Author's Notes: I had actually planned to publish another fic for the second installment of this Ban/Natsumi vignettes, but the Muse insisted on this one instead. I'm sorry, it could be a little boring though!–not that Natsumi's boring, I like her, even as a minor character—just that, it was a bit of work drawing from her perspective. Ah well, I'll let you guys be the judge of that. Reviews are very much appreciated, of course! I have to give warning for the little OOCness that may ensue, though. Any case, enjoy!

This fanfic is for all the Ban x Natsumi fans out there, especially to everyone who gave a nice review to the first installment. My Christmas present to all of you. HAPPY HOLIDAYS minna:)

Theme #2: Blue
Vignette Title: Someone to Watch over Me

Disclaimers: Rando Ayame and Aoki Yuya own Dakkanya Get Backers and its characters. The only thing I'm claiming here is the lovely theme and plot; I am in no way affiliated with them! And as much as Ban-chan would rather that I make money out of this writing, well… -evil grin- …too bad, I'm not. Oh, and the lines from the song that appear in this fic is not mine either, I'm not sure who wrote and composed it—though Sting sings it beautifully! Borrowing, borrowing tte ba!


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There's a somebody I'm longing to see
I hope that she turns out to be
Someone to watch over me

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Had she ever found out the reason why the sky is so blue, especially on clear, sunny days like today?

She must have had. During one of her science classes, the teacher must have explained it. However, it never really tugged at her curiosity, so she never really cared and paid attention as to why. For her, some things were better if left to their mystery; their beauty can be much more appreciated that way.

Besides, does it really matter? The cloudless, blue sky reminds her of happy things and happy memories. It reminds her of hope; that despite the vastness and limitlessness of the heavens, whenever she would wake up to a blue sky, she can continue to believe in her dreams. It gives her a sense of warmth, of calmness, because somewhere, up there, her mother is watching over her. Those are enough reasons for her why the sky is so blue.

Smiling, she peeled her gaze away from the large, un-curtained window of the Honky Tonk and carried on with her task of buffing the wooden countertop. Perhaps she'd invite Ginji for a picnic at the park, after he gets back from running the grocery-shopping errand for Paul. It would be a shame to waste such a pleasant day.

As her hand moves across the corner of the counter, she noticed an abandoned cup of brewed coffee, emptied of its contents, a blue inscription on its side that read: "The Invincible Mido Ban-sama's Personal Cup".

She took it and turned towards its owner, "Ban-san, would you like another—" There was a mild look of surprise when she laid her eyes on his sleeping form: his arms propped up against the countertop, his right hand on his chin, and his head lolling a bit even while supported by the column on one side. Her next words came in a hushed sigh, "—cup of coffee."

Natsumi smiled.

Rarely did she ever see him like this: peaceful and undisturbed; for a quiet instant, the rowdy brashness did not seem to exist at all. It was, she admits, quite refreshing. She decided to watch him for a while, stealing this candid memory and storing it to mind. Oddly enough though, she felt like she was missing something about him.

Ban's head lolled a bit forward and his purple sunglasses slipped from the bridge of his nose, revealing his closed eyelids. It was then that she realized what it was.

She remembered the first time their eyes met, when she had instantly fallen hypnotized to his deep, cerulean orbs. There was a sharp, magnetic intensity in his eyes, from which she somehow couldn't pull away her gaze. He had been the first to look away then, and adjusted the purple shades to cover his eyes. It was a little later that she found out about his Jagan, when after having recovered from faint at that scary incident involving the police officer who took her neko-mascot, Ban gave her a nice dream about her mother as an 'after-service' to their retrieval.

Gingerly, she approached Ban, careful not to wake him as she removed his glasses and placed them inside the front pocket of his shirt. She often wondered what he would look like without them blocking his eyes from view. She wished she could see them now—his eyes. Ban's eyes are so beautiful…

Daring to move a bit closer, she brushed a few strands of stray hair away from his face, and gazed softly down at him.

Had she ever found out the reason why Ban's eyes were so blue?

She reckoned it must have been because of his European blood. It probably has something to do with his curse as well, a dark enigma that swims beneath the surface of those bright, azure orbs. She never really bothered to ask why he usually looks away when their eyes meet, or why he hides them behind the purple shades.

But did it really matter? Whenever she'd look into Ban's eyes, even only for an instant, she's reminded of precious things and precious memories. They offer her hope, that despite the things she might lose in her life, she can always count on him to find it and get it back for her. They give her a sense of serenity, of comfort, because even here on this earth, someone is also watching over her.

Her lips curved into another smile as she eased Ban's arms onto the table and let him lay there in a more comfortable position. He grunted a bit of protest, but continued to sleep soundly, nonetheless.

There are some things better left unknown, words better left unsaid. Perhaps some day, she would be able to gaze at him openly, like this. Perhaps some day, he'd let her look at him without shying away, without hiding. But she decided that for now, she could content herself on merely watching over him as he snuggled in his slumber.

…And somewhere in his sleep, the Great Mido Ban-sama would smile, too.


Translations:

neko - cat; the neko-mascot was the doll that Natsumi's mother stitched for her.