You weren't an evil thief! You were an honest one, a female Robin Hood, if you will. You stole from those who stole from others…a thief of thieves.
Anyway.
That night had been a bad one. You'd attempted to hold off the bounty hunters off by dodging left and right through the city streets. However, there was no chance that you'd escape; there were three of them (that you could see) and one of you.
The thugs had you cornered now. You hid your face beneath your cloak; you wouldn't let them see your fear or pain. Your back was pushed against the dead-end. Your fingers curled hard over the bag.
"We got you now, sweet'eart," one of the men said.
"No where to run," the second muttered.
The third one cackled. "That bounty's as good as ours, guys!"
You pulled the bag into your chest. "You can't have it. You bastards took it from that poor old man!" He'd hired you to take it from those imbeciles. The object was a precious family heirloom; it didn't below to these thugs.
"Well, then, we'll just have to kill ya for it," the leader stated. He pulled out a small gun and aimed it for your head. You couldn't get out of this…..
"Hey." Someone called. A fourth man, one with messy brown hair and a dark scarf, came into view. He held his own gun, but it was pointed towards the ground. "This isn't anyway to treat a lovely lady."
The leader rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Alvin. Quit trying to hit on all of the women we're paid to kill."
The man-Alvin-shrugged. You watched the gun move with him. "I can't help it if I'm a connoisseur of beautiful women." He turned to you, then at last raised a gun to your head. "Sorry, doll. It's nothing personal. Just business."
"Fine." You raised your head. Your eyes filled with determination.
"You're ready to die?" He asked.
"Quit stalling," one of the thugs said.
"Yes," you hissed. "I'm ready to die." You didn't want to; you still had a job to complete. But you weren't going to be a coward. "If this is my time, then I suppose that I can't cheat Death anymore."
Alvin held your eyes. His chocolate pair were stern and curious. Finally, he gave a laugh and cocked his weapon.
"As far as you remember," he said, "you took my gun and shot the other three."
"What?" The thugs barely had enough time to say that word before Alvin shot all three of them multiple times in the chest. They dropped dead.
"Wh-why did you-?!" You started to ask. Alvin lowered the gun to his side.
"Don't think that this was for you," he stated. "It's still just business…I'll have more of a payoff if it's just me that brings that bag back." He started to approach you, reaching for the bag.
"Damn." You rose your hand. "No way I'm giving this to you!" A fireball shot from your hand. Alvin was able to dodge it, but when he looked back, you where gone.
"Spirit Artes…." He muttered in frustration.
…. ….
Running through the streets and pausing for breath at various booths, you at last dove into a sewer entrance. It wasn't much, but it'd hide you for a bit. As you gripped your side, you let out a terrible moan. The pain was starting to make your vision blur. But you wouldn't give up. Not yet. You had to deliver the package….
"So that's why you didn't use those Spirit Artes before." You whipped your head around; somehow, Alvin had found you. "You were injured. From the looks of it…." He knelt down and viewed the blood coming from a line on your side. "You were grazed by one of those guys' bullets."
"Yeah…." You laughed. "So, I guess this means that I really can't delay Death." You waited for Alvin to pull out his gun again, but he instead offered a hand out to you.
"C'mon. Let's get you someplace more comfortable."
"What….?" You didn't accept the gesture. This had to be a trick.
"I know I don't look like a doctor, but I know how to stitch up a wound like yours." You still refused. "Look, you shouldn't let it breathe like that for much longer. You could get an infection."
You stared up at Alvin for a moment. He wasn't smiling; he was completely serious. With anger, you realized that he was rather handsome and wondered if you would've fallen for his looks (had the situation been different).
Finally, with reluctance, you let him help you up.
…. …. ….
The man took you to a hotel out of sight from the locals. He carefully patched up your injury with some bandages he'd borrowed from the lobby, saying nothing as he focused entirely on your bare stomach.
As he finished wrapping it up, your mouth opened: "Thank you." Alvin looked up at you in surprise.
"Oh?" He gave a smirk. "You're thanking the lowly mercenary?"
"Yes." He could joke all he wanted, but you were serious. "I owe you my life, since you saved mine."
