It is easier than her first thought.
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The morning after, she is woken up by an overexcited Enju and the smell of omelet. The twin-tailed girl offers to do comb her hair and Kohina lets her. Rubbing her eyes groggily, the short haired girl stretches her arms and yawns. Rentarou, who is wearing a dark blue apron, chooses that moment to open the door and tells them that breakfast is ready.
'Where's papa?'
Spotting no sign of her papa, she turns to Rentarou. The teen clicks his tongue and scowls. The tip of his ears start to turn pink a little upon mentioning the mask-wearing man.
'He left, that cold hearted bastard, he wants you to meet him at the rendezvous.'
'I see. Then I shall go to him.'
'Eh? But Kohina-chan!'
Enju pouts and turns to her guardian with her puppy eyes. She wants the other girl to stay. It's the first time someone stays over and she doesn't want to say goodbye just yet. The short haired girl tucks her swords behind her back and smooths out the wrinkles on her dress. The young civil officer, however, sighs and stands in her way when she is about to head for the door to retrieve her heels.
'Breakfast first, then you can go. Your father has already eaten and I think you should too.'
'That's right, Kohina-chan. It's no good to waste the food that Rentarou's prepared.'
Enju's eyes seem to sparkle when she holds Kohina's hand and pulls her toward the table. After considering the pros and cons, the blue haired girl gives in and sits down next to the Rabbit.
'Very well. I'll have breakfast with you.'
The foods Rentarou has made are tasty, better than her papa's canned beef and it's the best homemade breakfast that Kohina had ever eaten. Upon finishing her meal, she puts on her heels and jumps on the hand rail on the small balcony.
'Bye bye, Kohina-chan.'
Enju waves and the sword-user waves back. She then turns to Rentarou and says.
'Papa may like you but I'm not going to acknowledge you that easy. Remember that, Satomi Rentarou.'
After making the declaration, the girl hops off the hand rail, leaving the civil officer dumbfounded.
'What does she mean, Rentarou?'
The Rabbit Model Initiator tilts her head in confusion and her Promoter just shrugs.
'Who knows...'
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Up until now, Kohina still doesn't like Satomi Rentarou. She still couldn't understand her papa's taste in human or what makes him like the young civil officer so much but she is less bothered by the fact that her papa often goes out to meet him now.
She sees Enju sometimes, with her papa's permission, when she is bored and has nothing to do because both her papa and the other girl's guardian are busy. Their meeting usually begins with Kohina raising her swords against the other in a friendly match and ends with them sitting next to each other and chatting about various, random things in their lives. From enemies, their relationship soon turns into rivals and friends.
The twin-tailed girl tells her that Rentarou looks happier and he smiled when he thought no one was looking. She wonders why and the blue haired girl already knows the reason. Her papa is like that too, when his mask was off and he thought she wasn't looking. She also knows his frequent use of cellphone nowadays is not just to contact their customers or sponsor of any sort.
'Do you know why? Kohina-chan?'
'No. Have you asked him?'
'I have, but he won't tell me. Arg, stupid, stupid Rentarou.'
The twin-tailed girl pouts and Kohina smiles.
She won't tell anyone. It's their little secret after all.
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Do drop a few lines to tell me if there's any mistake at all. My grammars suck, i know lol. Also, I would love to hear your opinion about this couple /heart.