Dear's hand was wrapped tightly around yours as he watched everyone walk off. Even if his expression didn't show it, he was practically glowing at the idea of spending time with you. The way he took the lead despite not knowing the area was a hard tell.
"Slow down Dear, we're passing all the shops" you laughed.
Dear looked around, probably searching for sweets. But there were no sweets to be found, it didn't stop him from trying though. He kept scanning the area until something caught his eye. There was a stall selling toys and other items. At first you thought it was the toys he was interested in. But Dear turned his head to some wooden dolls.
"Interested? These are ancient dolls that bear the mark of protection. It's really popular with familes" the vendor explained.
Dear looked at the dolls that were grouped up. He saw a doll with ribbon tied around the head. A hard tug on your arm and he had you looking at it too.
"Oh, that looks kinda like Bro!" you grinned.
Dear pilfered through the dolls until he found one with spiky pigtails.
"With some paint, we could make it look like you too" you insisted.
Dear grunted and nodded. He resumed his search, but the vendor pointed out a doll to him.
"How about this one? It's popular for mama types" the vendor said.
Dear studied the doll briefly and glanced at you.
"Hm!" he shook his head and rusemed his search.
"Well! How about this one?" the vendor tired to show him another doll.
Dear looked at you quickly before shaking his head aggressively. No matter what doll the vendor showed him, none of them were to his liking.
"Okay kid, how about you make the doll then? Hm?!" the vendor snorted as he gave Dear a doll base and a tool.
Dear snatched it, eagerly sitting in front of you. His sleeves were rolled up as he began to make dents in the wood. You stood still, smiling at him and holding back your laughter. He looked so focused, you were worried he might break the doll. After some time, he finished the doll. It looked rough and crude, but you could see where he tried to capture your appearance.
"That's⊠quite the mommy doll" the vendor said quietly.
"Hm!" Dear shook his head.
"It's not a mommy doll?" you asked.
Dear nodded.
"Is it a ____ doll then?" you asked.
"Un!" Dear closed his eyes in elation.
"Whatever, just take your dolls already" the vendor said as you began to pay for it.
Dear grabbed your hand, shaking his head.
"Do you want to pay for it?" you asked.
"Un!"
Dear put his hand out for you to hand him the money. After you placed it in his hand, he nudged you to take the money to pay the vendor. You held it in the best you could, he was being too cute for words right now. The dolls were placed in a bag, one Dear happily let you tie around his wrist so he wouldn't lose them. He made it a few steps before his stomach started to growl.
"Hungry?" you asked.
Dear lowered his head, his cheeks turning pink.
"Don't worry, I'm hungry too" you smiled at him.
He put his hand in yours, letting you lead the way to the meeting spot.
Follo's question was a self indulgent act. He already knew you chose to come with him but he wanted to hear you say it.
"He'll be fine, it will mean more if he picks it out himself" you smiled.
Follo smiled back, practically glowing at the thought of you putting him first. Even if it wasn't specifically true. With being just you both, he wondered if you both looked like a couple. He became restless as he expected someone to call you both out. Maybe an elder-
"Follo? You okay? You are sweating a lot" your voice took him out of his head.
"M-Me? I'm fine! I'm just⊠thinking about Gris!" he said.
"You are?" you doubted it but you weren't about to press him on it.
"Yeah, actually. Gris is really strong, he does a lot for the other supporters. I wish I could take some of that load off of him" Follo continued as he tipped his hat down.
"I think you do enough Follo" you said quickly.
His head snapped up and his eyes bore into yours.
"You think?" he asked.
"Yeah, you might not be as strong as Gris. But you are better at dealing with the public than anyone else. Especially considering how most people view giversâŠ" you trailed off.
"I think if anyone got to know you, they would think differently!" Follo blurted out.
It shocked both of you, making him take a step back. His face was painted in akwardness as he realized how odd his outburst was.
"Thanks, it means a lot to hear that" you smiled at him.
Follo's hands balled into fists as he smiled bashfully.
"Of course!"
Your gaze shifted to a nearby shop, in the window were interesting items. What caught your eye was an odd charm. It had a slot to put paper into it. The shopekeeper saw your interest and explained the reason for the design.
"You put in a secret message and pass the charm off to your recipient" the shopkeeper detailed.
You looked at Follo with excitement.
"Follo! Doesn't this sound fun?" you asked.
"Um, well it is certainly a concept" he agreed.
"It's like we're treasure hunters!" you exclaimed.
Follo found it cute that you were interested in something like this.
"You should get it and share messages with Gris" he said without thinking.
That ugly feeling of jealousy rose in him, as well as the feeling of being inadequate. Gris was charasmatic and strong, of course he would be more interesting to talk to. There was no way you would-
"Why would I do that? I already talk to him enough" you said.
Follo stared at you, unsure of what to say next.
"I'd rather it be a secret thing between each other. I feel like we don't get to talk much and I don't know a lot about you Follo" you explained.
Follo felt his mouth begin to go dry from being open. He shut his mouth, swallowing as he built up some courage.
"I wanna know more about you too!" he agreed.
"Then we can pass the charm between each other. It'll be our little secret" your smile made his heart swell.
Follo bought the charm and put it in his pocket. It felt warm to him, as if he had your hand in his.
He was scowling, not only was his expectations subverted. The two attention suckers were here too! It's not like he hated Rudo or Dear, but they easily warranted your attention. Imagine his surprise when you walked off with him to go shopping.
"I thought you were gonna help Rudo" he said with a passing glance your way.
"It would mean more if he picked something from the heart. I am just here to make sure he doesn't get something weird and supply the money" you said.
"Uh huh" Zanka sighed.
"Besides, I wanted to spend time with you. Rudo has needed my help settling in and everything. Plus, Enjin and Riyo are shameless with taking my attention. And not to mention Dear-" your voice was lost on him as he focused on the first thing you said.
'____ wants to spend time with me?!' he turned his head to the side so you couldn't see his strange smile.
And here he had thought you might suggest more training or lecture him about slipping up on the last job they took. Instead, he was getting flattery! He could forgive the misunderstanding from earlier, this was the best!
"Hey, Zanka? Look over there" you tugged on his sleeve to get his attention.
"YES?" he said a little louder than he would like.
Zanka followed your gaze and saw the stall you were walking over to. There were some traders selling toys and such. You spotted a matching set of stuffed toys. They looked like two demons, one was red and one was blue.
"Aren't these cute?" you said as you pointed to them.
"Cute? They're kinda ugly look'n" Zanka frowned as he looked down on the stubby demons.
You gave him a nudge and he stuck his tongue out at you.
"It says here they are brothers, you gotta buy them as a set so they don't get separated" you read the small sign in between the plush toys.
"Sounds like a scam to me" Zanka said dryly.
But you were already buying the brothers and holding them tightly.
"Since you think they are so ugly, I'll give one to Rudo. Their story is that you'll never lose your bond with the other demon" you said before sticking your tongue out at him.
Zanka was mortified at the idea you would pass up sharing something so sentimental with him, especially if it meant Rudo would get it. He snatched the red demon from you and held it in a death grip. He didn't even notice his knuckles turning white.
"Stop whin'n, I'll take one. This one is less ugly" he said in annoyance.
Despite the grumpy look on his face, you could see him carefully smooth the plush demon's cloth back down and fluff the body into place. You smirked, holding up the blue demon to him.
"Hey, this one kinda looks like you" you laughed.
Zanka looked up, his cheeks turning a bit red.
"Oh yea- wait, are you calling me ugly?" he gaped and his eyes went wide as saucers.
"Would you look at the time? We gotta meet up with the others for dinner!" you laughed as you began jogging away.
"Let's go shopping together!" Riyo grabbed onto your arm affectionately.
Her grip wasn't strong enough to keep you in place, but her smile hinted she had an alterior motive. You went along with it in hopes to keep it private. Once out of earshot of the others, Riyo wasted no time cutting to the chase.
"So, are you an Enjin still fighting?" she asked.
"We aren't fighting, it was just an argument" you answered.
"Oh" Riyo smiled.
A moment passed before she blurted out.
"Are you two together now?" she asked.
Your head snapped in her direction and you opened your mouth, but no words came out. She looked unbothered, as if she had asked what day it was.
"We were aren't like thatâŠ" you sighed.
Now Riyo looked puzzled, leaning into you more.
"Do you like Enjin? Cuz I think he likes you" she added.
You paused, looking ahead.
"I don't think it's me he likes, I'm not his type" you said.
Riyo's smile fell and she pulled away to give you some space.
"He just⊠cares about me like he cares about you" you smiled at her.
You kept walking, feeling Riyo follow behind you. At first, you started to think you said too much. But Riyo grabbed your arm and pointed at a stall.
"Look! They have charms!" she said as she tugged you closer.
The stall had a variety of charms, a few that were sets of two. Riyo scanned over them, picking up the ones that caught her eye. Before you could look over all of them, she put two in your hands.
"You should get these and give one to Enjin" she grinned.
"What kind of charm is this?" you looked at the two.
The charms were designed in a way they could be latched together, they were of similar design with slight variation with color.
"Those are charms for lovers reuniting!" she giggled.
You almost dropped the charms. You rolled your eyes as you set them down.
"And who am I supposed to be reuniting with?" you ask.
Riyo smirked, druming her fingers together.
"It's in case you get lost, enjin will always be able to find you" she giggled.
You could tell she wasn't going to let this go, it appeared innocent enough that you could give it as a gift to make peace. You just wouldn't tell Enjin the meaning behind the charms.
"Right, that's the only reason" you snorted.
After buying the charms, you spotted some fine ribbon. It was a bright green that matched Riyo's eyes. You purchased the ribbon quickly, hoping she didn't see it. As the two of you walked back, you gently grabbed her wrist.
"Hm? What's up?" she asked.
"I know you lke playing with your hairstyles, you should use a ribbon to help keep your hair tied" you tied the ribbon around her wrist.
Riyo raised her wrist, looking at the ribbon curiously.
"So you don't go loosing it or cutting it, Miss Ripper" you teased her.
âHm, I take it you havenât been around this part of town yet. There are stalls and shops you can look atâ you began.
You walked with Rudo, pointing out places that sold charms and accessories. His eyes followed yours, looking at the many trinkets. Nothing stood out to him, you recalled hearing that he liked trash. That meant you would have to be the one to propose ideas. There was a booth that looked a little worse for wear. Rudo wandered over to it, eying the products with interest. You walked behind him, trying not to make it obvious that you were watching him.
He settled on a slightly worn charm, it was missing a chain and could have used some polish. It appeared to be made out of scrap metal that was melted down and repurposed for being a trinket. His eyes were wide with a light that only showed when he looked at trash. You had to stifle a laugh as he sat there slack jawed.
âIs that the one?â you asked.
Rudo jumped, turning around with a sheepish frown.
âI think⊠I could fix it up a littleâ he said.
âI bet you could, with a new tool kitâ you said as you tossed a bag to him.
He caught it in one hand, looking at the bag in shock.
"Wait, what's this?!" he asked.
"A new tool kit, I saw you using the old one we had lying around. This one is all yours, don't let anyone else use it" you grinned at him.
Rudo's face twisted a bit before he turned to the merchant.
"I'll take this!" he shouted.
The startled merchant quickly accepted his money and gave him a bag to put the charm in. It didn't take long to find a replacement chain and some cleaning solution. By the time you guys had finished, it was already dark. Rudo's stomach growled and he looked at you shyly.
"Let's regroup with the others, we can get dinner before we head back" you said.
When you woke up, the first thing you felt was groggy. Waking from a deep sleep was a struggle, waking up in the morning was an added debuff. Your eyes opened slowly but were unfocused. It was your room, that was for sure. But you smelled a scent that stung your nose.
Cigarette smoke.
Memories came flooding back to you. Your head against his chest, his heartbeat in your ear. The soft breaths and warmth of his body pressed against yours. His hand gently stroking your head. It was enough to make your heart race.
âDid he kiss my head?â you touched your forehead with worry.
You jumped up, remembering last night. Enjin had stayed in your room, that much was clear. The extinguished cigarettes laying in an empty cup were proof of that. But where was Enjin? You listened and heard the sound of water running. Your bathroom door was open a crack and you slowly realized he was using your shower. The water stopped and your mind began to race.
âWhat happened last night?â you thought.
You checked yourself over, still dressed in the same loungewear from the night before. No signs of any intimate action. Just as you were about to process everything, the door to your bathroom opened.
âOh? Youâre up sleeping beauty?â he mused.
You stared at him, it wasnât intentional. But who couldnât? His hair was still wet, hanging down and dripping with water. With his eyes still sleepy from waking up, the look he gave you was making your heart do backflips. He was shirtless and you could see the familiar tattoo that stretched over his arms and back. Youâd only seen the tattoo a few times before, his back muscles were more defined now. The circular tattoo served as a marked for how low the towel could hang on his hips-
âMy eyes are up here, darlingâ he smirked.
You swallowed.
âYouâre tracking water into my room, dry yourself properlyâ you scolded him.
âSure, mind showing me how to?â he teased you more.
You threw a pillow at him, one he easily dodged.
âWhy were you using my shower?â you asked.
âHmm, well you got good soap and I like the way you smellâ he answered smoothly.
âAnd the smoking?â you scowled at him.
âI needed to do something while I watched you sleepâ he said as he gathered his clothes.
âYou canât smo- what?â you were caught off guard by his answer.
âI said I needed to do something while I watched you sleepâ he repeated again.
You let out a shaky breath, he was really trying to push his luck!
âA-Anyways, why did you stay? If I was asleep, you could have leftâ you asked.
âI wanted to stayâ he had a serious expression on his face, on you werenât used to.
âA-And watch me sleep?â you asked.
âI was asleep too you know, you make it sound like I planned to watch you sleepâ he sighed.
Enjin sat down in the chair by your desk, it took everything in you to not let your eyes wander downward again.
