#Nothing quite like a near death experience to bring out the feelings

[bamguetismee]

Phantom Pursuit- YJW

Jungwon is cocky, confident, and easily one of the most skilled world class spies in the world. Nothing seems to bother him and his impulse is his most deadliest weapon. His partner was skilled, capable, and detail oriented- aka you. Something big goes down on an unassuming mission. But little did you know this one mission could change the fate of the world as you knew it.

PAIRING: — Spy Jungwon ✩ Spy reader (f)

GENRE: fluff, she’s angsty TT, slow burn, spy au

WARNINGS: making out, petnames, skinship, slow burn, I hate to say but there is angst, mentions of alcohol, guns, blood, fighting, cursing, near death experiences, mentions of death, dark haired Jungwon!, two ocs , there’s probably wayyy more but idk how to do this

WC: 21.110 words

Yuni Says: hihi, this is my first fic ever. And I mean like on any writing platform. So I’m completely new to writing- pls bear with me. I’ve been lurking on here for a while but I never published anything. I’m not going to be very very consistent with my writing but I will try my best. Pls feel free to chat with me and give me any feedback to improve. But I’m really really excited to start my journey on here!! Comments and reblogs are rlly appreciated. Anyway I hope you enjoy~ bye lovelies

The mission was simple- get into the gala and do some profiling on the high end criminals there. Although there was a stir of something else. Something big was happening at this gala of the underworld. That is precisely the reason that you were standing here. Underneath these opulent chandeliers in this glittering ballroom in Paris. The soft hum of classical music and whispers of the crooked floated through the air. The gala was filled with champagne fueled conversations that some could only decrypt as devious plans. You adjusted the slit of your deep sea blue dress and scanned the room observing the shadowy and mysterious figures. The earpiece buzzed faintly as you picked up a champagne flute from a waiter passing by. 

“Hear anything interesting?” Jungwon’s voice crackled in her ear through the comm system. His annoying voice was smug as always

You suppressed a sigh trying to keep your expression neutral. “If by interesting, you mean potential intel, then no. Just the usual crowd of criminals pretending to be philanthropists.” 

“Come on, ___” Jungwon replied. “You need to lighten up a bit. This is just a profiling mission. Its the easiest one we’ve been on in a while. So just relax and try to have some fun will you?”

“Jungwon no matter how easy this is its a mission. We aren’t here to have fun” you say in a focused manner like always. 

You scanned around the room noticing him. Jungwon was leaning against the bar in his sharp black tuxedo. His hair was slicked back and he had that air of confidence and easiness he carried. No matter how much you hate to admit it, his broad shoulders, lean build, and small waist looked damn good in that tux. His eyes met yours from across the room. They were deep brown and mysterious, yet they still had that longing look. Those eyes that hide a deeper emotion, something that you couldn’t quite decipher. Even after all that training and those missions where you read people to a tee, you still couldn’t quite read him. Yet, those eyes always lured you in and never failed to bring that slight flush up your neck despite how damn annoying he was. And that damn smile. That charming one he gave with both his dimples poking out. It had already attracted two women who were all up on Jungwon. It was pathetic and honestly infuriating how his simple smile had such an impact on anyone. What’s more pathetic is the way your own heart ached in the slightest way at the sight. Now wasn’t the time for that though. You rolled your eyes as you set the champagne down.

“Are you flirting with civilians again??” 

“Would you prefer if I flirted with you instead?” Jungwon teased as he raised his glass in your direction. 

“Focus Jungwon,” you hissed. “We are here for intel, not your dating life” you reprimand him as you eye the host of the party, he was new on the scene and your agency needed more information on said man.

“And yet,” he said, taking a sip of his drink, “I’m the one who’s about to make progress.” 

Before you could say anything in return he had already slipped away from the bar. He excused himself from the two pretty girls who pouted as he said he needed to leave. The criminal was named Bryan Cavellott, he was new on the high end criminal scene. He had made his grand debut by stealing some jewels from a museum in Russia and now rumor says he has something else thats far more important than some pink diamonds. Something so valuable that he had attracted all the high-level criminals in europe to his gala. As Jungwon made a beeline towards the older man with the crisp white suit and shaped beard, he shot you a sly look. 

You narrowed your eyes as you followed him from a distance. You slipped through the crowds as you kept your gaze trained on Jungwon. He had already begun his usual act: leaning in slightly, charming but conspiratorial smile playing on his lips, and a trustworthy tone of voice. 

You spoke through the comm system again, “Don’t blow our cover.”

“When have I ever blown our cover?” he whispered with a confident smile as he made his way closer to Cavellott. 

“Do you want me to give you the list alphabetically or in order of how many times we almost died?”

Jungwon didn’t say anything but the smirk on his face was answer enough. Instead he finally approached the old man. “Mr. Cavellott?” he said his voice smooth. “Quite a gathering tonight. A man like you must have something truly extraordinary to share with us.”

Cavellott’s smile was thin and practiced but it held a hint of amusement too. “Ah, and you are?”

“Jung Park” he said easily, extending a hand. “Investor, entrepreneur, and lover of all things valuable and rare.” 

You groaned into the earpiece quietly as you decided that you needed to make sure Jungwon didn’t get one of his brilliant ideas again. So you approached the two smoothly. 

“And who is your lovely companion?” Cavellott asked, his gaze sharp and shifting to meet yours as you slid up next to Jungwon.

“___ Nakamura” you say with a charming smile of your own. “Jung’s business partner.”

Of course Jungwon couldn’t help but add with a stupid grin, “among other things.” which earned him a well deserved but subtle jab to his ribs from your elbow. 

Cavellott seemed to have deemed you two trustworthy as he openly chuckled enjoying the dynamic between you two. “Well, Mr. Park and Miss Nakamura, I assure you that tonight’s main attractions is unlike anything you’ve encountered before. An artifact of immense… potential.”

Jungwon tilted his head playing along, “intriguing. I assume this artifact isn’t something you can pick up at a local auction house?” 

Cavellott smiled wider. “Hardly. It’s something far more elusive- something that has been hidden for centuries and only recently resurfaced.”

You leaned in slight, your tone cautious but curious. You preceded carefully but you couldn’t help but think- is this what all the stir was about? “Oh? And what exactly makes it so special?”

Cavellott’s eyes sparkled with a mixture of pride and secrecy. “Ah, but that is the question isn’t it? Its value lies not just in what it is but what it could do. That’s what everyone’s here for”

“Sounds dangerous,” you said.

“All things of great power are,” Cavellott replied smoothly. “But that’s why it must be handled by someone who understands its worth. Plus I’m sure a lovely and confident lady like yourself wouldn’t mind a little game of danger?”

You sent Jungwon a quick glance but you both knew what it meant. This was it. It wasn’t just a rumor, whatever this… artifact is, its dangerous and with the way Cavellott is speaking of it- everyone here seems to understand its value. You sent a calm but pleased glance towards Cavellott despite the way your nerves were on edge. 

“And this artifact…” Jungwon said his voice steady but probing, “does it have a name?”

Cavellott’s smile thinned as his eyes darted around nervously before he leaned in closer. “I shouldn’t even be discussing this, but I suppose you’ll find out sooner or later. The artifact is known as the Phantom Codex.” 

The name itself sent a shiver down your spine although your expression remained neutral. The Phantom Codex… it was something significant. The way Cavellott spoke about it was too unsettling itself.

“And what does it do?” Jungwon asked his tone light but calculating. 

Cavellott chuckled lightly but with a hint of knowing. “That, my friend, is the question that everyone here tonight is asking. And the answer… is far more than you could ever imagine.”

Before the two of you could press him any farther a woman on the other end of the ballroom caught his eye. She gave him a sly smile before turning away and walking to the balcony. The challenge in her eye was unmistakable. Cavellott offered the two of you a rushed excuse. “If you’ll excuse me, I must attend to my other guests. Enjoy the evening you two.” 

And just like that he disappeared into the crowd. Jungwon leaned in closer to you, his voice was low and calculating. “Phantom Codex. Sound like the title of a bad action movie.”

“Focus Jungwon.” you snapped back at him. Your pulse was calm but your thoughts were racing. “Whatever it is, people are willing to kill for it. I mean some of these criminals hate each other but look at the way they’re playing so nice tonight. Whatever this is we can’t ignore it.”

Jungown’s playful expression faded as he took on a rare serious one instead. “Then I guess it’s time to figure out who else here knows something about it- and what they are willing to do to get it.” 

You nodded and scanned the room. This always happened to the two of you, not a single mission where the stakes hadn’t risen. You were playing a game where one wrong move could cost you everything, even your life. In this room surrounded by throngs of dangerous people, you knew the importance of this mission.

“Lets split up,” you said, your tone sharp. You gave him one last look over your shoulder. “And Jungwon? Try not to flirt with anyone.”

“No promises,” he replied with a poor attempt at a wink before disappearing into the crowd. Despite yourself a small smile formed on your lips. You just sighed as you shook your head. 

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The party shifted into a quieter, more exclusive phase as the night deepened. The glittering and glamorous crowd thinned, leaving behind only those with the wealth, power, and influence to justify their presence at this gala in the heart of Paris. You and Jungwon moved through the crowd, your ears sharp, ready to catch any piece of information about this mysterious artifact. 

“Anything?” you whispered your voice barely audible over the classical tunes. 

Jungwon, who was on the other side of the opulent room turned to find your eyes as he smiled teasingly. “A lot of people talking about a lot of things. Art deals, offshore accounts… oh and Lady Pennington’s pomeranian apparently needs a personal chef and maid.” 

You shot him a sharp look. 

“Relax Miss Nakamura,” he teased with a cocky smile as he made his way towards you. “But seriously, everyone’s buzzing about something being revealed soon. I’m betting its our mysterious Codex.” 

You nodded, “we need to find out what it is and when its going to be revealed.” 

As if on cue two men walked by. One of them was some normal small town criminal. The other one though… It was him, Ebony Lloyd. To say that the pair of you and Lloyd had a history would be an understatement. Whenever there was any trouble he was always there. He had a rich history himself… robberies, head of a notorious organization, bomb and arms dealing, drug trafficking. He was a tall and burly man with sleek black hair and eyes of a wolf always searching for his next prey. Of course someone like him was at a gala like this. He didn’t seem to recognize you as he strolled right by. He was talking in hushed tones with the man but you heard bits of what they were saying. Something that sounded like: “Air strip..” “Vienna” “no mistakes this time”. Great- he was on the move again. You would deal with him later, right now the Codex is what mattered. 

Jungwon’s expression soured as he laid his eyes on Lloyd. “Would you look at that? Its our best friend! And he’s conspiring again. I swear he can’t ever keep still for even a few days.” Jungwon sneered quietly as he ran his hand through his styled hair in annoyance.

“We’ll have to deal with him later. Right now we need to find out about the Codex.” you say with a bit of an annoyed expression yourself. 

Everyone’s attention got drawn up to the front as a man strode up onto stage. The conversation died down as the man turned to face the crowd, commanding the attention of the room. He started smoothly and with confidence. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us this fine night. As many of you know, tonight’s gathering is more than a celebration– its an unveiling.” he declared

A murmur spread through the crowd as excitement rippled through the room. 

“The artifact you are about to see,” the man continued. “Has been the subject speculation and legend for centuries. Its origins are as elusive as its true potential. But tonight, it is here, in this very room, for the first time in generations this precious artifact has been unearthed again.”

Jungwon leaned a bit too close to murmur in your ear, “I have a bad feeling about this.” With the shiver running down your spine all you could do was nod. 

Two heavily armed men appeared on stage, wheeling a steel reinforced case onto the stage. The man gestured towards the case with a flourish, his tone turned reverent “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… the Phantom Codex.”

The case opened with a hiss and steam being emitted from inside. There it was.. The ever elusive Phantom Codex. It looked unsuspecting at first glance. Just a small black piece of tech that was shaped like that of a diamond. You had to take a closer look to realize that there were weird symbols and letters etched onto the surface. They didn’t look like any language you recognized.. In fact the looked almost alien. Whats more is that they didn’t seem to ever hold still, they shifted everytime you blinked. The tech emitted an eerie blue glow from the cracks in it as well. It truly was mysterious and a marvel of tech. You couldn’t help but think- how old is this really? Why is this tech so important if its so old?? 

Jungwon’s breath caught too as he looked at the object. As you looked around the room- no one seemed to be able to look away. They all had the same blue glow in their eyes. This small little black diamond had stunned the hardest of criminals as the crowd gravitated towards it. You could see Jungwon lean closer to the stage himself. 

Snapping your finger in front of his eyes you pulled him out of his trance. “Jungwon.” you whispered in a hushed tone. “Stop looking at it. Its like that Codex is pulling you in- like everyone else here.”

He blinked rapidly as he looked around the room like he was finally gaining his senses again. He quickly masked his entrancement, “the only thing pulling me in is you cherie..” He brushed his hand against yours as a little tease. Your heart rate spiked but before you could come back with a witty comment the lights suddenly went out. 

“Stay close,” you say as you place your hand on the hilt of the knife concealed under your dress. Panic rose even more when a deafening shattering sound echoed through the room. Yells and cries followed closely as Jungwon muttered to himself “damnit..”

When the lights flickered on there wasn’t a Phantom Codex to marvel at. “It’s gone” you hissed. The armed men were gone and the man who unveiled the Codex was on the floor, a pool of his own crimson blood surrounding him. 

“We need to move. The person who stole it isn’t planning to stick around for long,” Jungwon rushed as he grabbed your arm. His grip firm but comforting as you two ran through the panicked crowd towards the nearest exit. Cavellott’s men were starting to close the exits. But in a quick series moves you rendered them unconscious as you ran through the gates. 

“Where’d they go?” you demanded, your pulse racing with a mixture adrenaline and frustration. Alas, whoever it was, was long gone. The midnight streets of Paris were completely empty. There wasn’t even a trace of them. “We lost it!” you said, your jaw tight. 

You pulled your hand away from Jungwon as you smoothened your dress out with a look of frustration. Jungwon’s teasing personality dimmed as he placed a warm hand on your shoulder providing comfort in the cold night. “We’ll figure this out. You know we always do,” he said his voice steady despite the tension. 

It was concerning how fast he could manipulate your emotions with just a few words. You unclenched your jaw as you gave him a curt nod. Still though your mind raced. What exactly was this Phantom Codex? Why were people going to the end of the world for that little diamond? And why did you have a sneaking feeling that this was just the beginning??

     ˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Back at their hotel, you sat crossed legged on the bed, a tablet in your lap as you compiled all the information you had picked up- which wasn’t much. Jungwon on the other hand paced around the room with his tie loose, hair messed up with the way he ran his hands through it, and his shirt untucked. It was a sign of his restlessness. 

Reviewing the security camera footage and guest list was of no use. Whoever this was- and you had a suspecting feeling- they were good. They were professional. Not a trace of them anywhere, just a shadow in the darkness. 

“I think we both know who caused all this.” You said with a long exasperated sigh, falling back on the bed with a hand covering your eyes. 

Jungwon groaned as he threw himself on the other side of the bed with the same hatred in his voice. “Ebony Lloyd. I swear when I get my hands on him I’m going to-” 

Before Jungwon could continue his pleasant words a blue light shone from the tablet. The two of you quickly stood up and straightened out your outfits and you slapped the back of Jungwon’s head mouthing to him to straighten his tie before turning the video on. It was a call from your superior, Mrs. Kwon. She chuckled noticing your slightly disheveled appearance. Then Mrs. Kwon spoke with an easy tone, “agent ___, agent Yang. Nice to see you two so relaxed after a mission. Report to me.”

You spoke up first, “quite the opposite Mrs. Kwon. The mission didn’t go as well as we planned.” you say with a slightly ashamed tone but keeping your expressions professional.

“We profiled on Cavellott, but there was something else. The rumors were true ma’am. There was something big at this gala. Its called the Phantom Codex. We think its something we should be worried about” Jungwon reported. It was a bit unsettling how his personality changed to professional and obedient the moment he was under the hard gaze of our superior. What caught you off guard was the way that Mrs. Kwon’s easy and laid back demeanor dropped immediately the moment she heard the artifact’s name. There was some shuffling on her side- it sounded like she moved rooms. 

Her voice came out in a whisper, “the Phantom Codex?? Are you two out of your mind?” 

You and Jungwon shared a confused glance before looking back at her. “No ma’am. It's true. We saw it, it was at the gala tonight. But its gone now. Stolen.” you spoke up your tone sincere. Her nervous expression was making you uneasy. Mrs. Kwon was never nervous. “Ma’am if you don’t mind me asking. What is it? What does do?” 

Her expression darkened as her tone was now dead serious. “Its dangerous. Every single criminal no matter how big or small is pursuing it. It can hack into anything and manipulate data in ways that humans never though possible. Things like government agencies, federal banks, military systems, nuclear codes, databases of civilians of whole countries.” she spoke, her seriousness making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. “You two listen carefully. No one. And I mean absolutely no one else should know about this. Is that clear? I don’t care what mission you’re on right now, now your one and only mission is securing the Codex. Is that clear?”

Jungwon could hear her deadly tone too as he gulped softly. You both nodded as she wished you luck before cutting communication. You let your stiff posture relax as you met Jungwon’s gaze. Both of you knew. This wasn’t just some tech, it was powerful, dangerous, and deathly. “I’ve never seen Mrs. Kwon that serious… Something isn’t right.” you observe quietly. You tried to read Jungwon’s gaze but his eyes were too complicated. 

“Well no pressure right?” Jungwon sighed as he leaned back into an armchair his hands behind his head. 

“This is serious Jungwon, did you see Mrs. Kwon??” you shot him a glare as you bristled at the way his posture was so relaxed so easily. 

“I know,” he interrupted, his usual smirk replaced by a grim expression. “And we’re gonna find it okay?”

For a moment your eyes met, a flicker of understanding and something else passed through you. That something else made you look away as you sighed- even with the weight of this serious mission Jungwon’s gaze could make your heart flutter. “Just.. sleep soon. We have a long day ahead of us.” you say as you go to change into something more apt for sleep. 

Jungwon let a faint smile grace his lips as he called out to you from the bed, “aww are you worried for me darling~?” he teased as he watched you come back from the bathroom after changing.

“Shut up. I just don’t want your work to be sloppy Jungwon” you say with an annoyed tone meeting his light gaze with a serious one. Although you knew that he was just trying to lighten the mood and tension. You silently thanked him for it before getting under the sheets.

 ˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The morning light filtered through the heavy drapes of their hotel room, neither you nor Jungwon was in the mood for sunshine. The air was thick with tension as you reviewed every scrap of information you had gathered the night prior. 

You sat on the couch, your legs tucked under you as you sifted through endless digital files, recordings, and articles. Your hair was in a messy bun and the cup of coffee in your hand trembled slightly from too much caffeine and not enough sleep. Jungwon on the other hand was sprawled in an arm chair. He had seemed to made the decision to not be bothered by any of the events from last night. It frustrated you a bit that you were here busting your ass trying to find something- anything to help the mission and he just sat there. Tossing a stress ball in the air and catching it with a relaxed motion as if the fate of the world wasn’t hanging by a thread. 

“Geez you’ve been hunched over that computer for hours” he drawled as he caught the stress ball lazily and looked up from his impromptu game, “have you even found anything?”

“Well maybe I wouldn’t have to be breaking my back for hours if you just decided to help.” you snapped, your patience wearing dangerously thin. 

“Touchy this morning,” he teased as you clenched your jaw with frustration and annoyance. God- you swore he was the spawn of the devil- “what? Didn’t sleep well huh?”

“How could I? With you snoring like a chainsaw the entire damn night??” you spat back your head practically fuming by now. 

“I do not snore”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” you muttered scrolling through yet another document. 

Jungwon finally decides that he’s done pushing at your limits. He snickers as he stands up stretching like he had been doing some serious work this entire time. “Well maybe if you used common sense you wouldn’t have to be working so hard.” he stated as you were about at the end of your patience and your hands were itching to grab him by his pretty little neck and- “Vienna. Lloyd. Last night. I have to say- I thought with those witty comebacks I thought you would be sharper ___”

Your expression faltered as your mind raced through last night. He’s right.. Lloyd was there. He was whispering about Vienna and not long after the Codex had disappeared into thin air. It was him again. You sighed exasperated, finally getting up from the couch. You wanted to wipe that smirk off his face- you absolutely despised when he was right, “maybe your constant stupidity is starting to rub off on me. Just stop smiling and pack your bags” 

As he stood up too he moved to stand behind you as he placed his hands deliberately on your waist. His voice was low and smug as his breath fanned your skin, “Whatever you say babe… but just once.. Admit I was right sweetheart.” 

The only response he got was a deathly glare from you and his own yelp as you twisted his hands in an awkward angle behind his back, “try something like that again and you won’t live to see next time you’re right.” you scowled with a dangerous voice as he just grinned like an idiot. 

 ˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The airstrip was alive with activity even in the dead of the night. The soft whine of jet engines and distant echoes of shouted instructions blended with the cold Austrian night. You had surveyed the area already so your movements were calculated. Lloyd had been clear- the Phantom codex was being transported through Vianna tonight, possibly by air. This was your chance to intercept it. 

“We have to move quickly and quietly” you reminded him as you two sneaked through the grounds. You both blended seamlessly into  the dark landscape- just like shadows. 

“I know sweetheart, don’t worry I got it” Jungwon replied and you could hear the teasing smirk in his voice. You groaned internally at the way his sweet nicknames made your cheeks warm. Thank god for the cover of the night. 

As you two approached the dimly lit hangar at the far end of the airstrip, your sharp eyes caught movement- a group of armed men were unloading a sleek black case from a private jet. Your heart rate sped up. The Codex. 

“Bingo,” you whispered, pointing towards the hangar. But before you could say anything further, Jungwon covered your mouth pulling you behind the metal walls of a storage unit. You let out a muffed protest as your eyes widened.

You couldn’t help but notice the way that Jungwon was pressed flush against you. He had you pinned to the wall as he held a finger to your lips. You could hear his heart beat and his warmth reached you through the gear you both wore. His scent was a subtle one but comforting in a way. “Shhh, look-” Jungwon said in a hushed tone as you followed his gaze. There he was. Ebony Lloyd. He was getting off the jet that had been parked in the same hangar from where the codex had been extracted. He had tall burly men flanking both his sides as he made his way to a black van. He was close- way too close. You could practically smell his strong and obnoxious cologne from all the way over here. 

If you two just stayed quiet and didn’t make a sound- CRUNCH!!. Shit. You accidentally shifted against Jungwon as you boots made a small sound on the gravel that was far too loud for the quiet night. Lloyd had a sickening smirk on his face as he made his way over to the two of you. You cursed under your breath as Jungwon stepped away from you, now facing him. 

“Well well, would you look at that? The lovebirds and the world’s most dysfunctional duo!!” Lloyd drawled on as he voice was low and condescending. 

You hated him too- not to misunderstand. But Jungwon had an entirely different fight to pick with him. Lloyd had a way of getting under his skin just like how Jungwon gets under yours. Jungwon was proud no matter how much he protested it. Lloyd had bruised his ego way too many times. You had to give it to him he was smart- that’s the only reason you ever lost. Its because he was always one step ahead. Jungwon detested him entirely. You could already see his rigid body language and clenched fists. Jungwon was practically fuming- this was something both Lloyd and you could see. And Lloyd took great pleasure in it. 

“Jungwon… don’t. He’s testing you.” you clenched your own fists. You knew Lloyd and his love for mind games. But tonight the two of you had no time for his little game. The Codex was right there- so close. 

But Jungwon ignored you. His teeth clenched as he stormed forward before you could stop him. “And you-” he seethed with his eyes cold and hard, “you little bastard. Got your sights on the Codex huh? Needed something more to show off to your pathetic little mistress? Couldn’t please her or your wife?” 

“Oh stop acting so high and mighty jungwon. You can’t seem to win over your pretty little partner’s heart so don’t go insulting my love life.” He chuckled arrogantly. The statement really seemed to strike a chord in Jungwon. “These harsh words aren’t from lingering feelings about Milan right? Or was it Budapest? Or maybe… Dubai? You’ve lost so many times I’ve lost track.” 

“Jungwon no-” you say your voice firm and hard as you eyed the four bodyguards trying to plan your escape. 

But it was far too late. Jungwon snapped. Without a word he surged even closer towards Lloyd. 

“Dammit it Jungwon.” you hissed desperately as you scrambled to follow him. 

The two men collided, Jungwon’s fist connected with Lloyd’s jaw as a sickening crack rang out. The criminal staggered backwards and his bodyguards were quick to react as they rained down punches on Jungwon. You quickly lept into action kicking one of them square in the head while landing an uppercut to another ones jaw. You fired two quick shots incapacitating the other two.  

Meanwhile, Jungwon freed himself only to launch back at Lloyd with more rage than before. But the criminal had more tricks up his sleeve. Quite literally!! He pulled a knife from his coat as they grappled. The fight was taking the two dangerously close to another jet’s running engines. Jungwon’s back thudded onto the flight’s metal body. Lloyd landed another strike but this time slashing Jungwon with his knife- drawing blood. Jungwon was too far gone to care at that moment. Lloyd landed one final cut to his abdomen as Jungwon fell to the tarmac. 

You saw it happed with your own two eyes. The Codex. It had been loaded onto the plane. Lloyd smiled satisfied at the way Jungwon was trying hard to recover. “Jungwon!!” your voice rang out as you lunged for him. You caught him just in time. The two of you scrambled out of the way as the jet made its way down the runway. 

There it was- gone once again, and that too in the hands of Lloyd.

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The tension in your vienna hotel room was suffocating. You paced in front of the window, your arms crossed, your face the mask of frustration. Jungwon sat on the bed, one hand on his cut arm and the other on his abdomen, both trying to nurse the gashes on his body. You were fuming and it only added fuel to the fire that your heart was telling you to help Jungwon with his injuries. 

“You completely lost control!!” you snapped instead, whirling around to face him. “We had the Codex right there, and you threw it away- for what?!? A grudge match?”

Jungwon sighed leaning against the the headboard. He was tired and annoyed himself, you could tell. “Lloyd needed to be dealt with. He–”

“He got under your skin,” you interrupted, with your voice rising. “And now we’re back to square one because of your ego!!”

Jungwon met your glare with his expression softening which only annoyed you more.  There was a silence that was filled with tension and something else that was better it remained unspoken. You clenched your teeth as you saw the slight hint of a smile playing at the corner his lips. You scoffed to yourself. Why the hell was he smiling?? You just lost one of the most dangerous artifacts to a notorious criminal. This was most definitely not the time to be smiling. “What???” you snapped at him crossing your arms once again. 

“Hm? Oh nothing.. You’re just really cute when you’re mad.” he said in a matter of factly tone. You hated yourself for the way your brain went blank for a good few seconds. You hated the way your cheeks felt warm and your breath hitched for just a moment.

You groaned loudly throwing up your hands in frustration. “Don’t do that! Don’t try to charm your way out of this.”

“Who says I’m trying to charm you? But even if I was.. It looks like its working- no?” he smirks despite the blood trickling from a cut on his lips. His damn lips that curled up even more when he saw your gaze on them. His damn lips that your just wanted to feel against yours- No!! You weren’t distracted by his idiotically plump, soft, and full lips. 

You shot him a look after tearing your gaze away from his lips. Your sharp retort died on your lips when you saw the gash on his arm and abs. Your frustration warred with concern, but, with a heavy sigh, you grabbed the first aid kit from the desk. 

“Take off the gear” you ordered your voice clipped. 

Jungwon had the nerve to raise his eyebrows in mock surprise. “If you wanted to see me shirtless, you could've just asked babe.”

You shot him another deathly glare as you advanced towards him. The faint pink in your cheeks betrayed you as you made him put down the gauze he had in his hands and took his shirt off. Well I mean- you were just a girl after all. His toned muscles and hard lines of his chest and abs. The slight glisten of sweat and the scars that littered his body were so hot… well shit. “Getting distracted sweetheart?” Jungwon teased. You snapped your eyes back up to his face and made sure your gaze was sharp.

“Just hold still” you muttered, dabbing at the cut with disinfectant. Jungwon winced but he didn’t dare pull away. His gaze was trained on you as you worked with your movements precise and efficient. But your hands lingered on his skin for a few too moments too long. The tension was palpable in the air, the unspoken words and heat between the two of you was at its peak. You met his gaze and this time you could read it- but you didn’t want to. You were his partner it was strictly professional. The way your heart beat way too fast gave you away though.

He sliced the tension with a knife when he uttered your name out softly. It lacked any of his arrogance or its usual teasing edge to it. You didn’t look up. Too scared to see what you find if you looked up again. “Don’t Jungwon. Just… don’t.”

He reached out, his fingers gently brushing against your wrist. “I’m sorry,” he said, and for once he sounded sincere. There was undertones of something else too. “I screwed up.” 

You froze, your breath catching at the unexpected vulnerability in his tone. You shivered at his gently touch, it melted away your anger and replaced it with something warmer, something neither of you could name. You took in a shaky breath as you replied, your voice lacking the earlier bite “you did.” 

Jungwon’s lips curved into a faint smile. “But you’re still patching me up. Guess that means you care.”

You rolled your eyes, but the corners of your moth twitched up- fighting back a smile. “Don’t push it.” you warned but your voice had gone soft. 

You fell into a charged silence, the air between you thick with unspoken words. Jungwon’s hand lingered on your wrist, but for once you didn’t pull away. It was dangerous the way your heart raced at his touch. “You’re too reckless,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. 

“And you’re too stubborn,” he replies, his gaze dropping briefly to your lips before returning to your eyes. At that moment you knew you couldn’t lose him. You hate to finally admit it but it was true. All the times he had risked his life to  save you from near death situations, his stupid jokes that lightened up any situation, and his dumb pet names that made you smile every time. You knew you couldn’t lose him- so the least you could do for all those times was forgive him. Just this once. 

You finished patching up his gashes silently before abruptly standing up. You walked to the other side of the hotel room as you set the first aid kit down once again. It was your pathetic attempt at trying your heart to beat normally once again. You turned back to face him- relieving yourself of the weight of your own gear as Jungwon spoke again. “So just to be clear. You weren’t staring at my lips or my abs right? Because then that would mean that you find me-”

“Jungwon!” you cut him off with a stern gaze. But his infuriating, smug, dimple filled smile still remained on his lips as he just shrugs. 

 ˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

After that night in Vienna you couldn’t stop thinking about him- well you always had him on your mind anyway- but something else nagged at you. This Phantom Codex… you knew what it was supposed to do, but it still had a mysterious aura about it. There was something so elusive about this simple piece of tech, and you were determined to find out what. 

That is exactly how you ended up here. In your shared hotel room with your glasses forming dents on your nose, your hands trembling from too much caffeine, and your eyes had deep circles under them that showed how you had been up for far too long. 

I mean you can’t blame yourself- you tried to sleep. You swear you did. But Jungwon’s words and gaze and touch just wouldn’t let you rest. Jungwon groaned as he blinked his eyes open- the bright light of the screen blinding his eyes. “___? You’re kidding me” he stated in a rough and groggy voice. He turned his head as he squinted towards the digital clock. “It’s five A.M. Did you even sleep?”

“Couldn’t” you replied short and distant. “I was too busy doing your job.”

“Ah, there it is- the sharp tongue of my favorite partner” he said with a smile in his tone as he heaved his body- still marred with the gashes from before- into a sitting position. “Morning to you too, sweetheart”

You gave him a glare over your shoulder, but the deep circles under your eyes betrayed your exhaustion. “Don’t even start with me Jungwon. I’ve been piecing intel while you’ve been snoring away again.” 

“I do not snore,” he insisted indignantly, crossing his arms as he leaned against the headboard. 

“Oh, trust me you do. After all these years of sharing a hotel room, you most definitely do.” You turned back to your screen, muttering under your breath, “it’s like trying to sleep next to a freight train.” 

He just rubbed the back of his neck as he sighed in fake and exaggerated. He watched as you typed away, the sounds of your fingers dancing along the keys an insistent sound in the room. In an amused but concerned tone he prodded, “What are you even looking at?” 

“The Codex.” your voice was clipped. But there was an edge of something else— anxiety and nervousness. “I hacked into one of Lloyd’s encrypted files. I think I found a list of targets who apparently know something about the Codex.” 

He nodded as he shifter closer to look over your shoulder at the screen. “Okay, thats progress. But… why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” he questioned carefully. 

Your fingers stilled on the keyboard and your body tensed. You took a deep breath before meeting his eyes, your expression guarded but your voice trembling just slightly, “My… My sister.. Her name is on his list.” you declare. Your brain was a mess even if you didn’t let it show. She was your sister, the few people in this cutthroat world that you loved and trusted blindly. 

