Falling Behind Enemy Lines - Prologue

Running down endless halls, fear stained onto his face. Any moment could be his end. Tatsumi knew that very fact the very moment he joined with Night Raid. The stains of blood on his hands would forever remain - that was certain. His reasons were simple back then but now things got too complicated that simply thinking about them would cause him a headache. Tatsumi didn't stop until salvation was near; and that salvation came in the form of a door. A smile crossed his lips as he reached both arms forward and pushing with all his might they opened as he fell down to the floor.

"You guys need to help me!" He screamed.

People in the room stared, others watched on as others sighed and turned a blind eye. Tatsumi even could hear laughter or two but one man in the room sighed as he kneeled down to Tatsumi's height.

"What did the boss do to you again?" The man tried not to chuckle.

With a annoyed glance, "B-Body P-pillow." Tatsumi shook in his spot, mortified. Tatsumi could see Wave was mortified about even thinking about the idea.

"That's rough buddy." Wave could only sympathise with Tatsumi as the woman they very spoke about appeared right in front of their eyes. "B-Boss."

Her cold eyes cross the room quickly, scanning for a certain someone. Her cold piercing that could resemble the very devil soon turned to eyes filled with love and glee when her certain someone was found. "There you are Tatsumi." the woman picked the mortified boy off his feet. "You sure left early this morning."

Still shaking, "Can you blame me?" He muttered quietly. Looking ahead of him he could see her team bowing down and greeting her good morning. Tatsumi watched on as she made her way to the table, making sure she spoke to each of her members before gathering them all to breakfast.

"The authority this woman has is really something else." Tatsumi wondered before being invited to eat with the Jaegers.

Taking his seat he could see Wave a few seats down from him winking and teasing him as he glanced at Kurome, glaring at him as she continued to eat her sweet snacks. He glare sent a shiver down his spine as he eat what Bols had prepared for all of them.

It had been over a month since he had been taken in by Esdeath once again. Attempts to take her down always ended in Esdeath favour but Tatsumi was quickly taken back by his team with careful planning, and due to the fact Mine wanted her man back. It was then agreed on that Tatsumi would become their spy and leak any information back to them due to Esdeath undying love and trust in him. Even with a month had passed the brunette still felt like that new student in the classroom where everything was so new and confusing.

Tatsumi didn't know how many more lies he had to stand by as he sent letters to his team in the dense forest outside the capital. Every time he would put ink to paper he would be looking over his shoulder constantly. He would write one for his team and afterwards a personal letter to Mine, which was a huge risk on its own but he couldn't handle seeing Mine all worried and paranoid if he didn't let her know he was just fine. Tatsumi would always end his letter in a last minute plea to get him out but the letters would always reply for him to stay as the information he was giving back made slashing the capital's men a much easier job.

"Over the past month the army's men have been dropping due to Night's Raid involvement." Run read over the morning's report. "Some are suggesting there might be a mole within our ranks."

Tatsumi swallowed hard as he tried to enjoy the last meal he would ever eat nervously.

"Impossible. The castle's walls are impregnable!" Seryu spoke as she slammed her hands onto the table. Seryu glanced over to her leader and saw she was not bothered by the news at all. "Boss?"

Wiping her mouth clean she glanced back to her team, "Night Raid sends spies all the time. Most of them die by my hands or by others. Some just aren't good enough and there for, little escape. I will speak to the minster about this and see what he has to say." Esdeath then returned to her meal.

Tatsumi drank his water and took a sigh of relief before returning to his meal. He was so glad he wasn't going to die any time soon.

"Have there been any reports of the Night Raid's numbers?" Esdeath brought in a new topic.

Flicking through his notes, "They have been gaining numbers but they have been losing quite a few over the last month due to their attack on own army."

The idea of hearing one of his friends dead without him knowing sent shivers down his spine. His heart started to panic in the uncertainty that Mine could of been many of the hundreds dead.

"Anyone from Night Raid directly?"

"No. The main group escaped with no injuries."

His heart relaxed as a sense of glee crossed his face. He could breath easily once again.

"Something the matter Tatsumi?" Esdeath's voice caught him off guard.

Nervous, Tatsumi swallowed hard on his meal as he waved his spoon in the air, "Ah, no. It's just talking about people dying while having breakfast isn't exactly...easy to digest." He chuckled nervously.

Esdeath was quiet for a moment, giving Tatsumi the idea that he had been caught and could already imagine his public execution. Soon Esdeath's lips began to move. "Fair enough. I shall discuss our plans about Night Raid once breakfast is finished."

Obeying and agreeing with their boss's words any talk of Night Raid or about the numbers of dead people subsided as different topics were talked about. As conversations happened all around him Tatsumi's mind couldn't help but wonder back to his friends. He could only worry how hard the battles must be against the capital with one less man on-board with them. One more sword can always help the battle - even turn the tides when things started to turn grim.

Breakfast came to an end as Bols and the other members of Jaegers followed suit. Tatsumi continued to sit down and do very little due to Esdeath's insisting (and also because of her intimidating presence as well). He remembered how hard he tried to convince himself he could make Esdeath turn another leaf and join Night Raid. He could only imagine the sheer power they would have if ever such a event would happen. But every time his words would ever mention Night Raid, the air would suddenly turn ice cold and her cold evil glanced would go straight through him. It was going to be a straight no, no matter how many times he would try.

Soon he just came to the point where he accepted that once day he would have to turn his blade against her.

