Birthday Wishes, Birthday Kisses - a Get Backers fanfic
Disclaimer: Get Backers does not belong to me. This is a work of fanfiction.
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It was April 19th. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, there was no sign of rain -- all in all, it was shaping up to be one of the most gorgeous April 19ths in recent memory.
Mido Ban was in a panic.
"Oi, Natsumi!" he cried, skidding in through the door of the Honky-Tonk and promptly banging his elbow on the doorjamb. He cursed loudly at the sting. "Natsumi!!"
The cheerful high school girl stuck her head out of the back room and stared at Ban curiously. "Need something, Ban-san?" Her eyes widened and she rushed out from behind the counter, grabbing a rag as she did. "You've cut yourself, Ban-san!! Are you alright?!" She pressed the rag to Ban's elbow, dabbing up the small line of blood that had emerged from his injury.
"I'm fine!" Ban insisted, practically pushing Natsumi away (much to her disappointment). "Look, this might be a strange question, but.. can you bake a cake?"
Natsumi cocked her head, then her eyes lit up. "Oh, it's Ginji-san's birthday today, isn't it?" Her voice took on a disapproving tone. "Did you forget again, Ban-san?"
"Look, it wasn't my fault this time, okay?" Ban snapped. "We've actually been busy for a change, getting back that old woman's ridiculous monkey. If Hevn had only told us it was cursed, it wouldn't have been such a problem." He paused, staring at a point on the wall, collecting himself in a conscious effort to be nice. Finally he looked Natsumi straight in the eyes. "Please help me, Natsumi?"
Despite this uncommon display of niceties, Natsumi was still skeptical. But even so, she couldn't refuse to help out a friend. "Okay, Ban-san, I'll whip something up as quickly as I can, ne?" She grinned and leaned in slightly. "I'd suggest flowers for a present. And maybe some balloons." She winked, then scampered off into the kitchen.
Oi. How did she know?
---
The tiny apartment that Ban and Ginji shared was decorated with brightly colored streamers and balloons. There was a large mass of cookies and cupcakes on the table and a few presents on an adjacent chair. It was perfect. Ginji would love it.
But as Ban stared at the decorations and gifts, he couldn't help but wonder who had done it?
Natsumi, carrying the cake she had spent the morning preparing, nearly bumped into Ban as he stood in the doorway. "Sumimasen, Ban-san," she said, attempting to get around him so she could put her cake down. Only then did she catch sight of the decorations. "Wow, Ban-san, these are great!! You must have been working hard while I was baking!"
The bouquet of flowers in Ban's hand seemed to droop along with his spirits. "I didn't do this, Natsumi."
"Huh?" The girl blinked, looking around the room. "Then who..?"
"Surprise," said a calm voice residing in the shadows, a figure who only became visible at that moment.
Ban's eyes narrowed, expressing a different emotion than the anger which showed itself in his voice. "Jackal?! How did you get in here?"
Akabane simply smiled. "I have my ways. Do you think Ginji-kun will like his party? I worked quite hard last night; had to make the sweet Lady Poison handle my job for me. I do hope she survived." A smile curled in the corner of his lips.
This was the last straw. The flowers flew to the floor and Ban flew at Akabane. He bumped the table and chair as he went, sending the sweets and the presents cascading to the floor. Natsumi stepped back into the hallway, keeping a firm grip on her cake.
"Ne, Ban-chan, what's.." Ginji stopped midsentence as he stared into the apartment. He turned to Natsumi. "Natsumi-chan?" His eyes then wandered to the cake. "A cake? For me?! You remembered! Wai~! Arigato, Natsumi-chan!!!"
Natsumi managed to pull herself out of her daze long enough to smile. "Actually.."
---
Night had fallen. The mess was still covering the floor of the main room, as no one had had the heart to clean it up. Akabane had worked hard, after all. Akabane had been ousted from the aparment shortly after his scuffle with Ban, however, and Natsumi had left after the cake had been consumed and Ban's wounds had been attended to (not necessarily in that order). Now it was just Ban and Ginji, lying next to each other in their small bed.
"Ne, Ban-chan?"
"What?"
"Arigato."
"For what?"
"Remembering."
Ban could barely see the slight nod of Ginji's head in the dark, but he followed it to the bedside table, where Ban's crumpled bouquet of flowers rested in a slightly chipped glass.
Ginji took this opportunity to lean over and give Ban a peck on the cheek. "Arigato."
Ban's usually hard eyes softened, and the slightest hint of a smile spread across his lips. He nudged Ginji's face so that their eyes met.
"Happy Birthday, Ginji," he murmured just before their lips met.
A 27names production.
All works copyright 1998-2009+ Erika Riggio.
Please do not use without permission.