User blog:Baluar/Untitled one shot

Eh, from now on, I guess One-shots could have some format or something.

(Not that I've done that many of them, mind you.)

Year: 2078

Area: Far East Branch

POV Character: Baluar

First thing I do after waking up is taking a nice, relaxing hot shower. While I'll admit I'm not the cleanest man in the world (not even close) and I more often than not end up avoiding cleaning myself, there's nothing quite like a nice hot shower in a cold day.

After having dressed myself properly and eating a small breakfast (essentially, what remains of yesterday's rations heated up in the microwave), I head over to the Den.

I guess I'm just going to roll with whatever missions I have. As usual.

Not like it bothers me. I love my job. I mean, sure, it can get dull at times, and the chance of dying a horrible, bloody and messy death is always there, waiting for you to commit a single mistake, but hey, it's what I do best.

It's not like Fenrir gives us a chance to say "Hey, I don't like this. Can I please work on something less dangerous, like cleaning great white sharks' teeth with a toothpick?". You become a match, you gotta take the test. So the compatible Arc is on the other corner of the world and you have to leave everyone you know and love? Tough luck pal, you will take the test, like it or not. Not to mention you can die during it. There's a reason they call it a "Test".

Life isn't fun if there's not a little excitement thrown in, anyways. So I make the best of what I got.

Third mission in and I'm already starting to dislike this asshole of a partner I got. It's lucky I got Nia besides me, or I think I'd have already beheaded him ten times over.

No kidding, he's literally unbearable, thinking he's a pretty boy, and to boot he's nothing but a liability on the field. I've had to link-aid him three times on a simple Ogretail hunt.

Yes, let me repeat myself. '''I link aided him three times on one mission. In which there were only Ogretails.'''

'''Only. Freaking. Ogretails.'''

This man is literally too dumb to live. And yet he continues making snide remarks and mocking me after I saved his life, what, ten times? Give or take two.

Yeah, he still comments shit.

-Hey, what's up with your nose? Got your finger too far in?

If I weren't so angry, I'd swear I'd bash my head on the helicopter's door because of how unimaginably stupid the things he says are.

However, as the comments are directed at me, I can't help but get angry and react in a way... unbecoming of someone in my rank. To say the very least, I lose control.

-Alright, would it be too much if I asked you to SHUT THE HELL UP?!

-Hey, you've only got to ask nicely. - He replies.

-Would you please stay silent? - I can just barely avoid charging my voice with sarcasm. Just barely.

-No, thanks. I like to speak.

-For everything that's holy, SHUT. UP!

-Bal, please, control yourself. - Nia says.

-Hey, you, why don't you fuck him, see if he manages to cool his head, eh?

...

No. I did NOT just hear that.

-I'm sorry? Did I just listen you suggesting...?

-Yeah, yeah, I told your sister to fuck you, see if you can...

Before he can finish his phrase, I grab him by the neck with my left hand and lift him so that his eyes are leveled with my own.

''-Now, I don't know if you can hear me over the noise you do while choking, but I have something to tell you. If you don't close your mouth right after I drop you, you can say goodbye to your teeth. And to most of your face.''

In his defense, he valiantly tries to keep his cool, especially considering he's facing a man 45 cm taller and roughly twice as heavy.

-Suck... argh... it.

-You asked for it.

I clench my right hand, preparing to do what I just said, but Nia shouts just in time.

-BAL! Drop him.

However, she didn't manage to stop me from hitting him. I didn't do it as hard as I had originally planned, but I still cause him a noticeable swelling and he immediately loses consciousness. It takes less than ten seconds for his mouth to start bleeding. And his nose.

-What have you done, Bal...?

-Did you even listen to what he said?

-Yes, I did, but unlike you, I didn't take him seriously!

-He went way too far. Even if he hadn't commented that, he was still getting on my nerves, and I would have exploded anyway sooner or later. With that remark, he just... sped up the inevitable.

She just gave me a death stare.

-If you know his words aren't true, why do you listen?

-Because I can't avoid it! There's nothing I can do to avoid listening to him.

-We're gonna have to go back now. Despite the fact that you managed to control yourself a bit, you still broke his nose and some of his teeth. I hope you don't mind explaining to the Director why the recent transfer broke his nose in the first set of missions he did? Especially considering wounds of that type are almost never caused by Aragami.

I could say a thousand things, but all that comes out of my mouth is this.

-He earned it.

I was forced to pay up 100.000 Fc, 25% of which were given to the asshole to pay the operation he'd have to go through, the rest going to Fenrir as some sort of fine for what I did.

And I've been forbidden from going to missions for a month.

One fucking month.

Good job, Bal. You just screwed it.