Chapter Text
Tonight was a date you'd been long awaiting. You and Xavier have had an on again and off again romance for a while now. A classic, will they, won't they situation. Romantic banter, flirting between work shifts and showing up at each other’s doors at random intervals of the day we're all good. But you couldn't wait for any longer for this guy to ask you out. He clearly didn't want you with anyone else, from the way he greeted your new neighbour who offered you bread. And you also didn't want him with anyone else. Xavier with anyone but you just felt wrong, like eating cereal on a plate. It didn't fit.
________
A couple days ago, you two were going about the motions. Flirting at work and then walking back home to the apartment complex you both lived in. You were just talking as you usually did when Xavier made a comment about your height. Because of course he did. And in that moment, when his sapphire eyes were looking jokingly into yours, you couldn't take it anymore.
You grabbed his shirt and looked him dead in the eye. “Xavier, ask me on a date.” You practically demanded.
“Huh?” He flinched, putting his hand on top of the one that had a firm grip on his jacket.
“Tell me you want to see me dressed up for you and you want to take me out to dinner.” you continued, bluntly.
“Er, yeah. I’d like that.” He responded, still seemingly trying to get his bearings.
You nodded, smiling as he finally admitted he wanted you on a date. Albeit with a little prompting. “Okay, I'll be ready for 8.” You responded.
_______
And now here you were, all pretty and proper and staring at your door waiting for an indication that your handsome date was outside. And finally, a knock came. You felt like running around your house, kicking your heels as you did and giggling about how there was a pretty boy outside waiting for you but that would have to be contained to your thoughts for now. You had to be cool. After all, you had to prove to Xavier that you'd end up as his wife some day. So you approached and opened the door calmly, nonchalantly even. And what it revealed was certainly not a disappointment.
There he was, in a suit and jacket of all things. Maybe a little overdressed for the occasion but with the way the fabric hugged and found itself comfortable across his body, you certainly weren't complaining. His hair was still messy and in front of his eyes, but it did look like Xavier had at least raked his fingers through it before he came up to knock at your door. Which let you know he'd made somewhat of an effort for you.
His eyes seemed to light up when he saw you, a warm smile beholding his soft features. He took a minute to take you in, he then let out a satisfied sigh. “You look nice.”
You replied with your own smile. “You too. I didn't know you owned a tuxedo.” You gestured to his clothing.
He chuckled at your words, running his hands over his tie as he did. “I don't. It's Jeremiah’s.”
That made you laugh. The friendship between Xavier and his Jeremiah was very endearing to you. They operated like astrayed siblings, Jeremiah usually telling Xavier off and Xavier refusing to listen to him. You could picture him shoving Xavier into a tuxedo he had lying around just for this occasion. “Of course it is.” You went to walk over to Xavier, but he put a hand up first, signalling for you to stop.
“Hold on. I've got something to give you.”
“Oh?”
He leaned down to just outside your door frame and picked up a bundle of flowers. Gorgeous ones at that, a mixture of the brightest yellow roses to the most fluorescent peonies. “Er, Jeremiah kept talking about the significance of flower language as I was picking these out. I have no idea what any of these flowers mean, but I thought they were pretty.” He smiled as he gently handed you the bundle of flowers. “And, er, so are you.”
You inhaled the fresh scent of the flowers, each of their unique charms blending together in an enticing aroma. Looking back up to Xavier, you put your hand on his cheeks, bringing his face down so you could kiss his cheek- leaving a lip gloss mark on the side of his face.
“You made my face sticky.” He laughed, wiping it off.
You chuckled along with Xavier, letting your arms slowly fall down onto his chest. “You know it was worth it.” You smirked at him, noticing how his ears turned the same pink as his cheeks when he blushed.
“I do.” He was absolutely beaming. It was almost boyish, endearingly so- like he had an extra bit of light in him tonight that took a special match to ignite. Xavier gently took your hands off his chest to hold them in his own. “Now, are we gonna get to dinner or are you going to keep trying to make my head explode?” He jested, eyes cheeky as he did.
“Let me put these flowers down.” You asked as you took it upon yourself to fill a jug with water and place your new favourite decorations inside of it. Approaching Xavier again, you traced the folds of his suite blazer with your fingertips, still revelling in just how handsome he was tonight. “Let's go make your little head explode.”
Xavier playfully rolled his eyes at your antics before finally leading you out of your apartment door and you gladly followed as he guided you by your hand out of your apartment block and out into Linkon.
