Colin expected Nine to give him a flippant, callus yawn. To roll his eyes, or do some exaggerated gesture to signal boredom. Annoyance.
No. Nine was dead serious.
His left hand wasn't in his pocket. He wasn't bouncing a rubber ball against the pavement. He wasn't playing with one of the strings on his hoodie. He wasn't even whistling a tune.
He stood at the other end of the parking lot, staring straight at Colin.
"So, I'm glad I have your attention." Colin blurted, just to clear the air. He wanted to seem tough. He wanted to FEEL COMFORTABLE. It was easier when he talked. "I just wanted to talk to you. Gauge why you hate me. Man, I have NO problem with you."
"Colin, give it back."
Nine's voice had no hint of humor. No music behind it. No bullshit.
"Maybe I don't know what you're talking about." Colin smiled. He was beginning to feel in control. When a bully steals something, and the victim asks for it, it gives them control. Now, he was playing.
"...Colin, I'm not playing with you. I know you took it. I saw you snatch it from my locker. I'm going to stand here and wait. You're not going to take a step outta here until you give it back." Nine turned his head and spat, then wiped his nose.
Colin remembered that gesture. Other Freelancer veterans did it.
It signaled they were ready for a fist fight.
"So, if you saw me take it, why'd you watch?" Colin paced to the side, making a very, VERY slow circle around Nine.
He was breaking Nine's rule purposely. "You won't take a step?" I seem to be walking just fine.
"I'll tell you why you didn't stop me. Because I was with Vance. I was with Maddy. They like me, Johnny Boy."
Nine's teeth bore for an instant.
Don't like me calling you "Johnny Boy?" Get used to it.
"They're my friends. They're YOUR friends. Neutral ground. We should try to get along better too, right?"
"Colin...you're wasting my time." Nine stood there, his arms crossed.
Colin stepped forward. It was a VERY risky gambit.
"We're all in this together, after all. What's that stuff you always say when people interview you?" Colin smiled, and put a hand on Nine's shoulder. "We should all get along!"
Nine shrugged Colin's shoulder off.
"WOAH. Easy."
"Colin, wanna know what I think of you?"
"Nope." Colin smiled. He knew it was pointless. Nine's opinion of him was low. He was only doing this to satisfy himself.
"Tough shit. Colin, you're a prick. A bad egg. You should go back to the military PROPER. You don't belong with the Freelancers. You never have. You want to do things the easy, cheap, violent way. You only ever volunteer for combat ops. You haven't done a single community service operation since you were inducted. Why? Because you don't give a shit about people." Nine watched as Colin walked away from him.
"Whatever you say, Nine. I really enjoyed chatting with you."
Nine took one hard step forward. His foot clopped, as his boot made a thin crack in the pavement.
"Forgetting something?" Nine growled the words through his teeth.
"OH!!!" Colin yanked his stolen goods from his pocket. It was a picture. Colin had crudely folded it.
"Your wife is HOT. I'd never think a prude like her would marry a guy like you." Colin gave Nine a mocking look of commiseration. "No offense, but WOOOOOW, she's hot. You're like...a six."
"...Colin, walk over here and hand that picture to me."
Colin stood there, unfolding it and giving it a long look.
"Colin."
Colin grinned at Nine.
"NOW." Nine's voice almost jarred Colin out of his act. "Enough of your paper thin tough guy high school BULLSHIT. Walk over here and give it to me."
Colin was rattled by that comment. He huffed, and put his teeth on the paper edge of the photo.
Nine watched as Colin tore the small photograph in half.
Nine, without a word, began his approach.
Colin lifted his guard. "Back off, or I'll fuck you up, Nine. Not kidding."
Nine was mere feet from Colin, and still approaching.
"NINE! Stop!"
Vance stepped between the two. "Hold up. Break it up!" Vance turned to Nine with a look somewhere between anger and shame. "What the fuck are you doing?!"
Nine didn't stop. He shoved Vance aside.
There wasn't a single thought in his head. His mind was blank, save for blind rage.
Nine's hand was a blur. Colin brought his guard up, and the blow echoed like a round from an M6. Colin backed up, and Nine swung again, striking Colin's right arm with his fist. Colin blocked each punch, his teeth gritted from pain.
Vance watched for a moment, dusting himself off from the shove. Nine and Colin exchanged blows. Colin took the upper hand, backing Nine up with a front kick. Nine re-engaged, and Colin ducked his sharp, angry punch.
Nine and Colin's feet shuffled. Nine refused to stop pressing. Colin backed up, step by step. There was no escape. Nine would have his revenge for what the young man had done.
Nine swung his elbow, checking Colin's guard. For a few hopeful seconds, he thought he'd win. He countered, swinging his fists in a skilled, although futile attack. Nine sidestepped and blocked each strike with terrifying efficiency, taking not a lick of damage.
Then, Nine was gone. Colin had lifted his guard for a second, and lost sight of his opponent completely.
Colin looked around, terrified. It was the same as last time. He couldn't keep up.
Nine's elbow bit into the back of Colin's head. Colin stumbled forward, his face twisted in pain and anger.
