3rd person's POV
It was just a few days after the fall had began and the mail was beginning to fill up in the V.E.N.O.M.s' base mailbox. Angela was wiping the windows of the main room, while Hanabi was busy vacuuming carpet. "Thanks for helping with the chores today Angie," Hanabi thanked her comrade as she put away the vacuum cleaner.
"Not a problem, I can do all the chores, except the cooking," she shyly said that last part.
Hanabi just giggled at her as Harley came in with a gigantic pile of mail. "I know he is all perfect and all, but could he at least pick up his mail. It's pilling up," Harley whined as he was frustrated and dropped all the letters on the floor.
"Who are you talking about Harley?" she asked as she picked up a letter.
"Who else, the captain of course," he said as he handed her a scroll. "And that's for you, it just came in at your old apartment".
Hanabi unrolled the scroll and read its content. "What does it says Hana?" Angela asked as she was curious.
Hanabi instantly frowned as she explained to them, "My clan wants me to return for an important event since I'm the Scarlet".
"That doesn't seem bad," Harley said as he too read the scroll.
"Yeah, just to execute me in front of the entire village for learning the forbidden Jutsu and for stealing the forbidden weapon," she complained.
"Or maybe just for a nice dinner Hana," Angela reassured her, "things have changed Hana, maybe they just wanted you back".
"If they wanted me back, they should have done it 3 years ago. My honor was ruined by my own guardians and if I go back to the faction, I have to quit the squad".
"Which you are not gonna do," Gusion suddenly piped in. "You're a crucial member to this squad Hana, we need you," continued as he put a hand on her shoulder, making the marksman blushed.
"You know you should pick up your own trash captain," Harley complained to him, referring the trash towards the hundreds of letter that was still on the floor.
"That's why I got you guys in this squad," Gusion said with a sly smirk on his face and it made the mage mad.
Hanabi took back the scroll and continued on reading, "It said that I will be having dinner with the Paxley family," she looked at Gusion.
"What?" he asked as he was surprised. He took one of the letters on the ground and read it. "Well if it's a dinner with you then, I would happily accept to go," he said as he winked at Hanabi and walked to his room.
"I hate him so much," Hanabi said as she sat on the couch.
"You hate him or love him Hana," Harley teased with a smirked on his face as he sat beside her.
Hanabi turned away to hid her blush. She looked at the scroll in her hand and thought about the invitation. "Maybe I should go, just to bring honor back to my family," she said as she took some black ink, a brush and a new scroll from her room and write it in Japanese that she will attend the event. After finishing her letter, she did some hand signs and the writing instantly disappeared.
"How did you do that?" Harley asked as he was shocked and amazed at the same time.
"It's a jutsu that I learned when I was a kid," she explained as kept everything away and start looking for a dress.
As she finally found the perfect dress, jewelry and makeup for the event, she sat down on her bed to get some rest. Who knew that finding a dress would be that tiring? Then there was a knock on the door. She opened the door and saw her boyfriend standing there, with a serious look on his face. "Captain, is there something wrong?" she asked him in worry.
"No, I want you to come with me on a stake-out," he ordered.
"On who captain?"
"Who else, on the S.A.B.E.R. squad".
"Why me captain, I mean, Angela is better choice. Her puppet could get into tight places to get the info you needed".
"True, but since not a lot of people know that we're dating, we could act like a couple in public while we spy on them".
"But we are a couple".
"Exactly".
"Very well, let me change first".
"Wear something sexy," he naughtily smirk. Hanabi instantly slammed the door in front of his face as she blushed.
'Is he for real, it's cold outside,' she thought a she opened the window of her room, to breath in the fresh air of autumn in Zlatan. "How relaxing," she said as she leaned on the window and enjoyed a few minutes of the autumn breeze. Just then a gold gingko leaf landed on her lap. She picked it up and smiled as she felt a warm feeling in her heart of the memories in autumn.
"It's autumn brother," she looked up into the sky, remembering the old days with her little brother. After just a few minutes, she closed the window and changed her clothes for the mission with her captain. Unknown to her, a silhouette was watching her on the golden gingko tree, smiling at her.
Later, she and Gusion walking in the Zlatan Park, hand in hand. "Gusion, it's just a stake-out, why do you have to hold my hand for the entire time?" she whined as she was getting shy.