The air in the room seemed to thickened. Jungwon’s teasing smirk disappeared as he processed your shaky words. “Your sister?”

“She’s a target,” you said, your voice cracking despite an effort to stay composed. “I don’t know why or- or what they want from her, but–” you stopped, shaking your head as you pinched the bridge of your nose. Scared of just the thought or Lloyd targeting your sister or losing her entirely. “If we don’t get the Codex back, she’s in danger. I can’t– I can’t let that happen” you looked at him with scared and vulnerable eyes. This was the first time you let this happen. The first time you opened up to him. 

He moved closer to you as he placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. “___, hey. Listen to me.” 

Reluctantly, you lifted your eyes to his.

“We’ll get it back,” he said firmly, his voice steady and unwavering. “I swear to you. We’ll find the Code, and we’ll protect your sister.”

“You don’t understand,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. Your eyes distant as you thought about the horrifying possibilities of what might happen. “This isn’t just another mission anymore. Its personal.”

“I know,” Jungwon said, his tone softening. “And that’s why we’re going to win this. Because when it comes to you and the people you care about.. I swear to you- I would rather die than fail.” 

You blinked at him, caught off guard by the rare sincerity in his voice. For a moment time slowed and the truth behind his voice rang clearer. The unspoken weight of his words weighed heavy on your shoulders. It was nice. It was nice to know that he would be there, even when times were tough or uncertain. He spoke with a promise that didn’t waver at all. His presence was firm and steady. It grounded you even as doubt filled your mind. You knew that from the countless successful missions you two had accomplished, that with him- anything was possible.

“You’re such an idiot,” you muttered, brushing past the lump in your throat and rapidly blinking trying not to show your vulnerability even more. 

“Then its a shame that you’re stuck with me isn’t it?” Jungwon replied with a smile tugging at his lips. “Now, come on. You need to sleep before you collapse on me.” 

“I’m fine.” you insisted stubbornly, standing up and brushing past him. 

“‘I’m fine’ my ass,” Jungwon drawled, following you despite the pain his body faced when he moved. “Just like I’m the best hacker in this partnership.” 

“You? Hacker? Yeah right- since when??” you show back with your usual sharpness returning to your voice. 

He grinned like an idiot and his dreamy dimples made another appearance. “There she is. I was worried the all-nighter had turned you into a zombie.”

You rolled your eyes but the hint of a smile on your lips was still clear as day. 

Later that evening, after hours of futile attempts to trace the codex’s whereabouts and Jungwon’s incessant nagging, you finally slumped onto the hotel bed, your exhaustion catching up to you. Jungwon walked to you from the kitchen a glass of water in his hand.

“Drink,” he said, holding it out to you.

“I’m fine,” you protested though your voice was hoarse. As much as you silently appreciated his comfort and care, you didn’t need to be coddled by your annoyance of a partner. 

He said said your name in a stern tone of voice that left no room for argument. You sighed but took the glass of water, considering your pounding headache from looking at the computer screen all day, it was the right thing to do. Your fingers brushed his for just a moment too long. “Thanks” you muttered out. 

He sat next to you, his usual cockiness replaced by a quiet concern. “You know” he started, “for someone who calls me reckless, you’re not exactly great at taking care of yourself.” 

You scoffed, “Takes one to know one.”

He chuckled lightly his head shaking at your retort even with the pounding in your head. “Fair.” 

The silence that followed wasn’t really uncomfortable, but it was definitely charged with something you both refused to acknowledge. You stared down at the glass in your hands. Your mind still running in overdrive with worry for your sister, the Codex, and the precarious line that you and Jungwon seem to be walking on. This dangerous pull that lulled you both towards one another that you just danced around. 

“You’re too good at this,” you said your tone suddenly softer and quieter. “At making me feel like everything’s gonna be okay,” you admit with your cheeks warming as you turn your head, avoiding his gaze. You sigh as you continued on, trying to lighten the mood, “I guess there is one single thing that you’re good at. Sweet talking your way out of messes?” 

“Out of messes? Oh please darling- my sweet talking has a much greater purpose- like sweet talking my way into sitting on the same bed as you.” he pretending to sigh dreamily as the sparkle of amusement didn’t leave his eye, “wow~ what an honor.”

This led to you pushing him off the edge of the bed and trying to contain your laughter as he landed with a big thud. He let out a yelp as he rubbed his back, the big boba eyes he gave you only worked on those girls at parties. “How about you start trying to sweet talk your way into me not beating your ass?” you say with an amused but genuine smile. He huffed in defeat as he stalked his way over to the couch. You couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. 

“Goodnight sweetheart~” you mocked him as he silently flipped you off. 

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The streets of Tokyo buzzed with life, the neon lights casting a kaleidoscope of colors over the bustling city. The air was filled with noises of children, adults, and automobiles. It was freezing cold in the night and you could see your breath in front of you, coming out in a cold white fog. You trailed a step behind Jungwon, your arms crossed as you watched him survey the surroundings with an air of practiced nonchalance. The two of you made your way to the looming but sleek and modern hotel. Of course it was a five star experience in Tokyo, only the best for the two best agents. 

“You’re unusually quiet,” Jungwon remarked, glancing over his shoulder at you. You couldn’t help but groan internally at the situation. And also at the fact that no man should look that ridiculously good with his hair messy and blowing in the wind. 

“Just trying to figure out how we ended up in this situation,” you muttered with annoyance as you shifted the bag on your shoulder. 

“Acting like a couple?” he smirked, pushing the tall glass door open for you. “Don’t pretend like you’re not enjoying it.”

You stepped into the threshold with a sharp glare pointed at him. You had to hide the fast pace of your heart somehow, “You’re delusional.”

The hotel lobby was elegant and the chandelier shimmered in all the hotel’s elegance. The ambient lighting and soft jazz music filled the space. You took note of the huge glass windows that could be a possible threat. The receptionist looked at the two of you with a practiced smile which widened when she laid eyes on Jungwon. You didn’t really know why but it made you roll your eyes. 

“Reservation under Park and Nakamura,” Jungwon said in his usual arrogant and cocky tone of voice. You couldn’t help but be more pissed at his voice but also find it a bit endearing as well. It was something you looked up to, he had a certain way with his words and it always worked somehow. 

“Ah yes of course, I’ll be sure to get your bags up to your room. Anything else you needed help with?” the girl at the desk batted her long eyelashes at Jungwon and it made you annoyed even more. Why, though? It's not like you had some weird feelings for your idiotic spy partner or something. 

“Oh no that’s quite alright, me and my boyfriend can carry our bags up to the room ourselves.” you smiled at her patronizingly. You had to try really hard to ignore Jungwon’s stupid smirk as you lugged the bags to the elevator.

“Boyfriend? Staking your claim sweetheart?” he asked smugly as he struggled to carry the bigger bag towards the elevator. “Besides, why did you stop her?? Now we have to break our backs trying to get these bags into our rooms.” he said as he huffed, putting the bag down for a second to catch his breath. 

“Did you want her to discover the Glock 19 stowed in our bags?” you asked in a mocking tone. You didn’t know exactly why you were so on edge from just a simple look Jungwon had received, but you felt as though from recent events.. You and Jungwon had started to walk down a dangerous path that none of you were ready to acknowledge. 

You opened the lock with a bit more force than necessary. The hotel suite was spacious, with a panoramic view of the Tokyo skyline. But your heart truly dropped as your bags slipped out of your hands when your view zeroed-in on the centerpiece of the room. The king-sized bed. You shook your head immediately as you spun to face his already wide grinning face. “No way. Absolutely not. There is no way in hell I am sharing that.”

Jungwon with the most aggravating smile quirked one of his eyebrows, “What’s the problem? Afraid you’ll be tempted?” he asked with a hint of a laugh in his voice. 

“In your dreams,” you shot back. You were not just about to expose yourself completely by sleeping in the same bed as him and then failing miserably to contain your idiotic emotions. No damn way.

“I’m just saying,” he said as he tossed his bags to the side. He jumped onto the pristine sheets, ruining them completely. “We need to look convincing, even in the hotel. The staff might be watching.”

You scowled. He was right, you both were well aware of the fact that Lloyd had his men lurking everywhere. “Fine. But if you so much as cross to my side of the bed, I swear-”

“Relax,” Jungwon interrupted, his hands up in a mock display of surrender. “I’ll stay on my side of the bed. Unless you wanted me to-” 

“Don’t finish that sentence.” 

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

You two were in Tokyo just because Mrs. Kwon had heard some rumors of the Codex here. There wasn’t any real evidence, but Mrs. Kwon was desperate. So for now the two of you just had to lay low and try to find anything more about the whereabouts of the dangerous piece of tech. That's the reason you couldn’t quite wrap your head around why Jungwon was parading the two of you around the hotel with his hand resting gently on your waist. Well you couldn’t really wrap your head around anything at the moment with how Jungwon’s fingers were softly brushing against your skin. “Remind me why I agreed to this?” you sighed as you forced the warmth in your cheeks to retreat.

“To keep up appearances sweetheart,” Jungwon whispered with his tone low and teasing, as his thumb rubbed absent minded circles on your skin, which only made your mind spiral even more. He had insisted that being stuck in your room all day reviewing the same five documents wouldn’t do you any good. So now you are here doing ‘bonding activities’ with your despised partner. 

“I’m going to kill you one day,” you murmured through a tight lipped grin. 

“Is that a challenge princess?” Jungwon asked a bit too loudly as you passed the receptionist once more. For some twisted reason this gave you satisfaction as you continued walking through the lobby. You couldn’t resist shooting her a devilish glance. 

Still though, you forced yourself to keep up your act. “Lay it on any thicker and they’ll drown in it.” you hissed through gritted teeth. 

You spent the entire rest of the day ‘bonding’ with Jungwon. But it was the small moments that caught you off guard. One of them was when you two were playing pool. He insisted that your posture was just offensive to the game. So he made a show of holding your arm as his strong chest pressed against your back. His breath lingered on your neck as his other hand rested on your waist once again. “Like this sweetie,” he muttered, his voice deep and velvety, as he paid no attention to the pool, his eyes only on your face, as if trying to memorize every little scar and contour. Your heart and mind were both unwell. They were working overtime trying desperately to process any of what was happening. 

Another time he had you on your toes was when you were mid reach about to strangle him. The two of you were spending time in the arcade and as both of your personalities would permit it. The competitive streak was at another level entirely. So you were at your wit’s end when he interrupted your focus again as you concentrated on smashing the moles wherever they popped up. You had given him a fair amount of warning but you were running out of patience and points because you insisted on a rematch every time. A couple had strolled in and they were just about to take in the sight of you committing homicide. But before you could move you were pressed back against the machine with your arms unknowingly wrapped around his neck. “Play along if you don’t want to get caught ___.” he whispered, tightening his grip around your torso. You tried not to let the hammering of your heart and heat in your skin give you away. 

The moment the couple had left you pushed him off but the smirk on his face didn’t budge. 

When dinner came around you two had decided to eat at a fancy restaurant. But you cursed Jungwon as he smiled smugly at you. Obviously he was the center of attention for everyone there, so you couldn’t even curse him out without blowing your cover. He was taking full advantage of it though. “Say ‘ahh’ babe~” he cooed, holding up the spoon to your mouth. You rolled your eyes discreetly before you let him feed you. But before he could get too smug you sharply stepped on his foot from under the table. After all, you couldn’t let him think you were succumbing to his stupid flirting. You hid the smirk behind a glass of wine as you sipped it innocently while he glared at you from across the table.

It was late at night now. Even the beautiful city of Tokyo had dimmed its lights and gone to sleep. But you and Jungwon just couldn’t rest. Mrs. Kwon wanted answers and she wanted the Codex even faster. But after Jungwon had tired you out the entire day, the documents looked like they were from some other alien language. Your eyes were half lidded and bleary from the need to sleep. 

You were just about to reach for the jug of coffee when Jungwon’s own sleepy voice called out to you. “Absolutely not. Hands off. Do you want a caffeine overdose?” he asked as he got up and took the jug away from you. You let a loud whine fall from your lips as you shot him a glare. You hate when he was right. But before you could shoot back at him with a snarky response, it all happened.

Both of you heard the footsteps from outside the door. Your head snapped up mid scroll. “Did you hear that?” you asked in a hushed whisper. The two of you were already in action though. You shoved the important files, weapons, and gear into your bag. Jungwon tossed you your gun as the two of you crouched behind the bed. The footfalls of the people outside were far too heavy and far too deliberate to be of normal guests. 

“How did they find us??” Jungwon hissed as he reloaded his gun quietly. The footsteps paused and you took a deep breath before the chaos started. 

The explosion rattled the room as the heavy wooden door came flying down. Splinters flew across the room like shrapnel, and you barely managed to miss the lamp that flew past you, shattering on the ground. 

“Down!!” Jungwon yelled as the hail of bullets followed quickly. He dove towards you just in time before the air filled with gunfire. 

Lloyd’s men poured into the room by the dozen. Their movements were swift and calculated but you two were like a well oiled machine. Nothing could stop Jungwon’s instinct and your precise aim. 

Jungwon fired the shots, taking out the lead man with two clean hits to the chest. You rolled out from behind the bed, your gun steady in your hands as you aimed at the intruders. You picked the men off like birds on a wire, one by one with deadly accuracy. 

“Left!” you shouted, and Jungwon pivoted, shooting the man who was trying to flank you.

“Nice call,” he said, his voice tight before he ducked for cover again.

You didn’t respond., your focus entirely on the men in front of you. One of them charged at you, his gun jammed, but you dropped him like a fly with one well placed kick to the chest, before you finished him off entirely with a shot. 

“Watch out!!” Jungwon’s voice cut through the chaos and you turn just in time to see a man tossing a grenade towards the center of the room. 

Your heart froze. You thought this was the end. 

But Jungwon was faster.

He lunged, grabbing your arm and pulling you against his chest as your back hit the wall of the far corner of the room. The grenade exploded a second later, the blast shaking the entire suite. Glass shattered, furniture splintered, and a cloud of smoke and debris filled the air. 

Your ears rang, and your vision blurred with tears as you struggled to breathe through the dust. You realized your head was pressed against Jungwon’s chest as he wrapped his arms tightly around you. When you looked up to see his distressed expression it's like you were looking at an angel. The sparks and gunshots whizzed behind him, there was a bleeding cut on his cheek, and his heart was racing. But in this life threatening moment all you could see was him. 

“Jungwon…” you said, your voice barely audible over the ringing in your ears. 

“I’m fine,” he said, though his voice was strained. But in all the chaos, you could see the bullet that was lodged in his arm. He grimaced as he moved to shoot more men that tried to advance.

“You’re hit,” you said with a trembling voice as the sight of his blood made you sick to the stomach. 

“It’s nothing,” he replied, wincing as he moved, pulling you up to your feet. “We’re not done yet.”

More men surged into the room, but your initial shock and fear quickly transformed into fury. God when you got your hands on Lloyd… You grabbed your gun that had slid out of reach when the explosion rattled. You fired with precision, covering him as he pressed his hand to the wound. He winced at the sight of his own crimson blood as you shot down three more men. The room was a mess of bodies, blood, and debris. 

“We need to move!” you shouted, helping Jungwon up as he grabbed the bag. 

Jungwon scanned the room. The floor was unstable because of the explosion, more of Lloyd’s men just kept filling in through the door, so the only escape was.. “Window,” he said. 

You both ran towards the large glass pane just as another explosion rocked the suite. Jungwon kicked out the window, the glass shattered into a million pieces. “Out,” he ordered.

“What abou-” 

“Now!!” 

You hesitated but still climbed onto the narrow ledge. Jungwon followed, his movements slower but determined despite his injury. You both got out just in time before another explosion rocked the building. The rain was pouring down in sheets. The slick surface of the ledge made every step even more treacherous than the last. But you two made your way to the emergency fire escape. 

You two raced down the long dangerous steps as you covered Jungwon, shooting at the men who tried to pursue and pulling Jungwon when bullets whizzed onto the metal of the staircase. As soon as you were on the wet pavement, your hotel room burst into flames. 

Bullets licked your heels as you narrowly avoided death, making a run towards a bike parked on the side of the road. You immediately got to work, hotwiring the bike as fast as you could. While Jungwon clutched his arm but still covered you with fierce determination. 

“Get on!” you yelled, though you couldn’t hear much over your heart racing in your ears. You and Jungwon quickly sped away into the maze of streets. You rode like a maniac, avoiding cars by just small fractions of millimeters. The shouts echoed behind you but before Lloyd’s men could even rev the engine of their cars, you were gone. 

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The rain still lashed against the window of the safe house, the dim light of a single lamp casting long shadows across the room. The air was quiet but filled to the brim with tension. You sat on the edge of the couch, your hands tightly clasped in your lap. Your mind swirled with worry. Your sister’s face flashed in your thoughts- innocent, unsuspecting, completely unaware of the danger the Phantom Codex posed to her. She was a high ranking government official, both of your lives were forced to be kept secrets from each other. Yet the bond you shared with her was unbreakable and eternal. And she was only in more and more danger, if anything, the ambush today showed just how open Lloyd was being with his attempts. It showed… just how ruthless he could be. 

And Jungwon… he had risked his life, gotten shot all for you. He sat across from you, his injured arm freshly bandaged after extracting the bullet and disinfecting the wound. His posture was more relaxed, the chaos had taken a toll on him too but he handled it like it was a normal Tuesday. His eyes watch you, sharp gaze softened by concern. 

“You’re too quiet,” he said finally, his voice breaking the heavy silence. 

You looked up at him, your lips pressing into a thin line. “What do you want me to say, Jungwon? That I’m fine? That everything’s okay?” you shook your head, your hands tightening into fists. “Because it’s not. My sister is in danger, we just got ambushed by Lloyd’s men, and you–” your voice caught and you looked away.

“Me?” Jungwon prompted, leaning forward despite the strain it put on his arm. 

You couldn’t live with the thought. The horrifying thought that… you could have lost him. You stupid, idiotic, funny, loyal, and annoyingly handsome partner. How could you live with yourself if his dimpled smile wasn’t there to brighten any situation? How could you live with yourself if his grounding presence wasn’t there to calm you before missions? How could you… live without him? 

Your voice was trembling now. “You could have died. Do you even understand that? If you hadn’t pulled me away from that grenade–” you cut yourself off, exhaling sharply. 

He whispered your name, but you wouldn’t hear it.

“No, let me finish,” you said, your voice rising. “You threw yourself in harm’s way without even thinking, and I–” you buried your face in your hands, your body quivering like you had been reduced to some little girl- not a world class spy. “I can’t lose you. Not like this. Not when we’re so close, and when I still–” 

He was in front of you before you could finish, he was crouching despite the sharp pain in his arm. He placed his hands gently on yours as he pried them away from your face. You met his gaze and it was sharp, like he could see to the depths of your soul.

“Hey,” he said softly, his voice steady. “I’m not going anywhere. Do you hear me? I’m right here, and we’re going to get that Codex. For your sister. For you. For us. But you’ve got to stop thinking the worst, or you’re going to drive yourself crazy.” 

Your lower lip quivered but you nodded still. He was trying his hardest to comfort you, so despite the gnawing fear and doubt in your mind you believed him. Because when he was here with you, it felt like nothing in this world was impossible. Your eyes shimmered with tears, you refused to let fall, “You can't keep scaring me like this Jungwon.”

“I’ll try,” he said, his signature smirk softening into something more vulnerable and sincere. “But I’m not going to apologize for keeping you safe.” 

You stared at him for a long moment, the weight of his words sinking in. He had done what he did, to protect you, he put his life on the line because he cared for you. Then something inside you broke– no, shifted. Before you could process what you were doing and meticulously overthink the consequences, your hands gripped the front of his shirt, and you kissed him.

It wasn’t soft or hesitant like the previous brushes of affection the two of you had. This kiss was deep, desperate, and full of the emotions that they two of you had buried for years. It was full of that desire that the two of you had danced around for so long. Your fingers curled tighter into his shirt, as though afraid he might disappear. He responded just as fiercely, his hands coming up to cradle your face, careful to avoid the still-tender bruises. 

You couldn’t pull back from him- not until your last breath. Just like he had stood by your side promising to protect you till his last breath. But you had to when the air in your lungs ran out. Your forehead rested against each other as your breath came out in pants, mingling with his in the quiet room. 

“I can’t lose you Jungwon.” you whispered out between pants. And this time when you looked into his deep brown eyes, you could finally decipher what they said. They declared his love and fear of losing you. But this time you didn’t dance around it. You faced the emotions head on, because now you finally had someone to love. 

“Don’t get all mushy on me now sweetheart,” he said with a hint of his signature smirk in his voice, that now seemed to be something you could rely on no matter what. 

Whatever this is, it isn’t perfect- far from it. But it's something that has been inevitable since you first saw the black haired man with his big boba eyes. And for a moment the tension lifted, and neither of you pulled away. You two stayed like that- close, vulnerable, and finally honest. It wasn’t easy and it definitely wasn’t perfect but it was real. And you knew that whatever came next, you would face it together. 

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Whispers of the underworld led you to this shining city. Monaco. But it wasn’t a whispering voice that had threatened you. No- Lloyd’s voice was firm and dangerous. ’You think your petty little agency will be able to protect your precious sister? I know where she is, I will get her- so have fun with your little lover boy while it lasts.’ and that's when the radio message had cut off. 

Your agency was keeping your sister in lockdown. Apparently she knew something about a key? The key to unlock the Phantom Codex. Not just Lloyd but every criminal was racing to find her. You weren’t naive though. You knew there was only so much the agency could do. Criminals had their resources and they would stop at nothing for power. 

That’s the reason your body was so tense as you leaned against the railing of the balcony. The shimmering city with its population of only the world’s most elite was alive this evening. The luxury and sports cars were lined up in front of the Casino de Monte Carlo. You had a clear view of the location where the Phantom Codex would be held. Lloyd apparently hadn’t let it out of his sight since the moment he got his hands on it. He had kept moving so no one could track him and steal his prized possession. Tonight he was here, and you had your sights set on it. Lloyd had no business with your sister and her information about the key if he didn’t have the Codex itself. 

You practically jumped out of your skin when you felt his hands snaking around your waist. You grew even tenser before letting yourself bask in the way his lips moved slowly down your neck towards your shoulder. You weren’t accustomed to his affection but you had to say you weren’t complaining.

“You’re tense sweetheart,” he murmured when his mouth was right next to your ear. His breath fanning your skin, sent shivers down your spine. 

“You were there Jungwon, he’s threatening her. My sister’s life is on the line..” you say as you stop his roaming hands. You had a really important mission to complete tonight. But he looked so damn irresistible when he stepped in front of you with the top buttons of his shirt undone, his sleeves rolled up to his elbow, and his smirk on his pretty lips. 

“Baby, you have to trust that the agency will do their part,” he said as his hands remained on your hips, his thumbs tracing small soothing circles. 

“You know that bastard Jungwon. He has the resources and the nerve, if we don’t get the Codex this time then its not only going to be my sister-” 

Jungwon rested his hands on your cheeks as he tilted your head so you looked him in the eyes. “Hey. We’re not losing. Not yet. And not ever. You’ve got me, okay? I won’t let anything happen to her– or you.”

The rational part of you wanted to argue, to remind him that you’d already failed too many times, but the way he looked at you, so steady so sure. It made the rational side of you crumble as you believed his promise. Before you could say another word, he leaned down, pressing a soft reassuring kiss to your lips. 

You stiffened in surprise once again, still not used to this gentler side of Jungwon. It was worlds apart from the cocky, aggravating partner you had grown used to. And yet, you resolve softened as you kissed him back, a reluctant smile tugging at your lips when he pulled away.

“I’m telling you, I should be handed an award or something- no normal person can get you to shut up as fast as me,” he teased, his familiar grin returning. 

You rolled your eyes but the faint color in your cheeks gave you away. “You’re insufferable.”

“And yet, you kissed me anyway.”

Before you could retort, the shrill beeping of the burner phone you’d been using for intercepting communication interrupted you. Jungwon let his hands drop from your cheeks as he grabbed it. His face grew serious as he watched the small screen. 

He held up the phone for you to see, “Lloyd is on the move,” he muttered, snapping the phone shut. “Looks like our Codex is on the move too.”

You nodded, already slipping into your professional mode. “Let’s go.” 

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The two of you were past all of the excitement and precarious bets of the casino, instead you were pressed behind a pillar. Lloyd and another criminal seemed to be having a meeting, maybe an alliance over the most powerful artifact in the world?

The air was filled with quiet but incriminating chatter as the two gave practiced smiles to each other. This was obviously going to end badly. So you planned to get the Codex and slip out before either of them noticed it was gone. It was almost time that the two powerful men would get up from the table to move to the bar. There was a sliver of opportunity when the Codex would be brought out by one of Lloyd’s men. Like you mentioned before- he wouldn’t let it out of his sight.

That would be the prime time where you could steal it right out of his dangerous hands and he wouldn’t even know till much later. That was the plan. The easiest, most simple plan. But there went Jungwon, with his killer instinct.

Right as the two men were about to move to the bar, some idiot criminal from the smaller leagues decided to get involved. You almost jumped in joy, this was perfect. All the focus was trained on that idiot and you and Jungwon could just slip in, get the Codex, and get out. You turned to tell Jungwon about the new plan- but when you turned to face him he was gone. 

You cursed internally, you knew this would happen. Jungwon and his instinct, his need to do the right thing, his stupid moral compass. The criminal’s legs shook as he realized what a grave mistake he had made storming into the lion’s den. Jungwon though, didn’t seem to see the bigger picture. He stepped out from behind the marble pillar, his gun poised, he shot the two bodyguards that had the criminal in their grasp. 

The criminal made a run for it but now the bullets rained onto you two. You forgot all about the Codex, in your mind now only one thought rang clear. Protect Jungwon. You lunged for him, pulling him back behind the pillar to shield him from the shower of hurt. 

The men started making their way up the stairs but you were too fast. You grabbed Jungwon’s hand and pulled him behind you as you two ran for the window. The fall hurt, but not enough to forget the imminent danger the two of you would be in if you stayed here for any longer. You made a run for it and Jungwon wasn’t far behind. You were already fuming, this lead was very hard to find. It might even be your last one. Your last chance to protect your sister… After today’s events you knew Lloyd would try even harder to get to your sister. He didn’t want anything to hinder his progress to harness the power of the Codex.

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

In the hotel room you were done. You had worked night and day for that lead, for what?? For Jungwon to help some charity case of a criminal? The tension followed the two of you inside like an unwanted guest. Every inch of you was radiating fury. Jungwon walked in behind you, quiet for once, knowing that the storm was about to hit. 

“You have got to be kidding me,” you snapped, spinning around to face him. Your voice was sharp and your eyes set ablaze. “What were you thinking, Jungwon?!?”

He sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “I couldn’t just leave him there. He would’ve been killed.” 

“And because of that, we lost the Codex. Again!” you shot back, your voice ringing. The fear of losing your sister was becoming far too real for your liking and right now- the only person to blame in your mind was Jungwon. “Do you even realize what’s at stake here? Do you even care?”

“Of course I care!” he said, his voice finally rising to meet yours. “But I’m not going to stand by and watch someone die if I can stop it.” 

You laughed bitterly, throwing your hands into the air. “Great! You’re a hero. Congratulations!! Meanwhile Lloyd’s probably halfway across the world with the Codex. And you say that you can’t stand by and watch someone die?? Well that’s about to be my sister, and while you play the hero, I can’t even be there to save her life!” 

Jungwon stepped closer, his jaw tight. “You think I don’t care about your sister? About the Codex? About you?”

“Actions speak louder than words Jungwon,” you said, your voice trembling with anger. “And your actions tonight told me that you’d rather play savior than focus on what actually matters.”

“Don’t you dare,” he said, his voice low and dangerous now. “Don’t you dare stand there and act like I don’t care. I’ve been right here with you, every step of the way. I’m the one who pulled you out of that explosion last week. I’m the one who's been patching you up after every mission.” 

“And I’m the one who’s trying to keep us focused,” you snapped back. “You think I don’t see how reckless you are? How every time you're the one lets something slip, who makes us lose our lead?”

Jungwon took a step back, your words hitting him like a physical punch to the gut. “I’m doing my best, ___” he said, his voice quieter now but no less tense than before. “I’m not perfect, but I’m trying.”

“Trying isn’t good enough,” you said, your voice cracking. “We take so many lives everyday, it's our job. But you couldn’t let this one criminal die?? Even when my sister’s life is on the line??!” 

There was a long pause, the weight of your words settling heavily between you two. 

“You think I don’t know that?” he said finally. His voice was painstakingly raw. “You think I don’t feel that pressure every second of every day? That I don’t know if I screw up one more time, it’s all over?” 

“Then why the hell do you keep screwing up?” you asked, your voice breaking now. You knew you were being unfair but you couldn't really bring yourself to care at the moment. 

Jungwon looked away, his hands clenching at his sides. “Because I’m human, ___. I make mistakes. And yeah maybe I let my heart get in the way sometimes, but I’m not going to apologize for that.”

You laughed bitterly, shaking your head. “Your heart? Is that what we’re calling it now??” 

“Yes,” he said firmly, stepping closer again. “Because whether you want to admit it or not, I care about people. I care about you. And I’m sorry if that gets messy sometimes, but it's the truth.”

You froze, your breath catching. He cared… he cared for you. For a moment, you looked like you might say something but instead, you turned away, pressing your hands to your face. Rubbing your temple in frustration. 

“This isn’t about me,” you said after a long pause, your voice muffled.

“No, it’s not,” he agreed. “It’s about us. About the mission. About everything we’ve been through together. And if you think for one second that I don’t care as much as you do, then you don’t know me at all.”

You dropped your hands, turning back once again to face him. Your eyes  were glossy, your anger had faded away into something more vulnerable. “I don’t know if I did the right thing. I don’t know if kissing you was right. And I don’t know if I can keep doing this,” you said quietly. 

Jungwon was stunned for a bit, but he spoke again, his voice softer now. “You can. And you will. Because you’re the strongest person I know. And because I’ve got your back, no matter what.” 

You shook your head, a stray tear escaping and slipping down your cheek. “You could’ve died tonight Jungwon. And for what? A stranger?”

“No, for doing the right thing.” He said simply.

You stared at him for a long moment, your emotions warred within you. Your undeniable care and love for Jungwon, and your worry for your sister and the millions of lives at stake. Finally you sighed, your shoulders slumping. “I don’t even know what to say to you right now.”

“Then don’t say anything,” he said, stepping closer and gently reaching out to take your hand in his own. “Just trust me. Please.”

You couldn’t help the way your breath hitched yet again at his touch. You didn’t pull away, but you didn’t look at him either, closing your eyes and breathing slowly. “I’m tired of losing, Jungwon.”

His grip on your hand tightened. He felt some hope flicker within him. “We’re not going to lose. Not you, not your sister, not this mission. I promise you.”

You finally opened your eyes and met his eyes. They were desperate and apologetic. Your heart made your gaze soften and the tension eased for just a moment. But just as fast, you pulled your hand away, your brain taking over now. You were never too good at thinking with your heart anyway.

“Get some rest,” you said, your voice steadier but colder now. “We’ve got some serious work to do.”

You could almost see his heart shatter. But he didn’t say anything, he just watched as you walked farther away. Farther away from whatever you two had started, farther away from his grasp, farther from these complicated emotions. He sighed, running a hand through his hair again. 

“Good talk,” he muttered to himself before slumping onto the couch, the weight of the mission— and your fractured partnership– weighing heavily on him. 

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

You woke up in a daze as the incessant ringing of your laptop startled you out of your subconscious. You groaned as you sat up, the digital clock showed 4 A.M. You heaved your laptop from the bedside table and opened it. It showed a contact that looked suspiciously like… your sister??

You were suddenly wide awake as you accepted the call. “Hello? Sora? Is that you..?” you whispered. It looked like your sister, but her surroundings were dimly lit and she looked pale. Concern shot up inside you. “A-are you okay? Where is the agency keeping you?”

She was breathing hard, she looked around agitated, “Hey sis, slow down slow down. I’m okay- but I don’t have much time. I found something… about your Mrs. Kwon.”

You furrowed your eyebrows, Mrs. Kwon? Well she had been acting a bit on edge but this was a huge mission. Your voice wavered at her cautious tone and your chest tightened. “What’s wrong? And Sora, where are you? Did something happen?”

