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nyanderenekoWord Count: 1,660
Summary: Being chased down by a violent assailant is never fun, and getting preoccupied in the midst of the chase is even worse…but it’s not like she could really help it.
Author’s Note: I want to laugh about this fic but also I really like it. This is an exchange/scenario I thought up after seeing some pics (like this) of Hei’s assassin attire…that man is fuckin toned and I love it okay. And apparently I’m not the only one since they utilized something along those lines as a plot point in one of the official OVAs. And so does Nova, by default, so here’s a little bit of her being a total dumbass about it lol. Thank you for reading!
If things kept up this way, Nova was sure she’d be more familiar with the twists and turns of the Tokyo backstreets than she ever wanted to be. Pressing on despite the fatigue, desperately hoping her second wind would kick in any second now, she sprinted after her companion with all her might. Unbeknownst to her, he was actually going easy on her; he didn’t really have a choice. It was his fault she was mixed up in all this…well, that wasn’t entirely true, but he couldn’t help feeling at least partially responsible. That was just part of the burden of guilt he chose to bear, a self-inflicted punishment he felt he deserved.
Regardless of who was truly to blame for the instigation of the whole ordeal, he couldn’t just abandon this weak civilian to the wrath of a murderous Contractor. Not if he wanted to be able to sleep without being terrorized by even fiercer nightmares. Taking refuge in the first deserted alcove he came across, Nova skidded to a halt and practically collapsed at his side, gasping like a fish out of water.
“How…how do you live like this?” she asked breathlessly, genuinely interested in the answer, but far too worn out to properly communicate that curiosity.
“You get used to it,” he replied brusquely, and the steady, stable ease of his speech almost made her envious. The rustling of his coat that followed made her wonder what course of action he was prepping for. “When you don’t have a choice, you just adapt.”
That sounded a little sad, a little unfortunate to her…but everything about this situation and his life in general could be categorized as such long before she came into the picture. Finally starting to circulate air more efficiently, the blots of lightheadedness gradually cleared from her vision. Nova pushed herself upright and braced against the nearest wall for support. She’d situated herself right next to him, which wasn’t a big deal, although she couldn’t figure out what he was fidgeting with so frantically. Turning to see what all the commotion was about, she realized the mistake she was making far too late…it wasn’t like she’d had any warning, though. So she really couldn’t judge herself or her reaction too harshly, right? Well, she tried to convince herself of that much when she unwisely thought back on the details of this moment hours later.
She’d seen him in his Black Reaper garb a couple of times now, although usually never from a perspective of such detailed scrutiny or admiration. An eerie, foreboding figure cloaked in shadow with the pale, emotionless face of a specter. It was a little easier for her to interact with him when he had his mask on…at least she didn’t have to face the force of his gaze directly, or get distracted by any other inexplicably alluring aspects of his appearance. Sometimes his coat almost made it look as if he’d sprouted wings, depending on the framing of his movements, creating an impression that was both inspiring and perfectly suited to instill the hearts of anyone who glimpsed him with fear and apprehension.
Right now, she didn’t have any of those factors to obscure his form from her involuntary examination. She couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away once they’d settled on him, like a moth and its captivating flame. Still clothed in nothing but black, the truth was that his outfit was actually a little plain…very plain. But that’s all it needed to be. Any extraneous items or accessories would not only make him more noticeable, but most likely impede his ability to act swiftly and nimbly in the flow of a fight, or the simple act of fleeing. The knives holstered under each arm reminded her just how dangerous this man was, and the kind of trouble that was sure to befall her if she didn’t do the smart thing and keep her distance. But she didn’t want to abandon him, regardless of how risky things got. That was a stupid impulse, but it wasn’t like having those was anything new for her.
The thin black material that covered every inch of his torso and creeped up his neck was…distracting to say the least. It wasn’t the material itself, per say, but the way it hugged every muscle and contour of his form like shrink wrap. It wasn’t hard to surmise that someone like him was in impeccable shape, considering his line of work, and just how long he’d been doing it. But witnessing this particular look of his, combined with any residual delirium that happened to have stuck around even after she’d regained some breath, seemed to be too much for her struggling brain to handle.
