Big thanks to Elrichlawliet-chan for being my inspiration. Because of her, I think I'm going to be able to finish a chapter fic for the first time! YAY!
Mini-Komui: She still doesn't own -man.
LadyBookman: I'm sure they already know that, Komui.
Mini-Komui: I know that. *pulls out Drill of Awesomeness* I just want to make sure they don't sue!
Komui sent Kanda off on another assignment. He hated to send any exorcist out for any reason but he realized that both Kanda and Sida needed time away from each other. Sida had spent most of the next week after they had had their fight tearing up at every mention of her adopted son. It seemed he had all but disowned her.
Despite how unreasonably emotional the woman could be at times like those, Komui stayed by her side through each tear and sob. She had taken to remaining in his office all day just as she had when they were courting. Now that he thought about it, Komui couldn't exactly say that they had courted at all; officially anyway. He had never asked her father's permission since she had no father. Of course, he did have to put up with even worse treatment from Reever during that time but that was expected. But, no, Sida Tohno and Komui Lee had never officially and formally courted.
After Komui had joined the Black Order and gotten himself and his sister settled in, Sida had tried to help him organize his already messy desk. Slowly, the hours she spent with the science chief became days; and days turned into months; and months turned into an entire year when Komui finally got the nerve to tell her how he felt.
Komui knew that he had fallen for the woman the moment he saw her. She seemed peaceful as he watched her sleeping figure at the train station. It had almost been a shame when she woke up to find him looking at her. He had been embarrassed but knew that he had hid it well. He had been mesmerized by her grace when she recovered herself from sleeping in public and retied her long black hair with a set of strings that looked like they had been made by a child. He realized his assumption could very well be correct when she spoke (much to his surprise) of her son. Albeit, his idea of this woman's son was something much different from the real thing.
Kanda had been out on an assignment and it was nearly a week before he returned and met the new director. He had been very cold towards the new man. Despite the way Kanda had treated Sida when he arrived home (he had only allowed her to hug him quickly then shut himself up in his room after telling her to buzz off but with much more colorful language), Komui saw a spark of protectiveness in Kanda's eyes whenever he spent any extra time with the woman.
Komui also found out where Kanda got his personality from: his adopted mother. Granted, Komui had not known Sida when she had the attitude problem but he heard stories from his new friend and comrade, Reever. In reality, Kanda wasn't much different from Sida when she was his age. Reever left the subject at that. Sida only continued to intrigue Komui more and more as he watched her interactions with the rest of headquarters. She always gave the science department a laugh and helped them get their work done when they needed help. She got along with all of the exorcists, with the exclusion of Kanda. Despite that fact, she was able to control him and his temper and knew how to deal with him in a motherly way. But what made Komui the happiest was to see her with his sister. Sida had helped the younger girl when she had been chained up and even still she was there for Lenalee when Komui couldn't be. And Lenalee considered the older woman a sister if not a mother to herself. Komui now supposed that she had known what was going on between the couple the entire time, or at least was able to predict it early on.
It had been another all nighter for the science department. While everyone was working on paperwork and other necessary things, Komui and Sida were in his office. Sida had gone back to the Asia branch the previous week to help them fix a few minor problems with their labs and had returned just the day before to find Komui's office worse than she had ever seen it.
Truthfully, Komui kept his office disorganized and chaotic on purpose: it kept Sida around him longer and he enjoyed her company even if she was scolding him for being so careless about his office.
This had been another one of those times. Sida had been ranting on about how messy Komui could be and how much it got on her nerves etc. etc. Finally, the last folder was put into place on its designated shelf. Sida looked at the clock that read 3:30am and sighed. What was the point of staying up this late to clean an office that was just going to end up scattered again by the end of the next day? She had thought to herself.
'I'm going to bed, Komui. Please try to keep this room clean for once. I'm tired of having to clean it up everyday.' She had said as she hung her lab coat on the rack for the night. 'Good night.' She hadn't even had her hand on the doorknob when Komui had grabbed her wrist. Sida turned around to look at him and tell him to let go if nothing was wrong but was met by severe dark eyes. They seemed to burn through to her very soul, sending shivers down her spine with a feeling she had never experienced before. She had stood somewhat confused as she felt the heat of a blush rise in her cheeks when Komui brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. Slowly, his lips claimed hers with a sweetness that slowly built to a fiery passion.
Two knocks and the click of the doorknob caused the two to jump apart from each other, both growing redder by the second as Reever looked at them curiously. Sida cleared her throat and gave a slight bow to Komui.
'Good night, Chief. I'll see you in the morning, Reever.' Sida had said as she hurried out of the room, leaving one man embarrassed and the other confused as to what had just happened.
'What was that about?' Reever had asked a blushing Komui who was steadily trying to regain his composure.
'Nothing.' had been his answer as he too left his office and walked in the opposite direction than Sida had gone. Reever looked back and forth from the spot where Komui had just been standing and the doorway, bewildered.
The next day on, for about two weeks, were filled with silent glances and sweet moments. Whenever Sida would bring Komui his coffee (Lenalee had been out on an assignment) they would both get a light blush on their cheeks when their hands touched or one met the other's eye. When they would pass each other in the corridors they would brush hands ever so discretely so that no one would find out about their relationship. Some of Komui's favorite memories are ones of those stolen moments where they would sneak a kiss around a corner in a deserted hallway or before bed when she would leave his office after cleaning it up for the fourth time that day. Sida's most cherished moments were those that she and Komui would be walking through the headquarters garden or through town and she would feel a firm hand on the small of her back as if a reassurance that he was there and wasn't going to go anywhere without her. It gave her a sense of security.
But these discrete things couldn't be hidden for long. Slowly, the other scientists and workers began to notice that something had changed between the retired exorcist and their department head. Their suspicions were confirmed the next Christmas.
The Order was decorated for its annual party and everyone was excited as the music started and people entered the dinning hall. Komui had bowed and asked Sida to dance with him. Midway through the waltz, he spun the woman out and pulled her back in only to have their lips meet for a moment. Everyone froze and stared at them. Even the music stopped. After a moment, the two broke apart blushing. Komui cleared his thickening throat in order to speak. His audience leaned in to hear what he had to say.
'Sida Tohno, I have loved you from the first moment I met you. Everything about you makes me want to become a better person: they way you treat Kanda and Lenalee, the way you are always willing to help and support other, they way you're always there for anyone. I don't know what to say other than I love you. And I know that I wouldn't be able to get you away from this life here or give you a chance to live a normal life. But if we have to spend our lives here, the only one I would want to spend it with is you.' He knelt down to one knee. 'Will you please do me the honor of marrying me?' Sida nodded, speechless, as Komui slid a small ring onto her finger and cheers erupted from around them.
A deal's a deal. Please review!