𝕂𝔼ℕ𝕆ℙ𝕊𝕀𝔸

Chapter 4

Merak - the pursuit of small pleasures everyday, leading to fulfilment and oneness with the larger purpose and the universe.

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"Well wasn't that an absolute mood-killer?" Noelle sarcastically pulled her gun out of her holster and unloaded it; dropping the magazine on the locker room table, making a collision noise.

She thought for a moment, before loading the magazine back in and placing the gun back in her thigh holster.

Can never be too careful.

"What, Alisa's drink getting spiked?" Hinata asked, placing his equipment in his loading dock next to his locker.

"Yup, and the fact we had to leave and I couldn't beat up people" Noelle rolled her eyes and leaned on her locker. Hinata laughed, patting her shoulder.

"Don't worry Noe, you'll get to do it soon enough" He smiled, brightness radiating off him.

Noelle melted, placing her hands on his shoulders and her head on his chest. "I don't deserve you" She cried, Hinata awkwardly stood there, comforting his co-worker.

'Co-workers, right.'  He thought sadly, knowing that there was probably nothing beyond that. Just friends. Just co-workers.

Noelle rubbed his arms, which confused Hinata a little, wondering if she was comforting herself or him.

Neither was the answer.

After she felt nothing in his sleeves, she straightened herself and smiled weakly; a clear sign she was just joking and also very tired.

They stood there in awkward silence for a few seconds, wondering what they should say to each other. Hinata finally piped up after a bit.

"Listen, I was thinking," He began, averting his eyes from hers.

"Well, that's always dangerous" She laughed, opening her locker and taking a small container of gum; taking out a piece, popping it in her mouth. She closed the locker door, walking out of the locker room, Hinata following suit.

He hesitated, contemplating whether or not he should ask her this.

"Uh, I wanted to know if you were free next week? Maybe we-" Hinata stuttered, not being able to finish his sentence due to a certain dark-green haired boy coming along.

"Oh, hey you guys!" Yamaguchi cheerily waved, jogging over to them. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything, but I have to borrow Hinata. Do you mind Noelle?"

"Oh, no, not at all!" She smiled, blowing the pink bubblegum and popping it. "I'll talk to you later Hina, bye!" She waved them off, skipping off to her room.

"Well, I sure hope I didn't ruin your fun" Yamaguchi raised his eyebrows, a teasing grin on his face. Hinata made a displeased face at him.

"When are you going to ask her out? You've liked her ever since you got here, which was like, 2 years ago?" He teased, poking him in the side. Hinata rolled his eyes and looked at him with a deadpan stare.

"I was about to, until you came." He pouted, muttering softly.

Yamaguchi laughed, "Oops, I'm sorry, Hinata, but unfortunately, this debrief couldn't wait," he said, handing a tablet to him. Hinata's brows furrowed, flicking through the screen.

Reading through them, they saw that there was a problem over in Nekoma. Something about missing chemicals and tech. "Nekoma was ransacked?" He looked up at Yamaguchi.

"Robbed, not ransacked" he corrected. "But with the impressive amount they took, I think it's the better word to use" Yamaguchi crossed his arms as Hinata continued to read through the briefing.