âDo you mind putting on some clothes? I donât like the idea of your bare ass touching my stuffâ you stuck your tongue out at him.
âThereâs a towel here, unless you want it off?â he mused.
You groaned, crawling to the edge of your bed to put your feet on the ground.
âThatâs not even remotely what I was suggesting and you know it. Shouldnât you be off doing whatever it is you do?â you tried your best to dismiss his flirting.
Enjin didnât say anything back for a moment.
âWhat if I said I wanted to be here with you?â he asked.
Your hands clenched the bed sheets under you.
âIâd say you were lying,â you confessed.
The corners of Enjinâs mouth turned upward as a laugh left him.
âCome on, cut me some slack!â he laughed.
Despite his laugh, the mood in the air didnât change.
âFine, Iâll get out of your hair. I can tell when Iâm not wantedâ he sighed and stood up.
You felt a bit bad but you were sure he wasnât that hurt by what you had said. Just as you were about to apologize, you saw something fall to the floor. The towel that had been around Enjinâs waist was now at your feet.
âWhat are you doing?!â you shouted as you tried to look anywhere but him.
âIâm getting dressed? You didnât see my clothes laying on the floor?â he asked.
Okay, that one was on you but still.
âThe bathroom is right there!â you fell back into your bed with your hands covering your face.
It was hard to deny how warm your face had gotten at the thought of seeing him fully nude. There had been close calls in the past but never had you seen him like that. You felt the mattress dip and you opened your fingers to look. Enjin was still shirtless, now caging you against the bed with his arms. The cloud tattoos filled your vision as you tried not to look into his yellow eyes.
âWhatâŠâ you couldnât tell if it was a question or a reaction.
Enjinâs face drew closer as he lowered his body closer to yours. It was like your mind had short circuited. He was so close, getting closer. His breath touched your cheeks and his lips-
A few knocks on your door snapped you out of your haze. Enjin clicked his tongue, cursing under his breath before retreating from you. A few seconds and you sat up, hurrying to the door as you tried to push that moment into the back of your head. You opened the door to see Rudo waiting outside with a sullen look.
âRudo, good morning! Whatâs up?â you tried to keep your voice even as to not give away how flustered you had been.
âGood morning⊠I wanted to ask⊠you somethingâŠâ Rudo wasnât making eye contact, playing with the tassels on his hoodie.
âSure, ask awayâ you smiled at him.
âAre you free today? I need help with somethingâ he began shyly.
âOh, Rudo? What do you need ____ for?â Enjin threw his arm over your shoulder as he leaned on you to fit in the doorway.
Rudoâs eyes went wide and his mouth was opened wide enough to fit a dinner plate inside. You glanced at Enjin, still without a shirt but with pants on at least. Well, not entirely zipped and hanging for dear life on his hips.
âA-AaaaâŠ.â whatever Rudo was going to say became weak sounds.
âOne moment!â you shut the door quickly.
Enjin could only chuckle as you rushed him to put on a shirt and appear decent enough to leave your room. He walked out with a pleased smile, ignoring Rudoâs gawking. Once he had left, you invited Rudo inside. He still appeared nervous, but his eyes quickly fixated on some salvaged treasures in your room. He was put at ease as he fiddled with a broken camera.
âSo, what did you want help with?â you asked him.
âI wanted to go into town and get Gris a new charm. Since I used hisâŠâ Rudo said quietly.
âI see, I think that is kind of you. Sure, Iâll give you a handâ you agreed.
Rudoâs eyes lit up a little and his frown was a bit weaker. He nodded and looked at you expectantly.
âFirst, letâs let Seimu know where we are goingâŠâ you trailed off.
It wouldnât be responsible to take Rudo alone. Not to mentionâŠ
âHow about we get a little help with our mission?â you suggested.
âOkâŠâ Rudo said.
--
âMe?!â Follo looked surprised that you were approaching him.
âYou know Gris better than I do, I wouldnât want to get him something weirdâ you smiled at him.
Follo kept his hands behind his back so you couldnât see how tight he was clenching them. His heart was practically beating out of his chest. You wanted to go shopping with him for Gris?! He could excuse that last part because you were relying on him.
âKind as always, Iâm so jealous Gris!â Follo thought.
âWell, I suppose I could help. Iâm sure he would appreciate anything thoughâ he said as coolly as he could.
âMm, yeah. But I still want to get him something that suits himâ you insisted.
It wasnât like he was going to say no anyways!
âAlright, Iâll get ready!â he said with a toothy grin.
--
âOh, youâre going shopping?â Riyo looked up from toying with her scissors.
âYeah, Iâm gonna help Rudo pick out a gift for Grisâ you explained.
Riyo opened her mouth but stopped for a second. She came up with the brilliant idea to convince you to get a gift for Enjin to make up. Or at least she could find something you like to get him to buy a gift.
âSounds fun! Count me in!â she smiled as she kicked up from the couch.
You had no idea her smile was for the little scheme she had cooked up.
--
âYouâre going shoppinâ?â Zanka asked with little interest.
âYeah! I was hoping to find a replacement charm for Grisâ you began.
Zanka was already zoning out, he didnât want to leave his comfortable position nor did he wanna see you fussing over someone else. He couldnât ignore the ugly feelings from the last mission. But you looked so cute talkingâŠ
âAnd I was hoping someone as stylish as you would know what would suit Grisâ you said
Suddenly, Zankaâs grip on his book loosened. It fell into his lap as he went rigid.
âSomeone as stylish as you would knowâ
âStylish as you would knowâ
âStylishâŠyouâŠ.â
âWell! If you insist, I canât leave ya high anâ dryâ Zanka said smugly as he stood up quickly.
You watched him walk away, missing the grin on his face.
--
You had finished getting ready, wearing casual clothing for the shopping trip. As you shut the door to your room, you heard footsteps. Something latched onto your side and you stood still to keep yourself steady.
âDear! Youâre gonna give ___ a heart attack!â Bro laughed as he chased after the boy.
You glanced down to see Dear holding onto your side. He stared up at you with his arms wrapped around your stomach.
âDear, you canât just jump me like thatâ you said as you patted his head.
He looked up with a grumpy expression, a reminder of your promise to him.
âSay, are you going out today? Mind taking Dear with you? I think he wants to come alongâ Bro grinned.
âOh boy, this really is a mission nowâ you thought as you nodded.
âSure, the more the merrier!â
Standing in the lobby, you realized you reap what you sow. Dear was holding your hand and glowering at everyone else. Rudo was glaring back, not going to be outdone by a child. Zanka looked mildly annoyed and Follo looked confused. Riyo was grinning, Tomme standing awkwardly next to her.
âWell, isnât this quite the group?â Seimu hummed.
âAnyways, weâre all going to head out. Weâll be back before Dearâs bedtimeâ you explained to her.
She gave you a sly smile.
âHave fun, I know he will love to hear all about itâ she winked at you.
âHoo boyâ you thought.
Follo drove at your request, but he asked that you sit in the passenger seat to âgive him directionsâ. He couldnât admit it was to have you somewhat to himself. He already knew Dear planned to sit next to you and probably nap against you. Rudo or Zanka would have taken your other side. Sitting behind you wouldnât be as bad but it wasnât preferred.
âOh, I know where to park. Iâve been to that shopping district lots of times with Grisâ Follo said halfway through the trip.
âThen why did he want directions?â was the thought everyone else in the truck had.
Once the truck was parked, the real battle startedâŠ.
love interests: Enjin, Jabber, Tamsy (if you know, you know), slight Gris
âLet me just say, Iâm not moving like normalâ Zanka said bitterly.
âHuh? I thought you said you were fine?â Rudo glared at him.
âBoys, letâs not do this nowâ you sighed.
Jabber was going to start attacking again and you still had no idea of what to do about it.
âIâll stay on defense, but I need you to focus on attacking somehowâ you said to Zanka.
âI-Iâll think of something, hold onâ he looked at Rudo and a wry smile appeared on his face.
âWhy are you looking at me like that?â Rudo growled.
âYou said this thing will protect you from attacks right? What if I try hitting you, maybe it will give me a boostâ Zanka suggested.
âHA?! Are you trying to piss me off?!â Rudo was practically fuming by now.
âEasy, easy! Itâs just a suggestion. Ya got any other ideas? Huh?â Zanka argued.
Rudo glared at him, but kept quiet.
âI mean⊠we could try itâ you sighed.
Rudo moved into position, bristling like an angry cat as Zanka raised his Assistaff. The moment he swung, Rudo shifted Zanka. It was quick but he was flung closer to Jabber, allowing him to strike the raider.
âWow!â you couldnât believe it worked.
âHEY! WERE YOU ACTUALLY TRYING TO HIT ME?!â Rudoâs angry shout brought you back to attention.
âWell, you canât really avoid these thingsâ Zanka was obviously trying to hold back his amusement.
Jabberâs howl cut the banter short.
âLook alive boys!â you warned as he began dashing around.
Zanka prepared to strike Rudo again, much to the younger boyâs anger. Jabber charged at Rudo, you stepped into his path and blocked his attack. Simultaneously, Zanka attacked Rudo and was thrown through the air to attack Jabber once more. This method of blocking and attacking appeared to work as Jabber was taking more damage than before. Enough to bring him out of his fugue state, his eyes rolling back to show purple in them.
âHey, if it isnât Mr. Bad Attitude!â he laughed merrily before being struck down once more.
Zanka stumbled onto the ground once Rudo set him back down.
âThink itâs over, Iâm done too⊠Everythinâ hurtsâŠâ he groaned.
You relaxed a little, things worked out for the better at least for now. The sound of crumbling came from behind you as Grisâs talisman began to fall apart. Rudo looked distraught, reaching for the crumbling pieces.
âGris cared so much about itâŠ. And IâŠâ Rudoâs voice turned to choking as his body trembled.
âRudo?â you turned to approach him when you felt your body grow stiff.
âThisâŠâ you looked down to notice a cut near your waist.
Somehow, Jabber had managed to graze you with his claws. Rudo fell over, revealing a similar injury on himself. When it happened, you werenât sure. But this wasnât good. You slammed your jinki into the ground, using it to hold up your body.
âWow~! Youâre still standing after getting hit with my claws~?â Jabber smiled as he walked toward you.
He walked around you, flashing his teeth and the blood dripping around them.
âI knew youâd be fun, I wish I got to play with you more. I really really do!â he laughed.
âEnoughâŠâ you managed to speak despite the loss of feeling in most of your body.
âHey, hey. You didnât tell me your name but I heard it enough from those other guys. ____~â Jabber sneered as he grabbed your chin.
His grip was rather strong despite being knocked around so much. Or maybe your body was just that weak at the moment.
âSorry, I canât take you with me. My orders were only to get Rudo, so I canât afford to make my boss mad. But I think you really get me, so I hope we get to play a lot next time~â Jabber said.
Without warning, he forced his mouth against yours. Immediately, you could taste blood. Your stomach turned at the thought of his blood getting in your mouth. One hand left the stem of your tunning fork and you hit Jabber as hard as you could in the chest. He jumped back with a grin, a playful âoofâ leaving him. You could see a lot of blood on his mouth, more than before. Something rolled down your chin and the smell of iron burned your nose.
âHe fucking bit me!â you felt a rush of rage shoot through your body.
âThere! There! You felt it too right?! Ahhh! I canât believe I gotta leave now!â Jabber almost would have sounded like he was complaining if not for the jovial tone of voice.
He turned on his heel, stalking up to the collapsed Rudo. You tried to move your legs, but you were moving slower than you would have liked. Zanka couldnât move, but you could tell he was conscious. You inhaled sharply, the toxins were making it impossible for you to chase him.
âLater Mr. Bad Attitude! See ya, ____!â Jabber waved as his body was enveloped in darkness.
You took the deepest breath your body would allow, raising your head. Bringing your head down, you headbutted your tuning fork. A loud dull sound echoed out and your head felt like you had been struck with a car. Vibrations shoot up your body, forcing you into spasms. This shift gave your body the kickstart you needed.
âJabber!â you shouted as you ran after him.
He glanced back, a big smile on his face.
âNo way! No way! You're moving?! This is crazy hahaha!â he giggled as he began to run.
He still had the advantage, creating a slight gap between you both. Up ahead, there was a large hole with light shining through. Jabber jumped through it with ease. Even before reaching the hole, you were certain you couldnât make a similar jump. Thoughts ran through your head and you only had one idea. Using the momentum you had built up, you fell forward and slammed your tunning fork into the ground. Your body flipped, launching you through the hole. You were still in the middle of a second flip when bright light stung your eyes. Luckily, you made another full rotation and began to land on your feet. But as your eyes adjusted to the light, you realized something was in your path.
Someone!
âEn..jin!â you yelped as you crashed into his body.
He easily caught you with one arm, looking just as surprised.
âHmm, itâs a good thing I brought my Umbreaker. Itâs raining cutiesâ he smirked.
âShut⊠upâ you groaned into his chest.
After overexerting yourself and the toxins still in your body, you have reached your limit. Standing was no longer an option as you were practically relying on Enjin to keep you on your feet. You could barely keep track of the conversation, only making out a bit of what Jabber was saying. Enjinâs voice was clear though, it was hard to ignore as each timber he spoke resonated with your ears.
âOh thatâs right! Did you get to talk to ___? Wasnât that your job?â Jabber said to the other raider that appeared.
You felt Enjin tense up and you focused on hearing.
âI did, the message was passed alongâ she said.
âAww, you really wonât tell me all the juicy bits. Well, thatâs fine. If it means Iâll get to play with my new friend then I donât careâ Jabber chuckled.
You felt your mind grow faint as the fatigue set in. The last thing you could hear was Enjin calling your name.
You came to a short while later, after the others had managed to lift Gris back to the surface. Tamsy was watching over you with an unreadable expression.
âOh? Feeling better?â he asked.
