ihateoc

[ihateoc]

Reunited

(word count: 2,341) (part 4 of 4)

As he takes the first step out into chilly fog-filled air, his mind wanders to Dusk. A faint smile graces his lips as he thinks about how close he is to reuniting with her. 

Step after uncertain step, Xavia ventures further ahead, each footfall swallowed by an eerie silence that wraps around him. The lantern’s dim light struggles against the suffocatingly thick blanket of white. He tightens his grip on the metal handle, his resolve holding steady despite the cold sensation of dread creeping up his spine. 

"Xavia, over here!" His mother's voice comes from out of nowhere, luring him towards a dark alleyway to his left. He freezes, heart pounding in his chest as he spins around and sees nothing but the endless murkiness. 

"No... Can't be," He whispers to himself, shaking off the wave of unease that fills him. 

Another voice calls out then. This time it’s Aurelius. His employer's calm tone tugging at strings of concern and responsibility within him, "You need rest, Xavia. Come home." 

"But..." The sentence hangs heavy in the air before dissolving into the misty abyss along with the hallucinations. 

In the midst of all of the overwhelming chaos stands Dusk, her figure reaching out for him. It takes everything in him but he advances past her, her form dissipating back into the haze surrounding him. 

After walking for some time, he reluctantly admits to himself that he's undoubtedly lost, directionless and uncertain amidst a haze of illusions. 

"Damn fog. Damn pirates!" Xavia curses under his breath, frustration seeping into each muttered word. Bitter cold nips at his skin, the lantern in his hands barely emitting any light. 

"Xavia, I'm here for you," It’s Dusk's voice this time around, sounding so real that he can almost feel her breath against his ear. 

But he shakes off the tantalizing illusion, each whispered promise shattering into fragments before they can take hold of him. 

"No..." He grits out between clenched teeth, his hand closing tighter around the cool metal handle, "This isn't real!" 

"XAV!" Dusk's voice echoes around him again, louder this time, "Xavia! I'm going to kill you for telling me to run!" 

He was about to dismiss it as another trick of the fog. But the other voices had been cooing sweetly at him, trying to lure him further into disillusion... This was different. 

"Xav!" Her voice cuts through the fog in a way the lighthouse never could, "Xav! Hurry back! If you can hear me, follow my voice, cranky bastard!" 

"Dusk?!" Xavia exclaims, a surge of relief flooding his senses at the familiar abrasive tone. His heart skips a beat, and for the first time since he stepped into this fog, he sees hope glimmering through it, "Yeah, that's definitely her," He chuckles to himself, his body moving instinctively towards the direction her voice came from. 

As he nears the entrance of the bar, he spots Dusk standing there, voice hoarse from calling out to him. Without hesitation, his lantern drops to the ground with a clang as she rushes into his embrace and he envelops her protectively, one hand resting on her lower back while the other cradles the back of her head. 

"Dusk...!" His voice is soft, relief evident in those two syllables as he holds her close. In the doorway of the bar's entrance, their entwined figures look like a painting full of longing and unspoken words. 

He tightens his grip around her, letting out a shaky breath against the cool skin of her neck, "God, you're okay... You're really here..." 

"I'm fine, Xav," Dusk confirms weakly against his chest, her body trembling within the warmth of their overdue reunion, one arm slung around his neck and the other clutching at his jacket's fabric desperately. 

With concern evident in his voice, he questions her, "Are you injured?"  

"Just a minor wound on my leg. Nothing too serious. The locals patched me up," She reassures him quickly, not wanting to worry him more than necessary. 

"Damn, your leg..." Xavia grumbles, pulling away slightly to look at her in concern. His gaze softens as it settles on the bandaged limb, a mix of worry and relief flooding over him. 

"It's alright," She insists with a weak chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood, "I promise you; I can handle much worse... But are you okay? I was so worried!" 

A warm sensation fills him at the sound of her concern over him. He dispels her concerns with a small smile and his usual sarcasm, "Besides getting tied up by pirates and getting lost in the fog, I'm fine, Dusk." 

When she draws back further to inspect him for injuries, all he can do is chuckle at the troubled crease between her brows. 

Gently, Dusk traces a finger down the old scar on Xavia's cheek, relieved to find him unscathed, "Well, I guess you've had better days... I really wanted to go after you but those guys wouldn't let me," She points to Don and Soma, who are sitting at the bar, "They said the fog was too dangerous." 

"And they were right, Dusk. That fog isn't something to be messed with," Xavia replies, his gaze following her finger to the duo. A sudden wave of gratitude washes over him for these strangers. 

Don swivels in his barstool to face them as he complains, "She's been yelling out that damn door for nearly two hours now. She said if you were out there, you could follow her voice." 

"Two hours? She's got some lungs on her then," Xavia remarks with a slight chuckle, his eyes still lingering over Dusk. The blush that tinges her cheeks makes him want to tease more, but he bites back the urge. 

He can't help but feel touched by her persistence. It's as if she refused to give up on him. 

Dusk huffs indignantly at his joke, clearly embarrassed but unable to hide the smile that tugs at her lips, "Well, someone had to keep you from getting lost in there for too long." 

"She also punched us both in the face for trying to grab her when she tried to leave. But she let you hug her like it was nothin'," Soma grumbles out before taking a drink of his mug of beer. 

Dusk's blush deepens further at his revelation, her gaze dropping down to avoid seeing the amusement in Xavia’s eyes, "That was a little... Different, don't you think?" 

"She did what?" The white-haired man glances at the men, a smirk forming on his face at the newfound information as he lets out a quiet chuckle, "You've always had quite the arm on you, Dusk." 

"Of course, I… Well, they were getting in my way!" She stammers out an explanation defensively, "And it's not like I was aiming to kill or anything!" 

Xavia chuckles again, sarcasm lacing his voice, "Sure, I believe you." 

"And I should punch you too for telling me to run," She brings her fist back as if she's going to strike him but she falters as tears begin to fall from her eyes. 

"Dusk..." Xavia drawls out in a hushed tone as he spots the glimmering trails on her cheeks, a pang of guilt twisting his gut in knots. He reaches out tentatively, brushing away her tears with his thumb gently, "Hey... Hey... It's okay. I'm here now." 

His free hand wraps around hers, firm yet comforting. 

Dusk's shaky laughter rings out in the small space between them as she finds comfort within his touch, a small smile playing on her lips, "I know you are. And I'm so glad… I knew you'd make it back." 

"Dusk... I..." His words choke in his throat as he takes in the sight before him. The vulnerability etched on her face stirs something profound within him. He pulls her closer then, holding onto this woman who cried out of relief for his safety. 

She revels in the feeling of being engulfed in the comforting warmth of Xavia, his grip firm yet tender. It was a simple act, so intimate and genuine that it left her breathless, "Xav..." 

"Dusk, we're in this together. Partners in crime, right?" Xavia murmurs into her hair, their promise echoing through the silent bar. His hands cradle her gently, the fear of losing something so precious making his grip surprisingly delicate. 

"We are, Xav," She whispers back, a sense of contentment washing over her as they stand entwined within each other's arms, "Partners in crime always. I promise to never leave your side again." 

"Neither will I," He utters under his breath, "Thank you, Dusk. For everything." 

In the end, it was Dusk’s voice that led him back, not just from the fog but also the lingering loneliness within him. The memory of his mother's advice echoes within him, loud and clear. 

'Don't let her slip away.' 

Dusk lightly hums against his chest in response, "I'd do anything for you, Xav." 

"Dusk..." Xavia’s voice comes out husky, full of raw emotion as he pulls back slightly to take in her tear-streaked face. His gaze drops to her lips, the urge to cover them with his own becoming almost impossible to ignore. 

He swallows hard, readying himself for this leap into the unknown. Because Dusk... She was worth that risk. 

As their lips finally meet, they melt into the kiss, a soft sigh escaping Dusk as she clings onto him tighter. The feel of Xavia's mouth against hers was everything. More than what she had ever imagined it would be.  

Xavia's own heart thuds loudly in his ears. Her lips are softer than he ever imagined, moving against his with a sweetness that leaves him dizzy. He wraps an arm around her waist, drawing her closer to deepen the connection as desire weaves itself within this stolen moment. Everything else fades away, leaving only them and this incredible intimacy. 

When they part, he looks down at her, taking in her flushed cheeks and adoring smile. He's about to say something when the locals in the bar begin clapping. His brows furrow slightly as he glances over his shoulder, the room momentarily forgotten till now. The applause brings him back to reality, his cheeks filling with heat. 

"Looks like we have an audience… I always pictured that being a more private moment," The white-haired man mumbles, a sheepish smile tugging at corner of his lips while giving Dusk’s waist a reassuring squeeze. 

Dusk buries her own face in Xavia's chest again to cover up her own embarrassment, "Well, I'm sure they're just happy for us," She mumbles against him before realization strikes her, "Wait, you've pictured this before?" 

"What I…I mean… Uhh..." Xavia stutters, taken aback by her question. He was never the type to get flustered easily, but Dusk somehow always managed to catch him off guard. 

The dark-haired woman grins up at him, her heart fluttering within her chest as she admits, "I don't mind. I've pictured it often myself." 

"Huh, it that so?" He stares at her, surprise flickering in his dark eyes before a wide grin breaks out across his face, "Guess we're even then." 

His finger traces the curve of her cheek affectionately. 

"Yeah, I guess we are," Dusk contentedly agrees, "I'm glad it happened though." 

They hadn't even noticed Soma approaching them until he makes a comment, "She's a lot quieter now. Thank God. But you kids sure ain't normal." 

Dusk can't help but chuckle at his words, her hand finding Xavia's and giving it a light squeeze, "Well, we never claimed to be normal, right? Just... Us." 

"Just us..." Xavia repeats with a tender smile, his thumb gently caressing the back of her hand. The locals' words held no weight against their shared understanding. 

"Just us always," Dusk agrees, her eyes meeting his with a warm gaze that reflects their shared feelings. It's a simple phrase yet it holds so much meaning for them at the moment. 

"Always," He echoes, his voice thick with emotion. Their fingers intertwine as he pulls her closer, his eyes never leaving hers. 

A promise of forever captured within the silence. 

---------- 

Several days later, Aurelius is briefing them on their next task, "For this job, it might be better if you two worked separately." 

"Why the hell would I agree to that, Aurelius?" Xavia growls, his dark eyes flashing with a deadly warning. The mere thought of leaving Dusk alone made his blood boil. He leans forward aggressively, "After what happened last time? You think I'd let her out of my sight?" 

Aurelius looks concerned for a moment before chuckling heartily, "And that's why I trust you, Xavia! You have guts! You're right. Do as you see fit." 

"Damn right, we will," Xavia grumbles, his expression relaxing slightly at Aurelius’s lighthearted agreement. He shoots Dusk a quick glance before returning to their employer with an icy warning, "Just make sure the job pays enough for our troubles." 

"You've got it, son," The old man replies enthusiastically, "Just do your best out there." 

Dusk can't help but grin at her partner's words, the protective note in his voice warming her heart, "We always do our best, Aurelius. You know that." 

Once they exit the room and are out of earshot, Dusk lets out a quiet giggle as she glances up at his side profile, "Cute..." 

"Cute, huh?" Xavia raises an eyebrow at her, a smirk dancing on his lips. He bumps her gently with his shoulder as they continue walking, "Just remember who you're calling cute when I'm kicking ass." 

She laughs and lightly nudges him back, "I'll be sure to remember that." 

"You better," Xavia retorts playfully. His heart flutters at the sound of her laughter, a constant reminder of what they're fighting for. 

He brushes his knuckles against hers affectionately as they walk back to their house, his gaze softening as he watches her. These moments, her laughter, the stolen kisses, he vows to protect them all at any and all costs. She was worth it after all. 

[ihateoc]

Xavia

(word count: 2,196) (part 3 of 4)

Xavia watches silently as they leave Dusk behind, possibly in the hands of their crew's stragglers, while he's being forcefully dragged towards a pirate ship where he's thrown under the deck and chained down brutally to a wooden chair. 

Dread grips him tightly yet he keeps hoping that somehow Dusk managed to escape the pirates unharmed. He can handle pain. He's been doing it all his damn life after all. But her... Not knowing how she is or even if she made it out safely? That's going to be the real killer here. 

He sits in the dark, the ship gently rocking back and forth before the door finally creaks open, Captain Anne entering the room, the parrot still sitting on her shoulder, "G'day, thief. I got some questions and you better have answers." 

"Fuck off," Xavia spits out rebelliously, glaring daggers at the smug woman while the chains rattle under his strain, "I'm not telling you a damn thing." 

"You will if you want the girl safe and sound," She sneers derisively, "What do you want with the spyglass?" 

"What are you..." His breath hitches in his throat at her casual words, a bitter surge of fear pumping through him, "What have you done to Dusk?!" 

The captain's amused chuckle echoes ominously around him as she unsheathes her sword, swiftly pointing it at his neck, "Answer the question." 

"It's not for me," He grits out, his eyes flitting between her weapon and the obscured face behind it, "My employer wanted it. I couldn't give a damn less." 

He swallows nervously at the cold steel pressing dangerously against his skin, painfully aware of how this wasn't exactly an ideal bargaining position. 

"Who's your employer?" She prods him, holding the blade closer against his neck. 

Xavia pauses, considering his options carefully, "Wouldn't you like to know?" 

A spiteful smile plays at the edge of his lips as he locks eyes with her. She doesn't need to know. Especially if she decides hunting Aurelius will be more lucrative. 

"Bastard," She spits out, her tone dripping with venom, "Tell me or we'll have ya hanged." 

"I don't think you'd get a chance to do that," He snaps back, "See, my employer... He doesn't really like it when pirates try and mess with his things." 

He watches her, gauging for any signs of doubt or fear within her calculating eye. Here goes nothing... He needs some kind of upper hand here if he's going to figure out how to escape from this situation with his life. 

"You're bold for someone chained up with a blade to their throat." 

"Call it a habit. You pirates aren't the first ones to try and get under my skin," He mutters, his jaw clenched in defiance. 

Staring back at her coldly, Xavia is well aware that every word he utters could lead him further into danger, but there was an odd satisfaction in seeing her confusion at his audacity. 

She pulls her weapon away and holsters it on her waist with an amused chuckle, "I like your attitude. You got guts. But we'll see what my crew thinks we should do with ya," Before leaving the room, she removes the spyglass from her shirt pocket and holds it up, "Thanks for leading us to the treasure, fool." 

"Sure, go celebrate," Xavia hisses sarcastically as the captain leaves the room, "Enjoy it while you can." 

With her gone, he slumps back in his chair and finally lets a grimace of despair overtake his face. The cold dread is swiftly replaced by seething rage, at himself more than anyone else for walking right into this trap. 

From the sound of it, it seems like the crew had been watching Xavia and Dusk since their ferry docked at the port. He should have realized they were being followed, but he was in such a damn hurry to get this job over with already, he hadn't even considered it. He willingly put Dusk in danger. And he wouldn't forgive himself for that. 

Now wasn't the time for self-pity though. He needs to focus on freeing himself and he already has a plan. 

The ship's rhythmic sway and the distant sounds of boisterous pirate celebrations are the only backdrop to his patient struggle. Hours pass, each moment ticking away like a bomb about to detonate. 

When he finally feels the chains give way slightly under his nen manipulation, relief washes through him so intensely, it leaves him momentarily dizzy. Silently thanking whatever gods may exist, Xavia starts working faster on loosening them further to escape. 

When the chains finally fall to the floor with a clang, he stands up straight, rubbing the red marks on his wrists. Eyeing the closed cabin door with grim determination, Xavia formulates his strategy meticulously. He knows he'll have to be stealthy, fast, and deadly. 

First off, he needs to kill the damn pirates, then verify Dusk's safety, and get that spyglass. 

He may have been stripped of his weapon but he wasn't unarmed. 

His fingers nimbly retrieve the small vial of bubbles hidden in his jacket pocket. It's a risky move, but he considers the idea of manipulating a bubble around himself to render himself invisible. However, he'll only have a limited oxygen supply, so he'll need to be quick and efficient. 

Once he's successfully hidden in a large bubble, Xavia silently and skillfully navigates through the ship, employing his bubbles to envelop the heads of unsuspecting individuals, suffocating them as he encounters them. His conscience barely flinches as one after another, the pirates crumble soundlessly. Their bodies slump to the floor, faces still set in confusion and surprise before an eerie silence takes over. 

It's quick, cruelly so, but efficient. 

As he weaves his deadly path through the ship with invisible precision, there's a part of Xavia that can't help but wonder how different things could've been if these bastards hadn't dared cross paths with him. 

Finally, he arrives at the captain's quarters, where his bubble pops, allowing him a few deep breaths before moving forward. His weapon and the spyglass should be up ahead. 

Upon entering the room, he kills the two other pirates guarding Captain Anne using the same method before facing her head-on. 

"Remember me?" Xavia strides further into the room, his voice barely above a whisper yet slicing through the silence like a razor. 

Her eye widens at his sudden appearance but not for long. He doesn't give her a chance to react further, wrapping her head in one of his nen bubbles ruthlessly, sucking her oxygen away from her. 

But... Almost as if she doesn't need oxygen, she isn't affected. 

"What the-" He stumbles back in surprise, as she breaks free from his bubble. Panic flares momentarily before his training kicks back into gear. 

It's impossible! He had her. Does she have some kind of counter nen ability? Dammit! He needs to rethink his strategy quickly. 

"You're confused, aren't ya, thief?" Captain Anne asks with a smug aura radiating off of her figure. 

"Must be a freaky genetic mutation," Xavia retorts, his mind in overdrive as he tries to analyze how she survived, "Or maybe you're just full of hot air." 

Keeping his posture nonchalant, he readies himself for another assault, one that wouldn't be as easy. 

"Neither," She grips his twin scythe as she advances towards him in a flash, her bird squawking from its nearby perch. 

The white-haired man barely has time to duck away, cursing under his breath as she swings his own weapon at him. He parries with little more than clenched fists and raw instinct, "Hell of a way to settle disagreements!" He grunts out in between dodges, his mind racing frantically for a different approach as the parrot squawks out again. 

Xavia's focus flickers between the pirate captain and her seemingly harmless pet, a nagging suspicion gnawing at the back of his mind. There was something unusual about that bird... But what? 

"Your pitiful sideshow is getting old," He snaps out, buying himself some precious time to observe the strange duo more closely. 

The scythe comes towards him and he catches the blade in his hands, blood staining the wooden floor beneath them. What is it? What is he missing? 

"You really don't get it?" The cruel woman mocks him with a scoff, seeming all too pleased about his confusion. 

"If I did, we wouldn't be dancing around like this," He shoots back, glaring at her while trying to comprehend the situation. 

He draws in a deep breath and steadies himself. His eyes observe her carefully. Her movements, her expressions... Even that annoying bird's cawing in the background. 

Originally, he had assumed the parrot was being manipulated by Captain Anne, however, if it was, shouldn't it be attacking him instead of her? Could it be...? That the bird isn't an animal at all, but a nen beast that's controlling the woman? 

He had initially attributed her powerful aura to her expertise as a nen user. But it occurs to him that she's actually... 

"Fuck me..." Xavia mutters as the realization clicks into place. The mocking laughter, the relentless attacks, all conjured by that innocent looking bird! That would explain why Captain Anne doesn't require oxygen. 

He feels a chill run down his spine at the absurd revelation. 

"It's not you," He sneers, blood and sweat dirtying his face while his fingers clench tighter around the blade of his scythe, "You're just this little bird's damn puppet show!" 

"You're smarter than you look," As she moves to attack once more, he swiftly pivots, making a direct dash for the bird and grasping it in his hands, threatening to choke the life out of it. 

"A smart thief. Who would've thought?" Xavia retorts, his heart pounding with adrenaline as he holds the pet hostage. He can feel its tiny heartbeat fluttering wildly against his palm. 

The faux captain charges towards him, but he holds the bird up, menacingly saying, "Not another move or I'll kill you," She halts in place while he turns his attention to the animal, "You talk through the conjured human, right?" 

"Yes," The bird caws as the woman speaks at the same time, "I'm the real leader of this ship. My name is Captain Squawk." 

"Captain Squawk..." Xavia deadpans, rolling his eyes, "That's got to be the dumbest pirate name I've ever heard." 

He tightens his grip just enough to cause the bird to squirm uncomfortably. As if his day couldn't get any weirder. 

"Okay, Captain Squawk," He begins with a smirk, his tone dripping in sarcasm, "How about you start squawking some useful info? Like directions to the Drunken Eel. And remember, I have no problems with wringing your little neck." 

"We're still docked," Captain Anne's voice comes from behind him, "The Drunken Eel is about a mile west from the port." 

"And where's my friend?" Xavia growls, his hand tightening slightly around the fluttering bird as a dangerous glare settles on his face, "The girl you so rudely separated me from!" 

"My scout reported that she was attacked by some locals but they helped her back to the bar before the fog rolled in." 

His heart skips a beat, the mention of Dusk and 'attack' in the same sentence sending cold shivers down his spine. He clenches his jaw tight to keep the worry in check, reminding himself that she wasn't one to be taken lightly. 

"Dusk," He murmurs under his breath, feeling a wave of relief wash over him, before his brows furrow in confusion, "Hold on, fog?" 

Xavia looks out the window and sure enough, he sees tendrils of cold mist curling around the ship, "That wasn't there when we docked," He mutters to himself. 

"It rolled in earlier today," The faux captain explains before spouting a warning, "But if you go out there, you'll die." 

"You think I believe you? You'd say anything to save your own skin," He snarls, his hold on the bird unwavering, "Fog or no fog, nothing is keeping me here." 

"The fog causes madness and hallucinations! Nobody who goes through it has ever made it out alive." Captain Anne points to the window, "Look, it's so thick the lighthouse can't even cut through it." 

"Hallucinations? Madness?" The white-haired man chuckles, shaking his head incredulously, "You really expect me to believe the bullshit? I'm not like your average punks. I have someone waiting for me. And nothing's going to stop me from getting back to her." 

Hallucinations or not, Dusk needs him and he won't let some damn fog stand in his way. 

"Wait-!" Captain Anne calls out to Xavia, as he locks the real captain in its bird cage, "At least take a lantern!" 

"Heh, see ya around, Captain Squawk," With a final snide remark, Xavia stashes his recovered scythe on his back, taking a lantern and leaving behind the bewildered bird in its enclosure. 

"Oh, and I'll be taking this!" He snatches the spyglass from Captain Anne's shirt pocket and stows it in his jacket, heading towards the ship's exit with a steady resolve to get back to his partner no matter what obstacles stand in his way. 

