Disclaimer: Me no ownie.

Tenoko: I really have nothing to say.

AJ: That's a first.

Tenoko: Bite me.

AJ: I decline.

Tenoko: Aside from that, I DID notice that over three hundred people have clicked on this story, and yet I do not have some three hundred reviews...

AJ: If you read it, people, then review it. It doesn't even have to be a long review. Just let the author know whether you liked it.

Precious Things

As the cold curled tighter around his body, Ginji shivered and frowned, pulling himself into a tighter ball with his cover wrapped tightly around him, trying to delve back into the sweet embrace of sleep. His brain told him he was waking up; he tried to ignore it. Maybe if he ignored it long enough, the voice in his head would go away. But then his nose got in on the action, screaming he smelt food cooking.

Heck, that was enough to get anyone out of bed.

He sat up sharply, not even fully awake, yet throwing off his blanket and rubbing his eyes. His brain didn't register what he saw, his unfamiliar surroundings startling and confusing him. He continued to look around as he woke up more, his brain pulling together information from all corners of his mind to make sense of the day before. They were on a job at a cabin way up north. They'd stayed up late watching movies, and he must have fallen asleep... He frowned down at the blanket he was gripping in his hands, the couch he'd used as a bed. Where'd the blanket come from, and hadn't he been on the floor?

He yawned lazily, stretching like a cat. Ban must have moved him; Ban was such a considerate friend.

His nose pointed out that food was still cooking in the general direction of the kitchen, and his stomach growled loudly in agreement, insisting Ginji get up and investigate. Standing, Ginji folded the quilt and placed it over the back of the couch where it belonged, his gaze shifting to the window with sunlight streaming through. It was a promising day already; he could feel it.

He paused when he reached the swinging door that led into the kitchen, listening to the sound of someone humming. Himiko? Or maybe Natsume? With a shrug, he barged in anyway with a cheerful grin.

"Good morning!"

"It's nearly noon, Ginji dear." Stated a low voice, causing Ginji's smile to fade as he looked to see who had spoken. There by the stove stood Akabane wearing slacks, a white button down shirt, and a white apron.

Ginji's brows shot up in surprise as he took in the image of the man standing there cooking.

"Akabane! Uh, good morning..." He frowned at the frying pan the other man was cooking out of. "You cook?"

Laughing, Akabane shifted what looked like an omelet around with a spatula. "Why of course, Ginji. Who else do I have to cook for me if not myself? I'm afraid all the others have already left," He smiled pleasantly. "Would you care to join me? I made enough for two in case you woke up."

Feeling awkward, Ginji scratched the back of his head.

"Uh, yeah, sure. You didn't have to go to all the trouble, though."

Jackal smiled politely.

"Why it was no trouble at all."

The blond glanced around, looking for something to do.

"Can I help in anyway?"

Shaking his head, he flipped the omelet over.

"No, I'm afraid I'm nearly done. You can go wash up, if you'd like, since you did just wake up. It might help you feel better. It'll be ready in about fifteen more minutes."

Grateful, Ginji nodded and headed up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Fifteen minutes was more than enough time to shower and change. If there was one thing Ginji loved, it was a hot shower. The hot liquid pouring over his skin as the electricity within his own body buzzed and hummed, sparks jumping off of his skin. He stood under the hot water, simply letting it cascade over his own skin, loving every minute of it...

Someone knocked on the door, startling him and nearly causing Ginji to lose his balance.

"Though I hate to be the one to rush you," Stated Akabane from the other side of the doorway. "Breakfast is ready, and it has the unfortunate habit of growing cold quickly, Ginji dear."

The blond cut off the water, pushing the plastic shower curtain to the side.

"I'm coming, give me one minute."

Not wanting to anger Akabane while he was in such an unusually good mood, Ginji practically flew in getting dressed and downstairs, using his power of electricity to cause all the water on him to fly off in all different directions, giving him his usual spiky disarray of hair. He threw a new set of clothes and darted downstairs, earning a raised bow from Akabane.

"My goodness, Ginji, I didn't think you honestly meant one minute, if that's the case you still have fifteen seconds to spare."

Laughing, the blond scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Well, I didn't want to keep you waiting after you'd gone to so much trouble."

Jackal smiled and motioned for Ginji to have a seat at the table.

"It was no trouble at all, Ginji-kun."

They sat, and Ginji took his time about digging in, waiting for Akabane to take the first bite, just to se if it was safe. Noting the blonde's hesitation, Akabane laughed.

"Please, do help yourself, it's perfectly safe."

Ginji laughed awkwardly.

