Hardly A Hero [REWRITTEN ON NEW ACCOUNT]

Chapter 21: Lets talk, Face to Mask.

It had started out a rather serene morning; hot chocolate to warm my cold insides, the daily pick up of my mothers many beer bottles and a relaxing shower with Winchester wining outside the door.

But, with my bad luck, the peace was shattered by the echoing banging of someone at the back entrance of the HQ.

I paraded over, praying that whoever was disturbing the peace had a very good reason, for their own health and well being.

"What in the name of-"

Soon, I came face to face with Ben. Well, face to mask.

I was in nothing but my shorts and sleeveless pajama top with a pizza on it that said 'Slice to meet ya'.

Before I could ask him why he was here, he barged past me.

"Are you going to explain to me what that was all about?" He asked calmly, his voice clear and unaffected by the echo of the room.

"What?"

He stared at me, irritation burning in his eyes.

"You-you robbed a casino!" He said louder and the words pushed against my chest slowly as I realized the weight of the situation. "I thought we were in this together."

"How-?"

"NASEB. They came to me last week and offered me a position with them. I said no because I thought you and I were a team. But then I saw what happened on the news and put two and two together and so I... I..."

I stepped a few steps forward, increasingly frustrated.

"They offered you a position? And you didn't tell me?"

"No!" He looked nervous, panicked even. "But once I found out what happened, I took it."

"You took it?"

He nodded slowly, gripping his palms.

"They said they could help me. They said they could provide me with money and proper training and the equipment I need. I couldn't turn that down!"

What was I supposed to say? He was basically saying goodbye, refusing to cooperate any longer because I had neglected him. It had been so hectic recently that I had forgotten that he was in this alone. Besides me, he had no one else to turn to while I had several different Supers on speed dial.

"But, if maybe you still wanted to be in this together, I wouldn't have to rely on NASEB."

It was a guilty weight lying on my chest, but I wasn't about to let him walk off so easily when there was a lot of explaining to do.

"Anyway, it's not like you'll care. You don't even know me."

"I do!" I said, immediately regretting the decision to speak so impulsively.

"What do you know about me? Huh?" He said, mildly aggressively.

I bit my lip. Did I trust him? Was it about time he knew? I battled with myself for what felt like forever as his eyes continued to bury themselves into mine.

"You hate yoghurt." I stated, feeling fairly stupid but insistent on digging myself deeper into whatever hole I was digging into. "You have two cats, you are captain of the lacrosse team and have a game with Chilton this weekend and you have watched The Shawshank Redemption ten times and still love it."

His face lifted, not happily but as if he was taken aback. I decided it was best not to make myself appear any worse and stop myself there.

"I'm not a stalker, I just sit next to you in Chemistry."

There you have it folks, an A-grade revelation.

He came closer, his steps wary and his expression unreadable. He came so close that I could hear his quickened breathing and almost feel it.

God, what if he didn't know me? I mean, he knew the girl who was having trouble at the Crane Game and decided to help, but what if he was completely oblivious to the fact that I sat next to him in Chemistry. He didn't talk to me, why would he? If he wanted to know me, he would've said something, right? That's what confident boys do around girls they like. They speak to them.

I hadn't thought this through. I wished I could unwind and go back to the unstolen tranquility that was my morning. But it was too late now because his face was inches away from mine and his fingers were at the edges of my mask and my heart was pounding like it had never pounded before.

"Rose?"

The word was barely more than a whisper, but it was enough to send a cold brush stroke down my back and make me wonder, was this a good or a bad thing? Would he run away in repulsion and cease to believe I ever existed. Likely. Would he stay? Less likely.

I ran my tongue inelegantly across my dry, bottom lip as I could feel my blood beating in every inch of my body, my eyes staring into his.

He lifted the mask, an almost inaudible gasp escaping his lips.

"It's you."

Hell yeah, it's me. Nope, stop it Rose, don't disturb the unreadable moment you are having.

I was rambling. While it was to myself I was still rambling.

Before I could back away and lock myself in the biggest safe I had, his lips curved upwards in one corner.

Good? Bad? Agh, this was killing me.

"I need to do something." He said, his arms lowering to his side as our eye contact remained impenetrable.

"You-you do?"

The smile remained as one started to grow on my face.

"I'll be back, I promise. Just-just don't go anywhere."

He kept the eye contact for a little longer before jogging towards the exit.

The atmosphere remained in the air a little longer as I savored it, the tingly sensation running up and down my back, replacing the fear.

Then it hit me.

Crap. I thought to myself. I need to start packing. He's going to tell NASEB.

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A/N:

So?! What do you guys think? My heart was beating a little faster than usual while I was writing this scene 😂😂

Until next time,

~SkyHunterXoX

P.s. If you haven't already, it would mean so much to me if you checked out my newest addition to the book family How To Run With Wolves. :D I hope you guys like it!!