Author's note: New chapters 44 & 45 as of 21/9/2023. I am sorry it took so long. I've planned this arc for years since even before the rewrite. As a result, there were too many things jumbled together. It took me a while to whittle the scenes down into a coherent storyline. Hope you enjoy the update.
Visit me on Tumblr for artworks and interesting tidbits: wormwoodwine
Chapter 45 Rotten Luck
Deep breath! In … and out. Akemi mentally told herself. Ok, let's recap. Katherine Vineyard—the only daughter of Gin and Vermouth is here in the house, having lunch and chatting with Bourbon, who is loathed by her father and has a complicated relationship with her mother.
Akai and Akemi shared a look. Does Bourbon know? If so, what is his ulterior motive?
Cold sweat beaded Akemi's spine. The terror surged so swiftly that she completely forgot about her planned interrogation. She could find out about Shiho's boyfriend later provided that she and Akai made it through the day. Akemi bit her lips and nervously avoided Bourbon's dazzling smile.
All eyes were transfixed on the guest of honor, waiting with bated breath for his reply except baby Hikaru and the unflappable Mary. Unlike her silently freak-out son and daughter-in-law, Mary discreetly hid her amusement behind her glass of water while enjoying the drama unfolding and acting like nothing concerned her.
"No, sweetie. My name is Rei Furuya. And who might you be?" Bourbon scanned the adorable little girl across the table. He recognized everyone here, including Akai's new baby, except for her. Interesting.
"I'm Kate. Call me Katie." Kate beamed at the possibility of one more person available to play with her.
Thank God, he doesn't know. The Akai and Akemi breathed out a soft sigh of relief. Gin and Vermouth were due to be back the next day at the latest. They should be fine. No one needed to know.
"Bourbon is his … nickname." Akai came up with a convenient lie.
Mary spoiled the facade with … a scoff which instantly drew Bourbon's suspicious gaze.
Mum! Akai's heart skipped a beat. He forced a smile to chase away his anxiety and said, "Katie's … my neighbor's kid. We're babysitting."
Mary made a point to scoff even louder.
Mum! Work with me. Akai silently cried as Akemi's face gradually turned white.
"Oh, like your nickname, Shu Shu!" Kate exclaimed and looked adoringly at her favorite Akai. Fortunately, Bourbon's attention was quickly drawn away by Kate's remark.
"Ha ha ha—" Shu Shu! Bourbon's laugh thundered … for a second until …
"Is there a problem, Bobo ?" Akai curled the corner of his lip into a sharp smile. Shu Shu was still leagues better than Bobo.
Bourbon's fists balled up underneath the table. It took Bourbon's remarkable self-control not to swing at Akai's smug, good-looking mug. He forced a smile, turned to Kate, and took his time to enunciate every syllable clearly. "It's Bourbon, sweetie. Not Bobo. Bour … bon."
Unfortunately for Bourbon, Kate had already taken a liking to his mispronounced name. "Bo … bo. I like Bobo! It's cute!"
"Bobo it is then." Akai grinned and drove the knife deeper. "You're not going to say no to such a sweet little girl right, Bobo?"
"Sure, call me whatever you like." Bourbon smiled through his gritted teeth. Then, he continued with renewed enthusiasm. "Say, have we met?" The girl's slightly wavy blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and overwhelming confidence awoke a sense of striking familiarity deep within his memory that he couldn't quite place yet.
To Akai and Akemi's horror, Mary merrily hosed the fire with gasoline. "Doesn't she look like some wannabe actress?"
Mum! What are you doing? Shuichi Akai almost perished from a minor heart attack while Akemi paled, white as a ghost.
"My mommy is an actress!" Kate beamed with pride and a faint smile bloomed on Mary's lips.
"Your mommy?" Bourbon frowned, then quickly shook his head and smiled at the preposterous of his thoughts. Impossible. Why would Shuichi Akai of all people babysit Vermouth's daughter? Why would Vermouth even live here? Does she even have a child? The possibility knitted his brows. But the nagging sense of familiarity … No! I must have seen her mother on television or social media. Arriving at a satisfactory conclusion, he let go of his doubt and enjoyed the meal.
"Let's eat!" Akemi blurted, trying to salvage the impending disaster.
"Certainly." Bourbon smiled, unaware of how close he was to the truth. "Thank you for the food."
-o0o-
"There! Bobo is so pretty!" Kate stood on the couch with her beauty kit scattering about, putting the finishing touch to a painted, braided, and ribboned Bourbon.
"Thank you. I feel pretty." Bourbon squeezed a smile out of his lips while lamenting how he had booked himself a beauty session with a little girl. What happened? One moment he was finishing lunch, the next a pair of googly eyes ushered him to the living room and seated him down on the couch. And the rest, as they said, was history.
Akai, who narrowly escaped Kate's little paws, could empathize if only he wasn't dripping with anxiety. Scratching the porcelain dishes with towels instead of gently wiping, the couple watched helplessly. Bourbon of all people is playing with Gin's daughter. Gin and Vermouth's only daughter.
"They're having fun." Akemi tried to put lipstick on a deceased pig and fended off her negative thoughts.
"Her father might have other opinions." Akai grimaced.
"Sh-sh-should I throw salt over my shoulders?" All colors drained off Akemi's face faster than water rushing down a cliff.
"It's for warding off evil." Akai chuckled into his hand, his belly trembling. Akemi blushed, her ears bright red.
But Akai's joy and Akemi's embarrassment were fleeting when Mary glided past them on her way to her tea and dropped a mischievous arched brow. "Shouldn't she?"
