I watched as Mr. Beilschmidt swung the glinting sword at my head and I swung back as it swished over my face, I could feel the air caressing my cheeks as it moved past.
Lovino was off to the side watching with wide eyes, this seemed like something not out of the ordinary for him.
Mr. Beilschmidt swung again and I stepped out of range of his swing easily. The man laughed a short bark of a laugh, pulled another sword from a scabbard at his hip, and tossed it to me.
I caught the sword just in time to parry his attack, the sound of metal hitting metal clanged through the air.
Gilbert smiled and attacked again with ferocity, and I parried each one and ignored the times I could have killed or maimed him. He needed to work on his skills with a sword.
His eyes glinted and I noticed how different they looked in real life than in comparison to pictures, they were alive with a red fire that seemed to crackle with mirth and wickedness.
His shock of white hair was what I noticed next. I had seen many pictures of him, but it was still something to admire, the shade was so pure. I stopped admiring his features to watch him and was a little startled to find that he was attacking with the intent to kill, that or seriously harm. I was a little confused about what he was trying to accomplish, but it was a little nice to practice with a sword again. I had been taught for so many years in the agency I could win with my eyes closed.
I watched his techniques for a little bit while he tried his best to harm me before I attacked for the first time since he first swung and ripped the blade away from his hand with the tip of my sword. We both watched the blade clatter to the marble flooring before it rolled on its rain guard and came to a stop, the edge glinting.
He looked at me in amusement when I kicked the blade away from him. I didn't want him to get any ideas, and I didn't know what this test was about, but I was reminded of Arthur's words, his warning me of him trying to trick me. I wasn't going to let him kill me so early in the assignment.
I was aware of Lovino, standing in the corner, watching me with serious and judging eyes sometimes flicking over to look at Mr. Beilschmidt.
"Well that was interesting. Lutz is fucking awful, you should spar with him sometime." He looked at Lovino and shrugged before walking to the side of the room where there sat an impressive desk cluttered with papers and different types of guns; behind it sat a throne like chair that he settled in, looking at me speculatively.
"You don't look like the others they sent, they were all old and stuffy looking." He pouted then leaned back in his chair.
"They told me you are the best they have seen in a long time, they protested heavily when I said I wanted you, but it wasn't like they could refuse." He scoffed arrogantly and smiled a crooked smile.
"West is usually the one that doesn't react to anything I say, almost every agent they send reacts in some way, but you are utterly inexpressive." He laughed. "I am going to enjoy breaking you!"
I heard Lovino shift in the background and it caught Mr. Beilschmidt's attention as his red eyes flicked over to where he stood.
"Does that make you uncomfortable Vargas?" He asked and grinned. "I wonder why." He whispered, and I wondered too, maybe Lovino had found some kind of kinship in me.
Mr. Beilschmidt cleared his throat and crossed his legs by throwing one leg over the other in an obvious fashion, he grinned at me and beckoned me closer.
"Show me your-" he paused and grinned "-credentials." He had to know that most of us where uncomfortable with showing our tattoos. He probably asked every agent that came to him to show them it.
I pulled down my shirt to reveal the tattoo that most of us hated, as it was a reminder of pain and a binding commitment.
Mr. Beilschmidt stared at my shoulder for longer than was completely necessary, the ever present grin fading from his face.
"Yours is different from the others." He said, almost to himself and I mentally winced. Every time that we achieved a higher status in the agency our tattoo got more complex, adding more of the dark black swirls that stained our shoulders. Mine was so much larger than others, but it still revolved around the bullet wound that had been inflicted so long ago.
"The bullet wound is deeper too, jesus what the hell is up with you Matthew Williams." Beilschmidt stood up quickly from his chair and glared intently at my shoulder before pursing his lips and narrowing his eyes.
"Take off your shirt." He commanded, and I refused to let myself freeze in tension. Showing him my shirt was one thing, showing him my scarred chest was something different all together. I had been growing up with weapons and learning to kill, to hurt and maim, my body was scarred and battered and unpleasant to look at. Even Alfred winced away when he saw me without a shirt on and his body was only slightly less horrific.
My charge waited and watched with intense eyes, before growing impatient at my silence and glaring.
"Are you going to do as I told you?" He snarled and Lovino shifted again.
I immediately pulled at the bottom of my shirt and tugged it over my head, blocking out the way Beilschmidt's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open, Lovino's gasp could be heard just from looking at my back which was just as bad as the front.
"Bloody fucking hell what the fuck happened to you?" He almost yelled, and his eyes trailed down to the dark bruises around my arm that I had covered before.
His eyes shifted back to mine and he walked back around the desk towards me. He was almost as tall as me, which was saying something because I was pretty tall, he inspected me and I stood stalk still, not letting myself fidget at all as his eyes took in every scar I had on my chest and back, he circled me like I was some kind of animal. I hated being looked at.
"Sir, can I leave?" Lovino called and looked at the door with blatant longing. Or maybe I was overanalyzing his expressions. I was incredibly out of place in this and I was beginning to feel too exposed for my liking.
Mr. Beilschmidt nodded jerkily and Lovino bolted out the door, closing it behind him quickly. The locks clicked into place and my charge turned back to me, his eyes glinting again.
"And then there were two." He said quietly, and took a step forward.
Sorry it is a short chapter, but if you have read my writing before, my chapters are short but there are many. I hope you guys will read He Paints The Colour Red, it is super important to me and it is still on the third page ;(
I really appreciate reviews and they inspire me to write more, and when I am feeling down I can read them and feel better ;) so please review it would be nice.
I hope you all have a nice day, ask questions if you want, make predictions, feel free to ask me anything at all or tell me anything you wish. I love all of you with all of my heart. You can find and talk to me on Facebook, blahtherapy, figment, and tumblr, all under the same name. Thank you for reading -Serenity