I'm so mean to poor Ginji. And poor Emishi, as you'll see. But man, they're just so easy to pick on. Wish they belonged to me...
Fuuchouin Kazuki shook his head, exasperated. His sharp ears detected Shido long before the Beast-Master appeared. The footfalls were quick and purposeful, and followed by the lighter, less certain tread of Madoka. Kazuki supposed Emishi thought that his warbling, sing-song calls were amusing. He personally found it irksome, but there was no accounting for taste. Particularly when the person whose questionable predilections had grown up in Mujenjou.
A low sigh behind him belied Juubei's irritation with their unwanted hanger-on. Kazuki discretely reached back to his friend and brushed his fingers against Juubei's in commiseration.
"Emishi!"
Shido barged into the room, eyes flashing, and went for Emishi's throat, cutting off yet another ebullient "Shido-han!"
"Shido-san," Madoka appeared in Shido's wake, "it's alright."
Shido relinquished his grip on Emishi's neck, only to drive a fist into the Bloody Joker's jaw.
Emishi sunk to the ground as Shido abandoned him for less boisterous company.
"Hi, Kazuki. Kakei." He nodded at the both of them.
"Hello, Shido. Paul said that Ginji-san had fallen ill and that you had brought him here, so Juubei and I came to see how he was doing."
"Ah. What's he doing here?" He jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Emishi, who bolted upright. Big crocodile tears streamed down the Joker's face.
"I missed you, Shido-han," Emishi answered, sniffling in mock petulance. "I just had to come and see you."
"Yeah, well, you damn near scared Ginji to death, coming in here bawling like an idiot."
"You said that Paul-san told you Ginji was here… did you run into one another at the Honky Tonk?" Madoka asked. Her sweet voice fell softly on Kazuki's ears, having spent the last half hour in the company of the Joker.
"Yes, we did, Madoka-san. It seems that all roads lead there eventually." He smiled at her, forgetting for a moment that she couldn't see his expression.
She must have heard the smile in his voice, because she also smiled. "Even though he's very tired, I know Ginji-san will be glad to see all of you."
Juubei shifted slightly, and Kazuki, recognizing the start for what it was, knew that his own surprise mirrored his companion's. It was amazing how the young woman said so much while being so courteous. Emishi probably hadn't picked up on it, but to Kazuki, her single sentence had spoken volumes – everything from 'I'm worried' to 'Please be quiet and let him rest,' to 'Welcome.'
Ginji had that ability, too, to say a very great deal with few words.
"Shido-san? Since everyone is here already, we should ask them to stay for dinner, don't you agree?"
"If you like," Shido replied, curiously deferential. "That reminds me. Rena and Natsumi wanted to see Ginji tonight, also, so I asked them to stay for dinner."
Madoka clapped her hands together. "We'll have a lot of company then. I'm so glad." She blushed prettily, and added in a quiet voice, "Not that I mind eating alone with you, Shido-san."
Kazuki hid a smile behind long fingers as Shido flushed and hovered over the girl who had tamed the beast.
"Would you mind taking them back to see Ginji-san? I'll let the staff know we're expecting guests."
Shido grunted an acknowledgement, and with a parting smile, Madoka made her way slowly but confidently toward the door.
"Come on."
Shido led them into an opulently furnished parlor and through a door on the far side, and then he left, presumably to rejoin Madoka.
"His breathing is regular and slow," Juubei noted, his thrilling bass resonating pleasantly through the big room. Kazuki, though he enjoyed Juubei's lovely voice, flinched as Ginji stirred in response to it. "He's sleeping."
"I was," Ginji agreed, opening brown eyes that were gummy with sickness and fatigue.
"We're sorry, Ginji-san," Kazuki apologized quickly, his heart sinking. The former Emperor looked terrible. "We didn't mean to wake you."
"We brought a fruit basket." Juubei's abrupt statement was accompanied by the stiff presentation of said gift. Kazuki stifled a smile at Juubei's expense and went to sit in a chair by the bed.
Ginji managed a weak smile. "Thanks, guys." He brought the sheets up to his nose and coughed into them. "Sorry."
"That's alright, Ginji-san." Kazuki smoothed lank blond hair from the Get Backer's face. "You look like you feel awful."
"You mean I look awful," Ginji joked. He almost laughed, but wound up coughing under the sheets again.
"Ha ha, that's it. Laughter is the best medicine, I always say." Emishi's raucous guffawing jangled Kazuki's nerves. "Hey, have you heard the one about the lawyer's daughter?"
"Emishi." Juubei put down the fruit basket and turned to the Joker.
"Yes, Kakei-han?"
Juubei's fist flew out of nowhere to land on the swollen lump that marked Shido's handiwork. "Be quiet."
Juubei retrieved the fruit basket and handed it to Kazuki, who reached in and withdrew an orange. "Would you like anything, Ginji-san? Are you hungry?"
Ginji rubbed at his eyes and winced. "My head hurts," he murmured, half to himself. Then he looked at Kazuki. "Actually, I can't decide if I'm more hungry or more tired."
