Lessons ~ by Maru-chan

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Disclaimer ~ roses are red, violets are blue; i no own, so you no sue.

This fic is set in my own personal Cowboy Bebop-verse. That means no relation what-so-ever to the show's time line or plot. It centers mainly around Spike and Ed's relationship, but Jet and Faye are important too.
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~ In the Bebop's living room ~

Ten, nine, eight . . . Spike mentaly counted down to the end of his morning routine. Careful to keep his eyes closed, he brought his leg back from the last side kick, spinning to one side - and tripping over a gangly mass of arms and legs that had snuck up beside him. Ed . . .

With his eyes still closed, he extracted him self from the tangled pile on the floor and grabbed Ed by her tank top. "Gottcha !!!" Spike held her suspended in mid-air, Ed's head eye level with his. "Spike-Spike, let go of Edward !!!" The 13 year old wriggled in her loose top, happy despite the scowl on his face.

Spike sighed, his eyes closing once more. Watching Ed's antics made it hard to maintain his scowl. And I'm supposed to hate kids . . . I must be getting soft . . . He was drawn out of his thoughts as he realized that Ed had stopped struggling.

He opened his eyes, but instead of a oranged haired girl, Ed's tank top contained a Welsh Corgi. Shit . . . Spike let Ein drop to the floor beside him, leaning back onto the couch and scowling once more. Somewhere on this ship, an insane computer genius is running around topless . . . I really do hate kids . . .

Ein wriggled out of the top, leaving it on the floor as he scampered out of the room.

Spike fished around, finding his cigarettes and lighting one up. He took a few long drags, exhaling the smoke out of his mouth.

*clink*

Spike let his ears pin point the sound, already knowing the cause. I'll have to teach her how to creep around right . . . He snubbed out his cigarette on the floor, only half finished.

*shush, swish*

Spike let his eyes close, almost, watching the tank top out of the corners of his eyes. A moment passed, and then a slim hand came into view. He let Ed grab the tank top before he caught hold of her wrist, pullling her into his lap. "Gottcha again, Ed."

"Spike-Spike, let Ed go !!!" Ed wriggled, not embaressed at all about her nakedness. Spike smiled, grabbing both Ed's wrists in one hand and using the other to yank her tank top down over her head. "Happy Ed ?"

"Ed is stuck !!!" Ed was lost in the loose fabric, unable to find the neck or arm holes. Spike found this very amusing, till Ed started bouncing on his stomach. "Spike-(bounce)-Spike (bounce) help (bounce) Ed (BOUNCE) !!!"

With a sigh, he tugged the tank top strait, and Edward's head and arms popped from out of the folds. "YAY - Spike-Spike freed Edward !!!" This said, she threw her arms around Spike, squeezing his breath out of him. For such a skinny kid, she's got a hell-uva-grip . . .

"Ed *gasp* let go !!!" Spike tried to pry her off, but the way she was latched on, the strength to do so would have broken a bone or two. Crap, Jet and Faye just HAD to go get supplies TODAY . . . He let his thoughts trail off as he fought Ed to get his breath back.

"Mmmm - nice and soft !!!" Ed shifted constantly, making it hard - imppossable - for Spike to get a good enough hold to pry her off. I'm gonna need a crowbar to get outta this . . . Suddenly, he had an idea.

Spike stood up quickly, hoping Ed would fall off. Instead, the wiry little girl wrapped her legs around his waist, getting an even better hold on him. Bad idea . . . maybe if I fall back on the couch . . . but he dismissed the idea quickly. I'd break one of her friggin' legs like that . . .

The way Ed wiggled against him was making him unbalanced, so he wrapped an arm around her to keep her still. "Ed, how about you go and get Ein ?" His voice was weazy from lack of air.

She pulled away from him, leaning back in his arms. "Silly Spike-Spike, Ein will come back soon !!!" Edward pushed Spike's shoulders as she said this, causing him to fall back.

*omph*

He landed on the couch, breathless, but no longer squeezed by Ed. She'd launched herself off of him the moment he'd lost his balance, doing a neat flip and landing on the chair opposite him. "Spike-Spike . . . " He looked up at the sneaky look she was giving him.

