Vali stood in front of a pharmacy, gazing inside through the building’s glass door. He could see the front desk had nobody behind it, but he knew when the door chime rang, someone would come out from the door behind the desk. And he knew who that someone would be. That was why he was hesitating right now. His fingers were clasped around the knob so hard they hurt, yet he did not dare open it. The cold weather that threatened to freeze him on the spot was less of a problem than what he was going to face inside, at least from his point of view. Deep inside, he knew he was being unreasonable. However, just knowing that fact was no help for his turbulent heart.

“Deep breaths, Val. Keep it steady.” Vali spoke to himself, trying to reassure himself. He looked behind himself one last time, gazing at the setting sun that was disappearing behind the buildings. If he waited a little while longer, he would not have to see that person, as his shift was going to be over soon. But that would also mean Vali wouldn’t be getting what he wanted since the person working the next shift wouldn’t give him the medicine he wanted without the proper prescriptions.

Thinking it wouldn’t get any easier no matter how long he waited, he forced himself to walk in. The door chimed, now Vali couldn’t step back. A guy’s voice came from the door behind the counter, whoever spoke had a kind and calming tone to his voice. “Give me a second, I will be there.” True to the speaker’s words, it was a mere moment before the door agape. The person that walked out had a kind smile on his face, the kind that would lower one’s defenses. The smile got even warmer upon seeing Vali, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes that was hard to miss. “Hello Val, it’s been a while. How have you been? Any better?”

Vali uttered no word as he walked up to the desk, and stared at the man as he sat down in a chair. He was quite handsome; one didn’t have to swing that way to see that. Even gazing at him would warm one’s soul in this cold weather, like looking at a shining beacon in the dark.

“It’s the usual, Doc.” Vali’s annoyance was palpable, even more evident thanks to his tone as he spoke. The man behind the desk either missed it, which was unlikely, or didn’t care about it as he kept speaking.

“I was making some tea, say, want me to pour you one? It’s a nice weather to enjoy a cup with a friend, isn’t it?” His gaze turned outside, watching the wind move the trees outside. Considering how cold the weather was, his visitor must be freezing, he thought. But by diverting his gaze, he failed to catch the annoyed look that flashed through Vali’s face. Oblivious, he turned back to Vali and took his silence for a yes. Before disappearing behind the door which he had come from, he spoke once again. “There is a spare stool behind the desk, you must be tired.”

Vali paid didn’t pay any attention to what he said, his mind was elsewhere. ‘Friend’, huh? It had been a while since he had heard those words being said to him in an earnest fashion. Nevertheless, it didn’t make him happy. He was the last person Vali wanted to hear that word from.

Vali smelled the tea before seeing it, the aroma getting more intense with each footstep he heard. The man came back with two steaming cups and put one of them in front of Vali who wasn’t paying any attention. “I don’t have the time, Doc. Just give me the same things as last time.” He didn’t bother with any pleasantries. The longer I stay, the higher the chance I do something I will regret.

Oblivious to his thoughts, the man insisted. “Don’t be like that, Val. Just stay until you warm up, it’s really cold outside.” He indicated the cup with his hand, a relaxed smile on his face. He knew what Vali was here for but he made no move to get it, instead opting to sit down. “In the meanwhile, we can have a little chat.”

Vali was more than rather annoyed at this point, and it showed on his face. “I don’t want to talk. I just want to get what I came here for and go home.” One hand went to his jacket to retrieve the wallet that was in an inner pocket. “Here’s the money-”

“No.” The man shook his head and got up from where he stood at a slow pace. It seemed as if he was afraid of scaring Vali away, but it was quite the opposite.

Unable to comprehend the simple word a dumbstruck expression started to emerge on Vali’s face. He didn’t get the chance to retort as the man started talking again.

“This has gone on for long enough, Vali. I don’t need to be a genius to figure out the medicine hasn’t helped you in any way.” A sad expression on his face, he gazed at Vali’s eyes, not daring to look away.

Out of nowhere, Vali’s fist struck the table, causing the tea to spill. Thankfully, there was nothing on the wooden table to get soiled. “Keep your fucking opinions and give me the meds in their place.” At this point, he couldn't conceal the anger behind his words. He felt his mind start to cloud over; the man’s face was getting more punchable by the second.