Perhaps her mind was looking for something to protect her from being overwhelmed by the severity of the situation, or perhaps she was just being a stupid lovestruck fool. There was much more evidence in favor of the latter, but the prospect of accepting that part of herself made her want to die of embarrassment and dissolve into the ground where she sat. Overlooking the mental tug of war her brain had lapsed into as a result of these conflicting thoughts, what little of her thought process she had left over was thoroughly enthralled by the sight of the man she’d become so unceremoniously preoccupied with.
“What’re you looking at?” After drifting off into her own little fantasy world, the sound of his voice was almost like thunder as it abruptly yanked her back to reality. “Is there something I missed?”
“What?” She hadn’t quite recovered enough of her faculties to offer him much more than that, truly confused as to the nature of his sudden inquiry.
“Injuries. Cuts, gashes, bullet wounds. That’s what I’m checking for. So, are you staring because you noticed something I missed? Shock can make it kind of hard to notice immediate wounds; it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve overlooked something.”
“Uh. Yeah. I mean, no. No, I don’t see any injuries,” she stuttered helplessly, twisting away from him almost immediately once she’d managed to provide at least that much of an answer.
He’d assumed she was conducting some innocent deed, just trying to provide whatever aid she could as they regrouped before inevitably having to dive back into the fray. They weren’t out of the woods just yet, after all; there was still a vindictive, blood thirsty Contractor on their trail that could turn up anywhere at any second. Playing along with this clueless supposition of his was probably the best defense she could have hoped for, and she wasn’t about to take it for granted and risk digging herself an even deeper, inescapable hole of shame and embarrassment.
Of course she couldn’t possibly have been wondering what it would be like for him to hold her in those arms, to cradle her against that chest as she nestled against him and listened to the soothing rhythm of his heart. Of course she wasn’t imagining what it would feel like for him to rest his chin on her head or press his lips to her twinkling wavy locks. And of course she hadn’t started daydreaming about how warm, soft, and comforting that particular embrace would be, or how desperately she yearned to find any excuse to get closer to him.
It took every ounce of her self-restraint to keep her hands at her sides, to tamp down the urge to miserably clutch and shake her head and panic like a flustered schoolgirl. Her face was on fire, as was her heart, but they were still in the middle of a crisis situation. It wasn’t really the best time for her to lapse into a bout of internal strife concerning the nature of her irrational, conflicted feelings.
A tap on her shoulder made her face him out of reflex, but his sudden nearness was the last thing she’d expected to encounter. Inspecting her closely, searching her eyes for something she couldn’t possibly know herself, she gasped involuntarily and immediately regretted it as the red in her face intensified.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“No!” she vehemently denied, instinctively clapping her hands over her mouth in surprise at her own unregulated volume. She scooted back, putting a little more distance between them before continuing in a frantic whisper, “No, I’m not hiding anything, and nothing’s wrong. I’m fine, and if you’re fine we should probably get back to getting the hell out of here, right? I’m not really fond of the idea of being a sitting duck, biding my time as I wait to face the wrath of some supernaturally souped up killer.”
His expression was cold, unreadable. He was so good at projecting a detached, apathetic demeanor…or perhaps that was one of the only faces that genuinely belonged to him. It hurt her to think that he’d had to give up so much of himself to become the person he was now, but she wasn’t exactly in any position to start offering comfort or making judgments on that front. He analyzed the look on her face, the way her ears were pinned back, the extreme nature of her posture as she continued backing away from him, inch by inch. Eventually coming to terms with just how close he’d encroached himself, he turned around and got back on his feet without a word.
He silently offered her his hand after readjusting his mask. He was probably lucky she couldn’t see the way his own face burned with a conspicuous blend of bashfulness and affection. If they got caught in a loop of accidentally intensifying each other’s emotionally fueled petrification, they’d be stuck here until Nova’s prediction of their assailant getting the drop on them finally came to pass. She accepted his aid and let him help her up, following his lead without question as they resumed the chase like their awkward little detour had never happened.
