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*Rise*


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Perhaps in time Jin would come to realize staying alive is important. She loved working at the Zaibatsu, enjoyed commanding the Tekken force and the Mishima Zaibatsu employee benefits were mouth-watering. Having soldiers bow in respect to her satisfied her ego. This was a decent future. For him and for her.

Good things don't last forever.

Mishima Zaibatsu still had a seat at the table. People were still making deals with them and they are invited to one right now. So was G corp. A contract was being offered, both the MZ and G corp had to pitch and whoever was persuasive would get it. As far as Nina was told, this would be Jin's second meeting with Kazuya Mishima. Across the shiny boardroom table. With other people in suits.

The last time Nina had seen Kazuya Mishima was in the Nineties. He had appeal then, the enigmatic corporate bad boy of the Zaibatsu who stole hearts and crushed them. Walking around in that purple suit, looking dapper. Nina wasn't one of those interested but back then he was definitely one of the better looking Mishima's. His father was a joke. She remember observing him from afar and quickly realizing that Kazuya was quite shy when it came to women. He had a couple of lady friends, one who was also a Kazama but not Jin's mother and the other one was the face of the Mishima Zaibatsu in the Nineties. Both Japanese women, mid to late 20s. Nina had caught Kazuya in a hotel with the Zaibatsu model. She seduced Kazuya with a song and a dance. Probably had taken his virginity. Nina didn't stick around for long.

God knows if Kazuya had a bunch of offspring with different mothers. Oh dear lord.

Nina prays Anna isn't one of those unfortunate women.

"Working for Kazuya would be like shooting yourself in the foot. Because of him, I was forced into cryosleep. Because of his dad I was kept under ice for years. Let's hope you don't give me grief." Nina tells Jin on the way to the meeting.

She wasn't pissed about that anymore to be honest. She understood, shit happens. These people didn't owe her shit and she didn't have to expect shit in return. That's how the world worked.

Later, at the conference between big businesses, when Jin succeeds in getting that contract, Kazuya decides to stay behind when all the board members have left. Nina stays behind too. Surprisingly Anna had left without a word. What a relief.

"Boy, you got the Zaibatsu handed to you on a silver platter. You didn't earn it. But of course, that woman must have pampered you so much. You must think so highly of your mother. It must disturb you then, knowing she lay with me, the devil to get pregnant with you. She let me taint her. If she couldn't bring herself to even hate me, then that must shatter your illusions of grandeur concerning her." Kazuya sneers at Jin. "I touched her, made her mine and you were the result."

"Quiet!" Jin snaps, his dark eyes seething with a blazing rage.

"Don't give in Jin." Nina reminds Jin. "Shut off your emotions."

Rise above this, Jin.

She's not sure why she's even advising him considering his goal is to piss people off so the Egyptian monster can awaken.

Jin glares at Kazuya Mishima. "You will regret speaking of my mother like that."

"She's a whore." Kazuya spits. "She came to me. If she hadn't, you wouldn't have existed. Your mother is to blame for your woes."

Jin balls his fists. "No, you are to blame."

"Both of us are to blame. "Kazuya sniggers. "Me and that hippie cop. You're our mistake."

"Jin." Nina warns, putting a hand on his shoulder.

If she hadn't done that, Jin was sure he would have transformed into the devil and attacked Kazuya.

"Keeping this brat in line, Williams?" Kazuya shifts his attention to her. "I feel sorry for you. You could have done so much better."

What could be better than working for a good purpose? Nina thinks. And a boss who treated her well and whose company she enjoyed.

"I pity you Kazuya, trying to get a reaction out of your son. Tch! Thought you were above that." Nina retorts coolly. "Now if you will be so brave and show us the devil so…"

"Hmmf. A brat with a professional." Kazuya folds his arms. "Careful there Williams, you won't be a professional for long with a Kazama around."

Those words sting her. She was tempted to hit him with a comeback. But lets it go. Nina finds Jin's eyes locked with hers. He seemed curious, as if he was waiting for something.

"C'mon." Nina says to Jin, tugging him gently away from Kazuya Mishima.

To her surprise, Jin obliges.

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Once they're back in the comfort of their penthouse in the tower, Nina decides to check on Jin. She finds him with his palms against the wall in his bedroom, head hung low. His entire body tense.

Kazuya really got to him, Nina thinks. A boy who probably yearned for the love of his father only to be mocked and rejected by him.

Nina was lucky hers loved her.

Without a word, Nina tiptoes into his room and wraps her arms around his waist. Jin lets out a sharp exhale.

She rests the side of her face against his back. She can smell the soapy fragrance on his skin which feels fresh from the shower.

He searches for her hands, once he finds them, Jin brings them both against his chest and shifts upright. Nina feels a faint heartbeat.

"I don't think you're a machine. You're human." He says.

There's a long silence. She takes this moment to get lost in his heartbeats as her mind races for an answer. His words strike a chord with her.

"Thank you." Was all she could say and she says it in a whisper. As if she had been searching all her life for someone to say those words to her.

He lets go of her hands and turns around. Nina immediately moves her hands to the side of Jin's face. She had no idea what she was doing but trusted her natural instincts right now.

"Look at me," Nina orders and he does. "You can do this, you are strong. Whatever Kazuya said is complete and utter rubbish. You're running the Zaibatsu right now. You got to here because of your own actions, not because someone handed it to you. Don't ever think you're a mistake either."

A faint smile graces his lips.

"You like me. I like you. Why don't we have something more?"

Where did this come from?

"Why don't you find another way to stop Azazel?"

"I wish we met again under different circumstances." Jin laments. "I don't know what I'm doing. I've done so much damage. Perhaps I don't deserve you….,"

"Jin….,"

"I can't shut my emotions off about this thing between us."

"I'm not ready to talk about this." She admits, feeling anxious.

"You can't keep ignoring what we have. You can't keep running from your emotions." Jin warns. "Rise above this Nina."

He presses his lips against hers. The kiss is soft and gentle. Nina gives in. She has no words as her body betrays her.

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