Witch Hunter Robin Fan Fiction ❯ When All Is Said And Done ❯ IX ( Chapter 9 )

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IX

Sakaki

 

Michael sat down after limping across the room on his way back from the bathroom. He eased into his chair and let out a large breath. He tilted his head back, his eyes shut for a short while before he opened them. He wheeled his chair forward and began to type on his computer.

“Geez,” Sakaki said. “Must have been some fall.”

“Yeah, well, you weren't there,” Michael said. Despite the pain he was in, he was still in good spirits. Sakaki chuckled.

“And thank goodness. Why don't you just take the day off, Mike?”

“And let you do all the dirty work? No chance.” Sakaki chuckled a little more, standing when he heard the click clacks of Doujima and Karasuma's shoes. He stretched and walked out from behind the desk area.

“Later,” he said to Michael and walked over to them. Karasuma stood with her hands in her pockets near the elevators. Doujima was next to her and she was sniffing the air. “What is it?” Sakaki asked. Doujima looked towards the conference room.

“Nothing,” she said, turning to the elevators to push for down. “Must be my imagination.”

“So what's with Amon sending us out together?” Sakaki asked, folding his arms. “He always gives us the worst jobs. This is going to take forever.”

“With an attitude like that, it definitely will,” Karasuma said. “Have a little optimism, will you? We'll be back in no time flat.”

“Sure, sure,” Sakaki said, stepping into the elevator as the doors opened. The three boarded and the doors closed.

 

Amon

 

He thought they'd never leave. Amon emerged from the conference room carrying several bags. Michael looked up at him and smiled automatically.

“Hey,” he said. Amon looked at Kosaka's workstation. Empty. Perfect.

“You busy?”

“Not anymore.” Amon sat the bags on the desk near Michael and Michael looked at him.

“What's…this…?”

“It's the least I can do…” Amon said “…to reward for your excellent performance last night, and to make up for the condition it's left you in.” On the outside, it wasn't obvious that Amon was being lighthearted with Michael, but Michael clearly heard the amusement in his voice and could see a somewhat playful glint in his eyes. Michael smirked at him and attacked the bags, anxious to see what was inside.

There was container after container of dish after dish, half of which Michael had never seen before, but all of which he couldn't wait to dig into. Amon had even gotten him a carton of donuts. Michael couldn't help but eat one of those before anything else.

“You are so fucking awesome,” he said, his mouth full.

“Am I in the clear?”

“You need to do me more often, if this is what I get as a morning after gift.” Michael grinned at him and Amon smiled.

“You are so odd,” he said.

“Do I have to share?”

“Not at all.”

“You…don't want any?” Michael sounded surprised.

“I didn't say that. Just that…it's yours to do with it as you please.”

“I wanna share,” Michael said. “No use letting you see what a pig I can be eating in front of the computer.” Michael chuckled at himself. “Come on. Take what you want.”

“Where's Robin?”

“At Harry's, resting up a little, I think.” Michael handed Amon a pair of chopsticks, and broke some for himself. “You got so much…” he said.

“You've got an appetite,” Amon explained. “What type of guy would I be if I didn't attempt to sate it, at least?”

“Sated it last night, for sure.” Amon chuckled at that.

“Odd,” he said. Michael began to eat, occasionally shifting in his chair. “How are you doing?”

“Good,” Michael lied. “It's not as bad as I thought it would be.” Amon picked at some of the food in the nearest container.

“Michael…” he said, his voice a little low.

“What's the matter, babe?”

“I want you to come home with me.” Michael paused, watching him for a little while.

“I can't leave… You know that.”

“Physically…? You can't just walk out?”

“I can,” Michael said. “But…they'll come for me, and then that'll be it for me.” Michael began to eat again. Amon placed a hand on his knee, his eyes low.

“I'll protect you…” Amon said. “I'll keep you safe.” Michael shook his head.

“They'll just get you, too, Amon. I won't put your life in danger like that.” Amon went to say something else, but Sakaki's page light on Michael desk phone beeped. Michael pressed the button near his name. “Haruto?”

“Hey, sorry to bother you, but Doujima left her info at the office. She needs you to send her the stuff from the briefing.”

“No problem,” Michael said. Amon waited until Michael was done and had hung up before speaking.

“What…were you talking about last night? With Robin and Sakaki?”

“Oh, that…?” Michael asked. The elevator dinged and Robin came through.

“Yeah,” Amon said. Michael shrugged a little.

“Just a few things we went over…” Michael watched as Robin approached the desk.

“Hi,” she greeted.

“Hey, Robin,” Michael said. “Back so soon?” Robin smiled.

“I didn't want to feel like I was missing out.”

“There isn't much going on, as you can see,” Michael said. Robin looked at the desk.

“I don't think your stomach would agree,” she said. She smiled and walked over to her seat.

“You hungry?” Michael asked her.

“No, I've had my lunch.” Robin flattened her skirt and sat down at the desk. “Hi, Amon.”

“Hey,” Amon said to her. He set his chopsticks down. No one said anything for a while. Robin looked between them.

“I'm…not interrupting your lunch, am I?” she asked. Michael, who was stuffing his face, shook his head.

“Not at all,” he said. Suddenly, the elevator dinged again, and Sakaki came running in. Amon sat up straighter.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Gotta pee,” Sakaki called back, running down the hall and out of site.

“Wonder what he's doing back so soon,” Michael said. He shrugged. “Oh well.”

“Hmm…” Amon murmured. He sat back and folded his arms across his chest.

“Amon?” Robin asked.

“What?” Robin hesitated before speaking.

“Could I ask you a question?” she said, her voice low.

“What is it?”

“If…you knew something…about me…that…might…?”

