Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jarrah had done everything he could. But it wasn’t enough; for once he was failing his team. 

A younger man sat in front of him, clutching his waist in agony. Tavo Rojas, fellow teammate and beloved friend to Jarrah, was shot in the stomach during battle. It was unlikely he would survive, even more so now that the doctor did everything he could, and still had many doubts.

In all the pain he was in, Tavo still smiled at Jarrah. It was a warm smile, yet also sad and dreary. Jarrah gave a sad attempt at smiling back and choked out an apology. Tavo hushed him and unwillingly coughed.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” He told him, brushing his hair out of his eyes, “you did everything you could.” His eyes were teary, his voice held despair and sorrow. No matter how much he wanted to come off as calm, his body language betrayed him.

Tavo took a deep breath, 

“I know I’m not gonna make it, Bazz,” Jarrah shook his head, not in disagreement, just in disbelief, “So can I ask you a few favors before I’m… gone ?” The older man silently nodded and waited for Tavo to continue.

“I keep a box under my bed. It has all the papers from my soulmate in it. Find them. That’s the only thing I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid. I’ve just wanted to find someone to love me.” He was gently crying. Jarrah didn’t know what to do, so he pulled Tavo into an embrace. It lasted longer than the two men thought it would, but that wasn’t necessarily unwanted.

“A-also,” He stuttered, but caught himself and cleared his throat, “could you take care of Juneau? I want her to go to someone I can trust. Plus, you’re technically a vet.” He laughed dryly. Jarrah was still holding the other’s face from the hug, and he decided on staying like that. 

Jarrah could feel Tavo’s breath slowing down,

“I’m sorry you have to go so soon. If I could do anymore, I would-”

“-I’m… okay. E-every..thing will be… okay.” Tavo cut him off, trying to reassure him. He was slipping in and out of consciousness, barely hanging on.

“T-tell me.. who the..y are…; my s-soulmate. Bring… them t-to me wh..en you find t-them, Bazz, ple..ase.” He smiled at the doctor one more time, before closing his eyes as his heart stopped. Bazzley held his hand as he fell into internal sleep. 

The dark forest around Jarrah finally caught his attention. It was late, he needed to get back to base. As he got up, a thin piece of paper floated down from the night sky. Jarrah caught it; it was a sentence from his soulmate. As soon as he read the paper, his heart skipped a beat and he let out a choked sob.

Bring them to me when you find them, Bazz, please. 

It kept replaying in his head. As tears fell down his cheeks rapidly, he bent down next to Tavo and held him in his arms gently,

“It was me, Tavo. It was me .”

Chapter Text

Ruin and Nomad had a tense relationship; at least, in Ruin’s eyes. Ruin hated that man, well, he wouldn’t say hate. He just strongly disliked the man. Nomad on the other hand didn’t have a problem with Ruin.

All because of one person, Nomad would often think. He wasn’t wrong; Ruin didn’t like Nomad because of his ties with Spectre. This caused them to sometimes fight, or Ruin would yell at Nomad as the latter stood there paying half-attention.

Nomad couldn’t blame Ruin too much (Truth is, he didn’t want to), the man probably had anger issues for how often he would just yell at Nomad for no real reason. Because of that, Nomad would hardly ever argue back. He would just stand there and take it all. 

The fights never got physical; Ruin was smarter than that. He knew it’d only lead to something no one wanted. The most physical it got was Ruin pinning Nomad against a wall as he yelled.

“Goddamn, Tavo, are you even listening to me?” Ruin’s words sounded like poison, and they sounded all too familiar.

Nomad looked down at a furious Ruin and smirked at him. Nomad did enjoy playing with people’s emotions.

Ruin breathed heavy,

“... What?”

“You’re cute when you’re angry.” Nomad said smugly. He felt Ruin’s grip tighten around the collar of his shirt. He could see Ruin’s face start to turn a deep red as he registered what Nomad had said.

It took a minute for Ruin to respond, and that minute was enough time for Nomad to realize what an effect he had on the man.

“Fuck. Off.” He responded, still holding Nomad against the wall just as hard as he was before. Nomad took his words and used them as an opportunity to joke around a little more.

“What if I fucked you ? I have a hunch you’d enjoy that a lot .” 

As if it was possible, Ruin blushed more as he got closer to Nomad’s face. He was flustered and couldn’t seem to get a word out. But he was Donnie Walsh; he could never seem to shut his mouth.

“God, I hate you with every inch of my body right now.” Ruin said, getting closer to Nomad to where their noses were practically touching. 

