Keep Your Fluffy Memories

         ALL WEEK THE pair had been dancing around each other, or rather she had been dancing around him. Their first battle together had not gone as smoothly as both had planned but while they both made it out in one piece something was still amiss. While Babydoll’s shoulder was mostly healed there were other lingering issues still hanging in the air. One issue in particular.

        A kiss. The master could have easily written it off as an act of delirium due to her injuries but that would have been a blatant lie which still glazed over another problem– He had kissed her back and that was something she could not easily explain away. There was something there and perhaps that was why she was not adamant about tackling the problem head-on. Even so, her avoidance was apparent and this waiting game was getting difficult to maintain as her stolen glances were now met with contempt and she feared her silence was doing more damage than good.

        The timing could not have been worse as the announcement blared throughout the city. Their true purpose for being brought here was revealed and Baby watched the barrier around the Terminal flicker from her perch on the windowsill. Almost as if on cue her servant returned to her soundlessly, appearing on the fire escape a few steps away from her. With a sigh, she resigned herself to what was to come next.

         ❝Can we talk?❞ Green eyes shifted from the horizon in the distance to his masked features. ❝Not just about this but also– Other…things.❞ A breeze rolled by just then, causing loose blond hairs to skew her dire expression. She had no idea where to go from here. 

He’d been giving her some space. She’d been avoiding him and, really, he could tell. Maybe it was partly his fault. Maybe he’d  been too eager. Eager for some kind of affection after so long of being apart from his friends, apart from anyone who wasn’t using him as some kind of pawn. Well, while he was letting them use him as a pawn so he could maneuver himself into the right position to strike. He knew the game well and he could tell there was something wrong...and it concerned him. Space was necessary and, really, the bare minimum in speaking. Something he wasn’t really fond of considering their current status.

Feelings shouldn’t have complicated this...but they did somehow. Maybe he should have told her not to worry about it. Maybe he should have told her that he’d keep his distance. What was he even doing here? He wasn’t even...human anymore.

That thought made him sick to his stomach. Of course he was human. Human at heart and nothing more. There was nothing wrong with not being human, of course. After the announcement, Jason had returned to the apartment, form flickering into existence outside the fire escape before he swung himself inside and landed without a sound upon the floor. Without a sound, despite his somewhat heavy form, muscular and weighed down with years of anger and guilt. Weighed down with a small arsenal of weaponry and body armor.

“Oh, sure. I was just coming to--” Not about the announcement? His brow furrowed a bit. Ah, she was beating him to the punch, it seemed. Gloved hands rose slowly to either side of his helmet, thumbs brushing across a couple of buttons and causing a soft hiss to rise from the headgear. Sliding it off, he revealed disheveled black locks and blue eyes shifted to look at her.

         THIS WAS NOT supposed to happen. Not now and possibly never, yet it was. She believed that she was acting on her own desire alone but his hands had found her waist and her name was on his lips. Despite knowing the implications of his actions she still doubted that he wanted this, that he wanted her, in whatever form she was willing to give in this instant. There was a single brief terrifying moment when he was rigid against her and then he leaned in and whatever chill she felt before was chased away.

         Her heart pounded in her chest and they were so close she was sure he could hear the sound of each fervent beat. Babydoll did not want to pull away but the more rational part of her mind won out and the kiss came to an abrupt stop. Pale cheeks were flushed but despite her internal conflict, she made no attempt to distance herself from her servant more than she already had. ❝I-I shouldn’t have done that.❞ Contrary to her words her hand remained on his cheek though her gaze was trained downward.

         Finally, she became aware of her position and fingertips retreated from his skin. Green eyes returned to his own but there was a tinge of fear there. Where did they go from here? ❝It’s not fair to you.❞ She was injured and maybe she had gotten carried away. The last thing that she wanted was for her partner to feel obligated to return her advances to avoid conflict, or worse, out of pity. Perhaps she was too doubtful for her own good but for someone who had burned as much as she had been the past one grew used to the flames.

He would’ve never expected this to happen. Not with her and, really,  not with anyone  while he was in this city. Given that he was a ‘Servant’, he didn’t suspect that anyone would want to get involved like...this. It wasn’t as though he was going to complain about it. Her lips were so soft and he hadn’t noticed just how kissable they were before. Mostly because he didn’t really look at someone that way when he was first meeting them. Least of all someone he was supposed to be ‘working for’.

