Disclaimer: I do not own Guilty Gear or its characters.

A/N: Character thoughts will be in italics

Needing to Live

Chapter 3

A Picnic?

The sun shone brightly shined brightly down on the earth signifying another wonderful day. Birds singing and the sound of little children playing only seemed to make the day that much happier. But there was one person who was not enjoying the day. Not that he had a problem with days like this; it was just that it had been so long since he had taken time out for himself that he had forgotten how to enjoy his down time. Today would have been no different had it not been for the beautiful Chinese woman sitting beside him.

I could be organizing reports or locating pirates or trying to find the Assassin Guild's hideout...

Before the thoughts of the knight could go any further a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Ky….Ky are you listening to me." Came the voice of his "date" Jam Kuradoberi

"I'm sorry Ms Kuradoberi. I got lost in thought for a moment there." Replied Ky as he put on his best smile

He's even cuter when he smiles like that. "Are you trying to say that I am boring you?" Jam asked him teasingly

"No its not that its just that I have so much work to do that I…my mind…its all over the place" Ky said not realizing that Jam wasn't serious.

"I was only playing Ky. You might want to loosen up and relax a little. You do know how to do that don't you."

"Ummmm….my work keeps me pretty busy so doing things of this nature don't happen for me too often." Ky said felling a little embarrassed that he didn't know how to relax. It was not until this day that Ky had stopped to consider how much he worked. Going through the night patrol's reports in the morning and the day's reports in the afternoon. Not too mention going out on patrol himself during the day and following possible leads on the multiple cases he was working on, and there was always the chance he would run into everyday criminals or that man. His long time rival and proverbial thorn in his side Sol Badguy. But today, he did not have to worry about any of that. He was just supposed to relax and have a good time.

Just then a gentle breeze came blowing through. As Ky slightly turned himself to enjoy the breeze his gaze drifted over to Jam. As the wind lightly tossed her hair, she used her hand to move a few strands away from her face. As Ky looked at her, he realized for the first time how beautiful she was. Maybe this is not so bad after all. No no no, I can't think like that. But I did need some down time. Getting pulled into this situation was a good thing.

Flashback

"It's no problem I was just doing what I do best." Ky said as he accepted all words of thanks and gratitude that came his way. Before he realized it, Jam had walked up to him.

"I wanted to thank you for taking care of those thugs just now." Jam said sweetly smiling at him.

"I was glad I could be of help." Ky said before turning to another customer who was congratulating him. But before he could turn away completely, Jam lightly touched his arm to stop him.

"Yes" Ky said as he turned his attention back to her.

"I don't know what I would have done if you had not been here. How can I ever repay you?" Jam said as she stepped closer to Ky

"Um, that's not necessary I'm an officer just doing my job."

"No, that won't do." Jam said as she pretended to think for a second. Almost there. "I know," Jam started "let me cook something special for you." As she said this, Jam moved even closer to the Holy Knight. So close that she staring directly into his blue eyes.

Ky swallowed hard before answering, the closeness of their faces was making him a little nervous. A quick glance in around let him know that the people where watching this exchange and waiting intently for his answer.

"That sounds good. I wouldn't be much of a gentle man if I turned down such a kind offer from a lady." Ky said gaining some of his composure back.

Got him "Ok then, meet me here tomorrow at noon?"

"Sure"

"Ok it's a date!" Jam said beaming

What did I just do? Ky was wondering what happened when his communicator beeped.

"Kiske here…….yes…….I'll be right there." "Sorry Ms Kuradoberi, but I have some urgent business that I must attend to right now."

"That's okay. I'll see you tomorrow then." Jam said smiling "Bye"

As Ky left, Jam began walking back to the kitchen. Right before she passed through the door the same waiter she had been talking to earlier stopped her.

"How will I ever repay you." He said imitating her. "Laid it on a little thick there didn't you?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about" Jam said trying to suppress a grin

"Like you would have had any trouble handling those three idiots."

"That's doesn't matter anymore! What matters is that I have a date tomorrow with a very handsome guy." Jam stated before walking on

"Ahhhh…"He sighed and dropped his head, "she's hopeless."

The Next Day

I can just show up, eat, and leave. This should be easy. Just as Ky reached the door, Jam met him coming out. Carrying a picnic basket!

"Hey Ky" Jam said smiling

"Hello Ms. Kuradoberi. I didn't know it was going to be a picnic."

"Yeah, I figured if I just cooked something for you in the restaurant it wouldn't be special. I hope you don't mind."

"No it's not a problem. It's just that if I knew I would have worn something other than my uniform."

"That's okay. I like a man in uniform."

"Oh you look great too Ms Kuradoberi." Ky said

End Flashback

I said she looked great but now that I really look at her she's beautiful. Ky's eyes slowly began to drink in her image as he sat there admiring her. She was wearing a white skirt with a pair of matching white boots along with a blue top. She had changed the clip in her hair to match her top.

