Authoress' Notes:
Well, here's the next bit! I hope everyone likes it… Ginji angst is so hard!
The chapter title itself is an interesting story. I asked my friend Sumi to read it, right? Ginji angst, as I already said, is hard, so I wasn't sure if this was good or not. And of course, I'm dumb enough to assume that Onee-sama will have a coherent, sensible opinion. So she's hyper and she suddenly IMs me and says:
"I love the word evening.
I never told. ((I feel like she may have meant to put "you" at the end? -talks to her- Yeah. She did.))
Akabane saying that makes me squeal.
Heehee."
…so! That was kinda weird. But it helped, 'cause I was stuck for a title.
DISCLAIMER: I DUN OWN ANYTHING!
So, with special thanks to Sumi-onee-sama…
nyanyanyanyanya
Evening
Ginji trudged through the park. It was early winter, so the breeze was fairly cold. He shivered, pulling his scarf closer to his face. He paused, looking through the trees at the horizon. The sun would be setting soon. He should probably head back.
In the week or so since Akabane's startling confession, the mysterious Transporter had been conspicuously absent from the Honky Tonk. Not that Ginji minded- he had no clue what he'd have done if Akabane had shown up.
Ginji sighed, watching his breath disappear in front of him in a puff of steam. He was so confused. He'd never really had anyone love him before. Well, he'd never had anyone tell him that they loved him. At least, not in that way. Anyways, it was Akabane-sama. Ginji was scared of him. That was why he'd never felt comfortable around the guy- the other man's ruthless pleasure in bloodshed terrified him. It reminded Ginji of what he had once been- and what he could become again. Now, with this new revelation, being around Akabane would be even worse.
Ginji sat down on the stone wall that bordered the path. One question bothered him constantly. Why? Ginji wondered. Why would he say that? I don't understand how he could actually mean that. Is Akabane-sama even capable of feeling love any more? Ginji was worried. What if this was a trap or something that the wily Jackal was setting up?
Ginji stood up on the wall, looking across the park. He was surprised when he looked at one of the benches near the fountain in the center of the park. There was someone sitting there, and there was no mistaking that lean form and the black coat and hat.
Ginji jumped down to the path. He decided to go over and maybe talk to the Transporter. After all, how would he ever find out if it was a trap or not unless he talked to Akabane? He walked towards the bench.
When he reached it, however, Ginji found that he had no clue what to say. Tongue-tied, he settled for merely sitting down at the other end of the bench.
"Good evening, Ginji-kun," Akabane said, nodding politely.
"Evening," Ginji replied stiffly. He stared into the fountain, glancing sideways at Akabane every now and then.
The Doctor seemed to be almost huddled up within his coat, refusing to make eye contact with Ginji. Ginji, friendly as he was, found the silence almost unbearable, so he cleared his throat. "Um… Akabane-sama?"
The other man didn't move. He simply asked, "Yes, Ginji-kun?", still staring fixedly at the ground.
"Um…" Ginji said, uncertain where to begin. "A-… about what you said to me last week... I was wonde-"
Akabane stood up. He bowed to Ginji. "Deepest apologies, Ginji-kun. I've just realized I need to leave. Perhaps we can talk another time." And with that, Dr. Jackal walked quickly away. Ginji stared after him. Surely that hadn't been a… a tremor in Akabane's voice?
The last rays of sunlight were reaching over the horizon as Ginji stood up, more confused than ever, and turned back towards the Honky Tonk.
nyanyanyanyanya
So, please review! If I'm not getting' this whole Ginji POV angst thing right, I'd really like to know before I do more of it the wrong way!