âUgh⊠not muchâ you grumbled as you held your head.
âWell, at least you woke up before we started driving back. Iâm not sure what the seating plan would beâ he smiled.
âGood thing I came to then, wouldnât want you to have to carry meâ you sighed.
Tamsy didnât say anything, but he didnât need to. It wasnât the first time you both talked, he always had a cheeky side to him.
âWhat happened to your lip? It looks nastyâ he said as he leaned over you.
âThat crazy guy bit me! Can you believe that?! First he attacks Gris and then this! He really pisses me off!â you ranted without thinking.
Tamsy watched you, waiting for you to finish. Your head hurt and you felt your breathing growing with your frustration.
âYou say thatâŠ. but ____. You have a big smile on your faceâ he said quietly.
âHuh?â you reached up to touch your face, not believing him for a moment.
Before your fingers could find the corners of your mouth, Tamsy pinched your cheeks.
âLike this~â he smirked.
You swatted at him, trying to make him stop.
âTamsy! Now isnât the time for your teasing!â you scolded him.
He let go of you, but didnât back away. Confident little-
âThatâs much better, you didnât seem like yourself back thereâ he said.
âD-Did I?â you asked.
âYeah, youâre usually cool-headed and cheerful. Iâm honestly surprised to see you soâŠ. riled upâ he added.
You felt your hands begin to shake.
âIt makes me wonder, donât you ever want to let loose? Have you been holding back this whole time? Is there a side of you that you donât want others to see?â he continued.
You didnât even notice he was leaning in closer.
âWhat are you hiding?â he asked, low enough that you couldnât hear him.
It was a good thing you werenât looking at him, Otherwise you would have seen the big grin on his face. Tamsy had been waiting a long time for this moment. You placed the back of your hand to your forehead and took a deep breath.
âIâm good, Iâm okay. You donât have to worry about me Tamsyâ you said after some time.
âOh, I wouldnât say I am worried. You always come backâ he chuckled.
Heâd have to wait longer then.
Your smile turned to a pout, you really had no idea how to deal with him. You were lucky you didnât have to deal with him for much longer, Eishia had touched up Gris enough to move him back to HQ. You rode with Team Akuta, Enjin taking the wheel in Grisâs absence. You were placed in the passenger seat, Riyo and Zanka sat in the back with Rudo. The furthermost seat is where Tomme and Follo sat, Grisâs absence hanging heavily in the air. You felt eyes on you occasionally, knowing who they were without looking.
âYou know, a good portion of driving is looking at the roadâ you sighed.
âIâm watching the road, donât flatter yourselfâ Enjin replied with a similar frustration.
The tension in the truck could be cut with a knife. Riyo looked between the two of you and nudged Zanka.
âAre they fighting?â she asked.
âWhat? Howz I supposed ta know?â Zanka grumbled.
Riyo gave him a knowing look.
âAre you still salty you couldnât show off in front of ____?â she teased.
âS-Shut up!â Zanka growled at her.
Riyo glanced at Rudo, hoping someone else could pick up on what she was catching. But Rudo was still in a funk about what happened to Gris.
âPoor kidâ she thought as she looked forward.
Enjin looked sour and you just looked tired. She hoped this wouldnât last long.
âAre we gonna get food after?â she asked in a voice quieter than usual.
You stared out the window opposite the driverâs seat. Enjin kept his eyes on the road, stubbornly not looking in your direction. Riyo sighed, she just hoped you both made up soonâŠ.
Arriving at HQ, Gris was rushed to the medical bay. Rudo wandered off still upset about what happened. Enjin went off to report about what happened and you were left to lick your wounds. It wasnât like you were suffering from anything serious so you decided to head to the kitchen. You heard footsteps behind you and turned around expecting an irritating scarecrow to be there. To your surprise Zanka was the one tailing you.
âAhâŠâ he croaked out as if he was caught in the middle of doing something bad.
âYes, Zanka?â you asked.
âUm, I thought ya might need help,â he said sheepishly.
âWith what exactly?â you asked.
Zanka looked away, trying to summon the courage to put on a cool front.
âWhen somebody comes back hurt, ya always make some treats for âem. I wanted ta helpâ he confessed.
You gave him a bright smile, ignoring the ache in your body.
âI would like that very much, Zankaâ you said.
It turns out Zanka was fairly good at baking, not that he would admit it to anyone but you. He cut apples just right for the pie. You put the pie together, layering the ingredients properly. Zanka kept his eyes trained on you, appreciating the level of care you displayed. He would never admit that he admired how much care you put into making things for others. Even if you werenât the best at cooking, the love you put into everything was felt. He admired that the most about you. Sure, you had the looks and the spirit, but it was truly in your ability to care for others that he admired. It was something he envied and wished to have to himself at the same time.
âZanka, can you cut a slice for Gris?â you asked as you set the pie out to cool.
âSure, but why don't ya do it?â he asked.
âWell, you have steadier hands than I doâ you admit shyly.
Zanka felt his lips turning up into a smile, you relying on him was the best form of appreciation in his eyes.
âWell, if ya insistâ he sighed as if it was a problem for him.
You smiled, knowing that he liked being needed. It was true, he had a steadier hand than you. Once Zanka had plated the slice of pie, you set up a tray to take to Gris.
âHelp yourself to a slice, you earned itâ you smirked.
Zanka tried his best to not appear too happy to hear that, it made him happy to eat something you put so much care into!
âWell, if ya insist I will!â he said a bit louder than necessary.
You left the kitchen to give Zanka time to show his excitement in peace, your mission now was to deliver a slice of apple pie to Gris. As you walked to the med bay, you passed a familiar face.
âOh, ____! I heard you just got back from a missionâ Bro greeted you.
âI did, Iâm off to give Gris a pick me upâ you said with a grin.
Bro saw the apple pie and laughed.
âDear is going to lose his mind if he sees that. I hope there is extra?â he chuckled.
âYes, be sure Dear helps himself to only one slice in the kitchenâ you laughed.
Dear was more than likely giving Bro a hard time, considering you were busy with Rudo for the past few weeks. As much as it pained you to neglect your original team, Enjin had put in a request that you assist Team Akuta for the time being.
âYou know, he misses you a lot as of lateâ Bro said, almost ashamed of admitting it.
âI figured that would be the case. I promise to return soon, Iâll make some time for him and Guitaâ you apologized.
Bro was probably working overtime to keep Team Child in line without your assistance. As much as you wanted to help out, you had to see through with Rudoâs care for the time being. Enjin never asked anything of you, this was something only you could do.
âIâll be glad to have you back, so will the kudosâ Bro nodded to you before continuing on his way.
You watched him leave, unaware of the eyes trained on your body. You only became aware of the eyes once the person in question came close enough you could feel their breath on your neck.
âOh? You made apple pie?â Tamsy smirked.
You jumped, moving a bit away from him. It surprised you how close he could get without you knowing. You did your best to hide your initial shock, giving Tamsy a nervous smile.
âY-yes! The rest is in the kitchen. Make sure you only take one sliceâ you told him.
âOh of course, I wouldnât want to hog all of your loveâ Tamsy mused with a knowing grin.
You tried to shake off the unsettling feeling you got from his comment. It was rare, but sometimes he said things that made your skin crawl. Even now, you were still unsure what made him tick.
âAs long as you knowâ you managed to say as you slipped past him.
Despite him being out of your line of sight, you could feel eyes on you. Pushing past it all, you kept walking to the medical bay. Thankfully, you didnât run into anyone else, allowing you to enter with a treat in hand. The first thing you saw was the large back of your boss, Corvus. He turned around with a smile, as if knowing you were going to walk through the door.
âOh, ___. Did you make apple pie? I thought I smelled something deliciousâ he said casually.
He pretended to reach for the tray, moving slowly enough to give you time to move it out of reach.
âThis is for Gris, if you want a slice then help yourself to the rest in the kitchenâ you scolded him.
âHahaha, I knew you would say that. Iâll enjoy a cup of coffee with mineâ he mused before walking past you.
You turned your gaze to the rest of the medical bay. Tomme and Follo were just leaving, the two of them looking at the slice of pie.
âOh! You made pie? Is it a big one this time?â Tomme asked.
âYes, big enough for everyone IÂ keep running into to have someâ you laughed.
âI remember last time we had to play for keeps. I lost my chance to try your bakingâ Follo tipped his hat down in shame.
âWell, you better go get some before Rudo gets to itâ you teased him.
Follo and Tomme made a bee line for the kitchen, already prepared to fight for their cut. You walked closer to Grisâs bed. Eishia smiled nervously and Gris looked happy to see you. Rudo was staring at the slice of pie and Enjin avoided your gaze.
âUgh, what a sourpuss!â you thought.
Despite his presence, you approached Grisâs bed.
âI brought you some apple pie. I hope you are feeling betterâ you smiled at him.
âI am, thanks to Eishia,â Gris assured you.
âI-I only helped a littleâ she said meekly.
âWell, you should also get some pie, Eishia! Thanks for your hard work!â you praised her.
Her cheeks turned red as she excused herself. You handed Gris the tray and saw that Rudo was still staring at the slice of pie.
âThereâs some in the kitchen if you want,â you grinned.
He perked up, trying to hide the evident interest he had in the sweet.
âO-Okay!â he exclaimed before running off.
You turned your gaze back to Gris, he was looking at the slice of pie fondly. You tried your best to not show that you also wanted to eat it. But Gris picked up on it quickly.
âDo you want to share it?â he asked.
âN-No! I made it for youâŠâ your voice failed you as your stomach growled loudly.
Gris chuckled, cutting off a piece and extending the fork to you.
âCâmon, I know apples are your favorite,â he laughed.
You put your hands together bashfully playing with your fingers before you placed them on the bed. You leaned closer, opening your mouth for him to guide the fork to you. It was cliche, but Gris fed you a piece of apple pie. Your cheeks tingled with the sweetness and a small happy sound left you.
âUgh, get a room for you twoâ Enjin groaned as he leaned against the wall.
âWeâd have the room if you leftâ you said with a slight turn of your head to glare at him.
Gris looked between the two of you and ate some pie.
âNow, now. Everyone made it back in one piece, there is no need to fightâ Gris chuckled.
You and Enjin made sour faces at Gris.
âIâm not fighting with him, he is just being nosy againâ you argued.
âBeing nosy implies I want to know something about you. Which I donâtâ Enjin grumbled.
âSays the guy with all the questions!â you said.
Gris held up his fork and fed you more apple pie. It stopped the bickering for a moment at least.
âYou two should talk to each other, itâs rare to see you both fightingâ he chuckled.
Both you and Enjin were quiet but still not looking at each other.
âEspecially with how close you two were, thick as thievesâ he added.
You pushed yourself off the bed and stood up.
âWell, the past is the past right? Iâm gonna turn in early. Iâm pretty poopedâ you mustered a yawn before walking out.
Faintly, you could hear footsteps behind you but you didnât look back. It wasnât until you were in your room and minutes had passed by when you heard a knock at your door. You kept calm and opened it a crack.
âHe-â
You shut the door. More knocking came, this time harder. You opened the door a crack but a hand grabbed the door and opened it wider. Enjin was in his casual wear, not smoking for once.
âHey! Donât just slam the doorâŠâ Enjin quieted down and frowned.
âWhat do you want?â you asked.
âI just⊠letâs talk a bitâ he said as he rubbed the back of his neck.
You stepped away from the door and he let himself in. You sat down on your bed and he sat down next to you.
âLook, today was kinda shit. I get that, I didnât really help with all my naggingâ he said.
âWell, I didnât help with being dismissive eitherâ you confessed.
[Earlier after talking with Tamsy]
âHey, what happened in there?â Enjin asked.
âWe got played, it was a trap. Not much to say after thatâ you answered.
His eyes narrowed as he looked you over.
âAnd what about the message for you?â he continued.
âI donât know what those raiders were talking about. That girl just said some words and that was itâ you sighed.
âWhat did she say?â he pried more.
âI donât even remember, maybe it was the lyrics to a song?â you groaned.
â____, Iâm serious. What happened in there?â Enjinâs tone became more annoyed.
âUgh! I already told you everything! Why are you suddenly so concerned with everything I do?â you said in frustration.
âIâm not concerned, I need to know what goes on with my teamâ he argued.
âThen ask your team, I was just a plus one todayâ you waved him off and tried to leave.
But Enjin grabbed your arm, tugging you back toward him.
âNo, weâre not doing this. Not againâ he glared.
For a moment, the rage in you left.
âAgain?â you repeated.
Enjinâs mouth twitched and his grip loosened a bit.
âW-wait, no. ThatâsâŠâ suddenly he was at a loss for words.
You pulled your arm out of his grip and walked away from him.
[Back to present]
Enjin leaned his arms back on your bed, looking at the ceiling.
âWeâre both losers today, letâs at least just say sorry and make upâ he sighed.
âFine, but only because you gave up firstâ you smiled to yourself.
Enjinâs head snapped in your direction, his mouth agape. He watched you smile and closed his mouth. A smirk appeared on his face as he laughed.
âWell, I should apologize again,â he said.
âFor what?â you asked.
âThisâ
He was fast, lunging at you and wrapping you in his arms. You felt your face push into his shirt and against his chest. Both bodies hit the bed as he rolled over so that you were on top of him.
âEnjin, what are yo-â you felt his hand cup the back of your head as he moved your head over his heart.
âShhh, like old timesâ he said softly.
You could hear his heart beat clearly, it was fast but slowing down. The sound of it was lulling you asleep. You could barely form a thought as the fatigue set in.
Your question was one of surprise. Seimu had asked you to tag along with a job for Zanka. She asked you alone, wanting to keep it on the down-low.
âYes, itâs a rather risky one. Enjin canât come so I am a bit worried about sending Rudo. If you could tag along it would put me at easeâ she explained.
You gave her a thumbs up.