When their lips parted, he let out a quiet sigh, eyes flickering to her own and...seeing the conflict in her eyes. Should he have really done that? Should he have let it happen? Especially while she was in her current state. Brow furrowed slightly as he looked down at her quizzically. “Uh...why? I mean...” He hummed lightly, scratching his cheek gently and sighing as he stood up straight once more when she’d released him.

People change when they come back from the dead. Trust me.

          THERE WAS A stillness in the air, a sudden calm that followed the violence. While she was no longer a helpless little girl even a young warrior needed to feel safe, taken care of. Although she never allowed herself those luxuries somehow she had found herself in the arms of another for whatever reason. What this was she could not definitively say but it was something whether she chose to deny it or not.

         At the mention of his anger she nodded. She had meant to question him about it but between her injuries and nearly losing her own grip that line of inquiry fell away. Then she felt his grip tighten and she responded in her own way resting her uninjured hand upon the fingers that curled around her. ❝You were protecting me. I can’t be mad at you for that.❞ Yet she can sense the pain in his voice, a scar from a past that was unknown to her. ❝Don’t feel guilty, okay? I’ll live and that’s thanks to you.❞ Her voice was soft but not as faint as it once was prior. 

         At his chuckle her smile widened. She had hoped that the little piece of information would cut through the heavy mood. ❝I don’t remember where I learned it but– Healing, it’s a nice thought, isn it?❞ Then she fell silent, but only for a moment ❝It does feel never-ending sometimes…❞ Though physically injured it was quite clear that she was referring to different wounds entirely. Bodies broke and mended but there were other things, more important things, that never seemed to return to the way they once were.

         When the blonde caught sight of her apartment she felt a small bout of energy but no longer did she try to leap from his arms. She had grown quite comfortable and when he eventually sat her down she shivered at the sudden absence of warmth. It was odd, how being so close to someone could actually be a source of comfort rather than unease for once. When he approached again there was a part of her that wanted to latch on to him as if she could no longer do without those fleeting moments of tenderness. ❝Stay.❞ She whispered in response as she slowly rose to her knees upon the bed sheets while a pale hand found his cheek.

        ❝Please…❞ A hushed plead as she loomed closer until her lips nearly grazed his own but then she hesitated. Her next decision could ruin everything but the need to know drove her forward and slowly they met in the middle. Suddenly she felt lightheaded again but this time it was for different reasons entirely. 

“Stay.”

The words echoed within his mind for a moment. The quiet plea coming soon after. Her fingers upon his cheek made his breath hitch in his throat, bright blue eyes widening in surprise. Though his brow furrowed, her touch a welcome feeling as his head tilted to lean into her fingers. A quiet sigh rose from his lips, breath finding her lips as they were brought close to his own. Another surprising but welcome touch. A warmth found him and his hands moved to her sides and he stared down at her through half-lidded eyes.

“Babydoll...” His words were quiet, damn near inaudible. She seemed hesitant and he certainly didn’t want to do it if she didn’t want it. Was she delirious? Too tired and in too much pain to know what she was doing. Was this a good idea? Should they be doing something like this. For a split second after her lips pressed to his own, he froze..and then leaned himself forward to press his lips against her own in return. Jason’s eyes fluttered shut, savoring the kiss as it came to him.

As their lips  parted, he was in a dazed state for a moment. He definitely wanted to do that again. His eyes lingered upon her lips, committing their taste, their softness, their touch to his memory. The next  words that  came out  of his mouth were likely some of the most articulate he could  think of at that moment.

SPIKES!!

So not only will these guns SHOOT you and riddle you with bullets, they can also ELECTRIFY you on contact, AND they can also STAB you. 

        THE TOUGH ACT was not exactly serving her best interests. Babydoll was not used to being in such a position. Helplessness did not suit her but the injury would not allow her stubborn nature to carry her through. Not only was her body not having it but it would seem her servant had quite enough of the display but still she did not waver. Although her hand never left his own in spite of her defiance. The warmth was almost like a tether, it keep her conscious. 