_______
“Huh.” You huffed as you were hit with the sudden shift of warm air to cool. “I spend so much time looking at the city through my window at night I forget I can actually enjoy what it has to offer.”
Xavier nodded along to your words as you walked hand in hand through the lit up city. “I get what you mean. The night is the best time of day to be admired. So much so that you can forget to be productive when you get lost in its enticing beauty.” You felt his eyes on you as those last few words left his mouth. It made your spine tingle, he was quite poetic.
“I love the way you speak.” You let your eyes meet Xavier’s, gazing into them as you meandered down the street.
A soft smile graced his lips as you looked into his eyes, whatever tension left in his face melting away under the careful observation of you. “Thank you. I love that you do.” Xavier wasn't just looking into your eyes now, he was using the triangle method- consciously or subconsciously, you couldn't decide.
Those dilated pupils look from your left eye to your right to down to your lips and back up away. That's when you both stopped walking, turning to face each other. Xavier was the first to make a slight movement of his head, tentatively inching it forwards- ever so closer to yours. It was a silent way of asking for permission, slow and steady, giving you any opportunity to pull away should you want to but you knew you didn't want that. You thought the kiss would come at dinner or maybe even after, but right now in this moment it felt so right and natural. And there could always be more kisses.
You locked your hands around Xavier’s neck, the sudden coldness of your fingers on the warm nape of his neck making him flinch ever so slightly. You chuckled briefly at his reaction, of which he gave you a playful smile.
“You're so…” he knew he wasn't going to finish that sentence before your lips met his, so he cut himself off halfway through.
That proved to be for nought however as that anticipated contact never came. Instead of what you hoped would have been the feather soft feeling of Xavier's lips against yours- you got his entire body weight flumped over yours. “Agh!” You both exclaimed in union as you fell unceremoniously to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
“I'm sorry! I lost my footing!” Xavier immediately scrambled to get himself off you, giving you a hand up.
“Lost your footing?” You shrugged the shock off your shoulders as you looked him over to check he was alright as well. “Xavier, we were standing still.” You told him the obvious.
“It was like there was some wind that knocked my knees out from under me.” Xavier looked back at his legs, bent and now making him lean his weight onto you. “You didn't feel that?”
You chuckled a little at his wide-eyed expression. “You're not gonna suddenly reveal that you're crazy on this date, right?”
“I guess you'll have to stay till the end to find out.” Xavier recovered, taking your hand once again and bringing it to his lips. It wasn't the kiss you were hoping for but your skin still erupted in butterflies from the contact anyway.
“Smooth.” You teased.
“Thank you.” he smirked as you walked hand in hand once more.
__________
The two of you eventually got to the restaurant Xavier had booked. You'd never been to the place before but from what he'd told you, it did good hot pot which was good enough for you.
“Thank you.” You smiled as Xavier held the door open for you.
“Mm, it smells great in here already.” Xavier exclaimed, it sounded like it was to you but when you saw his eyes closed in bliss you assumed it was to himself.
“It is.” You laughed at his face. “You wanna get hot pot?” You figured you'd ask seemingly as that was all Xavier talked about in reference to this restaurant.
“How did you know?” He gave you a half smile before he approached the host.
The guy had a face mask and sunglasses on. A little weird considering there hadn't been any reason to wear a mask in Linkon since the flu break out about a decade ago. And sunglasses at night? They had certainly put a unique person at the door.
“Good evening Sir and Madame! How many I be of service to you!?” It turned out that the man was as eccentric as he looked, gesturing wildly at the two of you as you approached.
Xavier seemed a little taken back at the introduction, but he quickly regained his composure. “Um, we’ve booked a table?” He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly feeling a little awkward.
“Of course you have! You always anticipate the future, past and present!” The man exclaimed.
“Um..” You and Xavier looked to each other and then back to the odd man in front of you. “Thanks?”
The host began frantically tapping on the tablet on the desk in front of him, presumably to find the table that Xavier had booked. It was a little odd considering that he hadn't given a name to his table and Xavier had seemed to catch onto that.
“Er, don't you need my name to find my table?” Xavier tapped lightly on the desk to get the man's attention.
The guy looked frazzled at Xavier pointing out the obvious.
“Oh! That's right! Ahem! You're Mr Xavier right?” Now that was very odd. This guy knew Xavier's name? Did he know him from somewhere?
“Erm, do I-?” Before Xavier could finish his questioning, another host appeared beside the one currently serving you.
“Ow!” The sunglasses guy exclaimed as the second man elbowed him in the side to shove him out of the way.
