Red Bullets (Bounty Hunter Kid x Detective Reader)

Chapter 19

Kid barely managed getting even a wink of sleep. As soon as the meeting yesterday was dismissed everyone was ordered to return to their homes or hotel rooms for rest. It was a task easier said than done. He fought with the bed sheets and pillows of his hotel room all for hours, unable to find comfortable position. To add to his troubles, the more he tossed around the more his heart rate picked, the organ pounding against his chest as though it wanted out. Most would expect this would tire a person out, but for Kid, it just made him more aware of the fact that he was safe in a fairly comfortable bed while you were not.

The red head turned over to the bed side table and grabbed his phone, pressing the home button.

1:45 A.M.

"Fucking shit!" He cursed, tossing off the bed sheets and going over to his duffle bag. He slipped on a hoodie and his boots before stepping out into the hallway and slipping into the elevator. He needed some air.

Stepping out the front doors of the lobby Kid stared up at the night sky, feeling a slight calm sensation when the cool fall air breezed by. He took a deep inhale, held it, and then released it in a slow exhale.

"Trouble sleeping?" A familiar voice asked.

Kid whipped around, one of his hands instinctively coming to his hips, despite nothing being there.

Cora was sitting down on the bench outside the front of the hotel, leaning over his knees with a lit cigarette between his fingers. He was in a similar get-up as Kid, sweatpants and a hoodie with flip flops. His blonde hair was in a complete disarray and there were a pair of dark circles under his brown eyes.

"You don't seem to be doing much better." Kid remarked.

Cora leaned back against the bench and padded his free palm against the empty spot next to him. Kid felt his eyes narrow slightly at the silent invitation before taking another calming breath and giving his head a slight shake. He approached blonde man and plopped down next to him. It wasn't like he had anything better to do at this hour.

After a short while though, Kid wished he hadn't taken Cora up on his offer. A thick, awkward silence fell between the two men as neither said anything, one unsure if he should start a conversation and the other unsure of what would be a safe topic.

Cora coughed into his elbow, away from Kid, "So... how long have you been working with my niece?" He asked slowly.

"This is our first case together." Kid responded.

Cora raised an eyebrow, "Really now? The way you two bounced ideas off each other at the first night at my house, and the way (y.n.) seemed to be so comfortable around you, I would have thought you two have worked on at least a handful of cases by now, –" he took a slow drag from his cigarette, "–, would also explain some things." He muttered under his breath.

A forced chuckle rumbled out of Kid. "We've never worked on cases together. As a matter of fact, we could hardly stand each other. I'd try to claim my bounty before she could make her arrest, and sometimes I would succeed and get a pissed off (y.n.) showin' up at my office."

Kid leaned his head back to gaze at the stars again. "But, uh... there was something different about this case I suppose... We had a lot of time to talk while tracking you down too."

"I see." Cora said before bringing the cigarette up to his lips.

A few beats of silence passed between them once more.

"Hey, mind if I bum one off of you?" Kid ask, gesturing to the cigarette between Cora's fingers.

"You smoke?" Cora pulled out his pack and lighter, passing them both to Kid.