The Assassin (Candira & HeartOfTheDarkness)

She shook her head, smiling even as he headed back to the bedroom. He looked so defeated. He knew she was only teasing him, right? "Hey now. Don't get all gloomy on me yet. You were a big help. I'm still new at putting solar panels together. This would have taken me a really long time to do all by myself." She smiled at him from the door way, leaning against the frame a bit. "You were a huge help. But I'm more worried about you getting hurt than I am you pulling your own weight."

With that, she came and sat next to him, moving the panels out of the way. "I know how it is to feel powerless. I was in a really bad accident once and I couldn't get out of bed, or even move for days." She looked over at him with a smile. "It was Hellish. I kept going in and out of sleep, in and out of pain, and I was stuck looking at the same spot on the ceiling day after day." She shuddered a little, coming out of the memory. "But you can move, so it's gotta be worse. So tell me what I can do to make it easier for you. But don't think that you have to get better faster on my account. From what I can tell, you deserve a little rest, don't you think?" She smiled at him and wondered again what his story was.

She'd already told more than she'd wanted to about her own past. But for some reason, she felt the need to comfort him--to relate to him. Maybe then he would understand.

Seeing her smile, hearing her commend him on his efforts, and now she was trying to comfort him. He started feeling warm again, his heart began pounding. Christian had no idea what was going on, and if frightened him a little bit. This woman was giving him these feelings he never experienced. He took a couple of deep breathes and was able to calm down.

When she started telling him about her injury, he was getting interested in the story. How could someone like her get in such a serious state like that. "What happened, were you in a car crash?" He said, sounding like a little kid when being told a story. He started calming down when he saw her caring smile. When she offered him anything that would make him feel better, he wanted to ask for her to embrace him badly, just to feel her body against him, but he shook his head. "I'll be ok. I'll just rest for a bit."

He wanted to open up to Natasha more, but he didn't know where to start. What could he say to her? Would she still look at him the same if he told her who he really was?

He seemed so innocent as he lay there. It was sweet in its way. "Something like that," she said answering his question. "Well, let me know if you need me. I'll be working a little more on the panels. I need to install connectors and get the wiring ready." She paused for a moment, wondering if she should do something more. What would she want most at this very minute herself? If she were in his position...she might want someone to hug her or hold her hand. So she took his hand in hers and gently squeezed. "Everything will be okay. You'll see."

And with that, she started to get up to leave.

She was so sweet to him, and he feared that all of that would go away if he told her the truth. When she held his hand, he leaned against her, resting his head on her shoulder. He didn't say anything, he just leaned against his shoulder. All he wanted was for time to stop, just so he could hold that position for a little longer. When she tried to get up, he grabbed her arm. "Wait." He said, looking down so she wouldn't see how embarrassed he was. He pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her. It made him happy to finally hold her, the warmth of embracing someone that he cared about. He held on to her for a moment before finally letting go. "Sorry." He said, wondering if it made her uncomfortable.

Though she was a little surprised when he asked her to wait, Natasha was never one to turn down a hug. She smiled at him and returned the embrace, figuring that even tough guys like him needed comfort sometimes. And honestly, it felt good to be in his arms. It had been a long time since she'd seen any man, and the fact that he was gorgeous wasn't hurting any. She was glad he'd reached out to her. Now it wasn't just that he was someone she was looking after--it felt more like they were becoming friends. When he let go of her, she lingered for a moment and then slowly pulled away. When he apologized she laughed.

"You don't have to apologize for it. I was going to give you a hug instead of holding your hand, but I thought that might be a bit much for a stranger." She smiled at him and tilted her head a little, wondering if he wasn't an affectionate person in general, or if perhaps, he just felt awkward because she was a stranger. "Anyway, any time you need to hold onto me, let me know. I don't mind at all."

He smiled a little when she said that. "I'd like that. I'll keep it in mind." And with that, he leaned back in the bed and waited for her to leave. He began to grow tired, and a nap started to sound pretty good to him right now. He wasn't sure whether Natasha was gone yet, but he quickly drifted to sleep. He finally dreamed, something that he hadn't done in a long time. He owned a cottage in the forest, with little children running around and playing. Christian was a father, with a little boy and a little girl. His wife and the mother of his children just came home from a visit to town, and she was none other than Natasha. Christian slept pretty well, not knowing he had a rather large grin on his face.

