[FIC] Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? (pt 6)

[dd]

Sousuke was sweating. The apartment building was not overly warm, despite the fact that the air conditioner was not up and running yet. His shirt clung to him as a result of all of the heavy lifting he had done. They set-up personnel had not asked for his help. He volunteered, wanting to clear his head. He was almost finished with his current task. Only a few more connections needed to be made, and it would be ready for trial usage.

The safe house took up the top floor of a quaint old brownstone building, safely nestled in a nice ethnic middle-class neighborhood. Children played happily in the street. Vendors pushed modern carts draped and festooned with strings of pretzels and other foods. The smell from the nearby restaurants was mouth-watering.

After leaving the confrontation with Kaname’s father, the young operative had spent the next three-quarters of an hour just walking. Walking and thinking. Thinking and reflecting. It was a lonely journey, in more ways than one. Finally giving in to his aching back and shoulders, he sat down on a weather-worn wooden bench surrounded by pigeons. For a brief while, he just watched life unfolding around him.

With each person who walked or drove past, Sousuke found himself trying to guess what they did for a living. He wondered what kind of lives they led. He measured himself against every young man who strolled by. What did they do? What kind of person were they? Would someone like that be acceptable to Shunya Chidori?

An elderly woman had struggled with her grocery bags. One toppled, spilling out a clanking and bouncing cascade of cans and tins. Sousuke jumped up and intercepted a couple of errant containers before they slid out into traffic. Someone decided to lean on his or her car horn just in case.

‘Thank you so much, young man. People these days aren’t so eager to help any more. I wish my grandson was more like you.’ The woman had smiled at Sousuke before trudging along on her way. He wondered if the woman would feel the same way if she new what he did. Essentially, his job was to help keep the world out of the gutter. Shouldn’t that count for something?

Not too much later, a young couple had walked by, each wearing a small backpack. College students, no doubt. They were laughing and holding hands, looking as if they didn’t have a care in the world. The girl wore a ‘I’m With Stupid’ pullover, the airbrushed finger pointing at her companion. Sousuke could imagine Kaname wearing something like that.

He wondered if he would ever have a chance to go to college. Would that serve Mithril some way? Would Arbalest ever allow him a chance to step away from missions? Would Kaname be there? If not, did it really matter what he did?

Kaname.

He wondered what she was doing at that moment.

Was she thinking about him? Could she feel the same way about him, after what he said to her father? Might she decide that her life would be better off without some moody military misfit?

Sousuke had sighed. He thought about Adam and Eve again. Once they had eaten of the Apple, their eyes were open to the knowledge of Good and Evil. There was no way to return to their innocence. In a sense, he had eaten from his own apple. He knew what it was like to care deeply for someone. He realized that there was more to life than protein bars, weapons manuals, and the next mission.

That apple had been his ticket to paradise, not the door out.

Was it wrong for a soldier to want such things? Was it possible for him to fit in? Didn’t he deserve the same things that so many people took for granted?

A chiming noise had filled the air, getting louder as it approached. Looking over, Sousuke saw a garish ice cream truck pull over to the curb. Before he knew it, children seemed to materialize out of nowhere. He watched as they pushed and shoved, each trying to be the first to make it to the window. Laughing, giggling, or waiting with intense looks on their faces, they had all smiled when they bought their treats.

Sousuke thought back to his own childhood. There had been no ice cream trucks. Instead, he hid from the Russian troop transports or tried to steal bread or fruit off of rickety old transport vehicles. A treat for him had been a clean glass of water or a bone the dogs and rats didn’t get to first.

The years after his mother and father’s deaths had been tough. In a sense, his youth had been stolen from him. His teenage years had been better in some ways, but he had never allowed himself to be a teenager. Only recently had the ride slowed down enough for him to climb on. He had begun to do different things. He had begun to feel different ways. He had learned to look forward to tomorrow.

And then all this happened.

