HUNTED

"Where did you even get this from?" Ajax\' gaze roamed her body lazily, and appreciation flickered across his eyes as he \'looked\' for a spot where her knives came from.

The hand holding her knife absentmindedly started spinning it, showcasing some skills she never knew Ajax had. This little action was what snapped her out of her stupidity. She never acted like a schoolgirl crushing on a guy, and it wasn\'t about to start now. 

Chiara raised her hands and pulled down her sleeves, showing seven knives strapped to her forearms. Four on one side and three on the other. The eighth Ajax was playing with now. His eyes widened, and he glanced back at the seriousness etched on her features.

"Dam, girl, you have some serious trust issues if you\'re carrying eight weapons on you," He joked, but his smile faltered after he saw her closing off from him.

"Well, I did have a crazy sis who scarred me for life," Chiara snapped. Ajax blinked back from the venom behind her words, and he looked at her scarred neck before raising his gaze once more. He didn\'t question the crescent-shaped scar around her eye, but he never thought she was fazed about such things. 

His eyes then explored the rest of her features once more, taking in everything about her. From the determination always set behind her stunningly deep blue eyes to the sharp cheekbones and short raven hair that accentuated her long neck. He was in awe with everything about her, she wasn\'t just beautiful on the surface but the inside too, if not a little crazy, when it came to violence. But he was a little crazy too. And like a moth to a flame, he didn\'t mind if he would get burnt pursuing Chiara.

"Did you want to talk about it?" He asked gently and placed the knife in the slot on her forearm, letting his fingers linger a moment longer than necessary on her smooth skin. She pulled back abruptly as though she had been zapped or burnt. Ajax glanced back at her and saw the conflicting emotions behind her eyes. 

But Chiara shook her head as she once again became expressionless and forced a laugh. "No, Ajax, I don\'t want to talk about it," She snapped again before turning away from him and continued walking with her muscles stiff. Ajax\' watched her for a while as his forehead creased in concern. He caught up to her and decided she needed company, not as a jester or a therapist, but a friend.

"Then, if you want, I can help you get out of this maze," He tried to lighten the mood once more. 

Chiara glanced at him with a scowl forming on her features as her lips pouted before huffing, "I don\'t need your help." 

Ajax had to hold back a smile as he watched her stubbornly go into another direction of the maze, on purpose to get away from him. But this didn\'t deter him, and he followed after her, his hands back in his pockets.

"You don\'t need to follow me," She muttered in annoyance.

Ajax chuckled, "You said you didn\'t need any help.. but sadly, I do.. My nose isn\'t \'as great as a werewolf\'s!\'" He boasted and raised his hands out to his imaginary audience once more. Chiara spun on the spot and looked at him in both annoyance and amusement. The corner of her lips curled up as her eyes started to dance. 

Ajax couldn\'t help but always find an excuse to put a smile on someone\'s face or let them find amusement in what he did. He didn\'t care if he looked a fool, as long as they were happy. Chiara made him want to do that even more. 

She was beautiful, brave and strong, but from the short time he had known her and tried to get to know her, he realised she was too uptight, and that was something he wanted to help her with. With those thoughts swirling inside, he bowed to her extravagantly and raised his head up, "My lady.. if you could be so kind as to help a dear old shapeshifter out, I\'d be much obliged to you."

He straightened up and brought his elbow out for her to hold. His smile never left his face as he stared down at her neutral expression. But something must have worked because her eyes crinkled slightly, and her lips curled ever so slightly, as though she was holding back a smile. Chiara wrapped her hand around his bicep and shook her head, "You\'re ridiculous, you know that?"

"I\'m sorry, ma\'am, it\'s not my fault I\'m but a peasant shifter to a werewolf," He smiled down at her. His comment made her burst into a giggle and look away, masking her mouth with her free hand as she fake coughed to cover up he humoured her.

The pair began walking, and Ajax whistled a tune to the otherwise silent night. They were both deep in thought after the minutes ticked by, but neither felt uncomfortable. Ajax had glanced at the Gamma a few times, making sure there was no sadness lingering behind her eyes. She hid her emotions well, but Ajax was very good at reading people and situations.

"Ajax.."

"Hmm?" He finished whistling and looked at her lazily.

"Why do you do that?" She asked; her eyes were now looking at him intently. His jaw ticked slightly as though she had hit a nerve.

"Do what, my lady?" Ajax replied and halted their stroll so they could look at each other.

"You know… act .. well so dramatically? Like everything is a joke to you?" The Gamma asked, not holding back her thoughts. 

Ajax smiled and searched the area with his gaze. "Do you not like my jokes? Is that it?" He whispered, "If you don\'t.. just don\'t go shouting about it.. I have a reputation to uphold and-" 

Chiara smacked his chest, "You\'re doing it again. I\'m trying to have a real conversation with you.." She shook her head and scoffed, removing her hand away from him, letting a distance form between them. But Ajax caught both of her hands and faced her; all jest was gone from his features.