I'm no trooper

Chapter 20: New scars

F/N's perspective

I awoke to pain coursing through my body. My back being primary source as I rolled to the side of the bed, weakly placing my feet on the floor below. Slowly, my hand drifts over the still tender skin of my back, feeling out the extent of the damage.

Letting out a soft sigh, I pulled my hand into my lap as the door opened. Looking over, forcing myself to smile as Tatsumi stood in the doorway, a look of worry on his face.

Tatsumi: "Hey.... how you feeling?"

He said as I shrugged and pulled my hand away from my back.

F/N: "Like I always do when I blackout, like shit."

I put bluntly as my gaze drifted down to my lap. I didn't see, but I assume Tatsumi closed the door by the clicking noise, his feet softly thumbing against the hardwood floor.

Tatsumi: "If Wave hadn't held me back I-

F/N: " "May have gotten hurt too. Tatsumi, don't put any of this on you. I plaid with fire and got burned......It hasn't been the first time."

I said, looking at my loosely wrapped left arm. Whoever had put me here hasn't bothered to take the time to remove any of my clothing, leaving me in my now bloodied and torn attire. The white wrapping around my left arm now stained a gritty red with blood, a stark contrast to the lighter skin tone of my scars that lay beneath. Dried blood crumbled off my fingers as I flexed them, chipping off onto the floor and into my open palm as I looked it over.

Tatsumi placed a hand on my shoulder, catching my attention. Looking over, he gave me one of his trademark grins.

Tatsumi: "Well, it seems after each one, you always come back stronger. That's something everyone can look at for inspection. I know I do."

F/N: "Tatsumi..... when did you get good with words."

I said as we both chuckled a bit, though the room grew quiet after that. Both of us knew that the path ahead would be a long and hard-fought one if this were the beginning.

F/N: "So.... where's that bitch now?"

I asked, Tatsumi growing a slight blush before he shook his head.

Tatsumi: "Made me sleep in the same bed as her last night... from what I know, she went to speak with the Minister."

I nodded and turned my gaze to the window that shed light into the room, the sun still rising over the horizon of the sprawling city that made up the capital.

F/N: "Well, the second day of being a Jaeger and I'm beaten to shit, you're the personal toy of the strongest fighter in the empire.... today's going to be great."

I said with an allotted amount of sarcasm as Tatsumi gets to his feet.

Tatsumi: "Well, breakfast should be ready soon by this point. You should probably clean up before joining me."

F/N: "What? Does half-dead assassin not look good on me?"

I said, cracking a small smile. Tatsumi just shook his head with a smile of his own before heading to the door.

Tatsumi: "Not so much, man."

He said before he headed out, leaving my door agar. I sighed, my smile fading a bit as I forced myself to get up, my back screaming in pain to stop. I pushed through it, though, stumbling to the washroom, where I began to run myself a bath. It slowly began to fill as I removed my clothing, tossing the torn jacket and shirt to the floor before pulling the rest off, joining the small pile of bloody and ruined clothing.