The man looked determined; he showed no signs of backing down. He raised his hands to chest level, palms facing Vali in a gesture to show he meant no harm. His gaze flickered to where Vali’s fist had landed. The wood was dented and splintered where it had struck. “I understand you have some medical knowledge, but I consulted with people that have more than ‘some’ knowledge, Vali. This is detrimental to your health in the long run, the side effects are sure to make your condition worse.” Not a second after he finished speaking, he saw Vali move.

The man’s breath got stuck in his throat when he felt Vali’s hand grasp the collar of his shirt. He was pulled over the desk, his feet losing touch with the floor. He stood there like a deer caught in headlights, not daring to move a muscle. Now that the two men were a few inches apart and not separated by the desk, the height and build difference between Vali and him was apparent enough to make him feel oppressed; Vali stood almost two heads taller than the guy and there was a considerable build difference.

When they were separated by the desk, it felt to him that there was a wall between them. It had made him feel a bit safe. Not because it would be an obstacle if Vali decided to fight, no. It was a mental one, people that were separated even by the smallest obstacle often felt less inclined to go ballistic, at least in his experience. It helped that the subject they were talking about wasn’t that serious; he was just offering an alternate way to what Vali was already doing. The man had thought Vali would be calm enough to have an earnest and harmless talk for a few minutes. He was wrong, as the current position of Vali’s hand proved.

Vali shouted at the man, causing his eardrums to ring a bit. “I don’t want your excuses, Doc! Stop pestering me and just give me what I want, I will pay, and be on my way. I just want to go home and rest.”

The man tried to de-escalate the situation before it got worse, the shake in his voice was now audible. “I don’t want to harm you, Val, that’s why I’m trying my best. You have to talk to me if you want my help, otherwise-”

His words were cut off when the world around him suddenly turned fuzzy, causing him to stumble back and land on his ass. Eyes unfocused, he tried to piece together what happened, yet his thoughts were interrupted by Vali’s shout before he could. “I didn’t ask for your goddamn help!” Vali started to walk around the desk to get to the man on the ground. Meanwhile, the man was trying to get up, but his feet felt like jelly. “I’ve had it up to here with your bullshit. How obvious can I make that I want your nose out of my life?” After a few excruciating long seconds, Vali reached where the man was, grabbed him, and lifted him without any effort. Meanwhile, the man could do nothing but watch, his eyes as wide as saucers. “Stop acting like we are friends. If Jonas wasn’t-”

“What then, Val?” Startled, Vali’s head turned to the source of the sound and saw two people standing in front of the door. He had missed the door chime. Vali didn’t know the woman, but seeing the source of the voice, his best friend Jonas, standing there with the saddest look he had ever seen, he couldn’t care less about who she was. His chest felt tight, he opened his mouth to try to say something, but before he managed to blurt out any words, the woman dropped what she was holding. In his dazed state he barely noticed the red blur rushing towards him, and the next thing he knew, he was lying face down on the floor.

His face was practically glued to the cold ceramic floor, and one of his arms was bent in a painful way. Since where he was lying now was behind the desk, he could see nothing from his position. He tried to get up, but the moment he tried to move a sharp pain jolted through his arm. Someone’s holding me down? At long last, he grasped what was happening and yelled at the person holding him down. “Get the fuck off my back!” He tried to struggle but gave up when the pain got unbearable.

“Nice to meet you too, you damn gorilla.” The woman on his back replied. She sounded calm to Vali, but the other two men who saw the look on her face knew she was anything but calm right now. “You ok, Denny?” She asked while her attention was on the man who was called ‘Doc’ by Vali.

Denny was a bit unsteady on his feet, so he had opted to sit on the stool he had told Vali about. “I’m okay, really.” He tried to sound calm and collected but it was obvious that he was shaken. “He didn’t punch hard. He wasn’t trying to hurt me.” After the words left his mouth, he realized something. Wait. Did they even see me getting punched?

“He what?” the woman holding Vali down asked. It felt like the room’s temperature had dropped a few degrees instantly.

Indeed, when the two had walked in the only thing they had seen was Vali pulling Denny by the collar. It looked like Vali was about to start a fight. Now they realized though, the fight had already started before they got here.

“Five damn minutes, Val. You couldn’t keep your cool for that long? I know you have a few screws loose, but it’s Denny! How did this even happen?” Jonas asked, but without waiting for an answer he continued. “No, don’t answer that. I don’t even want to know” He walked towards where Vali was and crouched next to him. He didn’t talk to him, though, the person he wanted to talk to was the person holding Vali down. “Sorry about this Alex. I told you he had problems but… Even I didn’t expect this. Can you let him go so I can have a private talk with him?”