Natasha left him as he got ready to sleep once again. He was a sweet man underneath all that trauma--she just knew it. So she carefully removed the panels he'd made for her and set them on her work table, getting ready to do more work with them later. The wiring for them was already running through the house and the power adjuster was in its own place in her attic. All she really had to do was attach some connectors and extra weather proofed cords to the panels so she could install them on her roof. Pleased that she could be self-sufficient sooner, rather than later, she set to work on taking care of those connectors.

Before long, she was finished up. It was starting to get later in the day. Time for lunch, she decided. She took out some bread and the meat she'd bought at the store, adding some cheese and condiments. Voila! Sandwiches for lunch. Smiling she washed her hands again and went to check on Christian. He was sleeping so peacefully it was almost a shame to wake him. But he needed to keep his strength up--especially after reopening his wound. When she came in, he seemed to be smiling. Gently, she leaned down and put her hands on his shoulders. "Christian," she said softly. "It's time to wake up."

When Natasha came to wake him up, he was in a little bit of a daze. Unsure of whether he was sleeping or awake, he looked up at her and smiled. "Hello honey." He quickly realized that he was no longer in his dream world and he hoped that she didn't catch that little remark. His face went bright red as he simply sat in the bed, embarrassed.

He quickly forgot his little mistake when he saw the sandwiches she prepared for him. "Thank you." He said as he reached for one of them and began eating. It was delicious, as was everything else she made for him. Looking outside, it didn't seem like much time had passed, but he could've been out for a day for all he knew. "How long was I out?" He tilted his head, curious about how long he was asleep, wondering if she needed more help with her project.

Though she was well aware he'd called her "honey," Natasha decided not to embarrass him more than he already was. Chuckling, she sat on the edge of the bed and kept the tray close. "You're welcome," she said, biting back a little "honey" of her own. "You were asleep for about three hours, which is impressive for you. How are you feeling?" she asked, watching him eat. She picked up a sandwich half for herself and nibbled along, happy to have some company.

"I got all of the connectors installed on those panels you made me. All that's left is to install them on the roof. I think I'll hold off on that for now, though. I've made it this long without electricity--I can wait a little longer." She finished off her little bit and then left the rest to him. No doubt he needed the fuel. "Maybe when you're feeling a bit better you can help me with that," she suggested.

Suddenly, she just felt tired. It was a long walk to the city and back, and working on the connectors wasn't difficult, but it was time consuming. And then there was stitching up Christian again. It had already been a rather eventful day. She stretched out across the foot of the bed, just staring at the ceiling. Fully intending to get up in just a moment to take the tray away, she just closed her eyes to rest them. And before she knew it she was asleep herself.

He finished up the sandwiches as Natasha laid down across the bed. Before he knew it, she was asleep. "Um, Natasha?" He asked, nudging her slightly, but she didn't respond. He figured she was tired, after a long day of working hard as well as fixing him up.

Christian did find it a little uncomfortable though. She seemed so defenseless, he could reach for her breasts and she wouldn't know. The second that thought crossed his mind, he turned away, disgusted with himself. The woman he admired was trying to rest, and all he could think about was her body. In spite of everything she did, he was just a monster.

He decided that he needed to keep away from her, resist his temptations while she tried to regain her strength. He lifted her head slightly and put a pillow underneath it, then he went out the room and walked around the house. His usual exercise seemed to be too much for his body, but a little walk to stretch his legs shouldn't do anything. He stepped outside and walked around the house a few laps, just to get a little fresh air and to clear his mind.

Natasha stayed asleep for a good fifteen minutes before a spasm in her leg jerked her awake. With a little gasp, she opened her eyes and instantly calmed down. That's right, she was just resting for a moment...Or had she? The room was pretty well silent. She sat up and looked over at Christian to see that he was missing. Drowsy, but a bit more refreshed. She got up and straightened herself out a bit, deciding to straighten up the sheets as well. Once everything was smooth again she called out to him.

"Christian? Where are you?" She exited her room, the tray from before in her hands. She set the dishes in the sink and put the tray away before she started to look around the house. She only hoped that he wasn't overdoing it again. The last time she'd found him, she'd been surprised, but able to help. Worried, she walked through her rooms, unable to find him. He must have gone outside then. But had he left? Or was he simply walking around?