Sora hesitated before whispering, “I’m okay, I’m escaping from where the agency kept me. But Mrs. Kwon.. she’s planning to use it for herself.. I heard her talking about how the Codex would give her leverage over every agency in the world. She’s going to blackmail people, threaten them, and use it as a weapon to gain power. She doesn’t have the right intentions and she’s a dangerous woman with all that power already.” 

Your mind reeled from the information, “No… that doesn’t make any sense. The agency, we’re supposed to stop people like Lloyd, not become like him. Mrs. Kwon hates people like him. She.. she wouldn’t do that.” But you knew that she could pull something like this off. Still.. It hurt. It hurt to finally find out that the organization you dedicated half your life to, thinking you were helping people, it actually was all a fluke.

Sora saw the confusion and the pit that was forming in your stomach. She sensed it through the screen. Her voice broke slightly. “I don’t think you know what’s really happening, _____. You can’t trust them, you can’t trust anyone. Please be careful. I’m scared for you.”

You swallowed hard, your throat tight. Still you manage to give her a reassuring smile that seemed uneasy anyway. “I’ll figure this out, Sora. Stay safe okay? I’ll take care of myself, I promise, and I’ll protect you too no matter what.” 

Sora nodded and returned your smile before the screen went dark. You sat frozen, still stunned at the revelation, your mind spinning. The betrayal felt like a knife twisting in your gut. How could the place- no, the person you put so much trust into stab you in the back like this?? It was done, years of your life had been wasted away but you wouldn’t let Mrs. Kwon do this. You wouldn’t blatantly let her harm innocent people. In two quick actions, you grabbed the burner phone and took out the chip, crushing the feeble metal in your hand. Betrayal burned in the pit that had formed in your stomach, you would stop that crazy lady. No matter what.

You pushed open the adjoining door to Jungwon’s room. He was sprawled out on the bed, his chest rising and falling steadily, the faint glow of the moonlight casting soft shadows on his face. For a moment your breath hitched, he looked so peaceful, so ethereal, almost like an angel- but the memories from a few days ago started to rush in again. Your gaze went from starstruck to cold once more as you stepped closer to his bed. 

“Jungwon,” you said quietly, but he didn’t stir. 

You took a step closer as you gently nudged his shoulder. “Jungwon, wake up.”

He groaned as he rolled over to face you. His eyes were still closed though. “_____, if this is about my snoring again-”

“Get up,” you snapped, your voice cutting through his grogginess. How could he be talking about his obnoxious snoring right now?

He blinked up at you, his confusion quickly replaced with concern when he saw your expression. He was so attuned to your feelings… “What’s wrong?”

You crossed your arms, your jaw tight. “Sora called. She overheard something about the Codex and Mrs. Kwon.” you say as you sigh softly, the dread and betrayal still fresh in your mind.

Hearing about the Codex woke Jungwon up completely. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his expression serious now. “What did she say?”

You hesitated, your voice quieter now. God- even you couldn’t believe it yourself. “Mrs Kwon, she doesn’t want to destroy the Codex. She wants to use it— for blackmail, for power. Everything we’ve been through, risking our lives…. It's all been for nothing. It’s a lie Jungwon.”

Jungwon was shocked for a moment just as you were. His mouth opened but no words came out. You could see the gears turning in his head. Despite your recent… differences, you knew he had risked his life for it too. You knew he had been through what you had for the Codex. He felt the same way you did. He ran a hand through his hair, his brows furrowed, “are you sure about this?” 

“She overheard it directly,” you say as you start pacing around the room, feeling restless. “And she told me not to trust anyone. Not the agency, not anyone.” 

He leaned back against his hands, exhaling sharply. “Well that’s just great. So, we’re completely on our own now? I mean we can’t just go back there and ask Mrs. Kwon to stop being evil nicely right?”

You rolled your eyes at his childish words, you stopped pacing to shoot him a glare. “Pretty much. Which means we need to figure out what to do next.” 

Jungwon observed you carefully. Your shoulders tensed, your eyes absolutely refusing to meet his voluntarily, and your not so gentle bite of your lip. “You’re still mad.” Jungwon voiced, softly.

You turned away from him but your shoulders were still tense. “Mad doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

“Hey,” he said, his voice impossibly softer now, “I get it. I messed up. But right now, we’ve got bigger problems than my poor decision-making skills.”

“You think I don’t know that??” you snapped, spinning to face him. The fire now present in your eyes as you met his. “But I can’t just pretend everything’s fine when it’s not. You almost got us killed for some random criminal. And now Sora is out of any semblance of protection because of our stupid agency.”

He stood up. His expression was unreadable but a hint of determination lingered in his eyes as he approached you. “You’re right. I screwed up. But if there’s one thing you should know by now, it's that I’m not going to give up. Not on the mission. Not on people. And definitely not on you.”

Your breath hitched, damnit, he was making those stupid unnecessary nagging feelings bubble in your chest. But you quickly looked away as you spoke in an ice cold tone. “Don’t do this. Don’t make this about us Jungwon. This is about the mission. About Sora. About—”

“This is about everything,” he didn’t back down. Instead his tone was firm as he continued. “And whether you like it or not, we’re in this together. So, you can stay mad at me if you want, but I’m not going anywhere.” 

You clenched your fists. You hated this, the way you even had to choose between your anger and the comfort his words provided. But even after all of what had happened- you could never bring yourself to hate him. “Fine. But don’t expect me to trust you like I used to.”

“I’ll earn it back” he said easily like it was the simplest thing in the world. His gaze never faltered either. And as much as you hated to admit it, in this uncertain time you were glad to have Jungwon there. At least you knew you had someone who would never tire of you. Who was there even if he made your blood boil.

You held his gaze as you challenged him silently. But he never backed down.. He never gave up on you. You broke away from his eyes as you sighed deeply. “We need a plan.” 

Jungwon nodded. “Then let’s make one, yeah? Together.”

You didn’t respond but still silently sat down at the small desk to start mapping out your next move. You couldn’t help but glance at him from the corner of your eye. For all his flaws, you knew one thing for certain— Jungwon would fight for you, for Sora, for this mission. And no matter how angry you were, part of you couldn’t help but feel grateful for that. 

After destroying the chip in Jungwon’s burner phone too, you both sat down with your own laptops. It was time to dig, for a lead, for a radio message, for anything that would help.

It took a while, but after multiple hours of trying to find something- anything a lead popped up. Lloyd had become sloppy with one of his radio messages. He had said something about going underground for a while. His estate in Russia, no one would be idiotic enough to penetrate his heavily guarded and almost unreachable mansion…. Except the two of you of course.

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The storm raged over the sprawling Russian estate, casting an ominous shadow over the towering walls and wrought iron gates. Lightning illuminated the sprawling mansion, its sharp spires cutting into the dark sky. Dark walls with crawling vines seemed to threaten and ward off anyone who dared to enter. Icy rain poured down in sheets as it soaked through the gear that adorned your body. The sound of thunder masked the faint rustle of movement as you and Jungwon crouched in the dense shadows near the perimeter. 

“This place screams ‘villain lair’” Jungwon mutters, his breath annoyingly warming up the back of your neck. He adjusted the hood of his black jacket against the freezing rain.

“Focus,” You said sharply, your voice barely audible over the wind. You didn’t spare him a glance, your gaze fixed on the towering structure ahead. More specifically on the armed men who were about to exchange shifts in just a matter of minutes. 

Jungwon sighed, casting a sidelong glance at you. “Wow you sound like you’re going to bite my head off. Personally, I think you should wait until after we grab the Codex to kill me, yeah?”

You didn’t respond. Pressing on to the side entrance you were going to infiltrate. It didn’t help that this was the most important mission of your life. The Codex was finally in your sight again. Not to mention that Sora was still on the move. No place was safe for her as long as the Codex was at large. It was also absurdly hard to get here after you had gone MIA from the agency. Mrs. Kwon seemed to have gone crazy because she stopped some of the most important missions to employ the agents to search for you and Jungwon. 

But what was worse was the ever annoying tension. It was cold and biting like the air that howled around you two. You didn’t like to say that you held a grudge, but your anger still lingered like a storm of its own. And though Jungwon tried to break through it with his normal flattery and charm, you wouldn’t budge. Not yet. 

You moved once again the moment the men turned their backs to change shifts. Stopping by the gate, you pressed yourself against the wall as you were met with the high tech digital lock. “This is it,” you whispered as you nodded to the door. The lock looked a bit advanced but it's nothing you couldn't handle. You knelt as you connected your hacking device into the lock. Your fingers were steady despite the icy rain that soaked through your gloves.

Jungwon knelt beside you, watchful eyes scanning their surroundings. “Still can’t believe you stayed mad this long. You know, if we die here, it’ll make for a tragic love story.”

You shot him a glare for bringing your personal relationships (or lack thereof) into the conversation. “If we die here, it’ll be because you can’t stop running your mouth.”

Not even a minute after the lock clicked. You pushed the door open and closed it just as the next guards arrived for their patrol. 

The interior of the mansion was cold and dark, the air heavy with the scent of damp stone and expensive leather. You moved in silence, your footsteps muffled by the thick carpet as you made your way towards the vault. You had to snicker at the hideous pictures of Lloyd that decorated the walls. Him in nothing but leopard fur, him showing off his (nonexistent) muscles, one with two girls fawning over him, and yet another where he was sitting on a pony?? Goes to show just how self centered he was. 

You kept your focus sharp as you two sneaked silently towards the vault. You were blatantly ignoring how Jungwon’s presence at your side felt like both a comfort and an annoyance . You couldn’t afford to be distracted right now anyways. 

Jungwon, for his part, stole glances at you whenever he could. The tension between you was eating away at him. He hated the thought that you didn’t trust him anymore. He thought about this every time, but today it felt more real. This mission could be your last, and he would hate to have that happen with you still angry at him. 

The vault was hidden behind a bookshelf in one of the many studies this estate had. You had thoroughly researched beforehand. There shouldn’t be any people in this part of the estate right now. You turned to Jungwon abruptly as both of you got in place. Your tone was just the slightest bit accusatory as you gave him an unreadable look. “Once we are inside, you know the plan. No distractions, no detours.”

“Understood boss,” Jungwon said, his hands raising in mock surrender. The two of you tugged at the two dark blue books on each side of the study. There was some mechanical whirring behind the door, as it opened with a hiss. The huge metal vault sparkled at you, just the menacing door stood before you and the Codex now. 

You ignored the jab and turned back to the vault door. It was protected by an intricate keypad and a biometric scanner. You pulled out the small device again as you started working once again. The gloves you wore would bypass the scanner no problem. 

“Time’s ticking..” Jungwon murmured, his ears on high alert for any sound outside the closed study door. 

“Almost… there” you said your voice tight with concentration.

The lock disengaged with a heavy click, and the vault door creaked open. Inside, the metal room glimmered with Lloyd’s wealth. Gold bars, stacks of cash, priceless artifacts, ancient jewelry, huge jewels. But at the center of the room, bathed in the glow of a single overhead light, was the long behold Phantom Codex.

The codex was exactly as you had remembered it. How could you forget the piece of tech that had basically ruined your life anyway? Obsidian black, diamond shaped, etched with glowing cerulean symbols. It seemed alive, faintly humming as you listened carefully. You had to shake your head so you didn’t get entranced like everyone had at the gala in Paris. 

“There it is,” you whispered, your breath catching.

“Finally,” Jungwon said, carelessly stepping forward. But before he could even take a single step closer the floor detected his weight. In an instant, lasers shot from the walls as ear blasting sirens rang through the sound of the storm. 

“MOVE!!” you shouted, as you dodged the lasers skilfully but Jungwon beat you to it. He snatched the Codex from the pedestal. 

“I’ve got it, lets go!!” he yelled as the both of you could hear the thunder of the probably hundreds of guards all swarming to your location. 

You both made your way outside the study. You could taste the adrenaline as the window in front of you taunted you. But this time you would do it. This was your escape, your victory. 

Jungwon ran as fast as he could, his focus was on the window just the same as you. The pounding of boots and shouting of the men spurred the two of you to go even faster. You were just a few steps behind him.

That’s when you stopped. The bullet flew through the air as you felt time stop. Your eyes darted to Jungwon’s retreating figure, then to the guards that grew closer. The bullet pierced your abdomen. You felt the stinging pain, not from the blood that stained your gear– no. It was from the realization that this was it.

Still you didn’t care. Jungwon had secured the Codex, he would do what’s right. And you had to protect him no matter what. Instead of running to Jungwon, you turned your back to him. Facing the absurd amount of guards that closed in onto you. For Jungwon. 

But while you tackled one guard to the floor, you knew it. There were way too many. You still placed a kick to another one as they surrounded you. You were sloppy, your movements too slow. Another guard grabbed your arm as suddenly, someone else lifted the butt of their rifle, bringing it down onto your back harshly. You felt pain through your entire being as you inevitably blacked out, watching the window shatter just like your freedom. 

You fell unconscious. Your body crumpled.

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Jungwon jumped through the window. The glass shards cutting his face as the rain immediately greeted him in the courtyard. He clutched the Codex tightly against his chest. He turned back, adrenaline and victory coursing through him. He expected to see you, standing victoriously beside him. That satisfactory smirk gracing your lips anytime you both succeeded in a mission. 

But his heart dropped. There was no sight of you. He felt his blood run cold as his chest felt like it was caving in on him. No! This couldn’t be happening. He didn’t feel the tears stream down his face because of the rain that poured down onto him. 

You were captured. Gone from his protection into Lloyd’s demonic hands. His hands shook as he held onto the Codex. He promised himself that he would get it for you. But not like this. Not at this cost. “DAMNIT!!” He yelled your name as his brain finally caught up with the events happening. 

Fear for you clawed in Jungwon’s chest, but more than that white hot rage burned through him. So much so that it threatened to consume his whole being. The what-ifs of what Lloyd could do lingered in his mind for just a moment, but they disappeared the moment he imagined you at that bastard’s mercy. His hands clenched and his jaw set as he stared back at the estate. No rational thought in his mind. He couldn’t think of anything else– didn’t want to. The mission, the Codex, everything else blurred into insignificance. You were all that mattered.

Jungwon moved through the stone halls like a man possessed. He was soaked to the core but he didn’t once shiver. He let himself think with his instinct and his instinct alone. Something you probably would have reprimanded him for. But it was his instinct that was guiding him to you. 

The guards who crossed his path didn’t stand a chance. Anyone who dared to move towards him was struck with precision and speed. His movements were raw and fueled by a fire that burned hot inside him. A punch to the throat, a kick to the ribs, a quick disarm— he left them crumpled in his wake, barely sparing them a second glance. 

The Codex was clutched tightly in his hand. The dark obsidian surface shone with rain. Every time some stupid guard tried to grab it, he twisted away, taking them down before they could make a move. Like the big burly men were some flies he needed to flick away. 

He was there, he was at the inner sanctum now. He was breathing hard and his gaze deathly. His focus never wavering.

The room where you were being held was flanked by at least ten guards. They stiffened at the sight of Jungwon, their weapons raised. But the sight of his gaze and rigid form struck fear into their hearts. 

Jungwon didn’t slow down. “Get out of my way,” he growled out. His voice was low, dangerous, and shaking with rage.

The guards still stupidly didn’t budge. 

Jungwon lifted the artifact that they all were after up high. “If you idiots don’t move. I’ll destroy this thing right here and now.” 

The threat worked. The guards exchanged glances. Debating if they should really move and face Lloyd’s wrath or Jungwon’s. One of them moved and the others followed. Their eyes showed uncertainty but watching Jungwon move swiftly they knew they would have been done for if they hadn’t. 

Jungwon almost broke the heavy wooden door down, his heart pounding as his eyes immediately sought you.

The room was dim, the occasional burst of lightning illuminating it. It was freezing cold and Jungwon observed how there were no guards inside. You were on your knees in the center of the room. Your hands tied behind your back in a rough grip that would leave your wrists red. Your hair was damp still, plastered to your forehead. But your expression remained fierce. Your head held high despite the position you were in. You refused to give in to Lloyd no matter what.

Your heart leaped in frustration and unbelievable relief as Jungwon burst through the door. It was so damn frustrating that he had done this, risked his life and the lives of so many others just for… you. Only for you. You couldn’t help but observe how rigid his form was. The moment he lifted his head to look at Lloyd, it scared you. You had never seen him this uncontrolled, this angry. 

Lloyd was stood behind you with a gun pressed to the back of your head. His face split into a wicked, wide, mocking grin as Jungwon entered the room. The Codex sparkling blue in his grip.

“Well well,” he drawled, his voice oozing amusement. “The knight in shining armor returns. I must admit, I didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to come back for your little girlfriend.”

Jungwon’s gaze was locked on you. His fury only heightened once he saw how Lloyd was holding you at gunpoint. He shook his head as he straightened up. “You don’t understand what I’d do for her.” he said his voice barely audible but full of anger.

“Jungwon!! NO!!!” you shouted, finding your voice once again. “You shouldn’t be here!! Take the Codex and go!!” The shout made your bullet wound in your abdomen sting with unbearable pain, as you gritted your teeth.

Lloyd chuckled, amused by the little display. He menacingly nudged the barrel of the gun into your skull. “Listen to her boy. She’s smarter than you are.”

Jungwon ignored the both of you. His expression was hard, no one could tell what ran through his mind. His focus was entirely you. The grip he had on the Codex tightened. “Let her go, Lloyd!” 

Lloyd almost laughed. He raised his eyebrows “and what position are you in to make that demand? Besides, why would I do that?? She’s quite the leverage. You hand over the Codex, or I blow her pretty little brains out.”

“Jungwon!!” you said in a warning tone, a certain urgency in your voice. “Don’t. Don’t give it to him. It’s not worth it. I did this so you could escape!! SO GO DAMMIT!!”

Jungwon’s heart clenched at the barely masked fear in your voice. His mind still pissed that you cared more about the stupid artifact more than yourself. How could you be so blind? You had to have known. To Jungwon, nothing mattered but you. “You want the Codex? Fine. Take it.”

“Jungwon no!!!” You yelled in vain.

He strode across the room and without hesitation, Jungwon tossed the Codex across the room. It landed at Lloyd’s feet, and the bastard’s grin widened. 

“Ah~ the hero sacrifices everything for the damsel. How predictable.” Lloyd kicked the Codex aside and turned his evil eyes toward Jungwon again. “But you’re a fool if you think this ends well for you.” 

He cocked the gun.

Jungwon moved before Lloyd could even think to pull the trigger. 

With lightning speed, he lunged forward, grabbing a knife from his belt and throwing it with deadly accuracy. His fury at its peak, his vision completely red. The blade sank into Lloyd’s shoulder, forcing him to drop the gun and stagger back with a howl of pain. 

You fell forward as the gun was wrenched away from him, landing hard on the cold stone tiles. 

Jungwon couldn’t see anything but rage. He was already on Lloyd, tackling him to the ground and landing a flurry of punches. The sickening sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed through the empty chamber. The only other sounds being Lloyd’s groaning and Jungwon’s labored breathing.

“THIS IS FOR HER!!” Jungwon growled loudly, slamming Lloyd’s head into the floor. The crack of his skull was loud and clear, but Jungwon didn’t seem to hear it. “For all the people you’ve made suffer. For everyone you’ve hurt. For everything you’ve done!” 

Lloyd was done. He was lifeless, his body limp but Jungwon didn’t stop. Jungwon didn’t think of any intel, of what use he could have been. All he could think of was slamming his skull into the floor over and over and-

“Jungwon stop!” your voice cut through his haze of rage.

His eyes seemed to finally refocus as the anger slowly dissipated. His heart clenched when he looked over his shoulder at how you were struggling to your feet, your hands still bound. 

“He’s done..” you said in a soft whisper. “We need to go.” 

Jungwon’s chest heaved as he stared down at Lloyd, who was lifeless. After he scowled at him, his eyes narrowing, he nodded and stood. Pocketing the gun that laid close to Lloyd. He picked up the damned Codex before making his way towards you.

No words were exchanged between the two of you as Jungwon untied your hands with surprising gentleness. Considering how angry he had just been it was astonishing how he handled you like a porcelain doll. The moment that your hands were free, you threw your arms around him, burying your face into his strong chest. You felt an inexplicable amount of relief and warmth as you were finally able to wrap your arms around him once again.

“You… you’re an idiot, Yang Jungwon.” you whispered, your voice shaking as Jungwon felt you wet his jacket that he wore. He hugged you back tightly. His hands wrapped around your whole body as he pulled you close to him. You cursed as the pain shot up in your abdomen once more.

He immediately pulled back as his hands rested carefully on your hips, “___?? What’s wrong?” he said with big boba eyes that showed nothing but concern. 

“I’m okay won, just got shot.” you told him, the smile on your face looking like an idiotic grin. The tears still shone bright in your eyes. You ran your fingers through his soft locks as your eyes darted trying to memorize every single detail of his beautiful face.

“Just???-” he was about to tell you off, when the door flew open. The remaining guards poured into the room, guns drawn and shouting commands in Russian. 

You and Jungwon immediately broke apart, your instincts kicking in. Jungwon reached for Lloyd’s gun in his pocket while you ducked behind him, your sharp eyes scanning for an opening.

“We’re not out of this yet,” Jungwon muttered, his tone laced with a mixture of irritation and exhilaration.

You smirked at him despite the chaos. The dynamic between you two undeniably felt right again, “thought you liked dramatic exits.”

Jungwon tilted his head, just barely dodging a bullet that whizzed past. “That I do.” 

Jungwon fired a few warning shots wildly into the air. Forcing the guards to take cover as the two of you darted for the hallway. The storm still raged outside but there was a hint of blue skies not too far from the gray clouds. Thunder rumbled as the pair of you sprinted through the sprawling mansion. The ache in your abdomen was still present but you could bear it, because the taste of freedom was too sweet. 

“You could’ve reminded me about the cavalry!” Jungwon called out over his shoulder as you rounded a corner, narrowly avoiding another group of guards. 

You scoffed, breathless but focused. “I didn’t think you would be stupid enough to actually throw the Codex to Lloyd, but here we are.”

Jungwon laughed, his sweet stupid laugh. It rang out in your ears the sweetest melody you’d ever heard. “Anything for you babe! You know that.”

You couldn't afford the butterflies raging within you, but god you couldn’t stop them either. Just like the foolish grin that spread across your face. 

The hallways seemed endless, a labyrinth of opulent decor and deadly ambushes. Guards spilled out from doorways, but you and Jungwon moved in a seamless unit. You kicked a marble bust, sending it crashing into the path of the pursuers, while Jungwon threw his knife that found its mark in another guard’s leg.

Finally, the mansion’s main entrance came into view, its grand double doors flanked by a pair of guards. You didn’t slow down one bit though, your mind racing. You didn’t have a plan sure, but you had Jungwon and his killer instinct. “Left or right?” you hissed at Jungwon.

“Both,” his eyes twinkled as he veered right.

You rolled your eyes, but couldn’t help the burst of joy as you saw the look in his eyes. You darted to the left, sliding low as you kicked one guard’s feet out from under him. Jungwon tackled the other, knocking his weapon away before landing a solid punch to his jaw.

The doors were pushed open by the two of you as the storm had seemed to ease up a bit. Rain still softly pelted you as you bolted down the stone steps toward the row of motorcycles parked outside. You flipped off the estate in the background, the grin not leaving your face. “HA!! You bastards!!” 

You let out a breathless laugh as the two of you mounted the Kawasaki Ninjas. You grinned at Jungwon, for the first time in a while feeling the thrill of freedom and success. “How’d you know I’d have these ready?”

Jungwon revved the engine, smirking at you, “Because you’re you.”

“And what does that mean?”

“It means you're crazy detailed and brilliant as hell.” 

Your stomach flipped at the unexpected sincerity in his tone, but there was no time to dwell on it. The two of you sped off into the night. Kicking back gravel and mud in your wake. Shots were being fired into the air but you were too far from the estate to worry about any of that. 

˚₊‧꒰ა ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The cool night air softly tousled your hair. The two roaring engines fell silent as the bikes came to a stop at a beach by the road. The two of you were far off the path of the storm and far enough away that Lloyd’s men weren’t catching up anytime soon. The air was biting at your skin but still it was calm. The only sound was the rhythmic crashing of the waves. The scene in front of you was truly breathtaking. Gray sands giving away to dark waves. Except the fact that the waves weren’t as black as they seemed. On occasion as some of them crashed onto the shore, they lit up to be an azure blue. Bioluminescence graced the waves curves and foam. 

You had time to think. And while on the ride here you contemplated. Jungwon had done something foolish that had no guarantee of working out. But by some godly will it did. You couldn’t help but be just a bit pissed that you risked your life for him just for him to save you in the end. There was a small part of you that said to tell him off for it. Now that you were past the rush of adrenaline you could think clearly once more. 

Jungwon had hopped off the bike shaking the water out of his hair. You couldn’t help but stop and stare for a second as he looked angelic. The moonlight illuminated his pale skin and the moon itself shone bright in his eyes. It’s like he was struck by the beauty of the moon. His broad shoulders tensed when he looked at you. Standing with your arms crossed and an unreadable expression on your face. 

“I hope you know I’m not letting you off the hook. That was stupid what you did.” You say trying to sound stern but there was no real bite to your voice. 

“I heard you loud and clear the first time.” He said with a chuckle leaning casually on his bike. 

You huffed at his nonchalant attitude as you strode towards him. You poked his chest hard. “You threw the Codex at Lloyd like a fool! Do you realize how reckless that was?? You-“

“Saved your life?” He interrupted. His hand laced his fingers with yours as he leaned in closer. His voice dropped to something deeper, more serious.

You were frozen in place. It’s like your brain shut off once again when his hand was grasped in yours. He was way too close too. You could see the soft shadows so his eyelashes and his deep dimple poked out as he smirked. You opened your mouth to say something but the words died on your lips. He was right, he had saved your life. Again. You hated when he was right- you were supposed to be the smart one. You stared at him as your heart pounded for reasons you couldn’t entirely blame on anger. 

“You put the entire world in danger,” you whispered, as if saying anything louder would break this perfect moment. “For me.”

His smirk softened into a smile as he brought his other hand up. Tucking a piece of damp hair behind your ear. His hand lingered for just a moment too long. He stared at you with so many emotions you couldn’t decipher them all. “Baby… you are my world.”

Your breath hitched. You were rendered completely speechless. The only sound was the waves beating on the shore and the thump of your heartbeat. The petname, the way his hand was still in yours, the way his eyes softened just for you. You didn’t think anymore, letting your instincts take over. Just like he would have done.

You grabbed him by the collar of his jacket as you stared into his moonlit eyes before your gaze landed on his lips. You shoved him against the side of his parked bike.

“You’re impossible.” You muttered, but the way your lips twitched threatening a smile betrayed your resolve. 

“And you love it” jungwon managed to shoot back. His grin faltered the moment you pulled him down by his collar. 

Your lips met in a collision of fire and fury, a kiss born of unspoken emotions and pent-up tension. It wasn’t soft or tentative; it was deep, desperate, and raw. The way your mouths moved in sync like they were trying to make up for lost time. The kiss was sure and firm. 

His lips were soft, plump, and pillowy just as you had remembered them. You couldn’t lie and say that you hadn’t missed him. The way he slightly smiled into the kiss. His tongue darting out to trace the outline of your lower lip.

His hands found your waist. Making sure to be extra careful that he didn’t irritate the wound on your abdomen. But the way he slightly tightened his grip when his tongue finally entered your mouth, he was holding on like you might slip away again if he lets go.

Your hands were in his dark and damp locks as your knuckles curled around his soft hair. You tugged slightly, earning a low groan from him that vibrated against your mouth. The sound makes shivers run down your spine. 

You pressed him harder against the bike. Your body molded to his in a way that felt like you were trying to crawl into his skin. His hands roamed over your back as he traced soft patterns, grounding you like an anchor in the moment.

“Jungwon-“ you whined when he pulled away for a breath. The sound only made him cup your cheek as he angled your head while he went in again. You couldn’t resist whimpering against his mouth when he caressed your cheeks with so much tenderness you could melt. 

It wasn’t just a kiss— it was a release, a declaration, an unspoken promise. The world faded into the background, nothing seeming to matter more than the two of you right now. It only left the two of you, connected in a way that felt inevitable. 

When you finally pulled apart, your breaths came in ragged gasps. Your forehead rested against his and your hands remained on his shoulder. You looked into his eyes. And you knew this was right, you’d never felt anything more intense than this. You needed Jungwon and the way he stared right back at you, you knew he needed you too.

“You drive me up a wall Jungwon. Don’t ever scare me like that again.” You whispered. Your voice breaking.

Jungwon chuckled softly as he ran his thumb over your cheek with love in his eyes. His own breathing uneven, “no promises.”

You stayed like that for a few moments. Wrapped up in each other. Just enjoying the other’s presence and touch. But you stepped back slowly, your hands trailing down Jungwon’s built chest before falling to your sides. Your gaze dropped to the object that stuck out of his pocket— the Phantom Codex, its dark, intricate surface glinting in the moonlight. 

You slipped it out of his pocket. Staring at some stupid piece of tech that almost ruined your life and the lives of many more innocent people. The blue hue that it exuded along with the faint whisper of the symbols moving were almost trying to convince you to stop. But without hesitation you held it up in the air before slamming it against the asphalt with all your strength. 

It was done. The Codex shattered into a million pieces, shards scattering across the sand. The sound echoed briefly before being swallowed by the night. 

You straightened your posture as you turned to Jungwon. It was gone. Your sister was free and Mrs. Kwon’s evil plan had come to a halt. Your eyes were a mix of joy, fierceness, and determination. 

“It’s over.” You stated simply.

Jungwon nodded, a small, proud smile tugging at his lips. He slipped his hand on your shoulder as he pulled you close once again. His lips brushed against the crown of your head. “It is.”

You had to gasp softly as the horizon began to blush with the first rays of dawn. Jungwon’s arm fell as he stared in awe at the world slowly emerging once again from the embrace of the night. The golden light stretched over the waves, illuminating the water in hues of pink and gold. The storm had long passed, and the gentle breeze carried the salty tang of the sea. The world was quiet, peaceful. 

You felt the breeze nip at your skin as you hugged your arms around yourself. Jungwon noticed and he silently draped his jacket over your shoulders. You glanced at him, your lips curving into a small smile you didn’t bother hiding. 

“You’re really laying it on thick aren’t you?” You teased, still pulling the jacket closer. 

“Can you blame me?” Jungwon replied with a grin. He stepped closer to you standing by your side with his hands in his pocket like he wasn’t just making out with you a minute ago. “It’s not everyday I get to watch the sunrise with the love of my life who happens to be the woman who also saved the world.”

You tried to hide your blush but it crept up on you anyway. Your smile softened as your gaze returned to the horizon. The rising sun painting your face with warmth. You looked like you were glowing to Jungwon. But even with the warmth your thoughts were heavy. “We didn’t save the world- there is no saving it. We just stopped it from getting worse.”

“Same difference,” Jungwon said lightly. “And we’re not done yet.”

You nodded, your eyes scanning the open sea that stretched in front of you. “We’re on the run now. The agency won’t stop hunting us”

Jungwon smirked. Hid confident aura returning, “let them try princess. We’ve outsmarted Lloyd and destroyed the Codex. What’s a few corporate nerds?”

You rolled your eyes but you couldn’t suppress the laugh that escaped your lips. “You really don’t know how to take anything seriously, do you?”

“Not true,” he said, stepping even closer as his voice softened,. “I take us seriously.”

Your heart skipped a beat as you looked away desperately trying to hide the blush and idiotic  grin that threatened to break. “Don’t get all sappy on me now.”

“Too late.” He grinned , reaching out to brush some hair out of your face. “____, we’re free now. No rules, no lies, no one pulling the strings but us. We can make a real difference, fight the way we want to fight.”

Your expression shifted, the weight of his words settling over you. For years, you had operated within a system that used people like tools. Simply sacrificing lives for power plays. Now, standing here with the man who had saved you from danger and yourself multiple times, you felt the stirrings of something your prior life hasn’t allowed: hope. 

The sun crept higher. It’s light washing away the remnants of the night, and with it, the shadows of your past.

“If we are going into this chaotic world of crime, corrupt organizations, and horrible people. I’m glad you’re the one I’m doing this with.” Jungwon said suddenly. 

You could hear your heart beating in your ears as you grinned like an idiot. “Good. Because you’re stuck with me Jungwon.” You wrapped your arms around his neck as you took him in again.

“No one I’d rather be with,” he whispered, his lips brushing against yours. 

It was morning now. The sun had finally risen. The path ahead was clear despite the dangers that lurked at every turn. The rays washed both of you in warmth as your lips met for the nth time. Your life had only just begun, and it was going to be a wild ride. 

