Hello everyone, nice to see you again. Many thanks to viexon for favoriting and LostOnes for following. You guys rock! And also many thanks to viexon for reviewing. Yes, Andy did the thing.
Chapter 3: The start of something
"Benzai?" the brunette looked over at the figure approaching and smiled, "hey Kamo? You ready to go?"
He smiled, "yes, thank you so much for this."
Benzai smiled back, "it's nothing I need to be thanked for, it's hardly chore."
It was Sunday, Ryuho's one day every three months to spend with his daughter (the previous days didn't count as, with Miki being revealed to be a Strain, they counted as 'work days' that simply happened to involve his daughter).
It just so happened that a new amusement park had just opened nearby, Kasa had to work but Ryuho had agreed with his daughter that a day of rides, fun, and more sugar than was probably wise was a great day to spend together.
Miki was bringing her two best friends in the whole world, fraternal twins Hirari and Hamano Osada, but Ryuho had been slightly apprehensive about watching three hyperactive five year olds on his own and had wanted at least one other adult along.
The twin's mother, Emiho, a kind, slightly older woman that Ryuho knew well, was supposed to come with them, however just the night before she'd come down with a nasty cold. She was going to be fine but unfortunately she definitely needed to spend the day in bed.
It had broke both their hearts to think about cancelling on the girls, the park would still be there next weekend but even if Ryuho could re-schedule his day with Miki, he wouldn't be able to get the whole day off work. So if Miki went next week, it would be without her father. She tried to hide it but it obviously upset her.
A thought had then occurred to Kamo and he had asked Emiho if she would be alright with a friend of his from work taking her spot for the day to help look after the kids.
Once both Kasa and Ryuho vouched for Benzai, Emiho had agreed cheerfully. Then the only thing that remained was to see if Benzai would do it. Once Ryuho explained the situation to her she was happy to go with them, delighting Miki and the twins. Their day out at the park was back on!
"Spending your one full day a month off babysitting three young girls as they eat more sugar than should be humanly possible and then dealing with the resulting sugar-high's, not a chore at all," said Kamo, his voice deadpan, though the corners of his lips twitched upwards.
Yujiro's smiled widened and Ryuho stopped and stared for a second. Benzai didn't smile often but when she did she was truly a thing of beauty, "you're really looking forward to this, aren't you?" Benzai accused warmly.
This time Ryuho couldn't fight the smile breaking out over his face, "yes I am," he admitted truthfully.
Benzai gently wrapped her arms around one of his and lightly rested her hands on his arm, "well let's get going then," she said, "we wouldn't want to keep the girls waiting."
Benzai's touch on his arm was unfamiliar but he quickly got used to it, the pair of them walked to Kasa's house where the twins had been dropped off earlier that day.
The amusement park wasn't very far from Kasa's and parking would be horrific on a weekend so they were walking there and back to Kasa's afterwards, the twin's father would pick Hirari and Hamano up from there and Benzai and Kamo would walk back to Scepter 4.
Kasa, who was going to leave for work immediately after Benzai and Kamo got there, greeted them at the door, she smiled at them and gave Kamo a slight hug, "great, you're here," she turned to smile at Benzai, "thank you for doing this."
Benzai nodded, "my pleasure."
"Daddy!" Miki slammed into Ryuho and wrapped her arms around him and squeezed as tightly as she could.
Benzai rested her hand on one of Kamo's shoulder blades so he wouldn't topple over, his daughter might be small but she had one heck of a tackle. Ryuho and Kasa were so used to this both of them barely batted an eyelid.
"Hey darling," Ryuho knelt to hug his daughter and Hirari and Hamano followed her down the stairs at a slightly less breakneck pace.
Benzai moved back to give the twins some room in the hall and found herself standing next to Kasa as Ryuho greeted the twins.
"He's so different around Miki," she murmured, she could hardly believe this smiling and energetic-looking man was her taciturn co-worker.
Kasa shook her head in wonder, "I've noticed, even when he was at his most withdrawn with me he was always like that with Miki." Her eyes lingered on the 'bracelet' around her daughter's wrist. "At least now I know what that was all about."
Yujiro didn't really know what to say to that, "it gets easier, soon it won't be so confusing."
Kasa sighed, "but sometimes I wonder; if I knew about all this from the beginning, would Ryuho and I still...?" She shook her head again, but this time dismissively. "Never mind, probably not."
Benzai couldn't really commiserate but she did sympathise, pretty much everyone's home lives suffered due the secrets they kept, some more than others, she herself actually got off fairly well, her parents and sister believed (not totally untruthfully) that she worked for the government and her secrets had never had the chance to impact on her romantic life. Mostly because she didn't have one, sure, she dated occasionally, but it never got serious enough that she would feel guilty about hiding the largest portion of her life from her current man. And she certainly didn't have children. She felt sorry for both Ryuho and Kasa.