"Yeah, about that," he started, "I lied," a sly smirk appeared on his lips.
"Clever Paxley, very clever," she said as she shook her head the her superior.
He then stopped walking as he hooked an arm around her waist, pulled her closer to him and grabbed her chin, making her look at him in the eye. "When did my flower start to compliment this dangerous scorpion? I'm honored," he teased her.
Hanabi just rolled her eyes at him as she chuckled. She just brushed off his teases, as he constantly teased her after they officially become a couple. "After you proposed to go out on a stake-out with me captain," she replied as grabbed his wool scarf that he was wearing and continued walking. He just smiled at his comrade as he caught up with her and put the scarf around her neck.
"My, my, when did my captain become a gentlemen?" she teased.
He just shook her head as he began to regret to constantly teased her; looks like she began to pick up his teasing habit. He wrapped and around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. Hanabi blushed as he was acting sweeter than usual. "Gusion is this a date?" she asked as her cheeks were getting more pink.
With a playful smirk on his face he pinned the marksman to a tree as he towered over her and said, "My dear flower, do you want it to be a date?" as he kissed the ends of her raven hair.
She turned her head away as she didn't want him to see her pink cheeks. He smiled at her cuteness. Then he heard something in a distance. He then grabbed the back of neck and pulled her into a kiss. She was surprised and was about to pull away, when she looked into his eyes and they were constantly moving to his left. She looked to her left and saw Rafaela and Layla, about to walk past them. She understood and played along with him. As Gusion's figure was taller, they didn't see their faces.
"I can't wait to go to the Golden Gala with Clint," Layla said with excitement.
"Me too, I was planning to go with Kaja," Rafaela said.
"This will the first time the abyssal demons, will behave for the night".
"As Saber said, even they agreed to behave, we still have to keep out guard up. Who knows what those things planned to do at the gala," Rafaela reminded as they walked passed Gusion and Hanabi.
After Gusion made sure the S.A.B.E.R. members were out of sight, he pulled away, breathless. Hanabi was panting as that was the longest kiss she had gone through. "T-the g-golden gala?" she asked between her pants.
"I heard of it before when I was still a Paxley," he replied, "it used to be an event, where elites and richest, came to party the night away. I always hated it because my family, just bring me there to find a wife" his tone was bitter as the thought of forcing him into marriage disgusted him.
"So, that's were you meet Guinevere?"
"Yes, but I don't love her, and I had an affair with Lesley". He looked at her expression and it was quite disappointing. She avoided looking into his eyes and kept looking to her left.
'I guess she is jealous of them,' he thought as he cupped her cheek and smashed his lips against hers. Her eyes widen at his sudden action and kissed him back.
He gently pulled away as he whispered in her ear, "But I only have time for only one needy marksman in my life".
She began to blush as she grabbed his shoulders and pushed him away, "Who is needy here Gusion?" she said as she walked from him with her face bright pink.
He just grinned at her as he caught up to her and walked with her to the park. "I guess it wasn't a waste after all".
"How so?"
"I mean we did get info that they are going to that gala and maybe while they are that ball, we could take the advantage while they are out," she explained as they sat down on a bench.
"That is not a bad idea Hana," just after he said that he got an e-invite from the Moniyan Empire.
He took a look at the invite and then he groaned with displeasure. "Looks like that plan backfired on us. We're invited to the gala as well," he explained to his comrade.
"Ugh, I hated when this happens. It would be rude if don't go.
"When have we been good my flower?" he had a naughty smirk on his face.
"Well other than that, they would know we are up to something and would cause them to increase their security and it will make our missions more difficult in the future".
"We got no choice then we have to go," he sighed, "well on the bright side, I got to see you in a dress".
"Oh please Gusion, the time you will see me in a dress, is when I get married".
He then pulled her onto his lap and buried his face close to her neck, "Then I will make sure you're my bride," his hot breath, tickled the back of her neck. She began to shiver, not because of the cold, but because of his feather like touches.
"Cold?" he asked, but she only nodded; thus hiding her embarrassment.
He took his jacket off and put around her shoulders and side hugged her. "Better?" he asked and she just nodded at him as she slide closer to him, enjoying his warmth.