âAnything for you boss lady. Iâll pretend like this conversation never happenedâ you said.
Seimu gave you a wry smile, shaking her head slightly.
âYou never change, do you?â she chuckled.
âItâs my best featureâ you mused.
âSo, I have a job for you,â Seimu announced to the group standing before her.
Zanka, Gris, Tomme, Follo and Rudo were being filled in on the job details. You quietly walked up behind them, wearing your cleanerâs attire. It would be the first time Rudo saw you in it so you didnât want to shock him.
âOriginally, I was planning to send Enjin with you. But heâs on another job and canât go. So, Iâm having ____ tag alongâ Seimu turned her gaze to you.
âYo~â you waved to the group.
âW-Wait, youâre coming too?!â Rudo gasped.
His eyes were wide and he shifted his gaze from Seimu to you.
âDidnât you hear what I just said?â Seimu sighed.
âYep, Iâm coming along. I havenât been out for a while so I need to carry my own weightâ you joked.
You glanced at Zanka, noticing he was a bit irritated with this set up. He turned his gaze to you, raising a brow as he wondered why you were staring at him.
âAlso, I rarely get to see Zanka at work. Heâs really cool when he is in action so I donât wanna miss this oneâ you added gleefully.
Zankaâs jaw opened slowly as your words echoed and repeated in his mind.
âHeâs really cool when he is in actionâŠ..I donât wanna miss thisâ
âHeâs really cool when he is in actionâŠ..â
âHeâs really coolâŠâ
If his heart could shoot out of his chest, it wouldâve already done so. Needless to say, he was rather quiet and still the entire ride to the rendezvous point. It wasnât until he climbed out of the truck did he talk.
âAlright! Time to get ta work! Gotta give it everythinâ we got!â Zankaâs voice carried a level of excitement it usually didnât.
He led the group with his chest puffed out, a sight you had missed seeing.
âIs he always like this?â Rudo muttered.
âOnly after a little praiseâ you whispered to him.
You walked between Gris and Follo, behind Zanka. You picked up on Follo teasing Gris about his charm. Seeing the gentle giant getting embarrassed about something so small was amusing.
âI think itâs sweet you care so much for everyone, Gris. But seeing you get so shy is great tooâ you joined in on teasing him.
âCome on, youâre supposed to be on my sideâ Gris sighed.
He showed Rudo his charm, an interesting piece. You spotted someone approaching from behind. A strange looking person. They didnât seem dangerous but you werenât sure how to tell the others. You gently grabbed the back of Zankaâs coat. He stiffened, his shoulders moving upward before he turned around with a big grin.
âWhatâs wrong ___? Got somethinâ?â he started before his whole body jumped.
âA new addition to our groupâ you pointed to the mystery person.
After hearing the merchantâs story, it was as sketchy as most stories could be. But there was no way anyone could ignore the possibility someone was actually in danger. The merchant led the group to a large building. As she began to push everyone inside, the ground below crumbled away. As you fell, a strange hole opened under your feet. In a blink of an eye, you were alone in darkness.
âOh boy,â you thought.
You felt around for a rock, finding a good sized one. You threw it into the dark and an echo surrounded you. Activating your tunning fork, your vision began to shift and you could see the layout of the building briefly. You could tell you were still in the same building, a lower level. You were about five floors down from where the others had been.
âI better start moving, this was a trapâ you thought.
Your tunning fork grew in size, stopping slightly bigger than yourself. You jumped and swung it at the ceiling, breaking through and breaking the debris that fell. You cleared one floor when a voice spoke to you.
âOur boss has been looking for youâ the voice said.
You ignored them, swinging at the next floor. As the debris fell, that strange hole appeared mid jump. You were brought back down to the floor you started on.
âOkay, since you arenât going to let me leave. Why?â you said slightly annoyed.
âI donât know, but he told me to make sure itâs you,â the voice said.
âHow am I supposed to confirm that for you?â growing more annoyed by the second, you couldnât help but snap at them.
âItâs as if we were the only two left in this world-â
âI just couldnât resist dreaming for a bitâŠ.â you finished.
For a moment, memories began to resurface. A chaotic time where you were at your lowest. Rage and frustration made the most sense. It was a restless time, too much happened and at the same time, nothing happened. You didnât even realize your heartbeat had kicked up until a chirping sound broke you out of your thoughts.
âYo, ____â Enjinâs voice brought you to your senses.
The final memory that flashed in your thoughts were deep pools of darkness. Your hand was already clawing at your chest. Was it affection or fear that had made you this way?
âAre you there?â Enjin called to you again.
âY-Yeah! Sorry!â you said quickly.
âTomme called for back up, we should be on our way. Whatâs the situation?â he continued.
You hoped he couldnât tell how shaky you were right now.
âI got separated from the others, Iâm on my way to find outâ you answered.
âIâm counting on yaâ Enjin said before ending the connection.
You felt your body calm down, regardless if he knew it, Enjin had helped you come to your senses.
âRight, I need to make sure the others are safeâ you thought.
Again, you jumped to the next floor, slamming your tunning fork into the ceiling as you ascended. Whoever had spoken to you before was either gone or gave up. Each impact allowed you to see the changes in the area. You spotted Zanka on the way up, finding him on the ground. He wasnât in critical condition, but you werenât sure what was going on.
âHold on Zankaâ you hit your tunning fork into the ground next to him.
A dull sound echoed as waves of light radiated from the tunning fork. It wasnât proper healing, but hopefully it could stabilize him in the meantime. Zanka was still seemingly unconscious, you would have to get him proper care later. Above you, there was a floor that had the only active signs of life in the building. You assumed that was where Rudo was. Although, someone was moving too fast for you to keep tabs on.
âWell, sorry if I hit youâ you thought as you aimed to swing your tunning fork as hard as you could. A chain connected to the stem, allowing you to be pulled along with the jinki. It crashed through a few floors before you made it to the right one. You grabbed the stem and swung it down, striking sharp metal claws. Right away, you could tell he was a raider. A quick scan of the area and you had a grasp on the situation. Gris was down and Rudo was using his powers.
âRudo!â you called out to him.
âHey, hey. Donât you know itâs rude to ignore people!â the raider shouted as he swung at you.
You shifted your footing, turning your wrist slightly as you adjusted the hold on the stem. Your tunning fork matched his speed, swinging upward to deflect his attack. He was launched away from you, but not without taking your mask with him. It snapped off your head in a messy way that left some of your hair a mess.
âYou donât need that here sillyâ his eerie laugh reached your ears.
You ignored him, running over to check on Rudo. Grisâs charm had changed into some sort of regalia around him.
âAre you okay?â you asked.
âIâm fine, but GrisâŠâ Rudo looked over to where Follo was providing aid.
You smiled at Rudo.
âThank you for holding things down, Iâm sorry about all thisâ you told him before running over to Gris and Follo.
You could see that Gris was bleeding as Follo applied pressure to the injury.
âHe needs healing!â Follo said.
âI canât heal it, but I can slow down the bleedingâ you said.
As you turned your tunning fork into position to heal, a loud cackle erupted behind you.
âWhat did I say about ignoring me?! Turn your back and youâll lose your head!â the raider shouted as he launched himself toward you.
â____!â Follo started to move his hands from Gris to try and protect you.
Without looking behind you, your hand shifted to the chain at the end of your jinki. You pulled it sharply, the chain contracting and whipping behind you. A strong chain cut across the raiderâs path, clotheslining him.
âEh?â he grunted as he felt saliva bubble in his mouth.
âDonât get in my wayâ you said in a low tone.
He jumped back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His purple eyes stayed on you as you began to heal Gris. Soon, he started laughing.
âHey, youâre pretty interesting too! Whatâs your name? My name is Jabber Wonger! Tell me! Tell me!â he said in a giddy tone.
You focused on Gris, doing your best for now.
â____⊠sorryâŠ.. Iâll be fine. Go help Rudoâ Gris said weakly.
âHang tight Gris, help will be here soonâ your hand found his, giving him a tight squeeze.
You could feel his attempt to return the sentiment, but he was fading fast. You gave him back over to Follo. Standing up and joining Rudo against Jabber.
âNow you wanna play? Tell me your name already! Letâs say it together now! My name is!â Jabber lunged at you again.
This time, Rudo stepped into the path, blocking Jabber from you. It was quick, you barely noticed Jabber shifting slightly out of the way. Each time he tried to attack you, Rudo would move him out of the way. Jabber continued to attack despite this. He was moving so fast, your eyes couldnât keep up so you relied on your hearing. As Jabber came close again, you swung your tunning fork at him. The weights slammed into him hard.
âGuh! That hit!â Jabber hissed.
He appeared staggered, smiling widely.
âThat hit was different, my whole body' s tingling. Itâs like Iâm shakin!â he laughed loudly.
âWhatâs he going on about?â Rudo glared.
âI donât know,â you shrugged.
Jabber was practically talking to himself as he charged at you both once again. Rudo guarded and you attacked Jabber. This continued for some time until Jabber started laughing manically again.
âThatâs not fair, but I like these odds. You still havenât told me your name but thatâs okay. Iâll let it go for nowâ he chuckled.
You and Rudo shared a look, wondering where this was going.
âSince I canât hit you guys, I just have to make sure my attacks lack an intent to killâ Jabber slowly ran his own jinki through his chest. His eyes rolled back as he entered a manic state. Jabber let out a primitive roar and began his attack. He was moving faster this time, bouncing off of everything as he attacked wildly. Grisâs charm wasnât protecting you both anymore. You blocked a few attacks before striking Jabber as hard as you could. A loud sound echoed off your jinki as he flew a good ways back.
âRudo, Iâm switching to defending and attacking. Just keep dodgingâ you told him.
âOkayâ Rudo had no choice but to agree.
Even he could tell that he was outmatched here, if you had any ideas then he wasnât going to argue. Jabber howled again, zipping toward you again. He began striking rocks and support beams, using them as projectiles. Rudo blocked the projectiles by manually making the charm block. You focused on Jabber.
âI canât afford to get reckless, but this is getting us nowhereâ you thought.
It was becoming a battle of stamina or whatever was powering Jabber right now.
âI donât have a choice nowâ you prepared to grab the chain at the end of your jinki but stopped.
Jabberâs movements changed quickly, instead of attacking you he went straight for Rudo.
âRudo!â you turned quickly, preparing to block him with your body.
Just as Jabberâs claws were about to reach you, he was flung away by a staff. He was pinned to the floor under the staffâs mouth. Both you and Rudo recognized it right away. Groaning and heavy steps approached as Zanka dragged himself into sight.
âHey, dreadlocks. You got some nerve attacking ____ like that. Especially on my watchâ he growled.
âBut he was attacking Rudoâ you decided to keep that to yourself.
âHe was attacking meâ Rudo did the same.
âTag me in Rudo, I got a score to settle with this bastardâ Zanka leaned against a pillar as he continued to glare at the currently pinned Jabber.
You and Rudo ran over to Zanka.
âYou survived that? You donât look so good thoughâ Rudo asked him.
Usually, your days were without problems. But currently, you are dealing with a rather strange problem.
Rudo was following you around.
Ever since you first talked to him, he appeared to be staying in your vicinity. It was like he was in your shadow, never approaching but just standing idly by. You didnât mind it until he started actually following you around like a lost puppy. It was cute at first, but you began to wonder if he was trying to fit in or if he was struggling. It came to a head as you were assisting with moving supplies with Gris. You offered your help, which the supporters appreciated. But while you helped with lifting, you noticed Rudo watching from afar. Just as you were afraid that he might not help out, you slipped and began to fall.
âOh!â a gasp escaped you as the crate slipped from your grasp.
Rudo was quick to catch the other side. His small stature was barely seen over the crate, but you could see the spiky white hair sticking over the edge.
âYou good?â he called to you.
âMn, thanks Rudoâ you said as you moved the crate to a safe location.
Once it was placed down, you could see his red eyes lit up with a light of appreciation. While he couldnât smile, he looked rather pleased with himself. It was cute, but you held your tongue.
âOh, Rudo is helping out too? Thatâs great!â Gris smiled as he walked over.
You could feel his presence as the tall blonde towered over both of you.
âThe more the merrierâ you mused as you offered Rudo a smile.
He nodded, obviously shy that all eyes were on him. Regardless, he aided with moving supplies and sped up the process with his eagerness to assist you. Although, you were more concerned with him getting to know the others than. Currently, the only people around that were relatively close to Rudo were: Tomme, Follo and Gris. So you tried to get Rudo to help them out over yourself.
âAh Gris! Give me a liftâ you insisted.
âOh, sureâ he kneeled enough for you to climb onto his shoulders.
Your legs easily swung over his shoulders as Gris stood up. With his added height, you were able to set items higher up. You glanced at Rudo, his face was a bit red. The kind of flush of catching your parents kissing. It made you laugh as he tried to look away quickly. He was so cute. Gris didnât seem to notice, keeping his hands on your legs to keep you steady. Once your job was done, you signaled for him to let you down. To your surprise, he raised his shoulders, launching you enough to clear his head and falling into his arms. He caught you easily, holding onto you as he let your body slide under his fingertips until your feet touched the ground. Your body sliding along his.
âGris!â you laughed as you held onto him lightly.
âGreat teamwork,â he laughed.
You could feel eyes on you as Rudo looked at you both with a slightly concerned expression.
âOh, good work too. Rudoâ you offered him praise.
âUhn,â he nodded.
It was going to be a hard time getting him to unlatch from you. Still, you had Rudo would be able to find his own ground.
âOh, ____! Are you going to help me finish these logs?â Tomme asked.
âOf course!â you smiled as you followed her.
The sounds of extra footsteps alerted you of Rudoâs. Tomme had some extra notes she needed to finish archiving, of which you used this chance to teach Rudo about Trash beasts. Of course, you didnât expect him to learn it all. But he enthusiastically listened to you as if you were his teacher. Tomme giggled, handing you the last of the notes.
