I apologize that there have been no updates for a long time. This will be the last part. I wanted to do a big work, but I'm not satisfied with the result. So I'm freezing this fanfic. Moreover, it turned out to be very difficult for me to write in a foreign language. I'm not sure if I will do anything in the future, because now everything in the fandom has become too one-sided. Here I wrote about it: https://ad-1812.tumblr.com/post/645541389069959168/i-feel-like-i-want-to-give-up-after-some-events
I hope you'll understand me.
Farewell.
“Your steps are too loud.” Sova immediately realized who was behind him. His shoulders tightened.
Viper walked over to the locker at the entrance to Sage's office, where the healer had recently stored all the medical supplies after it was finally completed. The woman opened the doors and took out a few skeins. They hadn't been in that little first-aid kit for a long time, but, apparently, the scout did not know about it.
Viper approached the archer, who continued to sit with his back to her.
He just didn't want to turn to her.
He didn't want to see her, didn't want to feel her gaze on him again, didn't want to hear another: "I don't need you."
"Let me help."
There was no answer. Sova was in a state of perplexity. He expected to hear anything: another reproach, a displeased sigh, or even silence. But not that.
“If you want ..” Sova answered coldly.
He looked up from the already useless first-aid kit and turned his head slightly to see the approaching Viper. She walked around him, pulled up the nearest chair and sat down opposite Sova. The woman began to remove the bloody bandages from his arm.
“The wounds should have healed long ago, especially since Sage almost healed them. Why do they keep bleeding?" Viper frowned as she continued to unwind his hand. Seeing the cut marks, she tightened her grip on his wrist.
There was no answer again. The chemist looked up at Sova. He looked to the side, resting his face on his hand, and with all his appearance showed that the question had been successfully ignored. Viper saw the tips of his ears turn slightly red. The woman looked down again.
They sat in silence, only occasionally the rustle of bandages being cut could be heard. The wounds were no longer as large as before, so the chemist quickly dealt with them. When Viper was almost done, she decided to break the cold silence.
“Sorry about that time. I was wrong,” she squeezed every word out of herself with great effort. "Spoken too much."
This day never ceased to amaze Sova. He turned to Viper for a second and saw her guiltily glancing at his hand. There was no answer, and this began to annoy the woman.
"How long will you be silent?" Viper let go of his hand.
She already wanted to get up and leave, but Sova grabbed her wrist and pulled her back onto the chair. Viper frowned at the archer in indignation.
“No, it was just.. quite unexpected. I ..” The archer did not have time to finish.
"So it's a big surprise to hear an apology from me, hunter?" It was clear from Viper's voice that she was beginning to get angry, and she calls him like that only in two cases: when she is impressed by him or, on the contrary, is too irritated.
Sova wanted to bite his own tongue for those words. It was clearly superfluous to say them out loud. The gaze of her emerald eyes burned right through him, like the acid with which the chemist dissolved the corpses of her enemies. The archer felt Viper's fingers twitch slightly in a tic.
“Listen, I'm not mad at you for that time,” Sova tried to change the subject a bit so as not to make things worse. “I understand that then everyone was on emotions and all that, but if you disgusted by my company, then you could just say about it.”
Viper's face showed confusion. She raised an eyebrow questioningly, and then took a deep breath.
“I didn't mean it at all. Frankly, you are one of the few who hardly gets on my nerves,” the woman replied. “I just don’t need protection or help from anyone.”
“Well, I'm glad to hear that I'm not annoying you,” Sova smiled slightly. “But still, you should at least occasionally let people help you.”
“I can handle everything on my own, Sova.” Viper stood up and began to collect bandage scraps and scissors. “Rash acting out of a desire to help can be fatal for everyone. It is necessary at least to calculate the risk. It is not profitable for the Protocol to lose some of its agents, especially a scout like you.”
“As well as losing one of the founders, Viper. I couldn't do otherwise.”
"We both could have died."
There was a short pause. They both knew it was true. One wrong move and the allies would have to return home with two corpses. Although Sage's power is great, she spends a lot of her own energy on it. The resurrection of several people at once can be reflected in her own condition. Because of this, everyone in the Protocol tries not to die.
“Thanks for the worry anyway,” Viper's voice became a little calmer. “But try not to get shot next time. It’s not so easy for them to kill me, and I don’t really want to drag one of my comrades into the grave.”
The woman did not mention her deal with Brimstone, it would raise unnecessary questions. Still, her words slightly defused the tense atmosphere in the air. Viper felt relieved, as if a heavy load had fallen from her shoulders.
“Deal,” Sova picked up his gray T-shirt from the chair and began to put it on. "Well, then at six, as usual?"
Viper was about to leave the room, but stopped and looked at the man. The corners of her lips slightly raised in a smile.
"Okay, hunter."
