Chapter Text
HHe had to admit, there was a certain level of entertainment in watching her squirm. They'd been back for a few hours, some of the more excitable lackeys were swapping war stories, describing in detail their every attack, ever movment and usually, despite how much he'd pretend to be above that, he'd join in because if anyone could boast of their skill on the battlefield it was this sadstic motherfucker.
Instead of boating though, he found himelf watching her face, tracking the change from pale but rosy, to almost green, to bright pink and so on. when the chatter woud get too loud she would look down at her hands and ball her little fists in to the dark fabric of her cloak. Most of them had wiped themselves clean but there were still stains, scratches, plenty of blood to smell and boast about. Her though? There'd been nothing on her hands before she'd even washed them, but all the same she'd scrubbed them raw.
'Hinami,' He'd spoken and the chatter of the others had died instantly. He felt their eyes on him but kept his on her, letting his limbs hand over the arm of the beaten up sofa. 'How did you do it?'
She swallowed, he didn't need super hearing to hear the way her breath shudddered as she finally looked up. Her eyes were a little watery but she looked tired more than anything else. 'I just...' She gave a non commital shrug.
Tatara had told him personally, 'Make sure she kills something.'
'Hinami, you take care of the gaurds around the back. Two of them, but if they get the word out we're in big trouble.'
'Oh...' She had squeaked, brow furrowed in confusion. 'Me...?'
'You.' He poked her chin, smirked at the way she recoiled. 'I don't need you with me. Go take out the gaurds. That's all you need to do.'
He watched her, he'd been told to. He'd seen her drag the unonscious gaurds behind the gun metal grey of the bins before sweeping away to the rendevous point. When one of the gaurds had groggily stood, hand fumblling for his radio Ayato had put him down, then the other, just in case.
'You always remember the first one, so how was it?' He continued, stretching himself out like a cat.
She blushed. 'I just... i just, uh...' She raised her hand and mimicked the snap of a neck, and he fought to keep his smile from breaking out in to a very unbecoming laugh. 'killed them.'
The chatter took up again, and he watched her make en effort to join in even if the colour of her cheeks kept changing.
He'd expected her sooner, sneaking up through the shadows of the alley to pull at the fabric at his elbow. 'Ayato-kun...' She sniffed, her voice a bundle of tremors. 'Ayato-kun I have a confession...'
'A confession?' He scoffeed, snatching his arm away. 'I'm flattered, but I'm busy so...'
'No!' She scrunched up her eyes and shouted.
He sighed, turning back and towering over her. At first he was a little peeved that she didn't immediately shrink away, he really did have something to do.
'I didn't do it!' She half shouted.
'Hiinami...' He growled. They weren't alone, anyone could be listening.
'I didn't kill them!'
His hand closed over her mouth and she hit the drab concrete wall withh a startled whimper. 'Will you shut your mouth? I know!' He hissed, turning his head to peer up at the distant end of the alleyway. Satisfied there was no one around he looked back to her, shocked to find her scowling at him, mouth still under his palm. 'Don't worry about it.' He took his hand back suddenly, as if her lips burnt him.
'But if they saw...'
'They didn't see.' He turned to walk away. 'But that is the first and last time I'm covering for you.'
She pressed her fingertips to her lips and watched him go. Covering for her? She thought she would burst. For days she had been worrying, anticipating the look on his face when she came clean. 'You put the plan at risk! If you couldn't do it you should have said. If they saw you...' He'd known, the bastard. He'd probably killed them as soon as she'd turned the corner and she'd not heard because she'd been too busy worrying about what to tell him but of course he'd been watching. Of course it had been a test. Of course she'd failed.
The sound of him clearing his throat startled her. He was standing a few feet away, looking - dare she say - sheepishly over her head. 'Hey... Uh, Hinami... Say, could you not tell anyone else that I covered for you...'
She nodded, struck dumb by his sudden display of awkwardness. 'Okay.' She noddded.
He looked at her, pursing his lips as if he might say something else. Instead he huffed and turned to disappear down the alleyway.
'Thank you, Ayato-kun.' She murmured, turning to walk back down in a daze.