The Demon's Gift

Untitled Part 4

Colton did a full assessment of my skills when I arrived, at least, after he had finally trusted me enough to let me out of my room. Knife work was last, but it was also my biggest strength. It shifted from an assessment to a training as I showed him some of the most effective things I had learned in Russia. I ended up behind him with my arms wrapped around him, moving his hands in the cutting motion, and that's when I really felt it for the first time. I finished showing him, dropped his arms, and stepped away from him, forcing a stiff nod and a normal, "They called that a cross dagger blow, or something along those lines."

Colton didn't brush it off as easily. He was somewhat frozen in his spot, staring at me, panting. 

Presently, on the range, he wasn't frozen, or panting, but he was staring at me. I looked right back at him, not moving my eyes as I flung a knife to my right, hearing it hit the target. I then turned my head to look at it, grunting when I saw that it had perfectly hit the center. "Your turn." Colton spun his knife as he positioned himself, taking a deep breath as he drew back before throwing it forward. It stuck in a stripe below mine, but I didn't have to look at the target to know. "You let go a little too late."

"I know," he sighed, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. "I'm not exactly at my best today." He walked over to his water and sat, unscrewing the top and gulping down most of it. "Never let me drink that much again."

"It seemed like you needed it," I told him, sitting down beside him. He nodded to the ground, his lips tightening.

"Even so. Stop me after seven shots." He took another sip of his water.

"Seven?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Maybe five," he said, finally looking up from the ground to give me a small grin, nudging me with his elbow. I smiled.

"What now, then?" I asked, adjusting so that I was facing him. "I'm assuming we're done for the day."

"I don't know," he replied, shrugging. "Anything, I guess. We could go do something-"

"I think I'm doing going out with you, sorry-"

"Or go up to my room. Talk, watch a movie, whatever." I nodded, thinking it over. We sat for a second before I finally stood.

"Okay, but let me shower first," I told him, extending my hand to help him up. He hesitated, but took it.

"Deal." We walked together, silently making our way up the staircase until I got off at the second floor as he rounded the corner to go up to the third. I was slightly surprised to find Natasha in my bed reading when I entered my room.

"Shouldn't you be with your new partner?" I taunted, going up to her and reaching into the bed to poke her. She grunted.

"I'm too busy hiding from her."

"Good luck with that," I said, going around the bed and into the bathroom, turning to lock the door behind me. I showered quickly, and then left with a towel around my waist to grab clothes. Natasha looked up from the bed and whistled.

"Damn, Auden, if only you weren't into dudes."

"As if you'd date me anyways," I countered, rolling my eyes as I grabbed a random shirt and pants and headed back to the bathroom.

"You're right, you're too much of a smartass," she called after me, to which I slammed the door. I changed quickly and hung up my towel before leaving, looking at Nat a moment before I left, grinning at how comfortable she looked lost in Shakespeare. I closed the door gently as I snuck out so I wouldn't break her trance.

I walked down the hall and up the stairs, going down the hall a bit and turning left to Colton's door, knocking. I waited for a shout that didn't sound like a denial to enter and opened it, finding him in his bed on his phone. He looked up when I entered and smiled.