A/N: Here's another one that just popped into my head and just clicked. At first, I wasn't going to complete this until much later but all the pieces just fit together and I am rather pleased with the outcome. I hope you guys enjoy it!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to Tekken.
It was a little depressing walking around any major city these days and Tokyo was no exception. The last tournament left the world in a bit of a mess, still things seemed a little better now. Ling Xiaoyu knew it was a long way from over, though; even with the Mishima Zaibatsu going under along with the G Corporation, Heihachi Mishima and Kazuya Mishima were still out there.
So was Jin. And that was who she was actually worried about.
Xiaoyu wouldn't lie anymore these days about her crush on Jin Kazama; she just knew how badly she wanted to see him. She didn't tell many people but she missed him. What she told absolutely no one was that she was worried and scared for him. After all, for her to have sympathy for a wicked man like him, everyone would think she was crazy. Maybe she was. Maybe she knew it but she didn't care.
She was walking through downtown Tokyo when she felt a strong presence nearby. It was dark in nature but not necessarily evil. But it also felt… wounded. She walked through the streets, following the presence. The last thing she expected was to find Jin stumbling against the walls of an alley.
She wasn't sure but called out to him, "Jin?"
He looked up at her, his eyes went wide. She recognized him instantly, and he her. Jin was alive. He was here. He knew she saw him and he did his best to run down the alley.
"Jin! Wait up!" She chased after him.
She followed him as best she could for nearly an hour. The sun was starting to set and it was getting harder and harder to see him. She followed him to one of the most derelict districts in all of Tokyo, made even worse since all the fighting that Jin, himself, started. Ling couldn't help but feel the irony. It almost made her cry.
After losing his trail for a little while, she eventually caught sight of him going inside of an old run down hotel. She carefully followed after him. She walked inside and stalked around until she came to a room on the first floor where she heard someone breathing heavy. She opened the door and found him leaning against wall, huffing and puffing.
"Jin?" Ling said.
He looked up at her. He had a look of determination… but it seemed weaker.
She'd never known a look like that to be in his eyes before. She looked him over and realized something else about him she'd never seen before: he looked terrible. But, for the moment, she was just relieved she found him. "Jin… you're still alive."
He backed away but he couldn't run. He barely looked like he could stand much longer. He sure couldn't fight.
"Jin, where have you been?" Ling asked.
He didn't answer.
"What is going on? What happened to you?" She took a step toward him.
Jin's eyes became wider as his breathing came out shorter. "Stay away from me, Ling!" he shouted.
She stopped in shock. "Jin!"
"Get away! Leave me alone!"
Ling was starting to have enough of this. She knew how much she had been wanting to see Jin and now he was trying to turn her away? Maybe sometime before, she would've left. But not now. She took a firm stance and declared, "No!" She started getting emotional, "I'm tired of staying away! I'm tired being away from you! And I'm sure not gonna do it now when I know you're falling apart!" She looked him over, "I mean… LOOK AT YOU!"
He looked down at his disheveled clothes, his broken body, and he could even feel how exhausted his spirit was now. He really was no good right now. All he really could do was threaten her or yell at her to leave. If she decided to fight, he wouldn't even be able to throw a decent punch.
She calmed down. "You need help, Jin. You tried to do everything alone and look at what happened. You can't fight like this on your own anymore. You need help." She paused. "I can do that for you." She took a step toward him. "Let me help you."
He stared at her. Despite himself, his mind was actually starting to consider it.
"Just let me."
He shook his head. "No… no, Ling, go away!"
She shook her head. "No. I'm not. I'm not leaving you alone anymore." She slowly walked toward him.
He backed against the wall. "No! Stay away!"
"I'm not leaving, Jin."
"Ling Xiaoyu! I'm telling you to leave me alone! Stay away or I'll kill you!"
"Will you?" She stopped right in front of him. "Then do it. It's the only way you'll be rid of me." She looked him directly in the eye. "Kill me right now."
He looked at her. At just the mention of a violent act such as that, he felt his devil gene surging through him. But he didn't unleash it. He held it in. He subdued it. Either he was too weak to fully use it… or he didn't want to. But he could feel it was more than that. For reasons he couldn't explain, he couldn't bring himself to hurt her. But he couldn't let her get any closer. "Just leave… Ling, go…"
"No." She placed a hand on his cheek. "I'm not leaving."
He closed his eyes and exhaled. Her touch felt comforting. He looked back at her, "I'll kill you."
"No, you won't."
"I'll destroy you."
"I don't care."
He paused. "I'll hurt you."
"I can take it."
Her response left him at a loss. When did she get this strong? "Ling…"
"I can take it."
He stared at her, rolled his eyes, then shook his head. Curse this girl's kind and honest heart. How in the name of sanity did she exist in this type of world? He opened his mouth… but, as much as he wanted to protest, the truth came out instead.
"I'm tired, Xiaoyu." He slid down to the ground and stare off into space. "I am… so… so tired…"
She kneeled down next to him, slowly and gently stroking her hand through his hair. "I know. Let me help you."
He stared at her.
"Please."
He couldn't tell her yes. But he couldn't form his mouth to say no.
She offered her hand to him. "Let me, Jin."
He couldn't speak. So he let his hand do the talking. He took hold of her hand. She helped him to his feet, slung his arm over her, and they exited the hotel. Where they were going and what they were going to do next, they had no idea. But Ling knew she would be at Jin's side this time, come whatever may.
A/N: There you have it! Reviews, please! Thanks in advance!