To someone who is passing, we probably look like a couple. I really wouldn't mind. Beautiful long brown hair that she keeps in a ring. Which is a little strange but adds to her uniqueness. That top she's wearing shows off her body wonderfully. Her flat stomach, slender shoulders, and ample…NO! What was I just thinking! That is out of line for me to think such thoughts about a lady. I should admire the clothing, like the skirt which is short enough to show off her amazing legs. No, I did it again! She would slap me if she knew what was going through my mind.

Unbeknownst to Ky, the thoughts he was having had caused his face to turn red. Which Jam noticed.

"Ky, are you okay your face is all red?"

"Yes I was just….thinking about something."

"And what were you thinking about?"

"It was nothing."

"Come on, tell me." Jam said shifting her position so she was facing him.

"It was something about work." Forgive me father.

"Oh," Jam said sighing "Don't you ever think about anything other than work. I'm having to do all the talking. Tell me something about yourself."

"I'm sorry. What would you like to know about me."

"Like, tell me why you became a police officer or knight. Was it a dream of yours of just something you got pulled into or what?"

"I became a knight during the Holy War," Ky began his voice taking on a solemn tone, "to protect the people who couldn't defend themselves."

The tone of his voice let Jam know that his reason for becoming a knight might be a sensitive subject to be saved for later. "That was very noble of you, but why do you fight now."

"I still fight for the same reason. To protect the people."

"I know that much." Jam stated. "But what is your reason for making it through the battles? What are you coming back to once the fight is done?"

"……"

"You don't have a reason? You just fight one battle only to go looking for the next?"

"I never looked at it that way, but I guess I do." Ky said as his head began to lower at this realization.

When Jam saw this she quickly added, "Not that I'm judging you or any thing. I just think that living only for a fight is not the way to go. I feel that if you live only to fight, then you need a new reason to live."

"But people will always need protection and that is a job that must be done." Ky said becoming defensive.

Conversation going in a bad direction. Time to change the subject. "So Ky, did you like the food I made for us?"

"Oh yes the food was exquisite."

"Then why didn't you eat the little cakes I made you?"

Ky glanced down at the heart shaped cakes and then back up at Jam with no answer.

Jam felt her eyebrow twitch as she looked at Ky. "Are you saying you don't like it?"

Ky swallowed hard before answering the short fused chef. "No, it's just that I have ate so much already that I couldn't eat anymore."

"What's one more bite going to hurt?"

Its not that Ky didn't want to eat them, he just didn't want to send the wrong message. "Maybe later…."

Before he knew it, Jam had taken a pair of chopsticks and was holding one of the cakes up. "C'mon Ky, just one bite."

Just as Ky opened his mouth to respond, Jam shot forward attempting to shove the food into his mouth. Thanks to his quick reflexes, Ky moved just in time.

She's pretty quick.

Again she tried to force the food into his mouth which he avoided again and again until he noticed the grin on her face. Which caused him to smile in return.

"You know Ms. Kuradoberi, I can keep this up all day."

"Oh you can, can you!"

With her next lunging effort she over did it a little causing her to lose her balance and fall into Ky, which caused him to lose his balance and fall back on the ground. As Ky opened his eyes he found himself staring back into the face of Jam. Her brown eyes sparkling from enjoyment of trying to force feed him. Her body laying on top of him with her hair cascading over her shoulder. Their faces mere inches away from one another.

Her eyes are so beautiful. She's so close I could almost…

Without consciously knowing it Ky wrapped one arm around her waist pulling her closer to him, and used his other to brush strands of hair away from her face. His sudden boldness surprised Jam but she liked it.

"Jam…" was all Ky could manage to say before he began to close the distance between them. Jam slowly closed her eyes as she began to lean closer to Ky. The space between them had all but disappeared, the feeling of her warm breath on his lips sent a shiver up his back. He had to kiss her and he would……or so he thought.

"KISKE! Is that you!"

The suddenness of the voice caused both Jam and Ky to look up into the grinning face of none other than Axl Low.

"Axl Low, what are you doing?" Ky asked after he recovered from the surprise disturbance.

"Oh nothing, just enjoying a beautiful day. What about you?" Axl said glancing at Jam with the same goofy grin on his face but now with a hint of suggestiveness in his tone.

"Huh…" Ky said before looking at the position Jam and he were in. Upon realization his face began to burn bright red. "Just doing the same as you." Ky said nervously while sitting up.

"And aren't you Jam?" Axl said looking at her "I met you during the last tournament."

"Yes, I remember you." Jam said forcing a smile. Damn! It was going good then this goof had to show up. As Ky and Axl began talking about time slips or something, Jam noticed that even though Ky had change positions he had not removed his arm from around her waist. Maybe today was not totally without rewards.

XXXXXXX

A/N: I finally got this chapter out. I had a serious case of writers block on this one so it might have some incoherent thought in it because I wrote it in spurts. R and R.