Friday
Disclaimers: Clover belongs to CLAMP.
Warnings and rants: This is a conversation between Kazuhiko and Gingetsu. See if you can spot the teeny hints of Gingetsu/Ran I put in there. It's all very subtle for now.
Radishface
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[ 1:00 AM ]
"You need to sign out from the MREI." The voice said quietly through his earphone. "Did you get clearance for that?"
"Yes."
"And the Parliament is notified of your actions."
"They had been quite some time ago."
"You've mentioned this for a long time now?"
"Yes."
"They still might change their minds. They have the power to do that, you know."
"They could."
"You know, it's the least they could do, just let you go. If all else fails, you can resign."
"I don't think that will be necessary."
"Yeah, and you don't get the benefits if you resign."
"You don't."
"But really, why are you retiring so early?"
"No reason."
"I won't ask. But then again, I've been asking for about a year, ever since you told me you were saving the money up. And I thought you liked your job."
"I could have liked it."
"You could have? Don't try to confuse me. You know you already do."
"There's nothing to be confused about."
"And you have already exceeded your three word limit. You must have had one too many cups of coffee."
"Tea."
"Tea. That boy of yours makes tea by the gallon. How many buckets do you drink a day?"
"Not as many as you think."
"He's still a kid."
"Run that by me again."
"...Although he's gotten older."
"You think that."
"He just seems to have gotten older in the few years. It's really amazing. Have you been feeding him growth pills? You know nobody will care if he's underage."
"And exactly what are you insinuating?"
"Nothing."
A huff of what could be called laughter, but wasn't, really.
"So... you're really going to pull the plug."
"Excuse me?"
"Pull the plug."
"Oh."
"You dirty old man." Laughter, even so late at night, early in the morning. "I don't want to know you."
"You wouldn't."
"Hey."
Silence.
"So... are you happy about it?"
"Happy about what?"
"You know. Retirement."
"Retirement."
"That thing we've been talking about? The thing that's obviously been on your mind for quite some time now? You haven't forgotten about it, have you, already? I knew you loved your work too much."
"It's not that."
"No?"
"There are more important things."
"I see."
Maybe he really did see.
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