Nomad made a fake pout,

“Aw, really?” His pout turned into a mischievous smile, “I’d be offended, but that’s not a lot of inches.” 

The way Ruin looked at Nomad made him finally think about how quickly things could escalate. Nomad expected to get punched, slapped, or something of the sort. What he would have never expected was for Ruin to close the gap between their faces and roughly kiss him.

It took a second, but Nomad’s brain finally responded and he kissed him back. He picked Ruin up, placing his legs on his hips, and held his thighs to keep him from falling. 

They stayed like that- Ruin gripping Nomad’s shirt collar and leading the kiss; Nomad gently holding Ruin up and kissing him back softly- until they pulled away to catch their breaths.

Nomad looked into Ruin’s eyes, a visible smirk on his face. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Ruin slamming their lips together for a second time. 

“Just shut up.” Ruin mumbled through the kiss. Nomad smiled and decided he really didn’t have to say anything. All of this said enough.

Chapter Text

“Thank you all for showing up, but I’m afraid it’s getting late.” Savannah told everyone from the elevator, “Unfortunately, we don’t have enough available rooms for you all, so everyone will share a room with one other person. You all may decide who shares a room with who, and meet me upstairs when you’re done.” She took a step back into the elevator and the door closes soon after, leaving the 8 operators alone to discuss.

No one knew each other too well, except for Ruin and Battery, who were fine with sharing a room together. The other 6 looked at one another skeptically, no one saying anything.

“How ‘bout we do some old-school shit, huh? Like, flip a coin or something?” Ruin finally broke the silence. Battery scoffed, amused.

“Donnie, look around. You think these people wanna flip a fucking coin?” She joked with a laugh. Ruin laughed along with her. They looked around the room at the men. 

“What if we just assigned rooms? Since all your stubborn and awkward asses won’t choose.” Ruin suggested, making Battery giggle. 

“Okay, I like that idea. Anyone against it?”

Recon slowly raised his arm, yet was the only one who did so. 

“Okay, give us a second then.” Battery exclaimed, ignoring Recon and turning towards Ruin as they whispered amongst themselves. 

After a few minutes of the two talking and laughing, they finally turn back towards the group.

“Okay, okay, we finally have y’all in pairs.” Battery finally says, “When I call your name, please stand next to me.” She giggles, amused by the whole thing. 

She clears her throat,

“Tavo and Katsumi, because we love clashing personalities.” Nomad walked next to Battery, holding his dog, Juneau. Recon stood next to him,

“Ugh, I don’t like dogs.” 

Ruin perked up, 

“Are you allergic?” 

Recon looked at him confused,

“No-?” “Then you’ll be fine.” Ruin shrugged off the complaint, causing Recon to roll his eyes in annoyance.

Battery continued,

“David and Krystof, because why the hell not.” The two walked up next to each other. Prophet gave a Firebreak a soft smile and got a cold blank stare in return.

“And finally; Kieran and Kerk, because we didn’t know what to do with you two,” The two men in question looked upsettingly at the woman, who was quick to try and find something to say, “But hey, look at that! Your names both start with K.” She smiled uncomfortably as Ruin took over the conversation.

“I’ll go get Savannah to show us to our rooms.”

Nomad and Recon walked down a dark hallway up to their room. Recon opened the door and analyzed the room; it was smaller than he would have liked, with a table and a few chairs, a bed in the middle of the room, and a door with a sign that said BATHROOM in big bold letters.

Recon walked over to the bed,

“You’d think for being a trillionaire , Savannah would have a lot more room in her house.” He chuckled, more annoyed than anything. 

Nomad finished setting Juneau’s bed up and joined Recon at the bed’s edge,

“Guess we’re stuck sharing a bed.” He chuckled nervously as Recon huffed.

“There’s not even a couch!” He yelled angrily. 

Nomad frowned,

“Look, I’m not gonna be sharing a room with you if you’re just gonna complain all night.” He announced, “But I can check with Savannah to see if she has a different room or something.” And with that, Nomad left the room.

When Nomad returned with an exhausted expression, Recon rolled his eyes,

“I’m guessing we have the right room.”

Nomad nodded,

“And she doesn’t have an extra room, mattress, or couch…” 

Recon pinched the bridge of his nose,

“Fucking perfect, truly .”

Nomad sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his shirt off,

“Well, I’m tired. Goodnight, Katsumi.”

Recon sputtered, which was something that didn’t happen often with him - having a hard time finding his words. He usually had a quick, sharp tongue.

