ANIME: GetBackers
DISCLAIMERS: GetBackers and all GetBackers characters are property of Yuya Aoki and Rando Ayamine.
WARNINGS: Shonen-ai, Yaoi, BanXGinji, GinjiXBan -- Pure, Unabashed, Unadulterated Fluffiness!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: My first published fan fiction! The story is mine. This ficlet is dedicated to "Jen-san".
Constructive criticism appreciated. No random flames please.
The Day Ginji Stopped Hugging Ban
by sohmamomiji
It was strange the day Ginji stopped hugging me. At first, I hadn't really noticed. Since
hugging is not one of my natural instincts, I naturally don't expect them… or even want them…
from other people.
I probably would not have thought about it, except that on that day, while hanging out at the
Honky Tonk, Ginji's friends walked in.
"Shidooo! Kazu-chaaaaaaaan!" Ginji ran over and bear-hugged Monkey Boy, then glomped
onto Threadspool's head.
It was then that I realized it had been a while… several hours in fact, since Ginji hugged me
like that. Usually, I was the constant recipient of his glomping. I had actually kind of gotten
used to it… like wearing a comfortable, well-worn pair of jeans.
He wasn't mad at me, was he? I mean, sure, I almost drowned him yesterday, but I had saved
him after that. After a minute, I brushed the thought off as nonsense. Ginji was probably just tired
from our last mission. Yeah, that had to be it.
• • • START FLASHBACK • • •
Our last recovery had been relatively easy, except for the escape. I never knew Ginji couldn't swim.
We were running away from a barrage of bullets, when my ears caught the faint gurgling of a nearby
stream. Reacting, I jumped into the rushing water, pulling Ginji with me. Well, my plan worked,
of course… and the stream took us far enough away from the complex that I knew we'd be able
to return to Miss Ladybug unscathed. It wasn't until I got out of the water, Ginji still in tow, that
I realized he was half-drowned.
"Baka!" I scolded, between CPR breaths. "Why didn't you TELL me you couldn't swim!"
'Who ever heard of an electric eel that can't swim?' I thought irritably as I continued giving him breaths.
His lips were cool and surprisingly soft.
When I felt him twitch, I stopped the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and drew back a few inches
to examine his face. Ginji turned his head to the side and coughed violently for a few moments
as I rubbed his chest soothingly. When he finally calmed down, he lay back and looked up at me
with grateful, almost-apologetic eyes and a wide innocent grin. He looked fine, except that his face
was completely flushed.
"What? Did you go and catch a cold on me, Baka?" I kidded with a raised eyebrow, touching
his forehead to check for a fever. Not being able to resist those beautiful cinnamon eyes, my hand
wandered from resting on his forehead to gently stroking his cheek.
Then the idiot got a nosebleed.
"Oi, Baka!" I complained, getting up and holding out a slightly soaked handkerchief.
He got up and gratefully took the handkerchief. I could feel his smile shining on me even though
I was facing away from him. I closed my eyes and tensed up for a moment, half-expecting him
to jump all over me for saving him. When a few seconds passed, and he hadn't, I turned my head
a little and opened one eye to peer at him.
He looked somewhat sheepish; his face still flushed like an autumn apple, his eyes cast down unfocusedly,
his hands stuffed into his pockets, and one foot tracing random patterns along the grass.
"Can we go home now, Ban-chan?"
"You bet."
As soon as we got home, Ginji quickly made a beeline for the shower, then quietly straight to bed. Honestly,
it grated on my nerves a little, but nothing a few drags on a Marlboro couldn't take care of.
Usually, when we got home from a mission, he'd announce with flourish that he claimed first dibs on the shower.
That was my cue to wrestle him to see who would get the shower first. I'd always win, of course. Then he'd
always counter with big pouty eyes, a quivering lip and a whine of "But Baaaaaan-chaaan!" and . . . he'd
get the shower first. Then, after we'd both showered, he'd flop on my lap and insist on talking about something
or another. Eventually, I'd have to carry him to his room and tuck his already-dozing form into bed for the night…
with a goodnight kiss, of course… on the forehead. It was like clock-work.
I decided not to think about his odd behavior any more for tonight, since he had been his usual puppy self
on the car ride home, complete with head hanging out the window. Besides, the shower water had been
unexpectedly hot tonight, a few degrees below boiling, which soothed my nerves a little. Most days, by the time
I took my shower, the water would be only a little more than luke warm. Ginji usually liked his showers scalding.
In the morning, Ginji seemed more like his usual self. He got up with the sun and whistled happily while cooking
breakfast. Cooking fascinated him, the way food could change shape, texture and color when heated. Apparently,
all the time he spent working off our tab at the Honky Tonk and hanging out with Paul and Natsumi was paying off.
His cooking skills were getting to be… pretty good.