"Of course it is... So, uh, Akabane, you said everyone left already?" He asked before taking a bite of his omelet. He nearly cried when he did, then nearly gulped down the rest in a single bite. "OhmygawdAkabane! Thisissogood! Wheredidyoulearntocooklikethis?!"

Chuckling behind his hand, the dark man smiled, tilting his head to one side.

"It's nothing really, just little things I've picked up here and there in my travels. Having actually read a cookbook every now and then helps as well. I believe you could learn quite easily." He began eating his own meal, as well, with as much grace and poise as he did with everything else, only embarrassing Ginji further at his own lack of table manners. When he wasn't taking a bite, Akabane explained where the others had all gone. "Kazuki took his dear friend Juubei to some medicinal hot springs not far from here, Shido has gone to converse with the local animals, and the others went down the mountain for supplies and information."

Blue eyes playing over Akabane's outfit, Ginji frowned delicately.

"Are you going somewhere as well, Akabane?"

Dr. Jackal was dressed in his usual attire, his hat hanging on a hook by the door. He gave a nod.

"Yes, I thought I would take a walk through the woods and around the lake behind the house." Ginji's face fell in disappointment, causing Akabane to tilt his head in confusion. "Is something the matter, Ginji?"

The blond hesitated before shaking his head.

"Nothing's... wrong exactly. I'll just..." He looked around warily. "I'll be in this big house by myself..." He frowned deeply. "It would be kind of weird."

Laughing, Akabane ran a hand through his own silky locks, brushing them back away from his face with gloved fingers.

"Is that all? Honestly, Ginji, you should know you're always more than welcomed to accompany me." He laughed darkly, flashing white teeth. "Why if I had things my way, we'd be together all the time."

Ginji immediately brightened at having been invited to tag along, even if the person he was tagging along with happen to be Akabane, the last person anyone wanted to tag along with.

"Really? You wouldn't mind if I came with you?"

"Not at all, Ginji dear, in fact, I'd be delighted to have you as my companion." He frowned at Ginji's attire. "Though you may want to change again. Such clothing is not suited for climates such as these." He laughed. "You have to remember it's snowing, my dear friend."

Looking down at his on outfit, shorts and a T-shirt, Ginji laughed.

"I suppose I will have to change. If you hadn't pointed it out, Akabane, I would have ended up freezing my tail off out there." He scratched the back of his head. "I have a habit of not noticing the details until too late. Ban gets mad at me for it all the time."

They finished eating in silence, before Akabane ushered Ginji upstairs to change while he cleared the table. The blond did as he was told. Though they were in this surprisingly comfortable atmosphere and Jackal was acting less than his normal bloodthirsty self, that didn't mean Ginji was stupid enough to actually let his guard down around the man. Well, okay, so he'd let his guard down around him a lot more than usual, but still, it wasn't as though he actually trusted him.

Ginji and Ban had spent the remainder of the money they'd gotten from their last job to buy clothes for this job. Paul hadn't been too happy about that. 'Why not use it to pay off some of your tab? Stay inside so you don't have to worry about freezing!' Paul always brought the money gods up as a sort of joke, but when it came right down to it, the two of them really did have no luck with money. Mostly in part thanks to Ban and his brilliant plans. Ginji refused to let him live down the platinum melon they nearly got killed for.

Returning downstairs wearing a cream colored sweater and black jeans; Ginji stopped when he entered the kitchen.

"Do you think this is enough? Or should I grab a jacket, too?"

Jackal glanced at him over his shoulder before turning around fully to face him, his eyes darkening while a vicious and ravenous smile slowly crept over his features. Recoiling away from the look in Akabane's eyes, Ginji took an uncertain step away, his brows knitting together. What was the matter with Akabane? And what was that look in his eyes? If the blond didn't know better he'd have thought it was pure, unadulterated lust... But it couldn't be, could it? Why on earth would cause such a look in the sadistic man's eyes?

"A-Akabane?" Called Ginji, feeling his cheeks heat up under such an intense gaze.

Blinking, Dr. Jackal shook his head lightly, as though waking from a dream. He smiled pleasantly again.

"I'm sorry, what was that Ginji? I'm not sure I heard you."

The blond flushed even more.

"I asked if you thought I needed a coat..."

Shaking his head, Akabane moved to grab his hat from by the door.

"I don't believe so," He opened the back door, motioning for Ginji to leave first, and shutting the door behind them. "If you do find yourself with a chill, surely you could use that wonderful talent of yours to warm yourself right up, couldn't you?" He turned his head to look at the blond walking beside him, smiling. "But I wonder if the sweater was such a good idea after all, you're looking a tad flushed, Ginji dear."

Embarrassed, Ginji ducked his head, nearly whimpering as he felt the blush spread further, surely causing even his ears to glow bright red.

"I'm fine, just a little awkward, that's all."