[bohemianblasphemy]

Things Daryl Dixon would do bc I said so ✨

(Daryl brainrot? It’s more likely than you think)

SFW:

-Daryl fucking Dixon.

-I know when he first meets you he just kinda stays away and doesn’t talk to you. Quite standoffish.

-Would only ever communicate in grunts and grumbles because… well would we surprised?

-he’s just wary around people in general- scared of getting too close, but once he gets to know you he’s more comfortable around you.

- he’s the ‘admire from afar’ kinda guy- watching you as you do your daily duties, keeping everyone safe and just being an overall good presence for the group, a breath of fresh air in the apocalypse.

- there would be a night where you’d be sitting on night watch, he’d come and sit with you. Not really talking, just kinda in each other’s presence looking out onto the landscape.

- it would become a regular occurrence of him sitting with you, but you’d be more chatty as you grew closer to each other.

- Daryl would begin to sit closer and closer to you, looking at you longingly as you talk about your life before the end of the world, desperately wanting to tell you how he felt but could never find the words.

-however it would take a near death experience that would bring him to tell you how he feels about you. Whether by walkers or a run in with rivals, he can’t help but just hold you close- not letting you go until he’s spilled every last bit of love that he has for you.

-ever since you and him were inseparable.

- isn’t a massive fan of PDA, but will hold your hand or your pinky. He will leave most of his affection when you’re both alone- he loves to hold you and cuddle into you when you’re in bed together, enjoying your warmth.

-finds little things for you on supply runs, leaves them on your bed for you to find at the end of the day.

- you roast each other for fun, sometimes going too far and either one of you gets grumpy at the other, but not for too long.

- his kisses are slow and soft, putting all his love for you in them- mumbles that he loves you and sweet nothings between kisses too.

- he will protect you as if it’s the last thing he’d do.

- (also carol loves you so much)

NSFW:

- He’s definitely a switch with a sub leaning- no arguments that’s just how he is.

- Nervous the first time you both have sex because he wants to make it good for you (he’s a lil insecure because he isn’t confident in himself the poor bby) but with your assurance he gains more confidence to make the experience better for you (spoiler alert: he’s fucking good.)

- LIVES to go down on you, but will never not love the feel of your mouth around his cock. He could get off of going down on you- anytime anywhere he wants a taste of you, more often than not falling to his knees in front of you and just getting you off with his tongue.

- doesn’t really moan but grunts and swears in your ear.

- 100000000% talks you through it.

“You like that huh?”

“Jus’ like that, your mouth feels s’good on me…”

“Wanna taste ya, please darlin’.”

- low key… he’s an exhibitionist. Wants to see how much you can keep quiet as he rails you in a public space.

- really enjoys when you get kinda rough with him. Riding him hard, pulling his hair as he goes down on you… gets him hard as fuck.

- his fave positions are cowgirl and missionary with your legs up on his shoulders, he loves to feel you deep and watch your facial expressions to see that he’s making you feel good.

- another position he likes is spooning so he can kiss and suck on your neck, whisper dirty things in your ear as he pounds into you.

[forsworned]

USE YOUR HEART ft. NEEDY!SIMON 'GHOST' RILEY

Warning(s): Sexual Content, Grinding, AFAB!Reader, Mentions of Narcotics

Synopsis: Simon is high off of morphine and it reveals his true feelings for reader...

Author's note: Idk because @dmitriene told me to do it and i <3 her

"I don't wanna be alone."

His voice breaks as he reaches out to you. His usual stoic demeanor had completely diminished in your presence. For the first time, Simon was needy. You gaze down at his hand gently gripping your hand, "I need you." He says. Pleas even. Dark, stormy, and now conflicted eyes are peering up at you and he tugs you toward him. You didn't know how to react. Seeing Simon so injured and broken makes you feel some type of way. Somewhat wrong, but somehow...powerful?

"You need me?" You finally spoke up. His Adam's apple bobs up and down.

"Yes.” He croaks out.

The morphine that has been coursing in his system finally kicks in and you were experiencing the lowering inhibitions of Simon Riley, not Ghost.

The Simon Riley laying out on the infirmary bed before you at this moment was vulnerable, desperate, and reliant on your presence and aid--insistent even.

But naturally, you're hesitant. A situation like this is compromising and delicate. Given the nature of the circumstances and his stature, he is obviously still at an advantage, but it feels wrong to pounce at the opportunity. You don't want to feel like a predator skulking about as he studies you with reliant, onyx hues.

You look at the time on your watch.

12:38 AM

It was quite late, but the tugging of his hand over yours disrupts your train of thought.

"C'mere. I want you by my side." He susurrates and you're in a bit of a trance at the resonance of his soothing, sleepy tone. It's not its usual gruff and gravelly, but instead a lulling rasp that pulls you in.

"It's late, Lieutenant." You gently chide as you attempt to pry his fingers off your wrist, but he takes his free hand over your own and pulls you flush against him. Goddamn, he was strong. Even in his dazed and confused state, he is built like a fuckin' boulder.

But he's not listening to you as he fiddles with your fingers, tracing over the skin and where it creases and finely wrinkles. Over the nail bed, and the unfiled ridges, down to the chip that you earned from earlier when you reached for your gun in your holster too quickly. He's thumbing over the half-moon on your thumb and then the scar on the meat of your palm before he brings it to his masked lips as if to kiss it over the fabric.

A small, shuddering breath escapes you, and your eyes are glazing over before you swallow thickly. He cups your hand over his jaw and inhales sharply as he closes his eyes.

"Don't care." He replies, curling his bicep around your waist and secures you so have nowhere to go.

Your heart thuds at the contact and your cheeks are teeming with warmth. And suddenly it feels like the heat in there is turning to the max because you're sweating like a dog under his keen gaze and snug hold on you.

"Want you to stay." And it's as if he's speaking purely from the heart when he looks at you like that. You want nothing more but to crumble into his arms and cave into whatever feelings are lurking within you, but there's an urge to maintain your professionalism. And Simon senses that. He wants you to let go.

Why? He didn't know. Be it the drugs, the near-death experience, or the fact that you look utterly gorgeous under the strong moonlight or all of the above; he wants you with all his being.

His bandage-wrapped fingers loop around the bottom of his mask and he's lifting it up to expose just his lips as it scrunches up under his nose. Even if you have seen the sight a multitude of times over the years of knowing your Lieutenant, it is always as awestriking as it was the first time you saw it. His pretty rosy lips kiss at your wrist and you're stunned.

"Stay." He croaks out.

"And then what?"

You can't help yourself from asking such a silly question. You just need to feel needed by him because there is just something about the clinginess in his body language that pulls you in for more. If Simon is being honest right now, he's on cloud motherfucking nine. He's so high that everything feels like tunnel vision right now and you're the only damn thing he can focus on, not that he would want to focus on anything else.

So when he's telling you to stay, he damn well means it. But he also wants more. He's telling himself not to be too hasty, at least the logical part of him, though he is following his heart's desires. And his heart is conveying to him that he yearns for your closeness, for all your regard, and selfishly enough, your own heart.

At this point, all reasoning is being tossed out the window when he fixates on your trembling, shimmering eyes and your quivering glossed lips that are slightly chapped. But he's thinking to himself, one kiss. One kiss would fix that for you.

Simon is no longer struggling to sit up when he's tensing you closer to him feeling the sweat wetting the small of your back. His brows slightly raise and you feel your cheeks flush at his little observation, but he's not halting his motion to close the short distance between you two. He's bringing his hand over the nape of your neck, carding his scarred fingers through the tendrils of your hair and a soft sigh leaves your lips.

And the way you visibly relax draws out a small smile onto his lips as your foreheads collide. You don't even dare to open your eyes. You swallow thickly as you feel your breath become shallow and sharp. It fans against his lips and he's feels even more enticed to just kiss you.

"Dammit, [name]..." He finally breathes out. And you're eyes are on him and he can feel a thrill creep up his chine when he sees the flash of longing overcome your half lidded gaze.

And now you're yearning to bridge the distance, creeping closer to him, nudging your nose against his, and faintly brushing your lips over the stubble on his philtrum. You notice how his chest huffs out, stuttering as it leaves his lungs.

Long blonde lashes tickle at your own as your lips graze and you're heart is thumping out of your chest. You feel yourself holding back from your own hankerings but the moment that Simon brings his thumb to skim over your bottom lip, you feel the tension snap like a rubberband and you're crashing your lips against his. To hell with ethical conduct and decorum, you want nothing more than to satiate your thirst for him.

And with every kiss, you feel like your hunger is being appeased. The ferocity that grows in the depths of your groin is clawing out as you clamber on top of him and you're tuning out the noisy heartbeat monitor that's becoming rapid. And it cuts out, thanks to the swift movement of Simon pulling out the cord so he can nestle his hands under your shirt and slip his tongue between your open-mouth kisses.

He's losing himself in you and he doesn't care because the feeling of your nails digging into his abdomen is more than pleasant. As if the morphine wasn't dizzying enough, he was starting to feel like he was reaching some sort of seventh heaven. Especially when he hears the soft whimper that leaves your lips when he thumbs atop your hardened bud and gently tweaks it between his fingers.

The tent that's starting to feel like it's pitching between his legs is getting ground upon and he shudders at how fucking good it feels.

"Fuck." He murmurs as he lifts your shirt up to expose your breast to him and he's latching his lips to your sensitive nipple. It's a soft probing of his tongue against the erogenous zone and you're instantly arching your back and he grasps at your hips to abrade your clothed sex against him. And it feels so fucking good.

So, naturally, you're not stopping. And Simon can't help but become absorbed in your pleasure. Your milky moans are like music to his ears as he switches over to your other nipple. The friction builds in your lower belly as you get into a good rhythm and it becomes increasingly euphoric with every roll of your hips. And fuck, it's not even much but the way you are so touch-starved makes it all the better.

"Simon, I—hah—gonna—" You moan out, throwing your head back in ecstasy as his tongue swirls around your bud. He's already addicted to the way you're saying his name between your whimpers.

"Cum." He commands, as he clutches your hips to help achieve your oncoming orgasm. His sexy, raspy voice is enough to send you over the edge and a terrific gasp escapes you as you bury your face into the crook of his neck. Your breath is gone and you feel like your voice melts into a deep, hot sweetness that soothes your electrifying nerves.

There is a brief pause of silence as you catch your breath and the embarrassment skulks in and you don't want to withdraw from him. You only focus on his heartbeat which slows and his breath that levels. Your throat tightens as you shift awkwardly and his hand on your hip feels a little limp. You take another moment to memorize how he smelled to help you calm your nerves.

The aroma of his natural musk enmeshed with the faint scent of cypress digs into your brain as you try your hardest to engrave his essence before it slips away. With one more breath of courage, you withdraw from him to face the music but it seems he's fast asleep. His thumb is still hooked into the belt loop of your jeans, and you can't help but giggle at him.

A small sigh leaves your lips as you calm down from your climax and your shaky fingers, lower his mask back down so it's stretching over his neck. Maybe if you slip away right now he'll think that it was just a nice little wet dream...

But you feel his hand cling to you as you try make your sweet escape.

"Thought I told ya to stay." He mumbles under his breath while he wraps his arms around your waist, securing you and making certain you're not leaving his side anytime soon.

There's a feeling of assurance that fluxes over your edginess and you can finally breathe again. Simon's body feels weightless as he lays in this infirmary bed with your toasty form atop his. It feels heavenly to have your figure pressed against him and he hums in contentment. He's replaying the sound of your moans and the way your body writhed under his touch. And you're starting to feel the rigidity of his dirty thoughts against the zipper of your jeans.

"You sure?" You murmur back, feeling the warmth sidle back into your cheeks.

His grin grows under his mask and you can feel it against your forehead. Sleep overtakes him, but he gives you one last squeeze.

"'m sure."

[privateanxieties]

to the shadows, we return

Summary: When Frank goes to the woods of Kentucky in search of Gunner Henderson, you come along for the ride. And when the man you're looking for shoots an arrow at him, well— it isn't Frank that gets hit. Feelings ensue in the aftermath.

Words: 4.4K

Pairing: Frank Castle x f!Reader (no y/n); hurt/comfort, fluff, light angst, blood and injury, near death experiences, whumptober 2023

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You can tell the place is liable to be booby trapped all to hell before you've even gotten out of the van.

In a way, that's good. It means you're going to be of use and Frank didn't bring you here for nothing. In another, it's annoying, because you're going to be advancing at a snail's pace the whole way and the November sun is quick in its descent.

What you're here to provide is a one-woman navigation system, courtesy of your tactical training at Quantico. It's not that Frank didn't go through similar procedures; but he doesn't specialize in this type of operation, and he most definitely isn't used to extracting his way out of a predicament delicately. When it comes to these scenarios, he's the blunt object to your scalpel.

Gunner isn't someone you look forward to seeing again, but if you're to survive this whole ordeal, Frank needs to find answers. It sucks that this is what you're doing the first time you've left the bunker in weeks, but at this point you'll take a bear trap over listening to David Lieberman detailing any more Greek legends. Frank orders him to stay put— not that he'd have come with, anyway. Three's a crowd and all that. He seems content with his current level of involvement and you can't blame him for being reluctant to (very likely) get shot at. You're not very keen on it yourself, and knowing Gunner even as little as you do, it's something you worry about more than the traps themselves.

"Let's go before it gets any darker," you say, slinging your backpack over your shoulder. Frank nods, throwing another warning look at David.

The forest is barren this time of year, and an untrained eye might give into a false sense of security. Not a lot of places to hide traps, or at least not very well, a novice might think. Not the case. Gunner, from what you were able to intuit back in Kandahar, is the survivalist type. He's guaranteed to know his way around more than a few… creative snares.

It's not long into your trek inside the forest before you spot the black wire, but its placement is so obvious and exposed that it can't be more than an early-warning system for non-threats. No one looking for traps would trigger this one. It means you're getting close, but not quite close enough that you'd pose any real danger to his territory. Which means anything you encounter from now on will definitely try to take a finger with it. Though, if you're being honest— it's more like a limb or two.

Frank is quiet and cautious behind you, never closer than a three-step interval: the ideal distance for only one of you to get snared if you both happen upon a trap. It's a wonder he's letting you have the lead. If you've known Frank Castle to be anything, then that's a stubborn mule with absolutely no respect for safety. He'll take a bullet both out of stubbornness and sheer disregard for his life. He's old-fashioned like that. The fact that you're somewhat in charge in this particular instance means that he's laser-focused on getting to the bottom of Operation Cerberus. You know he wants the truth more than anything else. It's not just justice for what was done to his family, but for what he himself has done while on the covert task force.

Personally, your only goal is to avoid dying in the name of loose ends. It was somewhat of a miracle that you even survived the hit that made yours and Frank's paths cross again. Distantly, you think you can still feel the tingle in your knuckles from the right hook you served Carson Wolf. You appreciate Frank letting you have that after the fucker blew up your apartment.

Shaking off the chill of the biting November wind, you grit your teeth against the mounting stress of not having found any traps thus far. The place should be crawling with them, which means that if you don't see them, either you're not on the right path or Gunner's contraptions have been detected by others and swiftly removed. He could very well be dead out here and you'd have no idea. It's a grim thought; if that's the case, any information will have died with him.

"Over there," Frank calls in a hushed tone, stopping you in your tracks.

You follow his line of sight to a small shape in the middle distance, and even shielded by trees as it is, you can clearly distinguish the outline of a tiny cabin. Your first thought? You're uncomfortably close to it for no aggression to veer its head. You almost expect something to drop on both your heads from the clear skies, a cartoonish outcome if there ever was one. Before you can open your mouth and voice any of these concerns, however, Frank steps away from you.

"Hey—" you warn, tone sharp, but he only holds up a hand and motions for you to follow him.

You're forced to do so against your sharper instincts. Frank knows Gunner much better than you do. They were on the ground together in Afghanistan, while you did pre-mission recon under Cerberus. The only reason you ever talked to the guy was because you stuck your nose where it didn't belong. You looked for trouble and it found you, at the same time that you found unidentified crates of smuggled weapons, which was decidedly not how the military armed its personnel. Gunner was there. He'd already been onto something, and who knows what else he'd seen. Your piece of the puzzle might be nothing compared to his, and you desperately need it if you want your life back.

Frank, you've gathered, doesn't care much for his own. He moves through the woods carefully, though with an air of nonchalance that worries given the territory. Or maybe it's trust, you figure, because it doesn't take long for him to call out Gunner's name.

"Brother, I just wanna talk!"

The backpack is deposited on a pile of dry leaves, and you watch curiously as Frank also removes his weapon, placing it atop the bag. He motions for you to do the same, and the look you throw him is one of vehement defiance.

"No."

"He needs to see we don't want to hurt him," Frank argues.

"Then I'll wait over here," you return, a grim smile scrunching up your features.

It's not that you want to hurt Gunner, but you are not opposed to it whatsoever if that's the direction this will go.

"He'll think it's an ambush. C'mon, we—" he pauses, looking away and back at you with his mouth turned down. "We came this far. We need to talk to him. Leave the goddamn gun. He's got the advantage anyway," he pleads, though you sense an amount of command in that tone.

He's right that you're out here, exposed, while Gunner could shoot you both through the rickety door or one of the windows of the cabin. You're not comfortable being unarmed, though— you haven't been in years. Although, you suppose, some things are too great to get away from with just the use of a pistol. It sure as shit didn't help when you almost got blown all the way to hell four months ago. A deep sigh from Frank rattles your hesitation. The question in his eyes is tinged with desperation, and for a brief moment, he looks younger than you know he feels. He's not accustomed to asking people for anything, and the slightest doubt on the part of those he asks for help is enough to make him regret ever thinking of it in the first place.

You don't want him to doubt you. You also don't want to make him think you don't trust him, because you do. You woudn't have gotten this far with him and David if you didn't. Sure, you didn't seek them out; they found you and in the process saved your life. Back in the war, your unit relied on you before anyone else. The purpose of reconnaissance is simple: gather intel. Make sure that when you go in, you have a way out. You liked that job and you liked feeling unquestionably needed.

Despite recent revelations, the sting of what happened before you were abruptly sent home is still fresh somehow. It lingers on the surface of your days, waking or slumbering. For almost three years, you lived with the belief that you sent your unit into a death trap, and it took nearly dying for the record to be set straight. What happened in Kandahar, that last mission that killed more than half of the Cerberus unit— it wasn't on you. It wasn't on you, and yet guilt isn't easy to do away with.

It's the same kind of guilt you're witnessing in Frank right now, with his brows pulled so tight that a deep ridge has formed between them. He's restless and full of regret, and that's what makes your decision barrel into you. You simply don't want to add the fact of your company to that list for him. If you're going to be here, you might as well be the support he needs.

Nodding somewhat unconvincingly — because you're still dreading this — you copy his actions and discard your backpack and weapon next to his own, at once feeling more uneasy than you have in a long time. The gratitude you can sense in his relaxing posture is a little too much to bear, so you settle for diffusing the tension with a warning.

"If he shoots you, I will leave your ass here."

Frank bites back a reply you can guess almost word for word, but his face tells the story his lips won't: yeah, sure you will. It's comforting to know that he at least trusts you not to abandon him, at the same time that the thought feels heavy considering your history. You owe him in more than one regard, but that's not truly why you wouldn't leave him, even to save yourself. Frank is pretty much the only family you've got left. You didn't have many people in your life to begin with, and he's lost the most important ones to rogue government dealings. The only way you'll be removed from his side is if either he is dead or you are. It's funny, the way you grow attached to someone while living in a shithole bunker and hiding from men who want to kill you.

The sun inches lower as you approach the cabin, gaze firmly set on the windows. It's instinctive to watch them, though you aren't neglecting your surroundings either. Frank calls out towards the house again, taking cautious steps to close the distance. You follow in a mirror of your previous formation, no more than three steps behind him.

The place appears desolate, but the trail of smoke from a minuscule chimney is all the sign of life you need to confirm someone else's recent presence. You're now less than ten feet away from the door, and all of a sudden your muscles go stiff. You scan the trees around you for anything you might have missed, but they are free of threats and as barren as the furnishings you can glimpse inside the cabin when you turn to look over Frank's shoulder. The wet crunch of the leaves beneath your boots is dampened by Frank calling out again.

"C'mon Gunner, it's Frank!"

Once close enough, he takes a peek inside one of the smaller windows to the right, and you take your place at his side so that you both line the wall in the least vulnerable positions. Frank, however, is taking more chances than you think he ought to by looking so unabashedly through the windows on the left side.

"Gunner!"

"Hey—" you whisper, realizing immediately how stupid that is. It's not like you haven't announced your presence plenty. "Frank, get away from the goddamn windows."

"He's a good man. He's not going to shoot me. Right, Gunner?" he says in the same tone and volume, making you turn away so you can roll your eyes in privacy, knowing Frank has a bit of a sore spot for that. It's all you have time to do, anyway, because once you've widened your field of vision, you spot a shape that wasn't there just a minute ago.

It's funny how the body can respond to stimuli before the brain has even processed them, and it's even funnier how it chooses to do things without any input whatsoever from logic or reason. Self-preservation has no business here, is what your body seems to have decided is the working philosophy for today.

Consequently, you're pushing Frank down and out of the way before you even realize you've moved. The pain, for its part, is not without delay either. Your scream echoes through the woods and you register it as if it's not your own, but some distant sound — and then you're looking down at your shoulder and realizing exactly what hit you. It makes sense that it's a carbon arrow, you think, because anything else would've been snapped in two by the force of the compound bow now aimed at you both.

You cry out when Frank's arm winds around you and hauls you to your feet, dragging you behind the nearest wall and out of the line of fire, but not before another arrow embeds itself in the window frame next to his head. He sets you down with more care this time, and though you're a bit out of it, you don't miss the sheer emotion in his face. It goes hand in hand with the lightning-sharp pain filtering through your veins and making reason depart swiftly. It's why your fingers begin to grasp at the arrow's shaft, ready and willing to expel it from your body without hesitation. They're only stopped by Frank's own hand, gently but firmly guiding yours back down to rest on your stomach.

"Gunner, goddamn it—" Frank shouts, so close to you that you can feel the vibration of his rough tone. "You proud of yourself, huh? You just shot an unarmed woman!"

This time, the eye roll is in full view and you want him to see it.

And why is it that I'm unarmed, Frank?

You don't say that, though you want to. There's something in Frank's eyes that tells you his mental state right now is veering towards self-blame, and he's not the one responsible for this outcome. The guns, however— those are his fault.

You're both defenseless.

And just like that, you're suddenly scared. It doesn't creep up on you like usual, where you wait and wait until the signs are clear that the future will hold unpleasant things. This fear is cold and dense like the woods around you. The woods you might die in. A whimper flows past your lips as your eyes go wide.

Frank takes notice in an instant.

"Shh, hey— Look at me, right at me."

His palm has cupped the side of your face, warming it up against the surging chill of the forest and giving you something to fixate on to stave off the ensuing panic. It's too bad you close your eyes so you can fully focus on the texture of his skin, because the jolt that comes in response is none too gentle. Frank is shaking you awake.

"Hey! Don't you do that. You hear? Don't close your eyes. Keep 'em on me. Just focus on me, sweetheart."

You try for reassurance through touch, but this is a mistake, you soon realize. When your hand comes up to brush along Frank's cheek, it's with distant horror that you notice it's your right hand. You are moving your right hand, because that is the only one that you can move without blinding pain.

Which means the arrow has found a home in your left shoulder. Your left shoulder, not far above your heart.

"Frank—"

He can see you looking. He can probably see how terrified you've become.

And he, in turn, becomes terrifying.

The next time he calls out Gunner's name, you don't hear Frank Castle. You only witness his shadow being left behind as the Punisher comes forward. And then you get swallowed by your own shadows.

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It's a silly little dream— of that, you're certain. But it doesn't mean you can't enjoy the brush of the soft blanket under you or the gentle carding of fingers through your hair.

The warmth of the air borders on unpleasant, and you might be sweating a little more than you'd want in this scenario, but overall you wouldn't trade it for the world, being here with him. Calm. Unhurried. Ignorant of all discomfort, even as your arm has gone numb from lying on your side, gazing at the fire. Well, maybe occasionally at the fire. Mostly, you're just looking at him.

Tracing the contours of his face with your eyes and wishing your fingers could follow, you take everything in as a light euphoria settles over you. His skin is lit up by the wash of warmth from the fire, each imperfection softened— or perhaps that's your eyes' doing, wistfully hooded and completely unashamed in their observation. It feels like gazing upon him for the first and last time, like you're only truly seeing him now that he might disappear. There's a weight in your chest, neither pleasant nor concerning.

Then, his lips are on your cheek and reality slips away. You forget that this is just a dream the moment his mouth trails over your jaw and down the column of your neck, and your eyes fall blissfully closed. He's touching you everywhere, the reassuring press of his body to yours further melting every muscle and easing every current of something like pain travelling through your chest and down your arm. Absent any willpower, you lose grasp of words that aren't his name and thoughts not curved around this moment. You're as relaxed as you can be.

That's when the screaming begins.

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Curtis should really make some kind of declaration soon, or he's going to lose his goddamn mind.

He hasn't said anything the entire time he's been working and— Frank trusts him. He trusts Curt with his life. But it isn't his life on the line right now, and worst of all, it should've been. It should've been him taking that arrow to the chest and bearing it only an inch away from his heart. It should've been him, delirious with sepsis and burning from a killer fever. It always should've been just him in those woods. Only him.

It's his fault. It always is. People always die at his side or because of shit he's done. He always drags them to hell with him, and they never make the journey back together. Only he ever emerges from that blackened pit, crawling out on a bruised soul to fight another day, and the carnage left behind is made up of enemies and loved ones alike.

He's a fucking plague. He's—

"Frank. I need you to focus, brother."

His eyes are wide and gaze distant; he notices that immediately upon Curt's warning, but it's hard to bring his expression under control. It's equally hard to keep his eyes focused, because they will fix themselves upon the only thing in the room that matters and his thoughts will spiral soon thereafter.

Frank's never seen anyone look so frail. He's had comrades die out in the field. He's held onto Curt while the corpsman was in the worst pain of his life — his fucking fault, again — and he's witnessed the worst crimes of humanity against one another. He's perpetrated some of those crimes. Yet everything always happened in the blink of an eye. Everyone he's ever lost, he's lost quickly. In each of the worst moments he's ever lived through, there was none of this waiting, and the hands of the clock didn't spit and curse at him for daring to have hope.

She's been looking worse by the hour. Ever since Curt got here, the medic has had to restrain him from doing something stupid like calling an ambulance. It's a wonder Lieberman managed to make the tough decision and drive them all back here, instead of going to a hospital like Frank demanded. Threatened. Gently asked with his finger on the trigger.

But David was right— it would've been over for them all if they went to an ER. The people that want to kill them would encounter no problems taking out one of their targets while she's unconscious and defenseless in a hospital bed. Frank would be arrested, if not shot on sight. And David would soon follow after them both. So, they're here.

And Frank is still losing his mind as time drags forward and the blood keeps dripping. He keeps an eye on the line between her arm and Lieberman's, delivering the life-saving substance at a pace controlled by Curtis. David's a universal donor, a fact that almost makes Frank believe in some higher power. With odds this stacked against him, it's a miracle he gets this one kindness.

Don't let her die.

The thought startles him briefly, since he meant not to ask. The words manifested from seemingly nowhere, a little echo of them bouncing around his mind. Frank doesn't have any illusions of a higher power granting him leniency, even if one exited. If anything, his mere involvement here, the fact that he cares— might be enough to entice whoever's out there to just deal him another blow, no matter who gets swallowed up in the process.

Either God doesn't exist, or he does and is an asshole. No third way around it, in Frank's view.

An hour passes, then another. Lieberman is recovering on the cot at the edge of the bunker, now with almost a fifth less blood running through his veins. Frank says nothing about how if it was necessary, it could've been more than a fifth. Substantially more— all of it, even. He's not sure Curt would approve of this perspective… murdering a man with a family just so he doesn't lose his again. He'd do it. He would. He'd do anything, he decides on a quiet exhale.

When exactly his heart made the decision to latch on this tightly — both hands, it recalls — he isn't sure and he doesn't care. What's done is done, and boy was it done without his fucking approval. It terrifies more than comforts him, the fact that he is still able to feel like this after everything he's been through. It also frustrates him, despite his best efforts, because he can't seem to let it go. Part of him knows it's because he can't escape it or her, since they're in this together. There's nowhere for him to run, no place to crawl to and wait out these feelings; they're both stuck on the other side of lives they used to have, leaning on each other for support they never ever asked for.

And why in the goddamn hell did she—

A groan. Quiet, almost inaudible to anyone whose ears aren't listening for any sign of pain. His heart jumps, and he's on his feet in less than a second. On the other side of the room, Curt startles.

"Frank—"

He blinks down at her form, eyes flitting over the bandages and blood and fragile skin.

"Frank, come on—"

"Did you give her something?" he grunts, almost surprised at the sound of his own voice. It's rougher than even he is used to.

"What?" Curt asks, taking a few steps closer.

"For the pain. Did you give her anything for it?"

Curt's hesitation is all he needs to see red.

"Her body's working through a lot right now. Painkillers would get swallowed up by everything else running through her system, and we don't have morphine—"

Frank isn't too proud of the look he throws his friend.

"You should've told me. I would've gone—"

"I need you to calm down," Curtis tries, keeping calm for the both of them. Frank, however, isn't having it. He steps into the corpsman's space, jaw clenched and nostrils flaring. His voice bellows.

"And what does she need? Huh, Curt? If she needs drugs, you tell me. If she needs surgery, you tell me. If I have to take her to a real goddamn doctor, I'll do that! So what is it? What do I gotta do?!"

Frank's rage only ever takes on two forms: the destructive, when he's capable of leveling an entire enemy squadron by himself, and the stifling, when he feels as helpless as humanly possible and will try anything he can to take back control.

Curtis, for his part, doesn't give in to Frank's rage. He holds himself in that same dignified way, eyes too knowing and too kind for the words that were just thrown at him. He's seen Frank in worse states, but back then there was a war raging all around them. This bunker, though dark and decrepit and reeking of blood, is not a war zone; but Curt knows it makes little difference in his friend's mind. He understands. For hours now, Frank has been too close to reliving his worst fear, and his worst fear has always been losing those he loves. A sigh blows past Curt's lips, and then he takes a deep breath.

"Listen—"

"…s'ole."

Both their heads turn to look at the source of the faint sound, though only one of the men crosses the room in two seconds flat, argument completely forgotten. Frank leans over the makeshift bed, shoulders tense as she displays early signs of consciousness. It's like he's restless and rigid at the same time, his body a taut wire about to snap. Curt sighs again. Watching Frank like this isn't easy, but it's also not the worst thing in the world. If only it would get him to realize what everyone else is seeing, but Curt knows his friend is too stubborn for that.

"What is it?" Frank whispers, lightly caressing her cheek with a trembling finger.

Curt sees her lips move, but no sound comes out.

"C'mon sweetheart, what's wrong?"

It's almost sweet, in a way. If her state weren't so delicate, it would be almost endearing — the small touches, his protective stance over her form. The way Frank leans closer, making sure she doesn't have to strain in order to get her message across.

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"… Asshole."

It's only quiet for a moment.

And then David laughs until Curtis is sure he hears something pop in the man's neck.

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A/N: This was supposed to be a short and sweet oneshot. It was, of course, never going to be that. I felt bad abandoning it, though, so here you go. Not my best work, but I do love this idea. Let me know if you'd like an update from her perspective regarding what happens after! Thank you for reading and please know that I always love to read your comments.

[tobernaut]

Did you like the first chapter? I'm pretty intrigued so far, though I have to say Ratau's personality was quite surprising considering how he is in the game. I have a feeling that maybe he will be the one to betray the Lamb considering that change. I can't wait for the next chapter!

Spoilers for COTL comic chapter one below! I will be tagging "cotl comic spoilers" from now on. Please block this tag if you don't want to be spoiled!

Spoilers include plot/character talk and a singular image.

Did I like the first chapter???? Did I LIKE THE FIRST CHAPTER??? I've been going through it with a fine toothed comb and loving EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!!

Ahem.

So, I love this characterization of Ratau.

In the game we already saw hints that he maybe had a little bit of trouble letting go of the red crown. The fact he wears one made of paper is weird enough, but the fact he has the same paper crowns filling his house and on his shrine hints at this imo. I know game cannon ≠ comic cannon, but I had the idea Ratau may hold a little jealousy even before the comic because of this, so I was really excited to see the idea play out.