âItâs like teacher and student,â she joked.
âOh please, Iâm not an academicâ you sighed.
âTrue, but you make a good teacher,â Tomme smiled.
You pouted at her, she was always ready to take shots at you.
âSays the one who takes the best notesâ you shot back.
âGuilty as chargedâ she laughed and nudged you with her shoulder.
Your banter would have continued if not for Rudoâs question.
âCan trash beasts be born of anything?â he asked.
Tommeâs eyes lit up as she began to recount her many encounters with trashbeasts. You let her talk, simply patting Rudoâs head as he was overwhelmed with the knowledge she was eager to share. Once Tomme had her fill, you both were off to help Follo with his duties.
âItâs really nothing, you donât have toâŠâ he began.
The way he ducked his head down to hide his blush was a common sight for you. Follo could never ask anything of you, your presence alone was more than enough for him. How could he ever began to make a request of you?
âWeâre already here, we might as well,â Rudo said, interrupting Folloâs thoughts.
He almost felt spite for the boy. Here he was blessing the ground you walked on and Rudo treaded alongside you like it was nothing!
âItâs not a problem at all, Follo, that means you get more free timeâ you insisted.
Ever the angel, always keeping him in your thoughts! It made his heart soar to think that you considered his feelings for even a millisecond.
âO-Okay!â Follo said.
Despite his red face, he described his duties for resupplying the trucks with proper medical equipment. Rudo busied himself with figuring out how to buckle in the medical kits. Meanwhile, you were with Follo inside the truck. Follo tried to focus on the gauges but he found his gaze wandering to you next to him. You were so close he could smell the scent carried in your hair.
âAhh~ ___ always smells so good!â he thought to himself.
A pleased smile stretched across his face, whether he liked it or not. It was no secret that he admired you, not that he was aware of. He couldnât hide it well and he didnât care. If anything, he hoped that you would pay attention to him enough to admire him back.
âFollo, could you double check the readings? Iâm still not good at thisâ you admitted bashfully.
âOf course!â he said almost too enthusiastically. It wasnât that he wanted to jump at correcting you. Rather, he enjoyed you needing him. And maybe one day, you would need him in a different way that allowed him to physically show his adoration for-
â____, Iâm all done,â Rudo announced.
Oh right.
Follo matched your gaze as you eyed the sloppily put together medical kits. At least they would fly away if Enjin drove.Â
âGood work Rudo, letâs move on to help elsewhereâ you grinned.
Follo sulked inwardly as you led the younger boy through headquarters. Rudo obediently followed you along as you assisted various individuals. You eventually made your way to the medical bay, finding Eishia twiddling her thumbs.
âOh! ____!â she gasped as you entered the room.
âYou asked for me?â you said.
She glanced at Rudo but turned her gaze back to you.
âY-Yes! Please assist me if that is alright!â she bowed quickly.
âWait, you are gonna help here too?â Rudo began.
You held a finger to your lips, signaling to him to stay quiet.
âJust watch,â you said.
You stood next to Eishia as she activated her vital instrument. You raised your tuning fork, allowing it to grow in size. It tapped the floor with a dull sound. Electricity began to flow from Eishia, reaching your tuning fork. Rudo watched as the electricity spread throughout the medical bay, reaching all of the people resting in the beds. When Eishia had finished, your tuning fork returned to itâs normal size.
âT-Thank you ____! I am sorry for inconveniencing you!â Eishia bowed to you.
âItâs nothing really, Iâm glad to have helpedâ you insisted.
As you backed away, Rudo glanced at you.
âWhat did you do?â he asked.
His eyes were wide again, the same curiosity that made you want to pinch his cheeks.
âWell, I only amplified her ability. You know how some Givers can be defenders? Think of me as a supporter. I can help amplify abilities tooâ you explained bashfully.
âWow, there are all kinds of givers. But I havenât seen any like youâ Rudo said in awe.
Anymore and your ego might inflate.
âAnyways, itâs time for dinner. Letâs go meet up with the othersâ you changed the subject before he could gush more about you.
Rudo nodded, not capable of saying no to you yet. It brought you ease to see him more wiggling to eat with others this time. You hung back, not wanting him to cling to you. Leaning against the wall, you felt a presence near you.
âHe seems to be fitting right in,â a familiar voice mused.
âAll according to plan, right scarecrow?â you replied lazily.
Enjin gave you a dry look.
âI don't get why you insist on calling on me thatâ he sighed.
âGet a new a mask thenâ you said nonchalantly.
Enjin cleared his throat, straightening his posture.
âAnyways, thanks for being there for him. I think he is adjusting wellâ he continued.
You looked at Enjin for a moment, thinking about your next words.
âWhy me?â you asked.
Enjin smirked.
âWell, itâs not because of your origins. Rather, I think out of anyone. You could understand where he was coming from. Besides, your better with words than I amâ he chuckled.
âHeeeeh~â you sighed.
Enjin looked at you, his gaze was serious for once.
âThe socialite Enjin admitting defeat? I better take a pictureâ you said sarcastically.
âHaha, in that case you ought to take me back home for keepsâ he said as he shuffled closer to you.
You didnât move away, but as his shoulder touched yours, you put a hand out to stop his.
âI have enough strays as is, another pup will just crowd up the placeâ you mused.
Enjinâs smile dropped but you could see the amusement in his eyes.
"What's a socialite if they canât win you over?â he sighed.
âA con man at bestâ you giggled as you pressed your palm to his.
You would allow him this much at least, for bringing Rudo into your life. Enjin shifted his hand slightly, allowing his fingers to slit between yours. His black nails flashed light as he embraced your hand intimately. The closeness allowed you to feel his heat, his callouses. His gaze darkened slightly as he stared into your eyes. There was a darkness there, a depth you knew all too well. Enjin was never cryptid with his feelings for you.
âThen a conman Iâll beâ he muttered under his breath.
It was as if time paused for a moment, you could only see Enjin and feel his palm against yours. It had been a while since you felt this feeling before. Already knowing where this was going. Before he could act, you pulled away from him. His fingers reluctantly breaking contact with yours.
âItâs getting late, we have a big day aheadâ you said with a smile.
One that Enjin didnât return, not that you waited to see if it would change. Already heading back to your room. On the way, you decided to check in on Rudo. He was sitting in his bed staring at his gloves. You knocked on his door, let him know you were in doorway.
âOh, h-helloâ he said meekly.
You let yourself in, sitting next to him on his bed.
âHaving trouble sleeping again?â you asked.
He nodded shyly, unable to meet your agaze. You hummed, thinking about what to do.
âWell, how about I just wait with you until you fall asleep?â you suggested.
âO-Okayâ Rudo obliged obediently.
His head found your lap as you gently ran your fingers through his hair. You hummed a song as you watched his red eyes slowly shut.
Mostly EnjinxReader, but other adults will get their time to shine.
+
âHeeeey Maestro~ I got someone youâre gonna like~â
âDonât give me weird nicknames, you make it sound like Iâm in a different like of workâ
âYou never like my nicknames, donât be such a bummerâ
âLast time you called me the beat to your meatâ
âI know, I spent days comping up with that oneâ
âIâm taking off my chokerâ
âWait! Wait! I was serious! I am bringing someone new to HQ!â
âYou got one minuteâŠâ
When you returned to HQ Seimu had told you the new recruit was already gone with Riyo. Zanka was sound asleep, leaving you to wonder why Enjin would single you out like that.
âIâm serious, he always has some weird idea when he opens with âHeeeeyââ you sighed.
Seimu turned the page of her magazine, keeping her eyes focused on the sexy women.
âYou let him speak past that part every timeâ she said.
âI canât ignore him, what if he is serious this time?â you argued.
Seimu looked up and met your eyes, after a pause you both looked away.
âRight, you are so rightâ you placed a hand to your forehead.
âEnjin is never seriousâ
Still, you couldnât help but hear him out. It sounded like he needed your help and he never needed your help. You were waiting for Riyo to return, nervous and eager to see the newbie.
âHis name is Rudo by the way. Interesting little guy, I suggest you keep a cool headâ Seimu said.
âTheyâre already back?â you glanced at the door.
Just as Seimu had spoken, Riyo came waltzing in leading the group. Her eyes lit up as she spotted you.
âFor real?! Youâre here too! This is going to be a great party!â she cheered.
As Riyo ran up to you and threw herself into your arms, you looked behind her. Gris and Follow walked in, Tomme scribbling in her notes before looking up to greet you. At the back of the group was a short boy with a sullen expression. It was hard to tell what he was feeling but it wasnât anything good.
âOh right! I should introduce you!â Riyo began.
But she froze up and you knew she was planning something.
âActually, letâs go! I need your help!â she grinned as she pulled you toward the mess hall with all her strength.
âR-Riyo! Careful!â you warned as you heard your clothes strain against her pull.
Once you were behind closed doors, she hugged you tightly from the front.
âI need your help with the party, but also could you talk to Rudo? Heâs a bit in the dumpsâ she said.
âWhy is it that everyone thinks I can help him?â you muttered.
âWell, everyone always feels better after talking with youâ Riyo said shamelessly.
You patted her head, a sign for her to let go. Begrudgingly, she let her arms fall to her sides.
âIâll try my best, but donât give your hopes upâ you sighed as you agreed to help.
âOkay! Letâs order tons of food! Can you make that special dish too?â she asked.
âJust this once, I canât spoil you guysâ you winked at her.
The party was in full swing and you couldnât help but notice that the star of the evening was currently merging his face with a table. You approached the table quietly, wondering if he had fallen asleep. You tapped on the tableâs surface and he raised his head a little to look up. Deep red eyes looked back, he looked so tired.
âIf you keep pressing your forehead like that, your forehead will flattenâ you smiled at him.
His eyes went wide and he stared at you as if you had told him a secret of the world. His gloved hands reached up to rub his forehead and you couldnât help but laugh.
âIt was a joke, donât worry. Is this seat taken?â you asked.
He shook his head.
âNot one for talking much is he?â you thought.
You sat down in the chair next to him, keeping the distance but moving close enough to talk amongst all the noise.
âYouâre Rudo the newbie right? I heard you had a tough time shadowing Riyoâ you began.
âI was useless, I didnât do a thingâ he grumbled.
You couldnât help but notice his sound.
âYou know, when I first awakened my giver powers I messed up real bad tooâ you said.
Rudo looked up, as if wanting you to continue.
âI was careless and I broke all the windows in a city, almost got ran out for itâ you said with a silly grin.
âHow do you break every windowâŠâ Rudo said in a low voice.
âUm, well let me introduce myself first. My name is ____, and as for how I did it. I still donât really know myself. But I cause a lot more trouble than goodâ you grinned.
Rudoâs frown shifted to pout as he looked at his gloves.
âMy point is, no one is great the first time. Or even the second time. We all make mistakes but we learn and leave them in the past. If you get hung up on every mistake you make, youâll be too heavy to jump toward the futureâ you said as you pointed at his fore head.
Rudo watched as you moved to press your finger to his forehead.
âYouâre young, now is the time to make mistakes. Just say âIâm sorryâ and do better next timeâ you smiled at him.
âMnâ Rudo nodded but his eyes were fixated on your hand.
You stared at him, wondering if he lived alone all his life or just never had someone show affection this way. Luckily, Gris came over to speak to Rudo. As they talked about their previous mission. You looked over Rudo. After all the information Seimu and Enjin has shared, you couldnât find anything new to add. You were just lucky to be in their inner circle.
âI see you met ____â Gris said, catching your attention.
âO-Oh, yeahâ Rudo turned to look at you meekly.
âOh Gris? You finally noticed I was here? Yaaayâ you said sarcastically.
âSorry, I had to speak to Rudo first. Rudo, ____ is the glue holding this place togetherâ he grinned.
âG-Glue?â Rudo repeated.
âNo, donât say that. You make it sound like I do more than just cleaningâ you argued.
âIâm serious, I hope you get to see it soon. Weâd all be lost without youâ he chuckled.
You knew he was just using this as an excuse to butter you up. Gris was always plentiful with compliments. Not that you minded, but it was embarrassing when others heard him. You were about to stop him before he went into detail, but a heavy weight on your back made you stiff.
âMan, Iâm beat!â Enjin groaned as he leaned on both you and Rudo.
âWhoa?!â Rudo jumped, leaving Enjin to throw his full weight on you.
His cheek pressed against yours and your face went flat.
âSmells like an ashtray in hereâ you said.
âYou smell good though, I take it you did some of the cooking?â Enjin grinned as he snuggled closer.
Rudo watched with a shocked expression, making you wonder what he was thinking. You reached up and grabbed Enjin by the collar of his shirt, tugging him away from you.
âYouâre being a bad role model, Rudoâs gonna pick up bad habits from youâ you scolded him.
Enjin smirked, turning back to Rudo.
âWhatâs wrong with you? Havenât you eaten anything?â he asked.
Riyo and Zanka came closer now that the tension was thinner. You could tell they all wanted to help Rudo join in on the party. Once Rudo agreed to join in, Riyo shoved a plate into his arms.
âTry this! ____ made it!â she insisted.
He looked down at the plate, his eyes going wide as he saw the croquettes on his plate.
âW-What are these?â he asked.
âJust eat it, let me know if I should change anythingâ you offered him a kind smile.
Rudo stabbed the center of the croquette with a fork, eating it rather childishly. His eyes lit up a little and he ate more until his cheeks were stuffed.
âIsh good!â he said with a full mouth.
âIâm glad to hear itâ you leaned against the table, using your hand to hold your face up as you bent over to watch him eat.
He ate it quickly, coughing a bit as he had swallowed too much.
âWhatâs in it?â he asked.
You gently patted his head, ruffling his hair a bit.
âA bit of meat and lots of vegetables for a growing boyâ you laughed.
