Witch Hunter Robin Fan Fiction ❯ When All Is Said And Done ❯ III ( Chapter 3 )

III

Amon

 

“See ya,” Michael called from his workstation. Amon's eyebrows gathered in the middle of his forehead. He turned around and looked at Michael. Michael looked back at him, apparently surprised by something.

“What?” Amon asked, wanting to know what that something was.

“Nothing,” Michael said. “Just…saying goodbye.” Amon pursed his lips in thought, then walked over to Michael's station. They were the last two there except for Zaizen, but to Amon, he didn't count. He didn't like for Michael to stay there alone, but even if he'd do something as uncharacteristic as keep him company, he couldn't do it then. He had to confront Touko. He snickered inwardly. Confront. It was just like him to think of it as a confrontation. He put all thoughts aside as he stopped in front of Michael's desk.

“You're doing it again, aren't you?” he asked. Michael raised an eyebrow, looking guilty as charged, but not seeming to care. “You really shouldn't do that.”

“There are a lot of things I shouldn't do,” Michael said. “Lot of things I can't do. Places I can't go. One can only be limited so much, and I refuse to be bored the entire time I'm here.”

“You want to get caught, don't you?”

“No,” Michael said. “I don't. But of course, at least if I do, something will happen. There's nothing worse than being a pet and having your owner completely neglect you. Until you do something they don't want you to, that is.”

“Is that how you think of this? Your situation?” Amon asked. Michael sighed and tapped his fingers on the desk, looking annoyed with something. Amon didn't care if he was annoyed with him. He wanted to know.

“How would you think of it?” Michael asked. His face relaxed and he began rapidly clicking his mouse.

“What are you thinking of doing?” Amon asked. Michael peered up at Amon.

“What did you and Zaizen talk about?”

“You really want to know?”

“You bet.”

“We talked about me. Me and my hunting. Me and my lack of attitude towards you all. Me and Touko.” Michael looked surprised again, then leaned back in his chair. He folded his arms across his chest.

“You…know you sounded bitter when you said her name,” he said. “Something wrong?” Everything, Amon thought.

“It's not important.”

“You can tell me, Amon.” I know, Amon thought. He moved away from the desk.

“There's nothing to say,” he said. “Why don't you call it a night? That glare can't be good for your eyes.”

“Hence the cool glasses,” Michael said. Amon chuckled slightly, glad he'd turned away from Michael so that he didn't see it. “Night, Amon. See you tomorrow.”

“Sure.” Amon walked towards the elevators and rode to first floor, then made his way out of the building. It was unnervingly dark, just the way he liked it. He had time before he had to be at Touko's, and so he walked.

One of Amon's few pleasures in life was his reliability, namely being on time. Never late, and never early, but always on time. At ten sharp, he climbed the stairs to Touko's apartment. He knocked on her door and waited.

 

Touko

 

“Coming!” she called out, in what she hoped was an unrushed voice. She knew her deadline was ten, but she, of course, couldn't seem to make it that night. She moved towards the door, arranging things and trying to slip on her shoes on the way. She'd gone with a snazzy red number instead of her second pick, a dress she knew Amon liked. Dinner was ready, and so was the rest of the apartment once she reached the door. She patted her hair a few times, then opened the door.

Amon stood on the other side, dressed in his usual. In…his usual? Touko's face pained slightly, but then she gave him a smile. He didn't smile back as he went inside. That was alright, she assured herself; he rarely ever smiled. But he rarely ever looked so distant either. Something in Touko's stomach stirred.

“Glad you could make it,” she said. She watched Amon look around, hoping he would compliment her on what she'd done. Instead, he turned to her with angry eyes. Touko took a tentative step towards Amon, stopping abruptly when he spoke.

“I thought I told you not to get dressed up,” he said. Touko shook her head encouragingly.

“Yes, but…”

“I said I wouldn't be long.”

“I know, but…”

“And I won't be.” Touko stood straighter. He never refused a night with her. What…was going on?

“I thought…”

“I have something to tell you. You should have a seat.” People sat in preparation for bad news. She refused to believe that that was why he'd asked her to sit.

“I'd rather stand,” she said. She was becoming increasingly nervous. Amon stared at her in the way she hoped he'd never look at her. She gave him a sympathetic look, but it had no effect.

“I realized this isn't going to work,” Amon said. Touko took a step back, feeling an inexplicable pain in her chest.

“Wha—what?” she asked. There…was nothing wrong, was there? Everything was going fine…this….was sudden, of all things. She looked up at him, her eyes pleading.

“You know it as well as I do,” Amon said. “This is a waste of both of our time.”

“Amon…no,” Touko choked. She urged herself to pull it together, but she was slowly losing control. “We…we can work this out. I mean…I had no idea…”

“No idea?” Amon asked. “As obvious as it was?”

“No,” Touko said, gaining some strength in her voice. “There was no indication. You never said anything. We never fought.” She gasped sharply the way she did when she was holding back tears. She hated when she did that. She did not want to do it in front of Amon, not then.

“There was no opportunity,” Amon said. “Outside of your smothering, and your father's urgings.”

“My father…?” Touko asked. She leaned against the counter and ran her hands through her hair. “Is that what this is about?”

“Partially.”

“We…we can work that out,” Touko said, looking at him as if that was an obvious fact.

“Listen to me, Touko. I was wrong, apparently. You're happy, but I am not. I haven't been for longer than you can imagine.”

“Then why stay?” she asked. “Why stay for so long?”

