"Respectable." The man, wearing a strange looking mask, said with a scoff. Even with the mask covering his face, it wasn't hard to tell there was a sneer on his face. "How can anything that freak does be respectable." He asked, jerking the gun violently in Osora's direction. Where most people would have flinched at the movement, she stared unfalteringly back at him.
Even as she stepped closer, shifting slightly so she could block Tali. "Ah. Tell me, Tanaka, did you really track me down just to call me a freak?"
"Of course not. I came here to do what I should have done that day in primary school. I came here to kill you. But I'll start with him, to get him out of the way. Then it's just you and me, Tokino."
Tali snarled, glancing at Osora as she stepped in front of him. “Toki, be careful.” He murmured, patting himself for any sort of weapon. He didn’t have any on him. He cursed lightly. Tali was left nearly defenseless.
His stance shifted lightly as the man spoke, eyeing the gun with worry. He couldn’t do anything against a bullet.
"You should have, yeah. You should have killed me." Osora said, shrugging a shoulder. "But you didn't. Instead, you left me in that closet, because you were too cowardly to kill me. What makes this time around any different?"
"This time? Why is this time different?" Tanaka asked, throwing his head back with a laugh. "Because I know, now. I know exactly what you are. And I know this, right here, is my destiny. And it starts with killing that grumpy little friend of yours." He raised the gun again, aiming it just above Osora at Tali's head, and stopped suddenly.
His eyes grew wide behind the mask as his skin began to pale everywhere it was showing, and suddenly he was convulsing.
Osora stepped forward, not stopping this time as she moved towards him at a leisurely pace, her arm held out and hand clenched into a fist. Though Tali couldn't see her eyes, Tanaka could. He could clearly see the terrifying red glow to her eyes as she spoke. He could see the way her lips drew up into the only smile she knew anymore, the one that channeled every single fear, sharpening it and turning it into a weapon designed to instill fear in others. "I don't think so. My death may be deserved, but his is far from it."
Tali froze when the gun turned to his face. A chill ran down his spine, the blood in his face draining. Tali might have been rather fearless as he robbed and sleezed about, but he stood no chance whatsoever against a man who held such a hatred for him already. (Tali had already escaped quite a few gun points by using his silver tongue and good looks. Usually he could seduce a man into lowering the gun in exchange for a night or two… he could even sometimes get away completely.)
But no form, whether feminine or not, could save him here.
But Osora can… his mind whispered to him as he watched the man convulse. She’s terrifyingly strong..
"Tali, darling." Osora said, her voice still carrying that terrifying chill, but softening slightly as she turned to look at him. It took everything in her to do so, to not hide her face from the one person who hadn't yet seen that side of her, but who she wanted to stay. "I suggest stepping out of the alley real quick. This isn't something for you to see." She was shaking slightly, a combination of her already prevalent exhaustion and low energy, and the power coursing through her. No matter how many times she did this(and it had been too many), it still sent her heart into a tizzy and the sickness in her veins a rush. Monster.
His eyes went wide as she turned her attention to him. “O-of course!” He managed to squeak out, silently cursing himself once more. How was he to remain by Osora’s side if he wasn’t able to steady his own nerves in the face of danger?
Those thoughts were pushed out of his head as he backed out of the alley, pale as a ghost and slightly dazed. But he didn’t ignore what was going on in the alley. Oh no, Tali was far too concerned.
He watched from around the corner, ignoring anyone who walked or drove or biked by. He watched Osora carefully, ready to try - even if he knew he couldn’t do it - to help in some way
Osora's fist unclenched as soon as Tali was gone, and she turned back to Tanaka, her wrist flicking oddly. Suddenly, she was holding a knife made of one of her own bones, the taken bone already replacing itself, quickly as she took the focus off healing her knee. She crouched next to the still-writhing Tanaka, voice cold and smile colder. "Maybe if I'd been alone, I'd have let you take me out of this world. But you went after someone I cared about. Too bad."
It was quick, but it looked decently painless, as Osora made quick work of the arteries necessary. When she stood, her shoulders slumped, and she wobbled on her feet as she turned back to the mouth of the alley Tali had left. "I-I'm sorry."
Tali rushed back to Osora’s side nearly the moment he saw her wobbling. He pulled her against him, grabbed her face, and looked over her in worry. “Are you hurt? Are you alright? I’m sorry I left!”
He wrapped his arms around her, letting her use him as a support. He didn’t look at the body laying just behind her. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hold the contents of his stomach down if he looked.
"Don't. Don't apologize. I told you to." Osora said, shaking her head firmly as she leaned heavily against him. "I told you that wasn't something for you to see. And I'm right. I'm not a hero, Tali, I'm just someone who does bad things for the good of others. I'm sorry you-got caught up in that." She closed her eyes, breathing deeply to try and calm the raging bloodthirstiness inside her.