The brunette man blinked in surprise.

"Awkward? Whatever for?"

Chancing a glance at the man walking beside him, Ginji immediately averted his gaze when their eyes met, staring down at his own feet as he shuffled through the snow.

Leaving the subject alone, Akabane slid his hand into his pocket, the other holding onto his hat, lest it be swept away by the cold breeze, and the two of them continued on in silence. Ginji overwhelmed with confusion and fretting over the look he'd seen in Akabane's eyes, while Akabane seemed so relaxed it nearly made the blond sick. How was it that someone could be so at ease? That someone so bloodthirsty and ruthless could always seem so peaceful?

"You still don't trust me, do you?" Questioned Akabane softly, breaking the silence between them. He didn't wait for an answer. "It's fine. I don't really expect you to, but I wonder why is it that you find yourself so unable to trust me?" He glanced at Ginji out of the corner of his eye. "I've never once betrayed you."

The blond opened his mouth to argue, then stopped. Akabane was right. He never had betrayed them. Sure, he'd fought them while they were suppose to be on the same team, like at the Limitless Fortress, but that was only because he was also working on another job, and that job required it. When he was their ally, he was as loyal as they came, even more so, and when he was their enemy, he was their enemy. On which side of the battlefield he stood always depended on whether or not he was under contract. But what was he when he wasn't under contract? Was he a friend? Or an enemy?

Ginji liked to think he was their friend, but only because Ginji hated having enemies. Enemies meant future battles, and more lives being lost. Ginji didn't want that.

"You're our ally and our enemy when under contract to be so, like now. You're our ally because you were hired to be apart of the team, but what about when you aren't under contract?" He asked looking up. They had both stopped walking, Akabane pivoting around to face the blond, a brow raised in curiosity. Ginji shook his head. "We never see you unless it has to do with a job! How are we suppose to know we can trust you when we don't know anything about the real you?! If you weren't under contract and we ran into each other on the street, what would happen? Would we simply pass by each other without a word? Or would you stop to talk? Would we immediately get into another battle to the death? I honestly don't know, Akabane, because you haven't shown for certain where you stand."

The wind whistled between them, the snow continuing to fall in sheets and blanket the ground. Akabane stood poised, gazing intently at the blond before him, search for the right words to say. Ginji was right; he hadn't made it clear where he stood, but only because he was not like the others so close to Ginji, he was not as carefree as they were. But like them, he too, was irresistibly drawn to Ginji. What was it about the blond that even Akabane could not hate him? Something about the boy that made Jackal soften?

Stepping forward, he reached out a hand to cup the side of Ginji's face, causing the blonde to start in surprise, nearly backing away. Akabane continued to stand there his eyes searching over Ginji's confused face, while fighting confusion of his own.

"I am here as a member of the transport service, but my contract does not officially start until something is stolen from this property and the Get Backers have retrieved it. Until that time, I am free to do as I will." He dropped his hand to his side, tilting his head slightly. "I am free to do as I please, and I have caused neither you or anyone else any harm..." He frowned, his brows drawing together in question. "Isn't that proof enough as to where I stand?"

"Akabane..."

"I'm as loyal to you as your own friends are, Ginji, and when we do battle, it is merely business. That is the way I am. Business is business, and I treat all those involved with as much detachment as necessary to get the job done, because I am a professional, same as you." He cocked his head to one side. "You can't say that you haven't fought against those you considered friends because they stood in the way of you accomplishing your goal. I know you have, I've seen it with my own eyes. You don't want to fight them, but you do what must be done in order to do your job. I am the much the same." He smiled pleasantly. "Though I do enjoy our little squabbles much more than I believe you do."

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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"So how're you doin', Buddy?" Questioned Ban as he sat down on the porch steps and elbowed his best friend in the side. "All day by yourself must have been tough."

Ginji shook his head, wrapping his arms around his knees.

"I wasn't alone. Akabane was here."

Frowning, the brunette tilted his head to the side.

"Akabane? When we left, you were the only one in the house. Akabane had left before anyone of us even got up. You were fast asleep on the couch, so we left you there." He scratched the back of his head. "Though I'll admit I don't think any of us thought we'd be gone for as long as we were."

Ginji didn't say anything. Ban asked,

"So what did you do? While you and Akabane were stuck together all day? He didn't try anything did he?"

The blond shook his head, feeling rather melancholy.

"No. It was fine. I woke up while he was making breakfast, he made enough for the two of us."

"He what?"

Ginji nodded.

