Arknights: When Hunters Meet (A Tacet x Projekt Red novel)

Chapter 18 - Passion and Blade Matching - Projekt Red Route

-''Tacet. Fancy meeting you here. You know there are quite a few wild rumours hanging about you.'' Said Lappland as I met her.
-As if I don't know. People will dream their fancies.
-Isn't it your fancy though? Lupos? But Red out of all of them? You like em as dangerous as they get, don't you?

I didn't answer. I couldn't think of anything better but silence.

-''I am dangerous too, you know?'' She said as she clasped my left cheek gently.
-''I don't sense her scent on you. You are still unclaimed.'' She added.
-''I am not anyone's to claim.'' I retorted.
-Let me claim you. We can have battle to the near death if you wish. Maybe if you beat me I'll let you have your way with me however you want. Though I doubt you could defeat me.

I reached and grabbed Lappland's hand with the same gentle touch for a moment, and then I pulled it off.

-I'm not going to play into your games Lappland.
-Aw, why not? Cos'è la vita senza un po' di pericolo? (What's life without some danger?)

I chuckled. She was right. Life without some danger wouldn't be exciting, and was probably part why I had a penchant in me to engage with Red all these times. But at that moment I discerned that I was pulled the way she wanted. She spoke in her Siracusan language, the old Italian for me. She must have suspected I might have a fondness for this language and I confirmed it by my chuckling.

-I see you know what I am talking about. We may be kindred souls yet even!
-Maybe, but I still have to refuse you Lappi.
-Aww, how dolcissimo of you to call me that. But think about it. Or is it that you made your mind about her? Maybe you should dispel those rumours with the truth then?
-''You like to prod, don't you? But you'll get nothing out of me.'' I said relaxedly.
-''Lappland! Stop bothering him!'' Texas exclaimed as she appeared from a corridor.
-''Oh? Did you miss me bothering you instead or is it that you have eyes on him as well mio caro compagno?'' She said to Texas teasingly as she touched my chest visibly.
-''He is unclaimed just so you know. Do you want a chance with him too?'' Lappland asked with perfily.
-''I am not here to entertain any fancies.'' I said to the air not wanting to directly blame any of them though Lappland would have deserved it.

I pulled a second time her hand off of me and turned around to walk away. I hoped this little chat wouldn't spring more rumours. Not that I cared, but people would get wrong ideas. Eventually they could lead to misunderstandings that I would find annoyingly time wasteful. That, or it could possibly bother my employers. I sighed. It was two days later that I was going by training room after training room, trying to find an empty one or with just one person to join in. Today all of them were in full use it seemed.
Coming by the last one I saw a fast moving figure dodging some mechanical constructs that were subsequently quickly disabled. It was Projekt Red. I stepped in and she paused from her training. It was the only room with just one operator and I knew the prior training chambers would still be occupied for some time. I had a tingling sensation. I knew that it would be a bad idea to entertain the mere suggestion to train and spar together, risking to open old wounds. Yet I didn't leave.

-Alone Red?
-People don't like training with me. Afraid they will get too hurt.
-I see.
-Will you leave too?
-''No.'' I responded, my heart taking the decision for me.
-''I'd rather have a partner to train with rather than dummies.'' I said.
-Good.

She paused for a few moments before she resumed the conversation.

-Back then.
-''Hmm?'' I perked up questioningly.
-You held back.
-You were bleeding.
-But you didn't wound Red, not badly.
-Why did you hold back?
-We could have died together, or I could have died alone. Which would you have preferred?
-No. More like Red would have died, and you would have lived. Red mortally wounded you, yet you lived after that.