Nine's boot stomped Colin's calf, scratching his skin and tearing his pants leg, driving him to one knee.
Nine brought his boot up and over Colin's head. He was going to stomp Colin's skull.
"I SAID STOP!!!"
Vance swung, and struck Nine in the cheek. Nine stumbled back a few steps, stunned.
"Whatever your FUCKING problem is, you take it up with ME, Nine."
Nine stood there, for a moment, a bit off balance, as the rage subsided.
Nine's fury quickly resurfaced. This time, it was more calculated.
"...How DARE you stand up for him." Nine spat.
Vance looked down at Colin. The boy was shaken, but standing up slowly.
"...John, you're supposed to be the good guy."
Vance's words were plain and accusing.
Nine shook his head silently, and bent down, picking up the torn pieces of the picture Colin stole.
"...What's that?" Vance watched, confused as Nine stormed off.
"Colin, what the fuck happened here? What did you do?!"
"I didn't do shit." Colin grumbled.
Nine, in the distance, punched a wall, before walking through an automatic door.
Vance and Colin were alone.
Vance helped Colin up. "Wait here." Vance followed Nine.
"Wanna tell me what the fuck that was?"
Nine remained quiet, leaning against the wall.
"Want to tell me why the top close quarters expert of the Freelancers was about to stomp somebody to death? Wanna JUSTIFY beating the shit out of someone who can barely keep up with ME?"
Nine remained silent.
"...Oh COME ON, John, at least LIE to me. Say he slashed your tires. Say he spat in your coffee. Say SOMETHING."
"...You'll regret him one day." Nine mumbled the words.
"What?"
"You'll regret every act of kindness. Every day you spent with him as your teammate. He'll take what he needs from you, then he'll change. Take you for all you're worth. Stab you in the back."
"Oh for fuck's sake, Nine. Give the kid a chance. He's not perfect, and he's a hot head, but-"
"He'll fuck your life up. He'll poison you with what he is, and the people around you." Nine hissed. "It's what he is. And when you finally figure it out, I won't say I told you so."
Vance stared at Nine, a bit disgusted.
"Feel free to ask for my help putting him down, but if you're taking his side now, then get the hell out of my face, Vance."
Vance's face didn't change. "...That it?"
"Yup. Fuck off."
"You think you're so smart, Nine." Vance turned and walked away. "Just leave him alone, man. I'll deal with him myself."
"If he fucks with me again, Vance, I'll beat his ass to death."
Vance gave Nine a bitter, yet sympathetic look, then walked away.
No. Nine was dead serious.
His left hand wasn't in his pocket. He wasn't bouncing a rubber ball against the pavement. He wasn't playing with one of the strings on his hoodie. He wasn't even whistling a tune.
He stood at the other end of the parking lot, staring straight at Colin.
"So, I'm glad I have your attention." Colin blurted, just to clear the air. He wanted to seem tough. He wanted to FEEL COMFORTABLE. It was easier when he talked. "I just wanted to talk to you. Gauge why you hate me. Man, I have NO problem with you."
"Colin, give it back."
Nine's voice had no hint of humor. No music behind it. No bullshit.
"Maybe I don't know what you're talking about." Colin smiled. He was beginning to feel in control. When a bully steals something, and the victim asks for it, it gives them control. Now, he was playing.
"...Colin, I'm not playing with you. I know you took it. I saw you snatch it from my locker. I'm going to stand here and wait. You're not going to take a step outta here until you give it back." Nine turned his head and spat, then wiped his nose.
Colin remembered that gesture. Other Freelancer veterans did it.
It signaled they were ready for a fist fight.
"So, if you saw me take it, why'd you watch?" Colin paced to the side, making a very, VERY slow circle around Nine.
He was breaking Nine's rule purposely. "You won't take a step?" I seem to be walking just fine.
"I'll tell you why you didn't stop me. Because I was with Vance. I was with Maddy. They like me, Johnny Boy."
Nine's teeth bore for an instant.
Don't like me calling you "Johnny Boy?" Get used to it.
"They're my friends. They're YOUR friends. Neutral ground. We should try to get along better too, right?"
"Colin...you're wasting my time." Nine stood there, his arms crossed.
Colin stepped forward. It was a VERY risky gambit.
"We're all in this together, after all. What's that stuff you always say when people interview you?" Colin smiled, and put a hand on Nine's shoulder. "We should all get along!"
Nine shrugged Colin's shoulder off.
"WOAH. Easy."
"Colin, wanna know what I think of you?"
"Nope." Colin smiled. He knew it was pointless. Nine's opinion of him was low. He was only doing this to satisfy himself.
"Tough shit. Colin, you're a prick. A bad egg. You should go back to the military PROPER. You don't belong with the Freelancers. You never have. You want to do things the easy, cheap, violent way. You only ever volunteer for combat ops. You haven't done a single community service operation since you were inducted. Why? Because you don't give a shit about people." Nine watched as Colin walked away from him.
"Whatever you say, Nine. I really enjoyed chatting with you."
