Compass - Banana Fish x Reader

CHAPTER NINE: Escourt

"It's been a week! I haven't seen you for one whole fucking week, (Y/N)! You're not at your apartment!"

As Arthur melted down over the phone, I sat in the small kitchen area, legs dangling off the island bench.
"I know, I'm sorry! I just have a whole lot of assignments, and Winona and I decided to become hermits so we could finish them!" I lied, lowering my voice and scowling as Alex wandered into the room. "You really miss me that much, huh?"

"Of course I do! We haven't gone this long without seeing each other in years and it isn't natural, dammit!" It was rare for Arthur to become flustered, so I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Fine, fine...How about I come and see you for a little bit? I could use a break, anyway." Again, I caught Alex's eye, and he just stared back at me as he slowly bit into an apple he had picked up.

"I'll pick you up, then." I was sure my response following his offer was too abrupt, but I had panicked.
"N..no, no, that's fine! I don't need to be babied, Freddy! I'll meet you at Foley Square, okay?" Begrudgingly, he agreed, and I ended the call with a cheery farewell before hanging up and switching my mood like a hat. "What are you staring at, huh?"

Alex swallowed loudly and pointed to my phone, his lips pursing together.
"If that was who I think it was, I really don't think you should go see them." He warned, turning the fruit in his palm as he edged towards the door. The way he moved told me he was more or less saying I wasn't going, period, but after spending the last few days in their company, I knew where we stood. They wouldn't kill me.

"I really don't think you should be putting in your two cents, Alexander." I muttered, taking a step forward and watching him move faster to block the doorway. "You do realise I'm not a prisoner this time, right? I'm free to come and go as I wish."

Alex wasn't someone I disliked, not at all, but he still ticked me off. Even after proving my capabilities to the gang, I was still being treated like a useless little kid.
"Look, that may be theoretically true, but you're also kind of a...how should I put this..? A liability?"

Ex-fucking-scuse me?

Without really thinking it through, I allowed my anger to guide me, and I quickly turned and snatched one of the knives out of the holder that sat upon the countertop, pointing the blade towards him.
"Now, you're gonna move out of my way, unless you want me to carve you like a Christmas ham!" Was I confident? Not in the slightest. Guns were one thing, but I'd never been good with knives. Even when buttering my toast I had had bad experiences.

Alex didn't react the way I had hoped. Instead, he smirked, as though he were watching a dog trying to walk like a person.
"Come on, put that down before you hurt yourself. It's too dangerous at the moment. China Town is relatively safe, cuz Golzine doesn't have many connections here, but the rest of the city is another story. You could be followed, kidnapped, we just can't risk that with Ash gone."

Standing my ground, I stepped closer, adjusting my poor grip on the oversized piece of cutlery.
"I said move!" Great. My voice broke. Before Alex could grind my gears any further, a familiar tuft of purple popped up behind him, and Shorter glanced through the door way.

"What'd I miss? You piss her off?" I was really starting to get annoyed by the fact that my serious threat was being taken as a joke, and I swung the knife around, pointing towards Alex.
"This prick won't let me go out! All I want is to go see my friend! I'll stab the both of you if you don't let me leave!"

I probably wouldn't, but still...

"Oh? Why can't she leave, then?" Shorter turned to the man, receiving a long sigh.
"Because that friend is Arthur." When Shorter seemed to understand what Ash's second in command was on about, I became fed up. Changing it, I closed the distance between us and lined the tip of the blade up between Alex's eyes.