Taking Back The World! (A Pacific Rim and Raleigh Becket Fanfic)

Bloody Noses

    “Here‘s the directions to my room.” I leaned my elbows on the table, batting my eyes. Chuck’s grin widened as he also leaned forward.

    “Take a left down ‘we’re never gonna happen’ hall, go through the door that says ‘never in a million years’ and that‘ll dead end at ‘only in your dreams’.” When I finished, Herc was nearly on the floor laughing.

    I hadn’t heard a laugh like it in over a year. It was heartwarming and blood chilling at the same time. I loved hearing it but, it reminded me too much of the brother’s I missed more and more everyday. Herc pulled me from my darkening thoughts with a clap on the back.

    “I like her!” He roared in laughter.

    “Whatever.” I looked back at Chuck to see his mouth in a tight line as he roughly got from his chair, taking his tray and his adorable Max with him as he stormed out.

    “Sure you can‘t stick around after your done?” Turning back to Herc, I smiled and shook my head.

    “I think your son will hate me even more if I do.” I commented honestly, shoveling some spaghetti into my mouth.

    “He doesn‘t hate you. Just isn‘t used to not getting what he wants.” Herc answered, turning back to his meal as well.

    “Same thing.” His laughing nearly made him choke on his mouthful of food and quickly washed it down with his water.

    After some more small talk between Herc and I, we both dumped our trash and stacked our trays in the dirty pile. We walked together for a while longer before he had to fork off down another hallway. As I waved to him, I ran right into someone’s hard chest.

    I would have fallen straight on my ass if it hadn’t been for that person grabbing my arms and hoisting me back onto my feet. Just as I was about to thank and apologize to the person, it dried up in my throat when I saw the emblem on his shirt. It was a bulldog holding a missile. Only two people wore that emblem on their shirts, and one I just parted ways with.

    “Can I help you, Chuck?” I asked coolly, stepping out of his grip and away from his reach. His blue eyes lazily looked me over again. I hoped he took the boring look I was shooting at him with my grey eyes as a sign to back off.

    “I can‘t walk with a beautiful woman?” I groaned and shoved past him roughly, hoping he’d get the message that I was done with him for the day. But of course he ignored it and followed close on my heels.

    “Hey!” He called after me, finally grabbing a hold of my arm. I stopped long enough to yank my arm free but that was all the time he needed to step in front of me.

    “What‘s your problem?” Chuck moved close to me, way into my personal bubble.

    “How about the fact that you can‘t use my name?” My hands fell on my hips as I prepared to face off with Chuck once again.

    “Do you even remember my name?” I asked challengingly.

    “How could I forget, Lila?” The way he said my name made cold chills run down my back. I shook off the feeling and steeled my resolve, pressing my index finger to his chest.

    “Then use it. It‘ll be a start to me being able to stand your presence.” I pushed him back slightly, side stepping around the Ranger and stalking off down the hallway back to the hanger. I’d never met someone so infuriating in my life.

    As I turned down the next hallway, there were two men leaning up against the left side of the wall. One was blonde and the other had dark brown hair and wore maintenance jump suits covered in grease stains.