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Jet hummed to himself as he finished watering the last bonsai, standing up. “Glad you’re all hydrated now, huh?” he mused, smiling. “Now it’s my turn.”
Stepping out into the hallway, he could hear distant arguing from his companions; he wondered if it was ever possible for Spike and Faye to have a normal conversation with each other without fighting about something. It wasn’t like he was much better, he supposed. A ship full of hotheads was bound to explode at some point.
He didn’t have the energy to step in tonight. Eventually they’d get tired and give up, so he’d let them run their course. Until then, he’d tune them out like usual.
Rubbing the back of his neck, he stepped into the kitchen to grab a glass of water, deciding to fill another one for Edward. She was always doing something , and whenever he pulled her away from her machines, she would basically be ravenous. They were running low on funds (what else was new?) but the least he could do was bring her some water.
“Hey, Ed -” he said, stepping around the couch, then immediately fell silent, shaking his head a little.
There she was, spread out starfish-style on the floor, her eyes closed and her mouth hanging open, snoring softly. Ein was curled up beside her, clearly enjoying the warmth, and her screen was still lit. She must have passed out mid-work.
It wasn’t rare. In fact, Ed found many random places to sleep these days. Jet had dressed up the old closet to give her a room and let her have some privacy, but she still just slept wherever she wanted. Of course, it wasn’t like any of them minded.
Carefully, he placed the glass of water down on the table, crouching down beside Ed. She was a deep sleeper, and he knew there was no reason to wake her - the concept of sleeping somewhere more comfortable was always lost on her. She found comfort wherever she went. She was young. She didn’t have back problems. Yet.
Still, something told him not to leave her. He’d never admit it, not even to himself, but maybe she was beginning to grow on him. Maybe he had a bit of a soft spot for kids - particularly this one.
Gently, he stuck his arms beneath her, holding her close as he stood up. Ed’s head lolled against his chest, and he couldn’t help but sweep some hair from her eyes. She was special, there was no doubt about it.
Perhaps it made him a little sentimental. He’d never had kids of his own - there was a time when he thought marriage might be on the table, but now that was long gone. He was okay with that. Being a bounty hunter with Spike and Faye gave him a purpose.
And Ed, she was so young and so remarkable. She had been alone for so long, and yet she did not have the jaded view of the world that the rest of them did. Somehow, she was still able to be a child. Somewhere along the way, she had become their child, and somewhere along the way, he had become okay with that idea.
Turning, he walked toward the couch, but just as he was going to set her down, she whined. “Jet-person warm.” Without even opening her eyes, she freed her arms and wrapped them loosely around his neck, nuzzling her face in his chest.
“E-Ed!” he exclaimed, not masking his surprise. She almost never woke up once she was asleep, let alone this. “I’m just gonna put you down on the couch -”
“No, no! No! Stay with Ed…” she murmured, clearly not intending on letting go of him.
Normally he would have argued further, chastised her, told her he had work to do, that she needed to let go, but he didn’t have the heart. Besides, all he had to do was wait until she fell asleep again, right? And that wouldn’t be long now.
So he sighed, turned, and carefully sat beside Ein, who had shook himself off and moved to hop up onto the couch. The dog sniffed at him until he relented. Jet maneuvered Ed so he could hold her with one arm to support her back, her head resting on his shoulder, and he rested his free hand on Ein’s head. The dog lay down, content, and Jet sighed, staring up at the ceiling.
How did he end up like this?
He thought about the bounty they had chased after the other day, how they had used a cover of Ed posing as his darling daughter, and how often and excitedly she called him ‘Papa.’ A part of him wondered if it was more truth than lie to her. His heart twisted, feeling her breath against his neck, the way her grip had loosened a little on his shirt.
He could probably put her down now.
But…
She wouldn’t be young like this forever, would she? She may be a genius, and the brains of the Bebop , but who knew what she would be like when she was older? Would she want to stay with them? She probably didn’t want to be a bounty hunter. She had a bright future, and they couldn’t ask her to stay forever.
His grip on her back tightened just a little. Right now, he wasn’t ready to let go. He could admit that, at least.
At some point, he fell asleep, too, still holding her close, his hand loosely in Ein’s fur. Later on, Spike and Faye would tease him relentlessly, but he knew they cared in their own way. The blanket that had been thrown over them both was proof of that.