[ihateoc]

Dusk

(word count: 1,367) (part 2 of 4)

The pirates charge towards Dusk, two brandishing scimitars while one remains unarmed. Something shifts within her. It's like a transformation from anxious to predatory, fueled by determination and vengeance. 

With swift reflexes, she eliminates one assailant by knocking him off the cliff with her bow, then hastily reaches behind her to grab an arrow from her quiver, impaling the other with a precise strike to the neck. For the last adversary, she traps his neck beneath her bow and incapacitates him by driving his head onto her knee, knocking him unconscious. 

Dusk is consumed by a sense of desperation as she frantically scans the area for Xav, who's nowhere to be seen, "Xav! Dammit! Where did they take him?" 

Her heart beats wildly against her chest, mirroring the chaos around her. She barely even registers the terrifying drop as she utilizes her bow on a nearby zipline, riding down to the end of the cliff. 

It's only when a group of angry townsfolk start advancing towards her with blazing torches and deadly harpoons does her fear make itself known again, leaving her stomach in knots. 

"Dammit," She curses under her breath while her trembling hands grip tightly onto her bow, ready to defend herself if needed. 

She won't let this stop her from finding Xavia, but... Why is everything going wrong tonight? 

"You damn pirates," The man standing at the very front of the crowd spits out, pointing the end of his harpoon at her, "Grave robbing now, even? You sicken us!" 

The crowd hollers along with his words as Dusk raises her hands in a show of surrender, though she doesn't loosen her grip on the bow. Her brown and purple eyes meet the angry man's gaze steadily. 

"Wait! You've got this all wrong, I'm no pirate!" She counters defensively while trying to keep voice calm. 

I mean, maybe they did a little grave robbing but the locals didn't need to know that. Besides, the spyglass is in the pirates' hands now anyway. 

"As if we'd believe that!" 

They begin firing their harpoon guns at her, while a few of the men come at her with their melee harpoons. Dusk dodges sharply to the side, narrowly avoiding a barrage of projectiles. Her heart pounds in her chest as she quickly loads an arrow and takes aim. 

"Guess you leave me no choice then!" She retorts before shooting her arrows in a rapid succession. 

She doesn't want any unnecessary blood but the locals are really forcing her hand here. The duo's troubles are far from over tonight. 

Dusk moves fluidly, her honed instincts guiding her actions. She narrowly avoids another swipe of a weapon before spinning and launching herself at the two men attacking her, knocking them both out cold with swift precision. Her legs tremble slightly under the weight of exhaustion trying to creep up on her but she pushes it away, focusing entirely on the flurry of harpoons flying around. 

A wayward spear tears into her left leg, a scream ripping through Dusk's lips at the sensation. Pain explodes up her side, white-hot and blinding. She staggers backwards, clutching at the injury while adrenaline keeps pushing away dizzying waves of pain. 

Ignoring her instinctive urge to cry out for Xavia, she grits her teeth against the panic rising within her, forcing herself to remain calm. 

Suddenly, the main man holds his hand up and shouts, his voice echoing throughout the group, "Stop!" Everyone halts in their tracks, turning to look at him, "You ain't lying, are you, girl? You don't fight like no damn pirate." 

Pain throbs in her leg, making it harder to push past it. But at the man's words, Dusk forces a grim smile, "I told you so," She retorts weakly but with that determined fire still burning within her dual-colored eyes. 

Why couldn't they have realized this earlier before she exhausted her energy and her arrows? Now she just needs to find Xav before something else happens. 

Amidst the island, the piercing wail of sirens fills the air. The villagers freeze, their faces contorting with deep concern and worry, "The fog is rolling in. We need to get inside." 

"No way in hell am I leaving without Xav!" She asserts defiantly, ignoring the pain pulsating in her leg. She absolutely refuses to leave him behind. 

One of the other townsfolk steps forward, shouting, "You need to come with us, girl!" 

"I can't! I refuse!" She responds, raw emotions of desperation lacing her tone. 

"Dammit!" The main man curses, "Stubborn girl. This is for your own good!" 

Dusk barely has time to react before the man swiftly knocks her out, darkness swallowing her whole. Her last conscious thought is of Xav, a silent prayer that wherever he is, he's safe. 

When she awakens about an hour later, she's back in the Drunken Eel, lying on a sofa. Her leg is bandaged up neatly, however, her first thought is to jump up and rush towards the front door. The two locals from earlier call out to her as they hop out of their seats at the bar and reach out to grab her by the arms. 

"Hey! You can't go out there!" 

"P-please let me go!" Dusk stammers out, her voice hoarse. Physical restraint immediately triggers fight instincts, prompting her to punch them both in the nose, but she quickly regains her composure, "I'm sorry. I am so damn sorry! I didn't mean to!" She apologizes profusely even while struggling weakly against their hold, feeling startled and disoriented. 

"Ow! Dammit, girl!" The main man grumbles while retracting one arm to hold his bloody nose in his hand, "Why are you so stubborn?" 

Dusk winces apologetically at his remark but doesn't budge away from her position, replying through gritted teeth, "Because I have to save someone who matters more than my own life!" 

The other man speaks in a softer tone in an attempt to get her to listen to reason, "You can't go out there, miss. It ain't no normal fog. It'll drive you to insanity." 

Fear grips her once more at his warning, a chilling reminder of what's still lurking outside. But the thought of losing Xav to this unknown danger spikes her determination back into overdrive. Insanity be damned! She can't leave him out there! 

"I don't care! I'll take my chances!" She retorts recklessly, trying desperately to wrestle free from their grip. 

"We will knock you out again!" The same man warns her with a shout. 

"Look," The main man starts, explaining to her, "You can't help your partner if you go mad. We absolutely won't allow you to go out there." 

"Then I guess you'll have to knock me out again!" She challenges them while continuing her feeble struggle against them. 

The main man shakes his head before abruptly questioning her, "What's your name?" 

"Dusk," She replies instinctively, her gaze never leaving the exit. 

"I'm Don," He says before motioning to the other man, "And this is my friend, Soma. We've lived here all our lives and we ain't ever seen someone come back from that fog. It'll drive ya mad. Just listen to our instructions and wait this fog out before going after your lover." 

Despite her initial refusal, Dusk halts her struggles momentarily at his comment, confusion and embarrassment painting an interesting mix of emotions across her face, "He's not..." 

She heaves a sigh at their words. Maybe they were right but she wasn't going to fully give in. 

"Can the door stay open then?" 

Don furrows his brow in confusion before shrugging casually, both of the men letting her go, "Yeah, that's fine." 

That was all she needed to hear. 

"XAV!" Dusk yells out, each shout echoing her hope into the dense fog, her gaze fixated on the darkening horizon. If he somehow escapes and finds himself lost in that fog, her voice would guide him back. 

And she knows he'll be back for her. 

"You're insane," Don remarks with crossed arms, "He'll never hear you." 

"No! He'll hear me. I know he will!" The dark-haired girl murmurs back before she raises her voice once more, calling out to the one person who has her heart. 

[ihateoc]

Gloom Harbor

(word count: 2,291) (part 1 of 4)

Xavia and Dusk sit side-by-side on a modest ferry, swaying with the gentle motion of the waves, while the scent of the sea permeates the air. To say Xavia was cranky would be a damn understatement. Aurelius had sent them on an egregious scavenger hunt for a legendary golden spyglass that was owned and used by renowned pirate, Greystache himself, and hidden away in a discreet location. 

They had already searched three different areas only to come up empty. This was their last chance to find it and if they didn't, Aurelius would surely be pissed and this would have been a waste of time and money. As the boat grows closer to Gloom Harbor, a tiny village based on an island off of the Yorbian continent, Xavia taps his foot. 

"Um, Xav-" 

He raises a hand, cutting off her sentence, "Before you say anything else, Dusk," He begins, keeping his voice level and gaze on the horizon where Gloom Harbor gets bigger, "I'm well aware this is our last shot." 

He doesn't need to look at her to know she's probably frowning or biting her lower lip in frustration.  

"Y-yeah, I know. Sorry," Dusk stammers, quickly redirecting her questioning gaze to the approaching island. Something about Xav's calm appearance is intimidating in its own right. 

Xavia glances at her, noticing the dip in her usual spirit, "Dusk," He says with a sigh and softens his tone. He nudges his elbow against hers lightly to gain her attention, "It's not you I'm pissed at. It's just... Frustrating." 

"It's okay, Xav," She reassures softly, placing a comforting hand over his on the railing, "It's been a long journey but we'll find it this time." 

Despite the intimidating situation ahead of them and his cold behavior earlier, Dusk manages to keep her upbeat spirit. 

"Yeah," He responds simply, well aware of how long the trip has been. He pulls out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and scans over the coordinates one final time before folding it back up neatly and storing it in his jacket pocket, "Let's hope so..." 

Xavia looks away from her and at Gloom Harbor inching closer with each passing second, feeling an odd mix of anticipation and dread settling in his stomach like uninvited guests that refuse to leave. He has no intention of drawing Aurelius' wrath so he refuses to accept failure. 

She squeezes his hand lightly before letting go, "Let's give it our best shot." 

Once the ferry docks, Xavia steps onto the solid land of Gloom Harbor, stretching a little to ease out the kinks in his muscles from sitting for so long. The next step is getting a room which should be simple enough. He looks down at Dusk and nudges her again gingerly. 

"Gonna grab us a decent room at that pub," He points ahead where an aged wooden sign swings with 'The Drunken Eel' roughly etched into it. He can't help but smirk just slightly at its comical attempt to seem inviting despite looking like it'll fall apart at any given time. 

"Not a bad choice for a hideout," Dusk quips, matching the humor in her partner's smirk. 

Upon entering the bar, Xavia leans on the wooden counter, "Hey," He greets the owner bluntly, placing a few bills on the counter, "I need a room for two days." 

Something decent but not too fancy. They need information more than sleep anyway. 

The owner gives Xavia an appraising look then gets them set with a key and instructions before pocketing his money and moving onto other customers drowning in cheap alcohol. 

Turning around, Xavia tosses Dusk the key while scanning over their surroundings, noting anything or anyone that might be of interest. After all, who knows what kind of crowd places like this attract?  

She easily catches the tossed key with a swift motion, flicking her nimble fingers around to secure it. Her eyes scan over each figure in the bar before they land on Xavia's thoughtful gaze, "We've got this, partner." 

As soon as they step inside the room, Xavia takes a moment to scan it over. It's modest, one double bed against the wall with worn sheets, a heavy blanket and thin pillows that have seen better days, two wooden chairs next to a rickety wood table by the window which offers them a view of a dimly lit alleyway. 

He lets out a low hum in acknowledgement before making his way over to his bag he'd placed on the floor by the foot of their bed. He begins removing their equipment that had been carefully packed away, including maps, compasses, coded letters regarding their mission from Aurelius himself, along with other necessities. 

After observing Xavia's actions, Dusk gently places her own bag on their bed and starts to work on unpacking, "I'll start preparing my gear." 

She secures her quiver and arrows, a comforting weight against her back, putting her comm in her ear as Xavia does the same. 

"Let's do this," Xavia speaks up, grabbing his hooded jacket from the bed and pulling it on over his black shirt. He adjusts his own ear comm before securing his twin scythe onto his back. 

One last check to make sure he has everything necessary; maps, check, compasses, double-check...  Bubbles? A glance at the bottle he carries around confirms that one too. 

He offers Dusk an assuring smirk as they step out into the gloomy night, ready for anything they might have to face ahead. They've done this many times before and they can do it again. 

Dusk brings out the map as they walk towards the coordinates together. She points to an area circled by red pen off to the side of the marked X, "This overlook. I'll use it as my vantage point." 

"Sounds like a plan," Her partner acknowledges with a nod, flipping open their compass to lead them through the dark and deserted alleyways towards their marked destination, "I'll head over to the tree." 

The proverbial 'tree', rumored to be located within an old cemetery on top of a forsaken hill, was already eerie enough without considering what they were about to do there. 

He hands her a flashlight and takes off in the opposite direction after squeezing her shoulder reassuringly before striding alone among the vine covered ancient gravestones. 

As Xavia disappears into the darkness, Dusk can't help but feel a little nervous. She adjusts the bow over her shoulder and heads in a separate direction. 

After reaching her vantage point, she activates her nen ability that enhances her eyesight, allowing herself to see in the dark and zoom in on Xavia's position on the ground. She holds onto the flashlight tightly. Their only source of light apart from the moon's distant glow guiding them through the darkened cemetery. 

She presses down on the comm in her ear, "No threats of note." 

"That's good," The white-haired man feels a minor wave of relief wash over him as he navigates through the labyrinth of gravestones, "Let me know if anything changes." 

He reaches the coordinates finally after an uneasy walk beneath gaunt shadows and morose silence, a massive oak standing watch like some ancient guardian over forgotten souls. Casting one last look back towards where Dusk should be before he sets to work with his own task, discreet grave robbing. 

After digging and unsealing the old wooden coffin, Xavia exhales a slow breath of relief at the sight of their coveted treasure. The spyglass looks untouched by time, as if mocking him for his efforts and fears while lying peacefully in a skeleton's hand that has probably seen centuries pass by. 

"Xav," Dusk says frantically, before dismissively adding, "Well, never mind. I swear I saw something." 

"Dusk," He says back into comm, feeling an icy wave of foreboding fill his body, "What? What did you see?" 

He doesn't wait for her response before securing the spyglass safely on him. Whatever was going to happen next, at least they had succeeded in collecting what they came here for. 

"Just... A movement," She confesses, her magnified eyesight scanning the area but seeing nothing. She purses her lips in frustration at not being able to identify what she saw, "It was fast, but it looked... Like an animal. Sea bird maybe. Probably nothing to worry about." 

"A sea bird in the cemetery? That's..." Xavia laughs nervously, standing back up and dusting his pants off, "Only us psychopaths would be prowling around places like these at night so..." 

Despite her reassurances, he gives the surrounding graves another wary look before reaching for his weapon and readying himself to act at any suspicious movement within the shadows. 

Whatever it was, animal or not, they couldn't afford its interference now. It wouldn't be an actual mission without something unexpected popping up at the last minute. 

"Right," Dusk manages a weak chuckle, shrugging off her unease with humor, "We're probably scarier to them than they are to us." 

She keeps her focus steady on Xavia's form illuminated faintly by his flashlight, still alert for any signs of disturbance. 

As the white-haired man turns to leave, he hears the smallest sound of a branch cracking under someone's foot. He wields his twin scythe in his hands defensively, but quickly finds himself surrounded by a gang of pirates.  

"Fuck," Xavia mutters under his breath, staring at the ominous group closing in on him, Adeshian Pirates... Worst kind there is. And they're a long way from home too. 

He knows he can handle himself but a whole crew of them was another story entirely, "Dusk," He speaks into the comm urgently, attempting to maintain calm despite desperation clawing into him, "Got company here." 

His grip tightens around his weapon's hilt, ready for whatever shitstorm awaits him. Dusk's heart lurches at the exigency in her partner's voice, her expression morphing into one of concern. She knows they're in deep trouble. 

"Xav," She breathes out into the comm, desperation coloring her words as she refocuses on their uninvited guests, enhancing every detail with striking clarity under the dim moonlight, "Who are those guys? Where did they come from?" 

"Not exactly sure..." He mumbles back, not taking his eyes off of the enemies. 

The captain, a woman sporting short brown hair and a gas mask obscuring much of her face except for one striking emerald eye, clad in a ruffled white shirt, leather pants and a parrot perched upon her shoulder. She slowly advances towards Xavia, taking slow and threatening steps in her leather boots.  

Xavia knew of her. A ruthless woman by the name of Captain Anne Bonny, who wasn't known to show mercy. 

"Should I take the shot?" Dusk's voice comes through the comm frantically, "I have eyes on them." 

"Well, well, after Greystache's spyglass too, are we?" Captain Anne narrows her eye, "Surrender and we won't kill you and your sniper." 

His blood runs cold at the thought of Dusk going up against these savages. She was a skilled archer but even she wouldn't be able to take them all out before they dispatched him or worse, focused on her instead. 

The captain's threat seals his decision quickly enough as he shouts out, "No! I repeat, do not engage!" 

Captain Anne offers an infuriating guffaw in response to his words. Xavia chuckles dryly while dropping his scythe and raising his hands above his head in surrender. Goddammit, it had to come down to this, didn't it? 

"No!" Dusk yells into the comm, watching in horror as Xavia lays down his weapon. Her heart pounds painfully against her rib-cage at the sight of him conceding to a gang of deadly pirates, "Xav... don't be an idiot," She pleads through gritted teeth. 

Stubborn... Always so damn stubborn... 

She can feel him in every word that comes through the comm and his protective instincts are all too clear. He'd rather be captured than risk anything happening to her! She wonders how she ends up respecting him more every fucking time he does something stupid like this. 

Back in the graveyard, the captain nods her head complacently "Good, good. You're smart then," She snaps her fingers, prompting the crew to swiftly bind his arms behind his back, "Didn't say I'd let ya go though, did I?" 

"Never said I expected you to either," Xavia retorts, his eyes narrowing at her smugness. He struggles halfheartedly against the rough ropes digging into his skin while keeping track of any unnecessary movements amongst the pirates. 

"Xav!" Dusk calls out to him in anguish, "What should I do?" 

At his partner's worried voice, he grows desperate. She needs to leave. Now. 

"Dusk! Get-" 

His comm is ripped from his ear and smashed under his captor's foot, "You're coming with us, thief." 

He curses under his breath as communication is abruptly cut off. His last resort? Mouthing 'run' in Dusk's direction, hoping she catches sight of his warning. 

"Dammit!" She hisses under her breath while watching helplessly as they start dragging him away from safety. She moves to go after him but finds herself surrounded by three members of the pirate crew. 

"No!" Xavia yells, struggling desperately against his restraints when he notices Dusk being cornered, "Dusk!" 

The ignored panic in his voice only seems to amuse Captain Anne more, laughing cruelly while they lead him further away from his partner. 

A rush of adrenaline floods through Dusk as she hears the pirates' laughter and Xavia's desperate shout, "No worries, I've got this!" She reassures him, her voice echoing with bravado. 

These bastards won't stop her. 

Her eyes blaze with determination as they lock onto Xavia for one last moment before he gets hauled away by the relentless tide of pirates, leaving her stranded.

[ihateoc]

Trauma

(word count: 2,327) (flashback from shadow's childhood)

In the training chamber, a rebellious youth clad in tattered clothing, unkempt black locks, and fiery maroon eyes stands among seasoned mercenaries and a handful of younger boys undergoing instruction. The routine of daily training had become a familiar aspect of his life. 

The young boy watches as his friend, a boy named Leon, tries to spar with an adult mercenary who towers over him. Leon loses the fight prompting his sparring partner to laugh while he beats him, kicking the boy even though he's already down, "You gotta be better than that, idiot! You'll never make it with us." 

The maroon-eyed child bites his bottom lip so hard he draws blood. He shouldn't move. He knows he shouldn't. But he can't stop his body from moving to block Leon. 

He takes on the mercenary, a skilled fighter far stronger than him. But his anger fuels him and he lands a few good blows before being flung back, battered but defiant. 

"I'm not scared of you!" A young Shadow screams out at the man who laughs again. 

"You should be," is all he says before dealing another harsh kick that sends the boy sprawling onto the floor. 

Young Shadow sits on his knees, spitting out blood. He wipes his lips clean with the back of his hand before he argues back, "Just wait until Z hears about this!" 

"You think Z gives a shit about you? You're nothing but another disposable tool to him," The mercenary sneers at him, delivering yet another kick.  

The young boy grimaces in pain and frustration.  

Just then, a harsh voice rings out across the room, "Enough!" 

It's his handler, Z, standing there with his normal cold gaze and damn, does he look pissed. 

The room grows silent as Z stalks up to the child, his heavy boots loud against the concrete floor, "Tool, are you talking back?" Z looms over him with his arms crossed, "You should know better by now. We've been over this a million times over. You belong to us." 

"No, I don't," Young Shadow growls back defiantly. 

His answer only prompts a hearty laugh from Z which bounces off the cold stone walls of their training room. Z bends over to grab the boy by his shirt collar and haul him up into his face. His eyes are filled with an icy rage that manages to send chills down the child's spine despite how hot he was just seconds ago. 

"You're right..." He rumbles out in a dangerous whisper before throwing him onto the ground forcefully as if he were nothing but a bothersome pest, "You belong to me." 

Young Shadow grits his teeth against the pain radiating throughout his body as dread sinks deep within him at those words. However, he doesn't fall silent like usual. 

"Over my dead body." 

"Again? We have to do this again?" Z questions the boy incredulously, seizing him by the shirt collar and pulling him along. He hurls the boy into an empty chamber with a bleak concrete floor with barely any source of light. 

"Enjoy isolation again, brat. Emotions ain't part of the job. Especially not for a tool like you. You'll figure it out soon enough," He moves to close the door before adding, "And no food for talking back," The door slams shut with a thud. 

Isolation. The word echoes ominously in the child's mind as he lies there, alone and bruised on the cold, hard floor of that room.  

Days turn into nights and back into days again, a cycle of loneliness and dulling hunger pain. As much as he tries to keep track of time, it all blurs together eventually. Just like his handler wanted. 

"Guess I'm learning my lesson," A young Shadow croaks out to himself before falling unconscious against the stone-hard ground due to exhaustion and lack of food or water. Burning rage within him would be his only source of energy now. 

After what felt like an eternity, the door finally creaks open and a tray of bread and water gets slid in front of the child. He scrambles eagerly towards it, long past caring about his dignity at this point, only to have the door slam shut once again with Z's final words echoing around him. 

"Remember… Tools don't need emotions." 

Young Shadow swears he can hear maniacal laughter resonating along with that sentence as he devours his so-called meal, promising himself over each bite, I'll survive! I have to. 

When he was finally freed from isolation, he was no longer the defiant boy he once was, resigned to his fate of being their tool. Maybe this really was all he was good for.  

---------- 

By the age of 14, he had proven himself to be an efficient weapon for Z and his likes, always perfectly following orders without a hint of defiance. His sullen eyes would only hold that fire in them whenever they landed on Leon or the other boys being pushed around. It was hard not to let it show, but he was always able to mask it when needed. 

One fateful day, young Shadow found himself unwillingly dragged by Z to a bar, where he settled quietly at the far end, hoping to remain unnoticed. However, as Z and his companions drank heavily, they began to antagonize him. Despite his efforts to ignore them, their voices only seemed to grow louder. 

"Get a load of this tool! We broke him down good, didn't we?" His handler chuckles heartily as he indulges in his mug of beer, surrounded by fellow mercenaries who join in his amusement. 

