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Red had never much cared for tea. Pompous Water was a better name for it in her opinion, and she'd never had much reason to question that conclusion. But Tetsuna had been adamant; beyond the health benefits, the young redhead's--now entrenched--bodyguard had taken it upon herself to not only protect her master's body, but also her mind.

"Stress", the stalwart ex-assassin insisted, "kills far more than we ninja could ever hope to."Red couldn't deny the rigours of her life as a crime-fighter, nor could she deny the stress that came from the constant attempts on her life from disgruntled enemies. She had recently broken up a triad operation, and it wasn't the first. She knew retribution would come soon. As did Tetsuna.

So when the lights cut out there were no cries of surprise, just a roll of the redheads eyes and a fine excuse to put down her half-empty cup of tea.

The soft click of boots somewhere in the darkness affirmed the threat.

Tetsuna had anticipated, even eagerly awaited, the inevitable attempt on her master's life. And now, though she'd been preparing for bed, she was ready. The ninja had barely broken the perimeter of the compound before the ex-assassin was aware of her presence, and had begun to move to intercept her. And now, with her focus zeroed in on her target, the ninja was at her most vulnerable.

Tetsuna struck with no hesitation, her bare feet carrying her easily across the wooden floor even as the assassin rushed forward to eliminate the tea-drinking redhead. The turnaround was immediate, the predator barely given time to realize she had been the prey all along, and the true predator bearing no particular need to rub it in. She had a job to do, just as the ninja had, and the only difference between them was who was to be eliminated.

The ninja writhed in Tetsuna's grip, the pair of them struggling with grunts and gasps and all the sounds one would expect of such a battle. It was Tetsuna who quickly turned her already sizable advantage into an even larger one, however, as her leg entwined with the ninja's and both fell to the floor with a clatter of the ninja's gear. A fist quickly drove itself into the ninja's throat, a croaking squawk replacing the tight-jawed grunts that had punctuated her attempts to escape the wily predator.

It was the beginning of the end for her. Her breath came in ragged gasps before Tetsuna's hand clasped around the ninja's throat and cut off what little air she could manage to suck through her wounded oesophagus. The ninja's eyes rolled. Her sword-arm trembled with the sudden lack of oxygen to the muscles, and the struggle to keep Tetsuna from simply taking control of it.

Tetsuna was relentless though, and inch by inch the blade moved towards the heaving latex-clad chest of the assassin... until with a short gurgling cry, the assassin's strength gave out as surely as her oxygen was. The blade plunged downwards, easily shearing through the thin leotard and burying itself deep into the assassin's heart. Her eyes widened, her mouth opening beneath her mask as a throaty cry expelled what little air she had left in her lungs. It didn't matter of course, she was dead either way...

Tetsuna lay with her for those final few seconds, eyeing the fading light in the ninja's eyes, and the way her body spasmed gently as though being brought to some final pleasure by an invisible lover's deft fingers.

Then she was gone...

Tetsuna rolled the body away from herself, ignoring the racing beat of her own heart as she sat up to smile towards the moonlight silhouette of her master.

No tea would calm them tonight. With another assassin eliminated, they would find comfort in each other to assuage the adrenaline and thrill of another victory...

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Spur of the moment idea I had featuring Red and Tetsuna <3

Some of you may remember that Tetsuna had once been an assassin sent to eliminate Red, only to be defeated... yet spared, by the crime-fighting redhead. Ever since Tetsuna has acted as a bodyguard and friend, eager to use her skills to protect the woman who had not only spared her life, but saved her from her destiny as a ninja-zako.