He was all smiles and twittery chirps at the breakfast table. We had a fork-fight over the last fried egg. I let Ginji win.
Eggs were his favorite. Then we had another fork-fight over the last piece of sausage. I won this time. Ginji knew
sausages were my favorite… with my being a quarter German and all, I guess maybe he just assumed.
All morning, he seemed so very Ginji that I hardly noticed the distinct lack of hugs until we got to the Honky Tonk
later that morning and his friends showed up.
• • • STOP FLASHBACK • • •
Rubbing my arms, I suddenly felt cold as I watched Ginji blanket his friends with happy hugs and warm smiles.
"Oi, Ginji" I said casually, trying to hide my irritation "I'm going to take a walk."
Ginji, still busy joking merrily with his friends, started to reply, "Sure, Ban-ch…" but upon turning and looking
into my eyes, his face fell slightly, and he added, "Um… I'll go with you."
"Whatever." I shot back with what I hoped had sounded like casual disdain.
In silence, I traversed the few blocks to Ginji's favorite park, with Ginji bounding closely at my heels. Every half
a block or so, Ginji's footsteps would go silent and I could hear him let out a short breath, as if wanting to say
something, only to stop himself and continue to follow me as I kept my pace without pause. Even though I could feel
his rising agitation seeping out of him like heat from a flame, I figured that if he had something to say, the words would
all come tumbling out of him eventually. He was Ginji, after all.
Once at the park, I spotted an inviting patch of grass, big enough for two, under a shady tree and had just moved
to sit down when Ginji grabbed my shoulder tentatively.
"Uh… Er… Ban-chan?"
"Yeah?" I replied with a sigh, "What is it, Ginji?"
"B-Ban-chan… Are you… Are you mad at me?"
"No." I whispered flatly. Honestly, I wasn't exactly sure what I was feeling. I was the 'thinker'. Ginji had always
been the 'feeler'.
"B-But, Ban-chan… Then why… why did you look so… so angry?"
My eyes widened with the comment. Had I really looked that angry?
"B-Ban-chan… They're my friends…" Ginji began with a whimper, as if trying to guess what he thought I was upset
about, "But you… you're my BEST friend… s-s-so please don't be upset, okay? I-I-I'm sorry… O-o-okay? Please?
Just… please… please don't be mad? Please?"
I turned around with a long sigh and looked at Ginji with a gentle smile. I could see tears forming in Ginji's downcast eyes.
His shoulders were hunched over ashamedly and his armed were crossed nervously across his chest.
"Ginji…" I started softly.
Then I did something I never thought I'd do. EVER. I reached over, pulled him close and hugged him.
"I'm not mad at you, Ginji." I cooed soothingly, rubbing his back, partially wondering when exactly it was that I had turned
into such a complete and utter sap.
Ginji looked up at me tearfully, "R-r-really?"
"Really." I replied reassuringly, squeezing his shoulders a bit.
He buried his head in my shoulder and let out a long relieved sigh. For a few moments, he just stood there, content with
his place in my arms.
"Actually…" I finally admitted, "Actually, I was beginning to wonder if maybe you were mad at me."
Ginji's head shot up and he stared at me, completely scandalized.
"W-w-what! B-b-but Ban-chan! I could NEVER!"
"Well, after all, I did nearly drown you." I smirked.
"Yeah, but then you…" Ginji began before cutting himself off and looking down again.
His face had once again turned candy-apple red.
"… you … you… saved me." He continued, his voice barely above a whisper. As if in a trance, he slowly brought up
his hand and traced a finger along his lips.
Raising my eyebrow at his odd behavior, I decided to go with a gut feeling. My fighting instincts have always been as sharp
as katana blades. My interpersonal instincts… let's just say I've been slapped more times than I'd ever admit. But Ginji
always took all of my quirks in stride.
I gently lifted Ginji's chin, so that I could gaze deeply into his expressive mocha eyes. I recognized the look right away. I had
seen it dozens of times before, usually whenever we had gone without food for several days and we happened to pass by
Ginji's favorite bakery… But seeing that emotion captured in his eyes, especially at that particular moment, startled me a bit…
I had never before seen that look in his eyes when he was looking at me.
Though I had never been particularly good at expressing myself, I tried my best to mirror Ginji's look back at him.
Apparently, that was all the motivation Ginji needed, because the next thing I knew, he launched himself at me, knocking me
onto the grass, grabbing my neck in an affectionate chokehold and kissing me exuberantly. For several minutes, we lay in the
grass, kissing like drunken teenagers.
When we finally came up for air, Ginji looked like Ed McMahon had just stopped by our front door with the Publishers
Clearing House prize.
"Baka." I could barely contain my grin... but Midou Ban never grins, so I opted to give him a noogie instead.
So after that day, Ginji stopped hugging me.
Instead, I always got a hug… AND a kiss.
OWARI