         ❝What are you–❞ As he released her hand she then felt his arms beneath her as he lifted her from the ground as if she weighed next to nothing.  ❝You don’t have to do this.❞ In mid-motion to move out of his grasp she winced and swore under her breath. The movement had aggravated her burns and walking would be sure to do even more damage. In her aggravation she grew silent but nonetheless she settled against his chest. Embarrassment soon took hold of her, not only had she gotten herself injured but so much so that she needed to be carried all the way to her home. 

         ❝I’m sorry.❞ She mumbled into the night.  ❝I should of kept my guard up more…❞ The master shifted slightly in his arms her face now buried in his jacket. Slowly she felt herself begin to slip away but then his voice grounded her. At first she could not properly process what had been said but then her face turned upward to steal a glance at his masked features. 

         Through the light pollution above them she could make out a few stars and after she counted them once she found the words to say.  ❝Jason.❞ She repeated the name back to him with a certain fondness. A weak smile played across her lips followed by a hoarse chuckle.  ❝You know what it means, right?❞ Absently her fingertips trace over the emblem on his chest. ❝Jason, it’s greek…❞ For some reason she recalled this bit of knowledge from where she had no idea. It was as if she had read it many many years ago in another life. ❝It means, to heal.❞ 

He had a feeling she might try to fight him on him picking her up. He expected it to be more of a fight, though. Then again, she was injured, so it was only natural that she not be able to put up much of a fight. At her words, he gave a shrug of his shoulders. “It’s no big deal, trust me. You’re really light and I’m pretty sure I’d be able to handle it no problem even if I didn’t have ridiculous strength now.” He said softly, looking down at her and smiling lightly.

It felt oddly nice, having her nestled into him like that. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Should he be feeling those kinds of...things? Especially for her? There was conflict brewing within him and his head shifted to watch the path ahead. He didn’t want to trample a cat on accident or something, after all. His arms held her a bit closer, maybe a bit unintentionally.

“Don’t apologize. I...should’ve been paying more attention. I was too into what I was doing. I let the anger take over a little too much. Especially...especially at the end there.” He said softly. His fingers squeezed her a bit as thoughts of that crowbar came to mind. His head turned away from her, not wanting to look at her at that moment. Of course the Grail had given him a weapon like that and given him the title of Berserker. “I guess we were both at fault. But...it’s literally my duty to keep you safe. So... I’m sorry.”

The silence that followed was interrupted when she said the meaning of his name again. He shook his head and gave a chuckle. “That so? Guess you learn something new every day. Grail didn’t put that into my head.” He tilted his head, giving a shrug of his shoulders. “Guess it makes sense. I’ve spent a good chunk of my life trying to do just that... Heal, I mean.” He gave a sigh, quickly changing the subject as he saw the apartment complex  come into view.

“Looks like we’re here. And without a hitch.” He said, glancing down at her and taking her up to their apartment. Jason wasn’t concerned about her, especially if she could speak as well as she was. She’d still need to take some time to heal and he figured that would probably be the problem. Especially if she was anything like him...which she seemed to be pretty similar to him in some ways. He finally came to rest her upon her bed, bringing a hand up to unclip the holds on his helmet, a quiet ‘hiss’ rising from it before he tugged it free.

         THE PAIN WAS abrupt and white hot flames ate away at her shoulder just enough to reach her collar bone. As soon as the blow had landed the master had dropped to her knees. Although the burns made it agonizing she put out the blaze by laying on her side. There was a brief moment of horror when she realized if she did not rise she was sure to be charred to the bone by her new opponent. Shakily Babydoll eased herself into a crouching position but then she heard her name from below.

         And then Berserker appeared on the catwalk, teeming with a certain energy that was not present before. Twin pistols had been discarded for an old crowbar and though the weapon did not look like much it certainly got the job done. Her servant’s eyes glowed with rage and yet she could sense undeniable pain there, not physical. It was something more distant, the past maybe? And it ached to remember, it was a feeling she knew too well and despite the anger the agony lingered in the air. 

         Green eyes watched his next series of motions intently as the violence distracted her from the third-degree burns. His voice had been horse and cruel but the underlying tone was still very much his own. The raw power behind each of his attacks was completely inhuman and this was the first time since they entered this war that she truly realized the extent of the power bestowed upon the many servants in the city. It was incredible, but also frightening to think about just how much damage they were capable of inflicting if they so chose.

