Scavengers - Chapter 12

            Your heart and stomach had contracted at the sound of the shoot, and yet no pain gained your body. You expected the taste of blood to fill your mouth and at any moment now, but something cracked your eyes open.

« You bastard ! »

This voice. This voice you would recognize no matter how upset it sounded…
 
« Tetsurô ! » 

Your orbs quickly wandered to grasp the situation. One of Tsukishima’s hands was bloody and held a hole in its palm, the other clasped on his wrist. His gun was now on the ground while Kuroo’s was still steaming when he put it back in its holster hanging on his side. Wasting no time, he took quick steps towards Tsukishima, cracking his knuckles against his large palms in provocation. His teeth nervously grinded and the look in his eyes was nothing you’ve seen before. He wasn’t upset or even angry, he was infuriated.

« Tetsurô, wait ! » you screamed, running to him.

« You bastard ! » the dark-haired man shouted again, pushing you away with enough strength to make you stumble and fall. His eyes never left Tsukishima who was starting to carefully take few steps backwards. He would never admit it, but right here and right now, he was scared.

« I warned you ! » Kuroo yelled as he punched Tsukishima in the jaw, way too fast for him to dodge. « I warned you ! » he shouted again. « I told you that I would kill you if you ever touch her ! I’ll fucking end you ! »

A second punch shattered the blond man’s glasses, and several fragments scratched his cheeks and temples as he fell on his back, stunned. As quick as a tiger, Kuroo was soon on him, pinning him down with all his weight and hammering his face with his powerful fists.

« So you’re a Crow, huh ?! A little bitch of a Crow !! You freaking traitor ! I’ll show you how hyenas devour stupid baby-birds like you ! »

« Tetsurô ! Stop ! » you screamed, jumping on his back and trying to restrain him by locking your arms around his torso and shoulders, pulling him backwards. « Please ! Brother ! »

The last word seemed to affect him enough to calm him down, and the fist he retracted to launch it again never moved. His knuckles, reddened and stained with blood, slowly fell along his torso, expect one hand which gently grabbed yours.

« Stop… » you whined, and his rage definitely faded as he felt your tears on his bare and strong neck.

« Why ? » he asked, looking at the unconscious body of Tsukishima. « Why do you protect him ? Why were you ready to let him hurt you ? »

« Because I’ve got the intuition that he knows some important things… And because I deserved it. »

He jumped on his feet at this, and grabbed you with a hand to bring you in front of him. Heavy hands laid on your shoulders, their warmth slightly spreading on you.

« Never ever say that, do you hear me ? » he scolded gently in a soft voice. « Look up. »

One of his hands tilted your chin up, forcing you to lock your eyes to his.

« You deserve nothing but care and happiness. »

« But I killed Yuu ! » you exploded, rushing until you bumped against his chest. « I shot Nishinoya down ! »

« Mister Boyfriend ?! » Kuroo exclaimed. « How ?! »

« He was… he was my target’s bodyguard… He took one of my bullets, I… I killed him, Tetsurô ! I’m the lowest… I’m the worst ! »

It was heart-breaking for him to be told what just happened, to see you in such a pitiful state, especially since he knew there was nothing he could do. He held you tight against him, his head resting on yours as he let your tears soak his black shirt. A pained moan soon escaped Tsukishima’s lips, reminding you his presence.

« You said he knows things. » Your brother said. « What things? »

You sniffled loudly, trying to gather enough voice and brain to answer, but only struggles and moans found their way out of your throat. Tetsurô’s embrace tightened around you to soothe you, and long fingers ran through your hair.

« It’s okay, take your time. »

« Dunno. » You finally faltered. « He just spoke like if I could help him to understand things, to answer questions he had… He acted weird since he discovered that I knew both Yuu and his partner. »

« His partner ? »

« Elena’s shooter. »

« I see… That’s a lot of unexpected meetings. »

« That’s what he seemed to think too… I think he would be more useful alive than dead. »

The sound of ambulances suddenly filled the air, and red and blue lights succeeded each other to paint the buildings.

« Yuu ! »

You slipped out of Tetsurô’s arms and rushed to the edge of the roof, your hurried steps crushing the gravel. Down the building, Nishinoya was being carefully laid and strapped on a stretcher to be evacuated. He was pale, oh so pale, with a cut on his forehead and a spreading stain on his stomach, that your heart skipped few beats at this sight, making your head spin and your legs weaken. Your shaking hands flied to your gaping mouth, preventing any whine or sob. However, slowly, very slowly, as if it was the hardest thing he’s ever done, Nishinoya opened his eyes. 