"Well, why don't you eat a little, and then we'll leave you alone and let you rest. Is that alright?"
Ginji rubbed his eyes again. "Sure, Kazu-chan."
Kazuki's heart melted a little; unlike 'Ban-chan,' Ginji only called his former King 'Kazu-chan' when he was very, very happy, or very, very discontent. "I'm sorry you don't feel well, Ginji-san."
As Kazuki peeled the orange, deftly shucking the rind from the meat, Juubei approached the bed.
"Ginji-san. Are you nauseous?" Juubei's big hands reached down and found Ginji's, and finding them, further sought the Get Backer's pulse.
"I wasn't. Until I fell out of the bed."
Kazuki chuckled. "How did you manage that?"
"Emishi scared me, and when I jumped, I fell on the floor," Ginji admitted, candid as ever.
The Joker had just managed to get to his feet when a koto string wound round his ankles.
"Takanowa-san," Ban said courteously into the cell, "I have something I need to discuss with you."
"Can't you tell me about it on the phone?" Takanowa sounded annoyed, damn him.
Well, that made two of them.
"It would be better if we could meet face-to-face. Safer."
"I suppose, if you insist," Takanowa conceded reluctantly.
"I insist."
The older man huffed in aggravation. "Fine, then. Meet me at that café in Shinjuku where we met before. Two hours from now."
Bait taken. And now, the coup de grace.
"Takanowa-san…"
"What is it now?" Ban could just see the sharply dressed businessman scowling into his Blackberry.
He grinned wickedly, enjoying himself for the first time that day. "If you are at your hotel, I would advise you to leave. Immediately."
"What are you talking about?"
"Trust me," Ban answered, making his tone grim. "In about fifteen minutes, that hotel room is the last place on earth you'll want to be."
A very nervous pause preceded Takanowa's, "Ah."
"I'll see you at five thirty, Takanowa-san."
The phone clicked, and Ban smacked a triumphant fist into his palm. Time for phase two.
Standing outside Takanowa's hotel in a smoking shelter, waiting for Takanowa to emerge, Ban grimaced at his reflection in the grimy glass. Not only had he been tricked – briefly, but undeniably – by the cunning little sneak, but the weather had taken a turn for the worse. By the time Ban had made his way to the hotel, he was drenched through for the second time that day. And to ice his rotten cake, Paul had called to tell him that the Monkey Trainer had taken his sick partner to Madoka's to rest.
Ban slammed an angry fist into the steel post of the shelter. "Bastard," he muttered. As if he needed the bastard's twice-damned charity. As if he wasn't good enough to look after his own partner. As if…
His scowl deepened as his thoughts turned pensive.
Ban was intelligent enough to know that Fuyuki's whisking his partner away didn't necessarily have anything to do with him. Ginji just had a way of drawing people to him, an irresistibile charisma. He himself was driven by a need to help people, to protect people, and whenever he found himself in need of help or protection, the overwhelming force of his personality seemed to burble out and infect everyone around him with the need to reciprocate his compassion. Even Ban wasn't immune.
Which was why he was having a conniption fit in the rain and beating up poor defenseless smoking shelters.
Gah. Ban punched the steel post again.
It was Monkey Trainer. It was possible that there had been an element of insult in Fuyuki's decision, a "Why aren't you taking care of him, Snake Bastard?" As much as he hated to admit it, though, Ban rather doubted that the slight toward himself had been intentional. If it had been the other way around, he would have been too concerned with Ginji to worry about snubbing Shido.
Probably.
Maybe.
At any rate, it was a good thing he hadn't been at the Honky Tonk when the stupid SOB had abducted his partner. With some time on his hands to consider, he decided he didn't really have to break the former King's neck.
He'd just punch his lights out. As soon as he'd dealt with Takanowa.
His employer was a lying sonovabitch, and Ban was going to make him pay for toying with the Get Backers.
Ginji winced as Emishi crashed into the floor face first. "Are you okay, Emishi?" His voice felt scratchy, like a bug crawling up his throat, so he was glad when Kazuki handed him an orange slice, and he had an excuse to not talk anymore.
"I'm fine, Ginji-han," Emishi said faintly.
"He's been a little clumsy today," Kazuki said smoothly.
Emishi opened his mouth, but Juubei turned to look at him, and the Joker's mouth snapped shut so quickly that Ginji could hear his teeth rattle, even through the fluid in his ears. Ginji stared at Emishi and Juubei, bemused. He was missing something, he knew he was missing something, but he didn't know what it was.
He swallowed the bit of orange, and Kazuki handed him another piece.
"Kazuki."
"Yes?" The Thread-Master separated another segment of fruit without looking at it. Kazuki, Ginji decided, was really amazing. He hadn't squirted any of the juice, and he hadn't dropped any of the rind, and he had managed to separate the fine skins of the segments without tearing them at all.
"Sweet foods aren't really the best for someone who feels nauseous."
