What's In It For You?

Chapter 6

Emerald had never been used to the feeling of regret.  It never fell to her stomach, pooling and feeling far too close to cement, dragging her down and slowly eating away her insides.  She never needed to feel remorseful, it was about her survival, and those that got in the way were merely obstacles.

But the fear on the former fall maiden's face had been forever burned in her memory, horrifying and too familiar for Emerald to ever admit.  She knew too well what it was like to be scared, helpless and on your own.

Worst of it all, Mercury had been watching her.  She wasn't blind to his quick glances and familiar frowns, he saw every crack in her image and he tore it open, trying to see inside.  She doubted the root of Mercury's behavior to be concern, the feeling was foreign to him.

Emerald tucked her knees to her chest, forehead resting on her forearms as she breathed, slow and steady, to bring down the racing heart beat.  She could feel the heat dancing across her bare shins, gracing her with a warmth to ease off the cool air surrounding them.  Being on the road all the time reminded Emerald of being back on the streets, no shelter, but at least she had food and company, even if the company was sometimes wearing the most aggravating smirk in history.

Yet he sat across from her, stoking the fire idly, mind trailing away from the scene as his eyes drifted from the fire, to the dirt beside Emerald and then to the female herself.  Emerald never really liked being under his gaze, perhaps that was lack of knowing him and his eyes were intense and stronger than steel, ripping through her like a well sharpened knife.

"What?"  Emerald asked, eyebrows bowing a little as Mercury's eyes snapped up to meet her own.  A smirk fell onto his lips, casual and far too familiar, and he tilted his head a little, inspecting the thief.

"Nothing.  I didn't say anything."  Mercury pointed out as he poked the fire one more time with the stick and set it down beside him, ignoring the small flame dancing on the end.  The confident tone that he'd adapted as of late never ceased to get on Emerald's nerves, poking and prodding, as if she was the very fire he was just recently stoking.

"You were staring.  Again."  Emerald deadpanned, ruby irises boring holes into Mercury's gray eyes that seemed to glint more silver than the dull color his hair was.  Mercury shrugged and leaned back against the log, his eyes never leaving hers, daring her to look away first.

"What're you going to do about it?  You were staring at me for a while too, remember?"  Mercury reminded as he linked his hands and placed them on the back of his head, carefully bracing his neck to avoid any injury.  Emerald glared, striking daggers straight to the boy's heart if she had the power to.

"That was different."

"Sure."

"It was."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes."  Emerald snapped, hands balling into fists as Mercury's smirk only grew, he had stoked the fire and it had burned.  Mercury opened his mouth to retort, undoubtedly a witty comeback that would set Emerald's blood to boiling point.  "Shut up."

"I hadn't said anything yet."  Mercury tilted his head and sat straight up, his arms leaving the back of his head to rest on the ground beside him.  His fingers dug slightly into the dirt, already unclean fingernails greeting the substance as his eyes drifted from her face to the woods behind her.  His eyes narrowed and his entire body tensed, very aware of the company that had decided to visit.  "Get down!"

Without thinking, Emerald fell forward, her hair dangerously close to the fire as Mercury lifted his legs up off the ground, his hands keeping him grounded as a shot went off from his boots.  The sound was deafening, birds cawed and retreated from their resting branches, spooked by the harsh noise.  Emerald saw the body of a Beowolf fall forward, half of it's head missing from where Mercury's bullet had bit through it's skull.