As he pondered about his friends he had left behind he felt his head getting heavy as the minutes went by. The brunette placed his hand onto his forehead and felt how warm it was. Feeling the lack of energy he had Tatsumi knew he had to rest. But the problems was trying to leave without Esdeath tagging behind him. Leaning on the chair's arm for support Tatsumi soon made his way up to his feet and took a few quiet and slow steps towards the door.

But his idea to escape quietly was quickly shattered when he felt his body suddenly shut down as he fell towards the floor. Making a huge thud sound as soon his body hit the floor.

"Ah...shit." He muttered as he felt Esdeath cold fingertips pick him up into her arms. She quickly placed her hands onto his forehead and noticed he was getting quite the fever.

"Tatsumi you...have a fever."

Avoiding Esdeath's gaze, "Thanks for noticing."

Tatsumi could feel his whole body be easily picked up by the Jaeger's leader. It was to no surprised as the first time he was captured by her she was only carrying him over one shoulder. Esdeath was so much stronger than her slim figured portrayed. With the aid of her men the door was easily opened as Esdeath walked to their quarters as she tried to gather less attention as possible.

Tatsumi didn't have a single clue what could make a bloody mad woman show such compassion and kindness to him - a man of her enemy and of her beliefs. Did he somehow showed a side of him that just made her want him more or was it just simple love at first sight? He didn't have the answers for them right now as he felt dizzy and his face heating up even more now.

Still in her arms Tatsumi watched at how calm she looked from the outside. If he knew Esdeath well enough he knew she was panicking deep in the inside. He could feel how tightly she was holding him as nurses that came by aided her to open the door before being told to leave harshly. As Esdeath locked the doors behind them she carefully placed Tatsumi onto the bed they shared as she rushed from one point of the room to another. It was up to this point where the young male solider simply closed his eyes and took in the dear sleep he rarely had ever since landing captive by Esdeath and the Capital.

"You WHAT." Tatsumi's voice could be heard in every room of Night Raid's base. "OH HELL NO. Once is enough!" Tatsumi slammed his hands onto Najenda's desk. "I'm not going through that torment again!"

Chuckling as she kept her arms crossed, "But think about it Tatsumi, you'll be spying on the Jaegers 24/7. You'll be helping us by getting precious information that we need to we want this revolution to actually happen."

"But can't it be in another way? Why let me live and be captured by Esdeath again?" Tatsumi kept on complaining. "Do you have any idea how crazy she is?"

"Funny enough you say that Tatsumi." Night Raid's leader lit up another cigarette. "I believe your the only one that makes Esdeath sane."

Tatsumi twitched his eyes, annoyed at his boss. "I can't believe this."

"Think of this way, you not fighting will keep Mine's mind at ease."

Mine's name caused him to relax a little. "She...worries about me that much?"

Najenda placed her cigerette down for a brief moment. "I can tell just by the way she looks at you every time we go out on missions."

Tatsumi looked away for a brief moment before returning his gaze back at the boss. "But then I'll be worrying back. What if she gets hurt? I'll never forgive myself?"

The silver hair woman smiled at the concern the two love birds had for each other. "Mine is strong. If she needs to run she will. Believe me."

Looking back up, Tatsumi sighed.

"If it will keep Mine's mind at ease, then I'll do it."

His eyes opened wide only to be greeted by Esdeath flustered face. Smiling towards him he felt her cold hands against his cheeks, brushing him softly with her fingertips. He had no idea why she was smiling towards him and was afraid to know why. Esdeath slowly pressed her body against him as he gently ran her fingers through his thick brown hair. Tatsumi froze in his spot as Esdeath huge cleavage was showing too much for him to find comfortable.

"Es-Esdeath please...your shirt." Tatsumi closed his eyes.

Pulling apart Esdeath continued to run her fingers through his hair. "I'm so glad your awake now. I was so worried."

Still no moving. "It was just a simple fever. It wasn't like I was going to die-." Tatsumi's words were put on hold when Esdeath lips met his unexpectedly - again. And Tatsumi's face heated up once again and it wasn't due to his fever.

Esdeath's lips finally left his as she continued to look down at the man she was so deeply in love with. Her long icy blue strands of hair fell past her shoulders and her white button top shirt was showing Esdeath's cleavage in another angle. Tatsumi face continued to glow red as he looked deep into the icy cold eyes of Esdeath's. They weren't driven by blood like they always would, instead they were reflecting pure concern and it was all because of him.

She pressed her body lightly on top of him. "Don't ever say those words again. I can't bare to lose you Tatsumi."

Regret was reflected in Tatsumi's bright green eyes. "Why...why do you like me so much?"

The woman was silent at first as she lifted herself off of Tatsumi, "That I'm not sure of. Maybe's I'll find out along the way." Esdeath began to button up her white long sleeve top. "What matters is my feelings for you are real as day and night." She turned to the ill man lying on her bed. "And I know that one day Tatsumi, you'll see yours through as well. I'll keep on waiting just for you."

Turning to one side Tatsumi covered his flustered face up tossing a blanket over himself, refusing to look back at the woman. This only caused Esdeath to chuckle as she walked back to her man and sat back down. He ran her hands down his shoulders.

"You are simply adorable Tatsumi." Smiling, "And I also promise that you sleep much more better at night." The Ice Queen teased as she walked off, returning back into uniform.

It only took a few minutes before the doors closed as Tatsumi soon revealed himself from under the covers. Taking a huge sigh of relief the young man and lied on his back. His eyes covered in regret. He hated himself for one day he would be repaying Esdeath's love for him by killing him with his own sword, Incursio. It didn't sit well with him, yet she would not be the first person he had slain. He reached for the sheets once more and covered himself as he curled up into a ball.

"You don't deserve someone like me Esdeath."