“Robin,” Michael said. “Don't rush into it.”

“No,” Amon said. “If there's something you want to know, ask me.”

“I… It's just that…” Robin didn't say anything else.

“What were you talking about last night?” Amon asked. Robin looked at him as if he'd accused her of something. She shook her head and her lips trembled.

“Why…why is Touko…? How come…?” Sakaki came into the room, yawning loudly.

“So what's going on?” he asked. “You guys kick us out so you can have all the take out for yourselves?”

“What were you talking about yesterday?” Amon asked, almost to the point of shouting. The three of them turned their eyes on him, and no one spoke. “Why are you staring at me like that?” Amon asked. Sakaki, Robin and Michael looked away. “What's going on?”

“Nothing,” Sakaki said. “What makes you think it was anything important? We talk all the time.” Robin looked ready to burst into tears and Sakaki had his mouth clamped shut. Amon looked at Michael. Michael would tell him what was going on. “What is this about, Michael?” Michael set his chopsticks down and looked at him, which proved to be a big mistake.

“Nothing,” he said timidly. Amon stared at him. Michael tried to look away, but couldn't. Amon was giving him one of his hardest stares. Michael's face flushed red and broke under the pressure.

“Something fishy's going on,” he said. “And we're trying to get to the bottom of it.”

“Isn't there always?” Amon asked. “What have you three done this time?” he asked when no one spoke. Sakaki broke down as well, and suddenly looked full of information. He came around quickly and sat in his chair, then rolled until he was behind Michael.

“Show him, Michael,” he said. Amon looked at Robin. She kept her eyes down. Michael began to type on his computer. He turned the monitor slightly towards Amon. Amon looked.

“What's this?” he asked.

“This,” Michael said, “is a log of Zaizen's calls from the office.” Amon looked at him.

“And why do you have this?”

“Zaizen and Touko are plotting against Robin,” Sakaki said.

“Plotting against her how?”

“That's what we're trying to find out,” Michael said. “Haruto overheard her talking to Zaizen on the phone. When's the last time you talked to Touko, Amon?” Amon thought back to when it was.

“Tuesday night,” he said. Michael, Robin and Sakaki exchanged looks. Michael went back to typing on the computer.

“They're tricking her…” Sakaki said. “…into thinking they like her.”

“That's not against any law,” Amon said. “They can do what they want without you snooping into their business.”

“Come on, Amon,” Sakaki said. “This is Robin we're talking about here.”

“I'm aware of that,” Amon said. “Robin.” Robin looked up at Amon, slightly startled. “The only friends worth having are the few that are true to you. You don't need them. Just remember that.” Amon patted Michael's arm, stood and sauntered away. His three group members stared after him.

 

Robin

 

Michael smiled at Amon as he left, his face a healthy shade of pink. It was undeniable that Michael had complete faith in him. She wished she felt the same way. Deep inside, she knew that what Amon said was true, but she couldn't help feeling used and empty. She believed Touko when Touko changed. She believed Amon when he apologized, and so who could say that Amon wasn't pretending as well?

Robin shook her head slightly, coming back from her daydream. She looked at Michael. He was watching her.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

“About what Amon said…”

“He meant it, you know?” Michael said. “Amon's different from Touko.”

“He's not that different from her,” Sakaki said.

“Yes, Haruto, he is,” Michael said. Sakaki sighed.

“I guess so,” he said. Michael worked on his computer.

“Anyway,” he said. “I was thinking. If I keep an eye on the boss's calls, and Sakaki keeps an eye on the boss himself, we can probably figure out exactly What's going on.”

“What if it's nothing?” Robin asked. “What if it's just that they don't like me, and they're trying to hide that?”

“But why take you out, Robin?” Sakaki asked. “Why having a female bonding session all of a sudden? Why the call, why the secrecy?”

“I don't know,” Robin said. “I wish I knew.”

“We'll help you, Robin,” Michael said. “And all you have to do is what you normally do. Don't act different.”

“That's…going to be hard. I don't even want to see her anymore.” Sakaki nodded, understanding how she felt.

“Just imagine…that she's who she used to be, before you knew anything. You know…back when you still liked her.”

“Yes…” Robin said. “I can do that.”

“Great. We can probably get Amon to help us out,” Michael said.

“That guy?” Sakaki asked. “I bet he won't. He wants us to mind our own business about it.”

“Sakaki's right,” Robin said. “It should just be between us.”

“Okay,” Michael said. “So…we shouldn't tell Amon anything else?”

“Well, then again…I don't think he'd tell the boss,” Sakaki said. “He's known about worse things that we've done, and he kept it a secret even before we can ask him to.”

“So, we should be safe,” Michael said. “I delete my tracks, and Sakaki…you've got to try to be less conspicuous.”

“Come again?”

“Less obvious.”

“Oh. I can do that.” Michael looked at him, then back at his computer. “This is kinda fun. We're like spies.”

“Only you would consider something this serious fun,” Michael said.

“Well…what's the harm in finding the fun in something that's hard on all of us?” he asked. “Otherwise we'd all sit around moping, you know? Depressed. I don't like to feel depressed.”

“I'm sorry,” Robin said. “It's my fault.”

“Don't be ridiculous,” Michael said. “You're a hundred percent innocent.”

“A hundred and ten percent,” Sakaki said.

“Double that,” Michael said. Robin smiled at the two.

“Thanks,” she said. Sakaki leaned over Michael, staring at the containers of food.

“So…how about sharing the bounty, huh?”

 

Amon

 

He would help. What would it hurt? Listening to them made him curious and he needed to quell that curiosity. They didn't want to involve him, but that was understandable. They had to be careful. Even knowing that, Amon felt he should aide them somehow. He would help, most definitely.

……………

kaj