Chapter Text
Pains and aches strangle his body.
They’re physical wounds. She’d call them lacerations.
There’s one along his ribs, another behind his knee. He’s sure there are others, too, but they’re insignificant in comparison to the agony that’s settling in his heart.
As soon as he’d shut her out and filled the connection with that all-consuming nothingness, the miserable organ had lodged itself in his throat. Making it hard to breathe. To speak.
To focus.
He needs to focus.
It’s easier this way, even if it seems unbearable.
Ancil will get her out of here. Keep her safe. Just like they’d talked about.
She’ll be safe. Out of reach from further harm.
And with no link tying them together, he won’t be able to hurt her, again. She won’t feel it when he’s-
No. Focus. Forget about her. About what could happen. All that matters now is Uche. Focus.
One hand pressed to his bleeding ribs, the other clutching his blade, a grin stretches his lips and exposes a snarl, “What do you want to hear, Uche? That Tanza had it coming? That she deserved what she got?”
“Shut up! Tanza’s dead because of you, asshole. She - we - trusted you and look where that got us.” Uche circles round. Hovering like some sick vulture, too afraid to approach its wounded prey for fear its jaws still have the power to snatch it from the air. “You know, she was the only one brave enough to act. To do something about the cancer and filth spreading through the agency.” The blade, still clenched in his hand, drips, leaving little splashes of red to stain the concrete as he circles and leers. “And you ruined it. Ruined everything.”
“Remind me, what am I supposed to have ruined?” crouching, his muscles tense expectantly when Uche momentarily disappears into a shadow so deep and endless, the void behind his ear suddenly seems small. “”Cause, honestly, I can’t recall how any of this is my fault.”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Nanaki. You know what you did to her.” Uche’s voice is a growl, still lost in shadow.
“What I did to her? I offered her a job. You were there, dummy.” wincing as he goes to take a step forward, Obi shoves the panic bubbling up his centre, and grits his teeth. That’s about what he figured. With the back of his knee slashed, he’s basically fucked. He can hardly walk without causing more damage. And running is absolutely out of the question. Breathing heavily through his nose, he doesn’t let his distress show. “The three of us went on that job, together. What happened to Tanza-”
“What happened to Tanza was entirely your fault!” crawling out of the darkness, face carved into unforgiving lines, Uche waves the blade towards him, “You murdered her!”
Shout still echoing through the warehouse, Obi scoffs, “You’re delusional, Uche. Do you even remember what happened that day? Or have you completely blocked it out?”
“Like I could ever forget!” Chest heaving, Uche takes thunderous steps towards him. The knife in his hand shakes, “You drove a blade into the side of her neck! Do you have any idea what that feels like?” his free hand comes up to rub anxiously at the left side of his throat and Obi’s stomach knots. “I suppose you don’t. Not yet. But once I get my hands on Red, you’ll fucking know.”
“I said, leave her out of this!” ignoring the way his knee screams at him, begging him to let it buckle beneath his weight, Obi launches himself towards Uche, blade outstretched.
He’d thought it a miss, until Uche curses at him and begins his circling, again. Slower this time. A dark laugh emanates from somewhere deep in his chest, “You really do love her, don’t you?”
Obi doesn’t have it in him to respond.
Of course he loves her. He’s loved her for almost as long as they’ve been connected. But, even though he knows he loves her, he finds himself unable to say it aloud. Even as Shirayuki told him she loves him, he’d been unable to swallow his fear and say it back. And, now, she may never know.
Uche laughs again, the sound like nails on a chalkboard, “Good. It means her death will hurt that much more.”
Collapsing to his knees, exhausted, Obi presses his hand back to the gash in his side; warmth winds its way between his fingers, but still he finds it in him to give a breathless chuckle. “Good luck ever finding her, again. She’s long gone.”
A terrifying grin spreads across Uche’s features. His gaze fixated on something across the room and Obi blanches. “Oh, is she?”
He’s bluffing, right? Surely, she can’t be that foolish. Ancil wouldn’t let her come back. Would he? They’d made a plan. Keep Shirayuki safe, no matter what happened. But the malicious, hungry expression Uche displays, has his stomach twisting violently.
Warily looking over his shoulder, he almost chokes.
To the untrained eye, she’d be invisible. But to him and Uche, the sleeve of the sweater - his sweater - poking out from behind the pillar sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s the thing in the warehouse that doesn’t belong. The thing that shouldn’t be here.
Frantic, he opens the connection to warn her, but his words of warning turn into horrified shouts when Uche’s blade flies past him, intent on burying itself in her arm.
Time seems to slow.
