Chapter Text
Since Wild Guardy had got sealed they had this agreement that most of the time the knight spent with Crest as his official bodyguard and came whenever Jun called. It wasn't that hard to hide amongst people — Wild Guardy was not that tall by Machina's standards, which meant average height for a human. Blue Cop even heard that some journal editors and newspaper reporters that were following Crest's family around, found “Vincent Wild” quite handsome and charismatic, especially his stoic and protective attitude and accent. Of course he couldn't use his sword in public, but Blue Cop knew for sure that he had a short blade and a gun hidden somewhere.
After a short time of being on the team, Blue Cop approached Wild Guardy and asked if the latter could teach him fencing. The knight didn't seem overall surprised, he actually agreed very quickly, but the star guardian couldn't help noticing a hungry glimmer of Wild Guardy's eyes that was there for only a moment.
So they scheduled one practice during which Blue Cop learned basic stances and movements. Yes, they started with wooden ones, though they switched to real swords pretty soon, in 2 lessons to be precise. One lesson a week left the star guardian with an opportunity to train himself if he had power and time to do so.
At first Blue Cop practiced with a dummy or without it at all. At times like these, Wild Guardy was always somewhere close by, correcting and directing him not only with words, but also with a firm grip on a shoulder, wrist or waist. Maybe it felt too close.
When one day Wild Guardy said that from now on he would be sparring against the knight, Blue Cop laughed awkwardly.
“I'll lose to you in no time.”
“Then learn from each time you lose.”
Wild Guardy was a compassionate cardbot. One couldn't doubt that after seeing how much the knight cared about Crest. Blue Cop also knew that the knight was deeply sorry that Crest had witnessed his crash landing, it was the last scene a child should see. Wild Guardy always kept around ice and bandages during their practicing. Wild Guardy always demanded that Blue Cop write to him when he got back home, especially if he seemed too tired after sparring.
But despite this inner side of his, Wild Guardy was a reticent and hard-boiled person on the outside. He scanned people around him like a true soldier with calculated and cold-blooded premeditation and expected others to either match his calculations or to at least put out everything they had in their tank as he himself did.
And Blue Cop tried.
Of course Wild Guardy never allowed him to win. Star guardian lost track of bruises he was getting after all this training. He could see that the knight was adjusting himself as Blue Cop's skills grew better and better so practicing never felt easy. One time, when Wild Guardy treated his injuries, he explained:
“If you get used to walking uphill, a long flat road will feel like a petty obstacle.”
Blue Cop, no doubt, enjoyed their practicing together. It was a really productive, useful and enduring experience, he hadn't felt like this since Star Guardian Boot Camp. With a fine instructor like Wild Guardy all falls and bruises were insignificant, the knight made it seem so.
Sometimes, when Blue Cop was out of breath earlier than usual, he could watch Wild Guardy practice by himself.
Slow, skillful movements held so much power in them that it made them look weightless at the same time. And when movements were quick, precise and perfected, Blue Cop couldn't avert his gaze and think of another word but “beautiful”. He counted at least 3 fencing styles and 6 or 7 swords of different size and characteristics — both machinian and earth.
Since Wild Guardy did not accept bad weather as an excuse to cancel a practice, Blue Cop started to check weather broadcasts for days of their practicing. It wasn't something unreasonable, the knight had to go a longer way there than the star guardian, he had the right to complain. But the first time Blue Cop had to train in the rain, he was caught off guard by Wild Guardy's sharp order to continue.
After that he learned that Wild Guardy rented a flat nearby. They practiced in late evenings on a small football field which stood between apartment buildings. The field was always closed by the moment they arrived but Wild Guardy had a key. Blue Cop asked about it only once, received a dark look as a response and never tried questioning the knight again.
“I swear I can hear you thinking,” opening the door, said Wild Guardy plainly. He and Blue Cop knew Korean, they actually learned it themselves and, with help from Metal Breath, their knowledge of the language was almost perfect by now. Even though they spoke Machinian whenever they were left alone together.
“Two more minutes of silence and I'll start thinking out loud,” Blue Cop took off his soaked boots and cap. The flat was warm and he already began feeling shivery.
“I hate driving back with dirty and messy hair,” shrugged Wild Guardy, undoing his ponytail. Blue Cop lost all words and thoughts for a couple of seconds. He couldn't explain but Wild Guardy's hair was more than pretty. Just a little curly, it reached the knight's thighs and had this light gradient from dark purple to blond, as if highlighted a very long time ago. “Go shower first and hang your clothes to dry. There are towels and a bathrobe. You can use the shampoo, but I do not advise using anything else if you don't want to look like Anna till the next bath.”
Blue Cop chuckled quietly. It was even more amusing with this plain tone Wild Guardy tended to speak with.
When both of them had a shower and the star guardian was drinking with a cup of hot tea while the knight dried his hair, Blue Cop thought to himself: “I feel content”. He felt comfortable around Jun, yes, but Jun was young. He felt comfortable around his friends, but it almost seemed like he was constantly looking after them even if he wasn't the older one among them. Strangely, but with distant and harsh but considerate Wild Guardy he felt…on the same level. As if Wild Guardy could understand the weight of responsibility Blue Cop carried on his shoulders. As if they weren't that different.
“Will Jun be okay if you stay here for the night?”
Blue Cop looked up at the knight. Wild Guardy braided his hair into a messy pigtail. He held a mug in one hand and his phone in the other, writing a message to Crest probably. Without the mask Blue Cop could see scars on the knight's face. He wore a tank top and most of the visible scars were accumulated around Wild Guardy's shoulders.
“I think so. If I get back before he goes to school, it will be fine,” and there would be no problem if he got back later. He would be able to explain, Jun knew about these practices.
Wild Guardy hummed in response, sending the message and finally meeting Blue Cop's eyes. Now it seemed that the knight was out of words. And again this hungry look. The star guardian shifted to put his cup on the table. It was enough for Wild Guardy to return back to Earth.
“Blue eyes, huh. You see, I always wondered and now I know. Not even sure how I feel about it,” he walked to the sofa, sitting down beside Blue Cop.
“I forgot you were a fan of mine,” laughed the star guardian softly. “You could've asked something in return for these training sessions. I wasn't sure I could learn fencing, but now I actually owe you.”
“Not really,” Wild Guardy crossed his legs, sitting back on the sofa. “I wasn't sure if I could be a fitting teacher. Even if I helped you, half of the work is always done by the student.”
Blue Cop watched Wild Guardy with honest interest. The knight was only a bit older but distant nevertheless. Blue Cop suggested that he had learned most of this by himself. He spoke as if he had. Such reserved and straightforward people are usually brought up by hardships of life that forced them to self-learn and make their own way to the top. It made Wild Guardy so much beautiful in Blue Cop's eyes.
“Though, if you want to “return the favour” and maybe entertain me a little, we can play question-and-answer. You ask, I answer, and then we change,” Wild Guardy smirked lightly and picked his phone to put some music on in the background.
“Let's play then.”