"I think... no, I know, Ryuho would have told you if he thought it would help," she said quietly.
Kasa seemed to be chewing on the inside of her lip, eventually she said, "you can tell people what you really do? Can't you?" Really 'are,' seemed a better ending to that question, "I know you said it can't exactly become common knowledge but you can tell other people if you really want to?"
Benzai nodded.
"But Ryuho didn't. You said yourself he would have if he had thought it would help. My husband didn't think trusting me would help. His secrets weren't the whole reason we divorced but they weren't insignificant either! And he didn't think telling me would help?!"
Benzai was now thoroughly regretting ever saying those words, she shot a nervous glance at Kamo and the kids. The girls hadn't noticed from where the three of them were enthusiastically telling Ryuho about their week but Kamo himself shot Benzai a worried look out of the corner of his own eye. He hadn't heard the words exchanged but he had seen the expression on both women's faces and heard Kasa's hissed voice rising.
Benzai straightened slightly, "I'm sorry Miss Konkawa, but those are questions you will have to ask Ryuho."
Kasa seemed to remember herself, she flushed scarlet, "o-of course, my apologies, my mouth ran away with me for a minute there. My apologies for my rudeness."
"I don't think you're rude Miss Konkawa, I think you're confused," Benzai said honestly, see? This was why she didn't date, marry or have kids.
Kasa smiled gratefully, "thank you. Although I have to admit to a bit more confusion, I wasn't expecting to see you here today. I'm very grateful that you decided to accompany my husband but I wasn't aware the two of you were all that close."
For some reason, under Kasa's politely inquisitive gaze, Benzai felt her cheeks begin to turn red, "I-um-y-yes," she finally managed, "Ryuho has always been a close comrade of mine and over the last few months I would call us friends."
Kasa's right eyebrow rose ever so slightly and Yujiro felt the mad urge to fidget, which was completely ridiculous! Why should she be feeling uncomfortable and awkward?
But for some reason, she did.
As though he could sense her discomfort, Ryuho said, "how about you girls finish telling me about art class on the way there?"
The girls agreed and he rose, the hug Kasa gave Ryuho was a little more stilted than the first one but it was genuine. Then Miki and the twins all hugged Kasa.
"You three be good for your dad and Miss Benzai," said Kasa, they all nodded and left. Kasa locked up the house and headed out after them.
Miki immediately grabbed one of her father's hands, Hirari, the shorter haired and more outgoing of the twins, grabbed his other hand and her sister's with her free one. With a shy smile Hamano held her free hand out to Yujiro, who took it. The five of them walked to the amusement park together, so far so good. The world hadn't exploded yet.
They paid to get in and when they did both Ryuho and Benzai instinctively tightened their grip on the girls, there were so many people here, it would be so easy to get lost.
But they knew they would have to let go eventually.
"Make sure you can see me or Miss Benzai at all times, stay together. Do not go too far," Kamo ordered before, reluctantly, letting go of Hirari and Miki, Benzai let go of Hamano.
Miki immediately grabbed Hirari's free hand and ran off, "slow down Miki, we'll get to it all eventually, it's not going anywhere." Her father called.
"But daddy! There's so much to see!" Miki cried, Yujiro had to agree with her there.
The three girls immediately ran towards a superfast spinning ride, the kind specifically designed to attract hyperactive young children and make any adult that looked at it blanch a little on the inside instinctively.
Ryuho sighed inwardly as he and Benzai approached, "this one?" He asked the girls, already knowing what the answer would be.
They all nodded, "come on Daddy, come with us!" Miki said, tugging on his hand.
Kamo turned to look at Benzai who smirked and folded her arms across her chest, "have fun. I'll be waiting at the exit when you get off."
He gave her a very regal, very affronted glare, "you," he informed her loftily, "are absolutely heartless."
She smiled brightly and waved.
"The worst."
When they made it back to the office they both collapsed on a couch in the break room and Ryuho surprised Yujiro by resting his head on her shoulder and shutting his eyes.
Benzai tried not to smile, really she did. But resisting that urge was hard, maybe she had an inner sadistic streak she'd never known about until today. Well if she did it was a strong sadistic streak, Ryuho groaned softly and Benzai resisted the urge to laugh, she was pretty sure her shoulders shook once or twice though, bumping Kamo slightly.
He'd been looking green ever since that first ride and there had been many more after that, not to mention all the sugar and grease and sugar and fat and sugar they had ended up eating.
At the last ride, which was basically the first one but faster, Benzai had taken pity on him and gone on with the girls instead. It had been kind of fun but she was sure she had left her stomach at the beginning of the ride and had failed to find it again, she had also been incredibly dizzy afterwards.
They must have made quite a pair on the walk back to Kasa's house, her stumbling and chalk white and him incredibly green.
Benzai lazily reached up and ran her hand through his loose black hair, her fingers catching ever so slightly on the mussed, silken strands.