After stepping outside, the fresh air really helped him out. He was able to clear his mind, and was more refreshed than ever. Walking a few laps around the house helped a lot too. After passing by the window in the room he was sleeping in, he noticed that Natasha wasn't sleeping in the bed anymore. Assuming that she was awake, and most likely wondering where he was, he went back inside to ease her worries.

"Sorry, I just went out for a walk. I didn't want to disturb you." Christian said as he reentered Natasha's home. As soon as he was back in the house, he sat down in a chair and relaxed a little bit, feeling much better than he did before.

The instant she heard his voice, she was relieved. Sighing softly, followed the sound to him and smiled. "There you are. I was starting to worry a little. I'm glad you're feeling well enough to go out, though." She blushed a little as she realized she'd fallen asleep on the bed and sort of left him in an awkward place. "Sorry about before. I didn't mean to doze off like that. I was just going to rest, but I guess my body needed a nap."

She stretched a little and looked around. "Well, if you want a little bit of light work to do, you can come with me to check my gardens. I have herbs around the house, but a little bit further out I have a little patch for corn, a small vegetable garden, and a patch of strawberries. Some of them are ready to harvest, but others just need to be taken care of. Want in?"

"It's fine. I guess you needed your rest too." At least for now he didn't have to think about Natasha in that way again. He was perfectly fine with how they are now, and how he dreams of her is another thing for him to deal with personally.

When she offered him to help her with the garden and crops, he nodded. "I'll do it. Just show me how to do it, and I won't disappoint you." And getting to pick the crops meant that she would have more delicious food for him to enjoy. "Um, do you have any better clothes for me to wear? It's a little cold outside." At least a shirt to put on, he was under a blanket most of the time that it didn't matter. The walk was ok without one, but if he was going to work outside, it would be a little better with the proper attire.

Pleased that he seemed to want to help, Natasha stood up. "Alright. I'm sure you won't disappoint," she said with a smile. "It's not that hard to do. Just gotta protect against rot and do some weeding, mostly." The redhead considered his answer for a moment as she listened to him. Was he so eager because he really wanted to help her? Because he wanted to be useful? Or was it because he was enjoying his time here?

"Oh! I almost forgot. I got you some clothes today while I was in town. I noticed the sizes while I was washing your stuff, and figured it wouldn't hurt to get you some things. Stay here, I'll go get them." She smiled and then went back into her bedroom closet. She cut off a few tags and brought out a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. "Here. These should do the trick. You can use the bedroom to change if you want."

Natasha hoped that he was enjoying himself--if only a little. He seemed to have little joy in his life, and she hoped that she could give him some. It had been so long since she'd really been in contact with anyone that she'd almost forgotten how. Little by little, she was coming to enjoy his presence in her home, even if it was only because he needed to heal. And really, she didn't mind taking care of him. He was attractive and kind, and he wanted to help her. Strange that she should feel so much warmth for a total stranger.

"Will you tell me about yourself? You don't have to share everything, but I'd like to know at least a little more than your name."

He gladly took the clothes and stepped into the bedroom to change. "Thank you, I'll be just a moment." Christian said as he put on the shirt first. It was nice wearing more casual clothing for a change, much lighter and very comfortable. When he stepped out, he gave her a little smile, glad to have the new set of clothes. "How do I look?"

When she wanted him to tell her more about his past, he was a little hesitant. He wasn't sure what to really say, or how much to tell her. "I never really knew my parent, I don't even know if they are still alive. I didn't even have much of a family. I grew up in a military academy and spent most of my life there. I didn't have much in the way of friends, and I was always punished for speaking out loud. Everything was run by order. There was little to no fun in anything we did. To be honest, you're probably the first person I've really interacted with in my life." He didn't really think about it before, but he had a miserable life.

When he asked how she looked, she whistled playfully for him. "Looking sharp, there," she said with a cheeky grin. She was just asking the question as an after thought while she was gathering her gardening materials in a satchel and grabbing a large basket for anything they harvested. When he spoke, he had one of the saddest, loneliest voices she'd ever heard. She stopped what she was doing and stared at him, overcome with grief and empathy for the man before her.

