DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Get Backers, but I will once my book's published. (My current arrogance level's higher than Ban's... and I'm not getting my book done before a year at the rate I'm going, and even longer to get it published. /sigh/)

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Breakfast next morning was a total turnaround from dinner. Ginji could feel the tension hanging between his two friends. After many failed attempts at a conversation, he gave up, frustrated.

"What's going on, Ban-chan?" No answer.

"Kazu-chan?" Silence.

"Did you guys fight after we went to bed?"

"No." Ban and Kazuki said together, with a good amount of glaring.

Ginji had to crack a smile looking at their expressions.

Kazuki started first. "We just had a slight disagreement, Ginji. Midou-san explained your, umm, position. We still don't see eye-to-eye, but we're fine now."

Ban had the grace to blush. Ginji looked slightly confused. "Oh, ok. You guys seem very tense, you know." He turned to Ban. "Ban-chan, did you call him something very bad?"

Ban and Kazuki smiled slightly, the tension abated somewhat. "He didn't call me anything worse than what I've heard before, Ginji."

Ginji frowned slightly. "Was it about me leaving the Volts, Kazu-chan? It's really not his fault, you know."

"Yeah, Ginji. I don't think these guys will ever forgive me for that, though." I'm not lying to him; it was part of the conversation.

Kazuki just shifted a little uncomfortably in his chair. Ginji was just about to say something else when Ban's cell phone rang.

"Midou Ban, of the Get Backers!"

"Ban? Hevn here. You feeling up to work?"

"Does it pay well?"

"Five million yen paid full in advance. Another ten after the job's done."

"We'll see you at the Honky Tonk then."

Ban turned to Ginji. "Come on, Ginji, we're leaving. Hevn has a job for us."

"Ban-chan, I think we should pass it up. You're just getting better... you're just beginning to heal. And the burns-"

"Ginji, I don't have any broken bones, do I? Just a few burns and bruises."

"I know, but you lost a lot of blood, you know."

"Five million in advance, Ginji. Ten mil when we're done."

Ginji's lips set in a stubborn line. "Money's no use if you're dead, Ban-chan."

"I told her we'd meet her. At least hear her out, Ginji." Ban was being equally stubborn. He was glad to have any distraction from last night's exchange.

"Midou-san, you know only too well that any job that pays that well will be dangerous. It's selfish of you to put Ginji's life in danger when you're not at your best."

Ban recoiled slightly in shock as he realized Kazuki was right. His wounds would open soon into any fight, and he could only rely on his Jagan three times. I may be the invincible genius Midou Ban, but I'm still human...

He hated the next words that he said. "I think you may just be right, Yarnball. Ginji, we're taking the first job she offers next week. I'll be fine by then."

Ginji grinned. "Thank you, Ban-chan!"

Ban called Hevn back and told her about their decision. "Fine, Ban, can I talk to Ginji?"

Ban tossed the phone to his best friend. "Here, she wants to talk to you."

"Heya, Hevn!" Ban listened carefully to what Ginji was saying.

"Oh, I see. I guess I can do that... I'll talk to Ban-chan, he'll understand."

Ginji snapped the phone shut and returned it to Ban. "I'll understand what, Ginji?"

"Umm, Ban-chan, Hevn said this is really important. She wants me to do this with another partner."

"She what!"

Ginji looked pleadingly at Ban. "Come on, Ban, we need the money. And we owe Kazu-chan for the hospital bills. We need to pay off our tickets too, you know."

Ban sighed. "I know. Who're you taking, Ginji?"

"I'll come, Ginji. And I think we should get someone else, just in case." Kazuki's voice was starting to drive Ban over the edge. Not entirely in a good way.

"Great... it's bad enough you're cutting our income by half, Fuuchouin."

Kazuki rolled his eyes. "I'll take it out of my half, Midou-san. Let's go, now."

Ban left with them to Honky Tonk, not wanting to stay alone at Kazuki's longer than necessary.

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"It's good that you're feeling better now! I was worried about you, you know." Natsumi's voice felt good to Ban.

"I told her not to worry. You're too stubborn to die," Paul's deep voice rang over the counter.

Ban smirked at them. "Still didn't stop Ginji from running off with Yarnball and Himiko."

Himiko had looked very concerned. At least one other person apart from Ginji cares. She'd told him quietly to take better care the next time.

Natsumi slid into the booth opposite to Ban. "I'm worried about Ginji, he doesn't have you to watch his back today."

"Himiko and Thread Spool are with him. He'll be fine."

"I hope so. It's just that-" Natsumi bit her lip worriedly, "I really don't want him getting hurt. It was bad enough you were hurt."

Ban was slightly taken aback at the caring look in her eyes. Well, two people then.

"Natsumi, I know you care about him, a lot. But I promise, he can take care of himself."

"That's what I thought about you too." She left as a customer came in.

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After a day and a half, and countless restless naps, Ban was finally greeted by his partner's smiling face, and a bear hug. "Ban-chan! We have seven and a half million yen! We're rich!"

"Good, pay your tab then," came Paul's voice.

It was a good day for Midou Ban. Their tab was paid in full. All their parking tickets were cleared. Their stomachs were full. And they had enough money to last them a long time.

Things are finally looking up. We can afford an apartment now. I just hope we can keep this up...

Yet, something kept nagging at the back of his head.

"What's bothering you, Ban-chan? I've never seen you look so blank."

"Everything's fine, baka. We have money now, right?"

Ginji caught the bitterness in his voice. "It's because you had to stay behind, isn't it, Ban-chan?"

"No. At any rate, it brought you good luck."

"Oh, Ban-chan, we'd have had the same results together."

"No, we'd have both been killed because I wasn't up to it. Maybe I'm bad luck, Ginji."

Ginji laughed at Ban. "Ban-chan, I know you too well. Stop pretending you think you're bad luck and tell me what's really annoying you."

Ban sighed. "Just something I need to forget, and put behind me."

"Is it something Himiko said? I saw her talking to you before we left, Ban-chan."

Ban shook his head and stood up. "I'm going out for a walk. I need to clear my head."

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I'm almost done with the next chapter. I just need to get it typed up. I write out everything I do by hand on paper first, so it slows things down a bit.

Thank you, siberian orchid, for the reviews! Yeah, they are great together. And I have anonymous reviewing turned on now. Sorry, my bad. Yeah, Animax kills it for me too, but it's pretty much my only source of anime right now, so can't complain. (Except the guy they used for Paul, he voices at least two characters in every other anime.) They did an ok job on Rurouni Kenshin and InuYasha though.

I plan on buying the original version once I go to Aus. /does a little dance/ I have FOUR reviews now! I started out expecting zero.

Kerian