But if you look at it from his point of view, it kind of makes sense.

At least in the comic so far, it seems that Ratau is incredibly devoted to TOWW. He's offended that The Lamb is taking Narinder's mission so lightly, that they are seemingly attempting to ignore his orders in order to go on their own revenge quest.

This makes sense, because as a past vessel, Ratau is bound to know well the honor that that sort of job brings. Seemingly, he would be eager to take The Lamb's place, but knows he can not. He's managing someone doing his dream job, and they're just there for the paycheck. It's got to be infuriating!

Especially since he's seemingly older and wiser than the lamb (Though I don't think his or TOWW's use of the word "child" is literal. I think it's more in the same way The Mystic Seller calls The Lamb an infant god.) I can definitely see his frustration. I think that The Lamb is going to kind of "sober up" after Leshy's defeat and finally gain sight of the mission.

Speaking of The Lamb, I really like how they were characterized! A lot of us, including myself, were pretty sceptical of turning a silent protagonist into a fully fledged character, but in my opinion all is looking really very well so far!

I especially the love the sort of cognitive dissonance they have in the beginning. It sets them up to be this wimpy pushover. I know a lot of people may find it hard to believe that someone in those circumstances would be so calm, but as someone who's had a number of near death experiences I thought it was pretty realistic! A sort of humorous disassociation sprinkled with a confusing mix of denial and acceptance. (Though, please note it's been a few years since the last time I've nearly died. My data is a bit outdated.)

Regardless, I like how they are now. It makes a lot of sense, after all, to be a bit peeved at the circumstances. Their dialogue is super witty, though really sad if you think about it, and I have a feeling that when they stop focusing on revenge they're going to crash and feel a lot of things they've suppressed since their death.

But all in all I'm super excited to see where this little lamb goes!

Finally, can we get some Nana appreciation?? Sure she had a small role, but for a first non-game character, she made a really good first impression!

She seems fleshed out with her own little past, backstory, and personality. The traumatized sceptic in me is a bit worried she'll end up as a love interest, but I doubt it. If it does happen, I doubt it'll be in a typical way. This is a game where you're encouraged to marry with multiple people, after all. I don't think that's the case, though. I think I'm just used to old 80's comics where the first female introduced was the main love interest and nothing more 99.999% of the time.

Whatever is done with her, I'm eager for it. So far the writing seems really really good and she made a great first impression as a follower. She makes me EXCITED to see future follower interactions. If they're all written like her, then it's going to be a super enjoyable part of the comic. We love Nana here.

Finally I have some other random thoughts and things I noticed but can't really format in a way that works, so here's a bullet point list.

Apparently wool is very valuable. Now it's not said weather this is because of the lambs becoming less and less or if it was always valuable. Either way, it's and interesting little fact. I wonder if it'll be important later or if it's just trivia. I like to think things like that aren't added for no reason.

I like that they used the real term, 'Endling,' to describe the last of a soon to be extinct species. This knowledge, though, and the discussion with the cultist, implies this has happened many times before with other species. I wonder if they were always driven to extinction through genocide, or if natural factors ever play a role.

The Lamb was sold out for 30 gold coins. This is apparently a lot. It costs almost that much (converting coins to Dollars. Not perfect, I know.) to buy the ingredients for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich where I live in the US. Either there's not much inflation, or The Lamb was sold out for some PB and J.

I believe the thirty gold coins is a reference to the 30 silver coins Judas was given in exchange for selling out Jesus in Christian lore. If so, I like that detail! Very neat.

It's implied that the bishops are making life hell for EVERYONE while they drive off the lambs. This is interesting, and also a reflection of real life. Bonus points.

Does The Lamb really count as a non believer if they clearly believe in the bishops existence?? I mean they see them right there with no surprise.

Kallamar is shiny. Knew it. He also has tentacles.

It could just be the perspective, but Leshy seems taller than the other bishops.

BAAL AND AYM!

Let's all appreciate how well TOWW's chains and restraints were drawn. All those different perspectives must have been hell but it looks so good.

Chubby cheeks Narinder :)

Sharp teeth lamb! Possibly due to the crown??

So no head??

You. Me.

So no head?? x2

The lamb has guilt and second thoughts about the killing they must do to achieve their goals. Nice.

Cultist roles have hierarchy to them. Neat.

The Lamb's eyes water upon seeing light for the first time in who knows how long...sob.

Again, beautiful art.

There's lots of focus on The Lamb's fangs. Are they important or just stylistic, I wonder??

The crown seemingly has a mind of its own or is watching.

It's implied The Lamb has some sort of death powers already

So no head?? x3

CLAUNECK. MY BE FUCKING LOVED.

Needless to say I have so many THOUGHTS and can't wait for the next chapter. Happy reading, you guys!

[enden-k]

Sir...

You can't just drop a new oc, have the tag "the himbo prince" AND NOT TELL US ANYTHING ELSE!?!?!?

Im joking, but if you'd like, please introduce us to this fine gentleman, i promise i won't bite (ok maybe a little)

well, the story hes from is veeeeery crack-turning-serious and goes like this:

the protagonist is a high elf named vindrael, short vin, whos very short and bland looking than the average beautiful tall elf. bc of this he gets overlooked since his birth and developed quite the inferiority complex. to make up for all this, he dedicates his life to the art of summoning and studies hard until he becomes one of the greatest summoners his age

the king of the land notices vins magical powers and intelligence and takes him in to become the court summoner and serve one of his two sons. vin develops a crush on the king (since he noticed and believed in him) and chooses the younger son, prince titus, so he can stay at the court and near the king instead of the older son, prince aris, who travels the lands with his guild and slays monsters. years later, aris and his warriors die in a dungeon and it affects the king and his mental health greatly. he favored his eldest and neglected titus bc titus isnt the smartest and brightest and it brought shame to his father

from then the king changed greatly and years later he sends his remaining son off to "slay a dragon"; giving vin the choice to stay at court or go with him. vin ofc goes with titus bc he still feels extremely guilty over aris death and how it made him feel relieved he didnt choose him back then; he decided he would follow titus everywhere even if it was death, trying to overcome his fears

it then turns out the dungeon they were sent to was a trap meant to kill titus and his warriors, using their lives as an offering to that residing dragon to bring back aris from the dead. the king wasnt aware tho that the dragon king is unable to use his ancient powers bc hes missing a horn and thus cant turn into his true form so titus strikes a deal with the mysterious dragon dude right then and there - to vins horror - to free him if he lets him go and pretend he died in that dungeon. titus wants to grow strong like "a true king" to prove himself and find out what his father is truly up to and stop him bc its clear its smth evil

sorry for the ramble ahhh

anw prince titus is one of the protags. hes extremely strong but very dumb and naive. his father always neglected him bc of that and favored his older brother. he considers vin his best friend and admires him bc hes so smart. when the dragon joins their little group, he immediately trusts him to vins horror and listens to anything he teaches him, even if its naughty or useless stuff hes not aware of (the dragon is a shameless bastard who loves teasing and trolling ppl, esp vin). titus has a pure heart; he is very optimistic, always happy and always believes in the good of ppl despite his dad betraying and sacrificing him. on their journey he matures and becomes wiser from their experiences and everything shows how hes gonna become a truly great king

hes also lit the definition of a himbo. there is nothing going on in his head (sometimes it makes him a bit sad) but his respect and good behavior is out of this world akjbscjk

i cant offer any existing doodles of him other than my old ones from when i drew this comic years ago. the last one i posted is bc i recently started redrawing it for my sister since its her favorite story of mine and i wanted to redraw and make it physical as a christmas gift for her kjabjck i didnt get to make more new sketches of the cast bc i got busy with amygdala weeee

[bumpkinspice0]

Miguel O'Hara x Spider!FemReader

No use of y/n

Rating: explicit (MINORS DNI!!!!!)

Word Count: 5285

Summary: There's a massive breach to Spider Tower, Miguel needs the help of the entire spiderverse to contain it.

Warnings:  Previous traumatic accident (Wound and pain from such but nothing too descriptive), I don't know how healing works it's the future shut up, angst, pining, protective!Miguel SMUT! Sexy shower time, fingering, praise kink, kinda body worship, Miguel takes GOOD care of you, don't look at me

A/N: Sorry this took longer to update than usual, life really started lifin' there. Also I didn't know how to write the shift in relationship dynamic good so you'll gotta deal with that too. ENJOY

Previous. Next

Series Masterlist

AO3

_______________

Chapter 10

Let Me Take Care of You

You drift lazily on the waves of consciousness for what felt like hours, your eye’s only forming blurry images as you attempt to force yourself to wake up. The smell is the first thing you notice. Fresh, clean linens and something else you recognize but can’t put your finger on. It wasn’t quite sterile , like a hospital, but not completely welcoming like a home either. When you finally burst fully from the veil of sleep, it’s a room you’ve never seen before. Smooth and sleek futuristic architecture like the tower. All accented in crisp white and grays, almost no color— but it’s not a hospital room like you suspected. You’d been to the infirmary in the tower a handful of times, and this wasn’t it

It takes all your effort to simply turn your head to the side, and there on the nightstand is your answer. A framed photograph of Miguel and Gabe. They look younger than you know them. Maybe ten years ago. This was his room.

You were in Miguel's house.

You take another deep breath, bringing the sheets to your nose and finally recognize his scent amongst the clean white linens— like rich red wine. The smell of Miguel. 

Why on earth were you here? You move to roll out of the massive bed, but a sharp pain in your side stops you. And in your shoulder— and your head— pretty much all of you. 

You look down at your hands for the first time and see several bandages scattered up your arms. You had a particularly big one you recognized on your hand— you’d had an IV in at some point. Your clunky multiverse watch had been replaced with a day pass. Your suit had been replace with a cotton tee and shorts.

Ever so slowly you come up to a seated position. The worst pain was coming from your right side. You lift your plain gray cotton shirt to reveal more bandages wrapped around your abdomen and several ugly purple bruises peeking out from beneath. 

“What the hell happened?” you whisper to yourself.

“You got blown up,” a familiar cheeky voice informs you. Lyla materializes at the end of the bed. She’s not a small little hovering woman though. She’s a full-sized person. You never seen her appear larger than a soda can and now she looked like you could practically touch her. “Well, the nanotech took most of the blow. You’re lucky.”

“Nanotech? The suit?” You run your hand over your face, feeling a few other bandaids taped down. One on your eyebrow and another on the cheek. Was there any part of you that wasn’t hurt?

You squeeze your eye’s shut trying to recall anything. There was a fight— I big one. You were called into the tower. It was a blur but you know you made it out. You remember laughing with Jess and Gwen afterward. You’d won. You even found Miguel afterward and he told you to… ah, there it was. Some freak explosion from the rubble by his room. Wrong place at the wrong time. This was gonna be embarrassing to come back from.

Any normal person would be in shock right now. You hadn’t been a normal person for nearly a decade. If you had a dime for every near-death experience you’d had since starting this job, you’d be able to buy the entirety of New York City. This wasn’t your first time waking up bruised and battered and it certainly won’t be the last.  

All in all, not the worst you’d been banged up on the job, but still not great it landed you bedridden for god knows how long. You felt sluggish and tired but knew if you didn’t try to move around at least a little, you’d regret it later. Get the blood pumping, that always helped.

You’d really been in this situation too many times.

You slowly move the edge of the bed again. Lyla glitches in front of you.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, where do you think you’re going?” She places her hands on her hips. 

“To get some water. I’m thirsty,” You shakily stand and walk right through her pixelated form. Your legs might as well be jello but you make it work. 

“This is a fully automated house!” She forms back in front of you when you're just at the door, “I’ll get you the water.”

“I’m a big girl, I can get my own drink,” You sigh and walk/ limp through her again.

“Oh! You just wanna snoop!” she accuses.

Ah, she got you. Yeah, you wanted to move a little, yes, but this was a rare opportunity you weren’t going to pass up. You were in his house. His house! Alone!

“And so what if I do?”

She raises her hands in defeat. “Hey, I’m not stopping ya then.” 

You slide the foggy glass door out of the way and leave Miguel’s bedroom. You walk out onto a lofted balcony overlooking the rest of his home. It matched the bedroom with its sleek white glossy and gray tones— and it was massive. Twenty-foot ceilings, Floor-to-ceiling windows lined the far wall, overlooking the city. Wherever you were, you were very high up. A modest living room sat in the center with sleek charcoal furniture. The floors were a glossy deep black. The second-floor balcony lined the entirety of the living space, with several doors and hallways leading to other parts of the house along its path. You make your way across the second level and down the sleek glass stairs— gripping the railing for dear life. 

“How long was I out?” You ask Lyla, noticing the weakness in your legs again.

“Three days,” She answers, glitching to the bottom of the stairs. “You were in the infirmary until the swelling went down then the big guy brought you here.”

“What swelling?” You ask, almost afraid of the answer.

“In your brain. Minor. Should be fine now with all the drugs and advanced healing,” She says so nonchalantly it almost puts you at ease— almost.

Sounds like you had a concussion. Awesome. That explains the pulsing headache that was on the rise and your less-than-stellar vision. Your advanced healing can only do so much. You have brain fog to look forward to for the next 2 weeks. Even more awesome, “Might wanna take a week off after this.”

You made it to the bottom floor, spotting the kitchen underneath the stairs. It was sleek and clean like the rest of the house.

“Me? Take a week off? Nah, I’m unstoppable.” You joke as you round the kitchen island with the speed of a tortoise. A cabinet automatically opens for you, revealing the glasses. You grab one and fill it up at the sink. You chug the liquid down in a very unladylike way, immediately refilling the glass. Damn, you were actually extremely thirsty.

“Miggy’s gonna force you to take a month off with the way he’s been hovering over you.”

Your cheeks instantly heat up at her casual statement. She takes notice, a smirk pulling at her pixelated mouth. 

“Where is Miguel?” You ask sheepishly. 

“Called into the tower,” she casually glances down at her nails, “Had to go do something only he could do , I don’t know. He’s been at your bedside every day and night. He’s gonna be pissed when he gets back to see you finally awake when he wasn’t here. In fact, you should get back to bed.”

“How long ‘til he’s back?” You ask, completely disregarding her suggestion.

“No idea,” She shrugs, her expression still smug. She was having fun seeing your schoolgirl crush. Lyla knew everything from the beginning. She knew all the rules of the agreement too. Miguel brought you to his home. You’d slept in his bed. You’d stayed in this dimension well past the 48-hour limit. He was breaking rules for you— Miguel didn’t break rules.

You take your water and head to the massive windows. There was a large balcony just beyond the apartment. Lyla, seemingly reading your mind, opened the door for you— well not exactly a door. A rectangle of glass dissipates right next to you, leading outside. Guess they don’t do doors the same way in 2099. 

The air is fresher than you expected for a city balcony, you attribute it to being so high up. This view was easily head and shoulders above any of the surrounding buildings. It was cold and a little windy, but it felt nice on your arching, bedridden body. 

The view was spectacular. You’d been to Nueva York dozens of times before, technically, but you spent all your time in spider tower. You’d caught glimpses of the city, of course, but you never really took the time to appreciate it. 

New York in 2099. A futuristic version of your home. It looked nothing like your New York. Everything was so sleek and rounded— taller than your world's cities. There are a few things you can recognize from this height. The green of Central Park is still cut out in the center of the towering Skyscrapers. You’re in Manhattan, not far from the park. The rivers converging around the islands— okay maybe you only recognize a few things. The buildings and streets you know were likely engulfed amongst the behemoth futuristic towers that now make up this New York.

No, this wasn’t your New York. This was Nueva York, and it was incredible. 

“Lyla,” You ask and she automatically blips to your side, “Where are we? Like, where is his apartment?”

“You’re still in the tower,” She confirms, “The penthouse suite.”

She confirms your suspicions. You may not have seen much of the city, but you were certain Spider Tower was one of the tallest buildings in it.

Miguel lived and worked here. You wonder if he ever left the grounds in anything other than a portal. Did he have friends? Did he like to go out to dinner? What silly little life did he live outside of being Spider-Man? You suspect he doesn’t have one. You want to ask Lyla but you feel like you’ve already invaded enough of his personal life simply by being here. Then again… he apparently brought you here.

“Why am I here, Lyla?”

She raises her eyebrows over lidded, unamused eyes, “Do you really need an advanced AI to tell you that, girl?”

You don’t, but you also don’t want to dwell on the deeper implications of this unholy shit show. 

“What do you think of… this? Of us?”

“Try being a little less vague if you can.” The AI rolls her eyes. 

“Fair enough.” you mull over your next words, “But just… why would Miguel bring me here? He’s broken almost every rule.”

“Ya know, it amazes me how dense you humans can be,” She leans against the railing next to you, “Before you came along, Gabe and I were his only close friends. Though, I’m not sure I count.”

“You count.” You inform her immediately. 

“Well, thank you,” Some comical blush circles pop up on her face and disappear in an instant, “Miguel cares a lot, despite trying to make people think he’s made of stone. You’re the only other person that’s… been in his life this way. He looks out for his own. Something bad happened to you— and he got scared. And he took control like he always does. Humans aren't always rational. That’s something you all need to accept.”

For a programmed interface, she was a really good therapist. It was all things you already knew but just didn’t want to admit to. You were just human. Miguel cared. You both cared— and that made everything more complicated. 

“Was he really with me the whole time?” You ask Lyla, suddenly feeling like a tween gushing over a crush again.

She peeks her eyes over her obnoxious heart-shaped glasses and rolls her head to the side, “Why don’t you ask him yourself.” and in a flash, she’s gone.

As soon as she vanishes, you feel the spider-sense ring in your head, and butterflies instantly rise in your stomach. You turn around to see Miguel standing at the door, still in his spider suit with an almost heartbreaking look on his face.

“What are you doing out here?” it takes him only four long strides to stand at your side, “Lyla shouldn’t have let you out of bed.”

“To Lyla’s credit, she did try,” You smile at him. He doesn’t smile back, worry painted over his features.

“Stubborn woman.” He reaches out to you but quickly pauses his movements as if he’s afraid he’ll break you. “Please, come back inside. It’s freezing out here.”

You nod and head back towards the door. You’re suddenly hyper-aware of how slow and awkward your walking is. He slowly walks at your side the whole time, hovering a hand behind you as if you’ll fall at any second. You catch a glimpse of your full body in the reflection of the windows and you can see why he’s so cautious around you. You looked like a minefield of bandages and bruises. It was jarring to see all at once. 

The door closes behind you with a sleek ring as the glass reforms in an instant. You’ll never get used to that. 

Miguel’s in front of you again, ghosting his hands over your body, “I can’t believe you’re up and walking. How are you feeling? How’s your vision? They stopped the internal bleeding right away but there still might be—”

He shuts up when he meets your eyes. His were wide but still soft somehow. Caring in a way you hadn’t seen before— deep, lustful red eyes.

“Hi,” you simply say.

“Hi,” he responds with the faintest of smiles. You’d seen his face flash through a series of emotions since he saw you, but he seems to have finally settled on relief. 

“I… Like your house.”

“Uh, Thanks,” He stands up straight again, scratching the back of his head, “Will you— I need to— Can you just sit in the living room for me?”

“Um, sure, yeah,” you make your way to the living room just in front of you, he hovers next to you the entire way. He helps you to a seated position on the couch. You swear he holds himself back from fluffing the pillows too. 

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t expect you to be–” He slowly sits down next to you, taking a deep breath. Shouldn’t you be the one freaking out? Today, apparently not,  “How are you feeling?”

“Good,” You say with slightly forced cheerfulness, “I mean… good considering…” you look down at the bandages scattering your body.

His gaze drops away from yours, “Yeah.”

You weren’t lying. Sure, you were achy and groggy with some bad scrapes and bruises, but overall… not bad. You’d likely experienced a critical accident just days ago. Even with advanced healing, you shouldn’t be as chipper as you are.

“I mean… how am I feeling this good ?” You ask, simultaneously questioning yourself and Miguel. “Lyla said it’s only been 3 days.”

“Four days now.” Miguel’s eyes shoot back to yours, “Partially because of your suit. The nanotech acted as a shield for the most part, preventing any burns and such. You’re also in the twenty-second century with access to the multiverse. We can heal anything.”

That’s… a fair point. Well, future medicine fucking rocked.

He scoots closer to you, reaching out his hand toward your wrist. He pauses, waiting for your permission and you simply place your arm in his hand. 

“For example. Here…” He gently runs his thumb along a faint silvery line on your forearm, “You had stitches. I removed them this morning. The rest of these,” He runs a thumb over one of your bandages, “Are cautionary until this evening.”

“That’s amazing,” You look down at your other arm with scattered marks and bandages. Just a matter of hours and you’d be back to normal—for the most part. Like nothing ever happened at all. 

“Still,” Miguel’s gaze drops again, “I don’t change the fact that you shouldn’t have been—”

“Don’t,” You cut him off, already knowing where this is going. “Shit happens. Shit always just happens with this job. I’m a big girl, I’ve been through this before. If you turn my freak accident into self-loathing man pain I’m gonna fucking kick your ass, O’Hara.”

You don’t want to focus on the gravity of it all. You don’t want some protective speech, you don’t want assurances that everything will be okay when you know it will be. His actions have spoken louder than his words ever could. You just… want him to stop looking at you like that— Like you’re helpless.

He says nothing. Shock briefly pulls at his stern features until he settles into a smile. You smile back. 

“You’re probably hungry.” He says. 

Right on cue, your stomach growls like a beast and you’re suddenly fully aware of the aching hollowness inside you. 

“Starving.”

____________

Thank god Thai food still tasted the same in the future. You made the request and Lyla had it delivered in less than thirty minutes. It was Miguel’s favorite place in the city, apparently. He had a favorite restaurant, just more proof to you that he wasn’t completely a workaholic robot. There was a regular human underneath that rugged persona, just like you’d always suspected. 

You heartily enjoy a red curry and a few dumplings, Miguel has some noodle dish he sets aside for later. 

As you finish your meal Miguel returns with a kit of medical supplies, graciously asking if he could check your progress. You agree, not turning away from your dinner for a second. He scans your body with a small tool you’d never seen before.  

“Inflammation down 20 percent, vitals normal, advanced healing progressing as expected,” Lyla’s ambient voice announces, “She’s doing great, despite not listening.”

“I’m a rebel, what can I say,” you chuckle lightly. The scan finishes and several small projections hover around Miguel. 

“Okay, yeah, this is all good. Really good,” He says, reading over the results. He’d changed out of his suit, opting for a loose pair of sweats and a shirt with a band you don’t recognize. Strangely enough, he looked more attractive in normal clothes than in a skintight suit. He was comfortable. He wasn’t Spider-Man or a leader he was just— Miguel. You liked just Miguel.

He rummages around back in the kit and pulls out a syringe with pale blue liquid. 

Oh hell no.

“What’s that?” You ask with apprehension. 

“Painkiller and something that’ll speed up your healing,” He scoots closer to you at the dinner table, “This is your last round of it.”

“I don’t think—”

He jabs it into your shoulder before you can properly protest. Despite the pain from the needle, you swear you can feel relief instantly once it’s injected. 

“Ouch.” You grumble, taking the last bite of your rich curry.

“Oh, do you need a lollipop?” he tuts, packing away the kit— infuriating man.

“No, but maybe something else to suck on,” You joke. His cheeks flush in an instant. Victory. “Actually what I’d like most is a shower,” you admit. 

After four days of stewing motionless in a bed, you can practically smell yourself— which means Miguel could definitely smell you. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You’re still a fainting risk and I don’t want to leave you—”

“Okay, then come with me.” You counter instantly. His protective nature is not going to keep you from a hot shower. And well… It felt nice to have him close. 

 He pauses, raising his eyebrows at you. His cheeks are still faintly red, “I mean, I guess I—”

“Great,” You stand and make your way to the stairs, “Let’s go.”

You pause at the foot of the stairs, remembering what a slow challenge they were earlier. Sure, you were feeling better than earlier— you’d had a meal and whatever was in that needle was fucking magic— but your legs still felt like compacted jelly.

Before you can take the first step you feel Miguel behind you, his hands caressing down the back of your legs and up your back. He gently scoops you into his arms with ease and strides up the steps without missing a beat. Your spider-sense sighs in gratitude.

“Sure. Let’s go.” He grins, glancing down at you. 

He walks you both back through his bedroom and into the master bath. A sleek glossy room that matched the rest of the penthouse, every inch of it covered in black marble. The massive shower was on your left and the counter with a ceiling-height mirror was to your right. He seats you on the counter next to the sink. The rainfall shower starts up behind him. 

“Okay, let’s get these off you,” he says as he kneels down and gently pulls off one of the bandages from your leg. The flesh underneath is practically healed. You start to remove the ones from your arms, grazing your fingers over the already faint pink marks underneath them. Some were faint scabs and cuts, others were almost entirely healed over. Just four days and this is what was left.

He stands, finished with your legs. He grabs the hem of your shirt and gingerly pulls it off of you. All that remained was the bandages wrapping your abdomen. He slowly starts to unroll them. You wince slightly. He pauses but you nod for him to continue. This was the worst area. The bruises you saw peaking out earlier were already fading away from their previous deep purple. A faint wound still remained on your left side, red tendrils from it reaching over your stomach. You notice small pricks lining the larger portions of the wound. You’d had stitches here too— and now it looked like it’d been healing for weeks.

You shake your head, not wanting to stare at the damage any longer. Later. You’d think about it all later. You had a beautiful man and a shower that were calling your name. 

You slide off the counter and pull at the hem of Miguel's shirt. He leans down and you pull it off his body, revealing that gorgeous toned torso. He runs his fingers along the elastic of your shorts and shimmies them off your hips. You do the same with his sweats. A silent ballet you both were deeply familiar with at this point. He cradles your hands as he guides you both backward into the waiting shower.

The steaming water feels like heaven as soon as it hits your body, the rainfall drenching you both in an instant. Your sore limbs instantly feel relief. Your buzzing mind was put at ease. All the anxieties of the day melted away and spiraled down the drain. 

You pause there, just letting the sensation consume you. Time slows down and the crackling sound of water hitting stone fades away. You feel like you can properly think for the first time since you woke up hours ago— and it all hits you at once. 

You fought. You almost died— and Miguel saved you. If he wasn’t right there when it happened, who knows what would have happened to you. You wouldn’t be here in his house, that’s for sure. He’d stayed by your side, he exhausted every resource to heal you. And he was still by your side right now. 

He looks out for his own. Something bad happened to you— and he got scared.

Lyla’s words from earlier echo in your head. He was scared to lose you. You were scared to ever lose him. Not just as a fellow spider but as… something more maybe. You’d felt the feelings pulling at you when you hunted him down in the multiverse those weeks ago. Terrified you’d find him injured or even dead. It was more than a spider-sense. More than this forced proximity you’d both had… well, it wasn’t so forced anymore, was it.

You feel your weakened legs start to wobble and Miguel's hands are instantly on you, pulling you close to him. 

“Easy, arañita,” he coos ever so softly.

You look up at him, watching the water cascade over his stern face. His fluffy hair was now drenched down over his forehead. Those crimson eyes filled with concern. 

You sigh and rest your head on his chest. “Thank you… for everything.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” He runs a hand over your head and down your back. “Consider us even for saving me… if that helps.”

And there it is, the Miguel you knew. Trying to step away from the gravity of the situation. From feelings becoming too real. This was all supposed to be temporary after all, maybe you should take a page from his book.

Still, you were both here in each other's arms— and that meant something.

“ Déjame cuidarte .” He says just above a whisper. 

Miguel trails his hands down your arms, his touch somehow hotter than the water. You close your eyes at the combined sensation. You feel him reach overhead, grabbing something. His hands come back to you, now trailing through your hair. You feel a foamy lather as he does so and the faint smell of flowers hits your nose. 

Miguel was washing your hair. 

His fingers move slowly and with purpose as they crawl along your scalp. This wasn’t about getting you clean, this was about making you feel good. He was trying to comfort you. To make you forget about… well, everything. 

You melt into him, trailing your hands along his stomach. One of his hands trails down your back while the other works the shampoo through your hair. He holds you close. He takes care of you.

He leans your head to the side, the soap rinsing from your hair. He walks you both further into the stream of water and turns you around. Your back is flush with his torso as his hands ever so gently trail over your healing body. 

You feel suds foaming from his touch. When had he grabbed that soap? You decide you don’t really care. 

He leans down, lips caressing your temples. “Do you feel good, little spider?”

“Yes,” You sigh.

“Do you want to feel better?” you feel one of his hands trail down your stomach and gently ghost over your waiting cunt. A pulse of arousal surges through your whole body. 

“Please,” You moan, pulling his head further down. You lean back and pull him into a kiss. His fingers plunge down and run through your folds. You gasp for air at the sensation. 

His fingers come up and circle lazily around your clit, already wet and wanting for his touch. He holds you. He plays with you. 

Something’s missing this time. Something that was always there when you were both in the most intimate of positions— The spider-sense. You felt its presents, as you always did with Miguel, but you didn’t feel its pull. It’s seemingly innate nature to make you and Miguel go at each other like animals. 

He wasn’t doing any of this because he felt like he had to, he was doing this because wanted to. He wanted to make you feel good. He wanted to see you squirm and come undone by his hands. 

Later— Think about it later. Just enjoy this. Enjoy him. 

He slowly pushes his middle finger inside you. You grind yourself into his palm as he slowly works in and out of you. His free hand comes up to cradle your breasts. He backs you both into the closest wall, the water still cascading over you. His knee comes up between your legs, spreading you wider. 

“I’ve got you, arañita. Te tengo, está bien .” He moans against you. You're completely leaning against him as he holds you close. As he works you faster. 

You see a glimpse of the both of you in the mirror past the quickly fogging glass— it’s absolutely filthy and you love it. His massive hulking form curled around you wantonly. Your serine, blissed-out face. You adored this man.  

“I want you,” You moan, “W-want more.”

“No,” He says just a little too quickly, “Not yet.”

“Please.” You beg breathlessly. 

“Not yet, sweet girl,” He sighs, pressing a kiss against your temple. “Finish healing. Get better for me, then you can have whatever you want.”

You don’t entirely dislike the sound of that. You're suddenly aware of your aching body again after being so caught up in the moment. With how fast you were healing it wouldn’t be long at all. 

“P-promise?” you barely gasp out. 

“I promise.” He curls his finger inside you, grinding his palm against your clit. You gasp, arching further into his touch. “Good girl.”

He was playing you like a fiddle. Familiar with every part of you like the back of his hand. He holds you there against him for what felt like hours, slowly working you. Letting the pressure build and fade as he saw fit— making you feel good.

You eventually come with a shaky sigh, your mind completely melting away. He holds you up, letting the warm water wash over you a few minutes more. You were spent, you were tired. The shower stops. Miguel wraps you in a towel and carries you to the bed.

He sets you on the mattress and gently runs the towel over your body. He cradles your leg, kissing down the length of it as the towel wicks away the beads of moisture. He does the same with your other leg and your arms. He takes his time, giving attention to every part of you. You watch him as he does so, feeling your heart race faster with every gentle touch. 

He said he would take care of you. He said he wanted you to feel good. 

When he finishes you hold each other's gaze for a moment. Both still completely naked, you now dry and him still sopping wet. It was a little ridiculous, but you’d never felt more comfortable around someone in your life than with this lumbering man kneeling at your feet. 

He stands eventually, running the now useless towel over his damp hair. “I should—”

“Stay,” you reach out to him, grabbing his wrist. “Stay with me tonight. Please.”

He pauses, looking down at you. You can’t help but feel so small and meek under his gaze. He’d just unspokenly catered to your every need and now you were begging him to sleep with you. Pathetic, maybe, but you don’t fucking care. You just didn’t want him to leave— and you don’t think he does either.

He closes his eyes with a small smile, “Alright. One moment, please.”

He disappears back into the bathroom to grab a fresh towel and comes back out dry with a pair of black briefs on. You curl under the crisp white covers as he rounds the other side of his massive bed. The lights dim as he crawls in next to you. You roll onto your side and he pulls you into him. You feel his steady breathing against your back and it sends a wave of comfort over the normally buzzing spider-sense. He was so close. You were in his bed— with him.

“Miguel—”

“Shhhh,” he hums, resting his chin just above your head, “Duerme querida.”

You close your mouth, opting just to enjoy the rare moment with him. The feel of his body completely engulfing yours. His thumb tenderly rubbing comforting circles against your stomach. His alluring, amazing scent. Everything— just everything about him right now. You commit it to memory and lock it away.

You were in deep shit.

