Sometimes Hazama felt an itch under his skin. It left his fingers feeling hot and his bones weak. Most of the time he could walk it off or sass Relius until he wasn't thinking of it anymore. On occasion however he could not so easily break it. It was like the very tip of a memory his body would remember had it been his body there. It likely happened to another one. How many times now had they done this little song and dance in different flesh?

When the feeling could not be sated he turned toward the field. There was enough messy business within the Library to keep the organization busy outside of his and Relius' game. It was work with no meaning to him, but there were facades to keep up. However, it give him a little chance to stretch beyond his usual. No captain surely sat around only pushing paperwork here and there. He could stand to get out some. There were accomplishments he could probably blame on someone else.

The information they had was slim. Something or other, not friendly with the NOL branch, looking for trouble, highly dangerous, blah blah blah. Hazama didn't especially care at that point. It in fact didn't matter at all. Whatever they were would likely change over night.

The skies were especially dark with the moon obscured behind a thick mass of heavy clouds. It would rain by morning. It suited him well enough. The feeling of sharp wind against his face kept him awake and focused. One hand kept his hat in place, the other rested in a pocket at his side. There wasn't much further to go at this point now—the building near rubble teetered near the very edge of town. The very extremity of what remained of civilization it seemed. Seither hung in just a pinch closer at this level too. There was something refreshing about seeing something so absolutely pathetic and filthy.

The old door creaked and strained under Hazama's grasp as he pried it open. With all the causal ease of someone who might have owned the old building, Hazama let himself in. He was no more than two steps inside when half a dozen blades and a cocktail of other weapons were pointed his way.

He politely shut the door behind himself.

"Who the hell are you and how did you get here?" one voice among the many very rough looking folks said.

Hazama tipped his hat where he wanted it up on his head and looked the crew over. It was not going to be much of a trip it seemed. "Such a warm welcome. Is this how you treat all your guests? How do you get people to sign up?" he asked calmly; smiling as always to the new faces.

Blades all pressed closer toward his throat. Not close enough to be a bother of course.

"Who sent you?"

"Are you kidding this guy's gotta be—"

"Don't say a damn word. He's gonna cough it up himself."

Hazama might have rolled his eyes. They were already fighting amongst themselves. There was no way they could be "highly dangerous." His silly little underlings couldn't even fairly assess danger. Quite sad really.

"There is disappointingly little to say. I heard there was a big party here tonight. I should be timely. Black tie affair. It's a bit awkward being the only one who bothered to dress up."

One of the especially loud fellows in the group raised his voice much louder than it needed to be. "This guy is NOL. He's definitely NOL! Just stick him with a damn blade already!"

"Hasty! I haven't even introduced myself. That might be a poor choice for you all. Here I am playing nicely too." He had to wonder how long that would hold out. That feeling was crawling up over his skin again. It felt a little like his patience wearing out.

The one Hazama bet on being the leader pressed his weapon an inch closer to Hazama's chest. It would have been threatening surely if he had a shit left to give.

"Coming in alone was the biggest mistake of your life pal. Whatever you know you're gonna spill right now."

Hazama had at least the energy and effort left to look puzzled. "With a greeting like this how could it be a mistake? I am in the right place after all."

There came a crack from the back of the room—a shot fired with little care for friends in the vicinity. The fire tore a hole right through Hazama's hat and knocked it off his head. He was silent for a long moment as were the rebels in the room.

"You know, I kind of liked that hat."

The group only looked to the one who fired the shot for a second. Hazama tried to reach down for his hat but was immediately set upon by every person in the group. He had just enough time to duck low under the mess of blades and dash behind a table. Another shot fired way too close to his right arm. He almost couldn't believe it. Here he was with a whole little group paying him all this attention.

"I'm really not the fighting sort. Are you sure you don't want to call this off?" he asked as he took a few more steps back to get into position. Most of this place was built out of wood—even the stairs leading up. It was going to fall apart the second he attacked.

That feeling twisted and coiled its up higher under his skin. He could feel it briefly around his throat.

His question was left unanswered as a flash of color caught his attention. A grin spread across his face. It took running the hell out of the way but a blast of from some sort of high heat ars magus.

Ars magus here of all places? Low grades for the little guys, they figured out the word "danger" but couldn't manage to work in something a little more descriptive.

With the stakes raised even slightly he found himself laughing. He forgot how ridiculous this looked sometimes. One man versus this outfitted band of mercenaries. It was quaint. Oh, to have the free time again.

He couldn't linger on his thoughts for long; the team was making way up the stairs after him. He ducked under another set of shots fired his way before picked a stair to make a place for himself at. It would do. The first unlucky bastard only took a single kick and fell over the railing. It wasn't a big drop ; however he did lead a table to its demise in his plummet.

The second fool got a swipe of his sword in and Hazama slipped aside of to return with a swing of his own knife. Blood flew in after silver in the path of the swipe as Hazama returned the blade to his side.

"I really don't care for fighting! You could stop," he said through a laugh and a grin. He could feel his blood pumping just a little. It wasn't fear or anxiety. Amusement maybe.

In that second of cocky posturing the gun-wielding fellow with the twitchy trigger finger took the best shot he had all night. The shot grazed Hazama's shoulder. He could feel it, just a little underneath his layered clothing. It might have bled even.

He stumbled back a step up and felt a laugh start rolling out of him—one from the very depths within him. He could feel Terumi writhing just for that second. He shared that in his own skin.

"Oh man, I really am losing it. Playing with these idiots. How boring is this?" his voice half-growled after the laugh. God, he could not stop grinning though. Already the tiny team was completely in a wreck.

Goddamn idiots.