“So you’re just cool with this?” He took Nomad’s silence as a yes, “Okay, fine. But you stay on your side of the bed and the dog has to stay on the floor.”

Nomad turned from his side to look Recon in the eyes,

“First of all, I don’t control where Juneau goes at night. Second,” he smirk at the other man, “You too scared of a little cuddling?” 

Recon couldn’t control the light red blush from creeping up his neck. He just hoped it was too dark for Nomad to notice it.

“Shut up.” Was all he could manage to say as he got in bed and under the covers, dressed in his expensive black robe. 

The two men laid back-to-back in complete silence, even though they were both wide awake. Recon exhaled sharply; all he had to do was get through the night. He can do that.

When Recon first opened his eyes too early the next morning, he least expected Nomad to be practically on top of him, arms wrapped around Recon’s torso and chest. And yet here they were. It was oddly.. Comforting ? 

It seemed like Recon’s stomach was doing summersaults, in a good way. He couldn’t figure out why, though. A quick glance at the clock told Recon it was too early for anyone to be awake. 

He looked at Nomad, whose head was buried into Recon’s neck. He liked how much warmer it was than when he was alone. It didn’t take long for Recon to fall back asleep, much closer to the other man this time.

At about 7 A.M, Recon woke up once again, the beams of light that peeked through the windows blinding him. He sighed and looked over to his side which was much colder than it was earlier. 

Nomad had detached himself from Recon and was sitting cross-legged on the edge of the bed, still facing him. He was acting as if nothing had happened, yet was still nervously looking at his bedmate.

Recon rubbed his eyes as Nomad began to speak,

“Uh, good morning.” He said hesitantly as he rubbed his nape nervously. Recon greeted him with a simple “Mornin’.”

Recon wasn’t sure if he should bring up last night, or just keep his mouth shut. With how awkward Nomad was acting around him and how he was avoiding eye contact at all costs, maybe not bringing it up was for the best.

Nomad got up from his seat on the bed and walked towards the door, putting on a shirt and grabbing Juneau’s leash - with her attached - as he moved,

“Well, I really should be leaving now. Uh, bye, Recon.”

Recon barely had enough time to say bye before the door was closed and Nomad was gone. 

He was left with his thoughts and feelings, which he didn’t like. So, he got up and left the room as well, looking for a distraction.

Chapter Text

The door to Jarrah’s house opened, the jingle of keys bouncing off the walls. Thunder boomed outside making Jarrah flinch. He had just come back from a solo mission and the weather decided to be shitty.

He was soaked and, honestly, quite jumpy. Unfortunately for him, he had to kill a few too many people today than he would’ve liked. Now because of the storm, he just wanted to go to sleep. 

Jarrah discarded his shoes and jacket. With a sigh, he ventured further into his oddly dark house. He could hear water drip drip drip off his roof and splat splat splat against his windows. 

He entered his room, turned on the lights, and changed into dryer clothes. He took off his necklace and earrings and placed them on his bedside table.

With no second thought, Jarrah’s legs started moving towards the kitchen. He was starving . He rubbed his eyes and tiredly turned the lights on. Spontaneously, 10 or so voices screamed out,

“SURPRISE-!”

“JESUS FUCKING FUCK SHIT FUCK FUCK.” He blurted out, protectively waving his arms in front of his face. Everyone looked at him in shock. And when he opened his eyes and looked in his room, his face stared back with the same expression. 

Jarrah looked around the room. Ruin, Battery, Recon, Firebreak, Nomad, Seraph, everybody was there, wearing… party hats?

“What the fuck are you all doing here?” He asked, more confused than anything. Nomad looked around the room, and pointed at the sign hanging in the doorway that said HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY JARRAH!

“It’s… your birthday?” He said, yet it came out more like a question. Jarrah made a silent ‘oh’ with his mouth. He had forgotten it was his birthday, he’d been so busy.

After too many moments of awkward silence, Jarrah spoke up,

“Guys, I appreciate all this, but I’m getting too old for parties-”

“You’ve been on this earth for 40 fucking years ,” Seraph interjected, “You deserve a celebration.” Everyone agreed. All but Jarrah, who looked at his friends in exasperation. 

Though he was tired, he gave in. 

“Fine, fine,” He said, sitting down in his assigned seat, “But you only have 2 hours. I’m tired.”

Chapter Text

Nomad examined the animal in front of him. He knew three things about her; She’s a pit bull, female, and has a broken ankle. He gave her some pets and tried to look for a collar, but she didn’t have one.

“What should I name you?” Nomad thought out loud. He sat on the edge of his bed and the dog rested her head on his legs. She was like an angel- randomly sent Nomad straight to the people he despised. 

