Chapter Four
Sanosuke sat there and gaped as Saitoh thrust the small child in his large arms. He almost dropped her before tossing her into a more secure position. She wrapped her chubby arms around his neck in a death grip cutting off the air flow.
Trying unsuccessfully to loosen the girl's grip he staggered off after Saitoh voicing his protest the whole way, "Fuck, Saitoh! You can't do this to me man! I can't cart around a child, I don't know how to! What if I break it?"
"Quit whining."
They escaped quite easily from the police's hasty attempt at a search. Blinding red and blue lights lit up the parking lot behind them and he could hear the frantic milling around of onlookers. Amazing how fast they showed up. Sano would think the gore hounds and curious vultures would prefer stay out of sight rather than parade around in front of cops.
The child, rather than relaxing, seemed to tighten her grip. He was shocked that she could be so strong. Staring ahead at the tall man leading, he wondered just what he had gotten himself into.
Crinkling his nose he suddenly became aware of the wetness seeping into his clothing. A faint, unpleasant smell accompanied it. He did his best to shift her so he wasn't being dripped on, but it didn't work very well. Crap, he had just washed his clothing too. Trust Saitoh to scare the poor kid that much. Hell, Saitoh had practically scared the piss out of him the first time they met!
"Hey, you okay kid?" He asked somewhat unsure. What exactly did you say to some kid whose father just got popped off and was now in the clutches of a complete stranger? A faint shaking answered him and a tiny strangled sound.
"Saitoh, what do you plan to do with her?" Sanosuke asked after they were in a "safe" zone. He was still trailing a foot or so behind still holding the child. His expressive eyes slid around confused. He didn't want to see the small bundle in his arms killed. It was like...like drowning a puppy or something.
Silence met his question and he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Subconsciously, he pressed the girl closer to his chest not even paying the slightest heed to the dampness of his clothes. He knew the man was ruthless, it had been proven on several occasions, but would he really murder a kid in cold blood? Point the gun, pull the trigger, and clean up the mess with no qualms? A shudder ran through the young man and he made a misstep.
The child transferred one of her hands to his hair and pulled mercilessly. He yelped as her small hands tore strands of brown from his head.
"Geez, girl!" He managed to growl as his big fingers tugged at her small ones. She squealed in fright practically rupturing his eardrums.
Saitoh half turned, lifting a questioning eyebrow before voicing his implied question in a smug tone, "A bit too much for you?"
A hot retort burned out angrily, "Fuck no!"
Why in the world he had to play caddie to such a cold, taunting bastard... He felt like smashing in the lean face. Instead he contorted his face and when the older man turned around he stuck out his tongue.
"Don't."
How the hell did he know that? Sano jumped when he heard a small giggle. He had forgotten she was there. Well, his concentration wasn't the greatest anyway, although his pride wouldn't let him admit that.
"What are you laughing at?" Sano grumbled grumpily. She let go of his hair and settled for clinging to his shirt. He started down wondering how such a small creature could possibly cause so much trouble.
She pursed her lip and announced in a grave tone, "You're funny looking. Chicken-head!"
Sano gaped thunderstruck. Did she just call him a chicken-head?
"More like a rooster." Saitoh commented from up ahead never slowing his long strides. Sano clenched his fists, careful not to squeeze the kid, and glared daggers.
"Rooster-head." The child said testing it out. She smiled poking him with a tiny finger, "You're a rooster-head."
This so wasn't happening.
He frowned at her hoping his face was stern but not scary. She looked back him with large, beautiful dark eyes curiously. Not a trace of apprehension. Apparently he was too funny to be scary. That just served to piss him off even more. He wasn't a teddy bear for Christ's sake!
They reached the outpost without any more incidents. By then the girl was cuddled down into his arms trustingly. That was a new feeling for him. Not many people trusted him. None so completely. The closest would be his friend Katsu, but even then there were boundaries. They both understood the world they lived in, and the risks they took on a daily basis.
Saitoh opened the door not bothering to hold it for the younger man. Sano pushed it open with his broad shoulder doing his best not to jar his precious bundle of obnoxious joy.
The few people already occupying the small front room looked up mildly surprised. Saitoh brushed past them wordlessly making his way to the back to report. Sano wasn't the slightest bit envious and suddenly he was quite satisfied with his lot.
Reviewers:
Fyyrrose: Oh yes, so bad. You and your insanity. It's surrounded you so thickly that you see it in everyone now. I'm not the one who should be forbidden to write :D
Trupana: Umm, no main couple really ^^;;; It's for the best. Eevee + romance= readers running away. A psychological drama could be applied I think! Oh, absolutely. That's a wonderful triangle (just because I can't write the stuff doesn't mean I don't read it :D).