Sousuke ran his hand through his hair, once again having forgotten how short Kaname had cut it. He reached up to an overhanging branch and pulled off a bloom and part of its branch. He examined it closely, marveling at the intricacies of its structure. What an amazing thing. He had never paid much attention to such things before.

He turned the branch over in his hand. There were a number of buds on it. Some were small, but ripe with one time potential. Others were firm and shriveled up.

Had he done the right thing?

He could have handed over his pistol. Who knows, Shunya might never have thought to inquire about his luggage. That arsenal would have served his purpose. Chances are, nothing would even happen during any visit.

He could have held his tongue. He could have just walked away after making his refusal. Did anything he said really make a difference?

Yes. To him. But at what cost?

Sousuke looked down at the blossom again. His relationship with Kaname had been blooming, or was just about to truly open up. Was it destined to shrivel up or fall off the tree now?

“Damn.”

Sousuke had gotten up… stretched… and removed his satellite phone. Dialing in a general Mithril number, he spoke with the initial dispatcher and was put through into the department dealing with North American operations. Without going into details, he went on to offer his services to the folks setting up the new facilities.

He had been given an address and the green light to join the crew. A taxi cab took him to his destination, less than twenty minutes ride through the suburbs and city. The waiting personnel had been given word, and were eager for his arrival. Another strong back was appreciated. Everyone was excited to make the acquaintance of someone from one of the SRT units.

A loud noise brought Sousuke’s attention back to the present time. Someone had knocked over the component parts to one of the beds. Quickly regaining his bearing, he plugged in the few remaining cables in the communications console he had been helping with. The model was similar to the one in his Tokyo apartment.

“Do we have electric?” He asked the foreman of the assembly squad.

“Yes. Knock yourself out. You know what I mean…” The busy man gave Sousuke a thumbs up.

The young soldier grimaced. It felt as if he had already been knocked out… stomped on… dragged behind a car… then jumped on some more. Being more in touch with his emotions was not always an improvement.

Sousuke calibrated the equipment. Then, when he was ready, he dialed in the first frequency that came to mind: the com center of the Tuatha Da Danaan. He wouldn’t need to speak with anyone for long. He just wanted to make certain that the various devices worked.

“This is Apple One calling Big Fish, do you read me. I repeat, this is Apple One calling Big Fish. Can you hear me?” Sousuke had a sour look on his face. The current call signs were too obvious for his liking.

“Roger, Apple One, we read you. What is your division, and why have you called this secure site.” It was Lt. Carruthers, one of the new additions to the submarine crew.

Sousuke heard another voice take over. It was a much more familiar one. “Here Lieutenant, may I have the headset and some privacy, if you please.” It was Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin. “Sgt. Sagara, is that you, over.”

“Affirmative, Sir. I am assisting in the set-up of a stateside safe house. The line is secure from my side. I did not intend to transmit long enough for anyone to trace a signal, regardless. Over.” Sousuke hoped that his choice of calling destinations wouldn’t be considered an infraction.

“I see. May I ask why you are involved in such a task, given your original purpose? I was rather surprised to hear your voice as I walked by. Over.” Kalinin was well aware that Sousuke had gone with Kaname to visit her father. He suspected that something must have gone wrong.

“Sir. It was a SNAFU. Big time. It appears that my reputation preceded me.” Sousuke went on to give a capsular summary of the occurrence.

“Hmmmm. Yes. I wondered how long it would be before something like this happened.”

“Sir? You expected me to clash with the person in question? Over.” Sousuke was not about to mention civilian names over the link.

“No, Sergeant. I was wondering how long it would be before you stood up for yourself. If I might say, it is long overdue. I believe we have had brief discussions in this regards before. It is a good step for you in general, even though this may be an extremely inopportune time. Are you working with a worst case scenario? Over.”

“I do not know, Sir. This is not my area of expertise. I may have blown the current mission, at the very least. It is very possible that the repercussions could place me back where some people think I am most suited. Over.” The word ‘over’ carried with it a gravity that Sousuke did not wish to contemplate any further at the moment.