He smiled,

“How ‘bout Juneau?” He asked, ruffling her fur, “Yeah, that name suits you.” 

Nomad looked around the beaten-down shed he called home. Well, temporarily. He was constantly moving around, which was one of the reasons he was hesitant to keep Juneau. The only other time he had a dog was when he was a young child, and even then, his parents were the primary caretakers for it.

He grabbed the chicken he cooked over a fire earlier that day,

“You want some chicken?” He asked, placing it in front of Juneau, “It’s not a lot, but you need it more than me.” 

She sniffed the meat, then quickly started scarfing it down. Nomad smiled at the happy dog. He grabbed his blanket from next to him and spread it out on the floor. Juneau intensely snuffed his hand and the make-shift bed,

“Don’t worry, next chance I get, I’ll buy you an actual bed.” He smiled at her and she smiled back. 

Nomad took off his bandana and placed it on the small side table next to his bed. He lay on his bed, petting Juneau ‘til she lay on the blanket. He tried to shield himself from the cold.

“Good night, Juneau.” He said lovingly. Juneau looked up at him with an adoring smile as she tilted her head. Nomad gave her some pats on the head and closed his eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep, thinking about his new companion.

Around 5 to 6 a.m, Nomad’s eyes fluttered open the next morning. But something was different; instead of seeing the wall of his cabin, he saw big, happy eyes playfully watching him. Nomad reached his arm up to pet the furry beast, and as he did, was attacked with licks.

Nomad tittered at Juneau’s happiness. He gave her kisses in return, which he maybe just did to get her off of him. He got out of bed and walked over to his, well, he wouldn’t call it a kitchen per se.

He poured water into a kettle and set it to boil. He got his mug ready with a bag of tea. Juneau walked around him in search of food. Nomad grabbed sardines from the fridge and placed them on the floor in front of her. She gladly ate it and licked the outside of her mouth. 

When she was done, she limped away to her blanket to lay down. Nomad sat down next to her and petted her head,

“We’ll have to get you to the vet later today,” Juneau let out a noise similar to a whimper, focusing all her attention on her leg, “I’ll take care of you in the meantime, don’t worry.”

Chapter Text

Nomad’s feet stomped through the puddles on the road and grass. 

“Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit…”

He tried covering his head, but he held a leash in one hand, holding onto a running dog. Any time he tried to stop and catch his breath, she’d drag him along. You’d think he’d be used to it by now, but it still caught him off guard.

The heavier it rained, the quicker Tavo and Juneau ran. After what felt like hours of running, Tavo busted through the door when they eventually made it to the safe house. He expected all the operators to be there, or none at all.

When he saw the annoyed and yet somewhat relieved look on Firebreak’s face, he noticed he was the only other one here,

“The other’s not back yet?” He asked, bending down to free Juneau from her leash. 

Firebreak shook his head as Nomad watched Juneau happily run to her bed and lay down.

Nomad chuckled,

“She must be exhausted.” He said, grinning. Tavo’s gaze glided to Krystof, who was giving him a concerned and slightly annoyed look.

“What?” Nomad asked, laughing nervously and combing back some of his hair with his fingers. 

Firebreak rolled his eyes and got out of his seat,

“I hate to point out the obvious,” He said, his accent shining through just as strong as usual, “But you’re fucking soaking wet .”

Nomad blinked, and waved a hand dismissively,

“I’ll be fine. It was just some rain. It’ll dry.”

Krystof huffed,

“You’re gonna get sick.” 

“I’ll be fine, Krystof.”

Firebreak walked up to the other man and placed the back of his hand to his forehead. Tavo’s back straightened and he looked at Firebreak confused. 

Firebreak sighed as he pulled his hand away,

“You already have fever. I’ll get you new clothes.” Firebreak was walking away to the other room before Nomad could protest.

He touched his forehead, how the fuck was anyone supposed to know without a thermometer? 

Tavo almost missed the clothes that were thrown at him, being lost in his thoughts. He held up the clothes,

“Uhm, these aren’t mine…”

Krystof nodded,

“You didn’t have any. I’m lending you mine.” He responded. 

Nomad hesitantly shrugged and left the room to change.

Nomad returned not long after he had left. Firebreak was petting Juneau when he looked over to the doorway Tavo appeared from.

“They’re a little big and… long.” Nomad said, nervously chuckling. He didn’t think the clothing would fit because Firebreak was more muscular and a little taller than Nomad.

Krystof smiled,

“Vypadáš roztomile, don’t worry.” 