The boy's fists clench at the sound of their laughter, his knuckles pale under the taut skin. But he keeps silent, swallowing back any retort that threatens to bubble up.  

"You bet we did!" One of them answers, taking another swig from his own bottle of liquor, "He's our best yet." 

"Well, ain't that something," Z chuckles, leaning back in his chair as if everything was right with the world. 

That night... It finally happens. 

The last straw happens to be a belligerent mercenary's comment, "Even for a tool, you're pretty pathetic. Can't even take a joke." 

Young Shadow's eyes narrow at him, his dark hair casting an ominous shadow over his face as he takes in the room full of men, cruel creatures who had tormented him for years.  

Finally letting all that rage bubble up to surface, he lashes out. 

"Hahaha! everyone look! The tools finally lost it" Someone hollers while others burst into laughter as they gawk at young Shadow trying desperately to assault drunkards twice his size only to get pushed back or shoved down each time. 

Their laughter is short-lived as soon everything plunges into darkness before screams start filling the atmosphere, screeches of pain and sheer terror.  

The dark-haired boy had taken control of their shadows, bending them under his will just like they did with him, using these extended versions of themselves against them. There was no better sight than seeing those monsters squirming helplessly on the ground.  

He saunters around the room, stepping over their writhing bodies with a smirk of pure satisfaction gracing his lips.  

"Please! Stop!" 

The cries are music to his ears. He raises an eyebrow while looking down at Z who was once feared by him, reduced to nothing more than a squealing pig in front of him. 

"Why should I?" His voice is cold and harsh, no longer the voice they remember belonging to their submissive tool anymore, "No one stopped for me," He spits out while looking at each pleading face making sure they see, really see, just what a damn 'tool' could do when pushed too far. 

After swiftly ending them all, he dusts his hands off victoriously. Rivers of red wash over the room, coloring his hands and face with crimson hues. 

His maroon eyes hold a crazed glint in them, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He licks the blood off of his hands, tasting victory. 

The young boy didn't hesitate to approach Gyro's lavish quarters as images of Z and others screaming for mercy echoed in his mind. 

As he burst into the room without bothering to knock, it was clear everyone inside was in shock. But not Gyro… No surprise crossed over that man’s face upon seeing young Shadow standing there bathed with fresh blood. If anything, amusement gleamed within those ruthless orbs on his otherwise poker-face. 

"You impress me, boy," Gyro's deep voice reverberates throughout the room. 

His words momentarily take young Shadow by surprise and he falters, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.  

"Me… A boy?" He questions softly to himself as if not believing those words were actually directed towards him. But then the moment passes, "I'm glad I could be so entertaining," He retorts with an edge of sarcasm in his voice. 

Showing Gyro that he means business, he controls Gyro's guards through their shadows, forcing them to kill each other in a messy blood bath as young Shadow stalks up to his desk indifferently. 

"You're strong," Gyro acknowledges, his face shrouded in shadow from the hood of his coat, "Z may have doubted you but I knew better." 

"Is that supposed to make me feel grateful?" The dark-haired boy retorts, although there's a small part of him, buried deep down inside his hardened exterior, that feels... Flattered? 

He casts Gyro an emotionless look, "You never cared about anything but how useful I was. I'm not here for your approval," He adds with a cocky smirk, the same kind Z used to adorn on his face whenever he made young Shadow bow under his ‘power', "I'm here for your throne." 

"You have my approval whether you want it or not, boy," Gyro declares sternly, "I have no control over how my mercenaries conduct their training." 

He removes his hood from his head, fully revealing his face before leaning forward slightly, "You want my throne? You can have it. But you should know it's a lot of boring politics." A wide grin plays on his lips as he interlaces his fingers together, "I have a more interesting proposition." 

For a long moment, young Shadow stands there just studying the man in front of him. The once feared infamous kingpin, now revealed to be… An ordinary-looking old man. It was almost anticlimactic. 

"Politics, huh?" He muses aloud while flicking a loosened piece of wood from his nail, showing Gyro that unlike him, he wasn't scared of ‘boring politics’, "And what might your so-called 'interesting proposition' involve?" 

As much as he wanted to refuse outright, curiosity had always been his one vice. Even at the cost of walking into a trap willingly. 

"You're a natural born killer. You have a talent. A special one. And I admire that about you, kid," Gyro begins, keeping his tone light and disarming, "I offer to hand over full control of my mercenaries to you. You'd still have to answer me of course, but they're all yours." 

"Hmm, ain't that tempting?" young Shadow drawls out. A predator's grin slowly forms on his face at the thought of having an army right under him, making those who once looked down upon a 'tool' bow before him. 

His gaze darkens, a dangerous smirk tugging at his lips, one which clearly shows how little he cares for the man’s admiration or offered control, "And what? Become another Z? Your obedient dog?" 

"No, no of course not. I could never hope to tie down a talent like yours," The older man responds while waving his hand dismissively, "I may pass along assignments but how they're handled would be entirely up to you." 

"I see," The young boy mulls over the proposal. The idea of having full control over his assignments was appealing, and he could use this to his advantage, but... 

His maroon eyes narrow at Gyro suspiciously, "Why do this? What's the catch?" 

He refuses to be used as some pawn again, if Gyro wants him in charge, then there better be a damn good reason! 

"No catch. You're valuable. I admire your talent and respect your methods," Gyro extends his hand for the child to shake, "What's your name, boy?" 

Taken aback by the question, the boy hesitates, an unexpected wave of uncertainty washing over him. He had never been asked such a simple yet significant question before. 

"My name?" He finally mutters softly as if tasting those words for first time, feeling out their shape and weight, "Don't have one. Z only called me tool." 

"No? What a fool he was. How about K?" Gyro puts forth with a knowing grin, "Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it, K?" 

K's eyes flicker to Gyro's extended hand before finally accepting it, shaking firmly, "K, huh?" He muses over the suggested name, rolling the letter on his tongue like tasting a new flavor.  

It felt… Right. As if that one letter held all the complexities of the life he was thrown into and molded by. 

"Yeah..." K begins with an arrogant smirk gracing his lips, "I guess I can work with that." 

"You'll do big things, K." 

K can't help but smirk at that, looking back at Gyro with re-found defiance in his maroon eyes, "You bet I will. And there won’t be any puppet strings attached this time." 

---------- 

As a present-day Shadow blinks awake, the soft glow of morning light pours in through a sliver of an opening between the heavy dark curtains. The nightmare, or should he call it a twisted memory, still lingers around him like some mocking ghost. 

A bitter chuckle escapes his lips as reality comes crashing back. How naïve little K was, who thought he had finally broken free only to become another puppet on Gyro’s strings.  

Yet... 

Though painful, these memories also remind him of his journey so far, how far he's come since then. There was no turning back. 

[ihateoc]

Ghost

(word count: 2,857) (a mission brings back a ghost from xavia's past)

Dusk and Xavia find themselves before their boss, Aurelius, in his lavish study as he outlines their next assignment, "This upcoming mission promises excitement," He begins with a gleam in his eye, "There's a sword I'm after. It's currently being displayed at the state fair which gives us a great opportunity to take it." 

"What's so special about it?" Dusk asks curiously, albeit bluntly. 

The old man grins, exclaiming enthusiastically, "Ah, I was hoping you'd ask! It was once wielded by the legendary Baron Glover!" 

Xavia freezes at the sound of his father's name. He hides his shock with a hollow laugh and clenched fists, "Are you serious? That famous swordsman?" 

Memories of training sessions that always ended in belittlement and disappointment flood back. Just his damn luck. 

"Indeed! And I know just how your abilities could be used to retrieve it without causing too much fuss," Aurelius replies, blissfully unaware of Xavia's discomfort. 

"Uh," Dusk starts before blinking in confusion, naively pondering, "What's so special about him? There are a million swordsmen out there, right?" 

"Well, for one thing," Xavia interjects, trying to ignore the bitter taste of resentment that swelled in his mouth at her words, "The guy's a well-known bastard." 

"Xavia!" Aurelius reprimands good-naturedly with a chuckle, turning back to Dusk, "But he does have a point. Baron Glover is more infamous than famous these days. However, it doesn't change the fact that his sword work was unparalleled and there's quite some value attached to anything related to him." 

Dusk thinks hard for a moment, "Glover…? The last name sounds kinda familiar I think." 

"They're quite well-known blacklist hunters. They run Glover Hunting LLC in the Kukan'yu Kingdom. Their lineage is considered quite impressive," Their employer explains with a thoughtful grin, "They are very respectable."  

"Is that so?" Xavia says with a dismissive snort, "Impressive lineage. Yeah, right." 

Aurelius looks at him confused and Dusk glances at him curiously but he waves them off, leaning against the wall nonchalantly while suppressing any further reactions. 

"Erm, sorry, sir. You know how cranky Xav can get," Dusk covers for him with a nervous chuckle before reassuringly declaring, "We'll get your sword, sir!" 

"Good to hear. Now off you go both of you," Aurelius says with a dismissive wave of his hand, before burying himself in some old book. 

Xavia pushes himself off of the wall and exits the room without another word, his mood as gloomy as stormy clouds overhead. He could sense Dusk's concerned gaze on him but chose not to acknowledge it at that moment. 

"Xav," She reaches out to him, grasping his arm once they're out of earshot, "What's going on? You seem upset." 

"I'm… I'm alright, Dusk," Xavia says, looking down at her with a forced smile, "Just… this job got under my skin I guess," He then attempts to lighten the mood by nudging her shoulder playfully with his own and quipping in a teasing voice, "You've never seen me cranky before?" 

Damn it! Why does she have to be so insightful? But No one needs to know about him and Baron. She doesn’t need that burden and nor does he. 

"You're always cranky," She begins before thoughtfully pointing out, "But not this cranky." 

"I'll try to be less cranky then," He shoots back, albeit without his usual spark of fun. An awkward silence falls between them but it isn't long before he grumbles out in earnest, "Thanks... For worrying." 

"Um, you can tell me anything you know," She reassures him, quickly adding, "I mean! If you ever want to talk or vent, I'm here." 

Xavia gives her a long, silent stare before finally saying in a soft voice, "I know, Dusk…  And I appreciate it. Really. Maybe someday." 

With that, he walks on ahead leaving his past and his words hanging in the air. 

She is good for him. But how can he explain what even he doesn't understand? The pain, anger and disappointment of his father's betrayal. How it twisted his life into this never-ending cycle of misery... Not yet. 

---------- 

As evening falls, Xavia roams the fairgrounds, nearing closing time, with Dusk positioned strategically for cover at a vantage point, a tall tree a distance away. He steals a glance at the sword exhibited in a glass case, surrounded by a crowd of people. 

Then, realization hits like a sledgehammer. The individual giving information about the sword... Fuck, this is bad. It's Baron himself. 

Xavia's heart pounds in his chest as he sees Baron, the man who abandoned him twice over. Instinct takes over as he activates Zetsu to mask his presence from detection by aura, carefully maneuvering around the crowd towards Dusk's position. 

He reaches up to his ear, pressing down on his comm as he discreetly says, "Trouble. Stay hidden until I say otherwise." 

Using her enhanced eyesight, Dusk watches her partner from her perch, "Xav, what's going on? Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" 

He sighs heavily, trying to keep his voice steady as he responds quietly into the comm, "Not a ghost. Just my past. I'll explain later, Dusk. For now, we need to stay clear of Baron," He glances over his shoulder at the swordsman's back again before adding almost bitterly, "Trust me on this one." 

"Baron?" She questions him, her voice coming through his comm, "Baron's down there? Isn't that guy super strong or something?" 

"You could say that," Xavia mumbles into the comm, constantly keeping his gaze and senses trained on Baron's movements, "He's also my..." 

Nope, he wasn't going to finish that sentence right now. 

"Never mind… We need a plan B quickly." 

"I shoot him in the head and he dies," Dusk responds simply, earning a quiet chuckle from her partner. Maybe he was rubbing off on her. 

"Trust me, as much I'd love that idea," He responds grimly, "If it was possible, he’d have been six feet under a long time ago," He clicks his tongue in frustration but then an idea hits him, "Wait, Dusk, could you take out the lights? The entire place would be plunged into darkness." 

Shit, it’s risky but if they want that sword without a fight... She has her archery skills and him his bubbles, they'll improvise from there... Or prepare for the worst. 

She scans the area, her sharp eyes locking onto an object of interest, "I can. I have eyes on the main generator. But you'd have to be quick. You'd really only have a second before his eyes adjust… Unless… Right afterward, I focus my arrows on him, he blocks and you have an extra second or two to take it and run." 

"That… Might just work," He groans, already plotting out the fastest route to the sword in his mind, "The moment you take down those lights, I'll rush for the sword." 

"Enhance," She says under her breath to herself as her eyesight grows sharper. 

With a deep breath, he signals her with a curt nod before turning off his comm and getting into position. 

"Move. Now." 

She shoots an arrow at the generator, knocking out the power and then relentlessly barrages Baron who unsheathes his sword to skillfully block the oncoming projectiles. 

In the darkness, Xavia's skills shine. He uses his bubbles to hover in mid-air and shoots toward the sword display like a missile. The glow of Dusk's arrows racing by illuminates Baron well enough for Xavia to keep track of where not to be. 

As he reaches the glass case holding the sword, he wraps a bubble around it, making both items invisible with his Nen before rushing back towards their exit point. 

Dusk continues her assault of arrows as Xavia makes a swift escape. Baron narrows his eyes as he catches sight of his illegitimate son leaving but says nothing, sheathing his sword and folding his arms over his chest. 

Police begin scouting the area, but Dusk and Xav are long gone, back in their hotel room to rest for the night.  

"Shit Dusk… That was close," Xavia pants heavily, collapsing onto the closest chair. He watches as she puts her bow away and can't help but sigh in relief, "You were amazing out there."  

His words are simple and earnest, matching his gaze as he finally looks at her properly for the first time since their ordeal began. She saved their asses back there. And handled it so fucking well. Where would he be without her? Maybe it's about time he started letting his guard down around her a bit more. 

"I'm glad I could help," She responds as she stashes away her quiver in her bag, "Used up all of my arrows." 

Xavia snorts, trying to lighten the mood with a sarcastic grin, "Used up all your arrows? Seriously Dusk, need me to buy you another dozen?" He teases her while pulling out their mission item. The glow of the sword in its bubble washing over his face as he opens and closes his hand around it with a satisfied smirk. 

Silence wraps around the room for a moment, tension slowly rising, until Dusk abruptly speaks up, "Baron definitely had the opportunity to go after you but he didn't. Why?" 

Xavia looks at her, startled by the suddenness of her question. He'd been hoping to avoid this topic for as long as possible but it seems like the universe had other plans. 

"Let's just say…" He begins cautiously, "We share a... Complicated past." 

Dammit… He was hoping she wouldn’t notice but of course she did. Does he really want to spill everything now? She’s going think different about him once she learns who his old man is. Is that something he's ready for? 

"You said he was a ghost from your past earlier too, didn't you?" She sits down across from him at the foot of the bed, her hands resting on the edge of it, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to but... I'm curious." 

Xavia pauses, looking at her with a deliberating gaze. 

"Baron..." He breathes out after a long pause, "He's... My father." 

There it is. The truth is out and there's no turning back now. But why does he feel oddly relieved sharing this? Maybe because it’s Dusk. She always seems to know how to make one feel heard and understood without even trying. 

"W-what?? Really?" She stammers out in disbelief before leaning in closer to him to examine his face, "I don't see the resemblance." 

"Good, because I'm not really aiming to look like a self-righteous prick," Xavia replies sarcastically.  

There's bitterness in his voice but he manages to keep it steady and detached enough for Dusk. He then scoffs lightly, running a hand through his white hair as if trying to clear some heavy thought burdening him. 

"You've never mentioned him before." 

"No… I haven't," He looks away, clenching and unclenching his fists. His gaze falls onto the sword again for a moment before he sighs heavily, "Not really a topic that comes up often…" He finally admits in a lower tone. 

She’s good at this, prying without making it seem invasive or hurtful. He guesses his past was bound to come out sooner or later, better with her than anyone else. 

"Well..." Dusk drawls out slowly, "I don't know much about him but if you say he's a dick... I believe you!" She flashes him a grin and a thumbs-up. 

He blinks at her for a moment, clearly not expecting that response before he begins laughing. It's genuine and hearty, the sound echoing around their room. 

"Thanks Dusk. I appreciate your endless faith in my judgement," He manages to say between laughs. 

She tilts her head curiously as she wonders, "What about Glover Hunting LLC? Do you know anything about his side of the family?" 

He sighs, leaning back into his chair as the subject of Baron's legitimate family comes up. 

"I know enough. His daughter Jaya has a good reputation but… Let's say I don't really care about them," Xavia answers dismissively while absentmindedly tracing the edge of his bubble with one finger. 

They’re all dicks, he's certain… And Jaya? Well, she doesn’t deserve his time or thoughts anyway. 

Dusk flinches when he finally pops the bubble, "I understand. And I'm sorry." 

Xavia looks at her, surprised by her apology. 

"Don't be," He tells her reassuringly, "It's not your fault." 

"I know but... I still feel bad," A sigh escapes her lips as she lays back on the bed, "My family wasn't normal either." 

He observes her curiously for a moment, tempted to ask about her own family. But he knows better than anyone how delicate such topics can be. 

"Normal is overrated anyway," Xavia comments with a nonchalant shrug and attempts at diversion, "And you’ve turned out pretty damn fine despite all that, right?" 

"But you're curious, aren't you?" She presses him as she pushes herself to sit upright, "I've seen you go through my things in my room before." 

Xavia looks taken aback for a moment, his cheeks slowly reddening as he realizes he's been caught. He grumbles something inaudible before finally admitting it, "Fine… I was curious," The white-haired man confesses with an annoyed huff, looking away from her, "Didn't think you'd notice." 

"Have you heard of a cult called the Endless?" 

His brows furrow at the mention of the Endless. He's heard whispers and rumors about them but never really crossed paths with any members as far as he knows. 

"Can't say I've ever met anyone from there, but yeah… I've heard stories," Xavia comments cautiously, not quite sure where she's going with this. 

She looks away, fidgeting with her fingers in her lap nervously, "My mother was the founder." 

Xavia blinked at her, trying to digest the new piece of information. Of all the things he could've guessed about Dusk's background, this wasn't on the list. 

"That… Explains a couple of things," He murmurs half to himself before looking back at her with sympathy in his eyes. 

Sighing, she looks down at her hands as she explains, "I grew up in the cult. Never went to school. I was taught by religious teachers in the cult and was never allowed to leave the grounds." 

Her partner listens silently, his gaze fixed on her, "Sounds quite… restrictive," Xavia finally mutters, his tone gentle and understanding, the usual teasing completely absent. 

Restrictive is an understatement… He had never pegged Dusk to have dealt with such difficult circumstances, but maybe that explains a lot more about how she carries herself and why he finds it so damn hard to wrap his head around her at times. 

"But my mother wasn't a bad person. She loved me," Dusk notes defensively before pausing for a beat in preparation of her next words, "She passed away from an illness when I was 16 and my older sister took over." 

He stays silent for a moment, digesting her words before speaking again, sincerity lacing his voice, "I'm sorry." 

"But my older sister, well… She was a lot different from my mom," Dusk begins, refusing to meet Xavia's gaze, "She took advantage of the followers and abused me." 

His eyes widen, dumbstruck by her admission. 

"One night she had me cornered, submerging my head in holy water over and over again while I couldn't catch my breath. I… grabbed the nearest sharp object within my grasp and just stabbed the shit out of her. She bled out," She explicates in a trembling voice, "I changed my name, dyed my hair and ran. I'm wanted at the moment… Or I guess Violetta is." 

Xavia’s only response was a small, stunned silence. He stares at her in disbelief as she painfully reiterates the traumatic event that changed her life forever. So those ‘night terrors’ weren’t just nightmares after all… He thought he had it bad with Baron but Dusk has been dealing with so much more than anyone should have to.  

"Guess we're both fugitives in our own ways then," He comments finally but there's no usual jest or sarcasm looming behind his words. Instead, just understanding and acceptance. 

"Partners in crime, right?" Dusk wonders as she finally makes eye contact with him, her multicolored eyes meeting his. 

With a small, sympathetic smile, he reaches out to gently clasp her hand in his larger one, "Partners in crime," He confirms quietly with a gentle squeeze, prompting her cheeks to tinge pink. 

She’s brave. Stronger than he ever gave her credit for. Maybe they're more alike than either of them initially thought. 

"You're remarkable, Dusk. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise," He remarks sincerely, not breaking the gaze he holds with her. 

A wide grin forms on her face as she softly utters, "Thank you, Xav. I think you're remarkable too!" 

"Thank you, Dusk," He murmurs softly, his gaze softening even further, a light blush dusting his cheeks at the compliment, but he doesn't break eye contact. 

The way she looks at him... It’s like seeing a clear sky after a storm. Maybe they aren’t so alone in their struggles after all. 

[ihateoc]

Home Visit

(word count: 2,298) (xavia brings dusk to meet his mother)

Xavia planned to visit his mother's hometown to check on her and decided to invite Dusk along since she didn't have any other plans. However, he couldn't shake off the nervousness he felt. After all, Dusk was only his colleague, so why the hell was he feeling this way?  

After taking a deep breath and collecting himself, Xavia stands outside the door with Dusk by his side, prepared to knock before she speaks up, drawing his attention. 

"This is a nice home!" Dusk remarks as her gaze wanders over the exterior of the house before glancing back at him, "Did you grow up here?" 

"I didn't. But I bought it for my mom when the money started coming in," Xavia replies, knocking at the door lightly. 

"You did? That's very kind of you," She comments with a soft smile. 

Xavia chuckles as he pushes the door open, "Only for my mom, Dusk," He tells her before stepping inside. 

It was a bit strange to acknowledge his actions as 'kind'. He wasn't sure if that's what it was or just guilt for not always being there during hard times. Nonetheless, hearing those words from Dusk somehow made him feel better about himself. 

"Xav! You didn't tell me you were coming to visit! I would have made cookies if I knew!"  

A dark-skinned older woman with white hair and blue eyes rises from her spot on the couch. Dressed in a button-down shirt and jeans, she welcomes her son into a warm hug as her face lights up in joy.  

Xavia instinctively hugs his mom back before pulling away, saying with a grin, " I didn't want to interrupt your usual routine, ma." 

After he pulls away, her eyes fall on Dusk, "Oh, and you brought a girl home?" 

Turning towards Dusk, he introduces her, "This is my coworker, Dusk. Thought it'd be nice for you two to finally meet." 

