My Blue Knight

19

Wesley hadn't managed to get the video down. Much to my annoyance and Elliotts grievance. 

"Why not? Just bribe the kid!"

They had found out that the owner of the video was an 11 year old boy who must have been hiding in the bushes whilst I dealt a final blow.

"If we bribe him Ellie it'll be worse...people will want to know where the money came from, then there will be more chaos." I suggested, backed up by Wesley who said we should just ignore it.

"and if thousands of people come knocking? If Zoey gets recognised everywhere and followed.."

"Elliott no one will recognise me. I was Mew me..tail and all. I'll be fine."

He gave me such a look, his jaw clenched, eyes darkened and low, that suggested I wouldn't be 'fine'. But I always like to prove people wrong. 

"How about we go train some more? Maybe see what I can do with-"

"No blue aqua." He folded his arms, grumbled something inaudible and headed out to the back.

Wesley smiled to me, a large, bright, encouraging beam. "He's just worried about you, publicity is often more harming than good."

"Or he's annoyed...or confused," I sighed, placing my hands on my hips. "I've encountered blue aqua twice now...none of the others have, and this writing on the dagger. It's strange, definitely nothing of this world! How can he look after us, look after me, when he doesn't know what's happening. He likes being in control Wesley, to know what will happen next and when he doesn't.."

"Zoey." He stopped me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "How about you breathe okay? Everything will work out. Go take out some stress, eat some cake and .. take the rest of the day off."

I scoffed, shaking my head. Take a day off? No thanks, for once I'd rather like to be running around, focused on something else not catching Dren, or Sardon or that annoying small one. I'd be safer here! We would all have each others backs. The way it's supposed to be.

Ignoring, of course, that brat Chloe. 

I shuddered at the thought of her joining out team but smiled back to Wesley. Exhaling slowly before I headed out after Elliott.

What if...I'm a-

I shook the brief thought from my head before it made me mad. Not that I would be able to avoid the fact forever.

___

"Feet Zoey."

Feet Elliott, I mouthed mockingly in return. Annoyed now. My stance is fine. Never failed me. Thank you very much.

Alright I was a bit one side dependent and could probably benefit from strengthening both sides equally but he wasn't going to be right.

I kept them where they were and just shifted my hips a little, blocking a strike that he made as he threw his right fist towards me. After blocking it I spun him off me, now he was facing away from me. I went to kick him in the back but he was faster (Elliott is always faster), he turned back around. Grabbed my leg and pulled it toward him so that I lost my balance and was pushed to the floor.

"Hey!" I squealed as I hit the ground, groaning after the wind was briefly knocked out of me.

"You dropped your guard." He told me, taking several steps away from me, allowing me to sit up and stare at him. "So I had my back to you. You shouldn't have dropped focus Zoey."

Elliott's voice was harsh, steady and cold. Some might say back to his usual voice. Though I knew it was an act he had perfected.

"You still shoved me to the gr-"

"We're training aren't we? That is the point."

"Ha. Ha. Funny." I rolled my eyes as I pushed myself to standing, "you want to train..." I muttered, pulling my dagger from my boot before I straightened up and ran towards him.

I was foolish if I thought I could surprise him, when he was focused he was focused. Could snatch a fly from the air if he wanted to. Still, I managed to dodge two of his hits, sliding under his arm as he went for a strike. A slight smug smile formed across my face as I turned. Though it was stupid and short-lived. I was on my back again soon after. Heaving my chest out in a frustrated groan as Elliott kept my arm outstretched and the dagger away from him.

"I get that you're angry," I huffed, pushing my body up, resting on my hips. "But do you really have to take it all out on me?"

There was a slight sarcastic tone to my voice, as there always is. Elliott's head was seriously elsewhere when that sarcasm failed to register.

Those blue eyes of his looked at me for a long second before he took another few steps away and shook his head. "I'm sorry Zoey...I'm just.."

"Frustrated, confused, upset, angry, worried?"

"Something like that, yeah"

"Maybe we should take a break? An actual break I mean." His attention was still elsewhere as I stood up, brushing down my uniform as I did so, spinning the dagger in my hand a final time before slipping it back into my boot. "Get away from everything here. Let it all....get brushed to the side by something more important...and if we're not here. It would happen faster."

"You're the one who needs to disappear for a while-"

"I want you with me."

I interrupted him, successfully bringing his attention back to me, I allowed my eyes to light up a little and a gentle smile to cross my cheeks.

"I couldn't leave the cafe without a-"

"Put Chloe to good use then."

We'll just very quickly skip by the fact I just gave Chloe a reason to work. I didn't like her. And I certainly didn't trust her or want her to take over my shifts. But I would rather allow her a little time at the café if it meant Elliott and I could escape.

Now he had taken a few steps back towards me, he hung his head low. I think a sudden realisation had hit him.

"It would be nice Ellie..at least an attempt at peace and quiet," I gave a slight shrug, "and besides. Dren seems to want to focus attacks on me, so the team would be safer here.."

"You don't fight him alone anymore."

His tone of voice was back to the one I knew so well, a little harsh but caring.

"What?" My eyebrows creased slightly as I tried to understand, "but if we're away..blue knight can't ...you don't.."

"Zoey. Its too dangerous for you to fight him on your own. He's too dangerous. He clearly wants you destroyed. That will not happen."

Elliott was suddenly back on a mission. He was focused and determined. Perhaps a little cold.

But as his hands ran up my forearms, circled my elbows and rested on my waist, the thought of him being cold had evaporated.

"O-okay." I managed a slightly excited smile, "so we can? Escape. For a little while?"

"For a little while. Yes." He planted a soft kiss on my head before his arms were wrapping themselves around me. "We can try."

Try.

A simple word sent my mind spiralling, keeping a tighter hold of Elliott.

It wouldn't be simple. Not as I had hoped. I guessed that until we were alien free it would never be simple, nothing would be simple.

Then a thought slowly began to grow as I became aware of the bad fortune that could lie ahead: why I am surrounding myself with people if I am a target.

The more people you let get close. The more get hurt.

If Elliott or Wesly or any of the girls got hurt. Seriously hurt. Because of me. Would I be able to forgive myself?