__________

Déjame cuidarte: Let me take care of you Te tengo, está bien: I’ve got you, it’s okay. Duerme, querida: Sleep, my dear.

And of course, do correct me if any of this is wrong!

I could think of literally no other way to get our Arañita in his house other than some dramatic near death experience, okay

_________

Taglist:

@ineedgarlicbread @pinkiemme @thesilenthill @bontensbabygirl @fallenangelsongwolf @raerorigel @littlefreakymunson @viriexo

@w33ni3

[mastercherry]

Ghost x Soap prompt

Oh. Okay. I remember what I wanted to post on here earlier. You don't know this, but I totally had this idea earlier today and want to share it with the world but I got distracted and forgot all about it. But here I am.

Back at it again with a Call of Duty, Ghost and Soap fic prompt.

I don't have a lot of experience with the games. I just got my first one, MW3, like a month or 2 ago. I know a little bit of the storyline, and I've looked up a few canon things, but most of my experience is with fanfiction so far. I know there's some mixed feelings amongst the fandom as far as the fanfiction goes so I want to do my best to contribute in a positive way.

I encourage feedback and comments or additional ideas. Also, I'd love to join a Discord server about the different ships in the game so invite me if you'd like.

Without further delay, here's my COD Ghost x Soap prompt from earlier today:

You know the Underworld series? With the vampires and the werewolves? You know, specifically, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans?

*<*<*spoiler alert for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans to follow*>*>*

*<*<*spoiler alert for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans to follow*>*>*

*<*<*spoiler alert for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans to follow*>*>*

You know near the end when Lucian and Sonja are tied up, unable to reach each other as the sun rises? And it's stressful and painful but beautiful. And she looks up as the sun roof begins to open, but he's just begging her to look at him.

"Look at me, look at me. Keep your eyes on me."

And she takes strength from his gaze and she's able to face what happens next because he's there with her.

"I love you," he says.

"And I love you," she replies as the sun roof continues to open. She keeps her eyes on him until the end.

And he just screams in anguish and pain when she's gone. And the whole castle can hear him calling her name.

You know what I'm talking about?

Okay. So THAT idea but Ghost and Soap.

Hear me out. It's somewhat of a sci-fi/fantasy world. Ghost doesn't know what he is, not really. There are others like him, born from death, unkillable as far as he knows. Some sort of creature that humans start to call a Reaper. He's never really cared. And he's never really wanted to die.

Until he met Jonathan Riley.

And this was like maybe 2 or 3 hundred years ago. We're talking castles and horses and witch hunts. The supernatural world is unknown but humans are starting to learn. They're starting to see. They're calling anything non-human evil. It's bad. Werewolves, vampires, witches- all real. All in danger during these dark times.

And here he meets Jonathan Riley. Nothing special really. He's from a poor family, with several siblings, barely enough food to eat. He helps his dad in the stables, helps his mom in the kitchen. Keeps the little ones busy. Picks up odd jobs around the small village Simon only visits every other week. And really, he only does it to keep up the appearance of being a normal human.

It's one of these visits where he quite literally runs into Jonathan. And it's all history from there. Jonathan might not be anything special to the village, but he's everything to Simon. He's the world. Suddenly, life is full of color and wonder.

When a disease wreaks havoc on the village, killing almost everyone, it's only Simon and Jonathan who come out unscathed. Fingers to be pointed. Whispers start to poison what remaining ears are left to listen.

And so Simon and Jonathan are put to death for witchcraft. At least, Jonathan is. They try to break Simon down and all they learn is that he can take a beating and not break. They know he's something else. A demon maybe. And he gave the magic of witchcraft to Jonathan who will be burned at the stake.

And here's where we have the Underworld Rise of Lycans scene. Simon is beaten and broken, chained down as he's forced to watch the pyre burn down his whole world.

When he's eventually freed he brings death upon everyone who played a part in taking Jonathan's life. He becomes the demon that they feared.

He wastes away for a while after that, not caring about anything. Not eating or sleeping, just wandering. Watching the dull gray fog of time pass him by, wishing he could die and join his beloved Jonathan in the after life.

Eventually, the supernatural world is fully revealed. It takes a while for the two worlds to work hand in hand, but one day there's hardly anyone left who remembers the time when supernatural creatures had to hide. There's just Simon and the few others like him who can't seem to die.

He lived so long in the shadows as a ghost that he still, to this day, doesn't know how Price got a hold of him. How anyone got a hold of him. But they found him. Recruited him. And when they asked for his name?

Simon Riley.

It gives him a purpose again, being part of the 141. They call him Ghost. How right they were. He was just a shell. Nothing more than a directionless shade until Price came along.

And then, one day, the world bursts back into amazing wonderful color and warmth.

Enter in one John "Soap" MacTavish.

Long story short, Soap is the reincarnation of Jonathan Riley.

And they get to fall in love with each other all over again.

Sorry this is so long. It got away from me a little bit LOL

[writing-blog-iguess]

Omg i saw your post that your doing Ethan x reader or Aaron hotchner x reader! What if it’s combined? Reader (or oc whichever you prefer) is Ethan’s sister who got out of the IMF and now works for the bau and is dating hotch. One day Ethan shows up (as the dramatic person he is) and tells her he needs her help or both of them are gonna die. Idk something angsty and dramatic

Okay, I um kind of changed it a bit. I saw the words angsty and dramatic and an idea came to mind and I just rolled with it. I hope you don't mind. Also, very sorry for how long this took me, but I hope you like it.

Buckle up boys, it's a long one

---------

She left the IMF after a near death experience. Granted, that was an occupational hazard, and it wasn’t the first one she’s had. But something about this particular experience really rattled her.

Maybe it was disarming a nuclear bomb before it could go off, she wasn’t sure. She had thought her brother had the world ending missions, but she had her fair share of them too. Turned out it ran in the family.

After the debrief, she told Kittridge she was done. He tried to persuade her to become an instructor, even had Ethan try to convince her to stay with them. But the thought of teaching the next generation had her gut churning. So, she said no and left and hasn’t looked back since.

A few weeks after quitting, the director of the FBI tracked her down and offered her a job. Saying that her skill sets were perfect for the BAU. It started off rocky, as it usually does when starting a new job, and it didn’t help that the team had formed a family.

It was fine, they didn’t trust her much given that they knew next to nothing about her. Though there wasn’t a puzzle Garcia couldn’t solve, she seemed to be an exception. Whenever Garcia tried to find anything about her, nothing came up that pertained to her. Stating to the team that she was a ghost; she didn’t exist and what little she found was confidential.

Slowly, and one by one, she wormed her way into everyone’s hearts, and she stopped feeling like an outsider peering through the window.

She’s been with the BAU for five years, and dating the Unit Chief for three. It had been work cracking the hard shell of one Aaron Hotchner, but eventually she had. And along the way fell in love.  

He doesn’t know much about her past before the FBI. Well, he knows more than the rest of the team, but not much. He knows she worked for the government, doing covert assignments. What, she never said and hoped to keep it that way. He knows she has a brother who still worked there, but has never met him.

She doesn’t know how long she can hide that part of her life, but she hopes to keep it away from her current life as far as possible. God knows, Aaron doesn’t need to be pushed into the fray of her past. But she’s a Hunt, and if there’s one thing, she knows that the past will come to collect when you least expect it.

---

“Do you think we’ll get the weekend off?” Emily asked offhandedly as the three of them waited for the elevator. She snorted and shook her head, bringing her coffee cup up and took a sip.

“Doubt it,” she said, “every time we talk about the weekend and what plans we have, we usually get called in.”

“Yeah. But what if we didn’t talk about our plans?” JJ asked. The elevator dinged and the three of them stepped in, laughing.

“Sure, then maybe we’ll get it off. But knowing our luck we still get…” she trailed off as she turned around to see a familiar face through the building doors. And it seemed like time had stopped as she stared at him. He didn’t smile or wave, he just stood there, staring at her as if they were in a staring contest like they had as children.

“Hunt?” Emily called, waving her hand in front of Y/N. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she asked, and she blinked and he was gone. Maybe she had.

“Uh, yeah. I just,” she started and shot her hand forward, stopping the elevator doors from closing. She needed to make sure it was just that, just a ghost. “I forgot something in my car,” she lied though they didn’t buy it. “I’ll meet you up there.” Stepping off, she made her way towards the door, ignoring their calls of worry.

Pushing the door open, she turned her head around and hoped to see Ethan. But he was nowhere to be seen, and she briefly entertained the thought that she was just seeing things. She has been thinking about Ethan a lot lately, it could be her mind playing tricks. But there was a small part of her that knew what she saw was real. That Ethan might be in D.C, and he came to see her.

Grumbling about how stupid brother were under her breath, she walked across the street and hoped that there was something there that told her Ethan was there.

Just as she walked past a payphone, it started ringing. She watched it for a moment, waiting to see what would happen. And when someone went to answer it, it stopped ringing. Okay weird. When the person shrugged and walked away, it started ringing again. It was too much of a coincidence of seeing Ethan and having the phone ring.

“Dammit Ethan. Why couldn’t you make an appointment or something?” she mumbled to herself as she went to pick up the phone. “Hello.”

“In an hour, meet me where the mummies rest,” was all he said before hanging up. She blinked, staring at the receiver in her hand. What?

“What?” she muttered in disbelief. Somehow not surprised with the message. She hung up and glanced at her watch. She wasn’t going into work today, that she was sure of. Sighing, she fished out her phone and dialed.

“Hotchner,” he answered after the third ring. She didn’t answer right away, still in thought of what exactly she was going to tell him. She must have been quiet for a bit too long. She heard rustling and imagined Aaron moving some papers around before checking to see if the call was still connected.

“Honey? Are you okay?” Aaron asked softly, as if he was afraid to spook her. It brought a smile to her face at how fast he can go from Work Hotch to Home Hotch. She sniffled and turned to look up at the building, eyes on the floor she thought his office was. “Sweetheart?”

“Sorry. I-I don’t think I’ll make it to work today,” she finally answered.

“You haven’t gotten sick, have you?” Aaron asked, and wrinkled his forehead in worry was clear in her mind. As if he was standing in front of her. “You were fine this morning.”

“No, not sick,” she confirmed. Scratching her cheek, she debated telling him the whole truth. She decided on half the truth then. “Do you remember my brother?” she waited for his hum of acknowledgement before continuing. “Well, he’s in town.” Okay, she wasn’t sure if he was or not, but it’s something he didn’t need to know.”

“Everything okay?” Aaron asked, she bit her lip, shrugging helplessly, forgetting he couldn’t see her.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen or talked to him in five years,” she sighed out, “it could be nothing but it could be-”

“Something,” Aaron finished the thought for her. And knowing her brother the way she does, it was something. But she wasn’t ready to tell him that, not yet at least. “Go. Take as much time as you need. I think you have saved up vacation days you still need to use.”

“Is this Aaron talking or Hotch?” she couldn’t help but tease. Aaron huffed out a laugh, bringing out a smile from her.

“A little bit of both I suppose,” he answered, “still, take a few days if it’s important. If it’s not, still take them and spend time with your brother. Family is important.” He means it, she knows. Especially after what he went through with Haley. And she takes his words to heart. “Tell me how it goes, okay?”

“I will, thanks Aaron,” she whispered, rubbing her nose. “But are you sure you can handle the workload without me?”

“We handled them before you, I’m sure we’ll manage,” he teased, lifting up her spirits a little. You heard a knock and some mumbling before Aaron came back on the phone. “I have to go; a new case just came up. Stay safe. I love you.”

“You stay safe too, and I love you too.” With that you hung up.

Where the mummies rest. Why’d he have to be so damn cryptic, she’ll never know. If it was anyone else, they wouldn’t know what he was talking about. But since it was her that picked up the phone, and with her love of puzzles and riddles, she knew the answer.

She had an hour to meet him, an hour to prepare for whatever storm Ethan brought with him. Instead of going home or to the car, she turned and started walking towards the Smithsonian. She had hoped the walk would help clear her mind.

But by the time she stood in front of the building, she was in a bundle of nerves. Which was ridiculous, Ethan’s her brother. A brother who you haven’t seen nor talked to since she left the agency.

Feeling a little silly, she shook her head and walked inside. She bypassed all the other exhibits and went straight to ancient Egypt. Once she walked into the room, she slowly made her way around it. Picking up a pamphlet, making it look like she was there for the exhibit and not waiting for someone.

Though she didn’t have to wait long before her older brother stood beside her. She paid him no mind, and kept her focus on the vase she was currently studying.

“You look good,” Ethan finally said after a few moments of silence. She hummed and stole a glance in his direction.

“Could say the same about you,” you shot back, eyes returning to the pamphlet in her hands. “How’d you even find me anyways. Not that I was hiding or anything,” she added as an afterthought.

“You’re my younger sister, of course I’m going to keep tabs on you,” he answered. Furrowing her eyebrows in thought. If that were true, he could have made contact sooner. Right?

“No, you had Benji track me down,” you countered and she didn’t miss the smile that came after. “He’s here, isn’t he?” she asked, looking around. When she couldn’t find the familiar blond, her next target was a security camera. Finding one, she narrowed her eyes as if he was there.

“He says hi, by the way,” Ethan said, finally turning to you.” And that they keep track of everyone who’s ever worked for them. Even after they leave.” Of course, they do. Why that surprised her, she had no idea.

Turning back to Ethan with a huff, her hands crumpled the pamphlet as her grip tightened around it. “Well tell Kittridge I’m not coming back. And getting you to ask me doesn’t change my answer. It’s not like we’ve talked recently,” she said quietly, hurt creeping into her voice.

“I know and I’m sorry,” he said, frowning. Shaking his head, he reached out and took her by the arm, guiding the two of them somewhere more private. “Now’s not the time to catch up. I’ve come to ask for help.”

“No,” she said, shaking off his hand. She turned around to face him, crossing her arms over her chest. “I said I was done and I mean it. Tell Kittridge to leave me alone.”

Frustration crossed his features and he took a deep breath before talking. “Kittridge doesn’t know I’m here, he didn’t send me. I’m the one who needs your help,” he said, “she’s back and she’s gunning for you.”

“I don’t-I don’t know who you're talking about Ethan,” she finally answered. Ethan groaned and she stepped back a little at the look he was giving her.

“One of your first missions was to stop a trafficking ring,” he reminded, hoping it’ll jog her memory. She hummed and let her eyes wander around the room as well as her mind. 

As they do, her eyes settle on a person, and something not right clicks in her brain as she continues to stare. And it’s not the ‘it’s rude to stare’ her mom would tell her growing up. No, it’s something else that she can’t put a finger on.

The woman she’s staring at gives Y/N a familiar smile and wave when it clicks.

“No.”

“She’s coming for you and everything that you love.” She faintly heard Ethan say, but all her attention was on the woman across the room. She watched with mild horror as she wiggled a picture back and forth. She may be too far away to see the picture clearly, but she could faintly see the outline of the people in it and it made her heart drop to her stomach.

Pushing the pamphlet into Ethans chest and made her way towards the woman, ignoring her brother’s surprised grunt. The woman turned and made her way out of the room, dropping the picture as she went.

Y/N ignored the picture and kept walking, following the blond. “Sorry, excuse me, pardon me,” she went on as she gently pushed her way through the crowds. She quickened her pace as she kept going, ignoring everyone but the person she was following.

Once she entered the main lobby, she began to run until he pushed her way out the doors. Running down the steps, she looked around and cursed when she couldn’t find her.

“Y/N!” Ethan yelled just as her phone ran. Getting it out of her pocket, she answered.

“Hunt.”

“Long time no see,” the voice said, laughing. Y/n’s grip on her phone tightened at the sound of her voice. It may have been years since she put that person away, but she could never get rid of the voice from her nightmares.

“Whatever game you're playing Lily, it ends,” she hissed, turning around hoping she could find Lily. 

“No game,” Lily said, voice suddenly serious, “you ruined my life, Y/N. It’s only fair I ruin yours.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I think you know,” Lily answered, “I mean who gets to find the love of their life? I’m sure Aaron and I have lots to talk about.”

“You stay away from him. Your fight is with me, not him.”

“You brought him the day you met him,” she hissed. “Whatever happens to him will fall on your hands, not mine. See you soon, Y/N.”

She made a noise in frustration as the call disconnected. Ethan grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. He had questions, they were just going to have to wait until later.

“What’s going on?” Ethan asked, Y/N made a face and just as she went to answer, her phone rang. Looking down, Derek’s name flashed and she quickly answered.

“Hey, is Aaron with you?” she asked before he could say anything.

“No. That’s what I’m calling about,” Derek answered, and she could hear the worry in his voice. “We think he’s missing.”

There were a few things she could have said, she could tell him the truth that she knew who had him, or she could lie and act surprised. But there was someone she was thinking about at that moment. “What about Jack? Is he okay?”

“Yeah,” Derek said and she sighed in relief that he was safe. “Rossi went to pick him up once we realized Hotch was gone. Wanna talk to him?”

“If he wants too,” she answered and waited as the phone moved and Jack’s voice filtered through. She smiled and turned slightly from Ethan at his curious look he sent her. “Hey, Jack. How’s it going?”

“Good! Uncle David came and got me and brought me to dad’s work. They said he was busy, as Spencer and Penelope are helping me with my homework,” he answered, “after Penelope said she had some games I could play.”

“That sounds fun,” she said, and couldn’t help the smile Jack brought her. “Make sure they feed you too. I don’t think I’ll come and get you today, sweetie.”

 There was a moment of silence before Jack voiced the question she was hoping to avoid. “Dad’s missing, isn’t he?” Sighing, she rubbed her forehead as she thought of the best way to answer it. “Can you tell me? No one wants to tell me the truth, but I can take it. I know that they’ll find him and bring him back safely. I just want someone to tell me what’s happening.”

She took a moment to breathe before answering Jack. He was right, he deserved the truth no matter what was happening. “Yeah, your dad’s missing. We’re not sure who or what happened but we’re going to fight him.”

“I know,” he said and she felt the weight of trust Jack was giving her. And she made a promise to do whatever it took to find him. Even if it meant going against everyone. “Uncle Derek wants to talk to you. Be safe, okay?”

“I will. I love you,” she said before the phone shuffled back to Derek.

“It’s all hands-on deck, Hunt. We need you back here.”

“I know, but I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t?” Derek asked, and she could tell he was getting frustrated with her and her non-answers.

“Trust me okay, I just can’t.” There was silence on both ends, and she could hear the fluttering of people running back and forth behind Derek. She wondered if he was in his office or out in the conference room.

“You know who it is, don’t you?” Derek questioned once he put the pieces together. You didn’t answer, but that was an answer of itself. “Oh man, you do. Then you need to come back to the office, if you know who has hotch. Fill us in.”

“I can’t Derek. Just trust me, okay? I have to go after her, just me. I won’t let you handle my mess.”

“Well, you should,” he grumbled, “we’re family and we help each other no matter what.”

“I know,” she whispered, taking a deep breath she let it out slowly. “But what I’m going to do, it goes against the FBI. Hell, it goes against everything we stand for. And I’m not going to risk your jobs over something I'm doing. You guys had your fair share of that, I’m not adding more to it.”

“You know we don’t care about that.”

“I know, but please Derek. Let me do this my way,” she begged and started counting. It helped with her nervousness, and she only hoped they would understand. Derek huffed and grumbled something before he answered.

“Okay, fine. Do it your way, but we’re not going to stop searching for him our way.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“But the minute you’re in trouble, call me. And we’ll be there to help.”

“Thanks Derek,” she said, smiling slightly. He grunted and wished her good luck before hanging up.

Tapping her phone against her fingers, she lets her eyes unfocus as she thought. There are many places Lily can go too, but it all depends on who she's still in contact with. She wouldn’t stay in the states long, preferring the warmth over the chilly air of Washington. She always did favour Dubai. Preferred being there and let her lackies do most of the heavy lifting. But she isn’t that stupid to go to places Y/N knows she might go. Maybe somewhere new? Maybe pull one over on her and stay Stateside, just somewhere now here. Maybe…

“You gonna explain what that’s all about?” Ethan asked, making her jump at the sudden sound that was in her ear. She blinked, forgetting that he was there and waiting for her to be done. “You got lost in your head again. Things never change.” He laughed as she turned to him and punched him in the arm.

“Like you’re one to talk,” she said and looked around. “Do you have a rendezvous point?” she asked, Ethan nodded and started walking. She quickly followed in silence, wanting to wait until they weren’t out in the open to talk.

As she walked, she turned off her phone, took out her SIM card and broke her phone. She didn’t want to, there were too many photos she cherished. But she was thankful she backed it up the night before, old habits die hard and she’s glad that was one of them she hasn’t broken.

“Why did you do that?” Ethan asked once they neared a shady looking motel. She raised an eyebrow at the state of it, but didn’t say anything about it.

“I have a friend I work with who’s really good with computers,” she answered, stepping through the door once he opened the door to the room he was staying in. “So much so, she could give Luther a run for his money.”

“Now I don’t know about that,” a deep voice called from somewhere in the room. She turned and looked towards-

“Luther!” she happily called, making her way towards him and gave him a hug. “Oh, it’s good to see you!”

“I just wish it was under better circumstances,” Luther said, patting her back as he pulled away.

“Me too,” she said, going and giving Benji a hug. “But we’re here now and we have to go forward.”

“Right. So now what?” Benji asked.

“Go through the museum’s security systems and comb through it until we find her,” she answered and frowned at the looks they were giving her. “What?”

“We did that and we seemed to have disappeared.”

“Okay,” she hummed, scratching her nose in thought. “So, we look through a different angle. Can you hack into the FBI security feeds?”

“Do ducks quack?” Luther asked as he went to work. In no time, they were watching the FBI offices. She instructed him what offices and the time she had in mind.

She watched as Aaron stepped out of his office with Garcia. They moved towards the conference room and stayed for a few minutes before everyone left the room. As Aaron made his way towards his office, he answered his phone. He paused on his walk, and she could see the worry lines wrinkling around his eyes.

She bit his lip and ignored her brother's stare as she continued watching. A second later, Aaron was rushing out of the office. “Luther?”

“Already on it,” he said, pressing a few buttons. She watched as Luther scanned through the security feeds until she spotted Aaron in the lobby. She watched as two men came up to him, whispering something to him before leaving the building.  

“There,” she pointed out, stopping Luther.

“Who’s he with?” Benji asked, and all she could do was shrug.

“I don’t know, but whoever they are really got to him,” she mumbled, though she already knew the answer to that. She’s just thankful the team got to Jack before Lily could.

“Who is he?” Ethan asked, taking the picture from his pocket and holding it in front of her. “Who are they to you? And why did Lily go after him?”

“It’s like you said, Ethan. She’s coming after everyone that I love,” she answered, taking the photo from him. She stared at it with a soft smile. It was a picture she had taken on one of their days off. Jack had wanted to bake cookies with the two of them, and they couldn’t say no.

They had spent the day baking cookies, at one point Jack and Aaron had gotten into a flour fight. Along with the two of them, the kitchen was full of flour, and Y/N had snapped the photo of the two of them laughing.

“His name is Aaron Hotchner and the boy is Jack, his son. They’re my boys,” she continued when someone cleared their throat. 

“Jack’s your son?” Benji asked, leaning over to see the picture. “Looks more like his dad than you.”

“No, he’s from a previous marriage. But I think of him as my own,” she answered, tracing the photo with her thumb. “And the only reason Aaron would be so frantic is if Jack’s in trouble. He’s safe,” she quickly added at the worried looks they were giving her. Afraid of bringing a child into this. “I don’t know who, but Lily found out about them.”

“So, you're married?”

“No, just dating. But we’ve been together for a couple of years,” she answered with a slight smile. “They’re my world and I would do anything to protect them.”

“Then let’s find them.”

With the photo safely tucked away in her pocket, they set to work. 

Within a few hours the group of agents narrowed it down to four places she could be.

“Now what?”

“We split up,” she suggested, and Ethan immediately shook his head at the thought.

“No, no way am I letting you go off by yourself,” Ethan said, turning towards her. “She’s after you, Y/N. This is what she wants.”

“Maybe not,” she countered, crossing her arms, and giving her brother a challenging look. “No listen,” she continued, raising a hand up to stop him from saying something, “she has a one-track mind, and that’s to hurt me. And to her, she took the only one she thinks can hurt me. Granted, she was almost right, but I digress. With Aaron, she won’t come after me. Now she’s waiting.”

“For who?” Luther asked the question everyone was thinking.

“Me. She’s waiting for the fight to come to her. And I plan to bring it.”

“What if you're wrong? What if this is a ploy to get you alone?”

“Then I’m wrong,” she said with a shrug. “I’m willing to take the chance.” She stared at Ethan, ignoring the other two in the room as they continued their tense staring contest. “I can hold my own, you know that, Ethan. If I’m the first to find her, I’ll back off and call for backup.”

“You’ll wait until I get there?” Ethan asked, she nodded.

“Yes.”

--

Twenty hours later, Y/N found herself wandering around the city of Dubai. It had been a struggle to convince Ethan that she was fine taking Dubia, but she managed. She didn’t think Lily would be here anyway, it’d be the first place they would look, and Lily knew that.

After putting out feelers around the city, she made her way back to her hotel. She was tired from traveling and knew she needed to rest before she could continue her search.

Taking out her burner with the intention of calling Derek to check in, but changed her mind. She didn’t have the energy to explain why she was in Dubai nor the story of her past. Instead, she called Benji.

“Nothing to report here,” he answered when she asked for an update. “My contacts haven’t heard anything. And what Luther said, he hasn’t had any luck either.”

“What about Ethan?” she asked, trying not to sound frustrated. Judging by Benji’s voice, she wasn’t successful.

“Don’t know, haven’t heard anything from him yet. I’m meeting up with Luther and from there we’ll meet Ethan. How about you?”

“I spread the word now I’m just waiting,” she sighed out, throwing a smile to the hotel concierge as she walked past them to the elevator. “I’ll let you know if I’ve found anything.”

“Alright. Good luck.”

Dropping the phone on the bed, she soon followed and closed her eyes. Waiting had never been her strong suit, but for Aaron, she’s willing to try. Besides, finding Lily here was a long shot, so the chances of her here were slim.

A few hours later, Y/N wore up with a start. Groaning when it registered that her phone woke her up, she rolled over and reached for it.

“Hello?” she answered groggily.

“She’s here,” the person on the phone said. Y/N shot up, fully awake.

“Where?”

“In the desert. Apparently, while she was away, she had it built. Don’t know why or how she got the funds for it.”

“Doesn’t matter,” she said, waving away the questions. It wasn’t her biggest worry anyway. “What kind of building?”

“A factor type, I think,” he answered, “though there hasn’t been much work coming out of it. As far as I can tell, it was abandoned once they finished building. I sent the blueprints and everything to ya.”

“You’re the best, Lance. I owe you one.”

Lance snorted at that. “I think you owe me more than one, Hunt. Good luck, kid.”

She stared at the phone in thought. She could go now and take Lily down, save Aaron. But that was a big risk she wasn’t sure she wanted to take. Sighing, she dialed Ethan’s number.

“Found her,” she said as soon as he picked up.

“You wait, you hear me,” Ethan warned. She rolled her eyes as she leaned over to grab her laptop.

“That’s what I’m doing,” she said, going through the email Lance sent her.

“Good. We’ll be there in four hours. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“How can I? You do all the stupid things first.”

By the time they arrived, she was prepared. “Looks like you're ready for war,” Benji noted when he entered her hotel room. She sent him a flat look.

“I had nothing to do but prepare for four hours. Of course, I’m ready.”

“You know where she is?” Luther asked, setting his bags down. Y/N turned her computer around so they had a better view.

“Know where she is, I know the layout of the building and I can guess where she’s keeping him.”

“And you didn’t go there by yourself?” Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow as a challenge. She crossed her arms and shook her head.

“Scouts honour,” she said, raising her right hand. “But I do have a van and everything ready once you’re all caught up.”

“Surprised you're not rushing us out the door.”

“I won’t risk Aaron’s life because I’m impatient.”

 They spent an hour or two planning and memorizing the layout of the building. The plan was that Benji and Luther would stay in the van, directing them as needed. While Ethan and Y/N went inside to look for Aaron and Lily.

When they were all set, they left.

“Alright, looks like she set up security cameras around the building,” Luther noted as he parked in front of the building.

“So much for the element of surprise,” Benji voiced.

“It was never on our side,” Y/N said, checking her gun.

“Is that really necessary?”

“I’m an FBI agent, Benji. I won't go anywhere without it.”

“Noted.”

--

She ran through the building with Ethan, following Benji’s instructions. She turned when he said to turn, sometimes having to double back when there was no way around it. And eventually, she found the room where Lily was holding Aaron.

“Aaron!” she shouted, skidding into the room just in time to see Lily slip through the room. “Go, I have Aaron,” she said to Ethan, paying attention to him, assessing him.

“Are you sure?” Ethan asked, she nodded and Ethan left the two of them alone.

Y/N slowly approached Aaron, noticing that he was unconscious. She looked him over and sighed in relief when she couldn’t see any physical wounds on him. 

She turned to the bomb that was snug around his neck. Taking a deep breath, she leaned over to study it better. 

“Okay,” she whispered to no one in particular, “okay I can do this.”

Y/n’s earpiece crackled to life and she heard Benji ask, “Do what?” She debated whether to tell him or not. “Do what, Y/N?” He asked again.

“There’s a bomb,” she said, wincing when Benji yelled in her ear. “I can’t exactly move him. It looks like it’ll go off if he moves.”

“Pressure activation?” Luthor asked. She hummed, and leaned closer to get a better look.

“It looks like a twitch could set this thing off,” she confirmed, “damn she’s gotten better at this. Gotta hand it to her.”

“How about we don’t,” Benji mumbled, “how’s your boyfriend?”

“Sleeping for now. But I don’t know how long he’ll be out,” she said, leaning closer. “It also looks like it's radio controlled. And from what I can see around the room, it’s not here.”

“What about the bomb itself?”

She laid on her stomach to get a better look. “No timer, that’s good. And it looks like she made sure she was the only one who controls whether it goes off or not.”

“Oh, that’s good then?”

“Not exactly,” she said. “Like I said, if he moves it goes off.”

“So, then it’s just a really bad game of Russian Roulette,” Benji voiced what she was thinking.

“Looks like it,” she said. And just then, Aaron stirred from his sleep. She cupped his cheeks, and helped him move slowly. “Hey, I know you’re a little groggy but I need you to stay still.”

“Y/N?” Aaron asked, blinking slowly. “What are you doing here? What’s going on?”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” she asked instead of answering.

“Um,” he started, furrowing his brows in thought. “I got a call about Jack…Jack,” he said and started to shift. “Jack’s in trouble. We gotta...we have to…”

“Hey, hey Aaron. Jack’s safe,” she soothed, smoothing his cheeks with her thumbs. “Jack’s safe and is waiting for you to come home. But before we can do that, you need to listen to me. Can you do that?”

He studied her before he answered, and she could see the shift in his eyes as he focused on her. “Okay. What do we have?”

“Okay, okay. Currently, you're tied up in a chair with a bomb strapped around your neck,” she answered, ignoring Benji saying that Ethan caught up to Lily.

“And you can’t disarm it?”

“No, I’m afraid I can’t. If I try, it’ll go off. It also goes off if you move as well. So, you need to stay still, okay? It's radio controlled, so we’re waiting for my brother to handle that.”

“You never mentioned that!” Benji shouted in her ear. “Next time say something about it going off if you tried taking it off. Spending all this time searching for a way to disarm it, when there’s nothing we can do.”

“Benji, shut up,” Y/N hissed, “how’s it going Ethan?”

“Working on it,” he grunted and you figured he was in a fight.

 “You’re not alone?” Aaron asked, though it sounded more of a statement.

“No. I’m with people I used to work with. Your team is still in DC looking for you.”

“We’re not in Washington.”

“We’re not Stateside anymore,” she answered and elaborated when he stared at her in confusion. “Dubai. A day or so ago, after your phone call they knocked you out and brought you here.”

“And who are they?”

“Someone from my past,” she said, “I’ll tell you about it once we’re safe. Promise.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” he said and before either of them could say another word, they heard a clicking sound coming from the collar.

“Ethan.”

“Working on it.”

“Work faster.”

“You need to leave,” Aaron said, drawing her attention back to him. Her grip tightened slightly on his face, and she shook her head.

“I will do no such thing, Aaron. I’m staying here with you.”

“I’m ordering you to go,” he said in the voice he uses when they’re out on a case, and he’s barking orders at everyone.

Normally you would listen to him and go, but this isn’t a normal situation. “Respectfully, I’m going to have to disobey.”