When he finished, she could practically feel the air getting thicker--denser with the weight of what he'd just told her. Unable to stop herself, she came close to him and gathered him up in another hug. "I'm so sorry it's been so awful," she said, staying close for a long moment. She smiled softly as she looked up at him, her clear blue eyes connecting with his. Though she hadn't expected a life story, Natasha was touched that he would open up to her like that. "Thanks for telling me though."

She let him go and took a deep breath, adjusting the bag of her supplies so that it was slung over one shoulder and hung at the opposite hip. "Well, you'll always have a friend here. And now that you're out, you can do whatever you want, right?" She smiled and then handed him the basket. "So let's take care of some crops."

He wanted to say more, but this was enough for now. What he said was technically true, just a lot less violent and it made him seem less like a monster. It still scared him to wonder what she would think of him if he told her the whole truth. She most likely would kick him out, wanting him to leave her be, thinking he was a monster.

When she hugged him, he slowly put his arms around her and closed his eyes. It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for him. She listened to his sad past, and she embraced him with care. When she looked at him, he looked deep into her beautiful blue eyes. He could just barely see them shine in the faint light from the window. "Thank you, you're the first person I've ever gotten to know. I'm glad to have met a person like you."

Christian still didn't know what he wanted to do. Running away was out of the question though. He couldn't cut his losses and leave, it would be too hard to do that now. He wanted to stay with Natasha badly, maybe start the family he has been dreaming of with her. Although, his master was planning to do horrible things to the world, and Christian played a role in helping him get there. He had to be stopped, but it would mean most likely revealing the truth to Natasha and possibly losing his life. He had finally found someone he cared about, and he could already lose her.

Unsure of what to say, he gathered the things they needed with her and nodded at her question. He wasn't sure how to say what he wanted when he didn't know himself.

Natasha didn't really expect Christian to make a choice about his future--she was just trying to cheer him up a little. Now that he wasn't living in that place, he could do and be whatever he wanted--much like she was. The more time she spent with him and found out about him, though, the more she found herself wishing he would stay just a little longer. She might have been the first person he'd ever really gotten to know, but Christian was possibly the first person she'd actually interacted with for more than shopping purposes in a solid year. Something about him seemed fragile and vulnerable, and that called to her.

Maybe that was the reason that she wanted him to stick around? Rather than walk too far ahead of him, she chose to stay at his side, pointing out the paths in the area that were somewhat hidden from the untrained eye. Sharing her knowledge and part of this day with him seemed like just the right thing to do. Oddly, she'd missed having someone around to share little things with. After all her effort to remain isolated from the world, she was finally beginning to feel lonely herself. Perhaps that was what called to her the most about Christian.

Finally, they reached a small corn field where about ten rows of corn were planted. She handed him a spray bottle and some work gloves. "All you have to do is spray this on the corn. It gives it vitamins and helps get rid of bugs," she said. Then she took another bottle out of her satchel and got to spraying as well. The corn wasn't quite ready, but it would be soon. This was mostly what they would be doing today, along with some minor weeding. Only a few things were really ready to be picked.

Christian listen to Natasha explain to him everything he needed to do, as well as how to get to the crops and gardens if he were to work without her around. He took in the knowledge while at the same time admiring her. He wanted to stay with her badly, but she seemed so independent, he didn't want to ruin that for her if that was what she loved the most.

He just didn't want to be alone again. He saw a lot in Natasha that he never had. A friend, a little bit of a mother, as well as possibly someone to love. Deep down, he felt like a frightened child, wanting someone's hand to hold. Natasha's hand was the one that reached out to him. It made him feel special, it gave him a new reason to live, and not just to take other people's lives.

When they arrived at the fields, he took the spray bottle and did what she instructed. He sprayed each stalk of corn, enough for it to get the vitamins, but not too much to drown the vegetable. It took a couple of hours to thoroughly cover the field, but he got it and returned the bottle to Natasha. "Ok, what's next?" He eagerly asked.

My, but he worked fast! A little surprised that he'd managed to do most of the field in such a short time, Natasha smiled. "Well, good job. Maybe I'll have to keep you around," she teased. "It looks like you got them all, so we'll go to the next garden. It's got some root vegetables that are ready for harvesting. Then we can go to the smaller vegetable garden. The tomatoes and pea pods are about ready, and then the strawberries should be ripe too. We'll spray it down, weed it, and then head back home."