He felt a surge of anxiety as his mother's gaze shifted from him to Dusk. Was this too much? He had no idea about how women interacted in such situations and wasn't sure what would happen next. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Cyprus!" Dusk greets her enthusiastically with a respectful head bow, "Xavia speaks very highly of you!" 

The older woman's face brightens even more, if that was possible, at Dusk's enthusiasm, replying warmly, "Oh, it's such a pleasure to meet you too dear! And please, call me Sindra." 

Xavia can't help but let out a small chuckle at their interaction.  

"You have a lovely home, Sindra. Thank you for having me." 

Sindra chuckles, "I should be thanking you for putting up with my son here. Won't you two come sit down?" 

"Thank you, ma'am!" Dusk sits down beside Sindra on the couch while Xavia reclines in a loveseat next to them.  

"How long have you and Xavia worked together?" The older woman turns to face Dusk, adding, "It's rare for him to bring a friend home so you must be special." 

"Oh," Dusk hums in thought before peering over at her partner, "How long has it been, Xav?" 

Sindra's eyebrows raise subtly as a smirk plays at the corner of her lips. 

Xavia shrugs nonchalantly, "About a year, give or take." 

His mother's smirk doesn't go unnoticed by Xavia and he can tell where she's going with this. The simple fact that she referred to Dusk as a 'friend' rather than only his coworker brought an unexplainable twist in his stomach.   

"How lovely! And I see he lets you call him Xav! You really must be special," Sindra remarks with a knowing grin. 

"I…well, it's just…" The white-haired man stutters uncomfortably, "It's easier to yell out in the field," He tries to convince her. 

Xavia feels flustered under Sindra’s intuitive gaze. It was such a small thing but for some reason it made his heart pound and skin heat up. Why was he reacting this way? Was Dusk really that special? 

"Is that so, dear?" 

He rubs the back of his neck, feeling cornered, "Yes, ma. That's why," He responds, though it was obvious his mother wasn't buying it. 

Sindra offers him a wink before her gaze falls back on Dusk, "So Dusk, tell me a little bit about yourself! I'd love to get to know you better." 

"Of course," She agrees with an animated nod before a look of confusion morphs her face, "Um, what would you like to know?" 

"Well, what are your hobbies and interests?" Sindra gently inquires, as her words aim to offer reassurance like a soft blanket on a cold night. 

Dusk grows quiet as she thinks for a moment before answering thoughtfully, "I like archery and music. Oh! Xav is teaching me how to cook." 

"He is?" His mother's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, looking towards Xavia for confirmation. 

Xavia only shrugs, "Well, she'd starve otherwise. She can't cook to save her life." 

Seeing Dusk blush at his teasing remark brought a weird sense of satisfaction to Xavia. She crosses her arms, quickly retorting, "Cooking is difficult."   

"It sounds like you two spend a lot of time together, even outside of work," Sindra points out with a sly grin, "That's lovely." 

"I guess we do," He admits, scratching his head awkwardly, "It's not a big deal though." 

His mother's scheming grin was starting to become irritating but there was something about Dusk that made it difficult for him to be truly annoyed. The way she blushed and looked away shyly had an odd effect on him... Like he wanted to see more of it? No, that didn't make sense. But then why couldn’t he stop thinking about her? 

Sindra hums in response, her eyes shining with amusement, "I see. Well, I can't wait to hear more about your adventures together." 

Xavia's brows furrow slightly at the memories of their recent job to Arctica resurfacing, Dusk's face so close to his own, the touch of her skin against his palm… What were these strange feelings bubbling up inside him? Why was he still thinking about that moment? 

The older woman creates a comfortable atmosphere for Dusk, asking for more stories from their work before rising from her seat after a few tales, "How do you take your tea, dear?" She inquires kindly. 

"Oh, I'd hate to impose!" Dusk replies with a sheepish smile while waving her hands dismissively. 

"It's not imposing at all, dear. With sugar? 

"Yes, please," She answers with an appreciative smile, "Thank you, Sindra!" 

"Come and help me, won't you, Xav?" His mother motions for him to follow, leading him into the kitchen with her, leaving Dusk alone on the couch. 

A comfortable silence fills the room for several moments as Sindra begins preparing the tea. Without looking up from the kettle, she prods him, "Is she really just a colleague and friend to you?" 

Xavia couldn't help but feel cornered again by his mother's question, "Ma, what are you…?" He begins to ask in return. 

This conversation was touching on areas Xavia wasn’t comfortable with discussing. He felt flustered and nervous, feelings that were unfamiliar when it came down to Dusk. 

She looks up through her lashes to meet his dark eyes, "She's special, son. Don't let her slip away from you." 

Xavia sighs, looking back at his mother seriously as he quietly tells her, "I know, ma." 

He couldn’t deny the truth in his mom's words. Dusk was special and the thought of letting her slip away from him brought a sense of unease. 

"You should marry her someday," Sindra mentions casually, not bothering to look up from what she was doing. 

"Ma!" Xavia exclaims, flustered, "We're not even dating yet!" 

"I know, I know," She holds her hands up in mock surrender, "But you're not getting any younger. And I'd like to see grandkids before I die." 

"Ma, seriously? You're talking as if we are even… a thing," He responds, unable to deny the heat saturating his cheeks, "Besides you'll live forever." 

He was both irritated and embarrassed by his mom's words but couldn't shake off the strange warmth spreading inside him at the thought of a future with Dusk. It felt so outlandishly pleasant. 

She chuckles heartily upon hearing his comment, "Oh, we both know I'm not so lucky. It's just an idea, dear. I've never seen you so happy." 

"What do you mean happy? I'm not…" Xavia tries to argue but his mother just gives him a knowing look. 

Happy? Was he really happier around Dusk or had his mother misinterpreted their dynamic? However, thinking back on the past few months. Maybe there was some truth in her words after all. 

"I'm going to step outside for a bit," He informs Sindra abruptly, heading towards the back door. 

The fresh air would help clear his mind. Thoughts about Dusk had tangled him up in knots and he needed some space from everyone to figure things out.  

He sits outside on the porch swing, gazing up at the sky as the sun begins to set overhead, the palette of purple hues reminiscent of his partner's right eye. He cared about Dusk. More than he'd like to admit. But what unsettled him was… He had never even considered getting into a relationship before but with Dusk… The idea was appealing.  

"I'm being ridiculous," He mumbles to himself, running a hand through his hair. 

The mere fact that he was even contemplating these things confused him. But maybe... Maybe it wouldn't be so bad with Dusk? The thought scared and excited him all at once. 

The back door opens slowly, revealing Dusk with a concerned expression on her face, "Hey, Xav, your mom said you were out here. Is everything okay?" 

Xavia turns to face her, "Yeah… Yeah everything's okay. Just needed some air." 

She nods but instead of going back inside, she sits down beside him, "Your mom is very kind." 

He huffs out a laugh, a heartfelt smile playing on his lips, "Yeah… She's one of the few good ones left." 

In that moment, his mother's words echoed in his mind.  

'Don't let her slip away.'  

As he sits there next to Dusk under the fading light of the sunset, Xavia couldn’t shake off the feeling that perhaps he had already begun caring for her more than as just a friend and colleague. 

"Thank you for inviting me," Dusk breaks the silence, smiling as she looks out into the horizon, "The sky is beautiful." 

"It is," Xavia agrees, his gaze shifting from the sunset to his partner, "Very much so." 

She was right, the sky was beautiful but he found himself more captivated by her profile against the setting sun. He tried to hide it, but a strange longing twisted inside him as he took in her peaceful expression. This weird mix of desire and affection that both terrified and thrilled him at once. 

She reaches up behind her head to adjust her ponytail, not turning her gaze from the sunset, "We should come back again sometime." 

"I'd like that," The white-haired man admits with a nod, "Yeah, we should. As long as you want to." 

The thought of spending more time with Dusk in a setting outside of work brought him a sense of peace and happiness he hadn't felt in years. It was then that Xavia understood. He wasn't just falling for her... 

He had already fallen head over heels without even realizing it. 

"Naturally," Dusk says, turning to meet his gaze as her hair cascades over her shoulders, bathed in the gentle glow of the evening light. With a confident smile, she adds, "I'd follow you anywhere, Xav." 

For a moment, Xavia was at a loss for words. Her declaration had effectively rendered him speechless. His heart pounded against his ribs and it became increasingly difficult to ignore how strongly he felt about Dusk anymore. He could only hope she couldn't hear the frantic pace of his heartbeat. 

"Is that so?" He manages to muster, swallowing the lump forming his throat. 

"Yep!" She assures him enthusiastically, "I'd get lonely otherwise." 

He chuckles softly, his voice barely above a whisper as he admits, "I'd miss you too," Without thinking, Xavia reaches out to brush a stray lock of hair away from her face, "You really are something else, Dusk." 

His hand had moved on its own accord as if drawn to her. The way she was looking at him right now... It was almost like she felt the same way about him and that thought alone made his heart skip a beat. 

Her face flushes red at the sudden contact, her multicolored eyes meeting his. She's speechless for a moment before a soft smile plays on her lips, "So are you, Xavia." 

Returning her smile, he murmurs, "I'm glad you think so." 

"Partners in crime?" She wonders. 

"Always," Xavia responds with a grin, offering her hand to her, "Partners till the end." 

The phrase was more than just an inside joke now, it had become their promise. One he intended to keep no matter what. As he held out his hand to Dusk, Xavia couldn't help but hope this wasn't just about their professional partnership anymore... That maybe there could be something more between them too. 

Dusk reaches out to take his hand with a heartfelt smile etched onto her flushed face, "Until the very end." 

He had never felt such comfort and warmth from anyone before. Not like this. The way Dusk was smiling at him right now... It made Xavia feel cherished and wanted in a way no one has ever made him feel before. 

Xavia entwines his fingers with hers tightly, the touch sending a warm sensation coursing through him as he holds her gaze, echoing, "Till the very end." 

[ihateoc]

Ren is Nice Now

(word count: 1,258) (ren loses a bet and has to be nice to shadow)

Shadow never imagined he'd witness this day. The day when Ren lost a bet to him, obligating her to be kind to him for a full 24 hours. As they played cards with Bennett, Shadow employed some good ol' dirty tricks learned from fellow mercenaries to secure his victory. Now, Ren sulks across from him, arms folded, while Bennett chuckles at the outcome. 

"This is so unfair," Ren grumbles quietly, "I'm always nice to him." 

"I mean, no, not really," Bennett retorts with a shake of the head. 

"I am too!" She argues back defensively, "Er, sometimes. Can you blame me for being mean? He tried to kill me several times over an extended period of time," She adds with an indignant huff. 

Her words prompt Bennett to knowingly point out, "Yeah, but it was your idea for him to live with us." 

"Ah, don't be like that, sweetheart. I'm sure we're gonna have a blast today," Shadow flashes Ren a cocky grin and Bennett continues to laugh. 

God, she's mad. And fucking gorgeous when mad. 

Looking at her beautiful grey eyes fighting not to roll makes the corners of his lips twitch in amusement. He's looking forward to how this day will unfold. This is better than all of those nights spent gambling with Carter and other mercenaries. 

"Fine! I can be nice! I'm nice," She turns to face Bennett as she prods him, "Right, Bennett?" 

Bennett stops chuckling and nods in agreement, "Yes, I think you're nice. You help everyone even if it means trouble for you." 

"Thought so." 

"Yeah, that's my girl!" Shadow cheerfully claps his hands, stretching out comfortably on the couch before continuing teasingly, "So, for today... How about treating me to breakfast? I'm famished." 

Shadow doesn't miss the shocked look in Ren's eyes and let a laugh slip from his lips quietly. 

"I said I'd be nice, not that I'd be your damn maid," She spits out with her arms folded over her chest. 

"That didn't sound very nice..." Bennett mumbles under his breath, earning a sharp glare from his sister in response. 

Shadow's laughter rings out, "No, no doll… You got it all wrong. I ain't asking ya to cook," He stands up and grins slyly at Ren, "I said treat me to breakfast. I wanna eat out somewhere with you." 

He slides a hand through his hair, pushing the messy locks out of his face while an uncomfortable silence envelops the room. Hesitantly, she agrees, "Fine, that doesn't sound too bad." 

"Still doesn't sound very nice," Bennett murmurs, earning Ren's wrath, not that he seems to mind.  

"Jesus, Bennett, I hate you right now," She stands up, confidently holding her hand out for Shadow with a forced grin playing on her lips, "Let's go out to breakfast, Shadow." 

"Wow, Renny, that sounded almost genuine. I'll cherish this moment forever," Shadow takes her hand with a grin as he gets off the couch, "Let's get going then." 

His heart pounds in his chest at the contact of their hands but he brushes it aside, instantly turning on his usual smug aura. His excitement for the day skyrocketed seeing Ren trying to deal with him.   

With the same forced smile morphing her face, she says, "You can pick where you want to eat. Anywhere." 

"Oh shit, does this mean I'm allowed to pick the fanciest place?" He smirks at her as he leads them towards the door. 

She's giving him way too much freedom here, but damn, it feels amazing to see her squirming like that for a change. 

"Oh, you little-" Ren begins to complain, stopping herself when she notices the smirk on his lips, "I mean, you little rascal. Yeah, anywhere." 

Inwardly, she was punching herself in the gut. He knows exactly how annoying this is for her. 

Shadow's laugh echoes in the hallway as they step out of the apartment, "Well, keep your eyes peeled then, beautiful… 'Cause we're gonna have one hell of a day." 

Shadow chooses a charming cafe nearby, and Ren very generously offers to drive them there. 

---------- 

Sipping on her hot chocolate, Ren sits opposite Shadow at their table.  

"Cheers to a good morning, princess," The dark-haired man holds his cup of coffee up for a toast with an amused smile on his face. Damn, he couldn't believe his luck today. This is how every morning should be. 

She clinks her cup against his, mumbling a, "Sure, cheers," Before taking another drink. 

"Now, isn't that a sight to behold," Shadow mock-gasps, "Ren-Ren being all sweet and nice." 

He takes a sip of his coffee, allowing the warmth to spread through him. 

"I'm not that mean to you, am I?" She wonders, somewhat in disbelief. Sure, Ren had always been harder on him, but she wasn't trying to be outright rude. 

He quirks an eyebrow up at her question, "Ah well, you do have a knack for keeping me on my toes, doll. But don't worry about it. I just consider it as your special way of showing affection." 

To him, her sharpness was part of the attraction and he honestly wouldn't want her any different, though this was entertaining. 

"Well..." Ren looks down into her drink, avoiding eye contact, "I'm sorry if I'm too mean to you sometimes." 

"Nah, don't say sorry… It's who you are and I find it damn attractive," Shadow places his hand over hers on the table, giving it a gentle squeeze, "Plus, your mean is better than most people's nice." 

"Is that so?" She questions him as she looks up, her gaze meeting his again as a ghost of a smile dances on her lips, "I'm glad. It's not like I don't care about you. It's like Bennett said, if I didn't, I wouldn't have brought you home with us." 

The way she phrased it was akin to someone bringing home a stray dog from the pound. Guess that wasn't too far off. But hearing her say she cares about him... Today really was his lucky day. 

"Ah, so I'm your pet now?" He chuckles lightly and leans back in his chair, "I sure hope this means ya won't chase me off with a broom if I happen to curl up next to ya on the couch." 

"I won't make any promises," She replies with a lighthearted chuckle, "But really, I believe in you. And I still really think you should take the hunter exam." 

He grins at her words, "Yeah? You really think I'd make a good hunter?" 

She nods simply, "Yep. I told you that before and I mean it." 

"Alright then, if that's what ya want… I'll take the exam." 

He had been considering it ever since Bennett mentioned the idea, but he was on the fence about it. If Ren really thinks he can do it, then he won't let her down. Is she really putting this much trust in him though? It feels nice. 

"Great," Ren says, leaning forward with a determined glint in her eye, "I need a new lost hunter to rescue all these missing hunters, and you're the guy for the job." 

Shadow chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand, "I guess I really am your pet now, eh? Your trusty hound sent off to do your bidding." 

"Doesn't seem like you mind." 

"Well, if it's for you… I don't," He admits with a shrug and a smirk. 

Being under her command? He wouldn't mind that at all. As long as she keeps looking at him like this. 

[ihateoc]

Snowblind

(word count: 3,236) (xavia and dusk mission)

Xavia and Dusk face their wealthy employer, the eccentric Aurelius Van Helsing, a senior gentleman sporting white hair and a matching mustache. Relaxed in his seat, a plush red velvet sofa, he indulges in a martini while outlining the specifics of their newest task. 

Dusk scans the expansive living room of the grand mansion, absorbing the array of "acquired" artworks and treasures. Although familiar with the surroundings, she remains captivated by the abundance of riches. Meanwhile, Xavia stands nearby, arms folded, attentively listening with eyes shut. 

"This job is a little strange," Aurelius explains as he downs another swig of his drink, "There's a totem that I have my eyes on. I recently received new intel on the location and discovered it's located in Arctica, buried somewhere under layers of snow." 

Dusk's gaze falls on her boss, furrowing her brow in confusion at the foreign location, "Arctica?" 

"Indeed. Here's the map with the coordinates," Aurelius hands her a rolled-up map of the country, "You'll be taking my private airship." 

She opens the map, observing it closely before looking up and curiously asking, "Is it... Really cold or something?" 

The old man chuckles heartily at her question, "Yes, very cold!" 

Xavia gives an exasperated sigh, running his fingers through his gelled-back hair, "Fucking hell, Dusk," He complains in a tired tone, sitting down beside Aurelius and pouring himself a glass of whiskey, "Did you ever go to school?" 

He finds himself wondering if Dusk was trying to be funny or if she was genuinely ignorant about Arctica's freezing temperatures, feeling both concern and amusement at her naivety as he takes a sip of his drink. 

"Erm well..." She looks away awkwardly, her words dying in her throat. 

Aurelius is quick to empathically add on, "Don't worry, I'll make sure you're both geared up." 

"That's reassuring," Xavia mumbles, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he pushes himself up from the couch. His dark brown eyes scan over Dusk who is still deeply engrossed in the map, a soft sigh slips past his lips before speaking again, "Alright then. Guess we should get packing," He gives a small salute to Aurelius, "We'll make sure your precious trinket is back safe." 

"Yes, we'll bring it back safe and sound, sir!" She assures him with an enthusiastic salute. 

The old man claps his hands together with a wide grin plastered onto his face, "Excellent! I'll have Zane bring the gear by in a few hours. Good luck!" 

Xavia nods curtly, acknowledging the dismissal as he turns to head out of Aurelius' living room with Dusk in tow. Once they're outside and away from prying ears, he can't help but let out a low chuckle at Dusk's eagerness. Her oblivion might be annoying at times but he admires her positivity despite the circumstances. 

"You never fail to be so damn optimistic," The white-haired man remarks, a hint of amusement lacing his tone as they make their way back to their guest house to prepare for the icy expedition ahead. 

Offering him a sheepish smile, she wonders, "Is that a bad thing?" 

He gives a sigh but shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly in response, "No. I don't mind it," Before she can respond, he walks off ahead of her. 

After returning to their house, Dusk digs through her closet, folding up some clothes and setting them neatly in her luggage. On top of her clothing and other items, she packs the gear that Aurelius' assistant had brought by earlier in the day. With her bow and quiver on her back and her luggage in hand, she makes her way to the front room to meet her partner. 

Meanwhile, Xavia is busy preparing himself for the treacherous conditions they were about to face. He unzips his bag and starts stuffing heavy clothing in it. He makes sure to pack a few novels for good measure. 

As he enters the front room with his bag hanging from his shoulder, he glances at Dusk, wondering, "You sure you're ready for this?" 

"Well..." She gives a nervous smile, replying optimistically, "Yeah! I'll try my best." 

Xavia lets out a low, soft chuckle, "Just be ready to handle anything. I'll make sure we get back in one piece," His tone is serious despite the teasing smile he wears on his face. 

---------- 

Sitting across from Dusk on the airship, Xavia looks up from his book to observe Dusk who seemed lost in her music and was starting to doze off to sleep with her head leaned against the wall. He sets his book aside and rises from his seat, deciding it was time for some interaction. 

"Music any good?" He asks casually, crossing over to sit in the leather seat beside her. 

"Hmm?" Her eyes flutter back open, yawning sleepily while rubbing her eyes, "Yeah, it's nice." 

"Good," Xavia replies, an amused smirk playing on his lips as he watches Dusk fight against her tiredness, "Guess we could all use a little 'nice' these days." 

He can't help but find humor in how casual and nonchalant she can be as he glances out of the airship window to see the white expanse below them gradually growing more prominent.  

She pulls her headphones out of her ears, rolling up the wire neatly as her eyes fall on the discarded literature in his previous seat, "What about your book? Is it good?" 

"It's... Interesting," He admits, reaching out to grab it, his fingers drumming against the hardcover, "It's a historical piece about ancient nen users in the Kakin dynasty. You wouldn't be interested." 

He was correct of course. She never had much interest in history herself, but she does have interest in him, "You read a lot of historical stuff, don't you?" 

Xavia's gaze wanders back to the frozen white scape below them as he replies, "I guess you could say that. I find it grounding in a way," He turns his dark eyes back to Dusk, an uncharacteristic softness flashing across them for just a moment, "What about you? What kind of stuff do you usually read?" 

She hums in thought, "I guess I like fantasy or romance novels." 

"Fantasy and romance, huh?" The white-haired man echoes, musing over the revelation with a small smile playing at the corners of his lips, "That's unexpected. Maybe I should steal you some new reading material sometime." 

"H-hey!" She shouts back defensively, "A lot of people like romance and fantasy novels!" 

"I didn't say it was a bad thing," He quickly responds, raising his hands in mock surrender, his smug grin never leaving his face, "It's just... Unexpected." 

He chuckles lightly as he watches her facial expression morph into a more sheepish look before they fall into a comfortable silence. The moment of banter adds warmth to their otherwise cold environs.  

When the airship lands, they head to their hotel where they get suited up in their winter gear as they prepare to move out.  

After zipping up her puffy, white winter coat, slipping on her goggles and hood, Dusk breathes out, "It's hard to move..." 

"Yup," Xavia grumbles as he buckles himself into his heavy winter gear, his hands fumbling in their voluminous mittens, "Remind me why Aurelius wants this damn totem so badly." 

He wonders if they're really cut out for this kind of mission. But he's also more than aware that complaining won't change anything. Not to mention, he can't shake off the concern of the unfamiliar terrains and weather conditions they're going to face shortly.  

"It must be important to him if he's sending us all the way out here," She holds up the map he had given them earlier, pointing to a circled location, "There's an overlook over here off to the right. I can stay up there to provide cover." 

