#3:35

The katana arched through the air, striking true. 

Their throat was sliced clean open, blood spurted out as the man crumpled to the floor. Karina had already moved on.  

You had to clasp both palms over your mouth to stop yourself from letting out a scream and giving yourself away from your hiding spot. The pain of your cheeks being crushed into your teeth was the only thing grounding you. The action was stopping you from breathing. You wanted to take in large breaths of air, anything to alleviate the crushing weight in your chest, but you feared if you even tried to inhale, they’d find you. 

Perhaps you should have moved, bolted out from the bar when you had the chance. However, you’d lost all control over your legs, completely useless sprawled underneath you while you stayed covered beside the entrance to the bar. Even crawling away to hide behind the bar proved to be difficult in your state, you were trembling far too much. 

The sound of glass shattering brought you out of your thoughts. Instinctively, your hands wrapped around your head as a whimper escaped your lips. Tears streamed freely down your face as you began to question every decision that led to this moment, how could you have been so naive?

You must look so stupid. 

The two of you couldn’t be more opposed. While you were a blubbering, incoherent mess, Karina seemed far removed from the fight she was winning. 

Every slow step she took was one taken with confidence. Her wide steps and straight posture emanated strength as she swung her blade around with unbelievable ease. Every attack was a point to her name, and none of her moves were wasted. Watching her fight was akin to watching the climax of a performance, it was difficult to look away. She didn’t even blink when droplets of blood landed on her face.

Instead, she turned around and drove her blade clean through someone's stomach before dragging it out. This time, you couldn’t stop the scream that left you. 

Karina’s gaze moved to you, slow and steady. Her eyes were half-lidded, completely vacant. Emotionless. 

When an attacker changed trajectory and made a move towards you, Karina was quick to stop them. You hadn’t even seen how it happened, couldn’t make any sense of it. One moment they were both standing. The next, the assailant was lying on their back at your feet, their blank stare looking up at you while she wrenched her sword out of their chest. Warm blood splattered across your face and your sobs returned. 

Karina observed you. As if to catch your reaction to the show she was performing, made just for you. 

Pressing her thumb and forefinger to the blade, she wiped the blood and let it splatter to the floor. She moved forward, her steps just as slow as when she was fighting before bringing a knee down in front of you.

From where you were crouched, it seemed as if she absorbed what little light there was in this bar. She cast a shadow as she clicked her tongue. That caught your attention, you looked up at her only to find her surveilling the room around her. 

With a roll of her eyes, she looked back at you. 

There was a glint in her eyes, the first real display of emotion from her during this night. 

“Now say it,” she said. “Do you still love me?” 

any feedback is much appreciated.

a/n: ngl this reads like an old indian movie plot, but who cares. also we deserve some cowardly and pathetic reader representation !! hkjashfka anygays hope you have a good day/night <3