Chapter Forty-Four - Kinda Cute

Chapter Forty-Four - Kinda Cute

Chapter Forty-Four - Kinda Cute

Samurai, on account of being perfectly human, despite what some people would think, and how some media portray them, have as much need for companionship as anyone else. They can fall in love just as easily, and their sexual desires as just as keen as you would expect from a healthy human.

That means that relationships between samurai and normal people occur.

Statistically, these dont tend to last. The vast gulf of difference, not just in experience, but in responsibility, tends to erode away any bonds in a relationship.

It is far more likely that samurai will have short-term flings, or that they will connect with another like-minded samurai, and form a strange, quasi-dependant relationship with them.UppTodated from nô/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m

That doesnt mean that theres no hope for those aiming to find love with a samurai. There have been some long-term relationships, marriages even, that have lasted for years between normal folk and samurai.

--Gold-Digger Weekly, issue 147, 2038

***

I actually managed to placate Lucy a bit by the time we reached the hotel lobby. She wasnt super happy yet, but she was no longer glaring at me for having risked my life.

It was my life to risk, of course, but saying something like that to Lucy would just have pissed her off even more. As far as she was concerned, my ass was hers. I was a little annoyed too, but that was probably just... annoyance making more of itself, or whatever.

Relationships were complicated.

Im sorry, I muttered.

Lucy glanced my way. What was that? she asked.

I sighed. Lucy.

Fine, she said before her shoulders slumped. Yeah, fine. Just... dont die, alright?

I couldnt help but grin a little. Ill do what I can not to.

Do more, she said. I wouldnt want to take care of the kittens on my own.

Meh, youd manage.

She jabbed her elbow in my gut and I coughed. Hey!

I ignored anyone in the lobby looking our way. We probably both looked a bit like samurai, what with Lucy wearing my coat. I made a note to give her any other gear I ended up replacing too. Sure, it was second-hand, but it was the sort of second hand that most people only wished they could get, and for all that Lucy was worried about me dying, I had a few things keeping me alive, Lucy was operating on her 1.0 hardware.

Id have to see about changing that up later. If I could get redundant mechanical organs shoved into me, so could Lucy.

Blinking, I determined to word things more carefully in the future.

We stepped out into the lot out front, where valets were helping clients out of their cars and taxis were stopping and going near-constantly.

Uh? Lucy asked.

Just in case. Theres a safety thing, uh, I think itll connect to your augs. Myalis, can you do some tech wizardry?

Of course.

Yeah, but why? Lucy asked as she held onto the gun as if Id just handed her a sick puppy.

In case you need to shoot something, I said. Id have given her my Trench Maker, but it needed more aiming, and was a bit cumbersome besides. Just, shove it in your pocket and keep it around, okay? Hell... Myalis, I need a holster thatll fit on Lucy. And one of those, uh, what did you call it, that defence thing my jacket has?

A quantum projection system? I could provide something like that, yes.

I nodded. And one of those stealth thingies. The ones that make you look like a plant or something.

That would make going after Lucy a bit harder.

Cat?

I believe I can find all three prerequisites in one item. Would Lucy prefer a belt holster or a waist holster?

I eyed Lucy up and down. Belt, I decided. Taking off her jacket in the rain would just give her a cold.

Catherine, what are you doing? Lucy asked.

Keeping you alive, I said. Probably should have thought about it before leaving the house.

New Purchase: Multi-Projection Security Belt (+Holster)

Points reduced to... 6915

The box that I caught out of the air had a simple black belt within. I pretended not to see the cat-head shaped buckle as I gave it to Lucy. There was a holster to one side, and a blocky device on the other. Here, put this on.

Cat! Lucy protested.

Dont make me put it on you, I said. That would involve taking your current belt off, and who knows what kind of fun that might lead to?

She jabbed a knuckle in my gut, then snapped the belt out of my hands. Fine, she muttered. Im no hypocrite.

Once everything was buckled, and her old belt was tightened around one leg in a way that somehow managed to look good--because when you looked as good as Lucy, weird fashion shit just looked quirky, not weird--Lucy slapped her new gun into her holster and crossed her arms.

I grinned at her and slid my helmet on. You know, youre kinda cute when youre all pout-y.

Kinda cute? she asked.

I pulled her to my side, and we started towards the steps leading to the front of the museum.