Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, I know. I don't own Full Metal Panic! or any of it's affiliates. Only the Devil's soul.
This is it! My final update! The story is done. Only eight chapters. (these last two being posted one right after the other) I ran out of things to have happen on the trip.
The rain hadn't stopped. It's morning, and Shinji is staring at a sleeping Kyoko's face. Sousuke still sleeps with his arm around Kaname, and her lain across his chest.
Kaname opens her eyes. It's morning. Then she notices she is in her man's arms. A smile adorns her face, and she squeezes him tightly.
Sousuke and Kyoko are startled awake by the crack of thunder not too far away.
Sousuke instinctively reaches for his gun, but stops when he has to reach over a girl. He looks into her eyes, relaxing again and running his fingers through her hair.
With the shocking wake up call, Kyoko falls to the ground, bringing Shinji with her. The two are face to face, Shinji on top. Their cheeks are a pale red. Neither moves for what seems like eternity. Then...Shinji lowers his face, slowly approaching the girl's beneath him. Nearer, and closer, until they meet, his lips to hers.
"About time," Sousuke whispers, relieved his friend had finally made his move.
Kaname looks at him suspiciously, "What do you mean?"
"Shinji has told me on several occasions that he has feelings for Kyoko. I told him it was best for him to show those feelings. And I'm glad he did." Sousuke explains himself.
"Is that so?" Kaname is at first annoyed, but then sees the military nut was right. "Since when are you so good at relationships?"
Sousuke looks confused. "I'm not. In battle, a soldier's largest strength is his instinct. A relationship is no different."
Kaname groans his name, shaking her fist, trying to control the urge to hit him. But it is no use. She punches him, right in the jaw! Sousuke rubs the bruise to be, and Kaname quickly hugshim, apologizing.
"I'm so sorry!" she cries a little, "Even when it's something so minor, I hit you. I shouldn't. I'm sorry." she's silent until a question comes to mind. "Sousuke, I've seen you run through a barrage of enemy fire. You must be able to see it coming when I'm about to hit you. Why don't you do anything to stop it?"
Sousuke answers quickly. "If I parry your attack, there is a high probability you'd be hurt. That is not an option. While dodging your assault brings a smaller chance for injury, the chances of you getting angrier are high. I shouldn't cause unnecessary emotional stress."
She feels surprised by what he said. He lets me hit him to...protect me? She blushes at the thought.
"It's still raining." Kyoko says noticing the sound of raindrops falling on the nylon tent. "What are we supposed to do? I don't want to go out in the rain."
Shinji searches one of his bags. He holds up a small box. "We could play cards."
The group agrees, and for the next hour, plays cards. The growling of empty stomachs upsets the fun.
"Food..." Kaname moans.
"Someone's going to have to go get some." Kyoko looks Sousuke's way.
"Um...I have emergency food rations. Will that suffice?"
"No, they taste like shit." Shinji rejects his idea.
"Good point." Sousuke nods.
"Play you for it." Kaname suggests. "Whoever's got the worst hand has to go get breakfast."
Nobody has a better idea. Somebody has to get the food, and nobody wants to leave the tent. Or eat military rations. So Shinji deals.
It's an intense game. Everyone keeps a straight face. Then it comes time to show hands...
Shinji shows a full house smiling.
"Straight flush!" Kyoko says, putting her hand down.
Kaname looks at her hand, worried she might lose. "Two pair."
Sousuke is quiet. He looks at his cards, then looks to everyone else, who are all staring. He puts his hand face down on the floor and says slowly, "I will go see about what we can eat."
He gets up to leave, but Kaname stops him. "What'd you have?"
"A pair of kings." And with that, the sergeant leaves.
Shinji picks up the cards, and looks at what Sousuke had. "Kaname..."
It has been only a minute, but Sousuke's hair is drenched. His clothes are just as soaked. He walks to the van with all the food, and rummages through, putting a large amount into a plastic bag. He then trudges back through the mud to his tent.
Sousuke is dripping wet when he gets in. He puts the bag down, and takes his shirt off. "Could someone hand me a change of clothes?" Shinji goes through Sousuke's bag. Kaname grabs a towel and puts it around her protector.
"You're going to need to dry quickly, or you're going to get sick." Kaname is really concerned as she rubs Sousuke's back with the towel.
"Yes, I know," Sousuke reassures her. :There's no need to worry."
Shinji hands him a complete set of clothes, and everybody turns around while he changes.
As soon as he's done, Kaname puts her head in the crook of his neck, and whispers in his ear. "Thank you." Sousuke looks at her, surprised.
The blue haired girl sits back, telling Sousuke, "Shinji looked at your hand. You had a royal flush. You won that hand, though you lied and said you had the worst hand. I should've gone."
He explains his logic, "It made the most sense. You don't have any other clothes in this tent, so I couldn't let you go out there. You wouldn't have been able to change into dry clothes as I did."
Kaname is overwhelmed with joy. Sousuke always think of her first. She jumps into his arms, wrapping her own around him. Kyoko settles into Shinji's lap, watching with him their best friends being so close to each other.
What are you stopping here for? Read the next and final chapter!