Akais's expression turned serious as he handed Akemi a jar of salt. "Better safe than sorry."
When the simple exorcism took place, Bourbon was on his third attempt to escape from Kate's clutch. "Katie …"
"Give me your hand, Bobo." Kate slipped a colorful bead bracelet on Bourbon's wrist. "So pretty!"
"Thank you." Bourbon sighed, his plan going straight down the garbage disposal.
"Now we have matching bracelets." Kate proudly displayed the bracelet on her wrist. One she made for herself in accompaniment with her mother for Christmas.
However, Bourbon frowned at her empty wrist and nowhere-to-be-found accessory. "What bracelet, sweetheart?"
"My bracelet!" Kate yelled at her bare wrist in horror. "It was just here!"
"Don't worry. I'll help you look." Bourbon smiled, silently extending his stay. His eyes darted over to the pasty Akemi. Her jumpy gaze dodged his for the umpteenth time and anxiously glued to the ground. His curiosity was piqued. His mission could wait a bit if it meant discovering Akai's deep, dark secret.
"Bobo is so nice!" Kate gave her new favorite human a big hug and an equally big kiss on his cheek. "Thank you!"
A plate shattered at Akai's feet, his stomach heavy with dread. Gin absolutely can not know.
Mary, a silent observer, elegantly perched on a sofa and mused by her teacup. Ah, the sweet aroma of imminent tragedy.
-o0o-
Kate bit her lips at the turned upside-down living room. Her bracelet seemingly vanished out of thin air. In a bit of hopelessness, her eyes wandered to the windows. Under the sunlight, a little glimmer in the grass caught her attention. She rushed to the door and headed to the lawn to find colorful beads scattering on the ground and hiding behind the short green grass. Her bracelet must have snapped when she played outside with Akai earlier.
Kate pouted and gathered her beads when a cheerful yet familiar voice called out to her from the sidewalk.
Sarah waved and made a beeline to her friend, dragging a man of no remarkable features along with her. "Katie!"
"Sarah, what are you doing here?" Overjoyed by the sudden appearance of her best friend, Kate set the beads down and ran to the gate. Her mind cooked up all sorts of excuses to persuade her sweet pliable friend inside and … Yes, a proper tea party. Then, a sleepover. Kate was so swamped with delightful thoughts that it took her a second to look up at the man holding Sarah's hand and wonder. "Who's he? Your uncle?"
"No. He lost his dog. I'm helping him!" Sarah proudly exclaimed.
Still holding Sarah's hand, the man crouched down to Kate's eye level and spoke through the locked gate. "Have you seen a little puppy, sweetheart?"
Kate glanced at the big, thick leather collar in the man's hand and smiled sweetly. "What he looks like?"
The man pulled out his phone and showed Kate the pictures of a tiny Chihuahua. "Here is my Foxy. Poor thing ran off. She must be so scared. Can you help me look for her, sweetie?"
"Yes, Katie. We can look together." Sarah chimed in, pumping her little fists in excitement.
Kate darted her gaze between the thick leather collar and the pictures on his phone. Then, she plastered the brightest smile on her face. "Sure, mister."
"Come with us, sweetheart." The man reached inside the gate, past the railings.
"But I need to tell you something first, mister."
"What is it?"
"Come closer." Kate beckoned. The man frowned, but he pressed his ear against the gate nonetheless. Then, Kate took the deepest breath and bellowed the loudest scream of her life. "AHH! HELP! HELP!"
Her wail disturbed the neighborhood's dogs. A stream of barks echoed the surrounding street. The man fell on his behind, momentarily stunned by an ear-piercing cry and the unexpected development. He covered his wounded ear and lunged at the gate. "Shut up! What are you doing? Shut up!"
Much to his dismay, Kate's scream persisted. His grip on Sarah's hand tightened to the point that she winced and stepped back in pain. Soon, Akai and Bourbon rushed to the yard with Akemi and Mary following.
"What's wrong, Katie?" Akai asked and ran to her side as Bourbon was quickly on his tail.
"He kidnaps Sarah! He's taking her away!" Kate pointed at the man who was now white as a ghost.
"I-I … no I …" The man glanced at the two angry men in front of him for a moment before tossing Sarah away and making his escape. "Shit!"
"Get back here!" Veins bulged in Bourbon's balled fists as he climbed the fence and jumped into his pursuit.
Akai opened the gate and hurried to Sarah. "Are you hurt anywhere, Sarah?"
"No." Sarah shook her head, blinking her eyes in confusion.
The man didn't make it far when Bourbon tackled the creep, pinned him on the ground, and forced his arms behind his back. "Stay still!"
"Ouch! You're hurting me! I've done nothing wrong!" The man squirmed and tried to loosen his restraint.
"Shut it!" Bourbon pinned his filthy mouth on the gritty and dirty sidewalk. "Call the police!"
By the time Bourbon urged, Akai was already on the phone. "Yes, I would like to report an attempted child abduction. A little girl."
"Come on, Sarah. Let's go get ice cream." Kate beamed and took Sarah's hand. She looked up at a worried Akemi who was standing at the gate and nervously touching her ears. "I want strawberry."
"Uhm … sure." Akemi blinked in bewilderment and followed the girls as they headed inside.
Kate's calm and cheerful demeanor caught Bourbon's attention. She had just alerted everyone of the kidnapping of her friend and a minute later, she had the appetite for dessert? A thousand questions flooded his mind. His baffled eyes followed the girls until they disappeared from his sight.
-o0o-
Blue light flashing from a police car parking in front of Akai's house. Two law enforcement officers were busy taking statements from everyone involved. Sarah's overjoyed parents were on her side, answering an officer's questions a distance away from the suspect lest the situation get out of hand.
