Standard disclaimers apply.
Author's Notes: Ahem. Uh, sorry about that. I just got carried away with the festivities. *sweatdrop* BTW, this chapter (including all its' parts) is dedicated to Shinrai. Happy birthday, man.
Assassin by rei-chan
CHAPTER SEVEN: Operation RAGE: The Assassin
Part III: Knight in Shining Armor
I snapped out of the trance I have buried myself in to when a shrill scream of panic echoed within the small confines of the rented room. Swiftly I spun around, my mind completely focused on the threat, my right hand going for the gun hidden in my interpants holster. Sakura was staring at me with wide, frightened eyes.
My patient was awake. And judging from the wild look in her eyes, she did not have a good sleep.
She was standing barefoot at the center of the bed, hugging to her chest one of the soft pillows that I had carefully arranged around her in her unconsciousness. "Wha-wha-what are you doing?!" She sputtered angrily at me, her emerald eyes alight with angry flames. "You bastard!"
Her remark completely took me by surprise, and I had to do a double take to make sure that I did not have my gun mistakenly out and primed at her. "What?" I asked her calmly, although inside I was just as confused as she was. Perhaps her sudden collapse was much worse than I originally assumed it was.
She gestured wildly at me with her pillow, and I furrowed my brows in question. I suddenly noticed my shirt hanging at the back of the desk chair, and understanding dawned on me. Quickly, I opened my mouth to say that she had everything wrong, that I was just hot that was why I had removed my upper clothing earlier on, when she let out another loud screech.
"You DIDN'T!!!"
I cringed internally at the high decibel noise but forcefully reminded myself to stay calm. I have been in more serious situations before and have always come out relatively unscathed. This was no different. Just a berserking woman with wild ideas in her head. Nothing I cannot handle.
Instead, I stoically replied, "You're right. I didn't. If you hadn't noticed, dear lady, the whole place is steaming hot. I was not about to sacrifice my own comfort just to satisfy your conservative whims." I glared hard at her before nonchalantly crossing the room and pulling my shirt back on. Seeing her clothes folded neatly near my maptop, I grabbed them tossed them back to the bewildered woman. "Here are your things, Miss Kinomoto. Now that you're up and awake, I guess my good deed is done." I quickly grabbed my leather bag and computer from the table. "I'll pay the bill on my way out. Sayonara."
I was almost to the doorway when I heard her voice.
"Chotto matte kudasai, Li-sama."(1)
I paused. I could hear her scrambling back into her jacket and shoes before crossing the room in a thunder of footsteps. My shoulders stiffened as I felt her hesitant presence behind me.
"Go-gomen nasai. I didn't mean to be so rude, especially after the kindness you've shown me. Please don't go."
"Hn." I snorted in response, but did turn around to face her.
Sakura's face was drawn. Her cheeks were pale, and she was biting her lip. I raised an eyebrow at her non-threateningly. Concern suddenly swept over me in waves. Something was still wrong with her despite the long nap she had already taken.
"How are you feeling?" I inquired from her, truly wanting to hear the answer. It has been so long since I last felt concern over someone else besides myself, and the feeling was almost alien. Alien, but not irrecognizable.
She released her abused lip from between her teeth and gave me a rueful smile. "Still a bit light-headed, to tell you the truth." She admitted, raising a hand to gently massage her temple. I watched her fingers graze her skin in a circular motion, realizing that everything the woman did was affecting me in some ways. What was it with her that has me so entranced? I do not know. But I was liking it.
"I woke up and noticed that I was somewhere I don't recall going to without my jacket on. I saw you half naked standing by the window and just panicked." She tilted her head and granted me a shy smile. "I assumed I was abducted in my state of helplessness. I-I'm sorry."
I shrugged. "Well you should be. I was only trying to help."
The embarrassed expression on her face hardened, and she glared at me. Her sudden change of expression took me by surprise, and I took a sudden step back at the anger in her eyes.
"I did say I was sorry, didn't I?" Sakura spat out, clearly annoyed at my offhand reply. "I didn't ask for you to help me, you know."
"I know. But I did it anyway." I told her in a soft voice, storming pass her to deposit my luggage back on the table. I could feel her emerald gaze on me, which somehow made me completely conscious on each of my actions. I straightened up and motioned for her to come forward.
She did.