         Despite the grisly sight before her Baby could not bring herself too look away and at first she registered the fascination as a coping mechanism for the pain but rather than that she felt an odd sense of affection. This was not because of the carnage she was witnessing but rather what had triggered such a feverish response from her partner. He had genuinely thought that the moments they shared prior could have been her last. While many may have viewed his actions as an overreaction anyone who had ever experience real loss knew that that was not the case. Berserker class he may be but it was hard to discredit true and unbridled grief. Perhaps it was not her and only the notion of someone else dying on his watch that willed him forward. Either way, that was more than enough for the master. 

        Unfortunately, that was when she began to feel the effects of the injuries she had suffered. The stinging sensation made it difficult to focus and her vision began to blur slightly. As she struggled to stay conscious Red Hood had moved onto the other master but before he could finish the job he appeared by her side. When he spoke he sounded leagues away and in order to ground herself she reached out for him. A pale hand found his own and clumsily closed around it. ❝I-I’m okay…❞ Her voice was weak though and her complexion only seemed to grow paler. ❝–I might…pass out though.❞ A direct contradiction to her prior words of reassurance but she did not want to be any more of a burden than she already was being.

        Slowly she attempted to right herself using the railings of the catwalk to keep her steady. Every movement felt like torture but she clenched her teeth and hissed through every sharp pang. At the rate she was moving at they were not going to get anywhere very quickly.       

She was okay? He doubted that. His lips tightened into a neutral, worried line behind his mask. He was glad that he had it on, otherwise she’d be able to see just how concerned he really was. She clearly hadn’t seen the wound. It wasn’t life threatening..but it definitely wasn’t great. Jason sighed, glancing back at the two corpses he’d created. He didn’t feel any remorse for their deaths. They were after the same things they were and they’d been fighting the same as they were. They knew the risks of this. And they’d hurt Babydoll, the one who everyone would call his ‘Master’.

He blinked a bit when she moved to stand  up on her own, fingers closing around her own when she grabbed onto his hand, giving it a soft squeeze. He  heavily sighed and shook his head. “Y’know, the words ‘I’m okay’ shouldn’t be immediately followed by ‘I might pass out’.” He muttered in a slightly frustrated tone, bringing his free hand  up to brush over the brow of his mask.

When she started to right herself and saw just how much she  was struggling, he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, no. We’re not stumbling our way back home.” He said, though his tone had more of a joking tone about it. He moved forward, tucking one hand behind  her knees while the other wrapped around her back, lifting her up bridal style as he glanced down at her. “Your chariot awaits, I guess.”

And thus, he began to walk. The early morning hours causing the darkness of night to yield and give way to the sun as it started to rise. They’d been out for quite some time and it was probably around five in the morning. He walked carefully but  not necessarily slowly, he didn’t want it to be a rough ride for her and didn’t want to irritate the wounds more than they already were.

          ALTHOUGH IT WAS not vocalized she was relieved at the lack of questioning when it came to her actions. Not that he would have been one to talk based on how he handed his own group of aggressors. Judgment was withheld on both ends and there was a certain fondness she felt in regards to his temperament towards her. Not once had he displayed any doubt in her skill or decisions in battle. Opposition had been something she had been expecting though she wished that was not the case. 

          Blood had streaked her clothing and forearms but besides the gruesome sight, no damage had been inflected on the master. It was unspoken but they both knew his question was more so about her state of mind rather than her physical wellbeing. With a nod and a soft, ❝Yeah.❞ she answered his brief words of concern. The sudden respite did not last long though as their attackers began to fire at them from their new vantage point. As the onslaught, continued her servant stepped into the line of fire and asked for her assistance in the process. ❝I’ve got you.❞ The affirmation is whispered as he is close enough now to hear the hushed tone. On the ground floor, Babydoll disarmed a man who attempted to charge at her servant. With the tail end of her sword, she struck him in the stomach which caused him to double over.

         With a few more well-placed bullets two other thugs go down yet the assault from above raged on. ❝I have an idea.❞ Although the words are spoken out loud she is too far away for Red Hood to hear. Suddenly she surged forward and as she gained speed pools of blue light formed around her footsteps. Just before she reached her partner the blonde’s feet leave the ground and in a flip forward small hands find his shoulders but only for a split second. ❝Thanks for the boost.❞ And as she is flung upward by the momentum while a small smile formed on her lips. With concentrated grace, she avoided the bullets flying through the air until she landed safely on the catwalk once more.  

