The Aberrations of S.I.D.E.

No. 33: Chaos and Comfort

"Virgil, really, I don't think that you can rely on just your shadow monsters here," Roman repeated, dodging around Kiki. "Can you at least let me stay until you fall asleep?"

"Princey, your biggest priority should be writing up your 'fuck you' speech to your dad," Virgil told him. "And I'm going to have all five of my monsters."

"Which are?"

Virgil ticked them off on his fingers. "A Kasa-Obake---doesn't do a lot of damage, but they tend to freak people out---a Gorgon and a Hydra, both of which would be very effective if the assassin is afraid of snakes---"

"Maybe I should stand watch, then," Janus said under his breath, trying and failing to smirk.

"Jan, shush. Anyways, I've also got a Chimera, who, yes, are usually big sweethearts, but they're demons in battle, and Kiki is Kiki and she is hungry."

"そのうるさいイタリアの女性を食べさせてくれたら私は空腹でわないだろう" Kiki muttered in Japanese.

Remus blinked. "What did she say?"

Virgil let out a heavy sigh. "もう言ったよ、キキ、彼女は君を病院にしただたろ。後で暗殺者を食べれるよ。"

"What did he say?"

"No idea," Janus answered. "My Japanese is nonexistent."

Roman shrugged. "You have to admit, though, he's gotten a lot more fluent in it over the past year."

"Just because I'm speaking in a different language doesn't mean I can't hear you fuckers, so shut up and let me handle the spider woman," Virgil said before turning back to Kiki. "不平を言う続けは必要がない。"

Kiki's eight eyes filled with mild concern---well, Janus guessed it was concern, it was a little hard to tell. "私と他のおばけ行ったら本当に大丈夫か、カスタ？君の恋人の言う通りに彼はここに居る方がいいかも---"

"キキ！彼を恋人と呼ばないで" Virgil groaned. "そして先自分で全部扱うことができると言いたでしょう?"

"友達のためにそう言いたい。今、彼らが知らない言語で話している理由があるよ。" Janus blinked in surprise as Kiki reached out with one of her claw-hands and gently cupped Virgil's cheek. "彼らはこれを知ったら恥ずかしけど、君は私の作成者と友達として大事に思う。"

A soft smile filled Virgil's face as he rested his hand over hers. "大丈夫だよ。僕はキキに信じてる。でもありがとね。"

"こちらこそ" she responded. "私の存在を確保していただきありがとうございます。"

Virgil let out a laugh.

(A/N: Translations at the bottom!)

Janus crossed his arms. "I'm feeling very cheated that I'm being left out of this obviously wholesome conversation."

"All you need to know is that Kiki's secretly a softie," Virgil said in English. "You guys go to bed. Talk about stuff. Be wholesome or whatever."

Remus and Janus went back into their room, Janus closing the door behind him. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes.

"I don't even think I'm surprised," Remus finally said, sitting down on the bed. "Mom always told me that I had Dad---" He stopped. "That I had Xavier's ruthlessness, but she meant it as a compliment back then. Doesn't feel much like a good thing now."