Waves of anger roll through Shirayuki and into him, but, as they crest, they change to something almost smug. Confident.
Obi doesn’t understand why until the blade sinks deep into the fabric of his sweater and the pain he expected to blossom out from his bicep doesn’t come. Neither does her hoarse cry.
The knife clatters to the floor. Its edges clean.
Inhaling sharply, Obi looks back towards Uche, just as a gunshot fills the air.
And, for a moment, nothing happens. There’s no sound, besides the echo of the gunshot echoing through the depths of the abandoned warehouse. No movement, other than his own chest rapidly rising and falling.
Then, time seems to catch up to the moment and Obi stares incredulously as Uche falls to the concrete, screaming and clutching at his thigh.
Heart throwing itself into his ribs so forcefully he fears he may pass out, Obi watches with bated breath as Shirayuki steps cautiously from the shadows.
Determination and anger are etched into every inch of her, while the tiny handgun he’d trusted Ancil with sits steady in her hand; its barrel trained on Uche as she continues to take slow, guarded steps further into the cavernous room.
Without taking her eyes off of Uche, who’s writhing about on the concrete, moaning, Shirayuki calls to him, voice shaking, “Obi? You okay?”
Dumbstruck, his mouth hinges open to try and form some sort of answer, but nothing comes. There are no words for the way his heart is swelling painfully at the sight of her. Or how the back of his throat burns.
Moan turning into a menacing growl, Uche moves to sit, “You shot me, you bitch!”
“And I’ll shoot you again, if I have to.” Shirayuki’s tone is harsh, despite how it wobbles. It sends a shiver to rip up his spine, as he watches her move alarmingly close to Uche. The gun aimed directly at his heart. “The next one won’t be in your leg, either. Got it?”
“Fuck you, Red.” Uche grins and chuckles. “I can’t wait to slit your fucking throat.”
Shirayuki’s lip pulls into a tight line and Obi can see her jaw working, mulling over what to do with the asshole in front of her. It’s not until he cackles and spits on her shoe that she seems to come to a decision.
Without missing a beat, she redirects the gun and lets another round sink itself into Uche’s belly. Shrieking, he falls backwards and tries, with shaking hands, to put pressure on the fresh wound. Obi watches, speechless, as she leans over him, anger clear across her features, “There are four more rounds in here. You want to threaten me, again, or have you had enough?”
Uche wimpers a response, but Obi doesn’t care to hear it. He’s no longer paying attention to the man on the warehouse floor or the pain that’s been carved into him, because all he can focus on is her.
Everything about her is… perfect.
Wild red hair. Relentless emerald eyes. And a fierceness about her that would make even the strongest men tremble before her.
Yet, she’s kind. Understanding. And far more forgiving than anyone he’s ever met.
Coming to a shaky stand, his chest heaves, though he can’t be sure if it’s from exertion or from how his heart is throwing itself against its ribs, trying to reach her.
Shirayuki must be satisfied that Uche won’t try anything more, because a moment later, she’s staring at him. A watery gaze studies him and her mouth moves, but he doesn’t hear her.
He only hears himself as he stumbles numbly towards her, “You need to know...”
Fuck, he’s not sure his heart can handle the tight confines of his chest cavity, for much longer.
Concern pulls at her brows and she speaks again; still, he doesn’t hear her over the thundering of his pulse. But, as soon as he’s close enough to reach her, he’s pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair.
Hesitantly, careful of the gash in his side, she wraps her arms around him and presses her cheek to his chest. And, suddenly, nothing else matters.
Not any of the shit they’ve been through. Not his past or the blood that stains his hands. Not Uche or the scars they’ll have from today.
Only her.
Only Shirayuki matters.
A weak laugh floats up from his lungs and tickles the back of his throat, as words, he never thought he’d speak, fall from his lips as a whisper, “I… I love you.”
“Kill me.”
Gun trained on Uche, Obi resists the urge to pull the trigger, but sighs when Shirayuki nudges him encouragingly. “No.”
“Why the fuck not? It’s what you’re good at.” groaning, Uche’s fingers spasm and clutch at where his stomach continues to spill red between his fingers. “C’mon, I know you want to - I can see it written all over your face.”
“You’re right. I do want to.” it comes out as a low growl between his teeth as he leans back against the pillar; the back of his head cracks lightly against the cement and he grimaces as his ribs ache and ooze warmth. “But I’m not going to.”
“Coward. She’s made you weak. Soft.” Uche snorts painfully, before being reduced to a fit of wet coughs.