He nods in agreement, acknowledging Dusk's strategic suggestion with a slight tilt of his head, "Sounds like a plan," He mutters before adjusting the straps on his gear and backpack, "Hopefully, we won't freeze to death out here." 

"I don't think we will... Probably," She replies nervously as they set off, exiting the room and braving the unforgiving cold that envelops them. 

"Let's hope for the best then," He responds, hiding his concern under a layer of dry humor, leading the way through the snow-filled streets. 

With that, they embark on their journey towards Aurelius' precious artifact across an icy tundra neither of them has ever braced before.  

---------- 

The harsh cold stings Xavia's face even behind his protective coverings as he trudges through the relentless snowstorm. With Dusk keeping an eye out from above, he moves closer to where the map indicated. 

"The shit we do for Aurelius," He mumbles into his comm unit so his partner can hear him over the howling wind. 

He kneels down and begins digging at the spot that the coordinates instructed in hopes of uncovering what they're here for. No job was ever easy for them but this one takes the cake. Maybe Aurelius would give him some type of bonus if he asked nicely. 

"From... Right... Rapidly approaching," The comm unit cuts out every word, most likely due to the blistering winds, but luckily, he can barely make out Dusk's warning. 

Xavia's heart pounds harder in his chest upon hearing her fragmented words, "Shit," He swears under his breath as he hastily stands up, scanning the white expanse surrounding him. 

With one hand on the grip of his twin scythe on his back, he prepares himself for an impending attack from whoever and whatever was fast approaching.  

"Ugh-" The comm is static-filled, her voice coming through broken up, "Can't... Snow... Too hard." 

"Understood," He replies tersely, hoping Dusk would catch his message despite the static. His eyes narrow at the sight of two locals approaching him. One hand still gripping his weapon, he calls out to them over the roaring wind, "What do you want?" 

What a pain... These guys look pissed so it seems unlikely that he'll be able to avoid confrontation. 

"That totem is ours!" One of the men yells across the snow, "We won't let you have it, thief." 

"Fantastic," Xavia complains in a murmur before raising his voice to address the men, "Look, we're hired help... Have an issue? Take it up with Aurelius Van Helsing." 

The two men move to attack with their large warhammers as an arrow flies towards one of the assailants, just barely grazing their arm. Xavia appreciates her attempt at a shot despite it being slightly off target.  

"Son of a-" Xavia cuts himself off as he whips out his twin scythes, moving the meet the men's attacks. He manages to parry one hammer blow while rolling away from another, grunting into the comm unit, "Dusk. Need your help," 

"T-trying," Her voice comes through muffled as she shoots another arrow, hitting one of the men in the knee. 

He seizes the brief opportunity Dusk created with her precise shot. The man yells in pain, staggering and clutching his knee as Xavia launches himself at the remaining opponent, "Tough bastards," He growls, feeling a surge of adrenaline rush through him. 

His scythe clashes against the other's hammer in a dance that kicks up snow around them. 

Another arrow is blocked by the local's hammer, "Ugh, that sniper!" He complains gruffly before a smug grin forms on his face, "Don't you worry. I've got a guy headed up there for them now." 

Anger flares up in Xavia at the implication of danger coming Dusk's way. He blocks an oncoming hammer blow, quickly shouting into his comm unit, "Dusk! Incoming!" 

Without waiting for a response, he attacks with renewed vigor, aiming to take down this adversary as swiftly as possible. He moves into overdrive at the thought of her being in danger, detaching his twin scythe into dual scythes, efficiently killing both men without regret. 

"Dammit!" Xavia spits out, his heart pounding as the two men crumple to the ground. Turning his attention back towards Dusk's location, he strains to see any signs of her through the snowstorm, "Dusk! Report!" He yells urgently into the comm unit, fervently hoping she's alright. 

The only response he receives is more static. Shit, totem or dusk…? Dusk! He can come back for the damn totem! 

"Dusk!" Xavia calls out again, panic threatening to consume him, "Mighty nice time to be a hero," He mutters in annoyance to himself as he tears through the snowy landscape, each step fueled by desperate fear for Dusk's safety. 

As he approaches, Dusk is counterattacking another hammer wielding man with her bow, her goggles broken open and blood running down her forehead. The bow snaps in half and she's thrown back onto the ground. A primal, guttural growl escapes Xavia’s throat as he leaps in to save Dusk just in the nick of time as the man prepares to smash her head in. His body thuds on the ground, head sliced clean off as Xavia briskly moves towards Dusk. 

"Shit... Dusk!" He drops down by her side, eyes scanning for any signs of major injuries besides her bloody forehead wound. 

She pushes herself to sit up, blinking in disbelief at the beheaded man lying in front of her, the crimson blood stark against the snow, "You killed him?" 

"Yeah, I killed him," Xavia responds curtly, his tone detached despite the rapid beating of his heart, "He deserved it." 

His hands move instinctively to check her for any other injuries before assisting her gently back onto her feet. Feelings of relief and concern still coil tightly within him. He was glad he was able to save her in time but was equally as worried about her close encounter with death. 

"O-okay," She nods, still clearly jolted, "I guess you're right." 

In response to her agreement, Xavia just nods once and offers a faint smirk, "Come on," He grumbles, offering an arm for support as he starts leading them back towards their mission's objective. 

His grip is firm but gentle around her arm, offering support without causing any discomfort. As they reach the spot, Xavia kneels down to resume digging with renewed determination, "We're almost done here," He reassures her as his hands work tirelessly against the cold ground. 

A tiny bit of the totem comes into view, prompting Dusk to speak up, "That must be it. We should get back to the hotel as soon as possible." 

"Right," The white-haired man agrees, carefully wrapping it up before tucking the totem securely within his thick coat. He then looks at Dusk and offers a small, reassuring smile despite their ordeal. With another glance at her injury, he asks in a gruff but concerned tone, "Can you walk or do I need to carry you?" 

"I'm fine. I wasn't expecting an ambush," She takes his arm again when he stands up. 

"Yeah, neither did I," He complains in agreement as they begin their trek back to safety. His grip around her arm tightens slightly, providing a silent promise of protection amidst the harsh blizzard. 

When they reach the hotel, they take turns stripping out of their soaked winter clothes in the bathroom. When Xavia enters the bedroom with a towel around his neck, he watches as Dusk throws the goggles in the trash, revealing the shattered glass lodged in her forehead.  

"Shit, Dusk," Xavia mutters under his breath as he nears her.  

Upon seeing the shards of glass piercing her forehead, a sense of guilt hits him hard. He knows it's not solely his fault but he blames himself for being unable to prevent such an injury and immediately sets about removing the fragments with tweezers and a steady hand. 

"Um, no it's fine. It's just a little piece," She says waving her hands dismissively, "It's not bad really." 

"Are you kidding?" Xavia retorts his dark eyes focused on the injury despite her dismissive words, "I'm not just gonna leave it there." 

He gently pushes away her waving hands and resumes extracting the remaining shards from her forehead with determined precision. Dusk looks up at him as he works earnestly, suddenly becoming aware of how close they are. She averts her multicolored eyes, her face flushed. 

Xavia momentarily pauses his ministrations, glancing down at Dusk as she seems to suddenly pull away, "Did I hurt you?" 

Shaking off the slight confusion that washes over him, Xavia mutters a hushed 'sorry' without understanding why exactly. He resumes treating her forehead wound with careful hands. 

"N-no! You didn't! I'm fine," She opposes in a louder tone than she had intended, glancing up at him through her lashes. 

"Alright then," He says curtly, not entirely convinced by her quick refusal but deciding to drop the subject for now. 

He continues his task until all of the glass is removed from her forehead. After making sure it's cleaned properly, he ties a strip of clean cloth around it and finally lets out a sigh of relief. 

"Thank you for that," Dusk breathes out when he backs away, scratching the back of her neck sheepishly, "Sorry. It's my fault that the mission was so difficult... I couldn't see anything with the snow so I couldn't offer any cover." 

"Don't be ridiculous," He counters, shaking his head aversely at her self-blame, "You did what you could under those conditions." 

He knows she's tough and resourceful, a fact that makes him respect her all the more. But right now, he feels an emotional shift in their dynamic that both perplexes him and sets off alarm bells of concern. 

"Well, I'm glad that at least one arrow landed. Ugh," She groans in pain, closing her eyes tightly before opening one slightly, "The wind really hurt my eyes." 

Without thinking, Xavia reaches out and gently brushes her hair back from her face, "You should rest," He says quietly, his voice softer than usual.  

Concern for Dusk wells up inside him and it feels oddly intense given their current situation. He knows she'll be okay now but some part of him still worries excessively about any possible complications. 

"Uh-" She freezes completely, her lips parted in surprise and her face flushing an even deeper shade of red. She maintains eye contact, stammering out, "I-I'm fine, really." 

For a moment, Xavia just stares back at her, slightly taken aback by how red her face had become. It was… Different and oddly endearing. Then snapping out of his thoughts, Xavia lowers his hand from where it rests on her hair and swiftly looks away. 

"Right," The white-haired man says in an unnaturally gruff voice as he gets up to leave the room while she shakes her head fervently, hoping to dispel the heat from her cheeks. 

Splashing cold water onto his face, Xavia stares at himself in the bathroom mirror, whispering to himself, "Get a grip, Xav."  

The image of Dusk's flushed face and her wide eyes lingers stubbornly in his mind… Causing him confusion that makes him feel oddly vulnerable. He feels disturbed by the unexpected emotions, surprised at how much impact Dusk's vulnerability had on him. And when she was hurt... He felt... 

…Guilty. The word came to him unbidden as his reflection stares back at him with a troubled expression. He sees an unexpected fear in those dark eyes. 

The fear of losing someone who's important to him, no matter how hard he tries to deny it or put defenses up around himself. 

[ihateoc]

Monster

(word count: 2,908) (flashback from when shadow worked for tenchi)

Under the dim evening sky, the mercenary's footsteps echoed a sinister rhythm throughout the empty alleyway, his black nails previously stained with the crimson blood of his last target, a chilling testament to his trade. During his kills, he was always pumped full of adrenaline, making sarcastic remarks whenever he got the chance and enjoying what he did.  

But afterward... Was a different story. He always felt hollow and bored, like he was just robotically going through the motions on his way back to his temporary residence, an apartment provided to him by his employer, a mob boss named Tenchi. And tonight was no different. 

He heaves a sigh, considering whether he should stop at a market for some food. He surely didn't have anything in his fridge. Wasn't there a 24-hour market down the street or something? The dark-haired man's wandering thoughts are interrupted when a young street urchin child calls out to him. 

"Hey, mister!" The young boy, clad in tattered clothing, stands in front of him, blocking his path, "Check out this lucky ring I have!" He hands it over to Shadow to inspect, "What do you think? My friend and I are willing to part with it for only $50." 

His previously darkened eyes light up as he examines the jewelry, "Looks like a normal ring to me. What's so special about it?" Shadow prods with a quirked-up brow, knowing full well this kid was trying to con him. He'd have to try a little harder than that. 

"Well, uh..." The kid fumbles with his words before pointing out, "Look at the inscription!" 

As the mercenary reads the inscription, he feels clumsy fingers attempting to dig into his back pocket. He spins around with such speed that it startles the other child who was trying to pickpocket him, prompting the young boy to trip over his own feet in surprise and fall on his backside. 

Now holding two things; one being the ring, and the other was this sheer disbelief at how amateur these kids were. He looked down at them with a devilish smirk curving his lips as he thought about teaching them a lesson.  

The main kid offers the thieving boy a hand, helping him stand back up on wobbly feet. "H-how did you notice?" He asks nervously. 

"Kid, you're about as subtle as a bull in a china shop," Shadow retorts with a wolfish grin, his tone laced with amusement. He crouches down to the kid's level, leveling him with an intense stare, "Here's some advice for ya, if you want to be good at pickpocketing, you gotta learn to blend in, be quick on your feet, and have some damn finesse. Otherwise, it's just embarrassing." 

"Then you show us how it's done since you act like you're some kinda expert!" The main boy argues in an impudent tone with a huff, his arms folded over his chest. 

The dark-haired man tosses the ring back to the main kid casually, raising an eyebrow at the kid's audacity before a smirk plays on his lips, "Oh really? You sure about that kiddo?" He chuckles before standing up and dusting off his knees. 

With a quick glance around to make sure no one else was watching, Shadow walked over to a nearby pedestrian who seemed completely oblivious while engrossed in their phone. With fluid motions honed from years of practice, he effortlessly lifted the bystander's wallet without them noticing and returned quickly, flaunting it confidently. 

The younger boys watch with wide eyes as he tosses the stolen wallet smoothly back and forth between his hands, "That," He begins, opening it up just enough for the kids to see its contents, credit cards, and cash, ripe for the stealing if they had played their cards right instead of targeting him, "Is how you rob someone." His tone is laced with satisfaction upon seeing the awestruck looks on their faces. 

"Wow, you're good. We'll have to try that with the next sucker," The main street urchin kid remarks, "I'm Tommy," He gestures to the nervous-looking boy, "This is my friend Bo. What's your name?" 

Shadow raises an eyebrow at the boldness of these brats, but he can't help but be impressed by their enthusiasm. He tosses them the wallet and smirks. 

"Well, Tommy and Bo, I'm Shadow," He introduces himself with a flourish, "And let me tell ya something, boys. It's not just about stealing from anyone who walks by. You've gotta have your targets picked out carefully, someone wealthy enough to make it worth your while but naive enough to fall for your tricks." 

He pauses for a moment before continuing in his characteristic arrogant tone, "But remember if you ever cross paths with someone like me again, it probably won't end well for you." A hint of danger flickers behind his eyes as he utters those words. 

"You're scary..." Bo replies nervously, fidgeting with his fingers. 

"Scary, huh?" Shadow chuckles, his laugh somewhat dark, "That's kinda the point, kid," He adds with a wry grin. 

Before Bo can say anything else, Tommy speaks up, holding up a digit as he points out, "Wealthy is a good idea but we take what we can get. We don't have a home anymore so we gotta rob anyone we can just to get money to eat." 

Hearing Tommy's explanation softens him just a little bit more despite himself. He knows all too well what that's like, having to rob or kill to survive in this ruthless world. He sighs before reaching into his own pocket and handing them some bills, not enough to make them rich but definitely sufficient for meals for the next few days at least. 

"This is survival money. Try picking your victim better next time," His tone carried no pity or sympathy. This was simply an act of understanding from one survivor of harsh realities to another. 

"Thanks, Shadow!" The kids thank him and scamper off, leaving Shadow to chuckle to himself while he saunters away. 

'Aren't I the good samaritan today? Maybe those little devils will use their brains next time instead of trying their luck with whoever passes by. Ugh... Me getting soft? This just don't feel right,' He muses silently to himself, trailing off down the sidewalk. 

A few nights later, Shadow slipped through the darkness once again, a seasoned routine for him. In the eerie stillness, he infiltrated his target's home with deadly grace. He wasted no time in pummeling the shit out of him leaving his prey slumped against the kitchen counter, bruised and bleeding out while he pleaded for mercy. 

The man holds his hands up in surrender, his glasses cracked and slipping down onto his nose, "Just let me go. I'll get Tenchi his money! I still have time. Just another week-" 

Shadow looms over the man, a hauntingly dark figure in the moonlight streaming through the window, "Too late for that now," He says with an eerie calmness. 

His heart pounds in his chest as adrenaline courses through his veins. This was familiar territory, and he could almost taste excitement on his tongue as fear radiates through the air around him, a cocktail of power and thrill that only few could understand. 

"S-surely, we can talk something out," The man stammers out as he tries to negotiate an escape with a fearful chuckle. 

"I'm done talking," The mercenary retaliates, the edge in his voice sharper than any blade he had ever wielded. He slips his knife out of his waist holster, twirling it between his long fingers. 

Before his target can object, Shadow slits the man's throat with incredible precision, leaving the man bleeding out on his own kitchen floor. Ironic. As the dark-haired man begins to clean off his knife, a muffled female voice calls out from the other room. 

"Honey? Did you bring dinner?" A woman holding a small child's hand enters the room from the hallway, her eyes widening in horror as she gasps in shock at the scene before her, "W-what did you do to him?" 

Shadow hastily stands up, sliding his knife back into his holster. There was a certain protocol to these things. Collateral damage wasn't part of the contract. 

"Nothing he didn't deserve," He mentions nonchalantly with an air of arrogance, giving her and the kid a dismissive wave as he turns to leave the house. 

The petrified woman rushes towards him without a second thought, roughly grabbing onto his arm before he can make a speedy retreat, "He was a good man! A father! How could you do this, you monster??" 

He flinches, tearing his arm away from the lady's grasp, "Good? Maybe to you. But a debt is a debt, and he was in too deep." Shadow shrugs, looking at her dead in the eyes, despite feeling an unfamiliar pang within him. 

'She has no idea what she's talking about... This world isn't as black and white as people like her want to believe. It's blood-red with layers of gray smeared on top for good measure. But... Why can't I ignore those pleading eyes mirroring my own emptiness back at me?' He shakes his head, trying to force these unfamiliar feelings out of his mind. He wasn't allowed to have these kinds of thoughts.  

"P-please!" Sobs rack through her body as she falls to her knees on the floor over her husband's corpse, her child watching on in confusion from across the room, "He can't be dead. He can't be!" 

Shadow's heart twinges in his chest as he watches her crumble to her knees while clutching onto the man's hand.  

"I'm sorry," He mutters under his breath before turning around and leaving the house swiftly, trying hard not to look at the broken family he left behind. 

In Shadow's line of work, compassion is considered useless. An impediment. He long ago made peace with that, or so he thought. Why was he feeling this surge of regret? Is it for them or himself? He couldn't tell anymore. It's just another scar added to his collection. But damn if this one isn't cutting him deeper than usual. 

He takes his usual route home, walking down the street aimlessly with dark circles swollen underneath his eyes. As he walks past a familiar alleyway, he spots Bo on the ground, getting beat half-to-death by two grown men while Tommy begs for them to stop. 

Something in him snaps and before he can consider the consequences, Shadow finds himself stepping in, his mind going blank as a surge of anger wells up within him. Those kids were annoying little brats, but they didn't deserve this. 

He appears before where those two men who are treating the boys like punching bags and flips his switch effortlessly. A flicker of a smile twists onto his face at their sudden expression of terror when he takes control of their shadows, slamming them against the alley wall with a bone-jarring crunch. 

"Didn't your mothers ever teach ya not to pick on those weaker than you?" He snarls at them, his eyes flashing dangerously under the dim glow of the nearby streetlight, "Now, let me ask you," Shadow starts with a sadistic smirk dancing on his lips, "How long do you think it would take you to bleed out?" 

"I-i don't know! We're sorry. Just let us go," One of the men begs him, fear in his eyes. 

"Wrong answer," Shadow retorts coldly before unholstering his knife and making quick work of them, leaving them lying in a pool of their own blood. He watches as the life drains from both men, feeling a sick sense of satisfaction. They had it coming after all. He turns to face the kids afterward, wiping off his knife nonchalantly. 

Tommy, who was watching on in horror, holds a hand up defensively, shouting, "Stay back! You're a murderer. You didn't have to do that!" 

"Yeah, that I am. But for what it's worth... They deserved it," The mercenary responds casually, his tone surprisingly calm despite the situation. 

At the sight of fear and horror etched onto those little faces, he feels a pang somewhere deep within. 

"Life is about survival," He begins grimly as the familiar, metallic scent fills his nostrils as he moves away from the lifeless bodies, "He beat your friend half to death, and he wasn't gonna stop. Those men didn't care whether you lived or died so why do you care if they die?" 

"But murder is wrong," Tommy cries out as he argues back to you, "You killed them in cold blood." 

Shadow pauses for a beat, "Yeah... Yeah, it's wrong," His tone suggests he's far from repentant, "But in this world," He gestures around them toward the squalid alleyway now stained red with blood, the gentrified city that abhorred people like them, "It's kill or be killed." 

He was confident that he was right, yet his eyes soften just a little as he looks at Tommy and Bo, young and innocent despite everything that they've had to endure so far. He understands their revulsion but sometimes the world doesn't leave you much choice. He ponders if he would have reacted in the same way if he had grown up in their position. 

"Now let me help your friend." 

"No way!" Tommy shouts, "You're a monster!" He wraps Bo's arm around his shoulder, supporting his weight as the two young boys scurry off down the alleyway.  

Not the first time he'd been called a monster today. In fact, he had been called it ever since he could remember. But hearing the kids call him that stung more than any bullet wound or knife slash. As they disappear from sight, even the sky begins to mourn this cruel reality of life as light raindrops begin to fall around him, washing away not only the blood but also blurring his own reflection in the puddle beneath his feet. 

"Yeah... I guess I am," He mutters under his breath before turning and walking away, "Hope they've at least got shelter for the night." 

The rain picks up, pouring down harder and prompting him to give pause, gritting his teeth while he clenches his fists at his sides. With a growl of frustration and an unfamiliar fire burning in his eyes, he turns on his heel and takes off after them, cursing under his breath, "Damn brats, I'm gonna get them help whether they want it or not!" 

They had called him a monster, were scared to death of him, but helping them felt like something he just had to do. He probably would never understand what strange pull they were exerting on him, an annoying and new feeling. 

'I’ve killed men without batting an eye, so why can’t I let these kids go? This is so damn frustrating! But I can't leave them alone in this storm when Bo is injured,' He thinks to himself as he struggles internally. 

Shadow catches up to them, swooping Bo into one arm and carrying Tommy like a potato sack under his other arm. He ignores Tommy's cursing and squirming, hauling them to a nearby hospital. 

"Hey! What's the big idea? We don't want your help!" Tommy shouts defiantly when the dark-haired man finally sets him down, before meekly adding, "We can't afford this." 

"Well, good thing you're not paying for it then, huh?" Shadow retorts with a smirk as he flags a nurse down to help him out, "Consider this a gift from your local neighborhood monster," Despite his cocky tone, there was an underlying layer of warmth that couldn't be missed. 

The nurse he had called over helps Bo onto a stretcher, leading him and Tommy through the double doors as Shadow waves goodbye to them. His smirk falters as he approaches the front desk, producing a black card from his wallet with the alias 'Lucien D'Silva' printed on it. An alias he had used on multiple occasions. It was handy to have numerous identities. 

"Here. Cover those two kids whole bill," He begins, not missing the way the receptionist blinks in surprise at him, "And look up some shelters or orphanages that might take those two in. They've been living out on the streets." 

She seems dismayed at the news, nodding along to his suggestion, "Oh my, of course. We won't let them go back out on the streets," She runs his card before handing it across the desk to him, "Most people wouldn't help kids like them. You must be a genuinely good person." 