Sanosuke sat there and gaped as Saitoh thrust the small child in his large arms. He almost dropped her before tossing her into a more secure position. She wrapped her chubby arms around his neck in a death grip cutting off the air flow.
Trying unsuccessfully to loosen the girl's grip he staggered off after Saitoh voicing his protest the whole way, "Fuck, Saitoh! You can't do this to me man! I can't cart around a child, I don't know how to! What if I break it?"
"Quit whining."
They escaped quite easily from the police's hasty attempt at a search. Blinding red and blue lights lit up the parking lot behind them and he could hear the frantic milling around of onlookers. Amazing how fast they showed up. Sano would think the gore hounds and curious vultures would prefer stay out of sight rather than parade around in front of cops.
The child, rather than relaxing, seemed to tighten her grip. He was shocked that she could be so strong. Staring ahead at the tall man leading, he wondered just what he had gotten himself into.
Crinkling his nose he suddenly became aware of the wetness seeping into his clothing. A faint, unpleasant smell accompanied it. He did his best to shift her so he wasn't being dripped on, but it didn't work very well. Crap, he had just washed his clothing too. Trust Saitoh to scare the poor kid that much. Hell, Saitoh had practically scared the piss out of him the first time they met!
"Hey, you okay kid?" He asked somewhat unsure. What exactly did you say to some kid whose father just got popped off and was now in the clutches of a complete stranger? A faint shaking answered him and a tiny strangled sound.
"Saitoh, what do you plan to do with her?" Sanosuke asked after they were in a "safe" zone. He was still trailing a foot or so behind still holding the child. His expressive eyes slid around confused. He didn't want to see the small bundle in his arms killed. It was like...like drowning a puppy or something.
Silence met his question and he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Subconsciously, he pressed the girl closer to his chest not even paying the slightest heed to the dampness of his clothes. He knew the man was ruthless, it had been proven on several occasions, but would he really murder a kid in cold blood? Point the gun, pull the trigger, and clean up the mess with no qualms? A shudder ran through the young man and he made a misstep.
The child transferred one of her hands to his hair and pulled mercilessly. He yelped as her small hands tore strands of brown from his head.
"Geez, girl!" He managed to growl as his big fingers tugged at her small ones. She squealed in fright practically rupturing his eardrums.
Saitoh half turned, lifting a questioning eyebrow before voicing his implied question in a smug tone, "A bit too much for you?"
A hot retort burned out angrily, "Fuck no!"
Why in the world he had to play caddie to such a cold, taunting bastard... He felt like smashing in the lean face. Instead he contorted his face and when the older man turned around he stuck out his tongue.
"Don't."
How the hell did he know that? Sano jumped when he heard a small giggle. He had forgotten she was there. Well, his concentration wasn't the greatest anyway, although his pride wouldn't let him admit that.
"What are you laughing at?" Sano grumbled grumpily. She let go of his hair and settled for clinging to his shirt. He started down wondering how such a small creature could possibly cause so much trouble.
She pursed her lip and announced in a grave tone, "You're funny looking. Chicken-head!"
Sano gaped thunderstruck. Did she just call him a chicken-head?
"More like a rooster." Saitoh commented from up ahead never slowing his long strides. Sano clenched his fists, careful not to squeeze the kid, and glared daggers.
"Rooster-head." The child said testing it out. She smiled poking him with a tiny finger, "You're a rooster-head."
This so wasn't happening.
He frowned at her hoping his face was stern but not scary. She looked back him with large, beautiful dark eyes curiously. Not a trace of apprehension. Apparently he was too funny to be scary. That just served to piss him off even more. He wasn't a teddy bear for Christ's sake!
They reached the outpost without any more incidents. By then the girl was cuddled down into his arms trustingly. That was a new feeling for him. Not many people trusted him. None so completely. The closest would be his friend Katsu, but even then there were boundaries. They both understood the world they lived in, and the risks they took on a daily basis.
Saitoh opened the door not bothering to hold it for the younger man. Sano pushed it open with his broad shoulder doing his best not to jar his precious bundle of obnoxious joy.
The few people already occupying the small front room looked up mildly surprised. Saitoh brushed past them wordlessly making his way to the back to report. Sano wasn't the slightest bit envious and suddenly he was quite satisfied with his lot.
Reviewers:
Fyyrrose: Oh yes, so bad. You and your insanity. It's surrounded you so thickly that you see it in everyone now. I'm not the one who should be forbidden to write :D
Trupana: Umm, no main couple really ^^;;; It's for the best. Eevee + romance= readers running away. A psychological drama could be applied I think! Oh, absolutely. That's a wonderful triangle (just because I can't write the stuff doesn't mean I don't read it :D).