Disclaimer: Do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index

Popular With The Kids

Accelerator had lost count of the number of times he'd been sent on grocery duty ever since he came back from the war. It wasn't too much of a chore when it all came down to it, but the names of items he had to buy from the lists Yomikawa gave him were slowly becoming ridiculous.

The food items were fine; He had gotten used to those a long time ago. It was the items that followed after that that got him scowling in irritation the more it happened. First came the toiletries like shampoo, toothpastes and soap. Yomikawa had gotten angry the first time he'd come back from buying those. "They're all the wrong brands", she said, then promptly ordered him to go buy the right ones again. Accelerator did (with lack of choice) and grumbled all the way back to the mall since the woman never specified the brands in the first place.

Next came the cleaning detergents for the kitchen, bathrooms and the rest of the house. Accelerator didn't understand why Yomikawa refused to give every time someone suggested cleaning robots; It was Academy City, and those were pretty normal. He'd learned from his mistake that first time with the toiletries anyway. He made sure to ask the specifics and made sure to get the right ones.

Following shortly after was the house appliances. Specifically a new microwave directly following Last Orders unsupervised usage. Misaka Worst had also broken the refrigerator door after Last Order pranked the younger, but older looking brat into trying to open it after its locking. Last Order made sure to throw away the keys, and both the clones ended up being grounded by Accelerator himself.

That was a weeks worth of Night Life for the older looking brat and a weeks worth of network games for the other. They were both to stay at home during those torturous seven days and think about their wrongdoings. Of course, Accelerator gave that order after the ordeal of buying said new appliances. He did not appreciate the run-in he had with the delivery service. They ended up sending the items to the wrong address and Accelerator was forced to use his powers to bring them back to the right place. Both Last Order and Misaka Worst had the guts to tease him after they saw him dragging the two giant boxes all the way up to their floor. That's when he'd decided to ground them for it.

"Misaka refuses to accept those terms! Misaka says as Misaka crosses her arms stubbornly."

"Misaka too! It's boring here!"

"...Do you brats want that week to turn into two?"

"!?"

And the brats surrendered on the spot.

After that, the list started to include a hairbrush here, some alcoholic beverage there, and eventually came the-

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU ASKING ME TO BUY A BOX OF SANITARY-"

"Oya oya. Is the great Accelerator scared of being found in the womens section of the department store?"

"WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK DID I GET THAT DAMN RAINBOW SELECTION OF NAIL POLISH FROM, HUH?! INTERIOR DESIGNS?!"

Needless to say, he wasn't able to talk himself out of the situation and ended up buying the damn things anyway. Only his title of being the Strongest in Academy City had saved him from being embarrassed beyond all reason. He made sure to asked assistance from the same shop clerk he'd met that time he was buying the nail polish. She'd been happy enough to help after he'd lectured her (quite seriously) about the differences between turquoise and aqua.*

This time he was being asked to buy simple first aid items; Nothing too complicated, but they had already run out of stock. Accelerator didn't even need to go to the mall for them. He left after getting the list and wallet from the table without another word. Both Last Order and Misaka Worst were not with him since they'd already gone out. They were quite loudly announcing their long lost freedom to have returned all the way down the hall of the apartment, so for now, Accelerator was on his own.

He cracked the muscles on his neck and stepped down the elevator of the building as soon as he was on the first floor and walked away, crutch in hand. He kept a steady pace all the way to the closest convenience store in District 7 and bought the designated items on the list. It actually surprised him with how smooth everything was going so far. Unfortunately though, Accelerator spoke too soon since the 'hitch' that did not happen for most of the trip was finally coming down on him.

"It's you! It's the hero from that time again!"

In the form of a boy who promptly jumped at him and clung both arms around his leg. Accelerator looked down and blinked.

"...Ah?"

(break)

All the way in the underground Shopping Mall in the same district, Last Orders senses started to tingle. She instantly shot up from the chair she was currently sharing with Fremea Seivelun and Misaka Worst with a wailed.

"Gyaaaaaaa! Not again, Misaka protests as Misaka clutches at her hair in agitation!"

Beside her, Misaka Worst was doing almost the exact same thing.

They were out of the shop in no time, leaving a confused Fremea behind.

(break)

"Don't you remember? There were bad guys and I was blindfolded. You saved me and my classmates by beating up the enemy and saving the day." The boy said without letting go of him.

"You were also there with Director Oyafune remember? You didn't let me come with you then." The boy emphasized the last part with a tug on Accelerators pants.

He'd actually forgotten about all the other civilians that had interacted with him in the wake of his connection with the Dark Side of Academy City. But saying those words to him now, Accelerator did remember a boy who had called him a hero.

Twice; Not that it mattered. He'd gotten over the stage of defining himself as a hero or a villain way back in Russia.

"...Tch." Accelerator decided to ignore the kid anyway and took a step. The boy didn't let go.

He took another step, and the boy still did not let go.

