AN: Well guys i have returned from my business trip only to once again meet with the unpleasantries of college. sigh waste of my time. Anyways, here is the next chapter. I am not sure if it is what anyone wanted or expected but hey, thats all i got at the moment. Hope you enjoy reading it, so please read and review.
I do not own full metal panic.
Sousuke noticed Kaname's change in attitude when she returned to her apartment. Her fair skin looked pale white as if she had just seen a ghost from her past. He wrapped his firm arms around her allowing her to lean back into his stance as her eyelids drooped close. Her head was now weighted with further worry and leaned heavily against Sousuke causing him to look down with wonder as to what transpired just outside the door. This was not the first time he was not privy to information passed between his charge and his captain.
Sousuke hated that someone whose hair released such an aroma could feel so distressed. It just wasn't right. While he often normally felt much of the problems that befit Kaname were not caused by him, despite her reactions, he knew he played a role in upsetting her now.
"Kaname…can I help?" The slow and tender voice was still unnatural to the soldier but the attempt itself meant far more to the blue haired angel than the tone of his voice.
"I'm fine Sousuke, really. Its just a lot has happened lately and well…" She hadn't had time to come up with an appropriate form of misdirection.
The room rested in silence as its owner allowed her words to drift off aimlessly. There was no soft music or low lull of the TV to cause either of them ease or distraction. They would have to find a way help one another. Nurturing was not a skill that was taught to a specialist in training. However for Kaname, Sousuke would try the only way he knew how.
The soldier in Sousuke Sagara still thrived freely within him. "Affirmative. You will take a seat on the sofa and rest. The appropriate movies have been laid out as well as various snack items. I have disarmed your phone and secured the room from all possible threats."
No one ordered around Kaname Chidori. No one. The Sgt. Major was unfortunately standing behind Kaname and was unable to see her eyes gloss over crimson. It was a face that would scare the red off the devil herself.
"Do not answer the door. I will knock thrice followed by a kick. Only respond then. Ignore all other attempts. The last of my arsenal will lay at your disposal." His attention to detail left him ignoring Kaname's smile that miraculously grew fangs that eagerly sought to rip apart the military maniac if he continued to try and take control of the situation.
"I shall use my funds to purchase a last significant portion of weapons and assorted items if I am to provide you with adequate protection. I shall need various backups of Glocks as well as fresh supply of fragment grenades. I am sure you can see the necessity for more flash bangs as well as trip wire for my remaining unused minds. Of course someone of your intelligence would support the idea of…"
The last line had been crossed. He started speaking Otaku again. Sousuke may just wish his patrol had been extended. He would be the one who needed 'adequate protection', from her! And since when did she just warrant adequate protection? Didn't Sousuke believe that she deserved the absolute best? Of course she would not let him go overboard but he still better try! Her anger deafened her ears to the remaining otaku rant, only to safely open as the conversation began to interest her.
"Though I am unsure what an appropriate gift would be. You have shown a great degree of fondness for tulips. I am unsure why as their smell seems rather inadequate for you. Perhaps the exotic flower found on Merida Island alone would be more suitable. Its variety of color and pleasing aroma suits you far better, though I doubt you have encountered this particular species. Other possible gift ideas seem to favor jewelry or fury stuffed animals. However the squirrel I killed and stuffed did not seem to qualify. Perhaps a combination of such things?"
Her anger was immediately dispelled into the air like a fleeting mist dispersing from view. That big stupid head was actually going to buy her a gift? One with no practical value! Perhaps Kaname may keep this soldier boy around yet. She spun around in his arms and ceased his talking as she pressed her lips against his.
The shock left Sousuke's eyes wide open. Something about her always disarmed his senses. That made her a dangerous opponent. With his lips released from her hungry clutches he stared deeply at them only to have his glance broken by a repeat kiss.
Only when Kaname decided did she break their lock together which allowed her to focus intensely into Sousuke's overly thoughtful eyes. Could it be possible someone so intelligent could be so stupid to the obvious?
"Sousuke, I don't need you to buy me gifts. You're here. You're with me. That's everything I wanted." Her voice was sincere though she hoped Sousuke wouldn't take her too seriously. She didn't want him to never buy her gifts.
"I disagree." Years of training caused his body to flex in anticipation as a fated meeting with the halisen neared yet again, though fate was broken this time. Sensing no further danger he continued. "I have gathered sufficient intelligence from the campus. It seems the primary duty of various males is to express the degree of their feelings in material possessions. After thorough analysis it was plain to see I am required to buy a vast amount of such items to display my affections for you. I can only apologize for their inadequacies beforehand."
Somehow it wasn't the romantic declaration of his feelings that Kaname always hoped for. It had a touch of otakuness. There was nothing romantic about anything otaku. That's ok, Kaname was a modest forgiving, generous, happy, modest, caring, lovable and modest person. At least he was trying.
Though she would not dissuade Sousuke from buying her lavish gifts if he felt this strongly about it, however….
"Um Sousuke. You are forgetting one thing. You don't have any money." Her voice was a little too sly as she finished.