The mercenary can't help but snort at her words. A good person? What a joke. 

"I'm no saint, lady. Nothing about me is genuine or good," He informs her, taking the card from her while peering at the fake alias as he slides it back into his wallet.  

The blood that stains his hands was enough to flood the whole damn hospital. 

"I don't think-" The front desk worker looks up from her computer screen to see that the mysterious man has disappeared. She stands up, looking around the room briefly before shrugging and going back to work. 

Leaving the receptionist to her thoughts, Shadow had melted away into the shadow of a nearby patient, reappearing just outside under the rain-soaked skies. As he steps out into the night again, a sigh escapes his lips. 

Alone. 

It was his default state. But this time, there was an odd emptiness hanging around him. 

[ihateoc]

Caught

(word count: 639) (shadow is caught reading his favorite book)

Shadow sits cross-legged on his bed, palming through a book while he quietly reads to himself. Sure, he had already read it dozens of times, but this was a guilty pleasure for him. A guilty pleasure that he has always kept private to keep up his image.  

Until now. 

His bedroom door swings open as his roommate bursts into the room, calling out to him enthusiastically, "Hey Shadow!" Bennett's excitement hastily morphs into confusion, "You read? I thought you were illiterate." 

The dark-haired man swiftly hides the book behind him with a mischievous smirk, his maroon eyes twinkling in amusement as he playfully retorts, "Well, aren't you funny today, Benny?" 

"Hmm? What are you reading?" Bennett wonders as he walks towards him. 

"A survival guide. You know, just in case I ever have to kill you," Shadow jests with a deadpan expression. His long fingers curl protectively around the novel hidden behind his back. 

Bennett shrugs casually, "Oh okay. I'll leave you to it," He begins to walk away as a feint before quickly turning around and using his ability to shoot vines toward the mercenary.  

Shadow watches helplessly as the vines wrap around his book and zip across the room, landing in Bennett's grasp. He glares daggers at him with a grumble, "That was below the belt." 

"Erm... What... is this?" The curly-haired boy asks as he peers at the title, though it's not in English. 

The former mercenary sighs, attempting to shrug off his slip-up with a nonchalant laugh, "That's... my favorite sappy love novel. Can't a guy enjoy some romance once in a while?" He admits reluctantly. 

'Damn, there goes my street cred. Damn you Bennett and your nosy vines,' Shadow curses to himself silently. 

"Is this Pride and Prejudice?" Bennett flips through a few pages before continuing, "Why is this in Italian?" 

Internally, Shadow is seething as he tries to keep up his normal cocky attitude, 'Great, on top of that, now I've gotta explain why I'm reading an Italian version! This day just keeps on getting worse. Now, nobody is gonna take me seriously anymore.' 

"Because I can, alright?" The dark-haired man snaps, "Believe it or not, Benny, I used to go on missions in Italy when I was still a mercenary." 

'Hopefully, talking about my fucked up past will save some face. God, I hope so. I'm never living this down.' 

"Wait, how many languages do you have this book in?" Bennett thinks to ask, much to his friend's chagrin. 

"Oh, just a couple... Italian, French, German, English," Shadow mentions casually, "Guess you could say it's my little collection." 

The curly-haired man is completely taken by surprise by this information, "And you.. speak all of those languages?" 

"Some more fluently than others but yeah, I can get by," He responds with a smug grin, "Bet you didn't see that coming, huh Benny?" 

Bennett blinks slowly in disbelief, remarking, "I thought you were barely literate." 

This prompts the former mercenary to roll his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest, "Looks can be deceiving. Just because I don't flaunt it doesn't mean I'm not more capable than you think." 

"Well..." Bennett drawls out slowly before quickly saying, "I'm gonna go show Ren your favorite book!" He hastily retreats out of the room. 

Shadow leaps to his feet with wide eyes, horror written all over his face, "Bennett! You wouldn't dare!" 

bonus: 

"That's cute. And in Italian?" Ren muses with a grin when Bennett hands the book over to her, "I think that's great, Shadow. I'm impressed." 

"You... You are?" Shadow stammers out incredulously, surprise morphing his face. He lets out a breath of relief as he thinks to himself, 'Thank God. Maybe my image isn't destroyed after all. Unless she's mocking me. Oh god, I hope she's not. It's hard to tell with her.' 

[ihateoc]

Shadow and Killer

(word count: 928) (shadow comes across a stray cat)

The obscurity of the cloudy night sky echoed the murkiness of Shadow's thoughts as he strolled along a dimly illuminated sidewalk under the street lights, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets as he muttered under his breath to himself. 

"One more job, they said. It'll be quick, they said. Knew I should have said no. Fucking idiot," He let out an exasperated sigh, his breath visible in the cold air, "Bennett and Ren are gonna be pissed for sure." 

He sauntered ahead, not paying his surroundings any mind until the sound of a feline meow captured his attention. A pure white cat appears to have somehow gotten its paw caught in the fence blocking off a dark alleyway. Shadow stops in his tracks, crouching down to assess the situation. 

"Well, well, looks like you're in a bit of a bind there," He says with a smirk. He carefully reaches out to free the cat's paw from the fence, taking care not to hurt it in the process, "What kind of idiot gets stuck like this anyway?" 

Shadow pats the cat on the head briefly before walking away, though the stray feline follows close behind. He raises an eyebrow at the cat trailing after him, before walking faster, however the animal continues to follow him, persistent and loud in its meowing. 

"Aren't you stubborn?" The dark-haired man finally stops and bends down again to pet the white fur of his newfound shadow, "I'm not exactly home sweet home, feline." 

When the stray begins to purr while the mercenary strokes his head, he chuckles, the sound low and gruff in his throat. He's not sure why he finds this amusing. Maybe it's the absurdity of a stray cat purring at him, someone who wasn't known for being gentle or kind. 

"You're pretty easy to please, huh?" He murmurs as his hand continues to move over its fur, "Maybe I'm not completely unlovable after all." 

As Shadow observes the kitty's reactions, he considers whether Bennett would allow him to keep it or not. In the end, he decides, "Fuck it, why not? You're coming home with me." 

He scoops the cat up into his arms, holding onto it as if it's some kind of ticking time bomb as he walks off toward Bennett's place again. Maybe having a pet around wouldn't be so bad after all. And maybe, just maybe, this would help Ren soften up to him. Unlikely. 

Luckily, it didn't take much convincing for Bennett to go along with his idea. Within the next few days, the formerly stray cat had already been spoiled as his newfound owner had hastily purchased the best food, toys, bed, and cat tower he could find. 

One evening, the front door of the apartment swings open as Bennett's sister enters the room, closing the door behind her. "Hey Shadow," She greets him before her sharp grey eyes take notice of the white furball, adorned with a spikey black collar, fast asleep on the couch, "Awe, what a cute cat. I didn't realize Bennett got a pet." 

Shadow leans against the hall doorway, arms crossed and a smirk dancing on his lips as he watches Ren sit down on the sofa and interact with his cat, "Actually," He calls out to her, voice filled with amusement, "That's my little killer in training." 

He pushes away from the doorframe and saunters over to the couch, watching Ren while she strokes the feline, before suddenly dropping onto the couch next to her, legs splayed wide open. 

"Do you like cats then?" He asks casually despite being entirely absorbed in every single reaction coming from Ren. 

"Yeah, I've always been a cat person," She muses with a soft smile as the critter crawls into her lap and cozies up to her, "What's their name?" 

The dark-haired man glances at the white cat in her lap, its fur stark against her darker clothes, "Haven't really given it a name. Just been calling it cat," He admits with a shrug, scratching his chin thoughtfully.  Leaning back onto the couch casually, he turns to look at Ren again, "How about you choose one? He seems to like you." 

'Bet she'll come up with some classy ass name. Wonder if giving Renny this choice will make me seem more normal or likable to her... God, what I wouldn't give for that woman to look my way without any judgment or hate for once.' He finds himself thinking to himself, caught off-guard when she speaks up again. 

"You said he's your little killer, right? What about Killer?" 

Shadow raises an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, "Killer, huh? Simple and to the point. I like it," He says with a chuckle, "Well then, Killer it is." He nods approvingly, his eyes lingering on her face for a moment longer than necessary before he leans back into the couch once more, "Seems like you've made quite the impression on my little killer." 

"Now I've named you both," She notes with a chuckle as she ruffles his messy black hair. 

"Hey!" He grumbles, but his irritation is half-hearted at best. He swats her hand away in mock annoyance before he leans into her touch slightly, relishing the intimate contact, "That you have..." He murmurs with a smirk, "Guess we're both a couple of strays." 

He finds himself savoring this moment, knowing that smile of hers is going to quickly disappear when he mentions the job he was forced to take. But for now... He'll enjoy this while he can. 

[ihateoc]

Disappear

(word count: 3.018) (broody boy)

After Tenchi had sent Ember to hunt him down and Ren saved his ass, Shadow felt… well… complicated. 

He didn't want to drag Bennett and Ren into his world. His problems. He knows better than anyone that they can handle themselves. But that isn't the problem. Strangely, he just doesn't want to see them get hurt or get involved at all. 

So, he disappeared. 

He packed his things and left when Bennett was at work and took up at a hotel in the area, not bothering to tell anyone where he was going. 

He felt guilty, but for once, he had people he wanted to protect. His laidback lifestyle had all but faded away in an instant. He sat in his dingy hotel room deep in thought, feeling like he was back in his mercenary days. 

His phone kept vibrating violently on the table, notifications of missed calls, voicemails and texts flooding the screen. It had been silent for some time before it buzzed again, prompting Shadow to flinch at the sound. His eyes dart to the screen when he notices Ren's name flashing across it.  

The pounding in his chest grows louder with each passing second, part of him itching just to hear her voice, but another side too overwhelmed by guilt. He decides against blocking their numbers because maybe someday they might need him and he'll be there for them. 

Being normal was never really meant for someone like Shadow anyway. 

At the sound of another notification, he picks the phone up and throws it across the room, replacing it with one of his old knives. The weapon feels comfortable in his hands, the weight and balance soothing his rampant thoughts. He runs the whetstone along its edge with practiced ease, a familiar task that grounded him. 

But every now and then, he finds himself glancing towards his discarded phone, or to be more precise, towards Ren. His pathetically sentimental feelings made him frustrated at himself for being this weak.  

With a grim resolve, Shadow inhales deeply, holding his breath while closing his eyes. He can feel the old steel walls creeping back up around him, raising to shield him from any emotional hurt. 

But shutting down doesn't make everything easier like it used to. Instead, it makes him ache with a loneliness that is both biting and raw.  

Now begs the question, what exactly was his plan? Could he really go back to being a mercenary for Tenchi? What else could he do besides run? His life was always about survival in the end. 

With a metallic clatter, he drops his knife onto the table. He decides that going back to Tenchi isn't an option. He'd rather die than become that man's pawn again. 

Running though... It is all he knows. A life of constant movement and evading trouble. But this time, running meant running away from Ren and Bennett too. The sheer thought makes him falter for a moment before forcing himself to stand up, pacing restlessly around the room. 

The paths he walked on were never easy but this feels like walking barefoot on broken glass. Why does choosing survival this time feel like he's killing parts of him? 

Shadow stays locked up in his hotel room, these dark thoughts swirling around him while he paces anxiously before eventually laying down in bed, struggling to fall and stay asleep. He never used to rest much until recently anyway. 

---------- 

The world outside Shadow's hotel room moves on with everyday life, unbothered and unaware of his inner turmoil. The familiar motion of sharpening knives is the only thing that holds some semblance of order in his chaotic mind. 

His body feels heavy from lack of sleep, eyes stinging but unable to close for long periods because every time he did, he saw their faces. He gives an ironic chuckle at how far gone he really was. They've become his fucking weakness. What has Ren done to him?    

He looks up at the sound of loud rapping on the door. Couldn't be one of Tenchi's men. That would be too obvious. He ignores it, focusing on his monotonous task until the door is eventually kicked in by a very pissed off looking Ren. 

Shit, worst-case scenario. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" She closes the door with a loud thud, storming up to him and looming over his form. 

Shadow feels his heart leap into his throat at the sight of Ren, her fierce eyes blazing fire. His instinct was to soften up and let himself be swept away by her presence but he forces himself to remain impassive. 

"Ren..." He greeted stoically, sounding dry as bones as he studies her, making no move from where he sits. 

A small part of him wonders whether she tracked him down out of concern or to chew him out. 

She shoots him a venomous glare, her voice low and dangerous, "Bennett said you packed up and disappeared. Why?" 

He shrugs nonchalantly, returning his attention to the knife in his hand, replying coolly, "Just felt like it." 

But inside, her presence was causing an upheaval, her question stirring emotions he had locked away tightly. Her proximity was making it harder for him not to care.  

"Shadow, what the hell is going on?" She questions him, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. 

"Nothing, Ren," Shadow lies blatantly, his gaze fixated on the knife he's sharpening. 

He can feel her scrutinizing him, looking for answers. It was a battle within himself to not spill everything. His heart pounds in his chest as if trying to blow its cover. He can't let her find out just how fucked up he is right now. She won't understand. Actually, she shouldn't have to. 

"You're a bad liar," She barks out, swiftly grabbing the weapon from his hand in a bold move, "Is it because of what happened with Ember?" 

He considers disarming her, every cell urging him to fight back, but he let her hold onto the knife because he didn't want to hurt her. He just has to bear with this for a little bit longer and then he can push her out of his life. God, why does everything have to be so difficult with her? 

"No, Ren. It's not about Ember," Shadow answers truthfully, looking at her for the first time since she arrived. His maroon eyes were hard but there was an undeniable unrest in them. 

"Shadow, just tell me what's going on," She presses him, sitting down on the edge of the bed by his chair, "Come on, this isn't like you." 

He smirks sardonically, shaking his head, "You really think you know me?" He asks her with slight bitterness lacing his voice. 

Maybe it was time to accept the truth. Maybe this was exactly like him, running away when things started feeling too real. 

"I..." She falters before steeling her resolve and stubbornly biting back, "Yeah, I do. You're annoying and stubborn. An idiot, but street smart. You're fast and you're skilled. But more importantly, you're Shadow," She lets out a breath, adding, "I'm not sure what's going on with you but I know that you care about your friends, me, Bennett, and Carter." 

Shadow's breath hitches at her words, part of him wanting to believe it while the other laughs cruelly. He looks away from Ren again, clenching his jaw. He should have known she wouldn't back down. 

"How do you know I'm not just using you?" Shadow challenges her bluntly. After all, people were always used against each other in his line of work. 

"Because I know you," She answers assuredly, "Better than you realize. And besides, if you were using me, I'm sure you would have put me down by now." 

He chuckles gruffly at her words, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips, "Yeah, I really should have done that by now." 

But it was far from the truth. He could never hurt Ren. The mere thought of causing her pain made him feel sick. 

"Let's just talk, Shadow," Her eyes watch him intensely, "Tell me what's going on. I want to help." 

Rolling his eyes, he scoffs slightly, "Help? You really think you can help with this mess?" He retorts, gesturing to himself. 

"Wouldn't be the first time, would it?" She teases with a chuckle in an attempt to lighten the tense mood that occupied the room. 

"Yeah, and look where that got you," Shadow remarks flatly, his tone devoid of its usual playful sarcasm, a sheer reflection of his inner turmoil. 

Ren seems unfazed by his response, instead imploring, "Shadow, please just talk to me. I know this isn't what you want." 

"And what if it is?" Shadow shoots back defiantly. He feels frustrated with himself and with her relentless attempts to dig deeper. 

"You're a bad liar." 

The dark-haired man huffs out a cynical laugh, looking at Ren with darkened eyes, "Am I?" He challenges her verbally but his steady gaze is pleading for understanding and patience. 

He wishes she would stop trying to see through him. It was getting harder to keep up the facade. 

"it's about Tenchi, isn't it?" She interrogates him, hitting the nail on the head. 

Shadow's gaze hardens, his defensive walls shooting up, "So what if it is?" 

"So what?" She presses him bluntly, "You're just going to go back to him?" 

"I don't know, Ren!" He explodes, his patience snapping as his tone comes out harsher than intended, "Maybe I am! What do you care anyway?"  

"Over my dead fucking body," She spits out, her tone dripping with venom. She stands up, looming over him while unsheathing her dual daggers from her waist holster. 

He watches the fury in her eyes and feels a pang of guilt, "I don't need your damn permission!" He hisses back at her, rising to his feet as well.  

"Well, the only way you're leaving this room is if you're coming with me," She demands, taking a defensive stance with her weapons held out in front of her.  

Just like old times. 

Shadow sighs, rubbing his temples before glancing at her, asking in a mocking tone, "Are you threatening me, Ren?" 

"Yeah, I am. What are you going to do about it?" She asks with narrowed grey eyes, gripping her daggers tightly. 

He smirks despite the situation. He eyes her weapons and then meets her defiant gaze again, shrugging, "Guess I'll just have to deal with it." 

"Fine, if this is how it's gonna be then..." She hurls one of her daggers at the light switch, knocking out the lights and making him lose his advantage over her. 

"Oh, you sneaky bastard," He chuckles darkly in the sudden darkness. Now this was more like it, Ren using her cunning to even out the odds.  

"I'll knock your stubborn ass out and drag you back home against your will," She breathes out with a chill in her voice, as if every word was coated in frost. 

Shadow laughs, feeling his body bracing in anticipation, "Can't say it won't be fun watching ya try." 

God, she's so hot when she's pissed... No, focus! 

"Idiot..." Ren mutters under her breath. She conjures her missing dagger back in her hand, rushing towards him hastily and moving to attack. 

"Quite possibly," He chuckles, sidestepping her charge with ease.  

The darkness only seems to fuel his senses, making him feel invigorated. She's not going to make this easy. Picking up his knife from the table and skillfully counter attacking, Ren avoids his strikes with fluid grace and skill. 

"Just quit being difficult already," She growls out. 

"Where's the fun in that?" Shadow retorts, lunging at her with a smirk etched onto his face. He always had enjoyed their little dances. Somehow, in some sick and twisted way, he missed this. 

She blocks his swing with both of her daggers, metal clanking against metal, "Shadow, be serious. Just let me help dammit. Quit being an asshole." 

"Helping is not your job, Ren!" He snaps back, pushing her away roughly before regaining his composure. Hell, he should be the one protecting her. 

Recovering hastily and nearly striking him, she barks back, "You don't get to decide what my job is!" 

"And you don't get to decide what's good for me!" Shadow hisses in response, blocking her strike just in time. 

"Then tell me what the hell you think is good for you," Her tone is cold and cutting, slicing through the air like a knife, "Going back to Tenchi? Running from him for the rest of your life? Which is it Shadow?" She asks incredulously. 

He falls silent at her words, his hands clenching around the hilt of his weapon, "I don't know!" He yells finally, letting out a frustrated growl. 

"If you don't know then just come back home already!" She argues with an indignant huff. 

Sighing, he lowers his knife slightly, muttering cynically, "And then what? Live happily ever after?" 

Ren takes the opening to attack, him barely blocking in time, "Yes, obviously! You were having your laidback lifestyle remember? Why give it up?" 

She always did fight dirty. He respected that about her. 

Shadow grits his teeth as he deflects her strike, the impact resonating through his arm, "That ain't life, Ren... That's just playin' pretend." 

"You're so goddamn dense," She spits out before disappearing abruptly, reappearing behind him in an instant and kicking him in the back. 

He stumbles forward at her unexpected assault, barely managing to keep himself upright, "Always full of surprises, aren't ya?" He grumbles, turning around and readying his knife again. 

Her daggers clash against his knife, her face only inches from his as her eyes gleam vehemently, "What is this really about? At least tell me that!" 

Meeting her gaze, the intensity of Shadow's own maroon eyes mirrors hers. He snarls back, "It's about me not dragging you into my shit!" 

"Are you fucking serious??" Ren's voice rose sharply, laced with disbelief and frustration, "We're already in your shit, you idiot!" She hits him square in the gut with the hilt of her dagger, "If we cared about being dragged into your shit, we wouldn't have brought you home with us!" 

He grunts when her dagger connects with his abdomen. Stumbling back, he clutches at the painful spot on his torso and glares up at her, wheezing out, "And what if you get hurt? What then, huh?" 

"There's a simple answer to that," She spins her daggers with a flourish, a confident grin forming on her face as she remarks, "I won't." 

The dark-haired man shakes his head, chuckling despite the pain, "You're so damn cocky," He retorts, trying to push himself back up. 

"Yeah, so are you. Just listen... Give it up. Come back with me and Bennett. We can talk something out," Ren says as she points a dagger at him, the tip of her blade only inches from his nose, "You're not alone in this anymore, Shadow. Maybe you don't want that but it doesn't matter. You have friends now. You can't be selfish and just go off on your own. We won't let you." 

He watches her, his maroon eyes softening. He feels an uncomfortable twist in his gut. Fear... and relief. 

"I don't deserve you guys," He mutters more to himself than to her. 

"If that was true, we wouldn't be here, would we?" She muses with a grin as she holsters her weapons, holding out a hand to help him up, "Come on. Come home." 

Looking at her extended hand momentarily, he sighs and takes it, "You're gonna be the death of me, Ren," He comments as she helps him up. 

"Good. Now quit being stubborn and let us in. You're human, remember?" 

A chuckle escapes his lips as he shakes his head, "Remind me again why I like you?" 

"Because you're an idiot?" She teases with a smug grin. 

"Ah, right. That must be it," He jokes back, a grin forming on his lips despite the situation. 

Ren takes her phone out of her pocket, typing out a message as she explains, "I walked here and didn't tell Bennett where I was going so, I'll ask him to come pick us up." 

Shadow can't resist laughing out loud at her recklessness, "You have a very interesting way of making plans." 

"Honestly," She admits as she looks up from her phone to meet his gaze, "I was so pissed off when I heard you left that I stormed off without thinking." 

A smirk dances on his lips as his ego feeds off of her confession, "So, you really do care about me then?" 

"Don't act like you didn't know that," She says while rolling her eyes. She glances at the broken light switch that her dagger had struck, "Don't think you're getting your deposit back." 

He chuckles, his gaze following hers as he shrugs nonchalantly, "Like I give a shit about that now." 

She sends Bennett a message, slipping her phone back into her pocket before placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "I'm glad I didn't have to knock you out." 

Shadow tenses for a moment before relaxing into Ren's touch, which was something like a soothing balm to him right now, "Don't think I would've let ya, killer," He replies coolly. 

"Cocky asshole. Don't act like you were winning." 