“Ah. While I doubt that a certain person would be pleased to hear you refer to things as a mission, you might serve yourself well by thinking of things that way. You have never been one to quit or run away unnecessarily while I have known you, Sergeant. You’ve overshot the landing site. The enemy is not what you were expecting. Your plans were obsolete the moment you made them. You have taken heavy casualties. The objective has not been reached. Over.”

“Sir?” Sousuke thought he knew where his commanding officer was going with things, but he wasn’t certain.

“You have not always been successful, Sergeant. No one has. But, few have a better track record than you in regards to turning nothing into something. Perhaps you simply need to be reminded of that fact. Ending transmission now. Over and out.”

Sousuke sat quietly for a while. The com console certainly worked well. There was no more work to do there. But, he did indeed have unfinished business. The question was ‘How should he approach it?’ It would take some thought.

“Sgt. Sagara, would you like some pizza? We have plain, pepperoni, and supreme pies here. Good stuff.” One of the workers pointed to a large stack of boxes that were just brought in. The smell had Sousuke’s stomach rumbling.

“Yes. I would appreciate that. You are most kind.” He hadn’t eaten since Tokyo. He had been too busy to realize how hungry he was. It had been a while since he had eaten American pizza. Today would not be a total loss. He joined the others in their meal.

Half-way through his third slice, Sousuke felt the communicator in his pocket vibrate.

Kaname!

Was she OK? Had some kind of threat developed since he had left?

Nearly ripping his pocket in the rush to answer the call, Sousuke pulled out the communicator and spoke into it. “Sagara.”

“Sousuke! Sousuke, where are you? I’ve been so worried about you.” It was Kaname. She did not use any of their chosen words that would indicate that she was speaking under duress.

“Kaname, I am safe. I have been involved in company business. That, in addition to thinking and walking.” Sousuke was glad to hear from Kaname. He missed her.

“Big idiot! Jerk! Stupid head! You should have called me. Don’t you know that I do all of your thinking for you now?” Kaname sounded truly cheerful. Why? Was it simply because she missed him and was glad to speak with him again?

“I see. I miss you too.”

“You better!!!” Not only was she cheerful, her spunk was there in full regalia.

“Hey Sagara, the hookers are here. You want the one with the big boobs or the one with the legs that don’t stop? They both have their eyes on you.” One of the workers had correctly guessed that Sousuke was talking with his girlfriend. It was either that, or his mother. Either way, the joke ought to work just fine. “No, put your wallet away. it’s our treat.”

“Uh…”

“SOUSUKE!!!” Kaname obviously caught every word. “Sousuke Sagara, what are you up to? There better not be any women there!”

“Kaname…I…”

“OooooWeee. TAKE IT OFF. TAKE IT A-L-L-L-L-L OFF ! ! !” The worker had gotten a bunch of his buddies involved. They all stood near Sousuke and made loud wolf whistles. “Hey, watch those things… you nearly put my eye out….”

All of the men slapped each other on the back, walking away before breaking out into laughter.

“S-o-o-o-u-u-u-s-s-s-u-u-u-k-k-k-a-a-a-a-y….” Kaname’s voice had a distinct edge to it.

“Yes, Kaname?”

“Yes? YES! There ARE prostitutes there?” Kaname’s voice was loud through the communicator.

“No, Kaname. One of the workers was playing a trick.”

“TRICK???” That was the wrong word. Sousuke turned a knob that lowered the volume.

“Joke. Attempt at humor. An effort to get me in trouble.”

“You better NOT be thinking about doing that with anyone but me…I mean…uh…” Kaname’s voice ran down quickly.

“Kaname?”

“Never mind, Sousuke. I….” Kaname could be heard sucking in her breath. “Daddy? Hi! Uh… no, somebody was playing a joke.”

There was a jumbled voice in the background.

“No. I’m certain. Sousuke is not soliciting prostitutes.” Kaname sounded as if she were on the defensive.

The garbled voice was back again.