When he took a third step and the boy still refused let go, Accelerator started to feel a vein in his temple pulse and he turned to glared straight at the kid.

"Brat, let go. I'm walking with a crutch for a reason. Don't make this harder than it already is", Accelerator said. The kid (who was completely unaffected by Accelerator's heated glare much to his dismay) did let go. But for whatever reason, he seemed to have misunderstood Accelerators words.

With a pointed look towards Accelerators legs, the boy asked a question.

"Are you hurt?"

"...What? No."

The gaze then turned to the plastic bag on his free hand.

"Is that heavy?"

Accelerator gritted his teeth and tried not to roll his eyes. He answered the question anyway.

"No."

The kid beamed and then reached for the bag.

"I'll carry it for you then. And walk you home too."

...What?

"No." Accelerator said the words firmly and raised the bag out of the boys reach. He'll carry it for me because it's not heavy? What kind of logic is that?! He thought.

Unfortunately for him, the kid was actually very persistent. Come to think of it, if his teacher and classmates had not dragged him away that time, he would have continued to insist on coming along no matter what Accelerator said. This time, no one was there to drag the boy away, and the only thing passers by did was look at them with curious gazes.

Also, from the looks of it, they probably thought they were playing around.

"...Tch." Accelerator clicked his tongue again.

"Come on! You saved all of us and we never got to pay you back!" The boy jumped and grabbed for the bag but Accelerator swung it to the side. Puffing out his cheeks, the boy childishly crossed his arms and pouted. It completely contrasted the look of determination in his eyes.

Whether Accelerator was going to say yes or no, the unspoken no one can stop me this time was written all over the brats' face. So, running a hand down his face, Accelerator resumed his walk and grudgingly muttered.

"Do what you want."

The kid was quick to dive for the plastic bag a second time.

(break)

It was a slow pace walking back to Yomikawa's. Slower, especially since the boy he had for company was quick to get sidetracked. Accelerator didn't understand why the kid marveled at almost everything he saw. It was only District 7. Come to think of it, which District was the kid from?

Accelerator didn't really bother asking. He could barely get a word in anyway; The brat was almost as talkative as the first brat, though right now, the boy was too busy licking on some ice cream to really bother talking. He'd bought a cone for the boy when he saw him staring at the displays with a twinkling look in his eyes.

"I was looking at the chocolate chips, but this is way better than what I thought it would be. Thanks!" The boy said after biting into the cone of the different flavored treat. Accelerator grunted and didn't say anything about it.

Exactly how many brats are planning to annoy me before I die and go to hell, Accelerator thought with an irritated look and took a quick glance at his...

Wait...what the hell what was he supposed to call the brat?! This kid was neither Last Order or Misaka Worst whom he had sworn to protect with his life. Neither was he anything like Yomikawa and Yoshikawa who (no matter how much he hated to admit it) was the one taking care of them. A friend? A kid friend? An...acquaintance?

Accelerator scowled and pressed his fingers to his temple. All the useless thinking of categorizing this specific brat was giving him a headache.

"...Accelerator?" He suddenly turned to the boy.

"Ha?"

"Accelerator, right? Last time we saw each other, you told me you were the strongest Level 5." They walked on and Accelerator replied after a short pause.

"I am."

The brat beamed.

"That's so cool! How about a side-kick? Do you have one?"

Accelerator paused.

...A what? He thought.

"A what?" That one he said out loud.

"A side-kick! A heroes partner in crime! They always do missions together and are usually the ones who saves the hero when he's the one in need." The kid supplied. Accelerator processed the newly found information through his head and clicked his tongue in distaste.

"I don't have one. I don't need one."

"Eeeehh? Isn't that a requirement for being a hero or something? Don't you ever get lonely by yourself?" The kid pressed on. Sighing, Accelerator turned to face the kid and answered him honestly.

"Brat. You watch too much TV , and I don't." He thought about the four people he lived with and allowed a tiny smile to escape his lips. "I'm not alone anymore."

Accelerator couldn't even dwell on the thought for more than two seconds, because the kid was now sporting an unusually excited/expectant/determined look. The white haired #1 suddenly felt the beginnings of a migraine coming his way.

"Can I be your side-kick then?"

The answer was immediate.

"No."

"But why?"

"I already told you. I don't need one. No."

"But-"

"No buts. Just...no."

"Um...ok..." The boy said suddenly looking depressed. He took a quick glance at Accelerator and started to shuffle his hands. "I can still walk with you home, right?" He asked Accelerator uncertainly.

"...Tch" Accelerator huffed and looked away. "Aren't you doing that already?"

Aaaaaand the boy returned to his earlier cheerful self.

Humph, Accelerator rolled his eyes. Kids, he thought, but then froze when the boy suddenly clutched at the corner of the sleeve of his free hand. The boy did not let go and they continued to walk.

