Chapitre 5 :: tiny improvements

Publiée: 12-08-06 - Mise à jour: 12-08-06

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Yawning, Kaori threw the covers off her body, scratching the top of her head. She felt rested, much more rested than she felt each morning she woke up in her hospital bed, the sun was shining outside, the birds chirped… Another lovely morning and she was finally home.  

Dropping her legs off the bed, she slowly sat, watching her wiggling toes. Why was she wiggling her toes all of a sudden? Oh, well, no biggie, right? People could do what they wanted with their own toes, so she could wiggle them until they fell off, if she felt like it.  

Putting her feet on the floor, she slowly rose, testing her weight. She didn’t feel dizzy, she didn’t feel light-headed, and the world wasn’t swimming before her eyes. She was good to go, healthy as a fish.  

Her legs slightly wobbled, but she made it to her bathroom in one piece. Shedding her pajamas, she slowly slithered into the shower booth, welcoming the soothing spray of water with a slight smile.  

Scrunching his nose, he rolled to his side, covering his head with a pillow. Did she have to whistle? Couldn’t she hum? Or even better, be quiet and let him sleep? It was the first night he was able to sleep soundly. The past week, he spent the nights at the hospital by her side, holding her hand, and the night before last, he spent tossing and turning not being able to sleep a wink, because of worrying if the doctor would let her go out of the hospital and allow her to get home.  

The door slammed open.  

»Good morning, sunshine!«  

Ryo groaned under the pillow.  

With an enormous grin, Kaori neared the bed. So he’s spent all nights by her bed, holding her hand, huh? How sweet was that?!  

Waiting for the pillow to be whisked away from his face, Ryo stilled, not making a sound. Alas, nothing happened. She was still there, he could sense her, but she didn’t make a move. Slowly lowering the pillow off his face, he looked at the woman beside his bed. She was grinning like a lunatic.  

Kaori chuckled, staring down at him with shiny eyes.  

»What?« he growled.  

With a strained smile, she shook her head. He’s spent all week at her side, holding her hand. Tears welled up.  

Ryo was out of bed in a heartbeat. »Kaori! What is it? Are you okay? Why are you crying?«  

She sniffed. »Oh, I’m fine.« She brushed at her eyes. »Just a bit of dust, that’s all.«  

He dropped back down onto the bed. »Okay, then. Why don’t you go back downstairs and leave me be?«  

She grabbed him by the arm, hauling him off the bed and onto the floor. Arms akimbo, she glared down at him. »Why don’t you get up, put something decent on, and start a day at a normal hour?!«  

He pouted. »But I’ve been up all night.«  

»That’s no concern of mine. If you can’t get up in timely fashion, you shouldn’t spend your nights on the town.« She smiled slyly. »You’re no longer a teenager. Your age is starting to show, old boy.«  

»Old?« He shot to his feet. »Old?!« He puffed his chest. »I’m only twenty, Kaori-kun! Remember that!«  

She chuckled, patting his stomach. »Don’t hold it in so hard. You might hurt yourself.«  

His mouth dropped open. Since when was she teasing him?!  

Kaori winked. »Payback’s biatch.« She turned, walking out of the room. »Oh, put on a shirt, before you poke someone’s eye out!«  

Ryo was left gaping at the closed door. Payback? What was she talking about? And what was with the teasing? What was wrong with her? Did the aliens abduct her and brainwashed her?  

Kaori’s tinkling laughter sounded down the stairs.  

Their breakfast passed in absolute silence.  

Kaori munched on her cereal, stealing glances at her partner across the table, wondering if she’s gone a little too far earlier. Every time she thought about that, a smile spread over her lips and she had to work hard not to laugh out loud. A little voice in her head kept telling her she shouldn’t be using her gift-cum-curse of hearing his thoughts so shamelessly, but she couldn’t help herself. It was almost too easy. And teasing him has been such a pleasure. Better than chocolate!  

Well, not really, but it came quite close.  

She frowned. Ryo kept his stare zeroed on his own bowl of cereal. Ever since he’s come downstairs, skulking, he hasn’t said one word to her. And she didn’t hear anything else, either. He’s switched off again. She felt a pang of guilt for having treated him the way she did, but after all… He deserved it!  