He sets his hand on top of hers, conceding with a closed-eye smile, "Alright, alright. I'll admit ya got me good." 

Ren peers up at him, maintaining steady eye contact, her tone laced with honesty and warmth as she speaks genuinely, "We'll figure this out, Shadow. Depend on us." 

"Depending on people... Isn't exactly my forte," Shadow admits, looking back at her with a serious glint in his eyes, "But I guess I can make an exception for you two." 

"And if you even think about trying something like that again..." Her eyes darken considerably, "I'll kill you." 

He smirks upon hearing her venomous words and seeing her icy gaze, "I wouldn't expect any less from ya, Renny." 

[ihateoc]

Honey Whiskey

(word count: 3,361) (crackfic i wrote for valentines day. not at all canon)

Valentines Day. A day Shadow had grown accustomed to staining himself with blood while others went on their happy little dates. Somehow, he wished he was on a job right now. Bennett had left for a date a little while ago, leaving Shadow all alone in the apartment. 

After spending some time sulking, he eventually broke out a bottle of whiskey and had already downed half of it while watching a cheesy romance movie. Deep down, he craved physical and emotional connection. Not that he'd ever admit that. He was already drunk when the doorknob turned. 

The door swings open as Ren bursts into the room, clad in a black dress, heels and lipstick, a stark contrast from her usual casual attire. She seems surprised when she notices him, "Hey, Shadow. Is Bennett here?" 

Upon hearing Ren's voice, Shadow looks up, his eyes partially unfocused from the alcohol. He blinks a few times before he speaks, his words coming out more slurred than he intends, "Hey doll face, Bennett's out on a date or something." 

Holy hell, she looks amazing. But he needs to keep it together. Now isn't the time to be drunk and sappy. 

"Oh, I see..." She begins, glancing at the open bottle of liquor on the table, "Are you drunk?" 

He gives a nonchalant shrug, trying hard to maintain eye contact with her and not let his gaze drop lower, "What can I say, princess? It's Valentines Day after all. The great celebration of love or some shit like that." 

"So, you're brooding?" She wonders, but before he can defend himself, she sits down beside him, taking his glass full of whiskey from his hand and taking a drink, "Let me join you then." 

Shadow freezes for a second at her proximity, the smell of her perfume making him dizzy. 

"Ah! Princess wants to join my little pity party, huh?" He flashes her an amused grin but there's a hint of nervousness in his eyes. 

"Yeah," She remarks after taking another swig of his drink, "Got stood up." 

He lets out a low whistle as he leans back into the couch, "Damn, that's rough, sweetheart. His loss though." 

Stood up? Who in their right mind would stand a beautiful woman like her up? He'd give anything just for the slimmest chance of a date with her. Wait, is that pathetic?  

"Yeah, can't say I'm surprised. I was really only going on the date as a favor in the first damn place," She complains as she points to the drink, "This is fucking disgusting by the way." 

Shadow lets out a soft chuckle before retrieving the bottle and taking a hearty gulp, "Tell me about it. Just like life, huh? Disgusting but we still swallow it down." 

"You're not wrong but..." She drawls out slowly, swirling the liquid in the glass as she looks down at it contemplating, "We don't have to swallow it down. Why not spit it back in life's face?" 

A small smirk tugs at Shadow's lips as he watches Ren, his voice filled with amused admiration, "That's my princess. Spitting in the face of adversity. Now that sounds more fun than my brooding." 

"Mhm, but let's brood together for the night," She muses as she slumps back against the couch, "What's the movie about?" 

Shadow looks over at the scene playing on the screen, a couple locked in a passionate kiss under the rain. "Ah, some cheesy love story," He rolls his eyes dramatically but doesn't make any move to change it, "A guy is trying to win over this woman who can't be less interested in him. Ridiculous shit." 

 "What an idiot. You think he'd learn by now," Ren responds before taking another swig of her drink. 

Shadow can't help but bark out a sardonic laugh at her comment, "Yeah, what kind of dumbass wouldn't take the hint, right?" He swiftly steals his glass back from her and takes another gulp. The heat in his throat does nothing to ward off the chill creeping down his spine. 

She might as well have just punched him in the fucking face. It seems like she has no idea just how close that hit home for him. Goddamn ironic that they're watching this now of all times.  

"But his determination is sweet, I'll admit," She adds, her eyes glued to the television screen. 

Shadow's heart skips a beat at her words, "Is that so?" He asks, trying to hide the hope in his voice, "Well then... I guess idiots like him have some chance after all." 

Ren and Shadow continue drinking and watching rom-com's until they finally run out of whiskey. Admittedly, both of them probably should have quit drinking a while ago. 

"Damn, that bottle didn't last," She grumbles, her words slurred as she holds up the empty bottle, "Got any more?" 

He chuckles, sinking back into the couch as he looks over at her, "Sorry, princess. That was the last bottle." 

His mind was fuzzy and his thoughts were all jumbled but one thing remained clear, how intoxicatingly beautiful Ren looked to him right now. He felt completely sober when it came to noticing every small detail about her. 

"I think I've got a bottle of vodka at my place. I could run and grab it real quick," She comments as she moves to stand up, faltering slightly. 

Shadow hastily reaches out to steady her, his hand landing on her waist a little more firmly than he had intended, "Whoa there, doll. You can barely stand up straight," He thinks for a moment before shrugging, "A walk might do us some good though." 

Absolutely bad idea. But damn, he'd follow this woman to hell and back. 

"Yeah, yeah, a walk would be nice, but first..." She kicks off her heels, leaving her barefoot, "That's better. Okay, let's head next door." 

He can't help but chuckle at her antics as he stands up to follow her, swaying gingerly on his feet before catching himself, "Hold on a sec, princess," Shadow says as he moves to put an arm on her waist for support, unsure whether he was doing so for her or himself at this point. 

A laugh escapes her lips as they stumble out the door and into the hallway together, "God, we're both messes, aren't we?" 

"Absolute train wrecks, doll," Shadow agrees with a chuckle, tightening his grip on her waist. 

The warm feeling flowing through him had less to do with the alcohol and more about how close Ren was right now. She just felt... right in his arms. This was crazy to him. Absurd. But he wouldn't have it any other way. 

Once they reach Ren's apartment, she fumbles with her keys before eventually unlocking the door. She leads him into the kitchen where she pulls a half full bottle of vodka out of the freezer.  

Shadow looks around the apartment, a slight grimace settling on his face at the memory of how he'd once torn this place apart when she was his target. Though he'd visited her place a few times more recently, he always found himself feeling guilty. 

Shaking his head, he tries to dismiss these unwanted thoughts, opting to try and lighten the mood instead, "Ah, good ol' vodka. Makes everything better, doesn't it?" 

She pours two shot glasses full of the clear liquid, some of it overflowing and splashing out onto the counter before she hands him one, "Probably shouldn't be drinking this with all the whiskey we had but whatever, fuck it," She spouts out, using one of his own signature phrases. She holds the glass up in a toast, "To uhhh..." 

Shadow raises his drink to Ren's, a smirk on his face as he finishes her sentence, "To being reckless and absolute train wrecks." 

She chuckles at his toast as they both down the vodka without any hesitation, setting their glasses back down on the counter and prompting Shadow to refill them. This woman could easily be the end of him. But what a glorious end that would be. 

"You know..." Ren begins after a moment of silence, her words slurred, "I was surprised you didn't bring me flowers or something." 

Shadow blinks, taken aback by her words. He scratches his head awkwardly before mustering a reply, "Oh well... Didn't think you'd appreciate that kind of shit, princess," He tries to keep his voice steady despite the mix of emotions swirling inside him, mixing with the alcohol in his system. 

"You should've said so earlier," He adds, "I would have stolen an entire flower shop for ya." 

She chuckles, hopping up to sit on the edge of the counter, "Mhm," She drawls out slowly, "I like flowers and cheesy shit just as much as the next person." 

Upon hearing this, the dark-haired man's eyes widen a fraction before he quickly masks it with his usual smug expression. He shakes his head casually and laughs, "I'll keep that in mind for the future then... Flowers and cheesy shit." 

Ren's face is unusually soft as she giggles, her lipstick smeared on her face, "And I know you like cheesy shit too, even though you try to hide it," She points out with a drunken smirk as she swings her legs from where she sits. 

Shadow raises an eyebrow, trying to feign innocence, "I have no idea what you're talking about." 

He laughs, a warm and genuine sound that fills the room as he passes her a shot glass. She has him figured out pretty well. And he's not sure whether he should be worried or impressed. 

"You're a bad liar. I dunno how you were such a good mercenary but such a bad liar," She remarks while snorting out a laugh. 

Shadow shrugs nonchalantly, "I guess when it comes to you, Renny... All my skills fly out the window," His tone is teasing as raises his shot glass for a toast again. 

She clinks her glass against his before swallowing it in one swift gulp, "God... Disgusting," She complains before her gaze falls back on him, "You don't seem much different when drunk, you know?" 

After downing his own shot and placing the glass back on the counter, he laughs, "Well, that's disappointing, ain't it? You think I'd be more fun." 

His blurred vision meets hers for a moment, an uncharacteristic gentleness in his maroon eyes. God, she was beautiful. Even when complaining about him. 

"Mhm, very," Ren agrees with a chuckle while reaching out to ruffle his dark hair. 

He raises an eyebrow, chuckling lightly without making an attempt to pull away from her touch, "Hey now, doll, I just got it to look this good," He mutters with a mock pout on his face. 

She crosses her arms petulantly, mumbling, "But it looks good messy." 

He can't help but laugh, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, "Well, if princess says so..." He messes up his hair even more and grins proudly. 

"Hey Shadow," She begins, her tone more serious, "Can I ask you something kind of personal?" 

His confident smirk fades slightly as he looks at Ren, a glimmer of concern in his eyes, "You know you can ask me anything, princess. Fire away." 

"Do you ever..." Her words die in her throat, quietly asking, "Do you ever think about all of the time you lost?" 

Shadow feels a lump form in his throat at her abrupt question. A moment of uncomfortable silence hangs between them before a sigh escapes his lips, "All the time," He admits, his voice low and heavy with emotions he rarely let show. 

He looks away from Ren as if trying to hide the pain reflected in his maroon eyes. Of course he did? Who wouldn't? But admitting that out loud... Maybe it was a side effect of the alcohol but it struck him like a physical blow. 

She feels a wave of guilt wash over her when she takes note of his reaction, reaching out for him while stammering out, 'H-hey, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to make you feel bad." 

He shakes his head, forcing a weak smile onto his face, "It's alright, Renny. You have nothing to apologize for." 

The dark-haired man appreciates her concern but he doesn't want her feeling guilty over something that isn't her fault. He knows she didn't mean anything by it. But goddamn if it didn't hurt. 

"Hey, c'mere," She slurs as she motions with her hands for him to come closer. 

Shadow takes a step towards her, the liquid courage in his system making him a little too eager, "Alright, alright, I'm here," He stands between her legs, looking up at her with an eyebrow raised in curiosity. 

Ren abruptly embraces him, wrapping her arms around him while burying her face in the crook of his neck. She mutters out a muffled, "I'm sorry," Her breath hot against his skin. 

Freezing momentarily, he looks similar to a deer in the headlights from her sudden affectionate gesture. After a moment, he wraps his own arms around her, soothing her while tenderly stroking her back, "There's nothing to be sorry about, princess." 

She tightens her grip on him as if she was afraid he would slip away at any moment. Silence wraps around them before the hushed sound of her sniffling can be heard.  

Wait...  

Is she crying?? 

His heart clenches at the sound, "Hey, princess," He says comfortingly, trying to keep his voice calm despite feeling utterly panicked, "It's okay... Whatever you're upset about, we can figure it out together." 

He tries to be comforting but he has no idea how to handle a crying woman. This was certainly new territory for him. What did he say about following Ren to hell earlier? This is a whole new kind of torture. But damn if he won't be there for her. 

"It's just..." She utters out drunkenly through tears, "It's not fair what you went through." 

Shadow feels a strange warmth spread in his chest. No one has ever cried for him before.  

"It's... It's okay, doll," He comforts her, lightly patting her back, "I wouldn't have met you if I hadn't gone through that." 

Ren pulls back from the embrace, her arms loosely draped over his shoulders. Her mascara is running down her tear-stained cheeks as her grey eyes bore directly into his, "I just-" She doesn't finish her sentence, leaning in to drunkenly kiss him.  

Shadow is dumbstruck when Ren suddenly presses her lips against his. But any thoughts or objections he may have had are drowned out as he loses himself in her. She tastes of alcohol but that's not the reason he finds her lips so intoxicating.  

He kisses her back with an equal amount of intensity, hands restlessly wandering to hold onto her waist while keeping them pressed together. God, he had been waiting for this moment. But not like this. 

As much as he craves more of her mesmerizing taste, Shadow halts Ren before she can kiss him again. He can't do this. Not when they're both so drunk, "Ren," He starts while placing a hand in front of her lips, "You're drunk... We shouldn't..." 

Goddamn self-control, but he refuses to take advantage of a drunken Ren. 

"O-oh, I'm sorry," She looks away, avoiding his gaze intently and he's not sure whether her cheeks are flushed from the alcohol or the heat of the moment. 

Shadow quickly shakes his head, reaching out to cup her face gently, "No, no, don't apologize, princess. You've got nothing to be sorry for. Let's get you to bed, alright?" He offers her a reassuring smile before he slowly pulls away, already longing for their closeness again. 

She nods as she hops off of the counter, stumbling forward into his arms, clearly not in a state to walk on her own. With a faint grunt, he scoops Ren up in his arms, her body pleasantly warm against his chest. 

"Alright, Renny," He murmurs as he navigates through the apartment to her bedroom, "Let's get ya tucked in." 

She leans her head against his chest, her eyes shut tightly. Seeing this delicate, vulnerable side of Ren stirs a confusing mix of emotions within Shadow. It's disconcerting to see her like this but at the same time… He can't ignore how good it feels to hold her, though he wishes it was under better circumstances.  

Carefully, he sets her down on the bed and pulls up the covers over her. 

Before he can turn to leave, she reaches out to tug on the sleeve of his hoodie, "Shadow," His name tumbles from her lips softly, affectionately even. It's a stark contrast from the first time she had called him by that name all those years ago when they first met. 

"Could you... stay with me until I fall asleep?" 

Something in his heart gives way. There was no way he could refuse her anything. 

"Of course," He replies with a thoughtful grin, sitting himself on the edge of her bed, "I'm not going anywhere." 

Ren shifts to lay on her side, peering up at him as she speaks sincerely, "You mean a lot to me, Shadow. Don't forget that. I believe in you." 

Shadow swallows hard upon hearing the honesty in her tone. He reaches out to gently brush away a loose strand of hair from her face, speechless for a moment before managing to stammer out, "Thank you, princess. That means... more than you know." 

He gives her hand a delicate squeeze, the reassurance that he's here for her shining clear in his eyes. She believes in him? Nobody has ever said that before. He feels touched and overwhelmed by her heartfelt admission, an indescribable warmth enveloping him. 

When she finally drifts off, Shadow watches Ren's tranquil figure, her face softened by the peaceful oblivion of sleep. He gently traces his fingers along hers before he finally gets up from the bed. 

Shadow leaves a small care package of Tylenol and a bottle of water on her bedside table, hoping it'll ease whatever hangover awaits her in the morning. 

"Goodnight, killer," He whispers quietly, taking one last lingering gaze at her sleeping form before exiting her apartment silently. 

As he steps into his own abode next door, a bittersweet smile graces his lips as he mutters to himself, "What a night." 

Bennett, who had returned from his date a little while ago, turns from where he sits on the couch to face Shadow. He furrows his brow curiously, "Where were you at?" 

The dark-haired man scratches the back of his head, smirking impishly as he answers cryptically, "I was just... helping Ren." 

Bennett might be her brother but it's up to Ren whether she wants him to know about tonight or not. Besides, Bennett probably wouldn't even believe him if he told him. 

"Oh, but I thought she had a date. Did she get back early?" Bennett prods him. 

"Guess her date didn't go as planned," Shadow shrugs, deciding to leave it at that. 

The asshole that stood her up is lucky Shadow has no idea who they are. A strange sense of protectiveness and anger bubbles up within him but he also feels a weird sense of relief knowing he could spend the night with her instead. 

Feeling an odd bittersweet feeling in his stomach from the events of the evening, Shadows bids Bennett goodnight and heads to his room. As he eases himself on his bed, he lets out a heavy sigh. The taste of that one stolen kiss still lingers on his lips and the memory makes him yearn for more. 

He lays back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling as a whirlwind of thoughts claw into him. Please remember... or maybe it’s better if she doesn't.  

Despite the mixture of concerns and uncertainties swirling in his mind, Shadow couldn't help but admit that tonight was amazing. He had managed to forget about everything else and just enjoy Ren's company, something he'd never thought would happen.  

What a fucking night. This was without a shadow of a doubt the best Valentine's Day he's ever had. 

[ihateoc]

Shadow vs Pariston

(word count: 3,009) (shadow meets pariston)

When Bennett had initially brought up Shadow becoming a hunter, Shadow had shrugged off the idea. That is until he realized Bennett had a point, he was skilled in hunting people down. Plus, since Ren and Bennett are hunters, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.  

Ren, very generously, offered Shadow a chance to come with her to her workplace to see how things are done. Sure, he's not a hunter and probably not supposed to be in the building but she's the vice chairman so who's going to question her judgement? 

Shadow leans back in his chair next to her desk, lazing around while Ren fills out some dull paperwork. That's really all he's seen her do so far. Isn't she bored?  

A man with dark blonde hair and brown eyes, donning a designer suit enters her office, a wide cheerful smile plastered onto his face. He looks Shadow up and down before holding his hand up in a wave, "Hello, Ren! I see they're letting anyone in here these days!" 

Ren leans sideways towards Shadow, whispering, "Maybe if we just ignore him, he'll go away." 

Pariston chuckles, hearing her hushed words. He strides across the room, resting his slim hands on the edge of Ren's desk and leaning in close with a broad grin, "Oh, my dear vice chairman," He purrs out mockingly, "I just wanted to make your day more exciting!" 

"Ugh," She audibly groans in annoyance, "What do you actually want?" 

He laughs, his eyes shining with amusement as he looks at Ren, "Can't I just drop in to see how my successor is doing?" 

Ignoring Shadow's presence entirely, he sits down on a corner of her desk and crosses one leg over the other nonchalantly, "I'm curious though. How do you plan on managing this association without making it boring?" 

His grin widens when she reflexively leans away from him, remarking coldly, "Ask Cheadle. I'm just doing my job." 

Shadow already can't understand how she deals with this guy. He blatantly wonders, "Want me to kill him, princess?" 

"No... I mean yes, definitely. But you can't." 

Pariston throws his head back and lets out a hearty laugh at Ren's remark, as if she had just told him the funniest joke in the world, "Oh my. Can't blame your dog for being so protective."  

He straightens up, meeting her gaze squarely before leaning in towards Shadow, "But that response does beg an interesting question. Are you helping our vice chairman because she's incapable of handling everything by herself?" 

His grin doesn't waver even when he earns himself dark glares from both Ren and her 'dog'. 

Shadow barks a harsh laugh, crossing his arms and leaning back in the chair with a dangerous smirk playing on his lips, "Give it a rest, pretty boy. Ren here is more capable than half of you fancy-ass hunter idiots combined. Isn't that right, princess?" Shadow teases flippantly without missing a beat. 

His shadow begins to creep towards Pariston's feet under the table unnoticed while Shadow continues to act like an annoying jackass as usual, a perfect distraction if there ever was one, 'If this bastard tries anything funny, I'll have my shadow strangle him by his Gucci tie before he can even blink.' 

"Just ignore him, Shadow. He's pretty much always like this," Ren says with an exasperated sigh. 

Pariston raises an eyebrow at Shadow's words, catching the shift in his aura instantly, "Feisty," He muses towards Ren before returning his gaze to Shadow, "Certainly got yourself an interesting one, vice chairman." 

"That's one word for it." 

The blonde-haired man tugs at his tie slightly, looking genuinely interested for once. He knew better than to underestimate anyone, especially not someone as mysterious and dangerous as Shadow. 

"But I'm sure our vice chairman didn't bring you here just because she enjoys your company," He comments offhandedly before standing up from the desk and dusting himself off lightly. He glances pointedly at the creeping shadow under the desk but doesn't let on that he knows what it is planning. 

"Can't imagine you'd be too happy being caged in this boring office either, unless of course... There was something fun happening?" His voice drops lower near the end of the sentence, taking pleasure in knowing that every word out of his mouth was pushing their buttons. 

Before Shadow can respond, Ren speaks up calmly, "Shadow is actually considering becoming a hunter which is why I brought him here." 

Shadow raises an eyebrow, his smirk never fading at Pariston's obvious surprise, "My motives are mine alone, pretty boy," He drawls out mockingly, toying with the ends of his black hair as if getting a rise out of one of the most manipulative individuals in the Hunter Association was equivalent to solving a mediocre riddle.  

His shadow retreats back underneath him. Though this was guy was pissing Shadow off to no end, Ren seems composed so maybe there was no need to choke him out. Yet. 

Pariston's broad grin widens even more, "Well now... That is interesting. A hunter candidate harboring murderous intents," With an undeniable spark of interest in his eyes, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small golden card. 

"If you're serious about this, I'd be happy to sponsor you," He holds it up between two fingers so they can clearly see the embossed triple star crest on its surface, the mark of the highest rank within the Hunter Association, "After all, wouldn't it be fun to shake things up?" 

Pariston knew full well what sort of chaos could ensue if someone like Shadow was given such power and authority. And that was exactly why he offered. 

Ren's eyes widen in surprise, speechless for several moments before shaking her head while muttering, "Ugh, you- I hate you." 

"God, don't I know it?" Shadow mumbles under his breath, studying the golden card carefully before shrugging indifferently, "I'll pass on your offer, pretty boy. I've got my own plans and they sure as hell don't involve becoming some pawn in your power games." 

Pariston takes the refusal in stride, his signature grin only widening at Shadow's words. He pulls back the golden card and tucks it securely into his pocket. 

"I'll take that as a compliment," Pariston chuckles before turning to face Ren once again, "I still maintain that our dear vice chairman could use some assistance. Perhaps from someone less inclined towards bloodshed." 

"Dick," Shadow spits out under his breath. 

Shifting his gaze between them, Pariston is clearly enjoying himself regardless of their irritation, "And while we're on this topic," He leans closer to Ren with an all too familiar sly smile etched onto his face, "Would you like to play a little game with me?" 

"No, I'm busy." 

