"The Little Things"

Assaulted

"I'm telling you, this duck tastes a lot better with a cold beer." Zhao Yunlan was waving his half-empty glass in front of Shen Wei's face.

"You know that I don't drink." The professor put away chopsticks and reached for his glass with water.

"Boring. Would it kill you to have a drink from time to time? I can carry you home, you know." Zhao emptied the glass and reached out a hand to indicate the waitress to bring another one.

"It actually might," said Shen Wei. "I do not have any tolerance to it."

"You really don't know how to enjoy your life Old Brother Black," sighed Yunlan.

"You seem to know it too well." Shen Wei looked reproachfully at the new glass of beer that appeared on the table.

"It's Friday evening. We've had some shitty week. Time to relax a bit, right?" Zhao looked at the worried face observing him. "What?"

"Nothing. You are right. You deserve a rest."

Zhao frowned and put down the beer. "I do, but you don't? Why do I feel that there is more to it? Brother Black?"

"I... I must stay vigilant. If I lose alertness-"

"Has it always been like that?" asked Zhao seriously, leaning across the table. "Do you ever take a break?"

"In light of the recent events, I do not dare to."

"Shen Wei, you cannot keep going like that."

"Somebody has to. We don't know where the next attack will come from or when." There was a pained expression on his face, and Zhao felt sorry and guilty.

"You know what?" he said finally, a broad smile appearing on his face. "Tomorrow, you take a day off. Me, Da Qing and the rest of my team can take over and be as vigilant and alert as possible."

Shen Wei looked at him, clearly amused. "And how are you going to detect the anomalies in the energy flow?"

"I'll make Lin Jing make a device. You'll see."

"Zhao Yunlan, while I sincerely appreciate your good intentions, you simply are unable to perform some tasks. Nor force me to rest."

"I could tie you to the bed. And then you would see all the tasks I can perform."

"What makes you think that you wouldn't end up being the one tied up?" asked Shen Wei, not at all abashed.

Zhao laughed. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this Saturday." He drank half of his beer.

"Unless you end up with a hangover or a stomachache." Shen Wei looked pointedly at the disappearing liquid.

"Spoilsport."

They were walking back home, and Zhao was happily listing all the relaxing things there were going to do. Suddenly, Shen Wei pulled him close, his blade appearing in his hand and slicing the air before them. A hiss sounded, and a snake's body fell to the ground, cut in half. The Black Envoy stood up tall, keeping surprised Zhao behind him. "Stop playing your tricks. Isn't it time to reveal yourself?"

Laughter sounded all around them. The air shimmered, and thick dark clouds of energy twisted around the two men.

"Reveal myself? Oh, but Shen Wéi, even then, you had no idea who you were up against. Isn't it funny? You still don't know so much of it." The voice said, and Shen Wei instantly charged, cutting another black snake sent their way. "You surely remember those? You had the pleasure of finding out how it feels to get bitten." Shen Wei's grip on Zhao's wrist tightened. "Do you really believe that you can protect your dear friends?"