Chapter 2 The Game of Love
Kaname stood looking at Sousuke with a look on her face that had she been in public she would have found a reason to clobber Sousuke with whatever she had at hand. As far as she was concerned the only reason she didn't was the fact that Sousuke had not a clue as to how close to mayhem he was.
'Gods above he can learn something that doesn't come from some field manual or tactical operations handbook' she thought
"I told you to find another hobby, not try and blow out the windows all the windows in the building WITHOUT explosives, Sousuke". Kaname was trying desperately to hide the blush that was turning her face into a great imitation of a ripe tomato.
The idea of Sousuke being able to learn something outside combat related knowledge was incredibly intriguing. Hell he even played as good if not better then those jackasses in the music club and he had only been working on this in his extremely limited spare time.
About that time another thought occurred to her. 'Oh crap' she thought 'Sousuke already has girls in school that think he's the cats ass. If it gets out that he can play like this they would stop at nothing to get him as their boyfriend'. Naturally this did not sit well with Kaname at all. She had worked way too hard to civilize him to give him up, although she didn't admit this even to herself, to some floozy that had no clue how high maintenance Sousuke could be.
"Miss Chidori, are you alright?" Sousuke asked with a concerned look on his face.
Kaname snapped out of her reverie with the next thought in her queue of processes. 'What a minute, maybe that was the only song that Sousuke knows. I hope!' "I was just wondering if you knew any other songs Sousuke." She asked brushing away his concern with a wave.
"Certainly I do Miss Chidori." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Kaname felt her throat go tight with his deadpan comment.
"Can I hear you play again Sousuke?" she asked almost, for Kaname, timidly.
"Of course, Miss Chidori. Do you have any preferences as to what you would like to hear?"
"Well the last song was a bit hard, so how about something lighter and maybe not as loud?" Kaname asked wondering if Sousuke could even do lighter.
"Lighter and not as loud, hmmm" Sousuke pondered a moment. He had a strangely introspective look on his face, almost as if he was wrestling with something and didn't want to say anything about it. Watching him come to a decision about whatever it was, she saw his expression change to one of apprehension. Sousuke's expressions rarely departed from the professional neutral face he showed everyday. But after over a year of being on "Sagara Watch" she had become quite adept at reading what little he did show.
And right now he was apprehensive. Almost as if he had done or was about to do something seriously Otaku and knew she was about to lose it with him "Well there is an artist that I like that might suffice, give me a moment." his face growing marginally less somber then the norm for Sousuke.
He walked over to the monstrosity and moved a mouse attached to the computer that seemed to be at the heart of the equipment. He quickly brought up a menu and was searching for a particular song. While browsing for the song he wanted and going through the menus faster then Kaname could follow, she go a little curious about something.
"Sousuke, where did you get all this equipment anyway?" she asked.
Sousuke stopped his browsing and looked at Kaname with a look that said, Are you kidding? "Miss Chidori, respectfully, even I am aware of how hard it would be for a civilian to acquire some of the military hardware that I have." Kaname was starting to get peeved again. "Are you not aware that most of the weapons systems I have with me I acquired at my own personal expense." That comment spoken as if discussing the weather had Kaname speechless. Seemed it was the day for it after all. "About the only thing in the apartment that I did not purchase personally is the furniture and the communications console over there." He said pointing to the said item. "And that is only because it contains very sensitive top secret technology."
"If I could afford my own Glocks, Styer SPP's and grenades and can afford to build, modify and produce, the Bonta Kun AS, then I can certainly afford to buy quality music equipment." There was just a trace of pride and conceit in Sousukes' voice. "After all Mithril pays its personnel very well. Especially the AS pilots, and since I am the only pilot currently capable of using Lambda Driver equipped Arm Slaves I get paid even better then most of the rest. The only personnel in the Western Pacific Fleet SRT units that make more then I do is Urzu 1 and 2, and that is only because I am on half pay during my stay here in Tokyo."
It suddenly hit Kaname just how much Sousuke was giving up by staying here to protect her. And that got her to wondering just were the reasons underlying Sousuke's desire to remain here in Tokyo. She had a good idea, but she wasn't positive whether she was right or not.
Sousuke went back to browsing for the music he was looking for. He quickly found what he was looking for and queued it up. He took a few steps back into the middle of the room and pulled a pick from his pocket. He then strummed a few chords and adjusted the tune of the guitar. She took a seat in the cooking area of the apartment and this time instead of facing the balcony door he faced Kaname at the table. He then used his foot to tap a switch set into a panel box setting on the floor. Even though Kaname thought she was prepared for it, sadly she was mistaken, again. As he stood there, backlit by the early afternoon sun coming in through the balcony window, Sousuke started picking a lyrical tune and then it seemed he dropped in to the role of background player.
Tell me just what you want me to be
One kiss and boom you're the only one for me
So please tell me why don't you come around no more
Cause right now I'm crying outside the door of your candy store
He strummed and picked in the background of the lyrics, eyes closed looking for all the world like he was feeling the rhythm moving through him.
It just takes a little bit of this
A little bit of that
It started with a kiss
Now we're up to bat
A little bit of laughs
A little bit of pain
I'm telling you, my babe
It's all in the game of love
This, whatever you make it to be
Sunshine set on this cold lonely sea
So please baby try and use me for what I'm good for
It ain't sayin' goodbye that's knocking down the door of your candy store
Eyes closed and never once looking at the frets, Sousuke played. Face more relaxed then she could ever remember, his head and shoulders moving in a relaxed and composed manner as he played almost effortlessly.