The blonde-haired man chuckles lightly, unfazed by her rejection. He gives a mock salute before finally stepping away from the desk, "Very well, vice chairman. Do remember that life's too short for all work and no play." 

He walks towards the door, calling out to them without turning around, "Take care of our dear vice chairman. She works too hard sometimes," Pariston's laughter can be heard echoing down the corridor long after he had disappeared through the doorway. 

"God, he's so annoying," Ren remarks with a huff. 

"Ain't that an understatement?" He sighs dramatically, drumming his fingers lightly against Ren's desk, "Remember when I offered to kill him for ya earlier? The offer still stands," He adds casually as if discussing the weather and not premeditated murder. 

"Don't tempt me," She leans back in her desk chair, dropping her pen on her desk, "I've only spoken to him a few times before and I think he's just like that." 

He chuckles lowly, tipping back slightly in his chair with only two legs touching the ground, "At least you don't gotta deal with that psychopath pretty boy every day." 

---------- 

The following day, Pariston strolls into Ren's office without hesitation, a confident grin dancing on his lips. He had spent the night digging up information on Shadow, though he was unable to find anything besides one mention of his mercenary work for Tenchi. Despite the lack of information on the former mercenary, Pariston's interest in him has only increased. 

"Good morning, vice chairman, Ren, and our elusive friend, Shadow," He greets them brightly as he saunters towards her desk with an easy grace, casually asking, "So I hear you used to work for Tenchi? Quite an influential mob boss." 

Shadow tilts his head slightly, regarding Pariston with an unreadable expression. He crosses his arms over his chest and smirks arrogantly at the hunter's chatty demeanor. 

"Oh? Did we forget our morning coffee today? I'm not obligated to share shit with you," He snaps back when Tenchi's name tumbles effortlessly from Pariston's lips, too nonchalant for Shadow's liking, "I mean your intelligence network is pretty pathetic if it took you like this long to figure that out." 

Ren sighs as she glowers at her unwelcome guest, "Really, Pariston? Is this necessary?" 

Pariston simply laughs at their responses, "Oh, my dear Ren. Can't I have a light-hearted conversation with your friend?" 

"No, just get out." 

He ignores her words, focused on Shadow, "Regardless of where I found my information, the fact remains that you used to work for Tenchi and now here you are trying to act all high and mighty," His smirk widens when he sees Shadow's eyes narrowing defensively, "Relax, I'm not particularly interested in whatever life you left behind, unless of course it starts interfering with our vice chairman's duties." 

"And most importantly," Pariston adds after a moment's pause, his grin widening, "No one is going anywhere until I get some answers." 

Sitting down comfortably on the edge of Ren's desk, arms folded against his chest while waiting patiently for either one of them to respond, he could feel their annoyance rising. Which only made this game more fun for him. 

"Jesus Christ, you are the fucking worst," Ren groans, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Can't you get hit by a bus or something already?" 

Shadow sighs dramatically, crossing his legs at the ankles under Ren's desk, "Can't do anything about that, princess. The guy seems to have nine lives or some shit." 

He glances sideways at Pariston and rolls his eyes exaggeratedly as if every word out of the hunter's mouth is a personal affront to him, "I left Tenchi for my own reasons. If you're gonna play twenty questions, pretty boy, then you better make them count," He taunts with a cocky smirk playing on his lips. 

"You're entertaining, I'll give you that much," He leans back on his hands propped against the desk, looking thoughtfully at Shadow, "And while we could continue this delightful game of twenty questions, I'm more interested in what you plan on doing now and how that concerns our lovely vice chairman here." 

Shadow watches Pariston with a poker face, maroon eyes gleaming dangerously in the office's soft light. He lets out a low chuckle, "Never pegged ya for the caring type, pretty boy. But then again, you're full of surprises, aren't ya?" 

He turns towards Ren and gives her an apologetic look, one that was genuine in its own twisted way before looking back at Pariston, challenging him with an unflinching gaze, "And as for what I'm up to now, Ren already told ya. I'm trying to become a hunter, but that's none of your goddamn business anyway." 

"Since you're so adamant on sharing more information, I'll respect your wish," He mocks, putting a hand to his chest dramatically before grinning at them, his eyes gleaming with sinister amusement, "And don't worry Ren, I won't hold this against you." 

"Gee, thanks for that," She replies with an annoyed huff, crossing her own arms over her chest. 

Shadow's lips curl into a mischievous smile, an idea sparking in his mind as he drawls out casually, "Oh, and speaking of former employment, I had an interesting stint for Gyro over in NGL. But you probably know all about it right? Since your intelligence network is top notch?" He continues sarcastically while leaning back comfortably. 

Pariston stares at Shadow with an unreadable expression as he digests this new piece of information. He stays silent for a moment before chuckling. 

"Gyro? You really do have quite a career path," Pariston teases lightly to hide the undercurrents of intrigue coursing through him at this revelation, making note to look more into this later.  

He finally stands from Ren's desk and stands up straight, brushing imaginary dust off of his immaculate suit while gracing them both with that signature grin of his.  

"Keep things interesting here, will you?" His tone light, but the warning underneath is clear as day, "I would hate it if I had to step back into office affairs again." 

With one final nod towards Ren and a wave goodbye directed at Shadow, Pariston leaves her office without another word, still wearing that damn unchanging smile on his face.  

Pariston lets out an amused chuckle as he heads down the corridor, his thoughts still lingering on Shadow. The man was a puzzle, one that Pariston found himself wanting to solve. An image of Shadow's dark maroon eyes and arrogant smirk flashes in his mind causing another small smile to form on his lips. 

"Interesting indeed," He muses aloud once he's sure nobody else can hear him. 

Never had someone managed to hold their ground so well against him, at least not since Ging, and it made Shadow even more intriguing. Maybe Ren's friend won't be such a nuisance after all, assuming they manage to keep things interesting here at the Hunter Association.  

Stepping into Bean's office unannounced like usual, Pariston crosses his arms over his chest, an amused smirk dancing on his lips as he looked at Beans who was busy working behind piles upon piles of paperwork. 

Beans is the Chairman's personal secretary, known for being extremely loyal and hardworking, traits which made him boring and predictable. Pariston had always enjoyed pissing Beans off any chance he got. 

"Hello there, Beans," He greets him cheerfully, earning an exasperated sigh from Beans, who doesn't even bother looking up from what he's doing. 

"Do you need something?" The small, round, green creature responds without any enthusiasm, having long since gotten used to Pariston's sudden appearances. 

Pariston chuckles, "I came across an interesting prospect. Someone I believe would make quite an impressive hunter." 

At this remark beans finally looks up, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as if waiting for some kind of catch hidden between Paristons words, "Hmm, and why are you recommending someone all of a sudden?" 

Pariston leans against the desk while watching beans' reaction intently, as if trying to guess what thoughts were running through his head right now, "Oh, just thought it might be fun," He shrugs causing Beans' eyebrow to twitch slightly, "And Ren already knows them!" 

 A sly grin finds its way back onto Pariston's face as soon as Ren's name leaves his mouth. The perfect bait set out deliberately. 

The mention of Ren seems enough to pique Beans' interest, "I'll consider it." 

Pariston grins back, quickly jotting down a name on a blank paper and sliding it over before sauntering out of the office casually, "I'm sure you won't regret this!" His voice echoes through the empty corridor followed by his signature laughter, leaving Beans with many unanswered questions and one new candidate's name, Shadow. 

---------- 

Shadow watches silently as Pariston exits the room, his gaze lingering on the closed door. He resists the urge to hurl a paperweight at it out of pure annoyance. 

"Well... That was entertaining," He sighs mockingly before turning back to Ren with a grin full of mischief and defiance, "Never thought I'd say this but your work is way more fucking troublesome than mine ever was, princess. And here everyone calls me problematic..." 

"My days are a lot easier when I don't have to deal with that guy," She explains, running her hand through her neat hair in irritation, "Don't even get me started on Ging. Can't stand him either." 

Shadow lets out a snort at Ren's comment, teasingly saying, "Guess birds of the same feather really do flock together." 

"Yeah," She glances down at the papers littering her desk as she twirls her pen, "Lately, I've been doing paperwork on these missing hunters. So many hunters disappear every day." 

"Why not just ask Carter for help? Finding people is his specialty," He inquires casually. 

She seems taken aback, speechless for a moment, "That's... Actually a really good idea." 

Shadow can't help the triumphant grin that breaks out on his face at Ren's surprising response. He doesn't even try to hide it, feeling strangely pleased about having given her a good idea. 

"Looks like I'm not just a pretty face, huh?" He drawls with exaggerated smugness, the satisfaction in his voice is unmissable. 

"What about you? You're good at finding people too, aren't you?" 

"Guilty as charged," He confesses with a shrug, "But keep in mind, sweetheart, I find people who don't want to be found." 

She turns in her chair to face him fully as she suggests to him, "Instead of killing those you find, you'd be rescuing him. Wouldn't be too bad of a gig." 

The suggestion catches Shadow off guard and for a moment he's dumbstruck, staring at Ren with wide eyes. The idea of him rescuing people instead of killing them sounds so absurd to him that it’s almost laughable. 

But then again, it also sounded tempting in a twisted way, offering some sort of redemption for him. 

"Rescuing?" He chuckles before falling silent, the cogs turning in his mind as he carefully weighs this new possibility. 

"Just an idea," She remarks with a smirk, "More reason for you to take the hunter exam." 

Shadow grins back at her, his eyes sparkling with a newfound determination, "Not half bad, princess. Looks like I've got some new goals apart from winning you over." 

[ihateoc]

Break-In

(word count: 1,894) (shadow is attacked by an old colleague)

Shadow, known for being a light sleeper, awakens abruptly one morning, alerted by the faintest noise emanating from the other room. Something is off. A sense of foreboding washes over him as he narrows his eyes, only to find a knife aimed directly at his throat, halted just inches away. 

"Nothing personal, Shadow," An oddly familiar voice spits out. 

"Ember," Shadow acknowledges them by name, his face impassive, "You say it's not personal but ya came all this way just to stick a knife in me," His eyes meet Ember's with an uncanny calmness, even while at the brink of having his throat slit open. 

"Tenchi wants you to come back. And he ordered me to kill you if you refuse," Ember explicates bluntly, their tone emotionless. 

Of course, Tenchi would've sent someone after him now that he's out of their control. He wasn't surprised. No, he was slightly annoyed. Even more so that he sent Ember, a true professional. And they were smart enough to cut the lights so he couldn't take control of them through their shadow. 

Shadow smirks, running his tongue over his lower lip. His voice echoes the mockery and disdain he harbors for Tenchi, "So, it's either go back to being someone's pet killer or die? Not much of a choice there." 

"He thought you might say that," They hiss as the knife plunges towards his neck. 

In a swift movement, Shadow manages to roll out of the way just in time. He hears the knife bury itself into the mattress where he was earlier, "Have you ever considered getting another job? You're too beautiful for this shit," He says, trying to buy himself some time as he scans his surroundings for something that could be utilized as a weapon. 

"You're so damn insufferable but I guess domestic life hasn't changed you. How annoying," Ember retorts as they pull their knife free from the mattress, moving to swing at him again. 

"Yeah, domestic life is annoying!" The dark-haired man counters. He doesn't miss a beat as he kicks out their leg, attempting to catch his assailant off guard and buy himself some more time. His eyes dart around the room once more, zeroing in on one of his discarded guitars. 

'Looks like I'm gonna have to risk damaging one of my precious babies. Sorry, darling, it's either you or me right now,' He complains to himself, his eyes darting back to Ember when they speak up. 

"How about this? Come with me or I'll kill your roommate," Ember taunts him apathetically, "I know you don't live alone." 

Shadow's eyes darken at the mention of Bennett, "Lay one fucking finger on him and I'll make sure you regret it," He grits out, picking up his guitar and wielding it like a makeshift weapon. 

"Shit-" Ember dodges his attack, bringing their knife down on the guitar and denting it, "Why are you wasting your time here? Tenchi took care of you." 

Shadow grimaces at the damage inflicted on his instrument but doesn't lose focus. He gives a cynical laugh, eyeing Ember with murderous intent, "Taking care of me? Is that what you call it? I was his goddamn puppet." 

"I knew the pay for this job wouldn't be worth it," They mutter to themself, dodging Shadow's oncoming assault, "You and I both know this lifestyle isn't for you. Just save us both some time and come with me." 

"Sorry to disappoint you, Em," Shadow retorts with a sardonic grin, attempting to disarm Ember by hitting their wrist with the neck of his guitar. 

They absorb the attack, groaning in discomfort but holding their knife steadily, "Ugh, this is just like that time with Rubi. If Tenchi hadn't put a stop to that, who knows where you'd be?" 

"Rubi..." The dark-haired man's voice dies in his throat as a rush of memories comes flooding back. The taste of her lips and the sound of her laughter had all been replaced with a bitter sense of abandonment when she supposedly left him high and dry. He tears his gaze away from Ember to stare out the window, "You're saying Tenchi lied about Rubi?" 

How many more lies had he based his life on? What else did they take away from him? 

"Tenchi wanted to keep his favorite weapon all to himself," Ember snarls, "He had me steal your wallet and threatened Rubi's dad, telling him that he'd tell all of his friends that his daughter was fucking a murderer. So, he did. She went to a psych ward because of you, Shadow." 

Shadow's grip on the guitar tightens until his knuckles turn white. A whirlwind of rage and betrayal consumes him, extinguishing any remnants of mercy he might have held for Tenchi.  

"Enzo sent Rubi away?" He grits out through clenched teeth, "Because of me?" 

"Yeah, I was there when Tenchi called him," Ember explains, narrowing their eyes accusatorily, "You're a monster. There's no way you don't see that. Come with me already." 

Shadow growls, a dangerous glint in his maroon eyes, "No, I'll never go back to that life, and I sure as fuck don't plan on being your captive either." 

She went to a psych ward because of him? Everything he thought he knew what nothing more than lies... All this time. But he won't let his past define him. He's not the monster they made him out to be. 

"Don't you even feel sorry for what you did? That poor girl was sent away because of you. They probably treated her like she was insane because you couldn't just do your damn job, you fuckup. And all of us suffered from it." 

"Of course, I feel sorry!" Shadow snaps back, nearly shaking with anger and guilt, "You think I wanted any of this?! You think I don't regret everything I did in my past every damn day?!" 

"And now you're off your game, idiot," Ember kicks the guitar out of his hand and hurls the knife at him, "Emotions were never part of the job." 

Dodging the knife with a hasty roll, Shadow retorts, "Yeah, well... People change." 

He charges at Ember straight on. He had no idea how this confrontation would end but he was ready to fight until his last breath. Ember counters by delivering a knee to Shadow's stomach, causing him to gasp for air as the wind is knocked out of him. They swiftly remove their back-up dagger from their boot, thrusting towards him. Before their attack can land, a kick in the back sends them sprawling to the ground as Ren looms over them. 

"I didn't realize you had guests," Ren bites out sarcastically as she moves to stand in front of Shadow defensively. 

"Always got perfect timing, princess," Shadow manages to wheeze out between coughs, pushing himself onto his feet while giving her a sharp, appreciative nod, "Thanks for saving my ass... Again." 

"Bennett came to get me, saying he saw that the door was open when he got home from breakfast," She explicates casually while unholstering her dual daggers, "Who's your friend?" 

"Ah, just an old colleague... Ember," Shadow snarls out their name like a curse, "Seems like they came to 'invite' me back." 

Great, now Ren is involved in his mess too. Why can't he ever keep her out of his problems?  

Ren glowers at Ember with sharp, grey eyes, her tone dripping with venom, "Ember, I don't know how you found Shadow but I recommend leaving since there's no chance of you beating us both." 

"Ugh, you're that girl, aren't you?" They grumble with annoyance evident in their voice, "The one that Shadow could never beat," Pausing for a beat, a sneer forms on their lips, "So what? Shadow just moved to a new owner like some kind of stray dog?" 

"I ain't no one's dog," Shadow growls defensively, his blood beginning to boil as he shoots Ember a disgusted glare, "And Ren here, she saved my life more times than I can count." 

"That's right. Shadow isn't anybody's tool anymore," Ren says sternly, before musing with a confident smirk, "I wonder what Tenchi will say about you being locked away." 

"Wha-" Before Ember can even respond, the door bursts open as a pair of police officers rush into the room. 

Ren's stalling was successful. She watches the officers drag Ember away in handcuffs while Bennett works on fixing the lights. Shadow sits on the bed, his fists clenched, thoughts racing as he considers everything Ember had told him. 

Ren hovers over him, peering down at him with a look of concern, "Shadow, what's wrong? What did they say?" 

"A lot of things, Ren. Things I thought were true weren't," Shadow drawls out slowly, still processing the information while clenching his fists tighter, "They said Rubi didn't betray me... That she was sent to a psych ward..." His voice trails off as he looks down at the ground with an expression of pure hatred. 

"Who is Rubi?" Ren wonders thoughtfully, the bed dipping down beside him when she sits down. 

"Rubi was... Is someone I cared for, once," Shadow starts, his voice a low rumble, "She treated me like nobody else ever did," His gaze hardens and he grits his teeth in anger, "But Tenchi lied about her leaving with another man when in reality it looks like she was sent to a psych ward by Enzo, her dad. Because she was seen with a killer like me." 

A sigh escapes from Ren's lips upon hearing that man's name, "Tenchi's a huge dick. I'm sorry. That sounds rough." 

"Well, your sympathy is surprising," The former mercenary retorts with a dry laugh, his eyes softening ever so slightly as he looks at Ren, "Thanks, beautiful. It's rough but I'll deal. Always do." 

"What was Rubi like?" 

"She was... Different. Kind-hearted. Rich girl, you know? But she had this thing about her, not looking down on others like her kind usually do," Shadow explains softly, "Every moment I spent with her felt real and honest for the first time in my life, even though I lied to her about who I was at first." 

Ren nods in acknowledgement as she suggests, "Maybe we could do some research and see if we could meet up with her someday." 

A look of surprise flashes across his face, followed by a hint of uncertainty as he asks with an incredulous smirk, "You... You'd do that for me?" When she nods, he looks away, trying to brush off his vulnerability while avoiding Ren's eyes, "We'll see if she even remembers a miserable guy like me." 

"I'm sure she remembers. You're unforgettable, aren't you?" She remarks, a playful grin on her lips as she attempts to lighten the mood. 

"Unforgettable, huh?" Shadow's smirk broadens into a grin, "That's one way to put it," Gaining back some of his usual sarcastic charm, he adds, "Thanks for the cheer-up attempt though, sweetheart. It was... Nice." 

"We'll look into it, okay?" She reassures him, patting his knee before standing up and leaving the room. 

When Ren pats his knee, an unexpected warmth spreads through him. His eyes linger on his old copy of Pride and Prejudice that sits on the table and for a moment, he's lost in his memories. 

"Yeah..." He murmurs quietly once she's out of earshot, "We'll see." 

[ihateoc]

Sea Emerald

(word count: 770) (beach day)

Under the scorching rays of sun, the waves lap at the shoreline while two figures step out onto the sandy beach. Bennett, donning a pair of green swim trunks, sandals and a large tote bag thrown over his shoulder, points to a figure relaxing with a book in their hand under the umbrella near the water. 

"There she is. Let's go leave our stuff with her," He says as he begins trudging through the sand ahead of Shadow. 

As they approach, Shadow's eyes roam over Ren in her swimsuit, a salacious grin creeping on his lips as he winks at her playfully, "Now ain't this a wonderful sight to behold?" 

She sets her book down while she glances up at him, taking in his outfit of matching black swim shorts and a tank top, "I'm surprised you came. This doesn't really fit your whole edgy vibe, does it?" 

"Well, princess," Shadow leans against the umbrella pole and gives her a teasing smirk, "Even edgy guys like me can appreciate some sun, sea, and most importantly," His eyes flicker to Ren again, making no effort to hide his appreciation of how she looks in a swimsuit, "Good company." 

Shadow lets out a chuckle as Ren rolls her eyes, lifting her book back up to continue reading. As Bennett begins tugging him towards the water, he raises his hand in mock salute to Ren before diving into the waves.  

After playing in the waves, Shadow finds a spot near the shore littered with interesting rocks. As he begins to gather an assortment of rocks, each one more unique than the last, he meticulously plans on how he'll present them to Ren. 

"She's gotta appreciate these," He murmurs under his breath. 

He gathers them in his shirt and rushes them over to Ren, who closes her book and pushes her sunglasses down onto her nose. She regards them curiously, raising an eyebrow, before musing with a smile, "Well, they sure are unique." 

Shadow's heart leaps at her smile. It isn't much but it's something and he'll take what he gets without complaint, "I'll find more!" He says with a boyish grin before heading back to the shore. 

The sound of her chuckling as he walks away is music to Shadow's ears, a sense of victory permeating through him. His maroon eyes light up as he collects rocks with renewed vigor, the thought of Ren's amusement only fueling his determination. 

There was pure joy in her voice, and he wanted to hear it again and again. If collecting rocks can get him that, then he'll be a damn geologist today.  

As he bends down to scrutinize the pebbles beneath his feet, his fingers brush against each one of them with a gentle touch. His mind is reeling with thoughts of impressing her as he carefully picks out more unique rocks. 

"These ones are nice, too," She says with a patronizing smile when he presents them to her. 

Shadow's heart races as he reads the amusement in Ren's grey eyes, her patronizing smile doing nothing to dampen his spirit, "Glad ya think so, killer," He replies teasingly before his face morphs into a proud grin, "And look at the sea emerald I found!" 

Ren takes supposed 'jewel' from him, scanning it diligently as she runs her fingers over it, "It's... Pretty, but it's just a piece of a broken glass bottle." 

Bennett, fresh out of the water, approaches them, watching their interaction silently, before speaking up, "Erm, there's seashells over there." 

A devilish smirk carves its way onto Shadow's face as he takes in Bennett's suggestion, "Seashells, huh? Maybe those will impress our little princess even more," He retorts before making his way over to the suggested spot.   

Seashells! Those could be a game changer! If she thinks the rocks are nice, wait till she sees these. She won't be able to resist his charm then, or so he hopes. 

When Shadow runs off, Bennett sits down on his towel beside his sister, hugging his knees to his chest. He watches Shadow, who's earnestly searching for more items to present to his sister. A thought occurs to him, "He kind of reminds me of... A crow bringing gifts to the human who feeds them." 

"Yeah, I can see that," She remarks with a chuckle before offering Shadow a thumbs-up from across the beach, "He seems like he's having fun with it." 

Shadow continues raking through the sand, determined to find some unique seashells or perhaps an actual sea emerald if he's lucky. Nothing was going to stop him from keeping a smile on her face.