Around two months after Alaska had decided to pick up a pair of stray soldiers, her life became almost domestic again as it had been before everything and making this split-second-decision.
North was doing better with each passing day, not needing the splints and bandages anymore. He even was able to take up some light training to get back in shape, although Ala often had to remind him to not overburden himself and take it easy once in a while.
Soon, Ala started to do some light hand-to-hand combat and slight jogging with him to help North get back to his former fitness. He had lost a lot of muscle mass during the time he hadn't really been able to move or do much more than sit due to the broken arm and leg.
In any case, she liked staying in shape too, which was why she established a little fitness center in the redundant room of her apartment.
There was a bench to train with weights, some machines for the legs, dumb bells for free training, as well as a gymnastic ball for some exercises. There also was a treadmill and a cross trainer she found somewhere out in the dirt, obviously thrown away. She had repaired it and used it from then on. She also, most importantly, had a punching bag. There she could blow off some steam and train her techniques.
For their training, Ala decided to move the couch to the wall of the living room and the TV somewhere close by. She put on rolls under the furniture the TV was on, so she could move it around as much as she liked to.
Laying it out with tatami mats she managed to buy from a local dealer, they both soon had some kind of dojo where they could train.
Indeed, they soon were able to do regular hand-to-hand-combat training, North getting better with every day passing and his reactions again starting to match with the strength he had now started to regain.
Ala liked the exercise as well, being able to have someone to train with without death sitting at the back of her neck because she had to defend herself for dear life.
South was coming and going as she pleased, sometimes staying away for about a week or even longer.
The first time she had come back and found that the living room had been converted into a dojo had drawn a snarky comment from her about using that as a place for their foreplay and a pointed middle finger when North scolded her. She disappeared into the office afterwards to treat her wounds.
South's appearing and disappearing wasn't commented either by North or Ala, although Alaska could often hear them arguing when they thought that she was asleep.
One such argument was taking place in the bedroom North still was staying in. They were arguing about South's behavior towards Alaska again and about her always disappearing on them to take up whatever mission she could get.
"Seriously, South, there's no point in you being so hostile towards Ala. She's a nice person and she helped us. That's not something that happens often." North tried again
.
"Yeah, and because she's such a Good Samaritan she doesn't want anything in return. Stop being so fucking naïve!" South returned immediately which drew a long suffering sigh from her brother.
"And you stop seeing only the bad in people. You're way too suspicious." North replied before adding after a short silence, "Why did you take her up on her offer when you don't trust her?"
South snorted, "Isn't it obvious? I wouldn't have if it wasn't for your sorry ass needing to recover. That doesn't mean that I trust her!"
Ala bit her lip, feeling a sting in her heart like a knife. That was harsh and mean. And true. South didn't trust her, and that was only the true wording of her feelings on the subject.
What South said next made her gasp. She was happy that North's rather loud exclamation of "What!? following that covered that little sound of hers.
"On top of that, you go and get a fucking crush on our host! You should just stay here and live a domestic life together! Why don't you marry her right away?!"
Alaska thought about what she had just said when her cheeks didn't burn that hot anymore. Was it jealousy because Ala seemed to be taking North away from South? But that's not something she would do!
Deciding to think about it later, she continued listening.
After his exclamation, North took some moments to find the right words to answer his sister.
"You know that I am not developing a crush on her and that you are being mean towards her hospitality." He replied, Ala noticing a chilly note to his voice when he said the last word about South being so mean. He continued, "Besides, I am only taking her up on that offer to recover and have some time off for myself. We had been working nonstop for years now. It's only normal that people need a break every once in a while. Aside from that, I still owe her for helping me out. I have to pay her back for all the work and help she offered us."
This caused South to snort and bark out a little laugh. "In case you haven't noticed, oh dear brother of mine," while saying these five last words, her voice was dripping with sarcasm, "I am working more than enough for us both to make up for that. She's getting way more money than she would when going on missions herself. So it's not her place to complain about it."