He stared blankly at his cereal. He was eating it, but it didn’t have a taste. Well, it did, actually. It tasted like shoe soles. Not that he ever ate shoe soles, but he figured that’s how they would taste. He was still reeling from the blow from earlier. Kaori teasing him. Kaori not blushing in front of the expanse of his naked, manly chest…  

Kaori sputtered.  

Ryo’s eyes lifted.  

She was purple, thumping her chest and coughing.  

»Are you okay?«  

She wiped at the milk dripping down her chin. »Fine,« she wheezed, coughing again. »I’m fine.«  

She was seriously considering returning the gift-cum-curse, because if he continued like that, she might die of shame… Or asphyxiation. Why was he even thinking that she should blush in front of the expanse of his naked, manly chest? She went purple again.  

Ryo slowly stood, moving behind her chair. »Do you want me to pat?«  

Looking behind, she scrutinized that huge, tanned palm, hovering just inches off her back. »Um… I’m good.«  

He shrugged. »Suit yourself.«  

Their front door slammed open.  

Kaori rolled her eyes. »We really should consider locking that thing.«  

Ryo’s ears twitched. A lecherous grin spreading over his face, he ran out of the kitchen. »Yahoo!«  

A ruckus ensued, making the breakfast bowls on the table rattle.  

Only when everything quieted down, did Kaori dare poke her head inside the living room.  

Ryo was lying spread-eagled on his back with a stiletto heel hovering perilously close to his family jewels.  

Kaori sighed. »Hello, Saeko.« What did the woman want with them? Another high-profile, non-profitable case, if she Kaori had any knowledge of the female Detective. And accompanied by a lot of drooling, tong-lolling and “Mokkori!” yelling by her partner. She was getting tired of these types of cases. Why couldn’t they protect a man for a change? Or get paid for their work? Why couldn’t Ryo reign in his basic urges once in a while?!  

Saeko put her foot back down, keeping her dagger at hand, just in case. »Hello to you, too, Kaori. You’re looking well.«  

»Rest does that to a person.«  

Saeko sniggered. »True. So true.«  

Ryo was back on his feet, observing the dagger suspiciously. »Why are you here, Saeko?«  

The Detective shrugged, dropping on the sofa and revealing a shapely leg as her skirt dropped open. She sure knew how to use her womanly wiles to get her way. »I have a job for you.«  

Kaori clenched her teeth as Ryo’s eyes almost fell out of their sockets. Pig!  

The fine hairs at the back of his neck stood up, a clear warning of danger. Glancing side ways at his partner, Ryo could see she was about to burst. Shaking his head vehemently, he went to stand beside her. Better keep an eye on her, than suffer one of her surprise hammer attack.  

Saeko watched the two with barely hidden amusement. This time Ryo had faced an ugly one. And it must have opened his eyes a little. She felt she was losing the lure she had on him – if she ever had it. She came to suspect long ago, the whole jumping on her – or every other female, for that matter – was just a diversion, to keep Kaori at arms length.  

Maybe it was for the best. She knew she shouldn’t use him to do all the police’s dirty jobs, but he was, after all, the best of the best. And quite economical, too. All she had to do, was promise him a nice romp between the sheets and he did her bidding like an obedient, albeit horny as hell, puppy. But it seemed, today more then ever, that her charms were losing momentum. Pity.  

»So, Ryo.« She gave him a sultry look from under her eyelashes. »What do you say?«  

»What kind of job?«  

Kaori rolled her eyes. And they were at it again. Another model in need of protection, Saeko’s promise of getting jiggy with Ryo, she gritting her teeth to their roots, and another month where the Saeba household would be broke. A classic, really.  

»I need you to protect someone.«  

And boom, here we go!  

»Who?«  

»First you tell me if you’ll do it.«  

Ryo frowned. »You’ll pay this time.«  

Both, Saeko and Kaori stared at him in total bewilderment.  

He looked at the two women. »What?«  

Kaori blinked. »You said “pay”. You mean you’ll demand a payment in money?«  

»No.« He grinned, taking flight toward Saeko. »I’m getting my usual fee, plus all the arrears!« His clothes vanished like magic and he was hanging off the Detective in his boxer shorts. »With interest!!!«  

With a killer kick in the soft parts, Saeko managed to unglue him off her body.  

Ryo experienced a moment of levitation, before a well-aimed mallet hammered him six inches deep into a wall.  

»You perverted bastard!« Kaori roared.  

»Whaf fif I thay?« 

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