6 6 M A R K S M A N

"WE'VE MOLTEN THE BLADE OF DESPAIR and Berserker's Fury to coat your bullets, inflicting 100% more damage to whoever's unfortunate enough to cross you. It can now shoot through anything or anyone. And there's more," Johnson said while showcasing a black shiny suit which must have cost her entire life savings, "I call this the Black Rose Admiral. Not only will this suit protect you from damage, it will make you move more swiftly and furthermore, prolong your stealth mode for 5 more seconds. It's made of real velvet from Alabasta and you know how hard it is to get items from that wretched market." Johnson winked as his minions offered the new gadgets to her. 

"I'm grateful." Lesley was even more thankful that the human car didn't pry to upgrade her gun. She wasn't ready to let go of her precious rifle and let it be assembled, no matter how professional. She wouldn't even let Harley touch it, what more of anybody else?

She sighed, taking a glance at her comrades. Gatotkaca was snoring on his seat, Harley lay on a plush couch with a silky blanket over him and Angela had been too excited when she got her gadgets, she rushed in her room to try the outfit on. As for Alucard---

"He doesn't want to be treated master," said a teary-eyed minion to Johnson. "He said he'll chop me to pieces if I touch him."

Lesley shook her head, annoyed. "Nonsense, I'll do it." She snatched the first aid kit from the minion and proceeded to go to Alucard's room. Johnson shouted thanks as she strutted down the big hallways decored with exquisite paintings and brilliant chandeliers. The mansion loomed overhead like a giant, making her feel uncomfortable. There were too many horrid memories that happened to the last manor she stayed in. Ever since then, she hated big spaces and she'd rather be constricted, stuck in a small space where she could see everything.

She clutched harder on her things with the first aid kit in hand before twisting the golden doorknob attached to a double-sided door. As she entered, she was almost blinded by the room as everything was spotlessly barren and white compared to the colorful hallways and their vibrant vacant rooms. Then she saw Alucard, adding color in her vision; his body hunched over, slowly trying to bandage his torso but presumably failing. She could hear his hard breathing as blood almost soaked the bandages, deep scars all across his back--some fading, some brand new.

Just how much did this guy go through? Lesley felt chills as she walked forth, remembering how he pushed her away and thus got hooked by the man-spear instead of her.

"Did you not hear me? I swear I'll tear you---" Alucard stopped midway when he saw her instead of the minion.

"Tear me what?" Lesley glared at him because she was angry, so angry of how careless he was. So angry that he seemed to enjoy getting hurt. So angry that he had so easily sacrificed himself as if he didn't care at all, as if he wanted to--- she shook her head, disbelieving.

"You don't have to, I can take care of myself," he grunted, almost wheezing.

"Shut up, damn it. As the person now owning your life, I order you to stay still and stop your yammering," she replied sternly, still mad and sat on the bed beside him. She dropped her new things on the white tiled floor and opened the kit.

"And if I say no?"

Lesley quickly tightened his bandage making him yowl in response. "You will stop acting like a stubborn baby and get treated like a good boy or I will put you in a coma and you'll never get your revenge. You hear me, demon?"

He finally sighed and upon sighing went into a fit of cough. Lesley quickly got some ambrosia in a cup and right after he had calmed down, lifted his face with the tip of her fingers and put the cup on his mouth. He drank almost ambitiously, snatching the cup from her hand. She then felt his forehead and cursed.

"You're boiling," she said with a more worried tone than she intended. "Just how psychotic are you to take that much damage?"

"Enough," he replied, his eyes watching her every movement as she got a wet cloth soaked with ambrosia and proceeded to wipe his face.

He winced when she wiped the wound on his head and as a defense mechanism, held away her wrist. Lesley could feel his callous fingers touching the crease of her palm, strong, rigid and something about the way he was holding it astonished her. They were hands of a hard-working person, big, long, and most importantly, they were hands of a man's which could probably snap her wrist like a twig but his hold was anything but. He held it almost tenderly and delicately.

She glared at him and he glared back. She could see the green embers in his eyes, his pupils dilated and so dark---it took a lot for her not to drown in it. A few moments later his hold softened and he finally let go, but the intensity of his look remained, watching each of her movement then back at her face. Lesley wanted to run away, something about his look unnerved her, as if he could see everything-- her facade that took years to build; her secrets which she'd never tell a soul; her strong words which meant little of what she meant---all of her. She never felt so bare and being watched so closely that it almost felt...intimate.

"Why are you here?" Alucard rasped as he cleared his throat, breaking the hard silence.

"To heal your annoying ass." She was putting a new bandage on his torso which meant that she had to move closer to him.

"No, I can understand any of the others can force themselves to do this, hell, I can imagine Harley tying me up just to annoy me but why you?" he probed, " Why are you here, Lesley?"

Lesley looked up, a little shocked to hear him say her name for the first time, only to find his face just a few inches from her. She backed away instantly, her heart beating fast. "I'm only doing what any of them would do."

He shook his head, chuckling. "No you're not. It's very unlike you. You're here because there's a reason. A reason that would have anybody lend a hand and it is non other than guilt. You're here because of that."

Her eyes went wide. "You're wrong," she said, her voice unfamiliar to her, then with more conviction she repeated, "you're wrong."

"We both know I'm right." His eyes looked disgusted and a little pained. "Leave, I don't need your pity."

"Alu--"

"It's funny," he said sarcastically cutting her off, "because if you were in my position, I wouldn't lift a finger to help you at all. So just leave."

Lesley fumed, leaving her no choice but to leave.