I gestured towards the bed, noticing that her cheeks were indeed paler than they were earlier. "Sit down. I want to check you up." At the sudden darkening of her expression, I could not help but smile. This woman needs to loosen up. I decided to explain my motives. "I just want to see if you're really all right. I won't do anything, I promise."
She reluctantly sat down. As I knelt beside her and began a customary injury check, she asked me curiously. "Are you a doctor, Li-san?"
"No."
"Then how come you seem to know what you're doing?"
"Because I just do, that's all." I peered at her eyes, checking for a concussion--I had not been able to fully shield her body from the fall, and her head did make a slight impact with the asphalt--when she focused her gaze steadily on my own.
Our eyes locked for a few heart-stopping seconds.
Quickly, I looked away and began bending her limbs repeatedly, silently congratulating myself for the quick reaction. Another second spent locked in that electric gaze and I would have been totally lost within their depths.
Sakura truly was different from all the other women I've slept with.
Seeing that she seemed fine and relatively unhurt, I leapt back up to my feet and stared down at her. "Are you hungry?"
Sakura opened her mouth to respond, but her stomach was quicker and let out a growl. She smiled in embarrassment.
"I'll take that as a yes." I murmured before picking up my things. I jerked my head towards the door. "Come on. Let's go and have a bite to eat before I take you home. You're bag is in my car, by the way." My tone of voice held a sense of finality in it that she quickly bit back the argument that she was just about to let loose. She heaved a sigh instead.
"Ok. But I'm buying. You've done so much for me already." Sakura tilted her chin stubbornly at me.
I gave her a curt nod. Her honor demanded her to do something nice to me in return for my kind act. I was not about to disappoint her, for I value my own honor above everything else as well. "Affirmative." I moved towards the door ladened with my belongings.
"Li-san?"
"Hai?"
Sakura was suddenly touching my back. Her palm was warm over my shirt. I contained myself to shiver. "Arigato." She told me softly.
I gazed back at her and smiled. An actual, smirkless smile. Something that I have not done for years.
"You're welcome."
TBC
==Yes, yes, this part's short. But the first two are enough to compensate, aren't they?==
FOOTNOTES:
1. "Please wait a while, Mr. Li."
Author's Notes: Ahem. Uh, sorry about that. I just got carried away with the festivities. *sweatdrop* BTW, this chapter (including all its' parts) is dedicated to Shinrai. Happy birthday, man.
Assassin by rei-chan
CHAPTER SEVEN: Operation RAGE: The Assassin
Part III: Knight in Shining Armor
I snapped out of the trance I have buried myself in to when a shrill scream of panic echoed within the small confines of the rented room. Swiftly I spun around, my mind completely focused on the threat, my right hand going for the gun hidden in my interpants holster. Sakura was staring at me with wide, frightened eyes.
My patient was awake. And judging from the wild look in her eyes, she did not have a good sleep.
She was standing barefoot at the center of the bed, hugging to her chest one of the soft pillows that I had carefully arranged around her in her unconsciousness. "Wha-wha-what are you doing?!" She sputtered angrily at me, her emerald eyes alight with angry flames. "You bastard!"
Her remark completely took me by surprise, and I had to do a double take to make sure that I did not have my gun mistakenly out and primed at her. "What?" I asked her calmly, although inside I was just as confused as she was. Perhaps her sudden collapse was much worse than I originally assumed it was.
She gestured wildly at me with her pillow, and I furrowed my brows in question. I suddenly noticed my shirt hanging at the back of the desk chair, and understanding dawned on me. Quickly, I opened my mouth to say that she had everything wrong, that I was just hot that was why I had removed my upper clothing earlier on, when she let out another loud screech.
"You DIDN'T!!!"
I cringed internally at the high decibel noise but forcefully reminded myself to stay calm. I have been in more serious situations before and have always come out relatively unscathed. This was no different. Just a berserking woman with wild ideas in her head. Nothing I cannot handle.
Instead, I stoically replied, "You're right. I didn't. If you hadn't noticed, dear lady, the whole place is steaming hot. I was not about to sacrifice my own comfort just to satisfy your conservative whims." I glared hard at her before nonchalantly crossing the room and pulling my shirt back on. Seeing her clothes folded neatly near my maptop, I grabbed them tossed them back to the bewildered woman. "Here are your things, Miss Kinomoto. Now that you're up and awake, I guess my good deed is done." I quickly grabbed my leather bag and computer from the table. "I'll pay the bill on my way out. Sayonara."