"You're the best father in the world," she told him warmly.
He sighed, "usually I would consider that the highest compliment anyone could ever give me. However, right now I am afraid my stomach will have to stop churning before it brings me any joy. And that could be a long time in coming."
Benzai just snuggled further back against the plush cushions and let the hand in Kamo's hair rest gently against his head, cradling it against her shoulder, she was pretty sure Kamo was already asleep and, despite the fact that they were sitting on a couch in the break room, she felt her own eyes begin to slide closed.
At least she had one of her lifelong questions answered now, she knew how young children had so much energy.
They somehow stole it from adults.
Benzai walked into her room in the early hours of the morning to find the biggest surprise she had ever experienced in her life.
Domyoji was wide awake, in her pyjamas and lying on her bed playing a video game on a handheld device.
Domyoji playing a video game wasn't the surprising part, that wasn't surprising at all. What was surprising was the fact that she was awake at all at this hour.
Domyoji loved sleep, to think that she would still be awake at this hour of the morning was... well... unthinkable!
Andy paused her game and glared up at Benzai, the brunette was startled. Despite being as physically, mentally and emotionally different as possible; Domyoji currently bore a striking resemblance to Benzai's mother.
This was further proved by the first words out of the red-head's mouth.
"Where have you been young lady?!" She demanded of the older woman.
Benzai instinctively straightened, feeling the overwhelming and ridiculous urge to justify herself.
"Out," okay, maybe the urge to justify herself was a little less overwhelming than she had first thought.
However, she gave in and elaborated when Andy's frown became a scowl, "I fell asleep on the break room couch."
Andy deflated a little, "is that it?"
Benzai nodded, wondering why her roommate had thought there might be more, "yes, that's it." Sure Kamo had been there too, he'd been gone when she woke but his coat was covering her.
The same coat she was currently clutching and that Andy gestured at right now, "then why do you have Kamo's coat?"
"How do you know it's Kamo's?" Benzai challenged, walking further into the room, shutting the door and placing his coat on her desk, she would give it back tomorrow when she saw him, hers quickly joined it and she removed her shoes.
"Hmm well did you spend the day with another fairly broad-shouldered adult male with a fondness for the colour blue?" Andy asked logically.
Benzai gave her a steely glare which she knew had about as much effect on her roommate as it would on a rock, "it means nothing. It isn't what you think."
"Reeeeaaaally?" Domyoji drew the word out in a way that was far too obnoxious for three in the morning.
"You walked in here at three in the morning after spending the day with Kamo and you're trying to tell me that it meant nothing?" A pause, "do you want it to mean something?"
Benzai undressed and then yanked on her own pyjamas, "yes, I am trying to tell you that it meant nothing and," she hesitated, "yes, I think I would like it to mean something."
She startled herself with the revelation, she had considered herself and Kamo friends, even fairly close ones, for a while now, she knew that. But when had she started entertaining hopes for something more? And why had this escaped her notice until now?
On the other hand, Andy didn't look even remotely surprised by this news, "then make it into something."
Benzai climbed into bed, easy for Andy to say, she was a gorgeous and vivacious redhead, men loved her, it was easy to see why Himori had fallen for her. Benzai, on the other hand, was plain and uninteresting, she was hardly ugly but her personality combined with her forgettable appearance made her every man's definition of 'just a friend.' She was sure that Kamo was the same, he saw her as a good friend and another in an endless list of co-workers. That was all.
"If only it was that easy," she said wryly, "what did you do to make Himori realize he was in love with you?"
Andy grinned brightly and held up her wrists which both bore several long, thick, vertical scars, "I almost died. I suggest you try a different method."
"Good idea," agreed Yujiro. She yawned, "oh well, I'll think on what I want and how to get it when I wake up. I'm exhausted."
Domyoji yawned too, "you do that," she said. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight Andreana," Benzai reached over to turn off her lamp, she stopped when a thought occurred to her, "hey Domyoji, you weren't awake because you were waiting for me all this time, were you?"
No answer. Benzai glanced over at the other woman and smiled slightly. Andy was already asleep.
It had been three weeks since his outing with Miki, the twins and Benzai and Kamo had more or less recovered from all those rides, (though he suspected they would haunt him for a while as his nightmares did).
It was an average day, a few minor incidents, nothing serious, and he was finishing up a report when Yujiro hit his arm to get his attention. It wasn't a brush or even a tap but close to an actual strike which meant she was very annoyed or very distracted. It turned out to be the latter.
"Ryuho!"
He followed her gaze and then leapt up, blinking, trying to understand what he was seeing.
The Blue King was walking into the room, and at her side, talking her ear off, was Miki.
Done! Tell me what you think guys! I hope you enjoyed!
No, I didn't forget, you will hear the results of Andy hitting Fushimi in the head with a piece of paper next chapter.
That's all for now, bye guys!