"It's not only about the money, South. There's also an interpersonal point to it I am considering. I doubt that you've got that covered at all?"
South only growled in response, "In any case, we have to leave sometime soon. The Director is looking for us and I would rather keep on working than sitting on my ass all the time."
Ala felt a bit crestfallen about the prospect of them leaving soon.
North pressed on, Alaska hearing suppressed anger in his response, "I am still recovering. Besides, I will repay her for what she did for me. End of discussion."
South snorted a bit angrily at that, and Alaska could picture her crossing her arms.
North sighed, "Come on, South. Why don't you try getting along with her and stay a little bit longer? We're safe for the moment and some recovering wouldn't be bad for you too, don't you think?"
North tried to bribe South into staying a little bit longer too, but the woman obviously had made up her mind.
"I never liked that Ala-gal over there." She grumbled "I am not feeling obliged to like her just because she helped us."
This felt like a stab with a knife to Ala's gut.
Concentrating on keeping her sleeping act up, she heard how the chair creaked and South got up from her place there, "I am going to leave this night. Do whatever the fuck you want to do." She snarked, frustration audible in her voice.
North sighed, knowing well that he wasn't able to stop his sister once she made up her mind, "Very well. Then please send me a message once in a while or drop by so I can make sure that you are okay. Deal?"
"Whatever!" South growled.
"South, please!" North obviously was done with his patience for his sister.
"Okay!" South replied, pretty pissed, "I am calling in regularly, Daddy North!"
North growled in frustration, "Stop acting like a fucking bitch, South. You're worse than a stubborn child!"
Alaska didn't hear an answer, but she could picture South giving her brother the finger before leaving the bedroom towards the black haired woman's office that the female Freelancer inhabited currently.
The rustling and bustling in the room some moments later gave away that she was suiting and packing up, getting ready to leave.
About thirty minutes later, the woman left with whatever belongings she had.
Well, that meant that Ala would have to take up missions on her own again to fend for herself and North.
Alaska sighed lowly through her nose. At least North was feeling better again and didn't need to be watched all the time, so she guessed that it was no problem.
For a moment, she was debating with herself if she should get up and talk to North or keep lying on the couch and pretending to be asleep.
However, during the weeks she knew North, she knew that he wouldn't be fooled by her act. He was extremely perceptive and could read most people like an open book. Besides the obvious good instincts when it came to assessing people and whether or not their intentions were well or ill meant.
Well, with a low groan she got up and decided to shoot a text to Kyle, informing him that she would be taking up missions from tomorrow on again.
Kyle still seemed to be up and wrote back some minutes later, informing her about upcoming missions. There was one tomorrow evening and night. It was a mission for guarding a door since some kind of game was going on inside the building.
Alaska was pretty sure that it was illegal, but she didn't want to know more. She just informed Kyle that she had a mouth more to feed for the moment and asked if it was possible to get some more missions since South wasn't living with them anymore.
Kyle replied that he already heard about that from South and that he would grant her the same plus fee that he had given South since she had been a more than adequate replacement and even a new worker for his catalogue during the time she was gone. He would even give her some extra credits just for that.
With a low snort, she replied to Kyle that he could quit hitting on her, but that she appreciated his concern and help.
Kyle only wrote back the time table and the partner she would be working with, along with a winking smiley. It was set then and Ala printed out the sheet in her office and then shut down the laptop and closed it. Having to work from 2000 till 0600 or 0800 (depending on long how the game goes on for), would make a great income to live on for some time.
"Are you going on a mission too?"
Ala almost jumped through the roof, letting loose a surprised, rather high pitched yelp.
"Jesus fucking Christ! North, you're going to kill me!" she gasped when she felt like her heart wouldn't stop in the next second.
"You didn't answer my question." the man replied sternly, pushing away from his position leaning against the door frame.
He walked over, sitting down beside the woman. Close up, she could see the slightly sour expression on his features.
For the sake of somehow keeping a bit of peace, Alaska sighed heavily, "Yes, I am going on a mission."