“I’m calmer now Jon. Just tell the bitch to get off my back, I promise I won’t do anything.” His words didn’t align with his tone.

Jonas sighed; it was getting stressful. “Pinky?”

After a silent second, Vali spoke. “Yeah, yeah… Pinky promise, just let me go before I break the twig on my back.” The pain Vali expected from his bent arm never came, but the pressure didn’t lessen. He was still being held.

“After he apologizes, sure. It’s the least he can do after what he did.” Alex answered, but Jonas could see from her expression that she didn’t want to just let him go so easily after what he did. Chances were if he wasn’t here a bigger fight than necessary would have already broken out the instant she walked in.

“I have done nothing to apologize for! I just want to get out of this shit hole and go home! Get off me before I lose my patience.” Jonas flinched when Vali talked. He hadn’t expected an answer like that.

Denny cut in, now looking less pale. He had regained his composure, even if a little. “It’s okay Alex, I deserved it, just let him go so we can talk it out.”

“I told you I don’t want to ‘talk it out’ with you! Fuck off already!” Vali shouted. Jonas knew if he did nothing things would keep escalating.

“I don’t need to know what went down before you went apeshit, I know Denny well enough to know he couldn’t have done anything bad to you. He wouldn’t even try it.” Alex spoke, not a single hint of letting him go before he did what she told.

Jonas talked, haste in his voice. “Alex, it’s really hard to think clearly when you are being held against your own will, let him go so he can think straight. Vali, you too, please consider this some more.” It felt like he could hear the last ticks of a time bomb before it was about to explode, Jonas felt a cold shiver run down his back when Vali shouted again.

“I have nothing to consider. Let. Me. Go!” The only person who could see Vali’s expression right now was John, but before he even had the chance to talk, Alex spoke.

“Listen you-” As she started talking, she started applying force to Vali’s arm and pushed his head firmer against the ground. Seeing the movement, Jonas jumped up and grabbed Denny by the arm. Without hesitation, he dragged him to the back room and slammed the door. Right before the door closed, the two head Vali.

“Enough of your fucking power trip!” Vali used his free hand like a spring, not to get up but to jump back with all his power. Alex hadn’t expected the movement, causing her to slam to the door with a dull thud. The shingles creaked, and Alex felt the weak wooden door almost give to the force. Yet, she didn’t let go of Vali, knowing very well she couldn’t overpower the giant of a man in a brawl. In a flash, her hands clasped around Vali’s neck in a headlock, she had seen it as a good chance to incapacitate him again.

Despite all the rustle, Vali still wasn’t on his legs. The headlock had disoriented him, causing him to stumble backward once more before he could completely get up. He didn’t take the headlock seriously; he knew his power and a girl wasn’t strong enough to hold him down. At least, that’s what he thought until he tried to pry her hands apart. He couldn’t move them an inch, it felt like the arms were an iron chain wrapped around his neck.

Getting desperate, he threw himself back once again, this time smashing Alex to the wall. He knew the hit wasn’t enough, his strength had already started to drain away and he could feel it. She was still not letting go, and his vision blurred little by little. Because of the bad angle, his fists couldn’t reach her properly, so, to get her off his back he tried to come up with a solution in his oxygen-deprived head.

That’s when he realized the woman was hanging off of his back; her feet were off the ground because of the height difference. She was leveraging her weight to choke him, and it was working quite well. Until Vali noticed what was happening, that is. He gathered all his remaining strength, reached back, and gripped Alex’s shoulders; he didn’t want her escaping now.

With a burst of speed, Vali windmilled his whole body forwards, swinging the much smaller person behind him like a rag. Alex’s eyes widened, her sight changed from Vali’s back to the wall, and then the ceiling. Before being smashed against the desk, she spun in the air, managing to land on her feet just in the nick of time. Even though she managed to align herself, the power of the throw-like move was nothing to joke about. Accompanied with a loud boom her feet smashed the desk, causing her to stumble forward and fall.

Vali fell to the floor and started wheezing, at long last his lungs were filled with air. His limbs felt like wet noodles, getting up was quite hard but he managed after a second that felt like an eternity.

I was almost done for… He thought before raising his body to see the result of the little maneuver. He expected to see Alex sprawled on the ground or the desk, but instead what greeted him when he raised his head wasn’t his victory, but a knee hitting him straight in the jaw. Stumbling back, he once more found himself on the ground. His head was spinning, messing with his attempts of getting up. His adversary wasn’t waiting for him to get up, though.

