Gunned | SatoSere

Chapter 18 - New Boss

The Demons set up a temporary base on the port side. The perimeter is secured by a series of vehicles with operatives on standby while others are finishing up their preparations of loading cargo, undoubtedly packed to the brim with weapons that Serena could only imagine were supplied from several different places. She wanted to leave immediately, but Cilan ushered her away with a stern look on his face to tend to her wounds properly.

"We can't have our leader in ill-shape for a rescue. We'll reconvene in a moment to go over our strategy. There is no room for error."

At the immediate protest on Serena's lips to leave right now and ask questions later, Gary puts a gentle hand on her shoulder to stop her. To Serena's surprise, his smile is genuine, absent of playfulness and mirth. It brings an odd sort of calm that a mentor would share.

"Don't worry, boss. We'll get your man back."

The blush is hot on her face and near vibrant to rival the blood on her wounds. "Gary! I- That's not-" She sputters, unable to finish her sentence.

Dawn gives a matching gremlin grin and Misty fortunately spares her with a small smile as if she's holding back her own grin, both of them making shooing motions with their hands. 

Serena grumbles and before she can clock both of them with her fists, Miette dramatically groans at her side as she takes a hold of Serena's wrist and begins tugging her in the direction of one of the buildings.

In hindsight, Serena wishes she asked Dawn or Misty to patch her up instead because, "for gods sake. What the hell-"

"Enough of that. Stop whining."

Another hiss as Serena jolts away with another curse. "I would if you would be carerful. Hello?"

Miette rolls her eyes as she continues to swipe around Serena's wound, gently cleaning away the dried blood. "The anesthetic will kick in a second, so do us both a favor and shut up. Ash would kill me if you got an infection from that shitty patch job they did."

Serena huffs from where she sits on a makeshift table in one of the storage areas. She tenses and relaxes when Miette comes in to stitch her up, only to feel the tug from the looping motions without pain. Serena sighs in partial relief, tilting her head towards the dim ceiling.

"Your cuzzo sucks."

It draws a humorous huff out of Miette. "That we can agree on."

Serena falls silent and finds herself toying with the gold ring on her index finger, her thumb spinning the band and feeling the imprint. Her lips fall into a frown as she gazes quietly at the blue haired woman.

Her and Ash are similar in many ways, in ways that Serena doesn't think they even notice. They both raise their brow when in doubt, the same slant to their lips when they frown on several occasions when they were unimpressed. Ash twirls his knives from his forefinger to ring finger in the same smooth motion that Miette twirls her silencer barrels.

They were different, too. As well as being the practical cousins they are and whatnot, of course Ash took great advantage in being the oldest too, much to Miette's annoyance. The way a childish grin snuck onto Ash's lips as he ruffled Miette's hair and the way she would always grumble, "knock it off already."

The ruffling would increase in speed to the cause of Miette's attitude of irritation before Ash would give a light shove at her head, "uh-uh, never."

Next line makes Ash groan and stop whatever he was doing, the grin immediately disappearing with the same irritated look on Miette's face, now on his to replace it. "Feel free to call me cuzzo often then."

Serena would quickly turn the corner off the hallway with the echo of a snicker on her lips. Miette caught her antics with a sneer of her own, but the dirty blond haired woman disappeared to join Dawn and Misty for lunch before Miette could call her out on it.

Her heart yearns for the memory and even more so knowing that when Ash caught her eyes back then beside an irritated Miette, he offered her a wide, goofy grin that grew with Serena's laughter, and it was far too childish to be fitting of a mafia boss. But Serena saw those smiles often, as though they were only for her, and now she knows she should have believed him all along. The guilt curls her bottom lip between her teeth while Miette wraps up the consequence of her mistakes.

"Miette."

Miette's eyebrows furrow immediately because Serena has never been so serious with her. She looks up from her handiwork. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry," Serena admits, tilting her head down that makes her bangs drift over her eyes as she gazes at the bandage wrappings. "You must be worried about Ash and it's my fault he's even there."

Miette catches the way the gold of Ash's ring shines as Serena continues to fidget with the jewelry piece. There's a deep sigh from her lips and Serena takes it as a sound of disappointment as she continues to look away.

"Hey, Serena."

Serena blinks in shock and forgets her shame for a split second to look at Miette incredulously. The way Miette looks at her now makes Serena hate this one moment that she and Ash can be so similar. It makes her want to look away again, away from the painful reminder that Ash isn't here and Serena is in his place, filling the heart of everything she held dear with unsteady hands. She's their leader now, but how could she be, knowing it was her fault one of their own would never come home again?

The anesthetic is in full force, but the phantom pain lingers with a whisper from her demons. It should've been her.

Miette breaks the reverie. "None of this is your fault."

"But-"

This time, Miette tightens the bandages and Serena winces with a pointed glare.

"It's Giovanni's. Whatever shit he put in your head, forget it. None of it is true. He would've killed anyone in his way and that's why we're going to make him pay instead of sitting around here feeling sorry for ourselves. You got that?" Miette finishes with a firm clip at the end of her words, crossing her arms over her chest with an expectant look.

Serena sighs. But if I never...

"No matter who he is or what he has done, he's easy to love," Miette adds, just a little softer and though Serena knows it's true, it breaks her heart because Ash isn't here to love so easily, endlessly.

She pauses and swallows Miette's words and tucks that love into her soul once again. She nods minutely, and doesn't admit how right Miette is in the way that it has never mattered what his life was painted with — only that Ash wants to hold Serena's hand the rest of the way. 

Miette smirks. "Don't tell me first, though. That would be stupid, even for you."

Serena punches Miette in her shoulder that she doesn't bother to shy away from, only clicking her tongue in response.

A wild rose blooms through a broad smile once again. "As if I'd tell you, of all people."