It was great that he seemed to be enjoying himself. And he had a good head on his shoulders--after all, he'd taken in her instructions and done what she'd asked like a champ. Maybe it was just that he was helping her, but she didn't feel as tired as she normally did when she was working in her gardens. It was gratifying, but it was also heavy work. She liked to think it was because she had someone to share it all with now. Though she was isolated, she was proud of what she'd accomplished. It was a lonely thing to know that no one in the world knew what you'd managed to do for yourself.

"You know, I think you might have a real future in this kind of thing," she said with a smile. "You seem to have a knack for it." Maybe having him here would be good for the both of them. He needed to rest and get himself together again, and she...well, she needed someone to keep her company for awhile. She walked along with him again, chattering about gardening and various things she'd planted in the past and failed to cultivate--certain flowers, some more temperamental vegetables, a few fruit bushes. It was fun to relive her learning process. Besides--it seemed to entertain him. When they reached the garden, she set him to work digging up potatoes and carrots with her. She worked a row in front of him, digging so that she was facing his direction if he needed anything.

Christian blushed again. "I could stay a little longer if you need me." He said shyly. He wanted to stay with her, it was what he wanted to ask her for a while now. She took care of him, she taught him how to work for himself, and she seemed to like having him around. He felt like he was important, like he was finally special.

As they walked together, he listened to her gardening tips. He took it all in, just in case he would have to come out here on his own and take care of things for her. All he wanted to do was to show her that he could help her out and make her happy.

When they began digging up the vegetables, he went the same pace as her. He tried his best to focus on picking the vegetables, but in the position he was in, he was able to see a little bit down her shirt. A little uncomfortable, he tried to remain focused and tried speeding up a little bit, hoping to get ahead of her so that he wouldn't be distracted by that view.

That Christian even offered to stay made Natasha happy. He seemed to like it here and enjoy her company. Maybe she would take him up on that. As she started digging up her vegetables, she considered what it might be like if he decided to stay for awhile. She would have to figure out the bed issue because she wasn't going to sleep on the couch for however long he stayed. He was injured now so he got it, but he would get better eventually, and sleeping on the couch would definitely be getting old by then.

She looked up at him now and then, smiling when she caught him doing the same. Working like this was kind of fun, she discovered. The idea that he'd be looking down her shirt never even crossed her mind as she pulled the vegetables out of the ground. Nope, he was just a hard worker. That was another good thing about him being here. What if she got sick? She would actually need some help around the place, and if Christian was around, she could count on him.

Then there was the idea that she'd have someone to talk to, to share things with. Suddenly, living like this seemed very lonely. Maybe she would ask him to stay. Yeah. After they got home and cleaned up, she would ask. Before she knew it, the field was finished. "Alright. Good job. Let's get to the little veggie garden by the house and finish that up. Then we're done."

He sighed in relief when he finished and knew that she was a little bit behind him. He sat down and waited for her to finish up, glad to see the amount of vegetables they got. He began to think about all of the different foods she could make when they got back to her house, she could make that stew from before, or maybe something even better. He loved her cooking.

Thinking about food, his stomach began to growl. A little embarrassed, he let out a small laugh. "Good thing we're almost done. I'm a little hungry." He stood up and then helped Natasha up before heading to the garden by her house. Once they were done, he could rest again, and then food.

Christian was finally having fun. For he first time in his life, he was enjoying himself. He was out in the fresh air, working with nature, and helping with providing food. It was a much better change over taking lives.

Natasha hummed a little as she finished up and then cracked her back upon standing. It felt so nice. They had a pretty nice haul so far. They'd do even better at the closer garden. When his stomach growled, she chuckled and felt her own grumble a bit. "Well, now that you mention it, I'm hungry too." She smiled and started to think of the things she could make for the two of them. "Hmmm, What would you like?" she asked. "I don't usually buy meat because I can't keep it cool for long, but I have some cured sausages and jerky if you're interested. We have a lot of vegetarian dishes though," she said with a little grin.

When they reached the small garden, she set Christian to work spraying the plants and picking the veggies that were ready while she spent her time weeding. They made pretty quick work of it, and before long, they were back in the house. "Ah, home, sweet home. Well, you can set the basket down in the kitchen. Feel free to take a shower while I get a start on dinner."