“I wanted it to work.”

“If you had have said something!” Touko snapped. “I mean, you can't just enter into a relationship with someone and work on mutual problems alone. We can work things out, Amon.”

“No, we can't.” Touko hung her head, pressing her hand to her forehead. She didn't understand. What would cause Amon to do this? There was no indication that anything was wrong. Nothing. Except…maybe… Touko became angry, and she shot her most peeved look at Amon.

“I know what this is about.” Amon didn't respond. He didn't seem fazed by her gaze, either. “It's her, isn't it? That little tramp! I knew she…”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Amon asked. Touko lifted quickly from the counter, stormed over to Amon and hit him hard across the face. Amon looked back at her as if she'd completely lost it, color spreading across his cheek.

“Don't you play dumb with me!” she yelled. “You know exactly what I mean! You've been sleeping with her, haven't you?” Touko pushed him, but he didn't budge. “You've been…cheating on me with her.”

“You're in denial,” Amon told her. How dare that bastard!

“Is she better in bed?” Touko asked in a teasing manner, clenching her fists. “Is that it? Huh? I knew there was something about her, something sluttish. She's nothing but a little slut, Amon! Why…why her? I'm…I'm so much better than her!” Touko looked around. “I mean, look at this mess,” she said, moving towards the closet. She revealed Robin's possessions, those she had to move out of the way when she cleaned up earlier. “She's nothing compared to me!”

“You're vain, Touko,” Amon said. “You're affected. You're delusional. I barely hunt with her, Touko. That is our only relationship.”

“Don't you lie to me!” Touko said. She hated how he stood there, so smug and so put together. She hated how she was the one losing control.

“Leave Robin out of this,” Amon said. “This is between me and you. I know now that you've known there's been a problem. You're threatened by her. You were so sure of yourself, and of us until she came into the picture. Then you started having doubts. Without doing anything to warrant it but existing, Robin became the reason why something between us was wrong. That's bullshit, Touko, and you know it. This is about you and me, and me being an insensitive jerk who doesn't appreciate you, and you being a loud mouth, arrogant priss with complete jack ass for a father. That's what this is about. You leave everyone else out of it. I won't have you ruin their names.”

Touko's anger washed over her as she took all that he said in. Initially, all she heard were the insults. She was blinded by them, and pounced towards Amon, swinging her fists at him. He quickly subdued her before she could hit him by grabbing her wrists. He moved towards the couch and pushed her down. She hit the couch harshly and it stunned her. She sat there while she caught her breath. She realized little by little that he was right. She despised that. How…could she have denied it? But no amount of anything on her part could atone for Amon's lack of trying. She wanted him to know that.

“You knew before I did that something was wrong,” she said. She pulled her hand through her hair and touched her throat. It was a little raw. “Why…why didn't you just arrange for us to talk about it?”

“We never should have gotten together in the first place,” Amon said. “I was never fully there. I led you on. By the time I realized it, it was too late to pull out. I developed feelings for you, but you're not my type. I do love you Touko, but I cannot stand your attitude.” Touko sat back and held herself. She lowered her head and slowly began to cry.

“Fine,” she said. “I understand. I'm…I'm sorry I hit you.”

“Don't be…” Amon said, and then he looked around. “Where's Robin?”

“She stayed at the STN…” Touko said. Had she? Amon didn't remember seeing her before he left. He looked over to Touko.

“Will you be alright tonight, or should I have Robin come home?” Touko raised her head slightly.

“Have her come back,” she said. “I…I want to apologize to her.” Amon nodded slowly.

“You should. She doesn't deserve our treatment of her. I…I have some things to think about as well regarding her.”

“Are you…attracted to her?” Touko asked. Amon was quiet for a moment, then nodded.

“Yes,” he said.

“Is that…partly why you wanted to end it?”

“It's not my attraction to her, Touko that's the issue. It's my attraction to someone else.”

 

Michael

 

Damn this song rocks. Michael turned his CD player up a little and drummed the beat of the song on his thigh. He knew Robin was walking around, so he refrained from singing along to it, though he really wanted to.

He'd quit doing the unmentionable once he saw that Robin was still awake. She'd come around and made coffee. Michael could never resist coffee, and so he drank some and it had him a little jittery. Robin could tolerate it better; it had no effect on her from what Michael could see. Whenever she stayed over, she always looked around the place as if she'd never been there before. Once, he asked her why she did that, and she said it was because things looked different at night than they did during the day. Michael could understand.

The phone rang shortly after he saw her pass the elevators. He took one of his ear phones out, picked up and held the receiver to his ear using his shoulder.

“Amon?” he asked.

“Put Robin on the line.” Michael sat up straighter, taking the other ear phone out. Something in Amon's voice made Michael uneasy. It must have been an emergency.

“Right,” he said, and stood up. “Robin, Amon needs you on the phone.” Robin poked her head around the wall as if unsure, then came out and rushed over. She took the phone from Michael.

 

Robin

 

“Amon?”

“Touko needs you here at the apartment. Do you need a ride?”

“No, no. I have my vespa with me. Is…something wrong?” Amon didn't say anything. Robin nodded to herself. “I'll be right there.” She handed Michael the phone and rushed over to the elevators.

“What's going on?” Michael asked. Robin turned to him as she pressed the button.

“He didn't say,” Robin said. “Just for me to go home, that's all.”

“Oh,” Michael said. He sat back down. “Call me if you need anything.”

“I will.”

……………

kaj