“I'll take over from here.” This second guy looked more normal, combed black hair with pale skin and jarring red eyes. Well, at least he looked more normal than the first guy.
“I apologise for my coworker Sir and Madame. You said you had a table booked, yes?” He began rapping away on the table to apparently erase whatever chaos the first host has caused on it.
“Yeah, that's right.” Xavier confirmed, looking thrown off by the whole situation, which was conveyed to you by another shared look.
“And what's your name?” The host asked, looking up from the screen with those same striking eyes. You couldn't explain it but they made you feel slightly uneasy- sharp and deliberate. Like he wanted something out of this interaction that you couldn't place your finger on.
“Xavier Shen. It's a reservation for 7:00pm.”
“I see. Let me just confirm you in the system…”
As the host tapped away again, you felt Xavier’s cool fingers interlock with your own, the unexpected contact sending a shiver down your spine. He didn't make eye contact with you, but he clearly wanted the security of your skin touching his. You wondered if he felt the same unease that you did, if this was what prompted him to hold onto you.
Snapping you out of your pondering, the host nodded and proclaimed that “Yep, you're table 20- let me walk you to your seats.”
“Thank you…” Xavier muttered out of social normality, but his face was stern, cold, like the look he’d give when about to confront a Wanderer in the field.
The walk to your table felt like a trek across the country. Painfully drawn out and long, with the back of the latter of that pair of hosts guiding your way. This was certainly an odd interaction, but you couldn't let it ruin your night. Weird and uncomfortable people were just a fact of life after all.
“Here you are, I hope you enjoy your meal.” A strained smile graced the host’s face before he turned around and headed back to the front of the restaurant.
When he finally left, you and Xavier took your seats with a collective sigh of relief, you then both laughed at your synchronisation- the fact that you were both feeling the same way now confirmed in your reaction.
“Well those two were…” you started.
“Unusual?” Xavier finished for you.
“In the nicest possible way.” You had a crooked smile on your face, acknowledging the oddness of those hosts.
“They must be new. I've never seen them around here before.” Xavier commented.
“Maybe they’re just very eager to make a good impression in their new clientele.” You theorised, wanting to move on from the odd hosts.
“Well, I guess some people are just eccentric.” Xavier gestured over to you.
“Hey! What's that supposed to mean?” You kicked him lightly under the table.
“Ah!” He responded. “Does that count as domestic abuse?”
“We're not in a relationship yet.” You shrugged, feigning nonchalance.
“Yet?” a cheeky smile came to Xavier's face as he rested his head onto his palm.
“Mm…you're pushing your luck right now.” You teased him with a smirk.
“Oh?” Xavier matched your expression. “Then I guess I'll just have to make you see what a good boyfriend I’d be.”
Even though it was in jest, that little comment made your heart skip a beat. To be fair though, it was hard not to swoon when everything Xavier said was in that calm, breathy voice of his and paired with his bright blue eyes looking into yours.
“Dork.” Was all you could rebuttal with. Then there was a silence. A heavy but not uncomfortable one. One where you were both left looking into each other's eyes, this way you could admire Xavier's face, his soft features perfectly framed bathing in the warm glow of the restaurant- white hair caressing his similar- hued eyelashes when he blinked.
When you two had sat in your content silence for long enough, Xavier reached his hand out to hold your cheek- hands not warmed to the temperature of the restaurant yet. “Y/N…I don't think I could be any more lucky than I-”
“You two look like you're ready for food!” The two of you collectively flinched when a voice ,that was starting to get on your nerves now, rung out from beside you.
“Um…we..” Xavier did not have an impressed expression on his face, him having to crane his neck awkwardly to look at the host from before that was some reason now waiting on you as well?
“Are dying to hear today's specials!? Of course you are! We have-” and then he went on a long rambling polysyndetic list of everything on offer tonight, going into detail not necessary when hearing about specials on a restaurant menu. Like how long each dish was cooked for?
You and Xavier spared a few glances between you, clearly wanting to find a way to be rid of this guy. You were almost considering just picking up and leaving, until Xavier did the speaking for the both of you.
“Um, we're actually good to find our own way around the menu.” He said as calmly as he could manage, you could see the slight tension in one of his eyes- holding his irritation tastefully back.
“Don't be ridiculous!” The second man to the pair jumped out from behind Xavier's chair like he'd been waiting to show himself exclaimed. “Our menu is top of the charts! Which means it's VERY difficult to navigate!”
“I've been here many times…” Xavier spoke again, trying to be rid of the pair in the most polite manner. Although you could hear in the gradual flatness of his tone that he was getting antsy. “And I've been able to-”
“Well since we are a Chinese establishment-” the initial guy started.
