~ Break In ~
Draken, Mikey and Naoka had finally finished the new bike so they called Takemichi down to T's Workshop so they could present it to him.
He was overly grateful for it, and cried for what seemed like hours.
Mikey had said he did all the work himself which earned him two angry glares as he had actually done the least amount of work but he ignored them, still smiling as bright as ever.
Takemichi was a smart one though, because he caught on to this, knowing that it was probably Naoka who really pulled her weight. He also thanked her, and she told him it was no big deal but an honour.
He and Mikey decided to take it for a ride, and also teach him how to drive it so she was left with Draken.
"So big guy, think anymore about what I said?" Naoka asked siting beside Draken and the look on his face satisfied her.
"Big guy? Really?"
"I'm just teasing, don't dodge." She said nudging him and he sighed.
"Course I've thought about it..."
"Life's too short to wait around forever, wouldn't you rather spend as much time with the person you love?" She asked and judging by his reaction, she knew he knew she was right.
"Tch, you always have to make a good point don't you?"
"Well someone's gotta be your counsellor, after all, you're everyone else's." She quipped and a hearty laugh left his lips.
"True."
"You promise you'll do it when you're ready, yeah?" She asked looking at him with a seriousness in her eyes.
"Yeah, I will." He smiled warmly at her, pulling her into a surprising side hug which made her eyes widen but she soon relaxed and wrapped her arms around him. "You know, I'm really glad to have you around, Naoka." He admitted and she smiled warmly at his words. "I feel like you make all our lives a little bit brighter, not just Mikey's."
Draken had come to be one of her closest friends, he was almost like a brother to her now and they cared for each other deeply.
"I'm glad to be here too."
***
Naoka was currently at the workshop alone working on a customer's bike, but quickly became side-tracked by her one and only.
She was talking on the phone to Mikey laughing about a prank he had pulled on Baji when she heard the sound of glass smashing. She had thought it was only her imagination at first, but by the way her senses switched on, and further rustling, she knew there was something wrong.
"What's the matter?" Mikey asked having heard her side of the line go quiet and she bit her lip.
"I think someone's trying to break in." She whispered lowly and Mikey felt his heart skip a beat, worry instantly filling his cold self.
"Huh? Are you serious? Naoka-"
"I'm going to check it out." She quickly told him, and Mikey's eyes widened.
"Wait! Naoka don't-" he tried to protest, but she had already hung up the phone, grabbing a wrench as she did.
'Fuck!'
Mikey's heart started to race as he flew out the door, a concerned Emma calling after him as he did, but there was no time to explain. He wanted to tell Naoka to hide or get out, but she had abandoned the call too quickly. A terrible feeling twisted in his gut as he sprang into action.
He was speeding down the road on his bike while flashes of his brother coming out on a stretcher invaded his mind and he choked fearing that he would see the same thing with Naoka. It was something he couldn't bear, not again. Those thoughts turned to images in his mind and his hands began to tremble as he tried to shake them off.
"Please don't let that happen, please." He silently begged.
Meanwhile, the lilac eyed girl was cautious as she snuck closer to the entrance, counting three of them. She hid near the light switch moving quietly as she listened in.
"I thought you said she was here?" She heard one of them mutter quietly and she cocked a brow. 'If this was a burglary, why would they want someone here?'
"We gotta take her out, it was his orders to do so, she must be here." Another muttered and she recognised the voice she just didn't know where from.
She realised that this wasn't a burglary, but someone was after her.
'Who?' Was the question.
As they neared her, her heart started racing faster and faster. In moments like these she wished that she could be more like Senju, fearless, but she was just her, and she knew that she needed to stop underestimating herself. Well it wasn't that she underestimated herself as such, but more that she was afraid of the serious damage she could actually cause someone.
A hand appeared on the doorway, then a head peaked through, and it took her a moment to recognised who it was. He had been dumb enough to not wear his hood and she could see his blonde hair and signature mask he always wore, Chouji. Her eyes widened as she pieced together what was going on.
As they got further into her section of the shop, she switched the lights off, causing them to panic then she emerged from her spot and swung the wrench at one of the guys, causing him to groan out as he fell to the ground clutching his chest. She didn't want to aim for his head because she didn't want to kill him, but it meant she was at more of a disadvantage.
Suddenly thoughts invaded her mind as she thought about the way Shin had died and she dropped the wrench unable to use it out of fear. She was going to be sick.
"Found you, you bitch!" Another one said launching at her and she stumbled back narrowly dodging his swing but couldn't dodge the other. His fist collided with her face, but it wasn't much to her. After all, there were pros to being Senju's punching bag, and that was that she could learned to take a good hit.
