Title: Help

Summary: set after Sensui's and Itsuki's first meeting and before the Feast. Sensui reflects.

At times, when they went on a mission and there was a lull in action because they had to wait for their target's next move or simply had to lie in wait, Sensui would ask Itsuki questions – strange questions since Sensui liked Itsuki's equally strange replies. Had, in fact, liked them ever since their fateful first encounter. After some time, Itsuki stopped being surprised and these exchanges became something of a ritual between them.

One day – a cold and wet day in winter – the two of them were stuck in a shabby little inn in the Makai, waiting out the snow storm that had been raging for two days straight. Itsuki was staring out of their room's window, seemingly lost in thought, and Sensui was staring at Itsuki, contemplating which of the thousands of questions that swirled around in his brain he would ask. Finally, one pushed all others out of the way and reached his mouth before he could hold it back or change it.

"What's your favourite movie?"

There was a pause – a few moments taken to consider what he would say because, as with all the answers he gave his partner, this was going to be profound or funny or both.

"Help."

It was a film which Sensui had never heard of before, so that really didn't make much sense. He resolved to research it and he did as soon as he was back in the Ningenkai.

First things first, he watched it from beginning to end, snorting at the gags and all in all being amused but, to tell the truth, he didn't quite see just why it was Itsuki's favourite. Apart from the music, it didn't really have anything that made it special.

So he sought more information and, eventually, came across a source that presented some less important stats. Trivial things.

Like the fact that in one scene either Ringo Starr or John Lennon had one hand too many. And that in another scene George Harrison seems to be three-legged.

Well, and then there was the film's working title:

"Eight arms to hold you."

AN: If you remember, in one scene, Itsuki stands with arms crossed while behind him you can see three sets of hands.