A Quiet Morning
For the first time in what felt like weeks, the base was still. No alarms blaring, no urgent missions, no frantic strategizing. Just the soft hum of conversation, the occasional clang of weights in the training room, and the scent of breakfast drifting through the air.
Kai stretched his arms over his head as he entered the common area, where Nami sat on the couch flipping through a book. She glanced up, giving him a small smile. "You actually slept in for once?" she teased.
Kai grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Even speedsters need rest."
Leon was leaning against the counter, sipping a cup of coffee. "You say that like you don't run five laps around the base before breakfast."
Kai shrugged. "Gotta stay in shape. Speaking of, what's the plan for today?"
"No missions. Just a regular day for once," Emjay said as he entered the room, stretching his arms. "Which means everyone gets some downtime."
Crimson smirked. "So we're actually acting like normal people for once?"
"Something like that," Emjay said with a chuckle. "Let's just enjoy it while we can."
Training and Sparring
Despite the relaxed atmosphere, some of the team still wanted to keep sharp. Kazuki and Crimson found themselves in the training room, sparring with wooden swords. The sound of clashing wood echoed in the space as they tested each other's reflexes.
"You're getting slow," Crimson taunted as he dodged Kazuki's strike, barely moving in time to avoid the blade.
Kazuki scoffed, adjusting his stance. "And you still can't aim." He swung again, forcing Crimson to step back, his eyes locked in concentration.
Nearby, Leon was training with his pistols, practicing precision shots on moving targets. Each bullet struck dead center, one after another, creating a rhythmic pattern that impressed even Kai, who watched from the sidelines.
Kai whistled. "Damn, Leon. I'd hate to be on the other end of that."
Leon smirked, reloading smoothly. "That's the idea."
Nami, meanwhile, was practicing her knife work, expertly flipping a blade between her fingers. She moved like a dancer, each movement calculated and precise.
Kai leaned in, whispering, "You know, that's kinda hot."
Nami rolled her eyes but smirked. "Careful, or I might test my aim on you."
A Friendly Competition: Game Time with Powers
After training, the team decided to have some fun. It was rare to have downtime, and they all knew that moments like this wouldn't last forever. Crimson stood up, cracking his knuckles with a mischievous grin.
"Alright, we need a game," he declared, looking around the room. "Something with stakes."
Leon leaned back against the couch, arms crossed. "Oh? And what exactly are the stakes?"
Crimson smirked. "Loser has to do the winner's chores for a whole week."
Kai groaned. "You just made it ten times more competitive."
"Exactly," Crimson said. "So what's the game?"
Leon thought for a moment before suggesting, "How about power tag? One person is 'it' and can use their powers to tag someone else. No holding back."
Kai's grin widened. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."
The game started with Kazuki being the first "it." He cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders as his eyes scanned the room. Then, in an instant, multiple copies of himself appeared, spreading out in every direction.
"Oh, come on!" Kai groaned, immediately bolting to the other side of the room.
Kazuki's clones moved in perfect synchronization, surrounding Kai and forcing him to zigzag at high speed. Crimson laughed as he dodged a clone, throwing himself over a couch. "Damn, Kazuki. Ever heard of playing fair?"
Kazuki smirked. "No such thing."
Nami flipped over a table, her agility keeping her out of reach. Leon was already halfway up a wall, using his quick reflexes to evade the clones. Emjay observed the chaos from the sidelines, amused. "This is the most energy I've seen all day."
Kai was still running at full speed, dodging every attempt Kazuki made. "You're gonna have to be faster than that!"
Kazuki adjusted his approach, suddenly shifting the direction of all his clones at once. Kai turned to avoid one—only to run directly into another.
"Gotcha," Kazuki smirked.
Kai groaned as he rubbed his shoulder. "Alright, fine. Who's next?"
Kai activated his own speed and darted straight for Nami, who barely had time to react before he tapped her on the shoulder. "You're it!"
Nami's eyes narrowed playfully. "Oh, you're gonna regret that."
She leapt onto the nearest ledge and disappeared into the rafters, using her agility to make it almost impossible to reach her. Leon and Crimson exchanged glances before taking off in different directions, using whatever cover they could find.
