Rosalie Kasten is out of luck and out of time. For the last two years, she's been living on borrowed time. After her involvement with the death of Edwin Pierce - Alexander Pierce's son - it's only a matter of time before Hydra comes for her.
James...
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« 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒘𝒐: 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚 »
𝐑𝛐𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝛐𝐫𝐠𝛐𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 how to speak with assertiveness and confidence in her years without human contact. Her words tumble out instead. The man withdraws the weapon into the air and shows both palms to her.
"Sorry, is this private ground?" He should know that already from the temperature. "I'm new to this place. My grandad's got a huntin' cabin not too far from here. Decided to take a look at it this year."
She detects the Brooklyn accent immediately, and the panic hits her. Rosalie puts both hands on her gun, supporting it properly. She can see the ways his eyes change from how naturally the action comes to her.
"Don't lie to me," she sneers and points the barrel right at his chest.
She knows where to aim and not cause deadly damage – more accurately, cause damage she'll be able to repair on her own. If she would even be able to shoot the gun in the first place. Luckily, that's a thing she hasn't forgotten how to fake – even without the finger on the trigger, she is radiating intent.
"Now, why would I lie to a pretty thing like you?" The man asks, chuckling even.
He doesn't seem worried.
"I don't know. You're the one spewing the lies," she scoffs and adjusts her stance. "You're not Hydra."
It's a statement.
"No," he replies, "I'm not."
"Was that your plan?" She points at the hunting rifle, and a sliver of a smirk tug at the corners of her mouth. "The last three attempts at my life were much better funded and planned."
"I'm not here to kill you," he sighs and rolls his eyes, annoyed. "If you hadn't noticed, my gun is in the air?"
"People don't come up here unless they want something, and I doubt you're here for eggs."
"Are you always this scared?" He asks, and Rosalie's lip curls up.
"Are you always this dickish?"
His jaw ticks.
"Look, Princess." She scoffs at the nickname. "Maybe I'm not here for huntin', but I am here to have a conversation with Rosalie Kasten. Can we have that? A simple conversation."
"Yeah, the hunting thing was clear as day. I don't think I've ever met that bad of a liar," Rosalie says and doesn't stop pointing the gun at him. "Why do you want to talk to me?"
He smiles. She realises he might not have been sure she's the person he's been looking for. She bites the inside of her cheek and glances back towards the cabin.
