Let's just live- Male reader x Yang Xiao Long (Vol. 4) (COMPLETED)

Chapter 8- Stronger than you think

Y/n pov

Tai: Right hook!

You let out a roar as you threw a right hook into Tai's open palm. He smiles warmly as he moves his hands down flat in front of his stomach.

Tai: Left kick!

Panting, you lift your left leg to kick. But suddenly you feel your prosthetic leg buckle, causing you to lose your balance and fall over, landing back first on the ground. You gasp as you feel the air get knocked out of you, rolling yourself over on your side to try to catch your breath.

Tai: (Worried) Y/n! Are you okay?

Y/n: (gasping) Y- yeah, just give me a minute.

Tai lets out a soft sigh, clearly having been worried it was something serious. He slowly moves over and looks over your automail leg to inspect what might have happened.

Tai: Let's see... (pause) Aha! It seems like one of your kicks has knocked a bolt loose. Here, lemme get that fixed.

Tai pushes himself back up and walks over to a small toolbox laying a few inches away, which was a small gift from Sid in case the leg started to act up or anything felt way too tight. You slowly sit up and watch as Tai goes through the toolbox in search of the right tool before your eyes slowly move down to the automail.

Y/n: Hey Tai, Did Cid say where he was going?

Tai: I don't know everything, he only said that a ship from Atlas personally arrived to pick him up. Something about an old friend wanting his assistance. (Picks up the correct tool) Ah, there you are.

Moving back over to your side Tai goes to fix the loose bolt, only for you to suddenly stop him and hold out your hand to ask for the tool.

Y/n: Let me do it. If I'm going to be able to take care of myself I need to learn how to fix up the leg myself.

Tai looks at you in surprise, his eyes looking deeply into yours for a moment before he chuckles and hands you the tool.

Tai: Of course, that makes sense. (holds out the tool) have at it, Kiddo.

You happily accept the tool and begin to slowly turn the bolt back into its right tightness, slowly moving your leg to make sure it doesn't get screwed on way too tightly.

It's been about a week since you put on your automail leg, and while it does feel real when it comes to movement it feels way heavier than a real leg. For the first few days of training with the leg, you had Cid there by your side to adjust anything that might be off, but he soon started teaching both you and Tai how to do it in case that lady in a white lab coat ever came back, and I guess that day was today.

Tai: You know, when you first arrived back home after Beacon. That spark you had in your eyes was gone, it was almost like you had lost your will to live. (pause) But when I look into your eyes now, I can see it coming back.

You suddenly stop, the comment fully taking you by surprise. You put the tool down and stare at your automail for a moment. It was almost like for the first time in several months you didn't feel pity or shame over staring at your lost limb anymore.

Y/n: Ever since Beacon, I've been having these nightmares. Sometimes I'm back at Beacon, and other times I'm somewhere completely different.

Tai: (confused) What kind of place would you be in?

Y/n: I'm not sure, It's always a dark place with a voice calling out to me from behind a large door. But sometimes there is light too, and it comes to me in the shape of my mother.

Tai: (shocked) Your mother? Why would it do that?

You slowly push yourself back up as you try standing on your prosthetic, taking a few steps to make sure everything is perfect.