Neverwhere Oneshots

Hunter x Serpentine (first draft, unedited)

Literally none of my stuff is edited so that's not a change but I literally wrote this in 20 minutes and then uploaded it without even reading it so don't judge me harshly, 'kay?

"So you're really going?" The Seven Sisters were, though they didn't know it yet, in the same room together for the last time for at least eighty years. Chalfont and Latimer, the twins, were bidding their sister farewell last – Serpentine was closest to them of all her six siblings. (Closest, in this context, means that they were the only two whose throats Serpentine had considered ripping out the fewest times, at a mere six and eight respectively.) "When will you be back?"

Serpentine shrugged. "I don't know, Lati. But listen to me, okay? Both of you? I'm going to be okay. I'm going with Hunter, after all. Even if I couldn't keep myself safe perfectly well, Mother has paired me up with the best bodyguard in the Underside."

Chalfont sniffled. "Okay." She pulled her sisters in for an embrace, but it was cut short by a bell.

"That's me," Serpentine smiled. "You two take care of each other, okay?"

The twins waved tearfully at the coach as it pulled away, not leaving until it was out of sight.

~~

"So. I hear you're the best at what you do?" Serpentine was doing a good job of showing how unimpressed she really was.

Hunter shrugged, emotionlessly. "I hear that too."

They fell into a silence, not awkward due to lack of speech as much as sheer quantity of weapons in the small space. The scent was of musk and sweat, the two fighting for control of the cramped compartment and giving air no chance of entering. The two women's very auras, too, seemed to be competing for dominance, and they both knew it.

"So, what makes them think that?"

Hunter shrugged, silently, refusing to allow her inner smirk to escape. "Where are you planning on going?" She countered.

"Wherever. I'm as free as the wind," she smiled innocently, rolling her shoulder back slightly to make one of her many hidden blades more prominent.

"Good to hear. I'll go wherever you go. I hear you led a pretty sheltered life back at your palace, so you might be needing it," she smirked, opening her palm to show Serpentine's other hidden blade, that had been hidden on her thigh. Serpentine snatched it back.

"Just because I'm not as good as you, doesn't mean I'm not good." She span her remaining blade into her hand, twirling it between two fingers, before flicking it into the cushion behind her bodyguard's throat.

Hunter didn't even blink.

"It doesn't. But it also doesn't mean you can show off to me. I know every trick you can throw at me."

Serpentine snarled. There are a very many things in this world that you never, ever do, and challenging Serpentine is one of them.

Hunter simply gave an amused smile. "Go for it, princess. Show me your skills."

Holding out her palm for her blades to be returned, Serpentine snapped a wire into her other hand. "This is probably my favourite. Multi-purpose, see? Whip, garrotte, rope, anything, really."

"Yes, but – " Hunter threw Serpentine's knives back, before taking out two of her own and trapping the wire between hers in one fluid movement, "if you do this..." she made another movement, and the wire flicked back at her adversary, who had to duck to avoid being decapitated.

Serpentine flicked her wrist, trying to wrap the wire around her bodyguard's wrists, but she simply moved away. Trying a different approach, she flicked upward, the curtain behind Hunter falling onto her head and blinding her for a short moment – but long enough. Serpentine's wire wrapped itself around Hunter's wrists, and the bodyguard blinked.

"Don't get distracted," Serpentine hissed, holding her knife to Hunter's throat. "I don't know why they say you're the best."

Hunter laughed, a husky tone coming into her voice as she licked her lips slowly. "I never said they were right," she said, whispering seductively across the carriage.

Serpentine gaped slightly, coming to her senses only after the kick had come to her kneecap, causing her to fall from the velvet seat. The wire fell from her hand, and Hunter tilted her head up with a knife.

"You're right," she said with a smirk. "Getting distracted is the worst thing you can do."

Serpentine just leaned up and kissed her.