"And why? Are you insane? This could get you killed!" North's rage was somewhat contagious, as she felt the rage boil inside her too. All this time with South pushing her back, being angry with her, attacking and lashing out on her, North now being pissy because of her god damn work…
"So?" she replied in a defiant tone and she could see the anger in his eyes flare up, "I am a goddamn soldier in case you've forgotten. How did you imagine that I managed to bring you back here if not with a fucking power suit? I was a member of the Elbon Special Forces!" she shot back with a snarl.
"Besides, how do you think I fucking earn the money to pay the rent and shit here? To pay for the bandages and all the shit that helped to get you treated?!" she stood up furiously and turned away briskly to the door.
"I am certainly not sitting at home and having a fucking tea party in here or some kind of goddamn bakery seminar!" she grabbed her black Sukajan jacket with a Kyuubi and a Torii-gate appliquéd on the back and stomped out of the door. Slamming it shut, she was out of the building a bit later.
She would walk around mindlessly for some hours to blow off some steam and clear her mind. She needed to get her thoughts back in check. It was rare for her to lose it like that, but all the lashing out from South and now with even North attacking her had made her snap.
A girl could only take so much pressure.
Back in the apartment sat a young man, looking at the closed door with a completely baffled expression.
He had gotten to know Alaska as a gentle and nice person so far, so her freaking out as she did was something absolutely new to him.
Growling, he laid his face in his hands and groaned. What the actual fuck? Were all girls in his life against him!?
With a huff, he got up and decided to take a shower and then go to bed.
But even after the shower and lying in bed, he couldn't find rest. He was thinking about the dispute he had with South and after her departure he had fought with Alaska too.
All because he was worried about them getting hurt!
"Is it so bad to be worried about someone and just wanting to keep them safe?" the Freelancer growled, throwing an arm over his eyes in frustration.
"It's not bad to worry about someone." Theta materialized beside his head, sitting on the pillow, "But it's bad to behave like an asshole about that."
This caused North to send the little Fragment a glare.
Theta knew that it wasn't meant badly, so he only shrugged with his shoulders nonchalantly, "You took your anger about South out on her. That was kind of a dick move."
This caused North to throw the Fragment a mix between a smoldering glare and a surprised look.
"Since when do you know that word?" the Freelancer asked curtly.
"Since I met York through you?" the Fragment quipped back.
Point one for Theta, thought North to himself.
North and Theta had an agreement to give each other some space in their thoughts, where the other wouldn't pry in.
Anyways, back to the topic at hand as Theta then again regarded him carefully, "As I said, you took your anger about South out on Alaska."
Theta restrained himself from saying that South wasn't the saint North wanted to see her as.
"Yeah, I know that now." North muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"So how about saying sorry when she gets back? She's doing all this for you and your sister. This is her work. Don't blame her for something that you do yourself. Remember all the shit you pulled in Project Freelancer?"
North huffed after some time, but didn't give an answer.
Theta seemed to take this as an answer in and of itself and continued, "Look, she's doing that work to gain money and to survive. If she didn't have this job, she wouldn't have been able to give you shelter and look after you. Fuck, she wouldn't even have been able to give South a job when she needed to blow off some steam." Theta concluded simply, also taking South into consideration.
He didn't like the sister of his best friend, but that didn't mean that he didn't understand North's feelings towards his only family around here which was why he decided to also throw her into the mix to show North what Ala had done for both of them, not only for North when he was out cold during this one and a half week period.
"Yeah, you're right…" North sighed. "I will apologize to her when she's back. Although I don't know when it is that she will return."
"At least you're going to do it." Theta replied with a sigh.
"Yeah…" North yawned, "Let's get some rest. It's late." the Freelancer muttered, huddling up in the blanket although he felt a bit guilty for occupying her bed while Alaska had to stay on the couch.
"Right. Good Night." Theta muttered before disappearing and logging off for the night.
"Good night, Theta." North wished, closing his eyes to sleep.