Accelerator gritted his teeth in annoyance. Even more every time they passed by other people with a "Dawwwwww" kind of look written all over their faces.

His scowl grew ten fold.

Even so, this particular annoying brat was smiling like a fool.

Accelerator didn't bother to shake the hold off.

(break)

On a different area of the same District 7, two people who could be nothing less than sisters started to run around in search faster.

"Quickly, Misaka orders as Misaka feels her tingling senses going on overdrive!" Last Order said turned frantically in her search.

"I get it, I get it! Misaka doesn't like it more than you do so keep your eyes on the prize brat!"

They looked like a pair of headless chicken running around in their panic.

(break)

"Meow"

Accelerator felt his eye twitch.

"Meow"

Accelerator felt the Migraine he was talking about earlier settle cozily where it did not belong in his head.

"Meow"

Worst of all, he felt the innocently expectant and sparkling gaze of the boy standing beside him digging into his person.

"Meow"

It was not a comfortable feeling.

At all.

"Meow"

And there was still the stupid cat that was stupidly stuck on a tree a stupid block away from Yomikawas's apartment.

"Meow."

Well shit, he thought and activated the chocker style electrode attached to his neck.

"...Fuck this." He casually stomped his foot and moved the vectors from the ground all the way up to the tree and launched the cat into the air. He calculated the for the vermin landing into his arms, but he did not expect the cat to do a complicated set acrobatic turns while suspended on air.

The cat landed on his face instead and dug its sharp claws where ever it got its paws on.

Accelerators loud curses rang throughout the district, thus, effectively alerting two frantic individuals who were still a distance away.

(break)

"You're bleeding..." The boy drew a line an inch below his eye from left to right. "...around here." The boy said.

Accelerator clicked his tongue and wiped the indicated area with the back of his sleeve. It came out bloody, and fuck did it sting.

"I'm fine."

"I'll put a bandage on it for you." The boy grabbed his free hand and lead him towards a bench to sit in.

Accelerators mouth immediately opened to decline the offer of course, but the retort quickly died down his throat. If there was one lesson he'd learned from the short, but agonizingly slow time he'd spent with the kid, it was that he was persistent and didn't like to give up.

With a defeated sigh, Academy City's strongest Level 5 Esper, grudgingly sat down on the bench and rested his elbows on his knees.

Without Accelerators consent, the boy took a single band-aid from the previously unopened box, tucked the stray strands of hair blocking the wound behind his ear, and applied the band-aid over the wound in one fell swoop.

The band-aid, as it was not intended for his use, was full of Gekota images, and for a full minute, the #1 Esper of Academy City was struck speechless.

When he came to, the first thought that ran through Accelerators head was his desperate hope for a certain little girl to never ever find out about this whole ordeal.

"Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

It was too much to ask for of course, was Accelerators last thought before someone speared him from the side and causing him to fly off the bench. Said little girl was now sitting on him and giving the startled boy an accusatory look with an equally accusatory finger pointed at his face.

"Misaka does not approve of this! She refuses to hand him over and will protect her spot with her life, declares Misaka as Misaka wages war against you!" She got up and took hold of one of Accelerators hands and tugged.

Accelerator remained silent, but complied with a grunt and stood up anyway with the support of his crutch. Judging by the extremely serious look on Last Orders face, there was hell to pay once they got back anyway.

They weren't even able to take more than a few steps before another tug came from his other hand. The boy who did not understand what was happening only concluded that Accelerator was being taken away. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to go down with out a fight.

Thus, began the most unlikely situation Accelerator ever found himself in.

In front of him where Misaka Worst (who was clearly affected by Last Order's extreme jealousy) twitch in place and yet was still able to deliver a jeer.

"Misaka believes she should have the right to punch you right now for this whole ordeal." The gleam in her eyes darkened and she slowly approach the #1.

"But first..." Misaka Worsts' hand came into Accelerators view wherein he gritted his teeth and grunted at the uselessness of both his hands. He did not expect Misaka Worst to tuck the hair on the same side of his face the same way the boy did only minutes ago.

...Ah?

"Hah!"

She pointed her finger at the boy.

"Misaka also refuses for you to be the only one to have done it to this person! Take that!" The older Misaka clone taunted, there by prompting Last Order to let go and demand to do the same thing.

All the while Academy City's #1 restrained himself from blowing anything up.

It wan nothing less than torture.

The war was clearly on.

TBC?

AN: I didn't think it would be so hard to write Accelerator in such an out of place situation. Hope I didn't mess anything up too much.

(*) About this. I can totally see Accelerator getting worked up about the differences between colors and mislabeling. Never mind that in this story, he is talking about mislabeled nail polish with a female sales clerk. I don't know about anybody, but the thought tickles me.

Anyway, thanks for reading everyone! I've got no beta reader. Hope I didn't mess this story up too much.

BTW, the unnamed boy remains unnamed since he was taken from Volume 19 of the Light Novel. As he is not an OC, he will remain unnamed.