Turning off the lights proved to be tough for both of them as their eyes, as well as hers weren't adjusted and she hadn't been thinking smart as to cover her eyes to adjust beforehand. She could just make out figures and she swung her fist at one, feeling it connect before she grabbed onto him, and twisted causing him to cry out in pain as she broke something.
Last was the one she knew, and a sinister laugh left his lips as adrenaline pumped through him, excited to be fighting Imaushi Naoka.
He landed a powerful punch to her face which she narrowly blocked, and then she jumped kicking him in the chest. He fell back with a grunt before recovering quickly and tripping her up causing her to fall and hit her head on the floor. She winced at the impact, her vision blurring for a moment before she felt a weight on top of her.
She felt a hand hold her own above her head as his other wrapped around her neck, squeezing tighter and tighter as she struggled to get him off.
"Haha! It seems Mrs Sano is not quite on par with Mr Sano huh?" He laughed as he continued squeezing the life from her lungs. She tried to stay calm, thinking of everything her brother had taught her and with a last ditch effort of strength, she slipped her arms from his grip and shifted her hips causing him to fall off of her with a grunt. She moved on top of him and punched him as much as she could, but the wicked laugh that left him had her eyes widening as she was tossed from him, hurling into the bench as she coughed, blood spluttering from her lips.
Her throat burned from the metallic taste in her mouth, and she knew she was getting weaker by the second.
"Kisaki set this up, didn't he?" She yelled trying to buy time for herself, but he didn't say a word. "I know it's you Chouji."
"What does it matter? Do you seriously think you'll be getting out of here alive? You already escaped him once, it won't happen again." He picked up the wrench she held earlier, and her eyes widened as fear began to take over her.
He swung the wrench carelessly in his hands as he slowly approached her cowering figure.
"Wasn't it Mikey's brother who died from a blow to the head? I heard that story from Baji himself ya know?" He asked and she flinched as anger began to fill her. "How tragic will it be for Mikey to find his love, dead the exact same way?"
"Shut your mouth she yelled as she launched herself at him, throwing punch after punch, kick after kick, but it appeared she was slowing as he evaded most of them with ease.
He swung it once, but she managed to stop it with her forearm, though it still hurt like a bitch, and he hooked her leg out from under her sending her to the floor once again.
"Say hello to him for me, would ya?" Just as he was about to swing the wrench at her head, Chouji's body went flying over the top of her and she looked up in confusion.
They're stood Mikey with the most murderous look she had ever witnessed. His raging aura filled the shop and for the first time, she had seen Mikey in a darkness he had only ever talked about.
"Who the hell do you think you are? You piece of shit?" His voice held no emotion, as he stalked towards his pray.
"Ah Mikey! You finally-"
Mikey cut him off with a kick to his jaw and then another and another and another. His body went limp as Mikey continued pummelling him and Naoka panicked.
"Mikey! Mikey stop! Please!" She begged but he didn't hear her all he could focus on was the asshole who had hurt Naoka, the guy who tried to take her from him.
'If he carries on like this, he will kill him' she thought, and she didn't want Mikey to become a murderer. She forced herself up and latched onto him halting his fist.
"Mikey please, he's unconscious." She begged and his eyes widened as he pulled himself back. He wanted to keep going, he tried to get her to let go but she didn't. He had no choice but to pull back and look at her.
Her lilac eyes met his dark once's and tears began to fill them with so many emotions.
"N- Naoka I-"
She didn't let him finish as she wrapped her arms tightly around him and his eyes widened before he wrapped her up in his own arms. He nuzzled his head into her neck as he breathed in her vanilla scent, tears leaving his eyes finally as he felt her warm body. He relaxed into her, knowing that she was safe, right there in his arms.
She was alive.
"I was so scared! All I could think of was-"
"I know Mikey, I know. I'm sorry I worried you." She soon started crying and they heard the police sirens. Mikey was clinging to her so tightly that she could feel the fear that he felt, and it broke her heart. "I'm sorry Mikey."
"Don't apologise, just... let me hold you." He asked and she nodded, keeping her arms fixed securely around his larger frame.
"We need to get you to the hospital." He whispered once he had calmed down a bit, and she nodded pulling away to look at him.
"You saved me, thank you Mikey." She said as she bit her lip and he smiled still as tears left his eyes, tears she wiped away.
"I will always protect you, I will always keep you safe." He promised as he leant his head to hers as he always did, before placing a kiss to her forehead.
"Always."
~*~
Hey guys,
Managed to find some time to publish today. Hope you enjoy!