Summary: Being chased down by a violent assailant is never fun, and getting preoccupied in the midst of the chase is even worse…but it’s not like she could really help it.
Author’s Note: I want to laugh about this fic but also I really like it. This is an exchange/scenario I thought up after seeing some pics (like this) of Hei’s assassin attire…that man is fuckin toned and I love it okay. And apparently I’m not the only one since they utilized something along those lines as a plot point in one of the official OVAs. And so does Nova, by default, so here’s a little bit of her being a total dumbass about it lol. Thank you for reading!
_____
If things kept up this way, Nova was sure she’d be more familiar with the twists and turns of the Tokyo backstreets than she ever wanted to be. Pressing on despite the fatigue, desperately hoping her second wind would kick in any second now, she sprinted after her companion with all her might. Unbeknownst to her, he was actually going easy on her; he didn’t really have a choice. It was his fault she was mixed up in all this…well, that wasn’t entirely true, but he couldn’t help feeling at least partially responsible. That was just part of the burden of guilt he chose to bear, a self-inflicted punishment he felt he deserved.
Regardless of who was truly to blame for the instigation of the whole ordeal, he couldn’t just abandon this weak civilian to the wrath of a murderous Contractor. Not if he wanted to be able to sleep without being terrorized by even fiercer nightmares. Taking refuge in the first deserted alcove he came across, Nova skidded to a halt and practically collapsed at his side, gasping like a fish out of water.
“How…how do you live like this?” she asked breathlessly, genuinely interested in the answer, but far too worn out to properly communicate that curiosity.
“You get used to it,” he replied brusquely, and the steady, stable ease of his speech almost made her envious. The rustling of his coat that followed made her wonder what course of action he was prepping for. “When you don’t have a choice, you just adapt.”
That sounded a little sad, a little unfortunate to her…but everything about this situation and his life in general could be categorized as such long before she came into the picture. Finally starting to circulate air more efficiently, the blots of lightheadedness gradually cleared from her vision. Nova pushed herself upright and braced against the nearest wall for support. She’d situated herself right next to him, which wasn’t a big deal, although she couldn’t figure out what he was fidgeting with so frantically. Turning to see what all the commotion was about, she realized the mistake she was making far too late…it wasn’t like she’d had any warning, though. So she really couldn’t judge herself or her reaction too harshly, right? Well, she tried to convince herself of that much when she unwisely thought back on the details of this moment hours later.
She’d seen him in his Black Reaper garb a couple of times now, although usually never from a perspective of such detailed scrutiny or admiration. An eerie, foreboding figure cloaked in shadow with the pale, emotionless face of a specter. It was a little easier for her to interact with him when he had his mask on…at least she didn’t have to face the force of his gaze directly, or get distracted by any other inexplicably alluring aspects of his appearance. Sometimes his coat almost made it look as if he’d sprouted wings, depending on the framing of his movements, creating an impression that was both inspiring and perfectly suited to instill the hearts of anyone who glimpsed him with fear and apprehension.
Right now, she didn’t have any of those factors to obscure his form from her involuntary examination. She couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away once they’d settled on him, like a moth and its captivating flame. Still clothed in nothing but black, the truth was that his outfit was actually a little plain…very plain. But that’s all it needed to be. Any extraneous items or accessories would not only make him more noticeable, but most likely impede his ability to act swiftly and nimbly in the flow of a fight, or the simple act of fleeing. The knives holstered under each arm reminded her just how dangerous this man was, and the kind of trouble that was sure to befall her if she didn’t do the smart thing and keep her distance. But she didn’t want to abandon him, regardless of how risky things got. That was a stupid impulse, but it wasn’t like having those was anything new for her.
The thin black material that covered every inch of his torso and creeped up his neck was…distracting to say the least. It wasn’t the material itself, per say, but the way it hugged every muscle and contour of his form like shrink wrap. It wasn’t hard to surmise that someone like him was in impeccable shape, considering his line of work, and just how long he’d been doing it. But witnessing this particular look of his, combined with any residual delirium that happened to have stuck around even after she’d regained some breath, seemed to be too much for her struggling brain to handle.