That could’ve ended up really bad for me. While thinking to herself, Alex never stopped throwing blows. I have to make him pass out for sure this time. Vali barely reacted to the kicks and punches coming his way by raising his hands but it wasn’t enough to protect him from the assault. Not wanting to stay down and get beaten forever, he went after a kick coming towards his head and grabbed Alex’s foot by the ankle. He quickly stood up while she was trying to free her limb, earning a few bruises on his arms. He was confident in his victory if he managed to get up, but he didn’t expect her to be able to still kick with her other leg even in this position. The kick was sharp and landed precisely on Vali’s head with a thwack, but this time he didn’t go down. He screamed in anger and charged Alex, shoulder bashing and throwing her to the shelves of medicine on the wall, causing them to get thrown around loudly.

Her hands found purchase on the said shelves, giving her a chance to get up before Vali managed to reach her. They were now face to face just as Vali wanted. They both knew he had the advantage here, but she had no intention of backing off.

Both charged at each other with no regard for their safety and started a slugfest. Thanks to the numerous hits Vali had taken to the head it was easy for Alex to dodge most of his fists but she still got hit hard a few times. Every strike felt like a hammer, she wouldn’t have been able to last if the start wasn’t favorable to her, but in the end, she was the one standing after the bout that lasted only a moment. Vali stumbled backward after a particularly good hit landed on his head, the continuous impacts taking their toll. His hands searched for support, and he managed to stop himself from falling by holding onto the table.

At this point, Alex had no intention of letting him recover. Taking advantage of the opening she jumped, grabbed his head, and slammed it against the corner of the table as hard as she could. It was in essence an improvised curb stomp. Vali went down like an empty sack after hitting the desk, causing Alex to take a deep breath. It was over. She took a few steps back and relaxed against the wall. What the hell was that? She stood there, not daring to move a muscle as she stared at the form of Vali who was on the ground.

Before she could decide what to do, she saw blood dripping from Vali’s head. Shit, was that too hard? She panicked, even though they had fought she didn’t want it to come to this. She had wanted one thing and one thing only, an apology, not permanent brain damage. The fight had broken out entirely because of Vali. “Hey, are you alright?” She asked as she took a step forward, but before she could reprimand herself for the stupid question Vali jumped up to his feet like a man possessed. His hands grasped the edges of the desk so hard it creaked. Alex froze when she was the frenzied look on his face.

Vali bellowed, and the next thing Alex saw was a desk flying towards her. Her muscles screamed in agony as she threw herself to the ground to avoid the deadly projectile, and barely succeeded. With the edge of her vision, she caught the object as it went through the window of the pharmacy and skidded outside. Nobody was walking in front of the store, thankfully.

As the sole thing that was keeping the cold air out was now gone, the temperature inside dropped in an instant, cold wind rushing in. Alex felt a shiver run down her spine, but she wasn’t certain if it was caused by the chill or what had just happened.

Jumping back to her feet, she saw Vali on the ground once more, but she had no intention of leaving him be now. She moved as fast as she could and subdued Vali again, not giving him a chance to fight again if he regained his consciousness. “Guys! Come here already!” She screamed, ignoring the pain in her lungs. Heavy breathing and cold air didn’t go well together.

The door opened, and the two men walked out, as meek as a mouse. They had heard the rumbling and had expected the place to look bad, but then they saw the scenery which exceeded their expectations.

For one, the desk was now outside and it had taken the glass wall of the pharmacy as the ideal way to exit the building. The shelves were in a disarray and the two fighters looked like they fought to their deaths.

“Why? Just why? It was supposed to be a good day…” Jonas spoke, his voice colder than the air. His eyes were empty, his hands were shaking and he breathed with a broken rhythm.

When Denny saw the situation, he gasped and rushed next to Alex and Vali’s side. “What happened to his head? It looks deep, I will patch it up in a second.” He was about to go back to search for the things he would need when he jerked back. “Are you alright Alex? I don’t see any visible wounds but your breathing is-” He was cut off.

“I’m okay, go get what he needs.” She smiled and shooed him off. When she was about to address Jonas, she saw him. He looked like a mess and looked worse than Vali was even though he didn’t fight at all.

Jonas stuttered as he spoke. “Hey, cany… Can you carry him to this room and leave the two of us alone for a moment?” He cupped his head between his palms and massaged his temples.

“But-” Alex tried to protest, but when she saw the look in his eyes she stopped. “…Okay.”