The man in handcuffs casually leaned against the police car and told another officer, "I'm innocent! I've done nothing wrong. I saw the girl wandering about. I was just trying to help. You understand?"
Kate curled up snugly in Akai's arms, a stone's throw away from her perplexed friend, watching the situation. Once the dignified adults were appropriately distracted, she caught the gaze of the rotten man. She mouthed silently and slowly, making sure he could discern her word. ' TRASH. '
Blood boiled. The man lunged at Kate while yelling at the top of his lungs, "You little twat! I'll kill you! When I get out—"
It took two burly officers to restrain him and put him in the back of the police car.
Kate bawled her eyes out into Akai's chest, her tears soaking his sweater. "Shu! I'm scared!" Good luck playing innocent, mister. Trash like you belongs in the bin.
"It's alright, sweetie. It's alright." Akai gathered Kate closer and stroked her back. "I've called your parents. They'll be home soon, okay?"
"Okay." Kate sniffled and conveniently hid her blooming smile.
To almost everyone, it was simply a disgusting display of unimaginable cruelty toward a sweet and innocent little girl. However, Bourbon knew otherwise. His expression stiffened. Kate's little trick didn't fool his keen observation. She overplayed her emotions to sell them that she was scared. For a frightened child, she was strangely coherent.
-o0o-
It took an entire afternoon and a terrible dinner from the vending machine for the police to finish their questions. Kate threw herself face-first onto Akai's plush couch and groaned into a throw pillow. Sarah had already gone home with her parents long ago. Her playdate. Her tea party. Her sleepover. Curses .
"Katie, how did you know?" Akemi inched closer to the girl, her eyes brimming with part delight, part curiosity.
Meanwhile, Akai and Mary were business as usual, one relaxed next to Akemi, and the other hovered over the kettle with her favorite teacup and saucer. The only one who seemed even remotely concerned was Bourbon. The blond man stood in the corner of the room where he got an eagle-eye view of the room, his arms crossed, his gaze glued to the once seemingly sweet little girl.
Kate sprang up in her seat like a dried sponge after a good long soak. "You mean the bad man?"
"Yes! How did you know?" Akemi clasped her hands together, her eyes positively twinkling.
Kate beamed "He wants me and Sarah to look for his puppy, but he has this huge dog collar."
"Some puppies are big, Katie." Akai smiled.
"Yes, so I ask what it looks like. He shows me pictures of a tiny Chihuahua." Kate grinned, her nostrils inflated with pride. "Liar, liar, pants on fire."
An enthusiastic Akemi attacked Kate with a giant bear hug. "Who's the smartest little girl?"
"How old are you, Katie?" Bourbon asked. An ominous aura pervaded his presence.
Kate's cheek was still squished by Akemi's embrace. Luckily, her four little digits escaped and waved at Bourbon. "I'm four."
"Tell me. How does a four-year-old even know what a kidnapper is?" Bourbon asked. A corner of his lips curled up.
"My bedtime stories!" Kate's eyes lit up.
"Bedtime stories?" Bourbon and Akemi asked in unison while Akai squeezed his eyes shut.
"Yes, he's just like the bad men in daddy's stories." Kate sat up straight, proud of herself. She wasn't like the silly girls in the stories. She was smart. "He uses the same trick too. Dumb-dumb."
Bedtime stories about pedophiles. Akai winced, taking a long and deep breath to calm his poor heart. The organ grew fragile by the second as his day wore on. Seems about right.
"Your father tells you stories about these bad men?" Bourbon asked slowly in disbelief as if to ascertain the impossible truth he had just heard.
"Yes!"
"Every night?"
"Yes!"
"Not fairy tales?"
"Not anymore." Kate pouted. "Daddy hates fairy tales."
Bourbon opened his mouth, then closed, then opened his mouth again. Finally, after a long pause where his mouth was simply hanging, he asked, "Who is your father?"
"Good question." Mary glided past Bourbon with her freshly brewed tea cup.
"I'm sorry?" Bourbon frowned.
"Haven't I given you enough hints?" Mary settled down on the couch and casually stirred her tea.
"He's someone I know." Bourbon came to a sound conclusion. At first, he thought the girl was a shrunken adult like Conan; and perhaps the Akais were simply sheltering her until they could procure the antidote. However, it seems unlikely. She enjoyed silly games too much to be a grown-up. He shuddered at the flashback to hours of dress-up and manicure.
"They." Mary took a small sip and looked at Bourbon. "Doesn't she remind you of someone?"
"I'm … afraid to find out." Great trepidation came over Bourbon. He stared at Kate, unblinking. The girl's wavy blonde tresses then her bright blue eyes. He knew, but he didn't want to know. The truth was too preposterous for his logical mind to process.
"Bobo knows my daddy?" Kate asked, her forefinger tapping her round cheek.
"Bobo used to work with your parents." There was a little twinkle in Akai's voice as he used Bourbon's new nickname. "Well, with your mother." And more like against your father.
Bourbon closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Didn't you say Katie lives in the neighborhood?"
"Correct. Right across the street." Akai smiled, savoring Bourbon's pain.
"I assume with her parents?" Bourbon's face darkened.
"Correct again."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Bourbon gritted his teeth to the point of pain, his veins bulging on his temples. "That you're babysitting Vermouth's kid!"