         Although perhaps they both had gotten too confident in their battle prowess which was made clear by the appearance of another master/servant pair. The servant stood across from her now, a fire-wielder with her hands lit aflame, and the blaze was soon aimed at her. Clearly, they were unaffiliated with the rest of the men because the catwalk soon cleared as soon they had caught sight of the more threatening opponent. A heap of burning metal was then cast towards the smaller master and though her katana was raised to counter the attack the flames grazed her shoulder scorching through her clothes to the flesh and bone underneath. 

They worked in tandem. Every time one was about to take a hit, the other stepped in to block it or strike down the one who may have dealt the blow. It was only natural that they be comfortable with curling around one another in order to lash out or fire around their partner. Every twist, every movement like a lethal dance to their opponents. With Jason’s attention focused upward, he hadn’t expected a pair of hands, her hands, to find his shoulders.

The inconsequential weight that came as a result of her pull upward caused him to blink, head tilting upward to follow her closely. “Careful!” He called out after her, more a formality at this point. He didn’t  think anything  would happen to her. His attention returned to the ground, firing quickly and wildly. Jason wouldn’t normally be cool with being used as a springboard...but he would make an exception for her. Not that she’d hurt him or anything. He’d been sturdily built even before being beefed up by the Holy Grail.

When one looked at Jason, they wouldn’t take him for a Berserker. Maybe an Assassin or an Archer class Servant because of the guns. He didn’t fight like a Berserker normally might. It was a strange thing to behold, really. But he’d had no reason to get angry. Not before he saw that flash of fire in the corner of his eyes. The world seemed to move in slow motion as he saw his master get engulfed in flames. “Babydoll!” His heart jumped into his chest, throat tightened and the eyes of his mask seemed to flash white...and then burn red.

In one swift movement, he launched himself into the air, guns disappearing from his grasp. By the time he landed, he wielded nothing more than a bloodstained crowbar. Just holding the thing brought back those familiar pains. He felt like those bruises were reforming all over his body just from holding it and his anger exploded in a burst of mana around him.

“Y̹o͖̟͓̯̲̘ṷ̼͔̞̘̫̙ ̨̝̺ͅs̳̤̪̹̳̻͉͜h̖͉̜̩͕̕o̷͖̫̻͍͕̬̥u͏l̥̥̼̻̼d҉̱͉̤̹͍͍̱n̶̤̥͉͍̘̠̝'̨̖̱̣͉̩̲̙ṭ͓ ̳̤̀h̡̙͙͕̺̬̬̖á̺̟̞̫͓̞̼v̧̯͈͕e͜ ̖̻̲ͅdọ̷̯̻̱ͅn̠̖̖e̯̻͎̱ ̶t̟̻̭͓͡h҉̰͇͓̗̻at͍͈͞.͍̫́”

His voice was almost uncharacteristic of his usual self. His body moved more fluidly and with less direction. Anger and a lust for sating it consumed him. He could feel the Mana pulsing through his body, bulging out muscles and fueling his anger. He was a red flash as he spun forward, body like a small twister for a mere few seconds before he utilized that momentum to smash the crowbar right across the Servant’s mouth. Teeth flew and her neck twisted violently as the crowbar found purchase.

He hated this weapon more than anything. He didn’t want to use it. But it was giving him the strength that he needed. The servant stumbled backward and likely would have retaliated or gone on the defensive had he let her. The crowbar smashed into her with a wet smack. Again and again and again. Each blow fueled by his rage. Each blow increasing the amount of anger he felt. It felt good to let it out. Once the Servant was finished, gleaming white eyes fell upon the Master who was no cowering in the corner.

“̺I’l̵̘͍̼̻̥̠l̫̳̹ ̭͈͓͚̞b͍̼̻e̶̙̹̙̘̲t̝̞̼̟ ̤͙̞y͎̭͚͟ͅo̳͕̮̫̳ų̖̻̻ ̸̝͈̭͈w̗̺̤a̹̗͈͝ͅn̪̰̟ͅt҉͇̗̪̠͚͈̗ ̧͙͔̳̹̤̪̱ạ̲͍̩̟͇͝ ̰̥̺̫͢t̥̬̠̝̫á̳̺s̲͠t͕̙͇͎̩e̝͟,̘͇͘ ̧͕̱t̻̳̖͈̬ͅo̼͜o͚̞̦͕̮.”͕̦̠͍

Down came the crowbar, smacking across the man’s temple and knocking him out. He didn’t want to stop. His arm raised for another blow, to sate that hunger that was quickly becoming addicting. He wanted nothing more than to smash his opponents to pieces until they were unrecognizable. But then he thought of the reason he was angry in the first place. That anger...that rage was still there. But he forced it onto the back burner, the crowbar dissipating from his grasp in a flash of red light before he bolted over to where Babydoll was.

