Drive [h.f-t. & j.l.] (COMPLETED)

Chapter 25 - This Is The First Thing

this is the first thing - you me at six
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josephine's pov

I lean my head against the window of Heros cars, feeling the vibrations through the glass and watching the quiet city drift by as the last few hours' events bounce around in my head. When the image of Tanaka's car rushing into the police blockade flashed before my eyes I force myself to sit up straighter.

"Where will you go?" I ask, looking over to Hero, who had a tight grip on the steering wheel, his handsome face set in a frown as he stared at the street in front of him. He was clearly also thinking about everything that happened, trying to contain his feelings. 

"We'll see. I've got some friends back in Portland. Might try to lay low there for a while." He pressed his lips in a tight line for a moment before glancing over at me, expression softening a little. "I'm more worried about you." He says and I swallow hard, turning my head to look back out the window. "What happens when this Stephen guy comes after you?" Hero adds, bringing up another topic I was trying to avoid thinking about.

"Do you think he will?" I ask, my voice so quiet I wasn't sure he even heard me. But I could hear Hero sigh beside me and I could imagine the look on his face. The mixture between a frown and a scowl when he was worried about me.

"He's dangerous. And you know his secret. You being alive puts his whole life in danger. And I just hate the idea of leaving you behind, all alone." 

"So what do I do?" I ask him, looking back over to him when he doesn't answer for a few moments. Hero seems to think for a moment, then pulls off the road. "What are you doing?" I ask when he stops the car beside a small grassy park and gets out.

"I have an idea." He says and I pull my eyebrows together as I open my door and step out, following him a few meters away from the vehicle. He beckons me closer and I comply, wondering what he's up to. Hero spreads his arms slightly next to his body.

"Alright, Jo. Punch me." He says and I lift one eyebrow, gaping at him.

"Excuse me?" I ask and Hero shifts slightly, gesturing with his hands towards his body.

"Go on. Hit me, like I'm one of the Brotherhood. Hard as you can." He says and I press my lips together, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. Annoyed and not sure what he's trying to accomplish with this, I clench a fist and punch Hero in the shoulder. He barely reacts. He nods slowly. "Okay, good job."

"No, it wasn't. What is this?" I ask him and Hero sighs, green eyes piercing in the low light under the street lamp next to him, face serious.

"The crew and I can't be around to protect you anymore, at least for a while, so, before I leave, I want to teach you some self-defense. You should learn a thing or two to help you if Stephen comes after you. And, hey, you can hit me as much as you want." He explains. Without thinking and too tired to retort anything, I punch Hero's shoulder again, a bit harder this time. "There we go." He says, voice soft and I sigh. He gives me a small smile before stepping forward and taking my right hand in both of his. "First thing is making sure you don't break your own fingers from punching like that. Gotta make a fist the right way." He gently folds my fingers in and I watch our hands in silence. "This set of knuckles first, then fold the lower ones. Thumb on the outside crossed over your middle finger. There." He gently whacks my fist against his temple. 

"You don't punch with your fist. You punch with your entire body. Rotate your hip, like you're throwing a ball almost, all your momentum behind it." He says and I lift my eyes to his. He notices and our eyes meet. I could tell he didn't like showing me this, not wanting me to have to use this.