“No.” Somewhere behind his ear, Shirayuki’s trying to calm down a frantic Ancil, find the medical kit and something to restrain Uche with; however, the waves of emotion that wash over him aren’t stressed or panicked, they’re only supportive, relieved and… and loving. “She hasn’t. If anything, I’m stronger because of her. She inspires me to be the best version of myself.”
“Ha. That’s rich, coming from you.” Uche coughs again and shuts his eyes.
Staring at where red has started to pool and spread beneath Uche, Obi’s jaw tightens and a small part of him hopes that this fucker will bleed out before she gets back. But, he’d promised her that they could do things her way and that he wouldn’t shoot Uche again, unless provoked.
Which is proving to be difficult.
Though, if Uche were to just bleed out… well, he hadn’t said anything about stopping him from dying of blood loss. He’s starting to wonder if giving him a good kick or two would speed up the process and still honour his promise to Shirayuki… might be worth a try. Especially if he keeps running his mouth like this.
“You’re a murderer Nanaki. Just a disposable tool being used by the agency. And that’s all you’ll ever be.”
“Maybe.” biting at the inside of his cheek, Obi’s heart stutters painfully and he focuses on the link for a moment to try and keep himself from putting a bullet through Uche’s temple. A smile teases his lips as Ancil starts to gush over something Shirayuki must have just said; her laugh is exasperated, but fond, when she tells him to grab the kit and follow her. Reassurance begins to work its way through him. “Or, maybe not.”
With a groan, Obi pulls himself to his feet and limps towards Uche; Shirayuki and Ancil will be rounding that corner in a few moments and although he doubts Uche is stupid or strong enough to try anything after being shot twice, he can’t be too careful.
Eye cracking open to watch him approach, Uche grins darkly. “I wonder. Will you finally kill me if I go after her, again?”
“Tempting, but no.” smirking, he tilts his head curiously and sways the gun, “Though, I can think of a few places to put a bullet and still keep you alive. That could be fun.” taking aim at Uche’s junk, he winks, “Wanna try it out?”
“Boss!” Ancil’s voice echoes loudly through the warehouse as his sneakers slap against concrete and he comes tripping around the corner. Cheeks red and eyes blown wide, he puffs out his chest and grins, “You’re okay!”
“Sure, kid.” Squinting over Ancil’s shoulder, he waits for Shirayuki to round the corner too.
Ancil follows his gaze and brings a hand up to run nervously through his hair before snapping his attention back to Obi. “I swear, she’s-”
“Relax, I’m right here.” Shirayuki emerges from the shadows, giggling and limping towards him. A mess of jumper cables are slung over her shoulder and she holds out a length of it, “Think this would work?”
“I assume you haven’t changed your mind about putting a bullet in his brain?” Obi just chuckles when she rolls her eyes at him and deposits the cables at Ancil’s feet before gesturing for him to hand over the med kit. “Yes, that’ll work.”
“Good.” Laying out a suture kit, variety of bandages and ointments across the concrete, she waves him over, “Now come here and let me fix you.”
Brows tugging together, he glances towards Uche, “You’re not going to-”
“Absolutely not. Twice, he’s tried to take you from me, so as far as I’m concerned, he can wait for someone else to dig out those bullets.” glaring at Uche, hands shaking, Shirayuki’s eyes momentarily burn with anger, before her feature soften and she fixes her gaze upon him. “You, however, I love. And I would very much like to stop you from bleeding.” she says it so matter of fact that he can’t help the tightening of his stomach or flutter in his heart; the needle is already threaded when she looks back over to him and frowns, “So, are you going to cooperate or will, ahhh… he have to help restrain you.”
“I-Is that me? Are you talking about me? And what do you mean r-restrain him?” Ancil swings his gaze between Shirayuki and him, chewing nervously at his bottom lip; the jumper cables he’d just picked up, fall back to the floor with a clatter, “Miss, I think that you overestimate me. Boss may be injured, but I am not at all confident in my ability to, like, hold him down or anything-”
Uche snorts and Obi grits his teeth, fighting once more to keep himself from sending that bastard’s brain splattering across the floor. “Calm down, kid.” Moving stiffly towards Ancil, he holds out the gun, “Just keep an eye on him.”
Ancil hesitantly accepts the gun and immediately points it at Uche’s skull. The thing trembles in his hands, but at least he’s not having a full blown panic attack, “Got it. He won’t go anywhere, Boss.”
Groaning, Uche lays back against the concrete, defeated, and Obi grins, “And don’t be afraid to shoot him if he tries anything.”
Shirayuki just shakes her head and bites back a tender smile when he finally manages to hobble over to her.