•Nexus City, 5th Ward•
Valerian
Valerian struggled to hide his laughter. He didn't expect Ana to react that way. No matter how fast she was, there was no way for Ana to dodge the bullet, so Valerian thought it would be logical to take the bullet for him instead since his wounds would heal anyway.
Besides, Ana was crucial to find a cure for the virus so her safety should be the number one priority. She was indispensable, unlike Valerian. Valerian grew up thinking he was just another one of his father's pawns—replaceable. Somehow, seeing someone end up in tears because he was hurt made his heart beat faster.
Valerian fought to shove the peculiar feeling aside and ran his hand through his blood-stained shirt. He could feel Ana's stare bore holes into him. Valerian couldn't resist the urge to continue needling her, his voice laced with playful mockery. A smile tugged at his lips as he looked up and caught her eyes. "You're staring too much again, sunshine."