It was long into the night when you woke up. Something had stirred you awake, it wasnât a sound or a touch. But now you were pulled from sleep. You sat up, wondering why you were awake. This groggy feeling wasnât going to let you sleep so you decided to take a small walk around to clear your head. You passed by Rudoâs room and could hear a strange noise. It sounded like he was talking to himself. As you leaned an ear to hear, the door moved open.
âOhâ you gasped.
You looked inside and Rudo was looking back with a tired expression. It was clear he wasnât sleeping properly.
âD-Did I wake you up?â he asked.
âRudo, my room is like 6 doors down. You couldnât wake me if you triedâ you smiled at him.
âRightâŠâ he looked back at his gloved hands again.
You followed his gaze, figuring out you shouldnât ask about them right now.
âCanât sleep?â you asked.
He nodded, looking sheepish as if you were going to scold him.
âAh ok, mind if I help you with that?â you asked.
âHelp how?â he asked.
âI got a little trick to help clear minds,â you said.
You closed the door behind you and walked over to his bed. You sat down next to him, waiting to see if he minded you being that close to him. His red eyes bore into you as he waited for your next move. You raised your arm, showing your bracelet to him. There was a tunning fork hanging from it.
âWhatâs that thing?â he asked.
âItâs my vital instrument. But I wonât release it fully, just a littleâ you said as you grabbed the tunning fork.
It started to glow as you pressed the two legs to Rudoâs forehead.
âResonanceâ you muttered and Rudo felt his body lock into place.
Although he couldnât move, he could feel it. He could hear it. A soothing sound that echoed through his mind and body. But it wasnât from his ears that he heard it. He struggled to wrap his mind around what was going on, sitting there slack jawed until you finished. Once you removed the tunning fork, he could move again. He fell forward and you caught him with your arm, helping him sit back up.
âHow do you feel now?â you asked.
âI feelâŠ. I feel like I⊠I donât know. Itâs the first time I felt soâŠâ he trailed off.
You couldnât help but feel for him, this must have been the first time he felt true peace.
âDonât worry, you donât have to explain. I experience it too, so think of it like a mutual experienceâ you said.
His eyes told you that he still didnât get it but the loss of tension in his body was your priority.
âTry laying down nowâ you said as you stood up.
Rudo laid back in bed, his eyes half lidded and his mouth open wide as a yawn escaped him. He tried to speak but sleep began to overtake him.
âOh, before you knock out. Lock your door next timeâ you whispered as you backed out of his room.
You shut the door behind you, sighing in relief. Just as you turned, you came face to face with a sleepy Enjin.
âI canât sleep eitherâ he smiled lazily as he leaned against the wall.
âTry putting the pillow over your faceâ you grinned at him.
âThen I wouldnât be able to breatheâ he replied with his own.
You began to walk past him but stopped as you heard him mutter.
âThanks, he hasnât been sleeping properly since I found him,â he said.
You were shocked to hear Enjin was concerned with someone like Rudo.
âAnd here I thought you just wanted to use him as an excuse to flirt. You were really worried?â you asked.
âIt would be hard to train him if he was sleep deprived. You just make my job easier is allâ he waved you off and looked to the side with a grumpy expression.
But his words didnât have the usual snark to them.
âIs that really all?â you insisted.
The corners of Enjinâs mouth turned upward as his usual smile returned.
âOh? Are you accepting requests? I got a space in my bed if you wanna resonate with me-â he began and you started walking again.
âEnjin, itâs far too late for that nowâ you sighed.
âSo the offer is still open during waking hours?â he smirked as he followed you.
so I dunno how many Ao3 readers follow me here but I got suspended on Ao3 for mentioning one of my stories was a commission. I already contacted them to appeal it since I was disclosing the work isn't mine entirely.
If it doesn't work out, "Let me hear you" will be posted here until November when the suspension ends. I may also need to remove several works or make changes to them to appease Ao3 mods.
A/N: I decided to start something like a series. I'll rework a more detailed version of Captured at a later date.
Word was that Kenji Sato was returning to Japan. The sun rose, the sky was clear and the day seemed just right. Of course, you already knew he was coming back as you were the first person he told about his big move. You were excited to see your long time friend again, but things were different. You both were different. Kenji had become more boastful, the hard work he had put in paid off and he was reveling in the attention. He was a man now, not the boy you had known.
You had also changed, launching your singing career and becoming somewhat of an idol. Although you called yourself a musician and a singer, your fanbase rivaled that of idols. You remained humble, finding the spotlight to be too much and keeping your public appearances to concerts and TV programs. The contrast between you two was nearly like night and day. However, you didnât let that concern you. All that mattered was getting to reunite with Kenji again.
Kenji had arrived the day before, but he needed some time to sort out his living situation as he told you. Not to pry, you decided to make plans with him before he started to pile on work. You called him with a video call, smiling at his sleepy expression.
âDonât tell me jetlag kicked the Kenji Satoâs assâ you laughed.
âYeah, yeah. You try taking a red eye half way across the world and then talkâ Kenji yawned.
Even if he was a bit disheveled, he somehow made it look attractive.
âUh huh, and who was it that said âthe second I get off the plane we are going places?ââ you asked.
âI know, I forgot about the press meeting. Iâll make it up to you somehowâ Kenji sighed.
Naturally, the moment he returned to Japan the press was foaming at the mouth to get an interview with him. He had his hands tied as he couldnât deny the publicity and the chance to look good.
âYou can make it up to me withâŠ. Okonomiyakiâ you said.
âWhat? Okonomiyaki? You realize you are getting to chill with the Kenji Sato right? We could have anything in all of Japan! Sashimi, Fugu, Wagyu! And you want Okonomiyaki?â Kenji chuckled.
âIf I wanted any of that, Iâd get it myself. Besides, donât you remember after every game weâd go out and get Okonomiyaki? You, your mom and dad, my momâs and I would go to a local placeâ you began.
âYeah, and dad would try to flip the whole thing,â Kenji sighed as he remembered.
âAnd all the toppings would fly off. I smelled like Bonito for three daysâ you laughed.
Kenji grinned, looking softer now. It made you happy seeing him like this. It reminded you of the past when he would be glued to your side.
âYou think you had it bad? My uniform smelled like Okonomiyaki sauce for a week!â he laughed.
You couldnât help but laugh, recalling the tragedy of Kenjiâs baseball uniform. Thankfully, your moms helped Emiko get the scent out in time for his game. As the laughter subsided, you had a silly smile on your face as you looked at Kenji.
âWell, I still want Okonomiyakiâ you said.
âFine, how about afterward?â he suggested.
âItâs gotta be before my concertâ you reminded him.
âShit, thatâs right. You have a concert tonightâ Kenji hissed.
You had to resist the frown from showing on your face. Of course he had forgotten, Kenji Sato was a busy man. So busy he couldnât keep track of your schedule, even after you shared it with him.
âItâs alright, we can do it another day. Maybe when we both arenât so busyâ you sighed.
Kenji looked a bit panicked, his steel blue eyes going wide before he cleared his throat.
âN-No, no. I want to do it as soon as possible. I mean⊠I want to see you. In personâ he said.
You hung your head low and sighed. Honestly, hearing him say that made it hard for you to meet his eyes. You slowly raised your head and gave him a wry smile.
âAlright, we can try,â you agreed.
âMaybe Kenji Sato could get VIP backstage access to the concert and surprise you?â he smirked.
âUh-huh, Iâll let the staff know to let you in. Just donât make yourself at home in my dressing room. I have important things in thereâ you rolled your eyes at him.
âThings more important than me?â he teased.
âOh please, you know there isnât anything more important to me than you. Well, maybe my bass guitarâ you snickered.
Kenji started laughing too, relaxed that you had forgiven him and given him another chance.
âIâll see you tonight, youâre going to be great,â he said.
âHit a home run at the press meetingâ you said back.
The call ended there, as both of you were called away for the evening. You had been in your dressing room preparing for the concert. On a large monitor was the press meeting where Kenji was⊠well, himself. It made your stomach tighten over how cocky he was being. You knew it would spell trouble for him with his team. But hopefully they would see the Kenji you knew.
Or rather used to know.
â[y/n] The venue has let the audience in, we're ready to go on,â your secretary announced.
âRight, thank you Kohakuâ you nodded.
The show must go on, regardless of how you felt. As you left your dressing room, you turned off the monitor, Kenjiâs smirk faded to black before you turned to leave. Your mind shifted to the performance, clearing your head of any other thoughts than your songs and choreography. As you stepped onto the stage, the venue exploded in cheers.
âWhat a huuuuuge crowd! I think we could bring the whole venue down!â you shouted.
Your fans screamed a loud response back, not that you could really understand it.
âLetâs get this show on the road! One, two, three!â you shouted.
As the music began, the crowd sang along and cheered. It was no different from your previous concerts, everything came to you easily. You could feel yourself begin to sweat as the set list made it to the halfway point. Just as it was about to reach the point where you did your signature set, a loud alarm blasted through the venue.
âWarning, Kaiju attackâ came through the speakers and on every screen.
You watched as the fans began to file out, the staff guiding them to the nearest exits. You jumped off the stage, assisting the people in barricades to take the back stage exit with your staff.
â[y/n]! We have to get going!â Kohaku called to you.
âNot until everyone is safe!â you shouted back.
You looked around for any stragglers. There was a group of teens carrying one on their shoulders. You ran over to assess the situation.
âShe fell and her leg got trampled, she canât walkâ one of the teens explained.
A loud roar came from above and the ground began to shake.
âTake her through the back, follow Kohaku outâ you took them as you pointed to your secretary.
The teens nodded, hurrying over to Kohaku who took on the weight of the injured teen. As you watched them leave, you hear another loud roar. Metal crunched and screeched as a huge shadow loomed over. You werenât sure what you were seeing but it was a Kaiju for sure. And it was falling backward onto the venue.
Your legs felt stiff as you hurried to run away, just in any direction to avoid being crushed. When the Kaiju finally fell backward onto the venue, you were launched into the air. Everything went dark as you felt heavy weight on your body and pain radiating through your limbs. It hurts to breathe let alone move.
â[y/n]! [y/n]!â Kohaku called for you.
You couldnât open your mouth, the dust and dirt surrounded you. Nearby, you saw a light stick and turned it on. You hoped the light would signal to Kohaku where you were. After a few minutes, you could hear footsteps approaching.
âRight here! I need a rescue here!â Kohaku shouted.
The debris keeping you down was removed and you were rushed to a hospital.
----
The next day, you had your arm in a sling. It wasnât bad, but you had bruises and pulled muscles. But you werenât cleared to do any work. You had been lucky enough that Kohaku let you still attend the TV program you had agreed to be a special guest for.
âItâs not like they are going to make me do push ups,â you sighed.
âYou're injured, that is going to be a beacon for gossip,â Kohaku said.
âPeople are going to talk regardless, at least let me have some fun while it happensâ you begged.
That was how you ended up on a chair in a TV studio waiting for the cameras to start rolling. What you didnât expect was for Kenji to be the other special guest.
â[y/n]? Youâre the other guest? This is⊠this is great-â he stopped when he saw your arm in a sling.
âOh yeah, we got good chemistry so we can bounce off each otherâ you grinned.
But Kenji just stared at your wounded arm.
âIt looks worse than it feels, Iâll liveâ you began.
âWhat happened?â he asked.
âD-Donât worry about itâ you said nervously.
Before he could press further, the host interrupted you both to start the show. You forced the best smile you could, feeling Kenjiâs eyes on you. The talk show started on a humorous note as the host made puns regarding both Kenjiâs and your profession. It was only a matter of time before the conversation shifted to your injury.
âThatâs quite the shiner youâve got there, wasnât it from the Kaiju attack last night?â the host asked.
âUh⊠yeah. Neronga kinda fell on the venue. These things happenâ you replied.
âTalk about going out with a bang, how are you holding up?â the host asked.
You turned to him, keeping your lips in a thin line.
âWho knew Kenji Sato was a mother hen? Looks like he does care about something other than baseball!â the host joked at your expense.
The audience laughed but you ignored his comment.
âAnyways, the KDF took care of that monster before it could turn you into a pancake. Any thoughts about it?â the host asked.
âI mean, Iâm grateful the KDF managed to take care of the situation. But Ultraman kept the fighting away from my venue. I think if the KDF had let him fight it at least the destruction would have been avoidedâ you answered.
Kenji stared at you, swallowing as a frown set on his features.
âBut didnât Ultraman run away? I think he bit off more than he could chew back thereâ the host laughed.
Cue another laugh from the audience.
âWe all have our bad days, I want to believe heâll save us next timeâ you argued.
You turned to Kenji, noticing he looked rather guilty.
âDonât you think so too?â you asked.
âHe snapped out of the dark thoughts swarming in his head, blinking before nodding.
âUh yeah, sure he will,â he said with false confidence.
After the show had concluded, you started to meet up with Kohaku. You heard someone jogging behind you and already knew it was Kenji.
âHey, can we talk for a minute?â he asked.
âWhatâs this about? You standing me up or not answering your phone?â you asked.
Kenji cursed to himself, he had told Mina to direct all calls to voicemail.
âBoth, letâs go. Right now. I know you have nothing planned with that keeping you busyâ he said as he pointed to your arm sling.
You pouted at him, furrowing your brows.
âOkonomiyakiâ you huffed.
âYeah, yeah. I knowâ he laughed.
Kohaku was annoyed to hear that you had skipped out with Kenji. You hadnât said that it was on his motorcycle either. There had to be some kind of rule against riding with only one good arm. But you threw caution to the wind as you used one arm to keep you grounded to Kenji. Although, he had driven more carefully knowing you were at risk of falling off. When you both reached the old Okonomiyaki restaurant, the memories began to come back.
âThis place hasnât changed a bit,â you said in awe.
âDonât fix what isnât broken or somethingâ Kenji chuckled.