"What *pant* is it ?" His scowl had come back and he was still breathing hard. I really do hate kids . . .

"Will Spike-Spike teach Ed how to fight ?" The supposed computer genius look at him innocently.

"No." Spike replied, looking around for his cigarettes.

"But Spike-"

"NO." Where the hell are my cigarettes . . .

"But Ed really wants to learn . . . " Ed crawled over the table to look at Spike with pleading teary eyes.

No - she wouldn't - she can't . . . Spike felt his resolve waver precariously at the sight of Edward's snivles. As long as she doesn't - too late . . . He watched as a single tear fell from Ed's eye. Crap . . .

*sigh*

"Alright, I'll teach -" But Spike was cut off as Ed enveloped him once more in a bone crushing hug. "OH - thank you, thank you, thank you !!! YAY - Spike-Spike will teach Ed !!!"

"Ed let go *gasp* or I won't teach you !!!" Ed immediately let go and Spike tugged her off and sat her on the table. "Okay Ed, I'll teach you, but no more hugs, and no more sneaking up on me, got it ? You do either and the lessons are off, 'kay?" Ed nodded.

"Alright - get out." Spike watched in disbelief as she just cartwheeled out of the living room. What the hell just happened here . . . he buried his face in hhis hands, groaning. I need a cigarette . . .

"Spike-Spike - catch !!!" He looked up in time to catch the small object she'd thrown at him. My cigarettes . . . hey, there's one missing . . . Spike scowled at the door way as he lit his cigarette. I really hate kids, but that one's just too wierd . . .

~ In Spike's room ~

Maybe she'll forget . . . Spike hoped as he walking into his room after taking a shower. 's not like anything sticks in that fuzz brain of hers . . . he dressed quickly, hunger prodding his empty stomach. I hope Jet didn't let Faye handle the food supplies this time . . .

*click - click*

"Huh ?" Spike turned towards the door, only half dressed. Probably just the mutt . . .

*tap - tap - tap*

This time, the noise came from the pipes above his head. Great, now we got rats . . .

*CLANG*

Big rats . . . Spike reached for a chair, positioning it under a hatch by the wall. He hopped up and pulled off the lid, looking up into the dark hole.

"HI Spike-Spike !!!" Edward's head poped out from the darkness, startling Spike so much he took a step back and fell off the chair.
I shouda known . . . shit . . .

*omph*

Once again, Spike fell on his ass on the floor. He looked up and glared at the cause of his suffering, who only grinned and dropped from the open hatch onto his chest. "Spike-Spike, Ed wants to lean how to fight now !!!" She had her nose inches from his, still wearing an insane grin. "Please Spike-Spike ?"

Spike goaned and pushed Ed off of her perch on to the floor besie him. "Ed not now. I have to get something to eat." This said, he stood up and opened the door to his room. "Out Ed."

* . . . *

"Ed ?" He turned around, but Ed was gone. Well, that was easy . . .

*sprong - srpong - sprong*

Spike followed the sounds to his bunk, where Ed was doing some very impressive gymnastics on his bed. "Spike- (flip) -Spike (bounce) you (twist) have (twirl) a really (cartwheel) comfy (jump) bed !!!" She tucked her legs into a lotus as she landed, bouncing gently on his bed.

"Ed get OUT." Spike refused to let her get away with any more antics. He was puttting his foot down. He was . . . he was stnding there grinning like Edward and thinking how quick she'd learn and how she was built just right to for Jet Kune Do. I'm really getting soft . . .

Ed was *ohm*ing, eyes closed and hands held up like a guru.

*sigh*

Spike looked at Ed's meditating form, grinning still. He picked her up and carried her out of his room over his shoulder. "Hey - Ed can walk by herself !!!" She protested, but didn't wriggle. He flipped her over, putting her on her feet and walked down the corridor.

"Come on Ed, lets get something to eat."

"YAY - Ed is so hungry she could eat an Ein !!!" The pair walked along, a skinny bounty hunter and a skinny bouncy hacker.