I was almost to the doorway when I heard her voice.
"Chotto matte kudasai, Li-sama."(1)
I paused. I could hear her scrambling back into her jacket and shoes before crossing the room in a thunder of footsteps. My shoulders stiffened as I felt her hesitant presence behind me.
"Go-gomen nasai. I didn't mean to be so rude, especially after the kindness you've shown me. Please don't go."
"Hn." I snorted in response, but did turn around to face her.
Sakura's face was drawn. Her cheeks were pale, and she was biting her lip. I raised an eyebrow at her non-threateningly. Concern suddenly swept over me in waves. Something was still wrong with her despite the long nap she had already taken.
"How are you feeling?" I inquired from her, truly wanting to hear the answer. It has been so long since I last felt concern over someone else besides myself, and the feeling was almost alien. Alien, but not irrecognizable.
She released her abused lip from between her teeth and gave me a rueful smile. "Still a bit light-headed, to tell you the truth." She admitted, raising a hand to gently massage her temple. I watched her fingers graze her skin in a circular motion, realizing that everything the woman did was affecting me in some ways. What was it with her that has me so entranced? I do not know. But I was liking it.
"I woke up and noticed that I was somewhere I don't recall going to without my jacket on. I saw you half naked standing by the window and just panicked." She tilted her head and granted me a shy smile. "I assumed I was abducted in my state of helplessness. I-I'm sorry."
I shrugged. "Well you should be. I was only trying to help."
The embarrassed expression on her face hardened, and she glared at me. Her sudden change of expression took me by surprise, and I took a sudden step back at the anger in her eyes.
"I did say I was sorry, didn't I?" Sakura spat out, clearly annoyed at my offhand reply. "I didn't ask for you to help me, you know."
"I know. But I did it anyway." I told her in a soft voice, storming pass her to deposit my luggage back on the table. I could feel her emerald gaze on me, which somehow made me completely conscious on each of my actions. I straightened up and motioned for her to come forward.
She did.
I gestured towards the bed, noticing that her cheeks were indeed paler than they were earlier. "Sit down. I want to check you up." At the sudden darkening of her expression, I could not help but smile. This woman needs to loosen up. I decided to explain my motives. "I just want to see if you're really all right. I won't do anything, I promise."
She reluctantly sat down. As I knelt beside her and began a customary injury check, she asked me curiously. "Are you a doctor, Li-san?"
"No."
"Then how come you seem to know what you're doing?"
"Because I just do, that's all." I peered at her eyes, checking for a concussion--I had not been able to fully shield her body from the fall, and her head did make a slight impact with the asphalt--when she focused her gaze steadily on my own.
Our eyes locked for a few heart-stopping seconds.
Quickly, I looked away and began bending her limbs repeatedly, silently congratulating myself for the quick reaction. Another second spent locked in that electric gaze and I would have been totally lost within their depths.
Sakura truly was different from all the other women I've slept with.
Seeing that she seemed fine and relatively unhurt, I leapt back up to my feet and stared down at her. "Are you hungry?"
Sakura opened her mouth to respond, but her stomach was quicker and let out a growl. She smiled in embarrassment.
"I'll take that as a yes." I murmured before picking up my things. I jerked my head towards the door. "Come on. Let's go and have a bite to eat before I take you home. You're bag is in my car, by the way." My tone of voice held a sense of finality in it that she quickly bit back the argument that she was just about to let loose. She heaved a sigh instead.
"Ok. But I'm buying. You've done so much for me already." Sakura tilted her chin stubbornly at me.
I gave her a curt nod. Her honor demanded her to do something nice to me in return for my kind act. I was not about to disappoint her, for I value my own honor above everything else as well. "Affirmative." I moved towards the door ladened with my belongings.
"Li-san?"
"Hai?"
Sakura was suddenly touching my back. Her palm was warm over my shirt. I contained myself to shiver. "Arigato." She told me softly.
I gazed back at her and smiled. An actual, smirkless smile. Something that I have not done for years.
"You're welcome."
TBC
==Yes, yes, this part's short. But the first two are enough to compensate, aren't they?==
FOOTNOTES:
1. "Please wait a while, Mr. Li."