𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐏 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐑. (Discontinued)

chapter nine.

CHAPTER NINE
009.

HIRO STUCK with Sniper Mask as Kuon, Mayuko and Yuri went to meet up with the doctor and Tanabe. "Hey... I hope it wasn't weird I hugged you. I just... felt glad to see you again. Alive, too..." Hiro suddenly says, rubbing the back of his neck gently.

"Yeah. No, it's fine." Sniper Mask simply says and Hiro glanced at him. "I-I... just felt sorta weird after, a bit... Because we never really actually hugged before." He says and Sniper Mask suddenly stopped, turning towards him. Hiro also stops, turning to him and Sniper Mask just stared at him through the two eye holes of the dumb mask he had on.

"It was fine, seriously." He said and Hiro nods, fidgeting with the hem of his hoodie. "Okay..." He said and for a moment, it seemed like it was the perfect time for... something, and even Sniper Mask sensed that. But he wasn't sure what it was as he stared at Hiro.

Hiro suddenly cleared his throat and looked down, kind of thinking it was stupid of him to be expecting something different. But Sniper Mask was always hiding behind his mask, not saying more than what he means to.

"Come on... let's keep walking." Sniper Mask says and for a moment, Hiro's heart swells as he frowned, but followed behind anyway. He walked alongside Sniper, pursing his lips. It's quiet between them now, both are comfortable with this silence. It's kind of nice.

"Um, hey..." Hiro said suddenly and Sniper Mask hums, letting him know he's listening. "They... have a human hostage. The... the enemy." He said, looking over at Sniper for his reaction and all he sees is the man's hand on his rifle twitching, stopping suddenly.

"Who is it?" He asked as he turned to Hiro once again who glanced up at him. "My other cousin... Rika." He informs him making a shocked look appear on the man's face, well, Hiro only saw his eyes widening. "What?"

The two stand together, side by side and leaning against the wall as Hiro explained everything. "I see. So he ended up being the hostage. Well, I'm sure he'll be aboe to handle the situation." Sniper Mask says, taking out a lighter so he can light the end of his cigarette.

Hiro fidgets with his hands, shifting his weight from one leg to the other anxiously. "You really believe in him, huh?" He said, a faint smile appearing on his face. "In any case, it's still inconvenient. I mean, if worse comes to worse, I could always go rescue him myself." He said and then a pained grunt emitted from him before Hiro can say he'd go with him.

He looks at the man, his mask sparks as he stumbled down, "Sniper Mask..." Hiro rushed to his side, kneeling down. "Are you..." Hiro trailed off as the other man raised his hand to his face. "I'm fine, Hiro. At least for now, I am." Sniper Mask trembled as he grabbed his rifle, standing up on his own. Hiro sighed, grabbing his arm gently and helping him.

"There's a possibility I might have to face going through the same thing that Mayuko Nise did." He said before standing up straight, sort of towering over Hiro who's waiting him with a worried gaze. "Hibernation. The program that eliminates defected Angels."

Hiro holds in his shock, just staring at the man with fear he'd be gone forever. "I'm still able to hold on to my consciousness right now. But it could happen any minute, which isn't exactly comforting." His grip around his rifle trembles as Hiro's hand slips down to Sniper Mask's own, squeezing his fingers around the other's hand. "And when it happens, I'll be there to help you..." He tells him. Basically promises.

"I'll be counting on you, Hiro Tanaka." Sniper Mask's own fingers squeeze his hand back and Hiro smiles. Because he isn't only promising Sniper, he's also promising himself he won't ever lose him. He can't. He shouldn't.

In the tatami room, they sat near the window, leaning against the paper wall. "Sniper Mask?" Hiro said suddenly, looking over at the other. "What is it, Hiro?" The man asked, smoking a cigarette and not sparing a glance at him.

"Why..." Hiro paused, unsure what to say or more like, how to say it. "Why did you trust me so easily?" He asked, wanting to know, no matter whatever way he asked him. "Trust you?" The smoking male asked, confused.

"Yeah... like revealing your face to me. Isn't that a big deal?" Hiro asked, looking away and Sniper merely shrugged. "No. It's just my face..." He says and Hiro just fidgets with his fingers. "I mean... you're so... handsome, it's like kind of--" "Hiro, do you like me?" Sniper Mask abruptly interrupted and Hiro stood up immediately at the question, scoffing loudly.

"No! Can't a guy just compliment... a fellow guy on his handsomeness? It doesn't have to be--" "Because I like you." Sniper immediately cut him off, making Hiro look at him. "And I know I shouldn't. Given the situation, being here, we have bigger things to worry about, including your cousin... and I'm guessing you truly don't feel that way in return." Sniper wouldn't meet his eyes and for a moment, Hiro felt sad.

He didn't feel worthy of Sniper's adoration for him, he felt like Sniper deserved better. Someone greater. He looked around the tatami room, wondering what to say. "You don't have to feel bad. Or say sorry. It's fine, Hiro..." Sniper Mask said and Hiro turned to him.

"No... I don't feel bad or wanna say sorry. I just... I don't know." His eyes are glossy, his mouth is watering and the back of his eyes sting. "I just... I don't wanna be with you... that way, Sniper Mask." He said and Sniper stood up. "Why? I-I thought that--" "No, no... it just can't happen because--" "of Kuon? I thought you said she was a friend." The two kept cutting each other off until Sniper caught him off guard with his question, sounding jealous.

"No, not because of her. Because of me..."

  

   

  

   

   

    

  

A FEW WORDS
Sniper Mask: I like you
Hiro: as Bros though, right? 😀
Anyways, hi. Sorry for not
updating in like forever.
I got back into High Rise Invasion
again. Also fuck me, every time
I hear Sniper Mask's voice in
Dubbed, I cream.
Anyways I don't usually watch anime
in dubbed, but for Sniper Mask's
voice? Yes. Yes, I will.