Adam blinked again, harder this time to try and psych himself up for a fight, and then inhaled slow and deep before he slowly sunk under the water to swim slowly away, looking around for a place to hide where he could dry off and not get hypothermia again.

When he surfaced he would take a breath, check in to see Number Four was still dragging himself around in the water looking for him at a safe distance, and then he’d go back under to continue swimming until he reached a point where the ground was higher and the water was to low for him to stealth swim in. As he climbed out, he knew he was going to have to change his tactics if he was going to survive. His body was stiff with the cold and running just wasn’t going to fucking happen now.

The sky lit up before thunder exploded around him and he ran, looking to see a small shop further up that was dry on the inside and he rushed to it. He pulled himself up the steps, loudly wringing out his shirt as he entered the house and shook out his hair. He could hear the hunter pushing through the water quickly and he sighed audibly, falling to the ground to sit with his back to the wall and watch as the hunter quickly climbed the steps to stand in the doorway with an excited, wild look.

Adam coughed a little. “You win, congrats.” He said flatly, Number Four’s eyes narrowing as cocked his head to the side, listening. “What’s your name?”

There was a long stretch of silence before the hunter straightened, saying very quietly. “Vas-Tin.”

“Vas-Tin.” Adam parroted, saying it again slower. He rubbed his face with the back of his hand to try and heat the skin, frowning. “That’s a neat name.” He looked out at the storm, shivering as the rain continued, coughing a little bit more. “If you’re looking for a chase, I don’t have it in me anymore. Not right now.” He swallowed thickly, pursing his ips. “So let’s just get it over with, oh great victor,” he sighed again. “I’m surrendering.”

The hunter turned his head a little, his eyes narrowing to slits. “This is a new tactic?”

Adam looked to the hunter’s suspicious look with fluttering lashes. “What’s that?”

“Surrendering yourself,” The hunter said with more certainty, “This is a new tactic for you to avoid being captured, I think. It doesn’t seem in your nature.”

Adam scrunched up his face, his lips twisting in a smile he knew the other couldn’t see. He had to keep the laughter out of his voice though, as that would give him away. Instead, he sounded exasperated. “I’m not trying to-” He sighed and leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m not trying to kill your fun, Vas-Tin. I’m just...sick. I don’t feel well. I’m a...lame prey, no longer able to outrun their predator. I’m putting myself out to pasture.” He opened his arms. “Eat me.”

The hunter’s face scrunched up, his lip curling to reveal sharp teeth that made Adam semi-regret his little joke. “I don’t like this tactic,” The Hunter growled as he came over to loom over Adam, the cold water dripping from his hair and face down onto Adam’s own upturned one. “It’s not exciting.”

“Well, I don’t know what to say to you, dude,” Adam said as he dropped his arms and blinked up at the hunter. “I can’t run. I can’t flee. I can’t evade your capture. I’m weak. Easy pickings. I’m literally handing you your victory. Your welcome.” He said, his grin stretching across his face. “I surrender to you.”

“You’re saying all that on purpose,” Vas-Tin growled, looking visibly annoyed, “You want me to not want to capture you, so you are trying to make yourself less appealing.” He leaned toward Adam with a sneer, “It won’t work. I’ve seen you run before. I know what you are capable of.” He reached down and picked Adam up by his arm, releasing him with a little shove toward the stairs. “Start moving.”

“No!” Adam said stubbornly, dropping down to sit on the top step just outside, the rain starting up again in full fore and drenching him. “I don’t feel like it!” He shouted over the rain. When Vas-Tin came to grab him, likely to pull him to his feet, Adam laid fully down on the ground with his head between Vas-Tin’s feet, arms open while his hips and legs stayed out in the rain. “Somebody tag me because I’m ready for this to be over!” He shouted out, Vas-Tin scowling. “Anyone can have me here, free to take – anyone!?” He smacked his lips. “I bet some of my previous hunters are out there. They’d be happy to have this ass-”

Adam shouted when he was suddenly picked up by both his upper arms and set on his own feet before he was shoved not too gently out of the house and into the rain. He fell into the water that was just deep enough for him not to fall face-first into the mud, Adam flailing around before he climbed to his feet, whipped his hair out of his face, and turned to glare at the hunter as he stood on the top step.

Number Four pointed, silently telling Adam to go. “Ten,” He called out, “Nine, eight-”

“Seven-six-five-four-three-two-one!” Adam shouted back, stepping back out of the rain and into the dwelling to give the visibly frustrated hunter the stink eye. “I’m not running anymore! I give up!” He hurried back over to his spot against the wall, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he tried to think of something else to kill the hunter’s chase-boner. “I’m to tired, Vas-Tin! I just…” He swallowed thickly, letting his teeth chatter nosily together as he shivered. “I can’t. I’m so, so tired.”

The hunter turned fully toward Adam and slowly crept closer, coming back to stand over him and watch him for the longest time while Adam grinned down at the ground, making wounded groaning noises as he rubbed at his shoulder, coughing a little to himself some more.

After one particularly close flash of lightning, Vas-Tin lets out a harsh exhale through his nostrils, the air steaming in front of his face from it, and he turned a little to glare out at the storm. Adam peeked up at him through his soaked, slightly waved hair and watched the taller man tense, different frustrated thoughts playing out on his face while he seemed to think things over.

This was as close as Adam has ever been to one of the Zerric without having to flee. The ones that came to collect him were in full-blown protective gear so no one tried to shoot them in the face or stab them, so they were covered head to toe and there was no way you could tell one from another, but Vas-Tin didn’t have a face covering. Not only that, but his arms were bare to mid-arm, where his long gloves started. It’s weird how human they look – just larger. Taller. Build like walls and not men, all hard, heavy muscle. Vas-Tin’s skin was pale enough that it’s almost translucent, the blue veins under his skin more visible than Adam’s own, sharp claws peeking out of the fingertips.

And then there’s their eyes.

When Vas-Tin turns his head to stare down at Adam, Adam got a good hard look at his eyes – no pupils. No tiny little veins. Just an eerie, milky white. They can’t see through them, but still, they show emotion – at least, Adam feels like he can see the emotion in them.

And Vas-Tin is frustrated as all fuck.

The hunter turned away from him then and went to the doorway to go down the stairs and stand at the bottom in the rain, his arms crossed over his chest to stay right there, just like that.

Adam leaned back against the wall, waiting for the hunter to leave fully so he could try and get a glimpse of outside to see who was still running around in the rain, but the hunter stayed there, blocking his view of the outside.

Blocking the view from outside.

Adam smirked a little to himself as he crossed his arms over his chest and curled his knees to his chest to try and preserve his warmth. He wouldn’t celebrate his victory until he was back in his hotel, but he couldn’t help but feel smug. He gave a cough and a wounded groan every once in a while, crying a little and praying under his breath just to make sure the other knew he felt thoroughly defeated, but other than that, his goal was to keep warm.

They waited out the clock together, just like that.