He didn’t give a damn about the well-being of the Servant/Master combo. They could go to hell for all he cared. He just needed to make sure she was okay. He came to a halt, going down to one knee next to her.

      AS SHE EXPECTEDhe replied with an air of confidence and a nonchalance that chased away any notion of danger. The blonde shook her head but she made no attempt to argue with her servant. They had been partners for a few weeks now and she knew just how reckless Berserker could be, but she had assumed as much. While she did not know much about the Grail War it was obvious that the class of a servant was true to their character and not just their chosen weaponry. 

          Now in position, the signal came in the form of gunfire. Babydoll was on her feet immediately and soon her own bullets entered the mix. Two shots were fired at the window shattering the glass and the master launched herself through the opening onto the catwalk hanging above the ground floor of the warehouse. Three assailants were already on her as she made her presence known but she was swifter than the larger men. One charged at her and with a sweeping kick he was thrown from the ledge. He hit the concrete below with a morbid thud but Baby had already set her sights on her next targets. 

“Let’s dance, sweetheart.” One of the fragment holder’s hissed at her. 

        He was met with silence and not long after that a bullet wound to the shoulder and leg. Killing was not in her nature unless it was for the sake of survival. Instead, she incapacitated her enemies but that was not to say that she did not have blood on her hands, which she did. In the process of reaching for the fallen fragment, the sword-wielder was grabbed from behind. With all her strength she managed to get her arms loose and once they were free she threw him over the railing but before he tipped over the edge he grabbed her ankle, taking her with him. 

         ❝Berserker, incoming!❞ The word of warning was to alert her servant not only of her incoming presence but also to cease fire in her direction. The last thing she needed was to be pierced by a stray bullet. As they fell Baby managed to gain the upper hand and when they reached the first level he was below her with a katana straight through the chest. During the struggle, she had recognized her attacker. He was an unsavory individual the kind that hurt women in a way that only a man could. People like that did not deserve to live. 

          As she rose to her feet she removed her bloodied blade from his chest. Yet something came over her and his death was not enough, a small childish part of her compelled her to do more. And so she spat on the corpse underneath her before leaving it to rot for good. 

His shots were aimed with precision. Red Hood wasn’t necessarily as kind as his counterpart. He was aiming for vitals or about as close as they could get without being lethal. Even his guns seemed to pack more of a punch than they had previously. He was sure that was another perk of the Holy Grail...if it could be called a perk. Even if he wasn’t aiming for vitals, he couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t blow a giant hole through somebody in the process. It was like dual-wielding a pair of shotguns only with a much longer range.

His eyes occasionally flicked up to Babydoll, making sure she was alright before he saw her get grabbed. Jason was about to aim his gun upward before he saw them both tumble, wincing when she fell, her sword finding the man’s chest. Well...he probably could’ve prevented that from happening. The glob of saliva that fell upon the man’s limp form adding insult to injury. The bastard probably deserved it so he wasn’t about to berate her for it.

He probably would’ve done the same.

“You alright?” It was a quick question, one that showed his concern and that could be given a quick answer amidst the combat. His arm twisted, smashing his pistol into the face of a man who was coming at him with a baseball bat. Not the smartest decision. Blood sprayed from his very broken nose in the process and he was flung back a few feet from the strength of the strike. And he’d been holding back.

Now that she was on the ground, he took note of the men on the catwalk, guns pointed up at them. “Cover me.” He didn’t feel as though he had to say much in order for her to understand. In actuality, he didn’t feel as though he had to say anything for her to pick up on it. There was a strange sort of connection he felt with her...and they’d only known each other for a few weeks. The muzzles of his guns flashed brightly, pointed upward toward the catwalk, each flash proving to find purchase in one of the men’s chests or shoulders. They wouldn’t be in the fight anymore, regardless.