"Oops. I think I knew that," Kazuki said, looking a little abashed. "I'm sorry, Ginji-san. I'll put this in the refrigerator, for when you feel better."
"But it tastes so good," Ginji protested, a little disappointed. But even as he spoke, his stomach began to churn harder, and he frowned disconsolately.
"We're staying with Madoka-san and Shido for dinner," Kazuki told him. The Thread-Master smiled. "Think you can wait until then? I'll bring you something better."
Ginji nodded, flinching a little as the movement caused his temples began to beat out a painful little duet. Kazuki stood up.
"Is there anything else we can do for you?"
He chewed the inside of a lip thoughtfully, careful not to move his head again. "Can I borrow your phone, Kazu-chan?"
Kazuki looked to Juubei, who produced a cell phone from his pocket.
"Thanks. I just want to make sure Ban-chan is okay."
Kazuki nodded, and without another word went to the door. Emishi glanced at Juubei, and then whispered loudly, "Feel better, Ginji-han!"
Ginji forced an answering smile to his face, and then Juubei ushered the Joker out.
Scrolling through Kazuki's contact list, Ginji smiled. There they were. The contact in Kazuki's cell phone was labeled 'The Get Backers.' Not Ginji. Not Midou. But Get Backers. With an 's.'
"What do you want, Thread Spool? I'm busy."
"It's me."
"Ginji? Geez, what is it, a Volts reunion at Madoka's?"
"Seems like."
There was a pause. "You sound bad."
"My throat hurts a little."
"Oh. Well, don't whine about it to me. I'll be lucky to not get sick myself, spending all day in the rain. "
"Sorry, Ban-chan."
"Gah. Don't apologize for stupid things like that. People'll think you don't really mean it, if you say it too often."
Ginji frowned into the phone. "I do mean it, though."
Another pause. "Yeah, I know. Dummy."
"Ban-chan, are you okay? How's the case going?"
"I'm wet," he said moodily, "And I'll tell you about the case later. May be easier than I expected, actually. Just… so far, so good, okay?"
"I'll keep my fingers crossed," Ginji promised.
"Don't. Just get some sleep. If you're snuggled into one of Madoka's big warm beds, you might as well take advantage of it. Ought to be sleeping now, come to think of it. Why aren't you?"
"I fell asleep at the Honky Tonk, and I guess Shido must have brought me here, because I woke up when Emishi got here and started yelling for Shido, and then Kazuki and Juubei gave me a fruit basket and Kazuki peeled an orange for me, and – "
"Are you nauseous?"
"A little."
"Shit. Some doctor that Kakei is – sweet food is the last thing you need."
"He knows; he stopped Kazu-chan." Ginji sighed. "That orange was really, really good, too."
"It wouldn't be as sweet the second time around."
"Nope. Anyway, Ban-chan, be careful, okay? You always say powerful men and money are a dangerous combination."
"Feh. I can take care of myself, so don't worry about that. Just tell those lamebrain friends of yours to leave you alone and let you sleep."
"They're not lamebrains."
"Whatever. Just rest up – I'm going to need help spending all this money."
"Hey, Ban-chan?"
"Yeah?"
"You'll call me if you need me, right?"
"Like that'll happen. Besides, you don't sound like you light a forty watt bulb right now."
"Ban-chan. Please."
"Dummy." Ginji smiled. Ban's voice was rarely warm; usually, the self-styled cynic's voice dripped with sarcasm, or resentment, or irritation. But every now and again, even the Invincible Midou Ban-sama could get a little sentimental, and his voice always showed it. "I'll call if I need you. Go to sleep, dumbass."
Big thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I know I'm a horribly slow updater, so if you're reading The Ties That Bind or Stephanotis or Star-Crossed, I do apologize for the long waits. Rainy Days and Mondays has been a little writer's block clearer for me, and I really appreciate the support. Please forgive me if I mispell anyone's name.
Shkira: I'm so glad you liked Ginji in Ban's sunglasses -- I'm even happier that you left me a note to tell me so. I love Get Backers friendship fluff, reading it, writing it. Thank you so much for reviewing!
Nananah, Narakunohime: You guys are awesome. You always drop a line, just to say you read it, just to let the authors know that you're enjoying their work. It's a sweet person to review most every chapter, and I just wanted to say that you both rock my world.
Rabid Lola: Always some useful piece of criticism or advice -- you know I love it. Thanks for dropping in.
SpuriousBlade, desdemona, Suguichan, kim carol: I'm thrilled to oblige your Ginji sick-fic cravings. Blade, Gang Aft Agley was my first favorited GB fic. :) Surprise, surprise. And desdemona, I'm glad you liked Sick Day. I had a lot a lot a lot of fun making Ban sick, so I'm happy that other people enjoy his misery. Thanks for reading!
CrazyCatLadyVia, Little Kunai: Thanks for your encouragement. Getting reviews in my inbox never fails to brighten my day. I promise, I'll try really hard not to make you wait too long between chapters.