“Yes. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shouted. ” Her voice was very apologetic, almost too much so.

Sousuke could barely hear what appeared to be Shunya Chidori’s voice, but couldn’t make out any words.

“What did I want Sousuke to do with me? Well… play word games, of course! Banter. Sweet talk….” Sousuke recognized that tone of voice. If Shunya did, Kaname was in for trouble.

There was a period of silence. Someone besides Kaname could have been speaking, but it was inaudible. Sousuke turned the volume back up.

“No. I was just about to tell him, Daddy. Thank you. Thank you so much!” Kaname’s voice changed when she addressed Sousuke again. “We definitely have something to talk about when you get back here mister…”

“Back where, Kaname?”

“To the house, of course. You do want to come back here with me, don’t you???” Her voice softened considerably. Kaname sounded worried.

“Can I bring a prostitute?” Sousuke decided that Kaname deserved that. Had she really been worried that he might simply go out and consort with camp followers? She ought to know him better than that!

The line went silent for a full minute. The receiver light indicated that a signal was still present.

“Sosuske….” Kaname’s voice was very soft. “Sousuke, I know you were just joking….” He recognized that tone of voice too. He closed his eyes. “When you get back here, you are going to pay. Big time.”

“It is not a problem.” It wasn’t. Sousuke would rather spend time being chastised by Kaname than pass the time walking the streets, sitting on benches, or helping to set up Mithril bases of operation.

There was another prolonged period of silence.

“Sousuke. I love you too.” Kaname’s voice was near a whisper.

Sousuke felt as if the world was zooming away from him. Those quiet words echoes in his head. He had forgotten that he had told Kaname that he loved her as he was about to walk away. Before he could say anything in return, Kaname’s voice was so loud in his ear that he almost dropped the communicator.

“AYAME!!!” There was the sound of running feet and a door slamming shut. There was a banging noise. “YOU LITTLE BRAT. WERE YOU HIDING THERE THE WHOLE TIME???” There was more banging. It sounded as if the communicator was what was doing the banging.

“Hey Sagara? You going some place, maybe? Charlie’s about to head out on the last run tonight. He can get you anywhere you like. It’s the least we can do after all your help, guy!” One of the jokesters walked over to make the offer.

“Thank you. That is most generous. I will join him.”

“I’m back, Sousuke. Sorry. I spoke with Daddy before. It took a while, but he agreed to try again. He really is only trying to look out for me.” Kaname obviously wanted Sousuke to believe her. He was not so clueless that he couldn’t realize what she must be going through, too.

“So, I may return this evening?” Sousuke nodded to one of the workers rattling a ring of keys. “My ride is about to depart, if that is indeed the case.”

“Yes. Come back to me, Sousuke. Please.”

“You have thought about it? It is truly what you want?” Sousuke knew his voice sounded anxious. He was not ashamed. There were times when it was best to be strong. There were other times when it was best to be open. It was a lesson long in the learning.

“Affirmative.”

[cultnirvana]

*dances for joy*

Brilliant as ever. I truly can't believe how good you can be!!

[Sgt. Sagara Sousuke]

Man, I wished that it'd end here and I would never have to see another tragedy... Phew...

Another nice one from dd

[Dannan]

whoa...long! Good job! u took lots of effort!


here's something for ur effort!
(torpedo!)

[Guest]

LOL, torpedo!

[HELLFIRE]

Ahh, forgotten how fas dd pumps his stuff out when he gets into it.

Well, thx for including that line of dialogue dd... pretty much sums up
what Sousuke'd think of Shunya upon their first meeting...

Ayame... TOTAL 180 of what i wrote her, but funny nonetheless... TOTAL
bratty sister to a T!!

...and I see you're having fun with both Kaname & Sousuke messing with
each other's head

Wherever this takes you!!









Regards

[Avlor]

Kalinin is a DUDE! I can't wait to see what happens when Sousuke gets back. I also want to know what Kaname did to change her Dad's mind.