Nine took one hard step forward. His foot clopped, as his boot made a thin crack in the pavement.
"Forgetting something?" Nine growled the words through his teeth.
"OH!!!" Colin yanked his stolen goods from his pocket. It was a picture. Colin had crudely folded it.
"Your wife is HOT. I'd never think a prude like her would marry a guy like you." Colin gave Nine a mocking look of commiseration. "No offense, but WOOOOOW, she's hot. You're like...a six."
"...Colin, walk over here and hand that picture to me."
Colin stood there, unfolding it and giving it a long look.
"Colin."
Colin grinned at Nine.
"NOW." Nine's voice almost jarred Colin out of his act. "Enough of your paper thin tough guy high school BULLSHIT. Walk over here and give it to me."
Colin was rattled by that comment. He huffed, and put his teeth on the paper edge of the photo.
Nine watched as Colin tore the small photograph in half.
Nine, without a word, began his approach.
Colin lifted his guard. "Back off, or I'll fuck you up, Nine. Not kidding."
Nine was mere feet from Colin, and still approaching.
"NINE! Stop!"
Vance stepped between the two. "Hold up. Break it up!" Vance turned to Nine with a look somewhere between anger and shame. "What the fuck are you doing?!"
Nine didn't stop. He shoved Vance aside.
There wasn't a single thought in his head. His mind was blank, save for blind rage.
Nine's hand was a blur. Colin brought his guard up, and the blow echoed like a round from an M6. Colin backed up, and Nine swung again, striking Colin's right arm with his fist. Colin blocked each punch, his teeth gritted from pain.
Vance watched for a moment, dusting himself off from the shove. Nine and Colin exchanged blows. Colin took the upper hand, backing Nine up with a front kick. Nine re-engaged, and Colin ducked his sharp, angry punch.
Nine and Colin's feet shuffled. Nine refused to stop pressing. Colin backed up, step by step. There was no escape. Nine would have his revenge for what the young man had done.
Nine swung his elbow, checking Colin's guard. For a few hopeful seconds, he thought he'd win. He countered, swinging his fists in a skilled, although futile attack. Nine sidestepped and blocked each strike with terrifying efficiency, taking not a lick of damage.
Then, Nine was gone. Colin had lifted his guard for a second, and lost sight of his opponent completely.
Colin looked around, terrified. It was the same as last time. He couldn't keep up.
Nine's elbow bit into the back of Colin's head. Colin stumbled forward, his face twisted in pain and anger.
Nine's boot stomped Colin's calf, scratching his skin and tearing his pants leg, driving him to one knee.
Nine brought his boot up and over Colin's head. He was going to stomp Colin's skull.
"I SAID STOP!!!"
Vance swung, and struck Nine in the cheek. Nine stumbled back a few steps, stunned.
"Whatever your FUCKING problem is, you take it up with ME, Nine."
Nine stood there, for a moment, a bit off balance, as the rage subsided.
Nine's fury quickly resurfaced. This time, it was more calculated.
"...How DARE you stand up for him." Nine spat.
Vance looked down at Colin. The boy was shaken, but standing up slowly.
"...John, you're supposed to be the good guy."
Vance's words were plain and accusing.
Nine shook his head silently, and bent down, picking up the torn pieces of the picture Colin stole.
"...What's that?" Vance watched, confused as Nine stormed off.
"Colin, what the fuck happened here? What did you do?!"
"I didn't do shit." Colin grumbled.
Nine, in the distance, punched a wall, before walking through an automatic door.
Vance and Colin were alone.
Vance helped Colin up. "Wait here." Vance followed Nine.
"Wanna tell me what the fuck that was?"
Nine remained quiet, leaning against the wall.
"Want to tell me why the top close quarters expert of the Freelancers was about to stomp somebody to death? Wanna JUSTIFY beating the shit out of someone who can barely keep up with ME?"
Nine remained silent.
"...Oh COME ON, John, at least LIE to me. Say he slashed your tires. Say he spat in your coffee. Say SOMETHING."
"...You'll regret him one day." Nine mumbled the words.
"What?"
"You'll regret every act of kindness. Every day you spent with him as your teammate. He'll take what he needs from you, then he'll change. Take you for all you're worth. Stab you in the back."
"Oh for fuck's sake, Nine. Give the kid a chance. He's not perfect, and he's a hot head, but-"
"He'll fuck your life up. He'll poison you with what he is, and the people around you." Nine hissed. "It's what he is. And when you finally figure it out, I won't say I told you so."
Vance stared at Nine, a bit disgusted.
"Feel free to ask for my help putting him down, but if you're taking his side now, then get the hell out of my face, Vance."
Vance's face didn't change. "...That it?"
"Yup. Fuck off."
"You think you're so smart, Nine." Vance turned and walked away. "Just leave him alone, man. I'll deal with him myself."
"If he fucks with me again, Vance, I'll beat his ass to death."
Vance gave Nine a bitter, yet sympathetic look, then walked away.
An interpretation of the character Colin.
Not canon unless Vale says so.
We all know people like that.