"We should've made a rule against people who can move like ninjas," Crimson muttered as he barely dodged a swipe from Nami.
"Too late," Leon grinned, climbing higher to avoid being tagged.
Nami finally spotted her chance, dropping down unexpectedly and catching Crimson off guard. "You're it."
Crimson groaned. "You just made your first mistake."
Crimson was relentless. He used his brute strength to knock over obstacles in his path, cutting off escape routes. Kai had to use every ounce of his speed to stay ahead. Kazuki, still watching from the side, chuckled. "This is gonna take a while."
The game lasted for what felt like hours, filled with laughter, near misses, and friendly competition. By the time they finished, everyone was out of breath, but their spirits were high.
Dinner and Teasing
By evening, the team gathered in the dining hall, plates piled high with food, exhaustion from the long day replaced with lighthearted conversation. For once, they weren't strategizing a battle or nursing injuries—they were just enjoying each other's company.
As the conversation flowed, Nami and Kai sat a little closer than usual, exchanging quiet glances. Crimson noticed immediately, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"Ohhh, what's this? A little romance in the air?" he teased loudly, making sure everyone at the table could hear.
Kai coughed, nearly choking on his food. "Shut up."
Leon smirked. "Kai, blushing? Never thought I'd see the day."
Nami rolled her eyes, but a faint pink dusted her cheeks. "You guys are impossible."
Kazuki, surprisingly, chuckled. "You do make it easy."
The table erupted in laughter as Kai groaned, burying his face in his hands.
For once, everything was peaceful. No war. No battles. Just a team enjoying a rare moment of normalcy.
And for now, that was enough.
Late-Night Conversations
As the night stretched on, the team settled into quieter conversations. The sky outside was dark, the hum of night settling over the base. Most of the chaos of the day had passed, leaving only the dim lights of the base's hallways and the soft murmur of voices.
Emjay and Kazuki sat by the balcony, overlooking the distant horizon. The stars were faint, barely visible through the clouds, but there was something peaceful about it.
"It's nice, isn't it?" Emjay said, exhaling. "Just… having a normal day."
Kazuki, who had been leaning on the railing, nodded. "Yeah. Feels rare."
Emjay took a sip from his drink, his gaze distant. "You ever think about what happens when all this is over?"
Kazuki was silent for a moment before answering, "I try not to. Feels too far away."
Emjay sighed. "Yeah. But days like today remind me that maybe, just maybe, there's something more for us after this." He tapped his fingers against his glass. "I wonder what we'd be doing if none of this ever happened."
Kazuki smirked slightly. "You? Probably running a strategy firm. Telling people how to make smart choices."
Emjay chuckled. "And you?"
Kazuki looked up at the sky. "I don't know. Maybe I'd just be a guy who liked shooting targets at a range."
They fell into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. The war had changed them, but neither wanted to admit how much.
Meanwhile, in another part of the base, Nami and Kai sat side by side in the common room, their shoulders barely touching. The room was mostly empty now, just the two of them and the quiet hum of an old radio playing static in the background.
"You know," Nami said, smirking, "for a speedster, you sure take things slow."
Kai grinned. "Hey, when it comes to the right things, I don't mind slowing down."
She rolled her eyes but didn't pull away. "Guess I'll allow it."
Kai stretched his legs out in front of him, staring at the ceiling. "Ever wonder what we'd be doing if we weren't stuck in this mess?"
Nami tilted her head. "You'd probably be some track star. Setting records, annoying people with how fast you are."
Kai chuckled. "And you?"
She hesitated. "I don't know. Maybe something peaceful. A quiet life."
Kai turned to her. "You think you could handle quiet?"
She laughed softly. "Maybe not."
Across the room, Crimson whispered to Leon, "Look at them, trying to be all subtle."
Leon smirked. "Should we say something?"
Crimson leaned back. "Nah. Let 'em have their moment."
And with that, the team enjoyed the rare peace of the night, laughter and quiet conversations filling the air, as the weight of war, just for a little while, faded into the background.