Perhaps her mind was looking for something to protect her from being overwhelmed by the severity of the situation, or perhaps she was just being a stupid lovestruck fool. There was much more evidence in favor of the latter, but the prospect of accepting that part of herself made her want to die of embarrassment and dissolve into the ground where she sat. Overlooking the mental tug of war her brain had lapsed into as a result of these conflicting thoughts, what little of her thought process she had left over was thoroughly enthralled by the sight of the man she’d become so unceremoniously preoccupied with.
“What’re you looking at?” After drifting off into her own little fantasy world, the sound of his voice was almost like thunder as it abruptly yanked her back to reality. “Is there something I missed?”
“What?” She hadn’t quite recovered enough of her faculties to offer him much more than that, truly confused as to the nature of his sudden inquiry.
“Injuries. Cuts, gashes, bullet wounds. That’s what I’m checking for. So, are you staring because you noticed something I missed? Shock can make it kind of hard to notice immediate wounds; it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve overlooked something.”
“Uh. Yeah. I mean, no. No, I don’t see any injuries,” she stuttered helplessly, twisting away from him almost immediately once she’d managed to provide at least that much of an answer.
He’d assumed she was conducting some innocent deed, just trying to provide whatever aid she could as they regrouped before inevitably having to dive back into the fray. They weren’t out of the woods just yet, after all; there was still a vindictive, blood thirsty Contractor on their trail that could turn up anywhere at any second. Playing along with this clueless supposition of his was probably the best defense she could have hoped for, and she wasn’t about to take it for granted and risk digging herself an even deeper, inescapable hole of shame and embarrassment.
Of course she couldn’t possibly have been wondering what it would be like for him to hold her in those arms, to cradle her against that chest as she nestled against him and listened to the soothing rhythm of his heart. Of course she wasn’t imagining what it would feel like for him to rest his chin on her head or press his lips to her twinkling wavy locks. And of course she hadn’t started daydreaming about how warm, soft, and comforting that particular embrace would be, or how desperately she yearned to find any excuse to get closer to him.
It took every ounce of her self-restraint to keep her hands at her sides, to tamp down the urge to miserably clutch and shake her head and panic like a flustered schoolgirl. Her face was on fire, as was her heart, but they were still in the middle of a crisis situation. It wasn’t really the best time for her to lapse into a bout of internal strife concerning the nature of her irrational, conflicted feelings.
A tap on her shoulder made her face him out of reflex, but his sudden nearness was the last thing she’d expected to encounter. Inspecting her closely, searching her eyes for something she couldn’t possibly know herself, she gasped involuntarily and immediately regretted it as the red in her face intensified.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“No!” she vehemently denied, instinctively clapping her hands over her mouth in surprise at her own unregulated volume. She scooted back, putting a little more distance between them before continuing in a frantic whisper, “No, I’m not hiding anything, and nothing’s wrong. I’m fine, and if you’re fine we should probably get back to getting the hell out of here, right? I’m not really fond of the idea of being a sitting duck, biding my time as I wait to face the wrath of some supernaturally souped up killer.”
His expression was cold, unreadable. He was so good at projecting a detached, apathetic demeanor…or perhaps that was one of the only faces that genuinely belonged to him. It hurt her to think that he’d had to give up so much of himself to become the person he was now, but she wasn’t exactly in any position to start offering comfort or making judgments on that front. He analyzed the look on her face, the way her ears were pinned back, the extreme nature of her posture as she continued backing away from him, inch by inch. Eventually coming to terms with just how close he’d encroached himself, he turned around and got back on his feet without a word.
He silently offered her his hand after readjusting his mask. He was probably lucky she couldn’t see the way his own face burned with a conspicuous blend of bashfulness and affection. If they got caught in a loop of accidentally intensifying each other’s emotionally fueled petrification, they’d be stuck here until Nova’s prediction of their assailant getting the drop on them finally came to pass. She accepted his aid and let him help her up, following his lead without question as they resumed the chase like their awkward little detour had never happened.
(no subject)
Date: 2020-07-02 01:18 am (UTC)the Thirst and Yearning came through very clear here, I liked how this fic was written a lot! As always I liked your choice of words