"They were supposed to be hunting in Scotland. No one needed to know. Or so I thought." Akai was hoping he could sweep everything under the rug, but then the creep happened. What devil possessed that creep to abduct the only daughter of two most dangerous people in London? Of course, the important thing was that the children were safe. However, Bourbon's name was now officially in the police report. He couldn't simply let the man go. Gin and Vermouth would want a proper explanation in person in detail. Perfect. "Chin up. You did help save Katie."
Bourbon was again deep in thought. Something was still nagging in the back of his mind. "Who's her father again? I worked with him?"
"Weren't you and Vermouth close?" Akai arched an eyebrow half teasing half serious.
"You know how private she is." Bourbon searched his memory. In the years he and the actress worked together, no one in particular came to mind. There were her occasional flings, but no one that she would trust enough to settle down and raise a child with.
"The paranoid bedtime stories haven't tipped you off?" Akai chuckled, then exploded into laughter. "Who else is unhinged enough to tell his four-year-old daughter about pedo—" Kate's curious gaze burned the side of Akai's head and stifled his glee. He cleared his throat and wisely chose his words. "I mean bad people."
The conclusion was so ridiculous that Bourbon couldn't help but laugh bitterly with his face buried in his hands. "Ha … ha ha … ha … She's Gin and Vermouth's daughter … Gin and Vermouth's daughter whom I've just spent the afternoon playing with."
"Don't worry, Bobo. I like you." Kate was shimmering with joy.
"Thank you, sweetie. It's not you I worry about." Bourbon smiled a smile that was more sullen than tears. It's your murderous parents. Not once in all these years had Vermouth mentioned her daughter. Her intention was clear. He highly doubted she would welcome his presence here. Then there was Gin …
The sound of a car engine pulling over brought the conversation to a screeching halt.
"Speaking of the devils." Akai tapped his thighs and headed for the door. "Let's face judgment, shall we?"
-o0o-
It was the first time Bourbon had seen Vermouth since their dingy hotel rendezvous last year. It was also the first time he and Gin were in the same room since the organization's collapse. To think he would live long enough to see Gin wear his hair short. What a world he lived in! Fortunately, the couple was more interested in their daughter than him, but for how long he didn't know.
He sighed and observed quietly on the sideline. Vermouth looked well. In fact, she was noticeably better. There was a healthy glow to her complexion compared to the gloom last they met. There was a softness to her bearing one might say. Perhaps it was her choice of clothes, cozy while prioritizing gentle colors like camel and white. She chose to blend in. And Gin … Well, the man certainly did not dress himself. Bourbon discreetly chuckled to himself. With some luck, surviving the day unscathed might be easier than he thought.
"Mommy!" Kate jumped into Vermouth's warm embrace.
"My sweet baby." Vermouth picked the girl up effortlessly and showered her with kisses. "Were you scared, sweetie?"
"No!" Kate grinned, holding onto her mother's neck. Gin took the opportunity to run his hands along her arms, checking for any signs of discomfort, only for Kate's tiny hands to flap around and push him away. "No, daddy! Tickles!" Kate laughed, her tears sparkling.
"You're fine." Gin concluded after the girl did not present any sign of trauma whether physically or emotionally; otherwise, she would have reacted differently. A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes, which caught Bourbon off guard. Within a few seconds, Gin was in front of Bourbon with his steel grip on Bourbon's collar. Gin bared his fangs, his face inches from Bourbon's. "The nerve of you to show your face. In front of my daughter."
Cold sweat poured down Bourbon's temples, but before he could diffuse the situation, a furious Kate yelled, "Mean daddy! Let Bobo go!"
"What did you just say?" Gin turned to look at one angry baby girl.
"Let Bobo go!" Kate puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms.
"Why are you calling him Bobo, baby? That's not his name." Vermouth chuckled, pressing her lips on Kate's bountiful tresses.
"I name him Bobo. It's cute." Kate beamed with pride.
"I see you've spent your sweet time fraternizing with my daughter." Gin grinned menacingly at Bourbon through his gritted teeth, his grip tightening.
"Believe it or not, I have no idea you live around here." Having Gin in such a proximity made Bourbon's skin crawl yet he remained calm. "No one told me she is your daughter. I have no reasons to assume otherwise."
Gin narrowed his eyes, weighing the accuracy of Bourbon's words. "Then why are you here?"
"I have business in London. I was simply delivering some souvenirs to Shuichi Akai on behalf of the Detective Boys." Bourbon sighed. They also handed him a shopping list about two miles long.
"Those kids can be very convincing." Vermouth smiled and came to the rescue, walking to Gin with Kate in her arms. "He did save your daughter."
Gin rolled his eyes. "You saw the CCTV. She was never in any danger." The moment they received the news, they immediately scoured the footage of every surveillance camera with a good view of the crime scene.
"Really? You want that creep to get away and hang around in the neighborhood?" Vermouth scoffed. Without Bourbon, it was a valid possibility. Akai had his hands full taking care of the girls.
"Tsk." Gin clicked his tongue and finally let go of Bourbon's collar. "I'm not the unreasonable one here."
"Thank you." At long last, Bourbon got to salvage his dignity and fixed his crumbled collar.
"Yes, yes, reasonable man." Vermouth shook her head. A soft chuckle erupted from her lips as she leaned in and pecked Gin's stiff cheek. "Would you mind fetching the deers?"
"Yes! Deers! Deers! Deers" Kate immediately got her arms up in the air and chanted.
-o0o-
Using Vermouth as her personal chariot, Kate was escorted to the kitchen counter. She pouted and poked at a disappointing box of red meat. "Where's my deer?"
"Your deer is in the car." Gin rolled his eyes and gestured to Akai at some of the venison cuts. "Sirloins, tenderloins, backstraps, top round, bottom round."