“I love you,” he whispered, not wanting to fight with you anymore.

“I love you too,” she whispered back, leaning her forehead against his, and waited.

They didn’t have to wait long before they heard a hissing sound. Y/N held her breath, trying not to be too hopeful.

“You’re in the clear, take it off,” Ethan said after a moment.

“Thank fuck,” she whispered, shoulders sagging as she went to remove it. Once it was off, she gently tossed it to the sighed and hugged Aaron.

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” Aaron whispered in her hair, hugging her just as tight.

“And I will,” she replied. “What about Lily?” she spoke into her ear piece.

“She won’t be a problem anymore,” Ethan replied, and she could hear footsteps coming towards them. “Come on, let's go.”

After leaving the building, and they were at a safe distance, Ethan detonated the bomb. Once they reached the city, they called it in and went to get Aaron checked out.

While he was busy with doctors, Y/N stepped out and arranged a ride home. “Ready to go home?” she asked once Aaron was in the clear.

“Ready.”

--

The plane was silent after she told Aaron everything about her past, after answering all of his questions. There were snores to be heard from behind her, and if she really listened, she could hear Aaron breath as he processed everything.

But her attention was looking out the window, waiting. For what? She didn’t know, but she hoped Aaron wouldn’t dismiss her.

“Jack?” Aaron asked, breaking the silence.

“Morgan had said Rossi took him out of school when they found out you were missing,” she answered without turning towards him. “I’m assuming he’s still with him now.”

“You don’t know?” Aaron asked, surprised. She shook her head and sighed.

“I cut off communications with them when I found out who was involved,” she said, “it was my mess and I didn’t want them to get in trouble.”

“They wouldn’t have minded,” he said softly. She blew out a breath and slowly nodded.

Silence fell again, and she fought the urge to shake her friends awake at the noise they’re making.

“I need time to process everything,” Aaron broke the silence again. She turned towards him, searching his face to see if there was an underlying message. There wasn’t, but she knew he could always change his meaning.

“Okay,” she agreed, slumping into her chair, “but I’m taking some vacation days for the next week or so.”

“You don’t have-”

“I do,” she interrupted him. “It’ll be easier for the both of us. Please, let me do this.”

Aaron nodded and leaned back into his seat, closing his eyes he let himself relax. “Okay. Okay,” he whispered.

She studied him as she thought. This was one of the possibilities of Aaron finding out. Would she have preferred him accepting her and continuing their lives as normal? Yes. But just having a conversation without the yelling and fighting was more than she could have asked for.

And on some level, Aaron had accepted her for who she is and was as a person. He just didn’t want that person to be in Jack’s life, which is fair. Being an IMF agent might be a bit different then being FBI. It wasn’t a huge difference, but still. Jack can’t lose another parent and Aaron was only protecting his son.

Sighing, she closed her eyes and ignored everyone for the rest of the flight.

Once the plane landed, Y/N watched Aaron get in a taxi and drove off. She felt Ethan move to stand beside her, arm wrapped around her shoulders in a hug. 

“Need a place to stay?” Ethan asked and she side eyed him, confused.

“Don’t you live in LA?” she asked, he shrugged as he sent her a smile.

“So? You’re on vacation and I have a spare bedroom with your name on it,” he answered. She turned to study him for a minute before sighing.

“Yeah, what the hell,” she said after a minute. “Might be good for me.”

She hoped it would, hope that this isn’t the end with her and Aaron. But only time will tell.

[elf-osamu]

“YOUR LAST MEMORY OF ME”

[ masterlist ] [ reblogs are very appreciated ]

angst, hurt/comfort, hurt/no comfort, romantic relationship, jing yuan x gn!reader

warning(s) : major character death, the concept of death is discussed, implied reference for the high cloud quintet lore !!!!, blood, injuries, depictions of violence !!!!

word count : 2517 words

“i think i got too many memories getting in the way of me; you only get what you grieve; the only thing that’s ever stopping me is me; i testify if i die in my sleep, then know that my life was a killer dream; and all my childhood heroes have fallen off or died” — song: stay frosty royal milk tea by fall out boy

a/n: i’ve almost cried while writing this. as a jing yuan lover, i’m terribly sorry (it will happen again).

to be part of a long life species isn’t as easy as mortals make it to be. since their lives are nothing but a fleeting moment which will be soon forgotten, they tend to hope for a longer time to accomplish their goals, rushing every task to meet the temporary relief that it brings — a sweet feeling which one could indulge themself in, but only for a brief moment. as a consequence of this, they’re quite envious of those who don’t have to worry about such matters: those people can enjoy life to the fullest and simultaneously take things at a slow pace, savoring each second of their existence without being overwhelmed by their imminent end; new experiences are always near the corner of their days, quietly waiting for the perfect time to appear and give opportunities of every kind; the weight of death isn’t a matter to reflect upon, since it’s something far too distant to be frightened by it.

a smile was something that jing yuan hardly got to see on that face he had profoundly grown fond of — yours. one could have defined it as an almost imperceptible change, but the way your lips slightly curved in response of his affirmations hadn’t ever escaped his attentive eyes. his life had been consistent for many years, still as a lake in a flawlessly sunny day, with his usual duties and habits which never seemed to change despite the passage of time. however now he had gotten used to your presence and he could have never substituted it. those lips he loved to touch with his, those hands he relished with his when he was looking for reassurance, those eyes he would have treasured with his life if they had been gems — you. jing yuan would have never gotten tired of you.

this is what short life species harshly tell themselves and others — they can’t but concentrate on what they don’t possess, on what their hands will never reach, on what they will never be able to accomplish. nevertheless, said behavior is rather commonly found in the majority of human beings with no distinctions made; envy is a comprehensibile emotion, but when used inappropriately it can develop in resentment. the inherent desire of attaining what we’ve wished for isn’t possible at all times — but we continue on our path forward, often stumbling along the way when it gets too difficult to move on.

the general’s soul wasn’t unblemished as many thought: you had gotten the chance to meet that part of him he tried to hide under a seemingly exemplery mask of polite yet playful remarks. you had tended to his injuries, taking care of his body while he narrated the story of some of his scars; you had listened to his usually unspoken worries, when the role he had to play for the majority of his life momentarily ended and he finally showed you that he was just a human being like any other — someone who had done both outstanding and terrible things. “i… i apologize for not being the hero you’ve heard of”, he had muttered the rare times he had allowed himself to cry; it had been too long ago since the last time he had opened up to someone in such a vulnerable way.

long life species know this too well: between the scars of their past and the hopes for their future, it isn’t rare to find people who are lost in their journey, surrounded by painful memories and feelings of desperation. to forget what one’s forced to remember can make themself cling to the old days and refuse to give a glance to the other side.

you were aware of jing yuan’s foibles and past mistakes — how could you have not? — but those things had never stopped you from loving him. as you were there to accept him for who he was, you could proudly say he did the same for you; patience and consideration were only a few of his characteristics, but they were greatly helpful when you were going through difficult times. jing yuan wouldn’t have ever judged your fears and thoughts: he would have sat next to you, grounding your mind from the stress that life could give you, and reminded you of his unfeigned adoration towards your being. you both had found comfort and solace with each other.

the general of the cloud knights of the xianzhou luofu, jing yuan, had lived for too many centuries to be truly able to count them. he was acclaimed by many people and frowned upon by others — but nobody could have never doubt his dexterity and strength when it came to swordsmanship: his exceptional abilities had been of considerable effectiveness in battles and, simultaneously, his carefulness and diplomacy couldn’t be disregarded in the slightest, since they kept the law and order in his nation.

death passively follows its natural course when the right time is known — it’s a neutral state which can’t be converted by the human mind, something… irreversible; many have tried to change this fact and many have failed. each stage of life is meaningful, thus to accept what’s going to happen someday is the wisest and least painful choice, though it has to be recognized how it can still be a tough journey. his loved companions, his long-lasting enemies, everybody he knew… he had lost them, either because of demise or a change of paths.

during his life, jing yuan had collided with friends, foes and even with himself — bonds were broken, rancour was deepened, distress was reinforced: all the experiences and emotions he had been carrying in his heart for centuries seemed to be never-ending. he did his best to hide his damaged self through loads of work and too many hours of sleep; after all he was one of the arbiter-generals — if he couldn’t do his job, who could have?

he was a symbol of hope: he was someone to use as a role model and as a pillar for anyone who was in need of support and protection — failure had never been an option for those of such great importance.

he just had to resist a little longer… then everything else would have ended and peace would have prospered, as it always did.

clashes of swords and polearms reverberated through the battlefield, they were the only sounds which could be heard alongside the warriors’ screams. destruction and ruination harshly painted the surroundings, scarring the ground where nature once flourished, while combatants fell and took their last breath.

an invasion of that magnitude hadn’t been on the xianzhou luofu for quite some time and nobody had been prepared for it; unexpected encounters were the most dangerous and tiring ones.

you were a brave and capable soldier — your technique wasn’t flawless, but your determination made up for the few careless mistakes you committed while fighting; jing yuan was aware of that, but his chest still hurt whenever he knew you were battling against his enemies. as much as he believed you could successfully take care of your well-being in dire situations, he had to fight the urge to be near you when you risked your life; said feeling was reciprocated though, since the general had caught a glimpse of your figure finishing off an enemy who had tried to attack him behind his back while he was busy with three other opponents. you had flashed a smile at your lover before going into battle again.

it was a tough confront between distinct factions, but hope had come to the surface again once you had taken a glance at how many enemies were still standing: only a few were alive and their counterattacks were growing more haphazard by the second — they hadn’t expected to fall behind in battle. the rush of adrenaline you felt before accompanied your weapon through taking the life of your opponents without backing away.

jing yuan had just fought against a few people when he saw a group of his opposite faction go near you; they were too many to be dealt at the same time, too many even for someone as experienced as him — so he couldn’t let them lift a finger on your body, it was a risk too huge to be taken so carelessly.

he rapidly moved to get to your side — you were rather distant from him but, if he had screamed, you would have been distracted and you would have gotten severe injuries… or even worse. his mind was spiralling while the general was trying to calm himself down and choose the best option available to keep yourself safe but, when he saw a spear coming too near your figure, his body moved on its own: he rushed towards you and, without giving you the time to react, he took what once was your place.

time seemed to stop for a moment as he tasted the flavour of pain that came from the deep skin tear on his chest: gushes of blood brutally tinted his armor and all of a sudden his face lost the color it had just a moment before.

you couldn’t feel anything at first, your brain had registered only a part of what had occurred. then, however, you realized what you had witnessed when you watched jing yuan’s body fall on the ground.

everything had happened in a few seconds, but it felt like an unceasing event: something atrocious was taking place, something you just wished to ignore and forget… but you couldn’t allow yourself to do that.

therefore, a wave of rage hit you: you didn’t waste time to slaughter the ones who attacked the man you loved; when anyone tried to come near you, your blade was swift enough to promptly eliminate them and destroy anything that crossed its path, wounding whoever couldn’t understand the weight of the situation. it had been a while since you felt an emotion in such an intense and uncontrolled way, you looked feverish from how much strength you were using.

anger’s origin was different for everyone — yours was because of despondency.

you were moving too fast to process what was happening: the only clear thing your blurry vision could notice was the carmine blood that colored the soil and people’s armors, especially your own. you couldn’t feel the pain derived from your injuries, your clouded mind wasn’t able to process your physical state.

wrath was embracing you in its strong grip, the one thing that heartened you when you would have preferred to hide away in your own solitude.

as the only opponents left decided to retreat from the battle, you tossed your weapon to the side and fell on your knees; you were exhausted from your sudden outburst, your limbs were becoming numb and your head was spinning.

the familiar sound of your name, however, kept you grounded, making you look at the white-haired man who was laying down on the turf.

sweat and blood littered his scarred skin, a look you had gotten to know through the years you had spent with him. but this time was like no other.

you immediately sat by his side and forced yourself to act like you had everything under control, while trying to disregard the spear that had pierced his body: your hands slightly pressed near the major wound on his chest, clinging to the last hope of keeping more blood from coming out.

“my time… has come, then?” he murmured, his lips were moving slowly, too slowly, though his voice was calm as the usual; you would have said he wasn’t feeling much pain, if you didn’t know him that well.

a grin was plastered on his face and it only made you sadder to see him keep his mask even on that unpleasant occasion.

“don’t you dare say that, jing yuan. there’s still time, we can make someone look for a doctor, we… you can resist for a few minutes until then!”, you sounded — you were — desperate. “everything is going to work out in the end, isn’t it?”.

you were trying your best to pay no attention to your thoughts: there was no doubt that his injury was fatal, he already had lost too much blood to return back to his usual life and be saved. you would have switched places in a heartbeat if you were given the opportunity to do so, you would have given anything to keep him alive; jing yuan had understood it since the first day your love for him had been known.

his eyes were fixated on your face, as if they were trying to soothe your distressed mind. with the last remaining ounce of strength, he rested one of his hands on yours and deepened his smile.

he called out your name again. “do you know how much i care about you?”.

if the situation were different, you would have punched him; tears began to fall down on your cheeks; you would have liked to scream and say he wouldn’t have died in that way, but you managed to make your lips curve into a faux grin; if you had to smile, you would have done it for him.

“yes, love. i do know it all too well”, you whispered, your gaze was focused only on his face and the flutter of his eyelashes.

jing yuan slowly nodded and mumbled “good”: his heart could have ultimately rested now that he had your confirmation.

he looked at the gray sky, silently saying his goodbyes to the world around him. “if there’s anything beyond this life… i hope i’ll get the chance to… to meet my friends… and lost companions there…”. you felt his fingers caress yours in a reassuring manner, a habit of his the general of the luofu couldn’t abandon even in death. “perhaps we are going… to talk again”.

you inclined your head, there was nothing else you could do.

his deep voice, the white cascade of his long hair, those golden eyes that held many memories, the strategies he followed while playing chess, his comforting laugh, every characteristic of his — you would have never forgotten any of them.

“i feel… so light…” he muttered as he closed his eyes, inhaling air for the last time.

an uncontrollable sob broke out from your throat as you bended over and hugged his cold body close to your chest, your forehead was against his.

pain had been a part of jing yuan’s life since he was a child and it ushered him also to his demise, as a loyal intimate who had never left his side.

you held back your tears when a question made its way into your head: would he have found solace now that everything was over? you shivered and hoped he could finally rest, but your heart wouldn’t have been the same ever again.

the peace you had found within his presence had mercilessly been broken and nothing could have ever repaired it.

[ do not copy, translate, repost, etc. | by @ elf-osamu ]

[ tag list — @bladesmuse ]

[angel-of-the-moons]

Nothing Is Lost

Khonshu x Fem!Reader

TW/CW: Assault, violence, drunkenness , alcohol usage, near death experience

MINORS DNI I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT YOU CONSUME

A/N: IT'S ✨HAPPENING ✨ Also, we get some more info on Merit! (Also yeah not all of her memory sequences are necessarily in order btw, but this memory sequences in particular establishes the time period that Merit is from, and will help bring into focus who killed her)

Taglist: @drinkingwithkhonshu

🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑

Chapter 7:

Modus Operandi

The weather outside was terrible. It was ice cold, sleet beginning to rain down on the streets outside.

On one hand, you were thankful for having no work, but on the other, you were going out of your mind with boredom.

And your research all turned up dead ends.

Either this woman in your dreams was fake, or nobody knew she existed. Either way, you were left with a perplexing and frustrating mystery.

You were still losing your sleep, of course. You never had the same dream more than two or three times. Sometimes they would be clear, other times more abstract.

Merit was smart, that much you knew. She was devout, went to the temples every other day. She craved social interaction, and missed her parents and little brother dearly. Whoever her mysterious lover was, she was obviously head over heels for him. Her thoughts never strayed far from him, save for when she thought about her closest friend, her cousin’s wife, Annipe.

Researching *her* name brought up just as few results. Other than her name possibly meaning something along the lines of “daughter of the Nile”, you had nothing.

You wanted to rip your hair out. It. Was. Maddening.

Especially because, dreaming of such a happy, lovesick woman had you almost… envious. Melancholy, even. It had you missing something you never had. Something you, yourself haven’t attained just yet.

It really, really sucked.

🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑

You decided to say fuck it and head to the local hole-in-the-wall bar. You had enough spare cash this time around to afford a few cheap drinks.

You had done your makeup and worn one of the few nice outfits you owned, so maybe somebody would buy you a drink or two. You didn’t usually rely on others for such a thing; and the idea left a sour taste in your mouth because you almost felt like you were manipulating somebody, but god, after the past few weeks you’ve had? You really needed the buzz.

Perhaps the buzz of alcohol tickling your system would ease your dreams and let you slip into blissful dreamlessness.

Or, possibly, make them worse…

But it was too late to back down now. You pulled on your coziest jacket to prepare yourself for the cold outside.

You gathered your things and packed your purse lightly, carrying only your credit card, ID, metro card (just in case), and keys to your apartment (and of course your taser and pepper spray).

As you reached your door, you looked over at the statue that you covered. It still lay on your tiny altar, unworshipped and solitary.

You heave a sigh and quickly walk over to it, tugging the towel off and tossing it onto your bed, before turning to leave once again.

As you closed and locked your door behind you, the eyes on the statue glowed faintly in the blackness of your apartment.

🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑

The bar was sort of fun, a few guys bought you a round, and you had to turn down the next one because you didn’t want to get drunk. When they insisted that they could drive you home if you got drunk, you decided to call it quits, feeling the energy of the bar shift. Even the poor little bartender shot you a fearful look on your behalf, slipping a note beneath your receipt asking if she should call the police for you.

You declined, of course, that would only cause problems you didn’t feel like dealing with.

But unfortunately for you, your disinterest in the men didn’t deter them from following you.

Naturally. You decided to put effort into your appearance, finally started to feel better despite the chaos in your personal life, and now… this.

You were face-to-face with two of the three guys who had been hanging off of you the majority of the night. They were drunk, judging by how their movements swayed, their speech slurred and how red in the face they were.

But still, you were smaller than them, and outnumbered. And you had no idea where the third guy was. Perhaps he was waiting around the corner with a car? Perhaps he was waiting for his friends to drag you back to it and toss you in the back seat for them to use for their own amusement?

You tried to focus on the now and not the maybes of what could occur.

“Look… just leave me alone.” You say, your foot skidding slightly in the dirty snow that had been half-assedly shoveled to the edges of the alleyway. “I don’t want any trouble, so if you could just leave me alone…”

“Pfsh.” One of the men sneered, looking at his buddy with a drunken curl to his lips. Ugh, you could smell the cheap tequila from four feet away.

“Lookit this bitch. Uses us for our money and don’ think she owes us nothin’!”

“You offered t’ pay for my round. I accepted. Nothin’ more.” You say, swallowing hard. You could feel the warmth buzzing through your system. Maybe if you were sober, you could stand a decent chance, but half-drunk and outnumbered? Yeah, you were fucked.

You blink to try and clear your head of the alcohol, but naturally that didn’t help and only made your soft vertigo worse. But you just couldn’t bring yourself to open them again, knowing you’d feel a sudden head rush and probably stumble over. Fuck, why did you have to be mostly sober for this?

“You rollin’ your eyes at m’ friend? Eh, bitch?” The other drunkard said, moving closer to you.

“You ignorin’ my boy?” The other sneered again.

You were about to start lamenting your life choices; you were going to start wondering why you didn’t listen to your mother when she told you moving to the city was a mistake, that you’d wind up in this situation.

The old, narcissistic bitch was right. Again. You already had a string of these incidents notched onto your belt as it is.

Right as you started to feel the air warm as a body closed in on you, there was a whoosh! of cold air and in a moment, the warmth was yanked away and scufflign could be heard.

“What the f–” One of them shouted.

“You motherfucker! Who th’ fuck d’you think you are?!” His buddy hissed.

You could hear the sound of a switchblade being opened, and finally you decided you must open your eyes.

And when you did… to say you were in awe was an understatement.

In front of you was a man completely in white. His back was to you now as he shielded your body from your drunken assailants. You could see around his bulky mass that his white, spiked knuckles were already spattered red at the tips, and one of the men was sporting what looked to be a broken cheekbone.

The heat this man radiated was insane, it was like standing next to the freaking sun. His cloak fluttered in the wind and his body stiffened as he looked over his shoulder at you.

That’s when you saw the moon on his forehead, the bits of gold decorating what was otherwise a complete lack of color, the low orange streetlights glinting off of them.

Was it your imagination, or did the designs look familiar? Why did they look–

“Stay behind me.” He said, his voice hard and tight, leaving absolutely no room for disobedience.

So, you dumbly nod, transfixed by the chaos that unfolded in front of you.

The man fought in a way that was worthy of only the best choreographed martial arts movies. He flowed like water, parting and moving away from their blows before they had a chance to realize their attacks didn’t connect. In their drunken hazes, they were no match for this man, it’s like he knew every single perceivable parry to their attacks, he fought like it was some sort of well-rehearsed dance and he was acting it out in front of your eyes.

He dropped down until he was almost flat on his back, bracing himself with his palms on the dirty ground, and kicked up, right into the first guy’s gut, knocking him back and knocking the air out of his lungs.

The other guy thought he had an opening but your savior proved his drunken theory wrong; when the man ran at him, he spun on his feet and clotheslined him, finally rendering him unconscious as his head hit the pavement.

The other man was currently pitched over, vomiting and dry-heaving when he emptied his stomach of contents from the blow the mysterious hero inflicted upon him.

The man who was currently beating their asses however wasn’t even breathing heavy, he was still composed and imposing as an angry panther. You could see the muscles flex and taut as he moved, waiting, watching to see if the man was going to attack again.

You watched as he tumbled over, falling almost face-first into his own vomit, and it takes massive amounts of self-control on your part to avoid throwing up, yourself.

It was a long, tense silence until your rescuer turned around to face you, the eyes of his mask narrowed dangerously as he assessed you.

“Are you injured?” He asked, the creases in his mask smoothing out as his expression softened.

Your brain finally kicks on with enough of a brain cell to get you to respond to his question. “N-no.”

“Good.” He grabs your arm in a firm, yet gentle grip. “I will take you home and make sure you’re safe.”

“Wh–wait!” You squeak as he hoists you up into his arms, carrying you bridal-style for a moment.

“Hold on.”

“What–”

The moment he leapt into the sky, you felt like your stomach was left there in the alley alongside your would-be attackers.

🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑

You had no idea how he knew where you lived, or which apartment building was even yours, but he knew. Somehow, he knew. You weren’t sure if that made you feel better or worse.

He set you back down on wobbly feet, the ice on the rooftop partially melted due to the salt the owner laid down, leaving a squishy slush as more sleet and snow fell. You stumbled back away from him, the alcohol in your system still thrumming through you as you looked up at this imposing figure.

“How did you…” You breathe, your breath leaving you in a cloud of fog.

“I protect the travelers of the night. I serve justice. It’s come to my attention that you have suffered greatly.” He says simply. You couldn’t be sure, but you were positive you’d heard his voice somewhere before. But without the ability to see his face, you weren’t sure…

Even in the haze of your buzz, you recognized what he said. The travelers of the night… Like what Khonshu supposedly watched over.

No way was this guy saying he was…

“Who–”

He put up his hand to silence you politely. “You may call me Hunter’s Moon. But I should suggest not going out so late in the future, unless it is important. I may not be able to protect you if this happens again.”

Okay, now that rubbed you the wrong way. Perhaps it was the alcohol still coursing through your system, perhaps it was the audacity of this “Hunter’s Moon” that irked you, but regardless… you were pissed.

“Excuse me?” You snap, looking up at him, nostrils flaring. “Who th’ hell do you think you are? Just because I’m a woman I shouldn’t go out at night? I shouldn’t drink at all? It’s not my fault cops don’t patrol around here like I fuckin’ beg them to! The fuck you think I am? Some stupid waif from some kinda… fuckin’... book? That I need some kinda white night to save my fuckin’ ass?”

The man merely tilts his head and looks down at you. If he is offended by your rebuke or outburst, you can’t tell at all. It merely feels like he’s studying you, as if you were a butterfly beneath a magnifying glass. If anything, you got the feeling this man was amused.

You wave your arms as you pace in front of him. “Yeah! Yeah, fuck off! You don’t know anythin’!”

The short chuckle that escapes him enrages you more.

“I am merely saying, that if you are not careful this may happen again. I’m not insinuating anything. Merely that you be safer. You cannot predict how others will act if you’re vulnerable in any way they can perceive.

You deflated a bit at that, you rage subsiding a tad. “...Oh.”

“Now, I recommend you go back to your apartment, drink plenty of water, and eat something. It will lessen the risk fo a hangover.” He tells you.

“I ain’t drunk! I’m jus’ buzzed!” You say to him as he turns away from you.

“At any rate, it’s better to be smart. I will no doubt see you again, my lady.”

“Wait, why–”

When he leapt off your roof and disappeared into the cityscape beyond, you were left whirling. And with a very very bad dizzy spell that was quickly taking over you.

You weren’t even sure if you were able to catch yourself in time before you hit the slush.

🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑

You awoke with a start as someone placed their hand on you. It was your cousin’s wife, Annipe, her child strapped to her back via the sling made of the softest linen, her precious baby sleeping soundly against her.

“Merit? You were dozing again.” She says to you, her stenciled brows raised highly in concern.

You looked down at Annipe’s hand on your forearm; her skin was much darker than yours, a gorgeous shade if you were being honest. It always made her makeup and clothing stand out that much more, and turned heads when she entered rooms. Some compared her beauty to Nefertiti, and you could see why, from the few interactions you’d had with the royal family. Next to them, you could almost see their beauty as if it were crafted by expert hands, like those who designed the finest tombs.

You blink and shake your head, your jewelry clinking as you did. “Ah, no, Annipe. I’m merely thinking.”

“Is it about your lover?” She asked, a coy smile on her lush and full lips. Oh, how she loved to tease you over this subject…

“I suppose…” You snort, twirling the stem of the lotus in your fingers as you inhaled its fragrance, stepping down into the water.

The two of you were currently wading in one of the large man-made ponds that were built into the major estates. The small basins connected out into the Nile itself and thus the water was fed, fish came and went, and you even saw a crocodile in one, visiting another’s home.

Right now, you were in your own, the home you shared with your cousin and his family.

“Then what is bothering you?” Annipe asked, walking down the alabaster stairs, wading to stand waist-deep in the water with you, uncaring of the water soaking through your linen gowns.

“You know you can tell me.” She replied softly.

“I’m… worried.” You sigh heavily, tossing the flower into the water, watching as the gentle current carries it away from you. “I’ve heard things. Whispers about what is occuring with the royal family. About the Pharaoh.”

Annipe looked around, suddenly seeming very concerned over this news.

Her daughter babbles innocently in her sleep.

“What do you mean?” She asked conspiratorially.

“I’ve heard that he acts strangely.” You say. “He spends hours out of his time professing his love to the sun, thanking Aten for all that is given. That he intends to abolish our religions, and move us all somewhere that “Aten has willed”.”

Annipe gasps, her hand over her mouth. With the amount of time they spent in court, she had noticed that Akhenaten (his name since changed since he ascended the throne as Amenhotep, named for one of his distinguished predecessors) acted strangely. He was increasingly paranoid at times, seemingly jumping at things that weren’t there, speaking to himself in a hushed, angered tone…

Even Nefertiti was concerned for her husband, but she did not dare voice it aloud, for fear of how he may act if she speaks her concerns.

But…

“Where did you learn this?” She asked.

“...One of the priests at the temple.” You mutter. It wasn’t a lie. Not entirely.

“Ah.” Annipe sighs softly. She decides to lift the weight of the subject, instead shifting the topic to something more cheerful. “I was going to go for a walk in the market. Would you like to come? Perhaps we can find a gift for your mysterious suitor? You know my husband is so curious about him, you know. If he exists.” She giggles.

You can’t help but smile. Annipe’s humor always put you at ease. It was why you two made such good friends, you balanced each other perfectly, like even weights on scales.

“Annipe?” You murmur, looking up at the small fluffy clouds that wafted about in the sky above.

“Yes?” She asked as she slowly climbed out of the water, the lower half of her gown clinging to her figure thanks to the water that had soaked through. The coolness of the drying fabric provided a soothing feeling amidst the heat of the summer sun.

You smile mischievously at her over your shoulder. “I’m in love with a god.”

“Hah!” She laughs, waving her hand dismissively. “Come, come, cousin. Let us go. Maybe we can find something for your “godly" lover at the market, hmm?”

You laugh with her and shake your head, turning to walk up the steps after her.

🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑

You weren’t sure what happened. One minute you were walking, following Annipe away from the pond, the next…

Your foot hung over the open air at the edge of your building. You felt your heart leap into your throat and strangle you as you looked down at the streets below. Had you moved another inch forward…

You shake away the thought, and it’s only after you do that that you realize someone was holding onto you by the collar of your jacket.

“Ungrateful mortal.” A deep voice snaps at you. “I offer blessings and protection, and you shun my worship? After one prayer?”

You’re yanked from the edge of the roof and you land, your butt flat into the slushy snow on the roof, the sudden chill making you yelp and helping sober you up quickly.

You open your eyes and see a pair of feet. You slowly trail your gaze upwards, your eyes climbing the lithe figure that stood over you, fist clenched tightly over the staff in his hand.

And atop his shoulders was something that chilled you more than the ice soaking through your pants.

A skull. Not human, but it looked to be that of a bird. Whatever it was, the flesh had long since dried and flaked away, thin ethereal wisps dangling from the base and hanging into the blackened chasm that emptied into his torso.

You immediately began to scramble backwards, your fingers numb as they dug into the snow and ice, your boots slipping with soft squeaks as you did.

“Who the fu–”

“Unbelievable.” The thing scoffs down at you, taking heavy steps, his staff stamping down with each footstep, the snow and ice seeming to melt away thanks to the heat his body emanated. Just like your mysterious hero, from earlier. Hunter’s Moon.

Wait, did he say something about prayers? The only thing you prayed to at all recently was…

You swallowed hard as he leaned down, peering into you with sightless sockets.

“One so gifted, yet so reckless. You would be a good priestess, were you not so careless.” He continues, “Were you to master your skills...”

You feel even more scrutinized than when that Hunter guy looked at you. You felt positively tiny next to this being. And it wasn’t just due to the fact that he was pushing nine-something feet tall.

“Who are you?” You breathe out, your eyes unblinking, unable to tear your gaze away from the otherworldly being in front of you.

“You don’t know?” He grumbled, shaking his head, his beak almost scraping the front of your jacket from where he was stooped to your level.

“I am Khonshu. And I grow weary of your games, mortal.”

🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑

Chapter 8: Coming Soon

[hopeful-puffin]

Rereading ... Again.

Somebody should seriously take this app away from me. I told myself I wasn't gonna start reading again until I got my physical copy. But, here I am, and I'm making it the few people who see this their problem too. It's just two, so hopefully I can avoid the image limit for once. (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

These are just little observations I've made and I want to talk about them. Because this ship is so precious it needs more love.

First one is pretty obvious, but it's hitting me a little differently this time. It's right after the barracuda assault and Siren is still reeling from his near-death experience. In his own words, everyone is suffering and in pain, but he feels all they care about is how he, the "good for nothing" prince, is doing. He lies despite the clear discomfort, claiming he's fine repeatedly.

There are more images, but I'm focusing on these since they show Siren’s face. He's tired. He's detached. He doesn't want to be here. But he is. Because he needs to check on Skiff.

Skiff, the one with a permanent scar from protecting Siren. He feels guilty seeing scars kn anyone, but this one is clearly so much worse for Siren. Everyone else he hardly looks at. Skiff, by contrast, he gives pause. He looks horrified. Despite feeling like he owes Skiff, Siren still acts like he's fine.

He's hiding. He's deflecting. He's not talking directly about how he's fairing.

Siren doesn't quite do this again with Silver, though it's arguably because she never asks the prince how he's doing. She knows. Silver knows Siren feels guilty about scars. So what does she do instead? She teases the hell out of him, that's what! Silver gets Siren to smile, to laugh a little, to feel more at ease. She acts about what happened but doesn't push for details. She lightens the mood by being silly and playfully prideful.

She comforts Siren in a different way, giving him the space to drop his princely persona and perceived duties. And it works, getting Siren to finally reveal some his true inner turmoil before they depart. And I think is so crucial for the conversation to come.

Silver does, however, still view the prince similarly to their fellow sharks, reminding Siren that their future still hangs from his shoulders.

This is not being brought up to undermine her coming comments before Siren departs, but to reinforce his perceived role amongst his people. He's their savior so to speak. A role he neither wants nor asked for. One he's trying to take seriously but thinks he's failing at achieving because he refuses to murder the imprisoned Beacon.

