The Huntsman of Red V2

Chapter 12 Yellow and Black: Part 3

Archer was warm. Far warmer than Yang ever thought that someone of his profession would be considering his circumstances working in Vale's Underground. The life that he must have had led should have had been far different from her own to the point that she was deathly curious to learn of it; if only to get that much closer to her newfound enigmatic one-time partner. She said 'one-time,' but if she had her way, she had the urge and imagination to drag him around with her on adventures. You know, kind of like the old cartoons and stories that she used to either read or watch. However, asking about a person's past was the difficult part.

She had her fair share of thoughts and secrets that she wouldn't want to share with others either in her own insecurity. Everybody does until they find someone significant enough to open up to and confide with. People could be strong on the surface, but more often, not all the way through.

A body of steel, but a heart of glass.

Archer must have been like that.

He had many secrets. The fact that he was running fast enough to catch up to a train while carrying her was not lost on her, nor was the fact that she'd seen him use another Semblance entirely mere hours earlier.

Sure, he kept trying to push her away but, in the end, he still went out of his way both to take care of her, and rebuke her for her recklessness as if he himself had once done something similar. It was hard to describe, but children were sensitive to the intentions of others towards them; not that she was a child anymore, but more because she was always in tune with her inner self. She hadn't been certain at first, but she could now clearly feel that Archer had no ill-intentions in his actions. He was accompanying her only because he was genuinely concerned about her well being and knowing this was making her heart do funny things. Really funny things to the point that she was increasingly gladdened that Ruby or her friends couldn't see her right now. Honestly, she just hoped that Archer wouldn't notice the blush forming over her cheeks or the redness of her ears as he carried her towards the speeding train. To prevent that from happening, she was doing her best impression of a kangaroo cub trying to bury itself in its mother's pouch. By pouch, she meant Archer's shoulder, and by burying, she meant her face with the excuse of the fierce wind blowing around her being too cold.

"Are you alright Yang?"

"Fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Her voice came out muffled, almost distressed in its odd pitch as if she was out of breath. She quickly realized this point and felt her lips quiver in indignation. Of all times that her mouth could betray her, it had to be now. Not cool Yang. Not cool. Play it off. Just play it off and pretend that he didn't notice. Her arms around his neck, she pressed her face harder over his shoulder in mortification.

Soon she felt one of Archer's hands shift over her back to draw soothing circles as if to comfort her. Butterflies formed in her stomach as if a circus troupe had just come to town and took her for a ride. Heart don't do this to me now!

"If you were scared of heights, you should have had just said so."

Heights? Since when was she afraid of heights? Deny it! Hurry and deny it!

"Y-Yeah." Curse you body! Curse you, traitorous mouth!

Her muscles were tense and she really couldn't do anything about it. Unfortunately, it only solidified Archer's assumption of her apparent fear. Still, the way that he carefully held her, not too close, and not too far, revealed what kind of character he had behind the indifferent mask. The fact that he stopped leaping in large strides and shifted into running over the ground was not unnoticed by her. His consideration for her well being did loads to pacify her.

"Hey, are we there yet?" She didn't know how much longer she could endure before her entire face went red. It was the first time that she'd ever been held by a boy, and it was doing things to her. Odd things. The fact that a part of her didn't want to let go or was feeling happy confused her greatly.