You both sat down and began to create a monster of an order. It felt like you were both kids again, mixing things and exploring new combinations. When it came time to make the pancake, you looked at Kenji with a sly grin.
âAll right hot shot, you gotta cook it,â you said.
âYou can at least put the topping on with your good arm,â Kenji rolled his eyes.
âJust make sure you donât flip it on my headâ you snickered.
âOh ha, ha. Like I canât flip a pancakeâ Kenji sarcastically laughed.
âSays the guy who ended up taking an Okonomiyaki showerâ you continued to tease him.
âHm, maybe you should try one,â he said as he filled a spoon with Okonomiyaki sauce.
Kenji leaned over the table to push it closer to your face.
âKen! Donât you dare!â you squealed.
You both began to calm down as your hunger became more apparent. Kenji managed to keep all the toppings on and flip the pancake. Now it was time to eat. You grabbed a spoon, unable to eat properly with your non-dominant hand. Kenji watched you clumsily try to eat with the spoon.
âOkay, hold upâ he said and stood up.
He grabbed his chair, moving from sitting across the table from you to sitting adjacent to you. He was close enough to bump elbows with you. He raised his chopstick to your mouth.
âSay âAhââ his voice came out playful as he held up a bite sized piece.
âYou canât be seriousâ you said as you felt your cheeks heating up.
âHey, Iâm doing you a favor,â he teased.
You rolled your eyes and opened your mouth. The both of you moved forward and the bite sized piece of Okonomiyaki made it into your mouth.
âOh! So good!â you exclaimed as your cheeks tingle.
âUh huh? See? And you didnât want my helpâ Kenji smirked as he fed himself.
As much as you hated yourself for thinking about it, this was an indirect kiss. You pushed the thought to the back of your mind and hummed loudly.
âWell, if you insist. Then you can feed meâ you laughed.
A/N: I just wanted to write something after watching the movie. Considering making a proper story but I dunno :P
It had all happened so quickly, the drones surrounding your car and the men dragging you into an unmarked vehicle. Your phone was taken and your secretary was left frazzled as you were abducted by a mysterious group. It wasnât until you were in the car did you realize who had taken you. The panic wore off as you steeled yourself the best you could. The KDF had acted upon the suspicions you had been warned about. Then you were blindfolded and presumably taken to their base.
When your sight returned, you were in an interrogation room of some sort. It was obvious by the one table and two chairs. Surveillance cameras in the corners and the one way out of the room. If it wasnât, then it was your prison. The door opened and the tall presence of Dr. Onda entered the room.
âIâm sure you have your questions, so do weâ he began.
You kept calm, not wanting to show fear or nervousness. You know why you were here.
âLetâs not beat around the bush, I saw you with the infant kaiju. Where is it hiding?â Onda demanded.
A monitor brought up the event from a few nights ago. The baby kaiju that you had only recently met, it had gone on a rampage at night as Onda had put it. The creature had been attracted to your concert and jumped over the venue walls to join you on stage.
âI have no idea what you are talking about,â you said plainly.
âYou cannot deny the evidence, it was familiar with youâ Onda accused you.
âHello? I am the number one on the charts right now. Iâm sure my music reached the baby at some point. My music videos are being played all over Tokyoâ you argued.
âHow do you explain your reaction? You didnât run from the infantâ Onda continued.
You kept your face still and calm. In your head, you thought of the baby Kaiju and Kenji. You were determined to protect both of them.
âDr. Onda, just like with any other attack my fans hold priority for me over my own safety. I was scared, but I needed to ensure my fans had time to evacuate. Even if it meant being in the line of fire. I do this all the timeâ you explained.
Of course he knew, there was an ongoing buzz in your fanbase about kaijus enjoying your music. It didnât bother you one bit, especially after meeting the cutest one you had ever seen before.
âThen you sympathize with these monsters? Is that why you hide the infant?â Onda continued to press.
âIf the kaiju had attacked me or my fans, I would have felt some sort of way about it. But you can see clearly on the footage, the baby started dancing. It was singing along, not trying to hurt anyoneâ you said firmly.
Onda paused, letting the camera footage replay once more. You were still singing on stage as the pink baby kaiju screeched and chirped along with the beat. It was clumsy, but the creature had a vague understanding of the choreography. As if practiced.
âIf you wonât tell us, I have my ways of extracting the truth from youâ Onda warned.
âYou canât hold me here without reason for arrest, Iâll throw the book at you as many times as I have toâ you shot back.
âIâll have you know the KDF acts above the lawâ Onda smirked.
âAnd if you knew anything about musicians, you would know we have a reputation of not giving a fuck about authority figuresâ you said confidently.
Onda must have realized this was going nowhere as his smile fell. He stopped the camera footage and made his exit.
âIâll give you time to think about it, surely you will make the right choice once you have cleared your headâ he said as the door shut.
Now that he was gone, you let out a deep sigh. How were you getting out of this one?
____
It hit him hard hearing that you were kidnapped. Mina had found surveillance footage of you being dragged away. The panicked look on your face made his heart clench. Even the baby had let out a sad screech, clawing at the refined glass walls of her containment unit. The moment Kenji saw the footage end, he was storming to the exit.
âWait, Kenji!â Professor Sato stopped his son.
âI canât wait! Donât you know what they will do?!â he shouted.
âI know that, but you canât just break in as Ultraman. We need a planâ the professor said firmly.
Kenji could hear his own heartbeat in his ears. As much as it pained him, his father was right. He probably wouldnât be able to maintain his Ultraman form in this state.
âThen what do we do?â he asked.
âWe do what we can, Mina. Hack the systems and get me eyes inside the baseâ Professor Sato requested.
âVery wellâ Mina responded.
âHack? Dad, is that even legal?â Kenji asked in shock.
âLegality was thrown out the minute they abducted [y/n]â Professor Sato said.
Kenji felt a bit of hope, it had been a long time since he saw his dad like this. He watched as the camera feed showed up in front of them. It cycled through rooms until they found you. They watched the interrogation with Onda, proud of your strong reply.
âI knew they wouldnât break [y/n]â Kenji smiled proudly.
âReminds me of your mother, tough as nailsâ Professor Sato agreed.
The cameras began to feed other rooms as Professor Sato mapped a way out.
âItâs possible I can guide [y/n] out of there. It will be difficult and we will have to believe in [y/n]âs ability to make it out. But that's all we gotâ he continued.
âWhat can I do?â Kenji asked.
âYou are going to be the getaway driver, get ready to rendezvous outside the baseâ Professor Sato ordered.
âGot it, Mina, keep me in the loop and send camera feed to my watchâ Kenji requested.
âAlready on itâ Mina said.
____
You werenât sure how much time had passed, but your mind was getting fuzzy. Just being in the room was unsettling and you wanted to get out. You had tried to look for a way out but there was none other than the locked door. The cameras followed your movement, stripping away what little privacy you had left. They gave you back your phone, but there was no reception at all. The device was just a heavy bar in your hand at this point.
â[y/n]!â a familiar voice hissed.
You turned your head to the monitor in the room, it looked turned off but you were sure you heard a voice.
âDonât look, pretend like you donât hear us. Iâm taking the cameras down in a second so you need to work fastâ Professor Sato explained.
You nodded, not wanting to seem suspicious. You waited until he gave the signal and then rushed over to the monitor.
âThere isnât a lot of time to explain, but I am going to guide you out of the base. Follow the map I am sending to your phone-â
âMy phone doesnât have a signal?â you began.
âItâs jammed, I can only shut down the jammer for a second so keep the image upâ Professor Sato said.
Sure enough, a strange map was sent to your phone. It looked like a maze to you but there was a portion lit up with a bright color.
âFollow this path, I will keep an eye on you and use their systems to warn you. But you must go now!â he warned.
âBut what about when I get out?â you asked frantically.
âKenji will be waiting for you,â Professor Sato said before disconnecting.
The door to the room slid open and you could hear sirens wailing. Spurred by the thought of meeting with Kenji, you started to run. The halls felt like they went on for miles, barren with solid colors and a few lights. If you werenât careful, you could easily get lost in the minimalist design of the base. Occasionally, you could hear Professor Sato over the speakers in the base direct you to change paths to avoid guards. However, it was inevitable that you would run into someone.
âI found the captive!â the guard shouted.
You didnât stop running, charging at the man and sliding on the floor. You used the momentum and the weight of your body to crash into his legs, sending him onto the floor. You quickly recovered, stumbling as you tried to maintain the speed and fix your running stance. The halls began to turn and soon you found yourself in a different area. All you could do was hope that it was closer to the entrance.
More guard appeared and the ground began to descend, a trap to keep you from getting past them. But you let the floor get low enough that you could jump on their helmets like stepping stones to cross the divide. You jumped, just barely making it onto the edge and kept running. Your heart was beating in your chest and your throat burned like it was on fire. You wanted to stop, you wanted to rest.
But Kenji was waiting for you.
That spurred you on until you were sure you were nearing the exit and entrance. Professor Satoâs words of encouragement reassured you as you ran and jumped over the guardâs gate. The sunset blinded you as you kept running, until you heard the rev of an engine. A large shadow filled your vision as your eyes adjusted to the brightness. A hand was extended out to you.
âLetâs get out of hereâ
You could see Kenjiâs smile and grasp his hand tightly. He pulled you onto the back of his bike and you held on for dear life. You kept your eyes closed as your hands dug into his toned body. Your face was pressed into his back and you inhaled his scent. It was all you could do to try and calm yourself. At least until you were sure you were safe. When the ride came to an end, you were at Kenjiâs place. You climbed off the bike and Kenji removed his helmet frantically.
âOh my god! You were amazing, I saw everything! You were so, so-â Kenjiâs voice died off as he finally looked at you properly.
Your shoulders were shaking, your hands clasped together but still shaking. Your pupils were blown and your breathing unsteady.
âYou were scaredâŠâ he finished as he realized the gravity of the situation.
âKenjiâŠ. KenâŠâ you tried to speak properly.
You reached a hand out, but then brought it back to your body. But it was too late, he had already seen it. Kenjiâs larged hand closer around your wrist and he pulled you into him. He had been a bit forceful, making your cheek tender as your face was thrust into his chest. You could hear his frantic heartbeat, it nearly matched yours.
âIâm sorry, Iâm so sorryâŠâ he whispered into your hair.
âKenâŠâ
âItâs all my fault, I should have been there to protect youâ
âKen?...â
âI wonât let it happen again, I promise you that-â
You tighten your hands on his shirt, balling his shirt into your fists.
âCan we just⊠go inside for now?â you asked.
Kenji pulled back, looking deeply into your eyes. He could see the worry still in them, he was being selfish with his guilt and ignoring your anxiety.
âY-Yeah, yeah! Letâs go inside the house. Dad, Mina and the baby want to see you tooâ Kenji stammered out as he pulled you along to the door.
You let out a shaky breath, his grip kept you grounded as you felt like you would fall apart in a second. Kenji was your lifeline right now, and you were grateful for it.
After a shower and much needed restocking, it was time to head out. Roberto had the wheel while you were stuck in the back with Vash and Nicholas. It was usually cramped, the two larger men taking up most of the room. However, this time it felt stuffy. A weird sense of awkwardness hung only in the backseat. You glanced at Nicholas, he did appear any different. If anything, he was more relaxed considering what happened before you left. When you turned to Vash, he was just looking out the window.Â
He wouldnât budge, less the truck bounced a little too hard and caused everyone to shift. You would have lost interest if not for the fact you caught him slipping. You saw Vash turn and try to peek at you, he was really bad at hiding it with the way he jumped. Perhaps he hadnât expected to see you staring at him. Either way, you were a bit annoyed that he was purposely avoiding eye contact. But that would have to wait for when you could get him alone.
âWhere are we going? I donât see anythingâ Meryl complained.
âYouâll see when we get there,â Roberto said gruffly.
âWhat do you mean âyouâll see? We should know nowâ she argued.
âItâs not some place you kids would knowâ he continued.
Nicholas grumbled when he heard that, ready to join in the argument.
âWell, what about the less traveled? I want to knowâ you jumped in.
Roberto glanced at you through the rear view mirror and rolled his eyes slowly. He let out a tired sigh, knowing that he was outnumbered in this situation. His grip shifted on the driverâs wheel as he relaxed in the driverâs seat.
âOur destination is Friday, the city of lights,â he finally confessed.
âFriday? I never heard of itâ Meryl pouted.
âI havenât heard of it eitherâ you said as you turned to Nicholas.
âItâs a big gambling hub, neutral territory amongst gangs and vagabonds. The safest place if you are willing to sell your life away to work for some big wigâ he explained in his own way.
âNo thanks, and no gambling for you,â you said with a narrowed gaze.
âFine then, Iâll splurge on the women and alcoholâ Nicholas sneered.
âGood luck paying with the lint in your pocketsâ you spat back.
âAlcohol and women?â Vash perked up.
âNo, no. Not you tooâ you pointed at him.
He laughed nervously and held his hands up in defense.
âIt also has a water plant, which makes it an exceptional target. That is, if your crazy brother decides to appearâ Roberto said to Vash.
âWell, there is always a chance he mightâŠâ Vash agreed.
âThen it is for business and pleasure, no need to get so ruffled about itâ Roberto said.
âUgh, it still reeks of ulterior motiveâŠâ Meryl groaned.
With the plan finalized, the truck was headed for Friday. Even though the sun was about to set, Roberto continued to drive. In the distance, lights were the first thing you could see. Then large buildings of varying sizes. Then you could hear the music. As the truck drove in, the city was alive with various vagabonds and people. It was much different from the other cities or even the ships.
âNow this is my kind of sceneâ Nicholas chuckled as he looked out the window.
âItâs a bit loud hereâŠâ you sighed.
Meryl was awestruck, looking out the window at the many buildings that passed by. Most of them began to blur together but the bright signs were all you needed to know what kind of business that was in this town.