It just takes a little bit of this
A little bit of that
It started with a kiss
Now we're up to bat
A little bit of laughs
A little bit of pain
I'm telling you, my babe
It's all in the game of love
It's all in this game of love
The second time the chorus played she listened, really listened to the lyrics, thanking every Kami in the heavens that she got excellent grades in English. She was nearly in tears when she realized what the singer was saying. It just takes a little bit of this, A little bit of that, A little bit of laughs, A little bit of pain. That explained their relationship to a tee.
You roll me
Control me
Console me
Please hold me
You guide me
Divide me
Into what...
Make me feel good, yeah
His time in the light had arrived and once more she was stunned by the sight of Sousuke playing. It rose from his heart and the confusion that plagued her as to why he did the things he did sometimes was washed away as she finally understood why he overreacted to seemingly innocuous situations. After all the shocks and surprises that morning, Kaname had an epiphany. She suddenly understood just what it was that Sousuke couldn't say out loud, why he seemed apprehensive as he choose the music to accompany.
Because he had never learned how to express his softer emotions.
Finally through a flippant comment she had made in the heat of anger, and through his own cluelessness at taking everything literally, he had for the first time found an outlet those emotions. Utterly and completely flabbergasted, she found she understood what he was trying to say through the music. He cared for her more then his own life. He would throw himself in the line of fire to protect her, and not because it was his duty. But because quite simply he loved her. Sousuke would, without a seconds thought or hesitation, almost casually toss himself in front of any danger that even came remotely close to her. And the only thing that would bother him would be the fact that he might not be there the next time something threatened her.
So please tell me why don't you come around no more
Cause right now I'm dying outside the door of your loving store
It just takes a little bit of this
A little bit of that
It started with a kiss
Now we're up to bat
A little bit of laughs
A little bit of pain
I'm telling you, my babe
It's all in the game of love
Well that just would not do as far as Kaname was concerned. She would have to see to it that he didn't do something stupid and get himself killed.
It's all in this game of love
It's all in the game of love
Yeah, in the game of love
Roll me
Control me
Please hold me
(make me feel good, yeah)
As music started to fade, she realized something else. Throughout the entire song Sousuke was asking for help. Help understanding her, understanding the world around him, and even help understanding himself. She knew that he had absolutely no idea about the gentler side of ones emotions. Well she would have to remedy that. And now that she knew why he acted the way he did, the job was not impossible, merely difficult. But as far as she was concerned it was a task that she more then capable of. The hardest part as far as she could see would be getting him to be comfortable around her, comfortable enough to start showing her how he felt. She then realized something else.
'O ohohoho I am going to have so much fun with Sousuke from now on' she thought with a slightly evil smile and a twinkling look in her eyes.
Sousuke nearly froze up when he saw the look on Kaname's face. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew he was in some kind trouble. Kaname had the same kind of look on her face that he had seen on a jaguar in the South American jungle when it had been stalking him as prey.
"Are you alright, Miss Chidori" he asked looking like he ready with the 'fight or flight' instinct.
"I'm just fine Sousuke. I do have a question though. Actually two." Kaname nearly purred.
Purring was a bad thing as far as Sousuke was concerned. It led to situations where he had absolutely no idea what was going on. Afterwards he usually had to rehydrate himself because of all the sweating he did. That was another thing that always puzzled him. How could he do all the workouts he did or go into combat facing maniacs and/or overwhelming odds and barely break a sweat. Yet when Kaname spoke to him like that he lost liters of fluids.
"What are your questions, Miss Chidori?" he asked almost dreading it.
Kaname figured she would cut him some slack and let him settle down before springing her trap. "Have you picked up any more hobbies?"
The way things were going there was no way he was going to come completely clean on that one. Eleanor would remain hidden for now. "Not at present Miss Chidori." Not really a lie as he was not with Eleanor right then.
"I see." She replied, knowing he wasn't telling the whole truth. 'I'll deal with that later, I don't want to overload his Otaku brain.' Sousukes look returned to his normal professional one and he started to relax thinking the worse was over. 'Think your off the hook do you, Sousuke?'
"Just why did you pick that particular song?" The purring was even more pronounced now. The question hit him like a polearm from the army of Gustavus Adolphus, his eyes going to the size of saucers and turning 3 shades of red. 'Damn this is fun' she thought almost wickedly as she stood up and slowly moved toward him. To Sousuke it looked like a big cat on a stalking approach.
"Uhhh"
"Well Sousuke?" her head slightly lowered and looking through her bangs.
"Uhhhhhhh"
That was a good answer this time as far as she concerned. It showed just how hard it was for him to say it. She was nearly on top of him now and she could see that he was sweating bullets. 'He looks like he is sitting inside a sauna'
"Come on Sousuke, you don't have to be scared." She said with a smirk.
Sousuke's eyes flashed briefly. "I am a specialist, Miss Chidori. Specialists do not get scared"
The flash didn't last long in the face of Kaname's look. She was in complete control here and she damn well knew it. The bad part for Sousuke was he knew it to.
"Really, are you sure of that?" She was nearly nose to nose with him now. For Sousuke if the purring was loud before, it was almost deafening now.
"Y y y yes" he stuttered.
"Well lets just see about that." She said as her hands were slowly reaching up to the back of his neck and she pulled herself the rest of the way up until her lips met his.
It was fairly chaste as far as kisses go, but it was enough to cause Sousuke's eyes to roll back and then to no surprise of Kaname, he fainted.
"That was for giving me so many surprises today Sousuke."