"How long as it been since I stretched a little?" he mused aloud as he plunged one blade in a brave on-comer's chest. He snapped it back out and kicked the man down the stairs into a heap with his friend. More came up and more were knocked down. The room was emptying out nicely. He took to the railing and hopped himself back down to take care of the twitchy rebel taking shots at him. He was going to get a special treat. As he dropped he summoned Ouroboros to his aid and absolutely tore through the bigger man in a clean 50/50 split. There was something satisfying about the sick splatter that came after.

"It's kind of a pain dealing with you. You signed up for it though so your damn problem now," he reminded the leftovers with just the very sharp edge of his amusement remaining in his voice. As if on cue the ars magus wielder took another shot at him. It wasn't especially powerful but it did put a burn through his nice suit. He looked to the freshly frayed edges and then snapped Ouroboros' chain out at the unfortunate—goring a new hole conveniently through their chest.

His gaze turned to a flash at his side. The shot had done little to him but had started to burn through the wood flooring at his feet. The shape this place was in it was bound to go up in flame and very fast.

He danced away and gladly started taking out another fighter still brave enough to face him. Others he saw making way for the door as they were clearly losing and the fire probably did not really look too inviting. With a pull of Ouroboros he was at the door blocking the way.

"What happened to getting everything out of me? Where's the fun in running now? You can't take the heat all the sudden?"

The slew of questions did nothing more than scare them. Maybe it was cackling after that helped more than anything else. Already the fire started to lap up the furniture in the room and spread with a wild glee.

The poor souls went for the windows. None of them made it. Not before they were killed anyway. One by one he cut through them and was left minutes later standing alone as fire engulfed the old building. Bits of the ceiling were already giving away to the heat.

It was kind of nostalgic.

He lingered a little too long in the flames so that by the time he waltzed out the door he was a little charred. He looked down the old road once he was a few steps back. No help was coming. Not out here.

A few more long strides backwards steps gave him a clear picture of the building now up in full fury of fire. He let out a sigh. God, it felt good. Pointless, but good.

His eyes remained open wide on the blaze before him; faintly remembering things of varying importance. It didn't hurt to be in his own skin sometimes.

"Hazama...No..."

A voice from behind caught his attention. He didn't turn around; only glanced back over his shoulder.

"You're a mess," was the colonel's first comment.

"You. Don't you have something better to do?" he fired back sharply.

There was a twitch in Relius' lip, his usually steeled expression cracking for that brief second. He hadn't planned on this, had he? Something about that delighted him.

"I didn't think you had time to waste like this either, Terumi."

Terumi grinned. "Don't I? I'm just waiting here. Nobody said I couldn't wait around."

Relius glanced to the building burning down steadily and then up to the sky. The first few droplets of rain started to fall. "We should return," he said simply.

Terumi raised an eyebrow and looked ready to stay put with his hands buried deep in his pockets. His posture was terrible as always. "And if I refuse?"

"How long do you think you'll really enjoy standing around like this? You don't have to disagree just to be difficult about it. I know you'd rather not. But we're wasting time on this dance."

"So wait, right? Keep waiting, right? How many times have I gone around in this little circle waiting? I'm ready right this damn minute. If I have to sit still for another goddamn day I'll put the whole world up in flame too," Terumi snapped back at him; his eyes looking wild. It was not the playful banter that usually came long with Hazama. It seemed like he was especially worked up as well.

Internally, Relius let himself sigh. Outwardly, he remained as cool as ever. The rain started to fall a bit more consistently. It was not yet heavy but would be soon. "You know as well as I do our situation. I would say you know it better surely. But you're not doing yourself any favors by wasting your strength on miniscule matters." That and it left Relius in charge of healing whatever damage he did to his own body, but they were words best left unsaid for now.

Terumi stared for a long moment. He stayed quiet as if in thought. One hand strayed up to his head, meddling with his hair for a moment before it was back in place.

His shoulders sank and Hazama let out a sigh. "It was fun while it lasted. That's how it is. Alright, colonel. If you'll be so kind...I'll accept your escort now."

Relius chuckled very slightly. "I'm escorting you now? Who said anything about that? I was going to have you walk home."

"Ouch! You're cold! Even injured you'd do this to me?"

At that the colonel's expression shifted slightly as the rain fell in big droplets over him. They were going to be soaked either way it seemed. "You were hurt in all that?"

Hazama gestured widely at the mess his clothes were in. "I got burnt here. And there's another few things here and there. Some superior officer you are. Leaving me to suffer like this."

It took Relius one more shot at looking him over before he was decided. "This time then, I suppose it will be fine if I did take you along."

Figuring that was signal enough Hazama stepped in closer at his side and grinned. He did at least feel a little better. Fieldwork he would have to resist dabbling in for now.

Despite feeling more at ease he knew Relius' gaze was on him the entire time. He had not expected any of this. Already the colonel had dispatched for having the clean-up done while Hazama "rested up."

Wounds were minor, of course, and would patch up shortly. But that did not turn around the "doctor's orders." It felt ridiculous; however, Hazama as he was told this once. It gaze him time to mull things over. To consider the colonel's look after it all.

He should not have been surprised. Neither of them were famously well behaved and it was not as though Terumi were sleeping. Not always. At times there was only a very thin line between sleeping and being one in the same. Not that it was something that bothered Hazama. He was well beyond caring. It had been his existence from the very beginning—there was nothing to change.

Still, he could ponder Relius' reaction. Pleasant surprise maybe? There was something a little pathetic about it. It was easy to forget the colonel was probably the more human one between them. The thought pulled a slight chuckle out of him.

Relius glanced his way at the sound; only briefly distracted from his work. Hazama sitting up on his table didn't stop him yet either. Silence filled the room again and Hazama let it be. There was a second he considered asking but ultimately decided to remain in silence. He didn't need the burden of knowing additional feelings. Not on this.

At the end he was whatever this was; either both or the same.