"He told me to go take a shower while he finished cooking, we ate, I asked him where he was going, he said for a walk and invited me to go with him so I wouldn't have to be all alone in the house by myself." He shrugged, laying his head on his forearms. "That was it. We went for a walk and we talked. By the time we got back Kazuki, Juubei, and Shido were already back." He shrugged again. "We came back and Akabane went up to his room and didn't come back out. Shido was reading a book, Juubei took a nap, and Kazu tried to show me how to crochet a blanket."

The brunette cocked an eyebrow.

"Thread boy did what?"

The blond shot his friend a rather exhausted look.

"Ban, you have to remember, Kazuki is from a school that uses threads as a weapon, it's second nature for him to do anything that involves string of any type, whether to fight, play music, or even make blankets. Besides," He added sleepily, closing his eyes once more. "Kazu makes really nice blankets."

Taking out a cigarette, Ban snorted.

"If you say so, pal." He lit the end of his cigarette, taking a long drag, before releasing it with a pleased sigh. God bless nicotine. Without it, Emishi and Natsume would have died by noon that day. They were two peas in a pod, and Ban had been ready to kill them both. Good thing Shido hadn't been there as well or there would have been bloodshed. Ban considered himself a very patient person, heck, he put up with Ginji all the time, didn't he? Of course, Ginji was his best friend, so that was different, but still.

He glanced over at the blond, noting that the male was almost fast asleep. He knudged him with his elbow, causing him to slowly open his eyes, shifting his gaze to Ban in question.

"Go inside and sleep, Numskull. Last thing we need is for you to fall asleep outside and catch your death from this cold. You're going to freeze your butt off."

Struggling to his feet, the blond mumbled something incoherent and clumsily shuffled inside, as Himiko and Natsume came out, sitting on the steps as well. Natsume handed Ban a steaming cup of liquid, and he took it, grateful, before putting out his cigarette and inhaling the scent of the hot drink. Smelt like chocolate.

"It's white chocolate cocoa." Explained Himiko. "I bought some in town today. The cabinets in this place may be stocked full, but it's sorely lacking on snacks."

"Hey Ban?" Began Natsume, drawing in the snow at her feet with the tip of her finger. "You called Miss Hevn, right? And asked her about the item again?"

The brunette nodded, feeling annoyance towards the blonde woman in question.

"She says the client still refuses to say what it is, only that we'll know if it's been stolen."

The girl with the cropped locks shook her head.

"But there isn't anything worth stealing. There's nothing in the house but the furniture and food."

"Don't forget all the piles of books in Mr. Akabane's room!" Added Natsume cheerfully.

Ban shook his head.

"I already made a list of all the titles of the books and emailed it to Paul. He said there's nothing special about any one of the books, some of them are a little weird, but there isn't anything special. I even had him look into who the current owner of this house was and the background on them." He sighed. "A series of fake names and routed bank accounts was all he found, but apparently, the guy is worth a freaking fortune. Still no ID on him though, not a real one anyway. Not even a photograph or snapshot."

Natsume's brows shot up in surprise.

"Even the Chief couldn't find anything?"

The brunette man groaned, dropping his head miserably.

"I hate jobs like this. I like knowing what the target is. This way, we don't have a single clue. It doesn't even have to be something valuble that they're after, it could be something completely worthless, except for the fact that it has some sort of meaning to the people who want it. Heck, it could be a freaking pair of ice skates from out of the shed for all we know."

Himiko offered him a disbelieving look.

"I don't honestly think someone would go out of their way to steal ice skates, Ban."

He snorted in response.

"You'd be surprised what we've been asked to retrieve."

"Relax, Ban." Insisted the younger girl, smiling brightly. "If something does get stolen and we don't realize it, we can simply place the fault on the client for refusing to divulge the information."

"Yes, but the client did say we would undoubtedly know when the item was stolen if it was ever stolen." Argued Himiko. "I don't think we have to worry about it. All we have to do is wait and see what happens." She poked Ban sharply in the ribs with her manicured finger. "So what else is bothering you, Midou?"

Frustrated, he shook his head with a sigh.

"I dunno. Something funny's goin' on, and I don't like it one bit. That Jackal guy's pissin' me off!"

Lady Poison rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Is that all? It doesn't take much to ruffle your feathers, does it?" She questioned, cutting her eyes at the man beside her.

The brunette offered her a cross look of annoyance.

"I'm serious, Himiko! The guy is acting weird! You should have seen him last night! And then what with what Ginji said about him today! It's just weird, Himiko, it's definitely weird!" He spat his cigarette out in the snow in disgust. "And I can't help getting the feeling that this guy knows more than he's telling us..."

Allowing her head to fall back, Himiko laughed out loud, the sound echoing through the space around them, before she grew serious enough to chuckle out a response.

"Ban, this is Akabane we're talking about! When doesn't he know more than he's letting on?"

TBC

Tenoko: Please review.