It was a perfect day, really. A comfortable 17°C, according to the electronic sign on the adjacent corner from the park where Ginji lay. He was sprawled half in the grass, half on Ban's lap, as his friend sprawled on his back in the grass as well. A light breeze blew the thin trail of smoke from the lit cigarette in Ban's hand overhead, and Ginji closed his eyes lazily, humming contentedly under his breath. The warm sunlight and the buzz of traffic through the intersection was making him sleepy.

     Well, maybe not so much sleepy as just complacent, he thought - and having his head resting on Ban-chan didn't really motivate him to move either. Except, of course, to turn onto his side at the thought, raising a hand to rest it upon Ban's stomach, next to his head. He was hard, lean muscle beneath his clothes, and Ginji couldn't resist the urge to raise the other arm and snuggle a bit closer as he put it over Ban's waist, smiling as he buried his face in Ban's shirt.

     Ban half-opened one eye to look down at Ginji, and he smiled as well, raising his own hand to tousle Ginji's hair. It lingered there, as was often the case, stroking softly. Ban himself would have found it patronizing, but he couldn't help himself, and Ginji never seemed to mind.

     Yes, both of them thought to themselves - everything was perfect. They could have remained like this for the rest of their lives.

     Except, of course, for the loud rumbling that caused both of them to open their eyes in alarm, as it emerged from just below where Ginji's ear rested.

     Ginji looked up in surprise to meet Ban's vaguely embarrassed frown. "Yeah, I'm hungry too. Hey!" he realized suddenly. "Do you think Natsumi would make us something?"

     Ban nodded. "Sure. But we can't go on mooching off her forever." Ginji's head rose and fell as Ban stretched out, yawning. "Guess we should get back to finding jobs."

     "I guess you're right..." Ginji reluctantly agreed, rolling onto his back again and stretching as well.

     Once they'd finished stretching, neither of them moved a muscle.

     "Ban-chan..." Ginji murmured tiredly, "it's such a nice day... Can't we just stay here for awhile longer?"

     "No - we have to get back to work."

     Again, neither of them moved.

     "...Ban-chan?"

     "Huh?"

     "Were we, uh... going to get up?"

     "Yeah."

     There was a very long pause.

     "...Ban-chan?"

     "Give me a break, I haven't eaten since last night." A bit of ash scattered into the grass as a slight movement of the fingers flicked Ban's cigarette. "I'm weak from hunger."

     "Me too," Ginji sighed, rolling over again to his previous position, with his arm around Ban's waist, and again Ban's hand stroked his hair absently.

     A shadow fell over them abruptly, blocking the warm sunlight. Despite their hunger, they moved quickly enough as the officer suggested they do their loitering elsewhere, or else.