« He’s alive… » you murmured. « He’s alive ! »

Your gaze followed him until he was hidden in the safety of the ambulance, an oxygen mask now covering his face. You felt eased for an instant, but this wave of relief didn’t last on the burning sand of your guilt. But he was alive, it was all that mattered.

A faint moan caught your attention when Tsukishima started to wake up.

« Oh, shut the hell up, baby-bird. » Kuroo growled, kicking him back to sleep. « We need you alive, but not aware. »

His firmly grabbed his collar and charged him over his shoulder as if he weighted nothing.

« Let’s go. The cops are going to be here soon, it’s time for us to disappear. »

You agreed and quickly followed in his footsteps, letting him to lead you down in a deserted back alley. You next walked ahead of him, checking the surroundings before giving him the light green. But as you were popping your head out of the corner of a street, a shadow suddenly landed in front of you, barely a metre away. Your hand automatically flew to your pocket to grab your knife, but you froze when the incomer gave you the dorkiest smile ever and almost hugged you.

« Hey, hey, hey ! » he greeted you.

You looked at him with wide eyes, not sure about what reaction to have. He was tall and his shoulders were large, his arms powerful. His hair was bicolour and spiked on his head as if trying to mimic an owl’s plumage. Big, round and golden eyes overhung by crazy thick eyebrows were looking at you, glittering in excitement. Despite his impressive appearance, you couldn’t consider him as a threat. A pure aura of dumbness exuded from him, keeping you to do so.

« Oho ho ho ? Hi Bokuto ! Long time no see ! » Kuroo happily sang once he arrived next to you.

You watched, dumbfounded, the two men chest-bumping. Seriously, who was this guy ?!

« Hey sister, I never introduced you to Bokuto, right ?  He does the same job as me. But for The Crows. »

« You-you… You’re The Crows’ Extractor ?! » you yelled, pointing at him.

« Hey, that’s rude. I raised you better than that. » Kuroo pouted, slapping your finger away.

« Haha ! So you’re Kuroo’s other sister right ?! Nice to meet you ! I already met Elena-chan so I was impatient to meet you as well ! » he smiled, gently ruffling your hair.

Looked like you just won another big bro. Even dumber than the first. Jesus Christ.

« W-What the hell… Are you two really friends ?! »

« Friends ? Please, we’re bros ! » Bokuto corrected.

« But you’re… »

« From different organisations, yes. » Kuroo said. « But I think you know what it is to like somebody despite their job, right ? »

Your heart ached at this.

« I’m still rather new to this, you know… » you muttered.

« I guess you know why I’m here, Kuroo. » Bokuto said in a surprisingly serious voice.

« Tsukishima, » he sighed. « So this bastard really is a Crow, huh ? »

« I didn’t know he was infiltrated among you, if you wanna know. » Bokuto lazily answered. « Boss just asked me to be around here today, just in case something went wrong. Too bad I located the three of you that late and oh my god ! Did you fucking shot his hand ?! » he yelled, seeing the blood dripping from Tsukishima’s fingers.

« So you really are The Crows’ Extractor… » you muttered, slightly unhappy with this discovery.

« Oh please, stop with the lame nickname. Kuroo’s an Extractor, but I’m… Superman ! »

Was this guy even real ?!

« Superman ? » You deadpanned.

« Yeah ! I’m the saviour, the last hope, the trump card ! Like Superman ! You call me when everything else failed ! « Extractor » sounds so uncool… like some painful medical treatment. It sounds like you’re about to have few teeth removed ! That sucks ! »

You stared at him for several seconds, still not believing that there was somebody dumber than Tetsurô left on this planet. The aforementioned idiot walked past you and placed the tall unconscious man in Bokuto’s arms.  

« Tetsu ! You’re giving him back to them ?! Why ?! »

« Because if they send their Extra-… their Superman to get him back, they won’t hesitate to attack us if we keep him. Bokuto’s just like me, they wouldn’t send him out for nothing. »

You pulled an annoyed face at this, not agreeing on this decision. Tsukishima knew things, things you were obviously involved in. Things Yuu was probably involved in too. Just letting him go like this was hard to accept.

« Trust me, it’s wiser to do so. » Kuroo added.