Disclaimer: Nothing of this it's mine, just my imagination. The Characters belows to their owners

Happy Birthday Mals (I know it's soon but I just want to post it now for you) . Enjoy this so much. I love you!

Pursuing or Protecting

It was a beautiful night in nature. Thousands of stars shined a sky cloaked with infinite darkness as the moon reflected in the crystal clear lakes. But in a city, everything had lost this beautify. The stars were hidden under the human caused pollution, the moon, a source of light, could hardly illuminate the dark alleys where people feared they would be attacked. But she didn't need the light to feel safe; she had her fighter's instinct to assist her in noticing the dangers that lurked in the shadows.

"She'd faced strong fighters in her life; gangs of drug dealers and even assassins sent to kill her by the organization Shadowloo. With her being an Interpol agent, it was normal, but the most dangerous of all that happened to her so far was the attachment that one of those criminals developed toward her. A selfish and bloodthirsty man had become obsessed with her and, for some illogical reason, there were times when his hiding presence did not bother her. Normally she thought he was there to spy on her research but it felt as if he liked having his green eyes fixed on each of her movements. He carried no trace of hostility that a murderer should have.

She remembered the last time their paths crossed. They bestowed various bumps and bruises upon each other in the fight, showing no mercy in their battle. It was strange that now he made such effort to follow and didn't bother hiding completely from her. He didn't care that she knew he was there. Since she arrived in the city, following a tip that a Shadowloo factory was there, the nights were routine. She sought information from the most despised and dangerous streets while that masked man followed her from the darkness, moving from rooftop to rooftop as a predator would observe the habits of its prey.

When she first felt a presence following her, she'd swung around and he hid as if he'd never been watching her. Then another time, he stood on a ledge to show he was there, watching her quietly while his untamable hair wafted in the wind. It was that attitude that caused her to gradually relax with the knowledge she had him at her back. However, that didn't keep her from asking herself what Vega was actually doing. Was he following orders or just doing it for his own reasons? The question would never receive a resolution, because he was the only one that could answer and he would never respond to her.

Vega jumped over the gap between the two buildings effortless and stepped closer to the dusty ledge of the roof. He turned to the right, in her direction so that he wouldn't' lose her in that dimly lit street. He frowned, eyebrows furrowed, and he let out a frustrated groan when the shadows hid her silhouette from sight. He knew she was more than capable of fighting but she was still much too careless despite her abilities. Some of her moves even left him wounded and that happened in every encounter they had. He stiffened and raised his chin in the air. Of course, those results would have been different if he didn't feel that strange weakness for her. His murderous instincts weren't directed at her. They were reserved for those who dared to touch her delicate body and squander the blood of the person who had conquered him. That was something he could not tolerate in any way.

He crept over the roofs, keeping his gaze focused on the street where she had been engulfed in the shadows, until he saw the slender figure of his precious Chun Li emerge from the darkness and continue on her way, illuminated by the dim lights of the damaged lanterns on the street.

He knew where she was going and why she was there but he didn't know if she realized how dangerous her situation was with all the traps that lingered around her. No matter how astute she was, the disadvantages in a battle could be fatal and he didn't want anything to happen to her, even though the traps were set up by the organization he worked in. His duty was to stop her but he couldn't make himself sink his claws into her.

Vega stopped, looked over the ledge and was surprised to see her chocolate eyes resting on him. Doubt was painted over every feature on her face, a new reaction in her. During these days that he followed her, she had mostly ignored his presence, never looking directly at him.

She blinked and sighed heavily as he crouched down and waited for her to move. She'd stopped when she heard his steps had become heavier, a sigh his body was tense. She wanted to see his expression but obviously couldn't see through the mask that covered his expression.

She opened her lips slightly, wondering whether to ask him what was happening to him; what he was doing. She was near the factor that took her many days to find and closed her lips. It was useless to worry about someone who was unlikely to watch her again after all was over. He was a murderer from the very organization she would one day destroy.

Vega watched how she looked down, breaking eye contact as she closed her fleshy lips and, with it, any potential attempt to communicate with him. The action frustrated him because she easily pushed back her desire to communicate with him. The gesture produced a temptation to go down to her and force her to look back at him. But it was too risky to go to her and he would not tempt her to attack him with one of her kicks.