“No, no, hey. Look at me Osora. You are a hero. You just saved me. I didn’t even deserve it, either.” He hugged her closer, pressing his face into her hair, this time hiding himself away. “You continue to save me. From a gun-wielding maniac, from harmful words, even from myself.” He rocked her gently, squeezing his own eyes shut. He had to change the topic before he cried in front of her.
“That man would have killed me and you if you didn’t do anything… you’re still a hero. Yes you’ve killed but that’s alright… some people won’t better themselves. Some criminals have to be taken out.”
"I sure don't feel like a hero. More like a monster." Osora said, pressing a hand to her chest, right over her heart. It was like she couldn't decide who she was, emotionless but soft, or rutheless and unforgiving. Sometimes the two swapped at the worst times. What am I doing wrong? Besides everything.
He kissed her forehead softly, sighing. "You're not a monster, not to me." Tali lifted her into his arms and turned back towards the house. "Let's go get you some rest, alright? You need some rest."
"I need food, is what I need." She said, shaking her head adamantly. While that was partly true, part of her also really didn't want to face her family like this. She almost didn't trust herself. Staying around Tali was pushing that enough, and she was already afraid of hurting him accidentally. "Or I'm not going to get that strength back."
“Osora… you can hardly keep yourself up.” He pressed his face against her hair and sighed deeply. “I’m worried about you.”
"You shouldn't. You shouldn't worry about me." She said, lifting a trembling hand to cup his cheek. That movement seemed to help still the shaking, somewhat. "But I need a distraction. I just…I need to feel normal, and that's the best way to do it."
Tali leaned into her touch, helpless to the hum that left his throat. It felt good to be touched so gently by Osora. “Alright… but you have to let me carry you, okay? Are there tables or chairs at this omelet place?”
"Mhm. Tables, because it's rude to walk while eating." Osora said, closing her eyes and leaning into him. "Fine. I'll let you carry me. Just to get you to stop worrying some. Though, I can walk."
“I thought I heard something like that. I wasn’t sure about it though.” He murmured, trying to help take their minds off the situation that had just occurred. He held her closer and stepped away from the alley, glancing around. “You’re not allowed to walk. I’m taking your walking privileges because you overworked yourself. But thank you… I can’t do anything against a gun…”
"Sure you can. You just haven't figured out how yet." She said, looping an arm around his shoulders and tucking her face into his neck. "I'm sure there's some way. Besides. Kevlar exists. It just doesn't look very flattering." Osora fiddled idly with his hair as they walked, occasionally giving a direction for where to go.
(I’m alive sorry for the wait. My classes are hard.)
Tali nearly melted. She was so cute it was a crime. It nearly distracted him from what he had just witnessed. Nearly… “Kevlar? On me? Oh no. I only wear the fashionable stuff, babe.” He teased, glancing down at her.
That drew a sound like a snort from Osora, though she didn’t look up, content to keep her face tucked in his neck. “Of course. You know, you’re so high maintenance. I might have to look for a better paying job just to buy you the things you like.” She said, mostly but not fully joking. Because it wasn’t the worst idea.
((Ur good! Actually, I’m glad you’re focusing on doing your work. I need to get to work on that myself lmao))
He chuckled at the thought and shook his head. “Osora, you don’t have to buy me anything. I may have a pricey taste but that doesn’t mean you have to obey that. I’d wear anything you got me. Hell, you could gift me a shirt from the dumpster and I’d wear it.” Tali leaned his head against her and smiled.
(It’s a lot harder to get on when you actually work lol)
((oof, i bet))
"Don't say things like that unless you actually mean them." She warned jokingly, pressing a kiss to his neck. "I should get a better paying job anyway. That would just be a bonus. I've been short on cash lately, 'cause 'hero' work doesn't exactly pay, most of the time. I've been asked to do paying jobs twice before. Once, hunting and getting rid of someone, and the other time protecting someone."
He hummed, turning his head to give her a small kiss. “I do mean it. Anything from you would be amazing.” Tali gave her a small squeeze, smiling as she spoke. “I should get a job too. I need to find a place to stay and take care of myself. I don’t need to be mooching off you.”
"You're welcome to stay with us until you can afford your own place." Osora said, finally pulling away from his neck to look up at him, red eyes finally missing the glow, and returned to a lively color. "I should have found my own place by now. I just…didn't want to leave my family, after everything. So I stayed there, paying rent and making sure that if something happened I didn't miss it." Her family was everything to her. "I can ask the Surutameni, if you'd like. I'm sure at least one of them might know a place you could get a job."
