I'd occupied myself over the past hour or so sat next to the huge dust covered window panes, looking all the way down to the street below, my old purpose. It's not what I am now but I hate to think about it. I wiped off some dust with my ragged sleeve and looked at my own reflection in there, mainly the small red branding on my head, a reminder of what I'll always be.... a mask... and in true fashion of this world I was slightly alarmed by something, coming in our direction was a short mash in a pink dress with a shining katana, it seemed in no rush so I could definitely tell them right? Right!
I did my best to find out where they were, first calling out. "KUON! YURI! ESS!" I heard some footsteps above me and did my best to stumble to the stairs. The pain was bad but I'll be damned if I let miss kuon die by a masks hand. "MISS KUON! MISS YURI! MR ESS!?" I swung the door open seeing all three, no four! Of them weapons drawn and on guard.
"What is it?" Yuri asked ushering me into the stairwell. "It's a mask outside, on the bridge that way" I pointed east from where we were. "It looks slow but it's small so I think it could be dangerous, it has a katana" my slightly panicked voice came off pretty badly as I struggled to keep myself up on my two feet, having to use the stair railing to hold myself upright. "Is Ein back already. Alright well, yuri, come with me to go check it out" the blond chimed holding yuri's shoulder as she nodded in response.
Sniper ushered over once the two had left. "Are you alright, your legs-"
"I'm fine" I cut him off with a smile that looked more pained than I'd like it to. "No you're not" kuon replied placing one hand on my shoulder. "I hit you with the railgun yesterday and you tried to shield yourself by cuddling into a ball, no wonder your legs hurt!" She pouted at me a little and I shook my head, "no really- Ah" this time it seemed like sniper had taken it upon himself to hoist me up and carry me to the next floor. "Your not ok, just admit it, if you're indebted to kuon then be honest with her from now on"
As he had picked me up I finally got close enough to smell the fading cologne he wore, the soft smell of vanilla and wild berries, was comforting. "I- fine" I said sort of relaxing in his grip, his face was completely covered save for his jawline and the hat he wore perfectly fit around both his face and the mask, it swept his hair backwards too, almost making it look as though it fell outward instead of down like it should. "Uhhh, can I help you?" I snapped out of it blinking for a moment as a small blush fell on my cheeks. "I uhhh... sorry" I looked away from his face covering my own as he looked back at the stairs climbing them carefully so he wouldn't drop me.
When we finally got to the door, kuon opened it for him and showed what looked like an empty hospital lounge, a few waiting sofas, a cafe area In the corner and the noise of a near boiled kettle on the help desk. "Oh right, the tea. Do you want some- errr..." I looked down. "Sure if you don't mind making me some" she nodded and awkwardly walked over to the kettle as Sniper gently sat me on the plush red sofa, he sat next to me lighting a cigarette. "You smoke?" I asked wearily, it's not the nicest of smells, plus it's a health risk. "Yeah, did you want one?" He held out his little box of thin smokes out to me, one already pulled out for me. "Uhh, no sorry, I'm just saying, it's not the healthiest of habits" he shrugged and puffed a cloud of smoke infront of him.
"Teas ready!" Kuon bounded over with a little wooden tray that held three cardboard coffee cups of smooth tea. A pot of sugar and a small jug of milk. "Oh and mr mask I brought you a straw so you don't have to take your mask off. "Thanks" he said simply, he took another puff putting out the cigarette in an ash tray and putting one sugar and some milk in his cup. I remembered that I have no idea if I actually like tea or not so I just did the same as sniper and held the cup stirring it gently. "Wow you're both so similar, you even like the same tea" she spoke putting three sugars and quite a bit more milk in her cup than we both did. I threw a glance at sniper mask but he just, poked the straw in the tea and started drinking. It was one of those plastic bendable straws in an obnoxious blue colour.
I wearily took a small sip, it burnt my lip a little but not enough for me to stop sipping. "It's good tea kuon" I smiled and so did she. But the moment was cut off when yuri and that blonde walked in, with that little girl mask following behind. "AAH ITS HERE!" I hid as best I could bundling up behind snipers shoulder. "Woah, Uhh, what?" I wearily pointed at the girl who pointed at herself. "A m-mask" I couldn't see his face but I could tell he was making a face of mock offence. "Well I'm a mask too, you're not hiding from me" I looked up at him with terror then back at the small mask receding further behind sniper masks shoulder. "Alright gimme a break, that's ein" he motioned to her. "Ein!" She spoke aloud excitedly fist bumping the air.