"Well…." The man put a hand to his chin. "You could give me the bag as a reward."
You glanced to your satchel, which was sitting on the nightstand nearby. "I can't. While I wish to repay my debt to you, I must return that object to my client…"
"I see." Alvin sat beside you on the bed with a kind smile. "Quite honorable for a thief, aren't you?" You flushed.
"There has to be another way to repay you…." You muttered. As you looked into his face, you noticed how perfectly his eyebrows arched over his irises. His cheeks were smooth and youthful, and his lips were thin but alluring. Slowly, you leaned in to kiss him.
"Woah," he muttered after you pulled back. His expression became serious again. "Look, you don't have to be that grateful." He stood and pulled the covers over your lap. "Get some rest. You need to let that injury heal."
As he started to walk away, you reached out for his arm. "Wait." He let you hold onto him, waiting for you to speak again. "Please, stay with me tonight."
Alvin sighed. "You don't want someone like me in your bed." Then he laughed. "Well, I mean you do, but…." He seemed to be trying to laugh this off, but was finding it hard to do so at the moment. Your kiss seemed to have shaken him-just a bit.
"Stay with me." You asked once more. Yes, this was how you were deciding to pay your debt to him…. But that was only a small part of it. You hadn't been near anyone in a long time. Your heart and body yearned for the touch of someone else. And, if truth be told, you didn't completely distrust this merc. He had saved you from those thugs, he'd patched up your wound, and he'd tried to refuse your first advance like a gentleman. You couldn't help but feel attracted to the kindness that lied inside his heart (although his looks didn't hurt either).
At last, Alvin turned around, his gaze growing hungry. He gave out a long sigh before returning to the bed. He was swift as he pinned you against the mattress.
"I cannot refuse such a beautiful woman." He asked with a grin. As his kiss wrapped you in a haze of warmth and pleasure, you almost failed to notice the care he took in avoiding putting pressure of any kind on your bandages. His every movement was not only seductive, but cautious and gentle as he allowed you to bare all of yourself to him. That night seemed joyfully long, but also ended much too soon.
…. …. ….
Alvin glanced back at you as he dressed. You were fast asleep, your naked body cocooned in the covers you'd both been sharing. He gave an almost remorseful sigh-almost-as he picked up your bag from the nightstand.
"Nothing personal," he said softly as he kissed your forehead. Then, without further sentiments, he departed. You opened your eyes when the door closed, feeling both satisfied from your night together and hurt that he'd taken the satchel. You turned on your side and winced as you rolled over the wound on your hip. If it turned into a scar, it'd still be a painful memory.
"I didn't want you to go…." You sniffed and pushed back all tears filling your eyes. It wasn't like you to get sentimental over a mercenary.
Besides. He hadn't won.
…. …. ….
Against his better judgment, Alvin stopped outside of the hotel. He gave the satchel a long and thoughtful gaze. He really did almost feel bad about taking it from you, but he needed money to live. Mercenaries earned money by fulfilling the jobs they were given. Therefore, being a mercenary meant life for him.
Still. Something compelled him to open the bag. As he pulled out a large, shiny apple, he cursed under his breath. His dash inside was fast, but not fast enough as he went for the room you'd both stayed in.
You were already gone, the curtains flowing in a breeze from the open window. Alvin gave a small laugh.
"A thief of thieves…." He said to himself, tossing the apple up and down in his palm. That was one of the first times he'd been bested.
…. …. ….
"Thank you," the old man mumbled as he handed you the payment. You graciously accepted it, handing your client the real satchel. It'd been wise to hide it with one of your informants in a fruit stand; Alvin made that apparent.
The man pulled out the strange pocket watch from the satchel, stroking it lightly.
"I can't tell you what this means to me," he stated. You gave him an absent nod.
"It was no trouble sir." With nothing further for your to do or say, you exited the house. The money in your hand felt cold and you felt yourself yearning for the warm touch of Alvin's strong hands and lips. A half-smile came forth, but your chest was heavy.
You'd let the mercenary win after all, and he'd stolen the greatest treasure of all. You wondered if you'd ever get your heart back one day.
... ... ...
Because Alvin.
