Maltese
by The Jackal

The next morning Okaze at the Kitten staring at the rows and rows of flower seeds he was supposed to organize. Since he knew absolutely nothing about plants he would just have to stick with the easiest job. Unfortuantely it was also the most tedious. Ken set down a huge box.

Okaze gave the box a leery look. "That's full of seed packets?"

Ken straightened and slapped his hands together. "To the brim! And there are about five more in the back."

Okaze sighed and opened the box. Ken stood there a moment longer. "Are the girls at the school?"

Okaze nodded, examining a packet of phlox. "They're to be there at seven in the morning and will stay there until four. That's when I'll go home."

Ken gave an incredulous snort, "You wish. You're sticking it out with the rest of us."

Okaze shot him a warning look. "Not so. I have no intention of buying all the expensive things they will surely break when they get here. That school is very expensive and I don't have money to buy useless broken vases."

Okaze turned to put the phlox away when he heard an evil chuckle. He ducked just in time to turn and see Ken sprawled across the floor covered in seed packets. The sharp sound of a crash rang in his ears. Okaze gave Ken a smug look.

"What happened to you?"

Youji, Aya, and Omi ran in from the back only to find Ken staggering to his feet and Okaze looking very proud of himself. Youji shook his head. "Ken, you idiot..."

"He thinks he's leaving at four p.m.!" whined Ken, "That's not fair!"

Okaze quietly explained that it was much more convenient for him to work the shortened hours. It wasn't like he was doing much anyway.

Aya glanced at the both of them, giving Okaze the impression that he was the boss. They seemed to look to him to make the decisions though according to Kritiker's records, he was the least experienced when it came to Weiss. Okaze wondered at that. Was he some sort of protege?

"I don't see anything unreasonable in Okaze's request. He is, after all, their father." Ken opened his mouth to protest but Aya cut him off. "You can go ahead and bring them on Saturday though. You can't just expect to keep them to yourself." The last was spoken with a slight smile which Okaze returned.

"Of course not. Speaking of which," he added turning the brooding Ken, "Patty wants to go play football with you sometime. She has my permission."

Ken looked at Okaze warily before shrugging, "Alright then."

Okaze turned and Ken missed the sniper's smug smile, but Youji didn't. After the others had gone to the back to open the recieved stock, Youji stayed to prepare the cash register.

"Ken's real fond of kids."

"It shows."

Youji let his gaze slide to where Okaze stood. The rising sun bathed the window in an almost painful light, sillouhetting him against the hibiscus. His mind was elsewhere and he seemed to be considering something very amusing. Youji couldn't resist.

"What's so funny?"

Okaze chuckled, "Ken. For a minute there, I thought he was trying to hit me."

Youji bit back a guffaw, "And what if he was?"

Okaze gave Youji a puzzled look. "Why would he want to do that?"

Youji sighed, closing the drawer, "You'll see."


Lunchtime came and went and Okaze found himself bored. "Considering this is a business, aren't we supposed to have customers?"

Aya glared, "Be careful what you wish for."

Omi nodded. "Sometimes we have way too many to handle. And just cause they're buying flowers doesn't make them easy to handle."

Okaze sighed, "I guess you're right..."

Youji threw a companionable arm about his new friend's shoulders, glancing at his watch. "Don't worry. We'll have all the customers we need in five, four, three, two, one..."

Suddenly, a noisy flood of girls invaded the store. They were loud and persistant, their high pitched voices shooting up Okaze's spine and jangling his ears. Youji seemed to be enjoying it, flirting with every single one that caught his eye. Okaze found the whole thing overwhelmingly irritating and he began to back toward the stock room.

"HI!"

The glass-shattering screech that the girl thought was a greeting brought Okaze to a halt. He cautiously turned to her as if she were a cobra poised to strike. For a moment neither spoke.

Then, "You must be new here! I'm Chloe!"

Okaze looked desperately around for help, but they were all assisting or being distracted by other customers. Okaze felt a feeling of helplessness. "Um...Can I help you...?"

The girls eyes suddenly got big and sparkly. Okaze breath caught. Heavens, what did he do?

"Wow! You're voice is so deep and sexy!" She giggled, attracting the the attention of even more girls.

Okaze frowned, "What would you know about..."

The girl interrupted, "Actually, I need some flowers! Could you show me what would look best with my skirt?" She flounced her deep blue skirt helpfully and chittered again when the movement caught his attention. "Naughty, naughty! Didn't your mother teach you not to look at a girl's skirt?"

Okaze gave a sour smile, "Didn't you're mother ever teach you not to lift your skirts at a man?"

The girl, flushed and flustered, gave a little yip as she tried to think of some retort. Another girl pushed her aside. "Let a real woman take this one. Hi! I'm Remona!" Remona was shoved aside again, "I'm Flora!"

Would this madness ever end? Okaze's mind wailed for help as the youths closed in. Youji came to his rescue, at least so he thought, pulling him from his predicament.

"Girls! Girls! Now there's no need to fight! There's plenty of him for everyone!" he said.

"Traitor..." growled Okaze.

Youji chuckled and ignored him. "Do you have a preference, my friend?"

Okaze kept an icy silence. Youji jerked his head in the direction of the girls and Okaze turned to see a sea of hopeful stares. "Youji, I can't..."

