Inception

Chapter 68: Ship Confirmed

"I also personally offered, and was recommended by several of those in the force, to watch the new kaiju for any signs of insurrection. I, after all, am the best at killing small to mid-sized kaiju."

"But you're emotionally compromised," Lena said through the pain of having her throat scalded by coughed up sugar.

"Well, that's what Kafka and the rest of the first division is for," he said. "Basically, this is the safest place to babysit yet another kaiju spawn. And if anyone tried to argue, Gigi put them straight. Man, I love her."

"Yeah, grandmas are pretty awesome." Lena thought of her own as she said that, who had called her several times over the past few days to twitter and worry. She'd tried to come on base too, despite her poor health, and Lena had been allowed a scant few hour visit. Even though she wasn't her biological grandma, just an old neighbor who'd been friends with her family, she'd given enough love and sacrifice to count as one anyway.

It wasn't till after she'd swallowed another bite of cookie that she got around to saying, "And I didn't agree to marry you."

"You agreed to date me, though. We're practically there."

"No we're not!"

"Oh, true, we haven't kissed yet." He took hold of her shirt.

"Don't you dare—"

He kissed her. Smack on the mouth. Right in front of Cromwell and Yoji. Like freaking uncultured swine.

Cromwell whistled and Yoji gave a loud "Oooooh!"

Lena whined and covered her burning face with her hands.

"You taste like cookie," he said, laughter in his voice.

"Have you no shame!" she cried.

"Nope. It's your fault for making me like you so much I've gone insane."

"Stop talking!"

"Still cute when you blush."

"NO MORE WORDS!"

He laughed along with Cromwell and Yoji. At least Cromwell felt sorry enough for her to giver her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. Even if it was a lie, because he was enjoying himself so much he could die.

"Tests," said Yoji, reminding them all of the important stuff.

She glared at Soshiro. "Don't get in the way."

"I'd never dream of it."

"You do all the time!"

"But this is our future, darling," he flashed that tender smile that had begun to make her knees weak. "No kaiju. People dying of stupid things. Safe babies. You'd make the cutest babies."

"Ugh, staaaaaaaawp."

"Little Lena made Hoshina babies, special edition."

"Just go away! I hate you!"

He kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be over by the door, sweet."

She made a half-hearted attempt to punch out his legs as he stood and walked away.

Cromwell's eyes were sparkling beneath his bushy eyebrows. Yoji was doing his weird snicker where he curled back only his upper lip and stuck out his front teeth like a squirrel.

"I'm glad you're having fun at my expense," she said bitterly.

Cromwell cleared his throat. "Can you still turn into a kaiju?"

Lena sighed. "Yeah." She didn't know how to feel about it. "I have a running theory about that and the source, as well as why No. 9 wanted me so much."

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I really love how seriously my 10-year-old takes stuff. And how my 5-year-old takes none of his crap. And the super dorky stuff my husband watches on Youtube. And that my cats insist on defending me from the toilet.