âLetâs go ahead and get to an inn before they run out of roomsâ Roberto laughed.
The hotel was a normal one thankfully, lacking any kind of services outside of lofty beds. This time around, everyone got their own room for some reason.
âI thought we were strapped for cash?â you asked.
âRoberto said this can be written off as âwork expensesâ but I doubt itâ Meryl rolled her eyes.
As odd it felt to take another âbreakâ, you had a feeling rest was far from what you would be doing. Everyone met in the lobby for their âinstructionsâ.
âAlright, our goal is to find the plant and ask around for any suspicious figures. Iâll head to the lounges to get informationâ Roberto began.
âFor real? It sounds like you are just going to slack offâ Meryl narrowed her eyes at him.
âYouâre too young to go in anyways so you can stick to the streetsâ Roberto waved her off.
âIâll ask around at the gambling dens, maybe Iâll make a killing while thereâ Nicholas chuckled.
âYeah, lady killing maybeâ you rolled your eyes at him.
âIt shouldnât be hard for me to make it bigâŠâ Nicholas trailed off as an idea occurred.
He nudged you toward Vash and smirked.
âWhy donât you go spend time with Needle-noggin? Youâve been glued to my side since we met back up. You two can go on a little date or something?â he chuckled.
âNickâŠâ you gave him a serious side eye.
âHm? Me?â Vash pointed at himself.
Nicholas laughed, walking away as he left you alone with Vash. Roberto and Meryl had already left too, leaving you alone with the strange blonde. The awkward air was still there and you had no idea what was going through his head at the moment. Not that he would tell you outright to begin with.
âWow, I guess itâs just us for now thenâ Vash said as he rubbed the back of his head and looked up at the neon lights above.
There wasnât anything that came to mind, leaving you in an awkward position. How were you going to break the ice with him?
âI need a drinkâŠâ you sighed and began walking.
âW-Wait, Iâm coming too!â Vash followed behind you quickly.
With him being much taller and having longer legs, it didnât take him more than a second to catch up. He fell into step next to you, looking everywhere but at you. It was a contrast to how he seemed to always have his eyes on you when he thought you werenât looking. You both stopped by a bar, ordering a drink of your choice. Vash had a tall beer in his hand, raising the glass to you.
âShall we?â he grinned.
âYeahâ you clicked your glass with his.
It seemed like he wasnât so nervous around you anymore. After taking your first sip, you looked at Vash.
âLooks like you finally relaxed, I thought you might have had a problem with meâ you confessed.
Vash nearly spit out his beer, forcing himself to swallow and hit his chest.
âW-Why would I have a problem?â he asked after clearing his throat.
âWell, youâve been kind of shy as of late. Did I forget something?â you asked.
Vash felt his cheeks warm up, there was no way he could get around it now.
âI may haveâŠ. Heard you in the showerâŠâ he said without looking you in the eye.
âOhâŠ.â you took a sip of your drink and looked at the bar counter.
âIâm gonna kill Nicoâ
You clutched your drink and tried to imagine kicking Nicholas in the shins until he fell over. Vash could feel the intense irritation coming from you and laughed nervously.
âI-I donât mind, weâre all adults after allâ he tried to say.
But his chest tightened, he knew why he did mind. He knew how selfish he would be by trying to convince you to not do thatâŠ. Or to do it with him.
âThatâs not the point, itâs rude to just not warn you or anythingâ you sighed.
âSo, you two are like that?â he asked.
âNot necessarily, itâs just⊠we trust each other I guess? Itâs not like I have any reasons not to and Nico isnât taking advantage of me. I guess itâs more like a casual exchangeâ you tried.
You didnât want to put it into words, you both were supposed to be partners in crime, not lovers. Nicholas made that clear and you were painfully aware that he would be in danger around you after this job.
âHuh, I think I can understand that. As long as you are happyâ he sighed.
Maybe it was the alcohol, but you felt a bit confident about this feeling welling up inside you. A sly smirk curled up on your lips and you leaned on the counter a bit. Your finger traced the rim of your drink as you looked at him.
âDo you want in on it?â you asked.
âYes?! I-I mean what?â Vash stammered as he hit his knee on the counter.
Â
Both drinks shook as he groaned in pain. Your eyes went wide briefly and a small laugh left you.
âI didnât think you would actually respond, I thought you would have understood it was a jokeâ you said.
âAhâŠâ
Now both of you were staring at the counter, red in the face and stiff in the shoulders. You wondered why you said it, it just felt right and you knew Nicholas would have done that in the moment. But it made you feel warm that Vash just agreed wholeheartedly like that. You had no idea he was beating himself up for taking the invite seriously, of course it was a joke! You had only met him like a week ago!
âS-Sorry, that was a joke made in poor tasteâŠâ you began.
âN-No! I just⊠ahâŠâ Vashs struggled to think of a way to salvage the moment.
As the two of you sat there, some gunmen were laughing loudly and approached you both from behind. They threw their arms around you both and raised their drinks.
âCome on! Join in on the fun!â one guy said.
âYeah, you two are missing out on the best part about Friday!â the other man cheered.
Both you and Vash shared a strange look, wondering if they were trying to mug you or kidnap you.
âWhat is the best part?â Vash asked.
The two men tugged you both toward the door and onto the street.
âThe Donâs parade! All his best girls come out and pick luck bastards for a night of pleasure. Doesnât matter who you are or what you are, everyone has a chance!â the men cheered.
âOh of course it is something like thatâ you thought dryly.
âAnyone? Um, I think weâre goodâ Vash glanced at you worriedly.
âAw, donât be modest big bro! Newbies are really popular and lucky! You might even get the donâs best girl!â a man nudged Vash.
âYeah, Monica likes fresh meat after all,â another man sighed.
âThanks but no thanks, Iâm not really interestedâ you began.
There was loud music as a parade began, well something like that. There was a large float with various women on it. They all waved and blew kisses as the float drove slowly by. Their eyes scanned the crowd and only a few picked people from the mob. You began to slide back into the bar but the men blocked your way back in.
âDonât be a sourpuss, at least try!â one man stated.
âIâm not interested so wonât that better your chances?â you said as you tried to push past them.
But the men wouldnât budge, the float was drawing closer and some women began walking alongside it to get a better look at the crowd. You were getting annoyed and felt a slight panic at the possibility of being chosen. You glanced at Vash and saw that a woman was approaching him. She had a sultry smile on her face as she traced a manicured finger along his jaw. You couldnât hear them but it made your stomach drop.
His eyes met yours and he stared into your eyes. They went wide and he wasnât paying the woman attention anymore. He wasnât even paying attention to anything around either of you. He leaned toward you and grabbed your hand, taking it firmly in his before taking off running. You were stumbling behind him, finding your footing as you kept up with him. Vash pulled you into an alley, the walls were so narrow you both were standing chest to chest. With Vash being taller it was more like your face was in his chest.
âHaahâŠ. HahâŠahâŠâ Vashâs heaving breathing filled your ears.
Your own breathing echoed in your ears as you both heard the two men run by looking for you both. You were glad to be away from it all but the parade was still nearby, it was too early for you to let your guard down. You looked up at Vash, regretting it quickly. You both were close enough that your noses were touching. You could see his blue eyes reflect the colorful neon lights that illuminated the entrance of the alley. His shades slid down slightly on his nose and cheeks were slightly red.
âU-UmâŠâ his lips trembled as he realized his hands were on either side of your head.
From the outside, this looked like something entirely different than what he had intended to do. But he couldn't find it in him to move away. He swallowed, drawing attention to his throat. Your eyes flickered down to his lips and throat for a second before going back upward.
âVashâŠâ your question was more of a call of his name.
It was enough to pull him from his shock and he laughed nervously.
âHaha, I guess I just made my own joke huh? I wasnât intending to do anythingâŠâ he said as he tried to shimmy past you to stand in front of the alley entrance.
You released a breath you had no idea you were holding. You felt your shoulders drop as you saw him look out to see if the coast was clear. While he was busy looking, he missed the way you put a hand over your beating heart. Maybe you had drunk too much after allâŠ.
A hand wrapped around your mouth and you felt yourself being pulled into the dark alley. It was too quickly to react as you were soon engulfed in darkness. When you felt the hands leave you for a moment, you swung your arm in their direction. It nearly connected, but it wasnât a direct hit. You heard the sound of something clicking and soon a wave of shock rushed over you.
âA t-taser?!â you exclaimed.
You gritted your teeth, following the direction of the hooks to see some kind of guard using it. You started walking toward him, ignoring the pain and the shock running through your body. He turned the dial up, panicking at how it wasnât stopping you.
âWhatâs this bitch made of?â he exclaimed.
You punched the man, feeling the taser stop. Your body felt like it was made of rubber and you began to lose feeling in your legs.
âAh, shitâŠâ you said before falling to the ground.
You heard someone approaching you and a gruff voice echoed out.
âYou dumbass, donât tase âem! I said to bring âem to me not kill âem!â the voice growled.
-------------------------
Your mind felt heavy, actually, your entire body felt heavy. The last thing you remembered was being tased. You opened your eyes, feeling yourself bound to wood. Your eyes made out the legs of a chair and a wooden floor. As you raised your head, you smelled smoke.
Burning tobacco
âNico? â you groaned.
âWho the hell is that? Around here, they call me don Grappa. Forgive my idiot underlings, thatâs no way to treat a guest in Fridayâ a gruff voice said.
Your head was pounding so you just glared at the man. Unsure of what to do in this case.
âI bet you are wondering why I wanted to talk with you, well I would like to explain it over dinner to compensate for the rude trip you were forced into. That is, if you agree to not kick my ass or anythinââ Grappa chuckled.
âIâll consider itâ you grumbled.
âI donât blame you but Iâm beinâ honest, I have some info you will want and I got some questions in exchange. Iâll even invite your friends to come save youâ Grappa promised.
Your mouth was in a thin line, so he knew who you came with? Was Vash taken too?
âWhy would I do that? Iâm not about to play some silly game for your entertainmentâ you said plainly.
âAw, it will be fun to tease your friends a bit right? Iâll even pay you, just play along with the kidnapping for a bit just to make things excitingâŠ. Letâs say 1k double dollars?â Grappa said.
âHuh?â you grunted.
âHigher?â Grappa said.
â....Make it 10kâ you said bitterly.
âHahaha! I knew Iâd like you!â Grappaâs boisterous laugh echoed off the walls.
-He is a bit more direct that Ayato, in the sense he is more willing to take you on "dates". He masks them as tours or being your guard as he walks with you through Inazuma. It's an excuse for him to stay close to you.
-He will offer his arm to you as you walk. When you two are in crowds, he will offer his hand in case you "get lost". If you don't want to, he doesn't take offence but will give you the distance you want. He still hovers around you.
-Thoma offers you gifts every time you both go out. They can be small things such as flowers or sweets he had made. He always offers to cook you something to eat and makes lunch boxes for the two of you if it is a long trip.
-He will also give you more expensive gifts, mostly custom made things. When the summer starts to come, he gifts you a fan with your favorite color and design on it. Or he gets a yukata made for you in the pattern he saw you staring at as you both passed the shop.
-His flirting is modest but very romantic. He will give you compliments, but they are all well timed to compare you to something. Like he will do the "Whoa, that smile was brighter than the sun".
-His ideal way of wooing you is taking you on a boat to watch fireworks on the water so you both are alone.
-Although he is busy with work for Ayato, he always finds time to check on you daily to drop some of his flirting.
-Sometimes on your walks, he will offer to carry you on his back. If you get injured, he will bridal carry you instead of putting you on his back. Thoma's best quality is his chivalry and his strength, he is aware of this.
-When he has a day off, he will try to take you to theater show or something and have an official date.
-He thinks youâre cute for trying to rizz him up like that. He is too cool to fall for flirting so he just smiles at your antics. Kaeya is careful so he doesnât jump at any attention he gets.
-Once he is sure you have no ulterior motives, he flirts back. He will see it as a challenge and will try to make you a flustered mess.
-Kaeya uses sweet words at first, referring to you as a little minx. He will throw pet names at you and refer to you as his âlittle blue birdâ.
-Kaeya will test your willingness. He will agree to your invites to dates and let you touch him wherever. He invites it as he likes to see if you have the determination to actually do it.
-When you get flustered, he will smile and admit he was teasing you. If you donât get flustered, he will suggest you both go somewhere privateâŠ
-Kaeya wonât deny that you two are dating when people draw that conclusion. If you play along too then you both kinda end up in a âdating but not official relationshipâ.
-Kaeya eventually makes sure you want to date him. His teasing doesnât stop though so good luck our flirting him
-Honestly, the first time he would just walk away or shut the door. He doesn't have time for this.
-After a while though, he begins to put up with the advances. As long as you don't get in his way of doing something or push his limit, he doesn't really care. He levels it to Kaeya's teasing.
-You are going to have to be in for the long game because he won't give you an inch for a long time. Diluc doesn't let a single crack in his demeanor about the flirting. You might want to give up sometimes.
-Eventually, it starts to grow on him as he becomes closer with you. He still doesn't accept the flirting, he will respond though. When you make a comment about him being cool or something about his abilities, he just smiles and says "What did you expect?".
-When you try to get flirty about his looks though, he keeps a modest outlook and just lets you say whatever you want. Not agreeing but not disagreeing with you. If you look closely, the tips of his ears are red.
-When you try to get handsy, he shows just how agile he is. It's like a cat not wanting to be pet, he just sidesteps you. Once, he did it and you nearly fell but he caught you.
-It takes a while for Diluc to let you touch him and when he does it's hugs, glomps, attaching to his arm and hand holding. Nothing more and nothing less.
-Occasionally, you will find that he has a small collection of EVERYTHING you gave him. Even if it wasn't a gift. (Lowkey could see him keeping supplies you gave him)
-If you can hold off until you both are in a private situation, he may even flirt back.