"You have to! Such a beautiful crowd!"

Okaze looked about hopelessly. He pondered how he could escape with some sort of dignity. His eyes ranged the shop and settled on more than he could have possibly hoped for. "Ah!" he said, looking over the heads of the girls. "What light through yonder window breaks?"

The girls turned and looked in despair as Birman walked through the door. Okaze detatched himself from Youji and nearly ran to where she was. "Help me! They're driving me insane!" He whispered.

Birman chuckled, "The girls or your teammates?"

They walked to the back room. "So how are you adjusting to the move and the change?"

"I'm Ok. The girls just love their new school. I'm happy with it as well."

Birman blinked in surprise. "You are? After the fuss you gave with the hospital..."

"The hospital was different," he interrupted, voice rising slightly, "Those people would have been required to care for everything I have. They had to be perfect."

Birman nodded, backing away from the subject wisely. "Well, I'm happy if you are. What do you think of your new teammates?"

Okaze shrugged, "Who cares? Except...Why is Aya their leader?"

"Puzzled about that huh? Why don't you ask them?"

Okaze kept quiet for a moment, "I guess it's a silly question."

Birman reached into her purse, pulling out an envelope, "This is for you. They should arrive tomorrow. I'll expect you to be used to them by the next mission."

Okaze took it, already familiar with its contents. Occasionally, he would borrow Kritiker equipment for a special assignment. He expected something would change in his weaponry since he no longer would be working solo. "Anything else?"

Birman's eyes narrowed. "I'm not fooled by your current manner, Okaze." When Okaze's eyebrows floated up slightly, she jammed a finger into his chest, "Don't try and act innocent! I know exactly how you are, and while Kritiker might put up with your attitude your teammates surely will not! I won't be responsible if you get killed by your new friends."

Okaze smiled, and Birman wanted to slap him. "I'll be back!" she snarled whirling about, "I don't want to hear any complaints!"

When all was quiet Okaze put the envelope in his pocket. "Women..." he muttered.

"Exactly, how are you, Toratoge?"

Okaze whirled, "Aya! You...were listening?"

Aya appeared from behind a shelf. Dirt had splotched his apron and in the dim light they looked eerily like bloodstains. He wiped his hands on it spreading more dark spots. "I caught the last half. Not much upsets Birman." He looked up, his violet eyes sparking. "Answer the question."

Okaze turned his head slightly away not breaking Aya's forceful gaze. "I'm not sure how to answer that."

Aya advanced one step and Okaze felt his heartrate jump. This guy was definitely not someone he wanted to mess with. "I don't believe that. Whatever the case, I won't have you antagonizing my teammates."

Okaze shook his head, "Don't misunderstand. I'd never do that. Not intentionally anyway."

Aya glared at him some more and he shifted feet. This guy was making him nervous, but why? He didn't do anything. "Look if you're going to be jumping on me for nothing..."

"Hey you two!"

Okaze turned and Omi was there glaring. "We've got customers and now you're hiding in the back?"

Aya turned away, "I'm busy."

Okaze glared at his back for a moment. "I'll help you, Omi."

Omi sighed with relief, glancing at Okaze as he followed him out. "What's wrong?"

Okaze joined Omi with tying a bouquet, "Is Aya always this anal?"

Omi chuckled. "Don't mind that too much. His really a nice guy. What did Birman want?"

Okaze shrugged and watched Omi bid the customer good-bye. "Just briefing me on some things I'll be getting."

"OK."

Youji entered the conversation retying his hair. "That's it? She looked pretty mad when she left. What'd you do?"

Okaze gave a short laugh, "Nothing really. She doesn't like my attitude. Or so she says."

"Oh really? Birman said you were nice."

Okaze looked genuinely surprised. "Well doesn't that beat all?"

Omi looked up. "What does she usually say?"

Okaze twisted his ponytail on one finger shyly, "It starts at 'selfish prick' and goes downhill." He sighed, dropping his hand sharply to his pocket, "We didn't really have a good first impression."

Youji chuckled, "She must have a thing for you..."

Okaze frowned, "Ugh. I don't think so. Just thinking about her like that gives me chills."

Youji reeled back one hand on his heart. "You're refusing a perfectly attractive woman?"

"You can have her..." sniffed Okaze. Turning back to his "seed duty".

Four o'clock came with a school bus. Okaze smiled as his girls entered the store waving their "masterpieces."

Patty ran up. "Look what I drawed, Daddy!" She sported a picture of a box with a bunch of circles in it. In the middle it said, "Patty's #1"

Okaze looked at it, questioningly. Patty clarified, "It's a picture of all my fans when I'm a big basketball star!"

Scooter was so quiet in presenting her picture that the other guys had to strain to hear her. "Mine's just a horse..."

"And a beautiful horse, indeed." Okaze said.

Patty darted around him. Running up to Ken, "We're gonna play today right?"

"Sure," said Ken.

"Which means you'll have to get started on you're homework right now." Okaze reminded her.

Scooter turned to Youji who was smiling at her. She smiled back. Youji, unable to help himself, winked. Scooter blushed and buried her face in her father's arm. Okaze, oblivious to what happened, pulled his arm away, confused. "Let's go, girls. See ya!"

Weiss bid Okaze good-bye. Omi sighed, "Those girls are so lucky."

"Yeah," sighed Ken.

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