"How many did you shoot?" Akai asked while helping Akemi make room in the freezer. He knew for a fact that in front of him was more than one animal.
"Four." Gin narrowed his eyes at his four-year-old. The girl simply had a knack for trouble. "Would have been more …"
Kate was unfazed, especially with her mother backing her up. She stuck her tongue out at her father. "Mean daddy."
Bourbon, who made himself useful and joined in the storing venison chain in front of the fridge, looked at his former enemy with disapproval. "I can't believe you babysit for venisons."
"Usually, we babysit for free." Akai chuckled softly, earning him a ridiculous stare from Bourbon. "Long story."
"Where the horns?" Kate pouted. She had this image of one giant deer with huge horns. "Where the furs?"
"Hinds don't have horns, only stags." Gin flashed Kate a smirk, looking too smug for his own good. "They aren't fluffy either. What do you expect? A teddy bear."
"Then get a stag. I want big horns."
"It's not stag hunting season."
"Are you sure, daddy?" Kate smirked, mischief sparkling in her eyes.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Gin frowned, sensing troubles bubbling.
"You can suck too, daddy." Kate gave her father consolation taps on his arm, playing the role of a sweet daughter though her wild grin might suggest differently. "Sucky daddy."
It took the self-control of a saint for Bourbon and Akai to hold back their laughter. Their stomachs hurt from physically restraining joy. Hearing a child insult Gin to his face while the furious man could do nothing but grit his teeth and bear it made their days. Even if the world ended the next day, their lives would have been well lived.
Gin was positively fuming. If this was a cartoon, smoke would have been coming out of his ears. He growled. "Your mother didn't even get a shot in. Why don't you criticize her?"
"Mommy's pretty," Kate said matter-of-factly.
"Thank you, sweetheart." Vermouth peppered Kate's head with soft kisses while her teasing gaze tickled his fury. "It is always nice to be appreciated."
"Do excuse me if I don't meet your standard." Gin mocked. He had seen strong indications that life conspired against him. His pain, someone's entertainment.
"Alright, enough fun." Vermouth chuckled and stroked Kate's cheek. "Can you tell me exactly what happened, sweetie? In your own words."
"I need snacks." Kate grinned. "And ice cream."
-o0o-
In the living room, around the coffee table, everyone gathered. On one side was the Akais and one poor Bourbon. On the other was the Vineyards with Kate lounging on Vermouth's lap. A high-on-sugar Kate told her side of the story between spoonfuls of ice cream.
Bourbon remembered the incident vividly from jumping the fence and executing a perfect flying tackle to restraining the culprit, but what he heard …
Kate clawed at the air, imitating a tiger. "Bobo roared!"
"He roared?" Vermouth asked, amused.
"Yes! Bobo roared. He hopped real high over the fence, then pounced! Slam the bad man on the ground." Kate spared no effort to produce the sound effects by pounding the pillow on her lap.
There were no words that could convey the embarrassment churning inside Bourbon. Curious gazes turned his face into a pin cushion. As if to make matters worse, Vermouth was in stitches, only taking breaks between kisses to pepper Kate's golden locks with love. Meanwhile, Gin's reaction was miniscule in comparison. He simply crossed his arms and watched his daughter in bewilderment and concern.
Looking past the embarrassment, Bourbon was taken aback. Contrary to popular belief, Vermouth was rather a reserved woman. Her expressions were strictly calculated and quantified to achieve her goals. Every flutter of eyelids had meaning to incite a certain response from her targets while carefully concealing her true emotions. But now, in this very moment, boundless glee seemingly oozed from every tiny cell in her body. Bourbon was lost in thought when Gin's glare swept past him, only then did he realize he had been staring. Considering Gin's reaction, one would think Bourbon had committed a crime worthy of death. Bourbon swallowed a lump in his throat and awkwardly averted his gaze, admiring the tiles under his feet.
"Bobo is super strong. The bad man flailed and failed like a big fish on the ground." Kate wasn't done singing Bourbon praises, much to Gin's dismay. Her innocent gaze of adoration was fuel to Gin's fury.
Bourbon could feel Gin setting him ablaze with his glare.
Gin said through gritted teeth, "Anyone would have done the same."
"I don't see anyone else. I see Bobo." Kate turned to Vermouth and declared resolutely. "Mommy, I love Bobo."
Gin couldn't roll his eyes any harder even if he tried. He snarled. "You love the idea of him."
"Alright." Vermouth interfered and got the subject back on track before her eardrums burst. "Then what happened, baby?"
Kate stuck her tongue at Gin one last time and infuriated the man before getting back to her story. "The police came. They took the bad man away. Uhm, they asked lots of questions."
"How's Sarah?"
Kate pondered for a second and answered. "She's fine."
"She does not quite understand what happened." Akai clarified, recalling Sarah's confused reaction compared to her wailing parents.
"Good." Vermouth nodded. One less traumatized girl.
"He was a bad man right, mommy?" Kate leaned back comfortably against her mother's chest.
"Yes, baby. Very bad."
"He's just like daddy said."
"Daddy said what?" Vermouth blinked in surprise for a split second before she bore down on Gin and unleashed her anger. "What is wrong with you? She's four!"
"Excuse you. My methods work." Gin crossed his arms, unswayed.
"So daddy is wrong?" Kate asked, confused.
" Am I? " Gin lifted an eyebrow at Vermouth and let his smugness run wild.
Vermouth pressed her lips together into a razor-thin line and took a deep breath. She turned away from Gin's eyes-piercing smugness and slowly admitted. "No … he's not … wrong."
