Midnight Resolve [Kurapika x Kurta!Reader]

[16] Glaucous Battle

Shit.

Feeling metal tear through your side, you had managed to shift away to avoid being skewered, although that didn't save you from all damage. Your side stung, and the sweater you had been wearing was torn beyond repair, but you couldn't let that stop you. Leaping back, you didn't hesitate to quickly heal your side just enough to staunch the bleeding and close it to the point where it looked like a fresh scar rather the gaping wound it was previously.

In one, fluid motion, you lifted your sweater over your head and tossed it across the room, standing in the white shirt you had worn under it.

"It's 'bout time, Feitan."

Feitan.

The name made you freeze and you finally allowed yourself to look at the newcomer in trepidation.

Just like your memories, and just like the photo Hanzo had shown your group earlier, was the man you had grown up loathing. The one reminder of what you had before your family had been killed. Massacred.

Unaware of the scorching rage that burned at your core, the shorter male flicked his sword to the side, your own blood splattering from the sword to the ground.

"Tsk. Missed."

His voice was heavily accented, and he fixed his gaze on you, cold and piercing. It didn't take him long to realize what you had worn around your neck, and underneath his bandana you were certain he was snarling.

"That's mine. Thief."

Feitan was calling you a thief? Talk about irony. A part of you wanted to incredulously laugh, but for a moment you couldn't do anything. Words, actions, even expressions — everything seemed out of reach. For just one moment, your vision tunneled, only Feitan in your sight, bathed in red.

After what felt like hours, your fingers curled around your necklace, the cool feeling bring you back to reality, somewhat.

"You can have it back when you're dead."

"Cocky piece of shit."

Feitan's potty mouth didn't bother you as you quickly withdrew another bo staff, just in time as Feitan launched himself at you. He was fast — almost too fast, even with the scarlet eyes heightening your senses, but your eyes paired with your reflexes made a formidable duo. Just in time, you pivoted on your heel, gripping the staff tightly with both hands as his sword came down. In retaliation, you shoved your staff forward before jumping back in sync with him.

Just as fast as you had jumped away, the two of you jumped forward, metal clashing against metal as his katana came up to block your staff from coming down on his head. Knowing you didn't have enough strength to break through, you instead slid the staff down the blade, slamming the metal onto the top of his foot. The resounding crack showed that his foot was definitely broken, but there was no hint of pain on his face — only irritation, as if you were just a pesky fly; an annoying, but minor, inconvenience.

'Thinking' and 'fighting' weren't two words that paired well, especially in a fight as fast-paced as this one. You had to rely on instinct, your reflexes, and years upon years of training to keep up with Feitan, and even that was barely enough. The two of you excelled in speed over strength, your only advantage over this being your lithe figure. You were much more agile than him, evading his attacks with an ease that seemed to infuriate him.

In terms of physical strength, though, the he was definitely stronger; neither of you had even used your hatsu yet, just switching constantly from ko to ken to gyo at a dizzying speed. When the two of you had next separated, you weren't sure how long the two of you had been parrying each other's attacks.