#saintsrow

Kyouki stared at herself—hair disheveled, mascara smudged, dried blood staining her sleeve. A version of herself she didn’t recognize anymore. A version she hated.

“Undress?” Renji suggested, wiggling his brows. “We’ll do the rest.”

Kyouki threw him a glare. “Renji. Not now.”

Silver approached quietly, holding out a steaming towelette. “We are not undressing you,” he said calmly. “We are preparing you.”

Ren nudged Renji’s leg with his foot. “Idiot.”

Renji lifted his hands. “Fine, fine—battle prep, not flirting. Unless she asks.”

A breath escaped her. Barely a laugh. But enough to make the room exhale with her. “I just need control back,” she whispered.

Ren stepped close—not touching, just close enough she could feel the warmth. “You lost control because you loved him,” he whispered. “That is not weakness.”

Her jaw trembled.

Silver brushed a stray curl behind her ear—gentle, reverent, grounding. Not possessive. “Cолнышко,” he murmured, “you moved through a battlefield shaking. And not one bullet touched you.”

“Except the ones you put in everyone else,” Renji added with a crooked smirk.

Kyouki’s breath hitched—half a laugh, half a gasp. Then her face crumpled. “I just need to control,” she said again, more desperate. “When I lost Aisha, I wasn’t this bad. I loved her just as much. I just…” Her voice cracked. Tears pooled, hot and sudden. “What if I was only holding it together for Johnny?”

One requirement Troy had sought was driving skills. The Saints still went to race, he would know he spied. Now, with Schlemmer at the helm, he had several cars bought in that had been seized from the illegal racers, past payments or however the car was acquired. And they needed fixing. 

So for two days and nights the recruits picked their ride, repairs and tuned them with little to no breaks between.

Along with Lt Schlemmer’s previous onslaught, bodies adjusted to sleep deprivation. Though one day, to their surprise, finally giving them a break, if you want to call it that.

It was well known that the Saints did most of the racing circuit, though the recruits didn’t know that, and the best way would be to track around the academy. 

After the allotted time, James Schlemmer sets up a new gauntlet of sorts where the four persons he has chosen compete against each other. 

“Fastest time keeps the car.” His word to them.

“Fuck is this about anyway, Sir?” One recruit chimed. 

Schlemmer smirked. ‘ That’s the one .’ “Nothing for you to worry about, maggot. Now drive.”

The four doing as told started their engines in the mock race.

When Troy filled Schlemmer with the required skill sets, Schlemmer picked the two young women and two young men who could fill that role. Once their lil lap race was over, their next task was to learn carjacking and obstacle course driving. 

That one outspoken young man, done, fed up with what they were putting him through, and he didn’t hold his tongue. “Lt. Seriously, are you trying to kill us! Cause that bullshit right there yo-“

“What’s your name, boy?”

“Huh?”

“Your. Name. Maggot.”

“Mikey…” 

The deadpan look Schlemmer gave caused the kid to roll his eyes. Taking a deep breath.

“Mann, Michael Mann. Sir.”

Kyouki snorted, shook her head. “If you had wanted to marry me, you should have kept your dick in your pants. I have no reason to associate with the likes of you, business or personal.” With that, she brushes past the stunned Ultor figure. 

“No.” Dane growled. He reached for her, tugging her arm and into his chest. He held her in place, a hand on her throat. “You will marry me. You will tell your uncle you have considered when you leave.” Dane squeezed her neck for emphasis on how not joking he was.

Kyouki struggled against him, trying to push him away. “L-let… Me… G-go…” breathing hard through her nose. 

Dane then smiled, this was how he wanted her, how he had her in the proverbial palm of his hand. Whimpering, writhing, he pulled her close and kissed her. When he broke the kiss he whispered against her lips. “I will never let you go.” Opening his eyes Kyouki was locking eyes with him. A soft smile on her full lips caused Dane to slacken, and just as suddenly a fist met his face before he had time to process what happened to him. Stumbling back a few feet hitting the long table behind him. 

Kyouki came closer glaring at the man, towering over him as he braced himself, sheer intimidation encapsulated her. Grabbing his chin roughly pulling his face close to hers. ”If you ever, ever , put your hands on me again, like that. You will lose the hand and much, much more. Hm?” Kyouki stood, leaving Dane for good this time.