"And?" Gin pressed his face closer. He wielded a good gloat like a knife, plunging the blade into Vermouth's pride.
Vermouth snapped. "It doesn't make your action any more appropriate. She's four."
Gin growled. "Her life can't be all butterflies and rainbows."
"I'd rather not raise a serial murderer if you don't mind."
"She'll do fine regardless." Gin smirked, irking Vermouth to no end, making the muscles in her face twitch.
"What's going to happen to the bad man?" Kate asked, interrupting her parents' usual spat. It was the only thing she wanted to know.
Vermouth doused her smile in nauseating sweetness and buried her nose into Kate's tresses. "Oh, he's going to be very very unlucky. So unlucky that he may wish for death."
Despite not fully understanding the gravity of Vermouth's words, Kate was happy with the answer. "Okay!"
Something never changes. Bourbon mused, feeling a twinge of sympathy toward the most unfortunate creep in London. A fleeting twinge. Bourbon didn't tend to condone vigilante justice, but the crime of attempted child abduction only carried a few years sentence in the UK. Should people wait until that creep committed a much more serious crime and actually hurt a child? That was no justice.
"So … what brought you to London, Bourbon?" Vermouth directed her honey-coated smile toward Bourbon and sent a shiver down his spine. Her message was clear. His life might very well depend on his answer.
Bourbon weighed his options and sighed. "I'm infiltrating a certain organization whose members all have certain types of tattoos. I was hoping Akai had some intel on a trustworthy tattoo artist."
"You can't find one on your own?" Vermouth narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"I'm in a bit of a hurry." Bourbon turned on his innocent charm and flashed her a harmless smile. "Their members have their own network in the tattoo scene. If someone happens to mouth off …"
"Ah." Vermouth tilted her head ever so slightly, a faint smile dangling on her lips.
"By chance, if you know someone available on short notice, I would very much appreciate it." Bourbon did ask for Vermouth's help with the disguise to infiltrate the said organization the year before. The memory must still be fresh in her mind.
"I do." Vermouth's smile deepened.
"But?" Bourbon frowned, sensing her apprehension.
"It's me." The last time they met, Vermouth was very clear that she was done helping Bourbon, and her word was gold.
"The temporary tattoos only need to last for a few days at most. It won't take much of your time." Bourbon didn't need permanent ink on his body, because they would hinder his future missions. However, he needed ones that would hold up to scrutiny. As talented as a man he was, he could not draw on his back, and he was here alone.
"Help Bobo, mommy." Kate snuggled up to Vermouth, looking up with her puppy dog eyes. "Pretty please."
"Baby."
"Bobo saved me."
"I suppose it's only fair." Vermouth closed her eyes and sighed. "Wouldn't you say, Gin?"
But Gin only scoffed and turned away.
"He agreed." Vermouth grinned and gently stroked Gin's knee, sensing the tension easing in his muscles. All of a sudden, she engulfed Kate in her embrace, squeezing a loud cachinnation out of Kate's tiny belly. "How can I say no to my baby girl?" After a good laugh, she made a beeline to Mary. "Give me a hand, will you?"
"How nice of you to volunteer me," Mary said, oozing sarcasm effortlessly while remaining still in her seat.
Vermouth leaned down and whispered in Mary's ear. Her hot breaths sent goosebumps prickling Mary's skin. "Isn't it your job?"
After a soft groan, Mary stood up. Bourbon could feel tremendous pressure lifting as Mary joined them. "Right now?"
"I thought you were in a hurry?" Vermouth lifted an eyebrow at the sweating Bourbon. She had every intention to resolve the matter as soon as possible.
Bourbon took a deep breath and crossed his fingers. "Yes, of course."
"Very well then." Vermouth turned to Akai and asked while making a mental list of all the tools she would need. "Do you have a spare room we can borrow, Akai?"
"Guest bedroom. Upstairs." Akai nodded.
"I want to play with Bobo. I'll be quiet." Kate beamed. This was her intention all along to ditch her boring father and go play with her Bobo.
"I'm sorry, baby. Bobo has to work. Go show daddy duckies' pictures." Vermouth quickly rejected the idea. She would not get any work done with the personification of chaos around.
"What a shame." Gin smirked, feeding off Kate's misfortune. His strong arms imprisoned the girl onto his lap.
When Kate's effort to escape from her father's confinement failed, she scrunched her nose and attacked his well-being. "Daddy stinks."
"Excuse me for skipping showers and rushing back to you."
"Mommy smells nice."
"Do you have any idea how many concoctions are on her body?" Gin narrowed his eyes, a mischievous glint flashing in his pupils. He used his deers-gutting hand and covered her mouth with the lingering foul odor.
"Ew, ew, ew, daddy!" Kate screamed bloody murder and flailed around with all her might.
Vermouth felt a strong desire to shake her head and facepalm at the same time. "Yet you wonder why she calls you mean. I couldn't imagine."
Gin scoffed. He kept his arms possessively around a very displeased Kate, made his way to Vermouth, and snarled. "Handle your business ."
A smile bloomed on Vermouth's lips and soon shifted into a hearty laugh, much to Gin's eternal annoyance. She cupped his cheeks and raining kisses down onto his darkening mug. "Better?"
Gin glowered at the gleeful actress, but before his veins burst and drowned everyone in red, Kate distracted him with her pout and her arms outstretched to her mother. "Mommy! Me too!"
Vermouth grinned from ear to ear and showered the girl with kisses. "Be good for daddy."
"Yes." Kate smiled sweetly while planning to slowly torture her father with countless pictures of the same ducks she fed every day. His night would be long and excruciating.