“We've decided to translate all our menus to Mandarin!” The second guy proclaimed. “The owner’s own native tongue!”
“A personal touch to make all the change! See?” The first one pointed at Xavier’s menu. You glanced over to see that it was in fact in Mandarin, although you could've sworn it wasn't when he'd picked it up.
“That's not a problem.” Xavier stated. “I speak Mandarin.”
When it seemed that Xavier had just about quashed every possible “helpful” thing these men could possibly do for you two, the second one- stood behind him, grabbed the menu from his hands. “Speak but not read! Now then-”
“You know what?” Xavier had finally had enough, standing up from his seat. He gave you a glance, as if asking for permission before he carried on. With how these men were acting, you wouldn't mind getting out of there either- so you have him a nod. “We're actually not that hungry after all.”
You were surprised they'd managed to wear out his patience like that. For the time you'd known him for, Xavier had an abundance of calm in him- being a hunter and having Jemma as a boss you had to. But these guys had managed to complete the difficult task of pissing Xavier off.
Xavier offered you his arm and took you off your chair, walking to the exit with his armed looped over yours. The two men were trying to scramble to get the two of you to stay but neither of you wanted that. So you both left, the cool might air almost welcoming from the heat of the tension in the restaurant.
“I'm sorry.” Xavier started immediately after the door closed. “I didn't mean to be rude, I just-”
“It's fine.” You guided him away from the front of the restaurant door. “If your fuse didn't go mine certainly would have eventually.” You moved your hand off his arm and to his own hand, interlocking your fingers together as a form of mutuality.
“I don't know what it was about those two that got under my skin so much. That usually doesn't happen with me.” Xavier wondered out loud what you’d been thinking earlier.
“Some people just have a knack for being a nuisance.” You chuckled, giving him a light nudge.
“I hope that wasn't a jab at me.” He smiled, making you relieved your joking was working to lighten the mood.
“Keep hoping then, I suppose.” Another silence came to rest over your heads, however you couldn't tell if you were thinking the same thing. It might have been a long shot, but you figured if you weren't going to be eating dinner you might as well be doing something else.
“Since dinner is out of the window…would you like to go back to my apartment?” You said it slowly, trying to give Xavier a hint to what you were thinking.
“I could cook us a meal! You know there's this new recipe I've been really wanting to-” you put a finger over his lips before he could continue. Partly because that wasn't what you wanted him to catch onto but also because you definitely didn't want Xavier anywhere near your kitchen. He was very unaware of the true nature of his cooking prowess.
“That's not quite what I had in mind…” You made your tone more suggestive now, pushing against him a little, causing him to take a step backwards.
His eyes lit up with realisation. He brought his hand up to yours to remove it from his mouth. “Oh…Well, I suppose that's a little better than cooking…” he smirked.
“I was hoping you'd think so.” You smiled, leaning your face closer to Xavier's. Maybe now you'd get that kiss you-
“Y/N!?” Your legs had gone limp underneath you and you were on the ground before you could even process how you got there.
“Y/N!” You saw Xavier's blurry figure kneel down in front of you before he jumped to his feet. That's when he moved out of your view.
You heard him grunting, painfully as if he was fighting something or something was fighting him. You couldn't quite process any danger before you though, all you could focus on was the view of the floor that was in your line of sight.
“Y/N! It's alright! I'm gonna- gah!” Xavier's voice became more garbled in your ears the more and more you heard it. That's when your eyelids began to grow so heavy you couldn't fight letting them close.
“Don't you touch her! You- agh! Grr!”
_____
Darkness. That was all you were conscious of, the deepening blackness within your mind. It felt like having a dreamless sleep, except heavier, more sinister, foreboding. Like something terrible was about to-
That's when your conscious mind finally flooded back into your own head. You were aware you were asleep, but if nothing else. That's why you figured you should probably wake up, after all there was nothing useful to come out of staying asleep. But that proved to be more of a challenge than you'd first anticipated. Your eyelids were heavier than you remembered them being, it felt like they were glued together it was that difficult to drag them open.
After multiple attempts, you finally opened your eyelids into slits that the blurry world around you was visible through.
“Uuugh…” your body automatically groaned. You were very groggy. Did you drink? This felt like a hangover but you couldn't remember consuming any alcohol for the life of you.
Come to think of it, now you were coming to more, this didn't seem like your room. And what you were laying in didn't feel like your pillow. It was firmer and the fabric against your cheek was rougher. A pillow you wouldn't have chosen for yourself.