He turned his gaze away from her as if that moment of weakness they shared, had not existed. He started after her and growled as an unbidden thought came to his head. Could it be that Chun Li also had an obsession that bordered the limits of madness for the sake of another person? It would not be unusual because she was a good person by nature, but he was different. After his tragic childhood, he became a bloodthirsty beast that only wanted to sink his claws into flesh. To feel a soft spot for someone was incomprehensible. But for that person walking towards certain death, he did without hesitation. Someday, he hoped to show it openly: if just to see if she felt the same way. She had awakened something in him that he had lost a long time and had no intention of forgetting again.

Chun Li glanced at the rooftops to check if Vega was following her again before she realized what she was doing. She mentally kicked herself for worrying and for the walking feelings that were distracting her from her mission. Feelings that she'd never imagined could become a reality for that person following her. The situation was totally unrealistic.

The distance between the lights from the lamps grew, leaving more parts of the road in the dark. It was difficult to see, but her instincts led her in the path she had memorized days ago. After a few minutes of silence, footsteps, and clothes flapping in the wind, she arrived to the outskirts of the city and to building made old, dark bricks. This was the factory that she was looking for.

She slinked to a dark corner and looked for a sentry but light was so low that she couldn't spot anything in the area. Anyone could be hiding within the shadows. She looked up and didn't see Vega anywhere, not so much as a silhouette. Her body tensed and her brain went on alert. She focused her vision on the light at the entrance and listened for movement. There was nothing. No sounds of machines, no voices, no footsteps, and not even the wild animals she knew were present in the area. She knew it was a risk but she had to get inside. She snuck along the wall, stopping every few feet to listen for someone, before making her way to the door.

She raised her hand to the handle but before she could touch it, a shadow appeared behind her and seized her arms. She jerked her body around and hit her attacker with her strong legs. His body flew backward and hit the ground with a rough thump. She slammed her foot down upon his ribs so that he wouldn't be getting back to his feet.

She heard laughter and looked at the front door. A dozen stout men, armed to the teeth had been waiting for her to make a wrong move. Was it Vega that told them or was he merely watching one of his dearest hobbies from above, knowing nothing about the men waiting for her? It didn't matter; she had no time to think. The men rushed towards her in bloodlust. She dodged each of their blows with her agile movements. Then she knocked one man out when she saw he was open, with a hard kick. She cursed to herself as they continued to attack her. The darkness was not an ally in this battle she thought as one of them managed to scrape her cheek with a metal chain, leaving large cut.

She staggered back and her attacker raise the chain once more to give her another lash. Chun Li, seeing his intentions, used her arms as a defense and waited for the metal to crash into her. But nothing came in contact with her. Her eyes widened as she saw sharp claws cross the man's belly, blood seeping from the wounds. The claws unpinning fast and re-nailed into the rest of the men who had attacked her. She was stunned. Vega had come to her aid?

When calm returned to the old factory, he approached to her like a proud animal that took his first kill. He took his thumb and wiped her bloodied cheek, causing her to squint in pain. When he was satisfied with getting it off her skin, he licked his thumb. A charming smile crossed his lips when he saw her confused face.

"Nobody touches my Li-Chun," said with a deep and possessive voice.

Before she could reply, he took her face in his hands, leaving her voice paralyze and her mind scrambling for what was going on. Her eyes widened when his face came closer to hers. His fine blonde hair tickled her neck, but as his lips touched hers, making her heart pound so hard she thought it would tear from her chest. . The feelings she had surfaced again with more force, asking her to claim his mouth without caring about who he was right now.

He felt her moved her lips, indicating that he could continue if he wanted, but unfortunately it was not the right time for that. It had been an impulse that he could resist. For just a moment, he dared to continue the little lip movement she made before he broke contact and the proximity of their bodies completely. She blinked with surprise and her breathing was just as rapid as his. Vega smiled at her again, this one less faked and forced.

"Good night sweet girl." He left without letting her respond to his farewell, and melted into the darkness of the roof.

After she watched his figure disappear she relaxed her shoulders and let a smile cross her face. The questions that haunted her mind had been answered. Since he had seen her in that city, he had been following her to protect her, because he shared the same naive and impossible feelings that she had.

END