ruh roh
More fan fiction! Always more. What is happening. DSRK, sort of NaruRai, circa SA. I think.
*
Granted, their work on the last case had been well-compensated, but this wouldn't be right.
"You're not expected to pay me, sir."
"Consider it a bonus." Narumi proffered the envelope further. "You did all the legwork, and anyway kids your age ought to carry some pocket-dough. Go on, take it, be frivolous. You do know what I mean, right?"
Raidou knew what frivolous meant. He made no move to take the money.
Narumi considered him carefully. He said, "Look at it this way, Raidou. It'll help your cover, having a regular hobby or two. It's my job to make sure your being here runs smooth, and that goes for the both of us. You know, when I was in school, I had the juiciest collection of pictures featuring..." He looked around at Gouto, lounging in the waning sun under the sill, and settled on, "You get the idea."
Which sounded like an assignment, but with Raidou's new employer it was usually difficult to tell for certain.
"Yes, sir," said Raidou, accepting as graciously as he could.
*
He saved the better part of it in a box of odds and ends, neatly stored beneath his bed. All through his algebra he snuck glances, thinking that Gouto was right, that the neighborhood demons were getting unruly with a fresh Summoner around, and that it would be wise to put in a request for stronger steel. But that was not entirely per orders, so Raidou kept a smaller portion with him. Pocket-dough.
Around seven o'clock Narumi knocked to ask whether he was hungry, to find Raidou fastening his cape.
Gouto sashayed through the door and brushed against Raidou's ankles impatiently. "Up on your grind yet, toots? It's getting dark."
"No," Raidou told his boss. "Thank you. I'm going out. That lead we discussed, I'd like to follow up on it."
Narumi's expression furrowed a little, then brightened again in a blink. "Always on the job, eh? All right, don't stay out too late, if you can help it. Early start tomorrow."
*
Raidou made it to Konnou-ya just before closing and pestered the owner into selling him a box of lead charged with ice, cheap. He ended up putting half of it into an Orthrus who staged an ambush in one of the alleys, but backed down quickly enough upon realizing what it was up against.
"SUMMONER IS STRONG," it rasped, as Gouto inclined his head.
A palpable accomplishment, to receive such commendation.
*
Narumi was at his desk, pen in hand, under the crackle of something pleasant on the record-player.
"Welcome back," he said, stubbing out a cigarette. Raidou sincerely hoped he was attending to the bills. "What's the good word?"
The circumstances of the investigation were all lined up by the time Narumi interjected, incongruously, "Hang on. I've been turning it over, and I concede that paying you was a bit of a crust. I don't mind, you know, if you have objections. Hell, you can just go ahead and take it out in trade."
Raidou couldn't help it, his eyes went flicking up and back to the left again, all of their own, along with the brim of his hat.
"Room and board aside," Narumi continued evenly, getting up and stretching, "how about I cover meals on the town, seeing as neither of us is much of a chef? No beef with that, I hope?"
Raidou felt tricked. But he also sensed he had to respond, so he said, just as incongruously, "I collect business cards. From demons."
Narumi said, "Ah, er." He righted himself, and crossed the office. The sound under the needle petered out in waves, holding a complex chord. A hand came down and squeezed Raidou's shoulder in a gesture that was oddly bolstering. "Well! There's a start."
*
Granted, their work on the last case had been well-compensated, but this wouldn't be right.
"You're not expected to pay me, sir."
"Consider it a bonus." Narumi proffered the envelope further. "You did all the legwork, and anyway kids your age ought to carry some pocket-dough. Go on, take it, be frivolous. You do know what I mean, right?"
Raidou knew what frivolous meant. He made no move to take the money.
Narumi considered him carefully. He said, "Look at it this way, Raidou. It'll help your cover, having a regular hobby or two. It's my job to make sure your being here runs smooth, and that goes for the both of us. You know, when I was in school, I had the juiciest collection of pictures featuring..." He looked around at Gouto, lounging in the waning sun under the sill, and settled on, "You get the idea."
Which sounded like an assignment, but with Raidou's new employer it was usually difficult to tell for certain.
"Yes, sir," said Raidou, accepting as graciously as he could.
*
He saved the better part of it in a box of odds and ends, neatly stored beneath his bed. All through his algebra he snuck glances, thinking that Gouto was right, that the neighborhood demons were getting unruly with a fresh Summoner around, and that it would be wise to put in a request for stronger steel. But that was not entirely per orders, so Raidou kept a smaller portion with him. Pocket-dough.
Around seven o'clock Narumi knocked to ask whether he was hungry, to find Raidou fastening his cape.
Gouto sashayed through the door and brushed against Raidou's ankles impatiently. "Up on your grind yet, toots? It's getting dark."
"No," Raidou told his boss. "Thank you. I'm going out. That lead we discussed, I'd like to follow up on it."
Narumi's expression furrowed a little, then brightened again in a blink. "Always on the job, eh? All right, don't stay out too late, if you can help it. Early start tomorrow."
*
Raidou made it to Konnou-ya just before closing and pestered the owner into selling him a box of lead charged with ice, cheap. He ended up putting half of it into an Orthrus who staged an ambush in one of the alleys, but backed down quickly enough upon realizing what it was up against.
"SUMMONER IS STRONG," it rasped, as Gouto inclined his head.
A palpable accomplishment, to receive such commendation.
*
Narumi was at his desk, pen in hand, under the crackle of something pleasant on the record-player.
"Welcome back," he said, stubbing out a cigarette. Raidou sincerely hoped he was attending to the bills. "What's the good word?"
The circumstances of the investigation were all lined up by the time Narumi interjected, incongruously, "Hang on. I've been turning it over, and I concede that paying you was a bit of a crust. I don't mind, you know, if you have objections. Hell, you can just go ahead and take it out in trade."
Raidou couldn't help it, his eyes went flicking up and back to the left again, all of their own, along with the brim of his hat.
"Room and board aside," Narumi continued evenly, getting up and stretching, "how about I cover meals on the town, seeing as neither of us is much of a chef? No beef with that, I hope?"
Raidou felt tricked. But he also sensed he had to respond, so he said, just as incongruously, "I collect business cards. From demons."
Narumi said, "Ah, er." He righted himself, and crossed the office. The sound under the needle petered out in waves, holding a complex chord. A hand came down and squeezed Raidou's shoulder in a gesture that was oddly bolstering. "Well! There's a start."