-o0o-
Once Mary, Vermouth, and Bourbon were alone with all the tools and resources they could possibly need. Bourbon asked Vermouth, who was busy examining the sample of tattoos on his phone. The curiosity was killing him. "What aren't you telling me?"
A piece of the puzzle was missing. Bourbon had expected some spite coming from Gin. They never had the best relationship at the best of times. Nonetheless, the degree of hostility caught Bourbon off guard. In contrast, Gin let his archnemesis—Shuichi Akai babysit his daughter, even providing the man with venison. What gives? Because Bourbon certainly didn't remember doing anything to merit this intense malice.
Mary leaned back against the wall, but her ear discreetly tilted in their direction. She, too, was curious. After all, it was her job to keep an eye on the witch of a thousand faces.
Vermouth curved her lips into a thin smile and put the phone down. "When Gin found out I was pregnant, I told him my baby was yours."
Bourbon froze in place; his blood ran cold. Even the usually calm and collected Mary couldn't help but shed her mask of indifference. Her eyes widened in shock.
No, Bourbon didn't think for a second that Kate could have been his daughter. As biology dictated, there was a certain level of intimacy required to have a child. Therefore, the only possible explanation was Vermouth deliberately throwing him under the bus. "Why? What have I ever done to you?"
"Nothing personal." Vermouth shrugged and chuckled softly. She casually leaned against a desk with her arms half-folded, one around her waist, the other playing with her chin. Bourbon was simply a plausible scapegoat and a believable excuse for Gin to get off her lawn. "You're just somebody he hates."
Bourbon squeezed his eyes shut as a searing headache scrambled his brain. Despite his normally gentle demeanor, he uncharacteristically growled. "I thought we were square."
"To be fair, I didn't think he would care." Vermouth watched Bourbon's eyes widen as he came to understand the implication behind her words. Her smile softened. "But I was wrong. Turns out he cares a lot. Oops, my bad."
"Ha …" Sometimes, the situation was so ridiculous one couldn't do much besides laughing.
Vermouth beamed as if she was complimenting the weather. "Long story short, he wants you to suffer a long and excruciating death."
"Please tell me you told him the truth." Bourbon pinched the bridge of his nose with his eyes shut.
"Eventually. I can't say how much he believes." DNA test proved paternity but the fact Vermouth brought Bourbon up to cover her story irked Gin to this very day.
"I wonder why." The need for sarcasm overwhelmed Bourbon. For once in his life, he sympathized with the ruthless man. If Gin was the father, then he had the right to know. "Don't you think you went a bit too far?"
Vermouth scoffed. "Bourbon, the Gin you and I knew, do you think anyone in their right mind would let that man be the father to their kids?" She casually admired her nails. "Besides, my daughter doesn't need a part-time father."
Bourbon knew what she meant yet there wasn't much he could do or say. "Vermouth …"
"It's the same duck!" Gin roared. The joy of fatherhood echoed from the living room and interrupted the solemn conversation. Joy bubbled inside Vermouth and exploded into laughter.
The joy infected Bourbon, lifting the corner of his lips. He shook his head, discarding the negative thoughts. "I have to ask. What on earth happened to him?"
Vermouth grinned, clutched her chest, and gave Bourbon a wink. "It's the miracle of love."
Bourbon let out a faint sigh with a smile. "If you don't want to answer, I won't ask."
Vermouth laughed heartily and tapped Bourbon's shoulder. "He hasn't changed that much. Given the chance, he would still love putting a bullet in your head."
"How reassuring." Bourbon's smile stiffened. On the bright side, Gin had shown great restraint considering Bourbon was still breathing.
"Let's get started, shall we?"
-o0o-
It took hours and hours until Vermouth was happy with her handiwork. By the time she came back to the living room, Kate was already sound asleep on the couch, using her father's lap as her personal pillow.
Gin poked her cheek, frowning at the saliva trails staining his pants. "Go drool on your mother."
An annoyed Kate flailed her arms around and groaned softly, further vexing her father.
The scene plastered a smile on Vermouth's face as she made a beeline to Kate, carefully picked the girl up, and cradled her in her arms. "There's my baby."
"Finished?" Gin asked with his arms folded, forming a wall around himself.
"Yes." Vermouth pecked his cheek and headed for the door. "Get my coat, will you?"
"And your loose end?" Gin stood up and narrowed his eyes at the emerging Bourbon. He would much prefer a more permanent solution.
"With any luck, you'll never see him again." Vermouth turned around and beamed at Bourbon. "Isn't that right?"
"Indeed." Bourbon willed his lips into a stiff smile with his hands clasped behind his back to hide his sweaty palms.
"I better not," Gin said, void of emotion as if he was speaking to a dead man.
-o0o-
The moment Vermouth bid Kate goodnight and emerged from her bedroom, she found Gin towering over her. She arched her brows, tilting her head to the side. "Yes?"
Something inside Gin snapped. His blood boiled. Fine, he communicated better with actions anyway. With whatever was left of his sanity, he seized her wrist and dragged her along the hallway like a sack of potatoes. Too bad. If he turned around, he might have caught a fleeting smirk on her face.
He enjoyed Vermouth's suffering at his hands, either through sex or other means. The problem was that woman would somehow get her way, or rather weasel her way into getting what she wanted. For instance, when he pinned her against the wall of their bedroom, she had the nerve to taunt him. "My, my, how furious?"
"Shut up!" He growled, slipping his hands under her sweater.
"You can't possibly be jealous, can you?" She gasped with her eyes widened, but her surprise was as real as a three-dollar bill.