"Kaname that is impossible. I have acquired a vast array of funds over the years in several different countries. Through various investments and savings I have created a substantial income outside of Mithril. I merely need to show my credit card and…" A light clicked off in the soldier. His money wasn't his money anymore. It was all Kaname's. He suddenly realized his little shopping spree would be highly unlikely.
Kaname however looked as please as a kid in a candy store. An astral image of herself clad in a slinky black dress danced around the room clad in only the finest jewelry as she met up with a handsome man with an X shaped scar in a tuxedo who proceeded to sweep her off her feet. The image quickly dissipated when her eyes landed on a Sousuke who looked both rather constipated and still dressed in the shirt Tessa gave him. He would still have to pay for that.
And since he was broke, she would have to be creative with other forms of payment. A sleek grin graced her face as she spoke. "That's right soldier. I have all your money now. And without Mithril you know what that means! NO GUNS! NO BOMBS! NO MINES! NO BULLETS! And most importantly of all, NO OTAKU!"
Though she spoke half in jest, a fact Sousuke was well aware of, his face remained grim. Kaname thought his attachment to all things soldier related did not run this deep. Could it be that something else was bothering him. Her voice hinted a sense of gentleness too it, at least compared to her earlier outbreak. "Sousuke I didn't mean to upset you. We will work something out." Kaname was nothing if not fair. She had hammered that much into Sousuke. "Maybe an otaku allowance or something? Sousuke? Sousuke?" She waived her hand in front of the half-dazed Sgt. He rarely let himself escape both his senses as well as reality.
His voice upon speaking was cold and determined. "Kaname, it is a problem."
She arched an eyebrow as she tipped her head to one side feeling rather confused. What had him feeling so uneasy? Nothing was ever a problem, not for Sousuke
"You received a will. The finance department of Mithril managed both my accounts and Will in hopes I would seek early retirement. It seems the news of my death had them alert the correct sources of my demise and thus put the Will into affect. That means news of my death has already reached various banks. The University would be immediately alerted. Kaname I…I am dead in Tokyo." There was no humor in his voice. If this was a joke it surely was a twisted one.
Kaname could only stand in shock as the testament that had overjoyed her so much earlier now backlashed a wave of hurtful emotions. Her mouth gaped open with her hand over it as she slowly inched backwards towards the sofa only to fall gracefully upon it. Her hopes…her dreams…her aspirations…
As quickly as they flashed in they too disappeared. A look of shame dressed itself upon Sousuke. His plan to escape from the clutches of the organization and escape into freedom was leaking from the holes that bore upon it. A man who rarely felt inadequate, he truly felt as if he failed Kaname once again.
The look of despair upon Sousuke did not go unnoticed by the former class representative of Jindai High School. 'His life here has ended. Everything he has known, all he has worked for is gone and here I am feeling bad for myself. Come on Kaname, its time to show Sousuke just what you are made of!'
When all else fails, rely on what worked in the past. In an instant she grabbed her halisen and sent her Sousuke flying through the living room to crash against the wall. His body stuck to the door yet slowly slid down leaving a slight impression upon it. There was no time to worry about his past injuries. "BAKA! Are you just going to stand there feeling sorry for yourself?" She quickly followed up with a fierce knee to the stomach and kick to an area a little too close the groin. If Sousuke felt bad before, he was in misery now. "I though a specialist was able to adapt and handle any situation. Now, ATTENTION!"
The command forced the Sgt. Major to ignore the pain that was surging through his mind and body and obey the orders issued by the clearly superior officer. It was a blessing Kaname had never found herself fond of the military; she would be an overly effective commander.
Her words almost barked as she spoke. "Is it the nature of a specialist to admit defeat?"
His body tightened before speaking "No mam!"
Kaname paced back and forth in front of the soldier who followed her with his eyes. That was certainly against military protocol but there was no way Kaname knew that. Even when angry her movements were gentle like a feather wafting in the wind. "Do specialists allow the environment to dictate the circumstances?"
"No mam!"
Her voice grew increasingly loud. With the halisen at her side, the wrong answer would surely prove disastrous. "Will you give up?"
Sousuke's voice began to match her own. "No MAM!"
Her fiery eyes now stared him down. "Will we find a way through this?"
"Yes MAM!"
"Will we overcome all obstacles?" Kaname could almost see the sweat trickle down the side of the soldier's face.
"Yes MAM!"
"Will you kiss me right now soldier!"
"Yes MAM!" Sousuke was kissed before he even realized what he had responded yes to. It never failed. Get a person to say yes twice, they almost always respond in kind the third time.
Unlike the military fashion he was accustomed to, he allowed his hands to slip around her slender waist and wrap around the back of his commanding officer. He would have not taken such liberties with his former Captain. Kaname slowly released the kiss but was complacent to leave her arms laced around the mercenary's neck.
"Mam! Is this behavior not abnormal for military doctrine?" He could almost predict word for word her response.
"This is the new military Sousuke. The kind where I am in charge. So don't you dare think about applying these rules to your old one. Besides, isn't it about time we got to the extra credit on your exam?" It didn't take a smart man to understand what was implied as Sousuke ravished a kiss from her. Dead men didn't have it so bad after all.
So how was it? Ya know, its too bad my school doesn't employ extra credit like that. It would sure spark interest back in the class. Anywho, please review!