𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 { 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 | 𝟏 }

Chapter 24:Hard Feelings

Please could you be tender, and I will sit close to you

Let's give it a minute before we admit that we're through

Guess this is the winter, our bodies are young and blue

I'm at Jungle city, it's late and this song is for you

-Lorde (Hard feelings/Loveless)

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Third pov

When Kora woke up the next morning, she was surprised when she found Thatch still around. In fact, she was the first one to wake up between the two. When she woke up, she found herself in Thatch's arms, being held against his chest. Kora stared up at him, a blush on her cheeks.

'For the first time since we had met, I'm feeling something for him. I mean, it could just be because of Shanks and all but...he's different. I did use to say that about Shanks but, Thatch is truly different from anyone else.'

She sat up, and rubbed her eyes. Last night was tiresome. They had only just gotten home, about three hours ago, and she was still exhausted. She could not sleep. She couldn't stop stressing about Akira being in hospital, and the potential of someone coming after the people she cared about. The time on her phone read 6am.

'Fuck....I wanna sleep...why won't my body let me sleep?'

"You're awake....?" Kora looked, and saw Thatch, who barely looked alive, "Figured you'd still be sleeping..." he groaned. "Who can after what happened last night?" Kora asked rhetorically. Thatch was silent for a moment, "Are you okay?" He asked. Kora sighed, "There isn't even a 'kay' in my okay...it's just a big oh..." Thatch frowned from where he laid, "Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked.

Kora laid back down, staring at the ceiling, "We, the Mardelna clan, are feared, and we have many enemies....but we haven't even upset anyone yet. It's weird...why are people threatening us when we haven't even done anything." Kora growled. "Has this happened before?" Thatch asked. "No....." Kora sighed, moving to look at Thatch, "And because Father is in hospital...people are gonna blame me for this whole thing." "How do you know that, this whole things only just happened?" Thatch questioned. "Because....word travels fast. There's bound to be at least someone that would know that the infamous Mardelna Akira is in the hospital..." Kora frowned, "Making him vulnerable..." "Kora what are you thinking about?" "I need to have body guards for Father's room, and all around the mansion while I'm at school." She decided.

"Kora, I don't think people are gonna attack him-" "Thatch, you and I both know that my family is notorious. We have people that want us all dead. If my Father is in hospital in a vulnerable state, then our enemies are gonna take advantage of that, and kill him on sight." Kora explained, "The thought of Father not being attacked by one of our enemies would be suspicious, after all." She adds.

'Just let her do what she wants, it'll be easier for both of us.'

Thatch zoned out when Kora began to make phone calls. He stared at her in a daze, as she hastily spoke to whoever was on the phone in a hushed Ukranian dialect. He caught sight of how the sun reflected down on her violet and ink black hair. His eyes then drifted down to her lips. Memories of before the accident flooded into his mind. 

'Why did I kiss her? Why did we kiss? Why did I think it was a good idea at the time?'

Thatch wouldn't admit the fact that he had a moment where he thought that he loved her. He didn't wanna admit it, and ruin the loyalty he has for Valkiria. But it was just that one moment...that one spur of the moment where Thatch had fully set his whole attention on his fiancé, and realised how beautiful she was. At that moment, he couldn't put his finger on it; on what drew him in. Was it because of how he felt sorry for her because of Shanks? Was it how the moonlight had illuminated her skin and eyes? Or was it just the shape of her lips? 

But for whatever reason, because of that kiss, he's grown a strong protective streak over Kora.

'What does Kora think?'

Kora put her phone down, "It took a bit but finally someone is going in to keep watch over Father." "Ya think the hospital won't mind?" Thatch asked. "If they do mind, then it's too late." Kora shrugged.

'She has no consideration for others, she doesn't make clear cut plans, she makes her own way, she takes no bullshit...but alternatively, she's lonely, she's afraid, she wants a shoulder to cry on, she wants to be loved...'

"You've been staring at me for a while, it's freaking me out." Kora said suddenly. "Oh..was I?" Thatch asked. Kora nods silently. "Ah, my bad...." He looks away, and could already feel the awkward tension begin to rise. He knew that she was thinking about their kiss, he saw it in her eyes. He knew because he was thinking about the kiss as well.

"Thatch..." Kora said, "Last night...thank you for being there for me..but we need to pretend that what we did..didn't happen at all." She murmured. Thatch wanted to object, but knew that she wasn't in the right state of mind at all to say anything, "I understand." He breathed. Kora smiled weakly, "Thanks."

'No, we need to talk about the kiss! Thatch you're supposed to testify against me! Please, I need to talk to someone about this. Thatch....I just don't wanna admit that I have something for you, because I'm not fucking perfect like Valkiria.