Which brings us right where this whole thing actually started for me; Siren’s conversation with Kappa. I actually put my phone down and chewed on this for about 1 hour before deciding to make another ranting post.

So here we go, let's bring in Kappa.

Kappa knows something is wrong but gives Siren a safe space to think. When he inevitably asks if his friend is okay, Siren explodes.

I think he needed this. Bad.

Kappa is not affected by the curse. Kappa’s future is dependent upon Siren, but not because of an obligation or even Kappa asking him to. Siren chose to spare Kappa, arguably the first major decision he's ever made in his life. But that's not the point I'm trying to make here.

What I'm getting at is that Siren feels safe enough around Kapp, a guy he's only known for about 2 weeks. Safe enough to scream his honest frustrations in front of. I don't even know if Siren is aware he has a crush on Kappa by this point, but it's entirely possible given his flustered reactions to Silver's earlier teasing. But this, right here, shows just how far Siren has come to like and perhaps even rely on Kappa.

And Kappa, being the little sweetheart is he, doesn't correct Siren. You can tell he's uneasy, but he lets Siren freely get this off of his chest, going so far as to reveal a part of himself he's hidden from the world in turn. An absolutely amazing parallel for what is to come at the end of season 3, by the way.

Speaking of season 3, there's another cute little reference that struck me during episode 18. That of the jellyfish analogy. Siren calls himself one, in reference to how he feels decorative even in times of need. Kappa roles with that to try and comfort Siren.

I'm sure we've all made the hilarious comparison to this:

Kappa, you sly cutie. I see what you did there.

Anyway, back on point. Season 3. Kappa stated in the above panel that, "They're really calming," and, "It's nice to see them when things get scary." If we keep the literal meaning going, what with Siren referring to himself as a jellyfish, Kappa is saying these things about Siren (to his face no less). And, ya know, Kappa calling jellyfish mindless goo.

By this point, I'm fairly certain Kappa is aware of his crush on Siren, making this all the more meaningful in my mind. Whether Siren catches that or not I'm not debating here.

What I am debating is that this does come up again in season 3.

That feeling of safety is important in a partner. That feeling of reliability is important in a partner. That feeling of trust is important in a partner.

Siren is Kappa’s jellyfish. If you're not here for that level of implied corn, why are you reading my rants

Looks like I've almost hit the image limit again, folks! OTL

I was gonna go into Kappa summoning Siren at the season 3 finale, of wanting that feeling of safety in his hour of need. Of Kappa’s regret at having pushed Siren away, pushed away that feeling of protection and calm he so desperately needed. But I'm nearly out of image slots, so I'm gonna leave it at this for now. I'll make a second post later if anyone seems interested. An excuse to talk about this ship is always welcome!

Tumblr lost this entire post when I tried to put it up, so I'm sorry if it seems disjointed at points. I had to retype/re-upload while feeling a bit irked by this site. Hope it all still comes across okay though!

Edit: I feel like there's an analogy in there somewhere about Siren being Kappa’s jellyfish being akin to Siren being Kappa’s light on account of them being the primary light source in the shark castle. Similar to how the Beacon is the light for the entire ocean and such. Or that Kappa himself is a literal light in the dark for Siren that I alluded to in a previous post. But my brain is dead, so I'll chew on it more later.

[tmnt-crossover-polls]

DOOM round 1 part 2

Rotten reflections summary : when strange movement in a pharmacy catch's Casey's eye one night, no one could have known the stress, panic and confusion the next few months would bring a turtle not in their right mind ends up in an unknown place with even more unknown threats lurking around every corner, with a hurt little one there's nothing he can do but what his mind screams. 

When the world crumbles summary : Two months after the death of their master and the defeat of the Super Shredder, the 2012 turtles get news of another Kraang Invasion. So the turtles make a plan to storm Dimension X and take Kraang Prine down once and for all. However instead of ending up in Dimension X, the turtles end up in a much more neon, colorful dimension with no way to get back home and a full scale invasion on the horizon. Luckily they soon meet their much more colorful counterparts, who will help then get back home. Hopefully.

Atomic pets summary : after the events in the first episode mikey discovers a tiny reptile near the explosion, feeling bad and not wanting to leave it behind he decides to keep it, not realizing it was one of Draxum’s latest experiments. Hijinks ensue with the tiny reptile slow becoming not so tiny and harder to hide from his family, Mikey must learn to keep his atomic breathing giant reptile pet a secret from the rest of his family before they find out.

Not turtles forever 2 or is it summary : Taking place after the events in Turtles Forever and the Rise Movie, 03 Donatello wanted to make another Universal Transporter in order to discover different turtleverses, but something glitched with the machine, and the turtles from Universe 2018 ended up being thrown into Universe 2003 like a bunch of turtle rag dolls! All the turtles are a bit taken aback by their counterparts. The 03 turtles can't believe how strong and powerful the 2018 turtles are, and the 2018 Turtles are shocked at how distant the 03 turtles are from one another. After quite a few emotional talks, a battle or 2, and a plan to get 03 Usagi and Leonardo together, all the turtles soon start to rely on one another, and become about as close as one big mutated family could be! Only problem is, while attempting to get their turtles back, the Hamato clan in Universe 2018 might have ended up doing more harm then good while trying to locate Leo using his broken Odachi.

Lair meshing summary : After Draxum accidentally messes around with some of Splinter’s mystic artifacts, he accidentally merges the Rise Turtles’ reality with the 2012 reality. Now the two families are struggling to get along with versions of themself who understand them better than anyone else does. Leo causes problems on purpose, Donnie commits crimes, Michelangelo learns to cook and Mikey just wants his family to start getting along

Many names of hamato Leonardo summary : Leonardo believed that he was walking to his death when he tossed Casey into that portal. But someone else had something to say about that. A dimension away, a young Donatello wanders out of the lair when he should be taking a nap with his brothers. Never in a million years could he imagine exactly what his little adventure would lead him to. Or, future Rise Leo ends up in the 2003 universe, with no memory of arriving and no way home.

Once a hamato always a hamato summary : Leo gets trapped in the prison dimension only to get sent to the undertale multiverse a little while later. Leo gets changed into Error, the forced god of destruction. Years later he finds a way home! Now he has to get reacquainted with his family while as figuring out how to get his new friends to his world... And, figure out if the reason he was able to in the first place was due to some nefarious plot...

@nicoforlifetrue

@tmnt-obsessed-ace

@wandering-ghost

@lionalovit @poems-art-darkness-n-more

@just-a-lil-turtle-with-knives

@easterartist

[lucygxybaird]

one true time - billinea

love was when i loved you, one true time i hold to. in my life, we'll always go on. near, far, wherever you are, i believe that the heart does go on. once more, you open the door, and you're here in my heart and my heart will go on and on. you're here, there's nothing i fear. (my heart will go on - celine dion) Billy walks into the room where Pat Garret is waiting for him, one last time. Dulcinea went just ahead of him (very sorry about this :))

tw: major character death, gunshots, suicide (indirectly??)

He can’t make sense of what he’s seeing, at first. 

The door is open a just a little, revealing a ribbon of the room in the dim light thrown by the flickering flames in the fireplace — the mantlepiece, barely distinguishable from the darkness; the hearth itself, its intricate carvings invisible now; the flickering fire, almost down to embers. A sliver of carpet. He stops understanding things around then. His eyes are taking it in, but the sight won’t turn into anything that he can wrap his mind around. 

It’s for the best, he thinks. And he knows it won’t last long. Already he can feel the horror opening up a chasm inside him, a black, roaring emptiness that will take over everything he is. His breath is coming fast and shallow, as if it’s trying to use itself up, so he can just collapse to the ground and cease to exist. Hurry up, he tells his laboring lungs. Hurry up, hurry up and quit, hurry up, hurry up, hurry up. 

Her hand. 

Her hand, falling in the gap between door and doorframe. Her hand, fingers curled in silent supplication. Her hand, with its stained palm, the color on her skin almost pitch black in the gloom. Almost.

He can see well enough to know what it is. And he can see well enough to know that she’s completely still. A statue carved from his own grief. He wants to fall to his knees and crawl to her, take her bloodied hand, press it to his lips. His cheek. Leaving marks on his skin like lashes under a whip. He deserves it, this branding. He deserves worse.

God, he brought her to this. 

Does going back in time erase everything? Would he remember, even if she forgot? If he could return to that night, the night they met, and stop himself from calling out to her — would he lose her eyes meeting his for the first time? Lose the smile creeping into her voice when she said he could see her again? Lose the way his heart pounded as he watched her walk away? 

Maybe he wouldn’t go back that far. (He has to keep thinking about this, because he can’t think about what he’s looking at right now; or he’ll start screaming and he’ll never stop.) Maybe he would let them ride out together, that day he promised nothing would happen to her. He could stop at their first kiss, couldn’t he? Let himself have that one thing. 

He’d pressed a kiss to her lower lip, as if he couldn’t bring himself to stop tasting her. She was smiling. 

He can hear people in the room beyond, hissing at each other like a pair of snakes. He thinks of the serpent in Eden, offering Eve the apple. Her teeth had broken into the thin skin of the fruit, and unleashed sin. He’s always thought it was pretty ridiculous that it’s a woman who brought destruction into the world. 

In his experience, nobody knows how to ruin something beautiful quite like a man. Look at his father, dragging his mother from their home in New York, only to die curled up like a useless animal. (He can’t remember the last time he thought about his father, let alone with such venom; but this, too, is better than thinking about her hand on the floor.) Look at him. His presence in her life has been nothing but damnation from the start.

It should be his damnation, not hers. Not hers. 

Not her.

Not her, not her, not her. Please, anyone but her. 

If they come out here, they’ll kill him. His only fear is that they won’t do it right now. They’ll make him wait — the journey back into town, being bundled into a jail cell, sitting through a sham of a trial. The noose will slip around his neck and he’ll just be praying for it to tighten already. Better for it to happen in an instant. A bullet to the heart. 

It’s more than what he deserves, of course. But hasn’t he already proven that he’s a selfish man? There had never been a doubt that she was far above him, beyond him, as beautiful — more so — as the moon and just as out of reach. But he’d wanted her, so he’d pursued her, anyway. 

And he can’t go back. He can’t fix it. 

He swears he hears her father’s voice in his ear, risen from the grave to lay blame at the feet of the person who deserves it the most. You killed her, del Toboso says. You killed her. You monster, you beast, you foolish boy. She had everything before you came into her life. She had her family. She had her future. She would be better off if she had never met you. 

She would, specifically, be alive if she had never met him.

(How long has he been standing here? He doesn’t know. It doesn’t matter. Time is for the living, and whether his death is moments away or days, it’s just a matter of perspective. His heart is still beating, but he knows he is dead in the ways that matter.)

Not only had he brought her into this life, he’d brought her here. 

He should have left her with Manuela and the baby — he’d wanted to — but she had insisted. This new hideout was one of her family houses, after all; who knew the hiding spots, the ways in and out, the roads to and from the house, better than she did? He could have figured all of that out himself. But she’d looked at him with those pleading dark eyes, and he hadn’t been strong enough to resist her. Not with her hands clutching at his shirt, begging with her gaze. With her words, falling from her lips onto his own as she reached up to hold his face. 

“I do not want to be so far away from you. I would be sick waiting for news, I couldn’t bear it. Please, Billy…take me with you.”

There’s a footstep from inside the room. Another. Another. Spaced out, like a predator about to pounce. He wonders if they can see him. (He doesn’t care, really, but it’s a thought. If they can see him, is it well enough to see his face? Or is he just a lean shadow, looking like the ghost he is?)

The door jostles open a little further as someone kneels down next to her. 

He can see her shoulder now. Her chin, the line of her jaw. A bit of her cheek. Had it just been last night that he kissed that cheek? They had fallen asleep in the big bed upstairs, the one that floated like a jewel of damask curtains and dark, gleaming mahogany bedposts. The bedroom itself had taken up nearly the whole third floor, a chamber that probably could have fit the whole Antrim house inside it.

“Holy shit,” he’d said. “There are wagons smaller than this bed.”

“Don’t worry, lindo. It works just the same as a small bed.”

And then she’d grinned at him, taking him by the hand and leading him toward it. “Let me show you.”

They made love like they always did, as if they had all the time in the world, passion caged in caresses that stretched moments into years, kisses planted anywhere and everywhere they could reach. He only moved faster, harder, when she told him to — whether with her back arched, legs tightening around his waist, or by her feverish voice in his ear. 

“Billy, please…”

He knew she was getting close when she kept saying his name over and over again, the rhythm disjointed by desperation, but sweeter than any melody in the world for all that. Her fingers tangled in his hair, her mouth at his ear. Crying out until her voice peaked, broke, ebbing away into soft sighs and trembling breaths. 

Breaths.

She’s not breathing. 

Not breathing, not moving. Of course, he’d known that, but to see more of her makes it harder for him to push that reality away. He feels like Atlas, bearing the weight of the world, except he can already feel it crushing him. 

From inside the room, he hears a man say: “Dulcinea?” 

It’s Pat Garrett. He doesn’t need to see him to know that. He recognizes his voice. 

He can smell gunpowder now. 

There is a thunderclap in his head, driving out all thought, all sense of himself. He wants to scream and kick the door open, howling like a demon clawing his way out of hell. He wants to shout at Pat for daring to say her name. 

Why didn’t he change her name when he had the chance? They’d always wanted to get married. Maybe he didn’t feel worthy, as an outlaw. Maybe a part of him had never doubted it would end this way, except he’d expected to be the one to go. A piece of paper signed by a judge doesn’t change the fact that he was hers, and she was his. 

But still. 

He would have liked to call her his wife, if just once. Even if nobody else heard but her.

Was leaving a grieving lover behind better than leaving a widow? For her, it would be, at least. She wouldn’t be saddled with the name of a criminal. Besides, Dulcinea Bonney just doesn’t sound as good as her maiden name.

(It doesn’t matter. He knows that. But if he thinks about why it doesn’t matter, he’ll—)

“Who’s there?”

The door opens all the way. Pat stands in the doorway, his body outlined in dancing gold. Billy takes a step toward him.

“Quien es?” he responds. “Quien es?”

He wants his last words to be in Spanish. Her language. Maybe she can hear him where she is, falling with the tongue she knew first on his lips. It’s like a last kiss. 

Billy lunges forward, like he’s going to attack Pat, but he doesn’t care about laying a hand on him. The time for fighting is over. No, he just wants to be in the same room. He wants to fall next to her. If he times it right—

“Quien es?” It sounds like he’s begging. Maybe he is. He just wants it to be over.

He doesn’t look down. If he looks at her, fully, really looks at her, his courage will fail him. There will be too much guilt for him to be brave.

He sees Pat reach for his hip, and even though he can barely see the pistol in the dark, he almost smiles as the barrel gleams in the dim light. It’s a promise of relief. Just a few minutes more. 

“Who are you?” Pat says. “Tell me your name and put your hands up, or I’ll—”

From the corner of his eye, Billy can see her sleeve. He lunges forward again. 

A bang. Smoke. A flash of light. 

He doesn’t see the bullet, but when it hits him in the chest, he’s grateful for it, anyway. Billy takes a small step backward, another, and lets himself fall. He doesn’t feel the impact when he lands on the floor. He turns his head. He timed it perfectly. There she is, right next to him.

His hand brushes hers. Her fingertips are icy, but he reaches for them, anyway. 

Can she feel his warmth in the next life? 

(Is there a next life?)

There’s pain, but it doesn’t mean anything. It’s like the sun baking his skin on a hot summer day — a byproduct of being alive. It will only last a little while longer, he’s sure. In the meantime, there’s her face. 

He won’t look at anything else. He doesn’t want to know where she was hit. 

(In the heart? Like him?)

Her face. 

It looks like she’s sleeping. Her eyes are closed, her lips slightly parted. 

(Did she try to say his name? To warn him? To say goodbye? Just to say it, once more?)

His fingers tighten on hers. 

(Don’t leave me. I’m coming.)

He closes his eyes, too. 

Maybe it’s a dream, what happens next. Maybe there really is a life after this one, and somehow, he’s managed to find himself on the right side of the pearly gates. The last of him supposes that it could be both. There’s really no saying if one cancels out the other, or if they’re one and the same. 

There are rolling hills, so green that it makes his throat ache with how beautiful it is. The grass waves in the gentlest breeze he has ever felt, soft and warm. He sees a house. He doesn’t walk toward it, but finds himself inside, as if he’s just pushed the door open. 

They smile at him, all of them. 

His mother. His father. Joe. Tunstall. Charlie. Tom. 

And then, he sees her. 

Dulcinea takes his hand. “It’s alright now,” she says. 

Billy rests his forehead against hers, clasping her hand. He doesn’t say anything in response, but he doesn’t need to. 

It’s alright now. 

[lunaetics]

roll the stone away | pack

the timing worked out: dean, sam, jo, and lux⎯who'd tagged along for your protection, whatever that meant⎯arrived at ajani's home and stepped out of the car, just as the group of salem refugees arrived.

dean didn't know much about the group. frankly, the only people he really knew anything about were sam and jo. but lo had informed them all that her friends, alphas like her, would be meeting them soon, seeking asylum and help that only eshe could provide right now. dean hadn't pried for details⎯they'd all had such a long day already and all he wanted was for it to come to an end⎯but watching the group climb out of their mini-bus, he thought he understood.

the exhaustion of the group was palpable. shadows hung over their faces and there was a stiffness to the way they move. none of them looked bruised or particularly ruffled, like there'd been a battle, just⎯⎯exhausted. as if they'd been through just as much as everyone else here, if not significantly more. and there was something about the way they hesitated to step too far away from each other, thoughtlessly shuffling into a clustered formation as they stepped out of their vehicle, that was familiar to dean.

he'd never done it with a group quite that large, but⎯⎯with sam, yeah. he recognized what it looked like to have been dragged to the pits of hell with someone and feel like the world would end if he ever parted from that person again.

peculiar enough, the last person out of the bus was asleep; she was pulled out of the car gently, cradled in someone's arms. her head lulled against their shoulder, and dean momentarily thought that it was kind of them to allow her to sleep.

then he saw⎯⎯the way their eyes shuttered away from her, as if she were a painful sight. the careful way she was held. the pallor of her skin. the way she wasn't even breathing.

oh.

finally, dean looked away.

"oh, good timing," lux said, running her eyes over the group. unlike the people she'd driven with, she wasn't human; she could pick up all of the distinct scents in the group, as well as the lack of a heartbeat in one of them. her eyes flicked down to the sleeping witch, then back up to the others. "come on, i'll bring you inside. don't worry," she added, seeing the way one witch's eyes darted frantically around, "you're safe here. whoever you're running from, they can't get you in this city⎯⎯certainly not here."

mae drew her bottom lip between her teeth and tried to believe that. rose and the twins had said the same thing. mae wanted to believe it. but it was hard to believe anything when her entire belief system had been upended just twenty-four hours ago. still, she fashioned a smile for the blonde and nodded. "right. yeah, of course."

lux tried to return her smile. she wasn't the best welcoming committee; she was not soft and endearing like julia. but ajani would want her to be kind, and she owed him everything. so she smiled, then turned to lead everyone into ajani's fortress of a home. some of the witches looked around in awe as they ventured through the house to find the others, and lux said nothing about it. spirits knew she'd done the same thing many times over the years.

soon enough, they reached the room where everyone was gathered. uche was seated between her sisters, hand wrapped around eshe's while her head rested against ife's chest. lux couldn't blame them for the way they banded together. near death experiences were scary for anyone; she couldn't imagine what that did to someone who'd been invincible since near the beginning of time.

upon entering the room, ethan couldn't even find it in himself to recognize all of the threats gathered around them. his eyes immediately found the familiar sight of home. "lo," he exhaled, breaking away from the witches to cross the room over to her. he wrapped his arms around her and felt something settle in his chest at finally being with her again. separating had been the right thing; that didn't mean he didn't miss her terribly. "hey. you okay?" he pulled back from the hug to look her in the eyes. "have you been alright?"

bellamy, on the other hand, did not look at lo first. instead, her eyes landed on julia. she was an odd sight, considering bellamy was certain deucalion had killed her some years ago. then again, she seemed to have a knack for beating death. there were scars wrapped around her throat, jagged claws marks that undoubtedly came from deucalion's attack, but that seemed to be the extent of her trauma. she didn't look at the alphas with any sort of recognition, and it made bellamy question just what price she'd paid for her survival.

"thank you for having us," harry said, while the alphas reunited, his voice quieter than usual. everything felt... odd. in a new city, with a bunch of new people, and piper still dead. if the last thing wasn't true, then piper would be speaking right now; she'd know how to be a good ambassador for their coven, how to show that they come with earnest intentions. but she was⎯asleep, still, so someone had to say something. "we're sorry for the sudden intrusion."

[faded-mage]

Avise

As Avise stepped into the Crossroads once more, probably for the last time, she was unsure if she was afraid of dying. The elf was young still but it felt like every single moment of her life in the past 2 years was marred with nothing but pain. How she even stood there to begin with was a miracle. Avise should not have survived the Conclave. She should not have survived the fall of Haven. The elf ran on nothing but luck and perhaps a bit of spite, getting her through situations that if Varric wrote half of it down, it would be unbelievable. Though he had written some of it down, a book titled This Shit is Weird. It was a fitting title, she actually quite liked it. But overall, Avise should not be alive. The more she considered it… no, her life with the Inquisition was not only filled with pain. It only felt like it was in that moment. There were so many good things sandwiched between the bad and she wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

The Inquisition became a home to her. Her Clan was home by necessity, the Inquisition became a home by choice. She created a clan of her own made up of elves and humans, dwarves and qunari. It was a strange clan. There were fights and mistakes but in the end she knew whoever she asked to stand with her… they would do so without hesitation. That was what a family did. So yes, they were a strange clan but they were hers. Love swelled within her chest as she thought of those who fought beside her against Corypheus and those who stood next to her now.

Avise felt the pure, radiant love that came with falling in deeper than she thought she could go. Despite that love now causing an ache in her heart that was near constant, it was worth it in the end. She was able to experience something not everyone had the ability to, she just hoped that Solas was out there somewhere and maybe he would mourn her death when she finally passed. If she were to die then, she would be content knowing she did something, stepped up when she was needed. Maybe the next world, the next life would be more peaceful. Avise selfishly believed she deserved it.

She could feel the tears fall from her eyes, trailing down her cheeks. Avise bowed her head so she could regain her composure. Standing in front of the eluvian that would bring them to the Darvaarad, she tried to settle her thoughts. Those who stood with her did not need to know she feared death or expected it to come soon. Refocusing her mind on the task ahead, a huff of air escaped her lips and she subtly wiped the tears from her face. Stop the qunari before I die, that is the plan. It’s the only thing that matters right now. Cole’s voice brought her back, his words floated on the wind behind her. She was going to miss the odd spirit, he had done so much for her in their brief time together, “Your hand hurts. It’s pulling you apart.” That was exactly how it felt. The urge to tell them how much she loved them, how they had all saved her in a million different ways was strong. But she was unable to do so without breaking down and they had shit to do. Rolling her shoulders back, straightening her spine and exhaling deeply through her nose, “We all knew this was probably our last time out together. Let’s make it a good one.”

Avise heard Dorian start to say something, “Avi, I-”, the elf quickly stepping through the eluvian to cut him off. If Dorian gave some grand speech about how much he loved her, she wouldn’t be able to make it through whatever waited for them on the other side of the mirror. They needed to move forward, and quickly. Time was short, her time was short. If she could stop the qunari and save her people in the process then she would die happy. Maybe it would be a quick death if she were lucky.

- - -

Avise knelt on the ground and could not breathe. The pieces began to fit together, stitching a story in her mind. Every single moment of her life connected to this one right now and she felt like she was going to vomit. That itch in the back of her mind started when they first stepped through the eluvian the first time. Hints and memories bubbling up with each passing moment. The final piece that caused her to spiral was the fresco in front of her. A hidden fresco they stumbled upon in the Darvaarad. It depicted Fen’harel, their gods of lies and trickery, cunning and misfortune. If the note nearby it was true, the qunari believed it to be a self portrait. Avise recognized the art, she had stared at similar frescoes for the past 2 years. Walked by the person painting them.

Her mother knew, she knew where Avise would stand one day. She knew what Avise would become. Her knowing smile any time the elf asked more about the gods or what she saw when she looked into the young girl’s future. If she would be happy, “Fen’an, don’t you worry. It will be bright and beautiful.” How was this beautiful? This anguish that sat in her soul as she looked at the figure painted in front of her. The truth of who she loved with everything she had and despite it all who she continued to love. Why would a mother push their child towards such misery? There had to be something more.

Allowing Avise to play on the statues, actively encouraging her to do so. Designing a vallaslin with a wolf’s face against the traditions of the clan. Naming her the wolf’s heart. A realization that Cole was never calling her his Heart but His Heart. The irony hurt, physically hurt her as she knelt on the floor. Solas’ expression when learning her childhood name. The curve of his lips when she told him stories of her youth as they watched her memory in the Fade of a young Avise sitting in the sun on the Dread Wolf’s head. The look in his eye when she explained what her vallaslin meant. The way the magic left behind in the Sanctuary felt like returning home. The familiar taste of the magic sat on her tongue, trying to remind her of where she felt it before and why it brought her so much comfort.

He knew so much history of the ancient elves because he was one. He begged her not to drink from the Well of Sorrows because he knew Mythal was real. The man removed her vallaslin because that was what he did for countless others before. You do not know all of my feelings on gods, vhenan. Every fragmented memory with the man changed with the realization. She was dizzy, unable to look at the fresco as the colors and familiar strokes of the paint swirled in her vision. Avise could feel her hands shaking and a cold sweat cover her body.

Solas was not just an apostate who stepped in when the Inquisition needed him. Not just an expert in the Fade who travelled from the north. He was not only the man who was quiet and kind, and looked at her as if she meant everything to him. Like nothing else around them mattered when they were together tangled in sheets. He was - is - Fen’harel. The Dread Wolf. The villain that stalked the darkness through the tales of the Dalish. Who hid away the gods, created the Veil and pushed every event into motion over the past 3 years. Clan Lavellan was right. As they feared Avise brought the Dread Wolf’s gaze upon her, just not in the way they expected. He was no god, he was a powerful mage who refused the title while others took the mantle for themselves.

How many of the Dalish stories were true? Did he walk between those they called the Creators as well as the Forgotten Ones? Did he truly feast upon the souls of the dead? Did he giggle madly and hug himself with glee when the elves of Arlathan fell? No, he did not seem like that when she knew him. But he was also known for trickery and lies, was she truly so blind? Was she deceived the entire time he stood beside her? Every moment they spent entwined in each others lives, maybe he was playing pretend. Her heart ached, her hand immediately wrapping around the jawbone pendant Solas left behind for her. I think he would protect you with all he had, Solas said to her when she asked him if he believed Fen’harel would be a protector to those who won his favor.

Avise hoped she was wrong, that all of these little clues, these hints were just a coincidence. She tried to convince herself that she had not been played by the man she loved, the one who she was so sure was her nas’falon. Maybe he was not Fen’harel and the Dread Wolf was placing these lies to trick her. A memory of a book she found in the Vir Dirthara caused the ache to reappear - Beware the forms of Fen’harel! The Dread Wolf comes in humble guises, a wanderer who knows much of the People and their spirits. Her mind reached out to the knowledge the Well granted her but they were quiet, oddly so. They gave her nothing but a quiet hum. The elf began to curse herself for falling into his trap. Avise had been the one to bring the Dread Wolf into her bed, into her heart. The worst part was she loved him still.

- - -

Dorian had to drag her away from the fresco. Avise was unsure how long she knelt there, starting it as the truth knit itself together in he mind but he reminded her they needed to go. Their task was still the same, they needed to stop what the qunari were planning. To protect Thedas from the Qun. She was not sure how Solas fit into everything yet, besides the fact every place they were dragged had some connection to the man. That the qunari were hunting an agent of Fen’harel. She found she could not speak the remainder of their time at the Darvaarad and she knew they noticed. Dorian begged for her to explain what she saw in the fresco, Varric trying to get her to focus on the tasks ahead. Cole tried to speak to her, his voice quiet as he continued to say her name, “Fen’an. You are scared.” In that moment she hated the name given to her.

She could not explain to them, not then. It hurt too much to say it out loud. If she said it then it would be real. If it was real then her entire life was destined for her to be there in that moment by some cruel fate as if she was meant to suffer misfortune and pain until the very end.

Everything felt like a blur after and she could not focus. She followed Dorian through the rest of the fortress, her movements were choreographed and precise but she held little awareness of where she was and how she got there in the end. The anchor brought her back, the pain was violent and savage. Each episode returning faster than the last. It spiked out without her control, causing her stumble and fall as they ran across the bridge, trying to stop the Viddasala from going through another eluvian. She remembered vaguely freeing a dragon - right, the qunari were using the dragon to make the gaatlok that would kill the leaders of southern Thedas. Avise ran with everything she had, her lungs burned and her vision was fuzzy but she was back in the moment. The pain ripping her from the safe part of her mind that tried to protect her from the truth. The footsteps of her companions were close behind and the Viddasala was almost close enough to hurl magic at.

The Viddasala stopped just outside the eluvian as Avise’s hand flared once again. The magic in her palm bringing her to her knees. She was not sure how much longer she could last, the power of the mark leaving her like an explosion - crackling and spiking to anything or anyone who was nearby. The elf would not let herself die yet, she couldn’t. They still needed to stop the qunari. Avise could not hold back the cry that dropped from her mouth, the Viddasala spoke with disdain as she looked upon the elf kneeling on the ground, “Dear Inquisitor, you have such little time left. You must finally see the truth. Elven magic already tore the sky apart. If the agents of Fen’harel are not stopped, you will shatter the world as well.”

Fuck you, the elf thought as she gritted her teeth, biting through the pain. The knowledge that sat in the back of her mind whirled, the woman thought she knowingly worked with an agent of Fen’harel but Avise believed he was no mere agent. She could truthfully say, “Whatever you think I’ve done, mass assassination isn’t a good moral high ground.” Avise felt the sarcasm in her voice, it was meant to cover the pain that lay underneath. The qunari sounded cold, determined. She was a product of the Qun, a devout fanaticism that always put Avise on edge. What was it that Cole said to her once long ago in Haven? It’s dangerous when too many men in the same armor think they’re right. He was right back then about the Templars and he would have been right now.

The qunari looked at her with hatred plain on her features. Avise was used to such looks, she found it in every corner of Thedas. Whether they hated mages or elves. Often both. “The South was poisoned by these elves’ manipulations. It suffers just as you do now. You would have died from the mark on your hand but for the help of one of their chief agents. The same agent who helped seal the Breach. Who led you to Skyhold. Who gave Corypheus the orb, then founded the Inquisition. Solas, agent of Fen’harel.”

Avise had hoped she was wrong, that all the interwoven pieces of memories and clues were just some delusional grasp to find meaning in this madness. That hope brought her forward, allowing her mind to convince itself that maybe she was not so blind to allow the God of Lies between her legs. Avise knew she was not that lucky, the qunari’s word confirmed what she feared. Varric’s voice behind her was soft, she could hear the betrayal that skirted the edges, “Damn it, Chuckles. What’ve you done?”

The pain was manageable now, allowing Avise to get to her feet with some assistance from Dorian. In that moment she even believed her words, the conviction she said them in the hopes that they were true, “Whatever Solas is involved in, I am nobody’s puppet.” Yes, he helped them seal the Breach. He led them to Skyhold. But the decisions in the Inquisition were vastly done by her own doing, not his. She was the one who stood at the war table daily with her advisors. She was the one who stood in front of Corypheus and banished him back into the Fade.

The Viddasala was so convinced in her own words, Avise bristled, “Solas tricked us all. He pushed a dying Qunari into the Winter Palace, to lure you into opposing us. Without him, we could have brought the South peace and wisdom along the gentle path. Now we must take the way of blades.” How was blowing up cities full of people the gentle path? The woman in her own delusions truly thought she would be bringing peace.

Her anchor flared once more, Dorian holding her up through the pain. Avise would not allow it to get the better of her. They had to stop them. No matter how Solas was involved their plan did not change. First, the qunari. Then if she were still alive she could handle the situation with the Dread Wolf. Before the qunari walked through the eluvian, her eyes met Avise’s and the elf felt a wave of fear ripple through her body. It pulled the air from her lungs, “Panahedan, Inquisitor. If it is any consolation, Solas will not outlive you.”