"Shut! Up!" He grabbed her shoulders and slammed her back against the wall.
Getting the wind knocked out of her did little to diminish her glee one bit. She winced and leered. "Make me."
There went his last shred of sanity. His hand slipped behind her and grabbed a handful of her golden locks. He tilted her head backward, exposing her agape cherry opening. His lips bruised hers. His tongue slithered inside as if he was swallowing her whole from within. Her hands reached out to cup his cheeks and deepen their kiss.
As she parted from him, silver threads of saliva lingered, linking them together. A triumphant smirk dangled on her lips. "Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"
"Damn you." Gin hated kissing. To be more precise, he enjoyed kissing a woman's body just fine but a kiss kiss. Lips on lips. A peck on the cheek. No, he deemed such acts useless, as they served no functional purpose besides exhibiting futile affection. Knowing how much Vermouth enjoyed kisses only deterred him further. But somehow, she always got her way. It wasn't the first time he got tricked into kissing her either. Fine then, he was done playing nice.
He hoisted her up and tossed her on the soft mattress. In a red haze, he tore off her clothes and shed his own. A twisted glee emerged as he watched her mask melt away at his hands. Her eyes glazed; her breathing labored. He took great pleasure in pumping her inside full of his seed. He spread her thighs and engraved the sight of her privates leaking his fluid, satisfying his primal urge to mark his territory.
"Better?" A huge grin bloomed on her face as she traced her bare feet on his ripped abs.
He got a hold of her naughty ankle. "My abs don't exist for your amusement," he said, his tone playful.
"Neither do my boobs. I wonder how that stops you." She chuckled and arched her brow at the angry red marks covering her chest. "Oh, wait."
A small smile broke through his hardened exterior as his naked body collapsed next to hers.
-o0o-
People saw him indulging Vermouth and painted a rosy picture of their lives, but they were wrong. He hated Vermouth with the passion of a thousand suns. Every time she lied to his face, he wanted to wrench her slender neck. Every time she flashed her condescending smile, he wanted to shatter her face with a bullet. He came close a few times. Back then, he thought it was because of that person he couldn't succeed, and of course, her usual sliminess foiling his plans. However, suddenly, that person was no more, and he was left to his own devices. Alone. In a perfect man cave he built for himself with no souls around for miles. A supposedly ideal life.
It was … hell. His life was empty. He felt nothing. Nothing to care about. Nothing to look forward to. Nothing to even be worth getting angry about. Only then did he realize anger sustained him. Pain gave his life meaning. In overcoming misery, there was joy. The same reasons people played sports and suffered through aches and exhaustion for a little dose of adrenaline and all the other feel-good hormones.
By chance, he got an excuse to seek out that woman. He felt alive again, albeit often through boiling rage. All of a sudden, life was bearable, so he stayed. He stayed and indulged her whims, then suffered through rearing the little terror who shared half of his genes.
That woman, as infuriating as she often was, accepted him. And she needed no kid gloves. When the world wasn't looking, he could be his murderous and psychopathic self. That woman was the only one who would share a laugh with him over a bloody corpse simply for humorous sake.
Then, he was in hell again. A different hell. But that woman came through in the end. He was grateful. Finally, finally, his life was whole and perfectly mundane. Then, a filthy cockroach almost shattered everything to pieces. A filthy cockroach dared to lay its beady eyes on his brat. His brat!
In the darkness, his eyelids flung open. He sat up on his bed, soaked in cold sweats, his breathing heavy. His pupils seemingly glowed red. In haste, he searched for his phone on the nightstand.
"Don't." Vermouth's raspy voice put a halt to his plan.
"What?"
"Michael calls dibs." She sighed and tapped on the mattress, enticing him to lie back down. "His city, his rules."
He groaned in frustration before tossing his phone back and letting the warm bed engulf him.
"We'll have our chances." Her hand stroked his chest as she curled up next to him and gingerly kissed his shoulder.
"Fine." He scoffed and pulled her into his hold while making her head nestle into the crook of his arms and her arm stretching across his torso. He took a deep breath, his hand stroking on her back. Her smooth, taut skin together with her familiar scent did wonders for his anger. He barked with less bite than before. "He better not ruin my fun."
Her chuckle seeped into his chest. "Michael did say something about tenderizing."
And the thought did brighten his night.
-o0o-
A policeman opened the door to an interrogation room and waited for a sharp-dressed man to enter. He checked his watch. "Sir, you have thirty minutes."
"Thank you." Michael gave the officer a smile and took the empty seat opposite a very confused pedophile. He waited patiently for his complete privacy as the officer closed the door. Then, he said, "Hello, I don't believe we have met."
"Who are you?"
"Amusing." Michael smiled ever so friendly.
"How so?"
"How your almost victim literally saved your life. Had you taken both girls, I would have been staring at a corpse right now. How lucky." Or perhaps, unlucky. Michael's smile darkened. His people were ordered to neutralize any threats coming to his family. His sniper was seconds away from pulling the trigger.
"What?"
"Instead, you get to live and suffer through your long and never-ending misery."
-o0o-
Katie's Victims Club.
Shu Shu: Welcome to the club, Bobo!
Bobo: … I'm flattered.
-o0o-
Bourbon's nickname.
Kate: You don't like Bobo? I can call you Fufu or Rei Rei.
Bourbon sighed: Call me whatever you want, sweetie.
Kate: Thank you, Bobo. You know Bobo means pretty.
Bourbon: Oh, you mean Beau in French.
Kate: Yes, because you're pretty.
Bourbon: Thank you.
Kate: Like a girl.
Bourbon: … thank you.
-o0o-