No Need for Distractions

Chapter 3

After Widow left from her first visit, Kabuto went back to his alley pretty giddily. Normally around this time of year, he didn't have much to look forward to because it was about to get cold. But if he had a pretty lady visiting him and not making him do things he didn't want to do, it would be that much more bearable.

Every day, he would look out in the crowd hopefully, trying to catch sight of her white suit or her green eyes or her commanding presence.

But every day, he was disappointed.

He tried to hold out hope for as long as possible, but he was probably being stupid anyway.

They had one conversation and suddenly she'd be devoted to visiting him?

Yeah, right.

So he forgot about her the best he could, went back to being completely buried in distractions and pleasing as many people as he could.

He didn't have much more to look forward to in winter anymore, so when that time rolled around and he had been sent out by Masa-sensei to work, he thought that maybe if he stayed outside long enough he'd freeze to death.

He was perfectly content with that, even though his high was wearing off faster than he'd normally like, but the sudden stopping of a car and the approach of footsteps made him look up from where he was sitting. He really didn't want to take a client right then and there, but he probably didn't have a choice.

But when he looked up, it wasn't a client.

It was her.

"Oh... hi..."

He was happy to see her, of course. At the same time though, it confused and frustrated him. She'd promised to visit him again and then never did, and now she was here on the side of the street talking to him in the snow?

But when she offered the warm car and food... how could he say no to that?

He ordered the least expensive thing on the menu when they stopped at the restaurant. He also felt kinda bad for taking the driver's coat, but it was really warm and he was starting to get the feeling back in his limbs.

Kabuto didn't want to be as much of a nuisance for Widow, so when she excused herself to use the bathroom, he dug through his pockets to see if he had enough money on him to cover his bill. He had enough to make a purchase with his most reliable dealer, but he'd probably be able to stomach going an extra day with what he already had. So he pulled out a few crumpled bills and smoothed them out on the counter, waiting for Widow to come back.

When she did, she noticed them right away.

"I didn't expect you to pay, I hope you know that."

"But you've already helped me so much, I- I just-" He started, kind of afraid by the tone of her voice that he was getting in trouble. But then she seemed to sense that he was getting worked up and shut it back down.

"It's alright Keimon-san, you can pay if you really want to."

"You should call me Kabuto," He said. "That's what most people call me."

"Most people call you by your first name? That's not very proper."

"Well, I'm not very proper," he laughed.

"I'm going to keep calling you Keimon-san."

"But why?"

"Because I'd like to have a name to call you by that is only used by me. And because I'd like to treat you like a human being and not a piece of flesh."

Kabuto looked over across the table at her for a few silent seconds, his face beginning to flush slightly. The waiter came with their bill, so he just nodded, looking back down at his wrinkled bills on the table.