Chapter 20.1// Author's Little Theatre
The first meeting with the trio goes like this:
Aki looked at the door while stepping on the stomach of the now cold body of the ex-headmaster. There, at the entrance of the door was Sting staring wide-eyed at Aki. Behind him, Rogue was clutching the end-corner of Sting's cloth. His little head poking out from behind. He too, was staring wide-eyed at Aki whose hands were stained with blood. His little mouth went 'o' shape.
Aki: ...
Sting: ...
Rogue: ...
Aki: ...
Before Sting and Rogue had the chance to do anything, say anything, the figure in front of them disappeared as they felt the thud on the nape. Then black.
The second meeting with the trio goes like this:
Aki finished his job in the dim alleyway. He flicked off the residual blood in his dagger. And, he took the napkin from the pouch strapped in his left inner thigh. Aki took his time and neatly cleaned the bloodstain off the dagger. After he felt satisfied with his handiwork, he put the dagger back in his breastplate. Then he turned around.
The time suddenly stopped.
In front of him were the two children who were around 9 or 10 years old, their clothes were rugged with holes as decoration. The two kids were linking their hands and staring wide-eyed at him, the expression identical. But before the two could say anything, they went black.
When the two came around, they were met with warm and brightly lit inside of an orphanage. A sharp contrast against the cold, hard, and odor-filled alley. Their misery-filled clothes were no more. Replacing them was warm and comfy new wardrobes. Upon observing closely, they found their neck strapped with pink cloth pouches. Inside, they were filled with coins and candies. Suddenly, they felt a sense of euphoria and felt like the richest kid in the world. Their caretaker said some kind young man had brought him here. They look at each other, eyes filled with mirth, then towards the caretaker and grinned.
The third meeting with the trio goes like this:
Aki was walking around the night market in some town. On his hand was apple candy. He was ideally munching on a healthy snack while strolling between various shops. All of a sudden, he felt someone intently watching him. He had heterochromia eyes so he always gets attention all the time and paired with his looks, some people just can't help but stare.
Wanting to make sure, he blend in with the surrounding and walk the other way and towards the secluded place. If it was just a regular person curious about his appearance, they should have shrugged off the moment he was not in their eyesight. Regretfully, they followed him until he stopped in his tracks. Aki sighed, he didn't want to get his hand dirty on such a lively night like this but they gave him no choice. He turned around but saw nothing. His eyesight lowered.
They were met with two pairs of innocent eyes.
"Hi!", The yellow one chirped, "adopt us!"
And the black one added calmly, "Please."
"What?"
The fourth meeting with the trio goes like this:
It was daytime. The weather was sunny but it was not too hot either. Birds singing melodies in the air and the breeze ruffled his hair occasionally. It was truly a great day. He had a rare day off. Aki started thinking about the future. Should he join a guild? For now, he was hired by a wealthy patron but they were getting on his nerves. The way that person's eyes lingered on some parts of his body...Aki wanted to gouge his eyes out and fed him tenderly. Aki nodded to himself. Yes, he'll do that. After he killed that bastard he'll go join some easy-going guild. Stress was getting to him.
Aki stopped his musing and looked up.
A sense of deja vu hit him immediately.
Aki ran- no 'walk' towards the other direction before anyone could say anything.
Behind him, Sting looked at the fleeting back and sighed sadly. Immediately, Rogue patted his back.
The fifth meeting with the trio goes like this:
"Adopt us"
"No!"
............
After arriving at the Sabertooth Guild and their plans to escape had been foiled numerous times, Sting shouted angrily, "Why can't we leave!?"
"Because you're a gift sent from the devil itself. It is now your job to bring Sabertooth to the greatest high possible." Jiemma Orland stated stoically. He nodded to himself. He'll make do with what he has for now. He is not technically breaking the deal. Training them is both beneficial to the duo and the guild itself. He was just preparing them for the future. Besides, they're the devil's belongings. Anything related to the devil must be tough and durable at least.
"We'll count on you."
"Fuck no!"
The first time speaking with Minerva Orland:
"Oh! You're trying to get adopted but it justn't working?" Bruised and battered Jiemma Orland's daughter asked curiously.
Rogue nodded. Sting looked at her distrustingly but nodded anyway. After listening to their attempts at self-adopting, Minerva grew silent. "I..I can't believe people can be that dumb. You two look so smart and yet..well at least in Rogue's case.."
"Oi!"
Minerva immediately changed the subject. Having been living with them for a few months, she already knew not to push certain buttons. They are the darling children of her father after all. Minerva was bitter and jealous. But she soon cheered up.
"It's because you're going the wrong way! Listen here!" Minerva will be the adult in this situation and give her precious advice to these younglings.
Even though both Rogue and Sting have expressions of rejection on their face, they still shift closer to her but are full of reluctance on their part.
"So, you have to sell your misery as much as possible," Minerva stated passionately as she talked more and more about the art of deception. Little by little, awe and amazement were pouring out of Sting and Rogue's eyes. She's not that bad. They decided.
Rogue suddenly pulled out from the daydreaming of their future with Aki. He asked doubtfully, "But why are you helping us?"
"So that I could become the only darling child of Master duh."
Rogue and Sting looked at one another, understanding the meaning in each other's eyes.
Minerva's not bad at all.
They just have to try her advice the next time they see Aki. It'll be sure-proof.
Unlucky for them, they didn't see Aki for a long, long time. When they met again, it was a full-fledged 7 years later.
By then, both of them had grown up.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Justamobpassinby
Justamobpassinby I couldn't stop thinking about what would the first interaction be like between Aki and the duo, how would they integrate inside Sabertooth and how would they bond with Minerva. Of course, it's *cough* daddy issues* cough* just kiddin hehe. But I can't get this scene out of my head.
It was Aki who was standing at the entrance of the door while little Sting was in the rain holding cardboard of 'Please adopt us T-T' whilst little Rogue was on the roof holding a water hose and intently spraying little Sting with it.
So I wrote it ehe~ (づ￣ 3￣)づ
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