The next few moments were you giving yourself the time to come round. However, when you finally did your stomach dropped to a dangerous level. Your once tired eyes shot open in a sudden jolt of anxiety.
This wasn't your room, you weren't home and you certainly weren't safe.
This was a car. Whose? You didn't know.
You gasped, but before you could react anymore, you felt the vibrations of a deep voice in your ear.
“I wouldn't scream if I were you, Sweetie. You wouldn't want to shock the driver and make us crash.”
Realising that you were on someone's chest, you looked up to be met with a man. An intimidating man with strong and stern features that looked worn in with time. And you were draped over him like he was a body pillow.
“What the hell!?” You exclaimed, quickly throwing yourself to the other side of the car from him. You were in the back seat and he was casually leaning on his hand of which was propped up on his arm against the window.
“I didn't position you on top of me. You just happened to fall that way.” He remarked casually, sparing you a glance before turning his attention out of the dark window.
“Who the fuck are you!?” You brought your hands up to your chest, a defence response to shield yourself from any incoming danger. This was also the first time you became aware your hands were bound together, as we're your ankles. Shit. You’d been kidnapped.
“Tch.” The man made a humoured noise with a slight lilt to the corner of his mouth to match it. “Profanity, I thought hunters were taught to hold their tongue.”
“Spare your stupid little speeches. Tell me who the fuck you are and what you want with me!” You were being loud but you were very intimidating huddled in the corner of the backseat like that. Which only served to make you feel more exposed to the inevitable danger you were in.
Instead of giving you an answer, the man on the other side of the car turned his head sharply towards you, eyes narrowed and cold. “You're really-”
You rather unceremoniously kicked him in the face with your bound feet, not giving him a chance to finish whatever taunt he was about to come out with.
“Ugh!” The man grunted, head flinging backwards with the power of your kick. For a moment you counted that as a win- until those scary eyes beheld you furiously.
The man had covered the lower half of his face with his hand, to nurse his sore nose, leaving beaming red eyes the only feature of his face visible to you.
“You good, Boss?” A voice came from the front seat- the first time you'd actually acknowledged there were other people in the vehicle.
The man glanced to the front seat of the car before turning his eyes back on you. “Fine.”
In a simple and swift movement, his hand lifted, fingers curled forebodingly, that's when the tentrales of an evol rapidly spiralled towards you, wrapping around your body like a tight rope.
“Agh!” you gasped.
The man spoke through deep breaths, moving his hand away from his nose to reveal the blood your beating had caused to ooze from it.
“I don't think that's the first impression you want me to have of you, sweetie.”
“Let go of me!” You yelled, but your voice and throat felt quickly constricted as the man’s evol wrapped even tighter around your person, making you yelp.
“You get kidnapped by the Head of Onychinous, and your first reaction is to kick him in the face?”
That's when your struggling momentarily halted by the realisation that had just struck you. “Wh…what?”
That seemed to get the rise out of you that the man wanted, a smug smirk gracing the corner of his mouth. “Oh? You didn't put the pieces together?” He moved his hand upwards slightly as he got more comfortable in his monologue, effectively lifting you off the back seat and into the air. “Aren't I the most wanted criminal for you hunters? Or is my ego now preceding my reputation?”
You could only state in stunned silence at the revelation. You'd never seen a clear picture of the Head of Onichynous, no one had been able to get one. He seemed to have an effect on cameras, causing them to have a red cast over them that put everything out of focus. Now that you'd seen his evol you could guess why.
He moved his gaze off to the distance dramatically after you'd made it clear you weren't going to speak. “I suppose I should step up my game.”
“Tartarus?” You said his name, or at least what you thought was his name. The man was so infamous that he was more of a concept than a person.
Your question triggered a series of laughter in the car, from the Head of Onichynous himself, the driver and the man in the passenger seat. It made you feel embarrassed, seeing as you had no idea what about your question had triggered it.
“Call me Sylus, sweetie.” The Head of Onichynous said once he and his apparent henchmen had calmed down. “I forgot they called me that. What a stupid title.”
Sylus? You hadn't heard that name associated with him before.
“I'm not worried you'll go around with it on your lips anyway.” he dismissed. That didn't sound very good at all.
“What do you want?” you asked again. The paranoia of not knowing why you were here and what for was starting to gnaw at you.
“I'm not going to kill you if that's what you're worried about. I wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of kidnapping you if that was the case. I would've just shot you dead while you tried to bed your boy toy.” he explained unceremoniously.
That's when it all came back to you. “Xavier!”