I relaxed a little. "So... so she's like you Ess?" He put a hand on my shoulder. "Not exactly but she's with us, not against us" Ein nodded at me in the background. "Ess?" The blonde chimed in. "Yeah, it's what she's decided to call me" sniper replied. "Well what do we call her?" Sniper shrugged. "I'm mayuko by the way" she sat on the chairs opposite yuri and crossed her legs. "Well we've got to call her something" yuri said adjusting herself In her seat. "Right, well what do you want to be called?" I thought for a moment. "Uhh, how's y/n?" I asked finally peeling away from sniper. "Y/n? Why y/n?" I thought again. "I... don't know, it's just a name I think I have a solid connection with somehow" sniper seemed pretty interested in my name choice. "Y/n...y/n" I looked back at him. "You ok?" He blinked a few times coming back to reality. "Ah I'm fine really, just think I also have some sort of memory with that name engraved in it" I nodded. "I can change it if you'd like" I fiddled with my hands. "No no, it's fine. Keep it"
—the day soon passes to night—
Sniper mask's PoV
Everyone's asleep... save for me and y/n that is. She was sat at the coffee table reading a magazine about models. "What's that you're reading" god why'd I start a conversation I know I can't keep going. "Oh me? I'm reading about some of these models from the huge fashion runways in France" she looked happy diving into that book. "Oh? Why fashion?" I asked resting my head on my palm. "Well I don't exactly know, I think I might have enjoyed it before.... well never mind, some of these looks are very well done though, see?" She showed me a page from the book "it's all in mint green, is that the collection?" She nodded with a smile. "Mhm, I don't exactly know why I'm so drawn to these, but I think I like this art, it's so expressive" I nodded and took a sip from the water I had on the table.
Y/n yawned softly, holding a hand over her mouth politely. "You tired? You have been through a lot recently" she looked over and shrugged. "I guess so, I think I've just been so unproductive today, all I've done is laze around and be scared of you and Ein" she put the magazine on the table opened to a page of nice tailored over the top suits. "Well, you need time to rest, and lazing or not you should sleep" I leaned back into the chair cushion behind me, watching her stretch and yawn again. "Alright, I'll sleep. But let me shower first" I nodded letting her go off to shower in the hospital bathroom and lit another cigarette. Who was she to make me feel these different connections... what's happening to my mind.
Regular PoV
Getting to the shower I took a deep breath and turned on the hot water. Stripping down and making sure there was a towel hung on the side. I combed through my hair, using some of the scrubs and washes I found laying around the empty hospital, washing off small pieces of blood and dirt and getting clean, combing through my hair with the shampoo and feeling the warmth of the steam cover me, it was nice, I haven't felt this feeling in so long.eventually I turned off the shower and let the water drip off of my body for a while, all the mirrors obscured by thick layers of steam, and the smell of rose scented wash filling the Misty room, I grabbed the towel and wrapped it around myself wiping away a window in one of the mirrors to look at myself.
Still the same as I was before but now... there was that cross, the cross grained into my skin, like a sick tattoo. I scoffed covering it as best I could with my hair and drying off, changing into my clothes and walking back to the mirror, it was a sad thing to see, it flashed as a reminder to me of all those weeks of pain... trapped in that body, my conscience weak and tortured, I could feel the stabbing and aching all across my body, the feeling of agony the only thing to comfort me. I shook my head to snap out of it and put on my socks and boots neatly folding the towel and putting it on the countertop ready to be washed in the morning, I assume that there are big enough sinks to hand wash this sort of stuff right? I'll wash my clothes while I'm at it. I shrugged shutting the door behind me as I walked towards the room we were using.
Along the corridor however a man with a black and white suit a hat and a cracked mask came around the corner. "JESUS" I yelled at him, catching myself from terror. "Woah, what is it, you alright?" He asked rushing over to help. "I'm fine, you just scared the hell out of me, that's all" I sighed letting him help me up the stairs and through the corridors to the waiting room. We sat on one of the longer couches this time, it was a deep blue colour and was the other side of the room relative to anyone else. "What were you doing anyway?" I asked looking up at him, I wasn't as short as kuon... alright I was just as short as kuon. "You were taking a while, I got worried you were attacked by a mask while you were showering" I smiled. "Aww so you were worried about me huh" he looked away. "Anyone would be, any of the girls too, even Ein would've checked on you it's nothing special"
"Oh, right" there was a short silence between the two of us as I lent against the back of the couch. "Though, saying that... they may have taken a little longer to realise or come check up on you..." he scratched his jaw turning his head slightly away. "Seems you do have some sort of soft spot then, eh sniper mask" I chuckled flicking his hat off of his head. "Hah, I guess so" he picked up his hat and popped it on my head. "Oh a gift? Guess I'll just keep this then" when he attempted to get it back I just leant backwards and held him back. "Ok alright can I please just have my hat back now?" I thought for a moment. "Hmmmm what are you offering for it?" I joked, planning on giving it back regardless.
To my surprise though he simply took off his suit jacket and handed it to me. "Wait I didn't really mean- woah!" Soon enough he had thrown the jacket on my head and retrieved his fedora. "Aww, no fair" I pouted pulling the coat off of my head and watching as he gently placed the hat on his head. "You got the hacker, we're even now" I thought for a moment. "Well ok fair, I'm probably going to sleep soon now anyway" I swivelled so that my back was too him and I was leaning on his arm, I used his jacket as a sort of blanket and slowly but surely, I fell asleep leaning my head on the masked mans shoulder. "Sweet dreams.... Ess"
———
Alright 2253 words in and Y'all are practically besties already , though I kinda want to know, how many of you read the manga and how many the anime?
Personally I saw the anime first and I've read up to the end of that season in the manga so far, I won't put in any blatant spoilers for those who haven't read the manga so don't worry about that :))