Nomad knew some Czech, but only the basic words and phrases; He couldn’t make out what exactly he said.

“Uhm, thanks? I don’t-” “Welcome.” Firebreak cut him off, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

When his hand landed on the man’s arms, Firebreak looked at Tavo concerned. He was shaking; it was subtle, but it was there. 

“You’re shaking…”

Nomad bit the inside of his cheek,

“I’m just kinda cold, no big deal-” Firebreak tsked at Tavo’s denial and grabbed his arm, leading him to the couch in the living area.

“Sit,” He demanded and walked away, mumbling under his breath, “Hlupáku. Takže v popření nemoci…” 

Nomad scoffed and reluctantly sat on the couch. It was nice to take a seat after running for so long. Second, after second, his body became colder, and he gained a painful headache. 

Firebreak eventually got back to Nomad, throwing a couple of blankets on top of him. He placed a cup of tea and a bowl of soup onto a dinner tray. He took another trip to the kitchen and back, this time with water and a few tablets of Advil. 

Nomad shoved the blankets to the bottom of the couch, and look up at the man standing above him,

“Firebreak, I really don’t need al-” His sentence was cut short by an involuntary sneeze. Krystof looked at him smugly. Nomad rubbed his nose with the side of his hand,

“... Fine. You win.” 

Tavo took the Advil with water and lay down. Krystof sat on the edge of the couch, covering Tavo with a blanket,

“Don’t worry, miláčku, I’ll take care of you.” He reassured with a smile, but it seemed more like teasing to Nomad.

Tavo rolled his eyes and sunk into the couch, 

“Shut up.” He muttered, making Firebreak chuckle. 

Firebreak combed his fingers through Nomad’s hair,

“No.” He replied. Nomad’s face suddenly felt very, very hot. Was he blushing?

Of course, Krystof took notice of this. He snickered,

“You like when I touch your hair?” He asked, inching his face closer to Tavo’s. Tavo gulped as Krystof combed his hair again.

Their faces were centimeters away. Tavo thought about Firebreak; He was so close, so kissable . Nomad leaned in more til their lips were practically touching. His hand landed on Krystof’s cheek and-

BAM! The door swung open loudly and Spectre stormed in,

“Ugh, I hate the rain. Why’d it have to rain on the only mission I’m alone and on foot? When I’m in a car, noooh, oh .” Spectre finally looked toward the duo, and oh was it a sight to see; Nomad lying back on the couch, Firebreak’s fingers in the other’s hair, both of them just inches away from each other and both looking flustered.

Spectre smirked, at least the other two thought they were, and put their hands up,

“My deepest apologies, boys. Am I interrupting something?” 

Nomad lead Krystof’s hand out of his hair and cleared his throat,

“No-nope, he was just… Erm, I’m sick.” He faked a cough and turned to face the back of the couch, “I should probably get some sleep. Goodnight!”

Firebreak stood up and sighed. Taking a look to his left, he saw Spectre standing with their arms crossed; in a sassy, teasing pose. 

Firebreak rolled his eyes,

“Jdi do prdele.” He said as he walked off. 

Spectre giggled and mumbled,

“Dorks in love. How cute.”

Chapter Text

“Jarrah, will you just tell me where the fuck we-”

“We’re  running .”

Ruin ran through the rainy ally, not far behind his teammate. Why were they running? They were being chased by seven guys with guns  ready to kill them . In Ruin's opinion,  he  should've killed them by now. 

They had been running for quite some time, and Ruin was losing his patience; he just wanted to know where they were going.

“ Why  are we running? Let’s just go back there and finish the job.”

Crash gritted his teeth,

“Donnie, it is 2 against 7 and the only guns we still have are empty.” Ruin thought that was fair enough. It didn’t completely answer his question, but he took it. 

After what could’ve been 5 to 30 minutes, Crash came to a sudden stop. Ruin ran into him, and was quickly shoved through a set of blue saloon doors. Crash grabbed his hand and pulled him further into the bar,

“Crash, hey-”

“Look, you have to just shut up for once. Follow my lead; it’ll get us out of here alive.” 

Ruin hesitantly nodded and allowed Jarrah to push him against a wall. Looking past the man directly in front of him, he got a good look at the place. Gay men and women in every corner, strippers- it was a gay bar. They were currently hiding out in a  gay bar . 

His eyes shifted back to Jarrah. He was a mess; sweaty, red, and nervous as fuck.

“I’m sorry if this is uncomfortable for you,” Jarrah whispered sheepishly. Donnie sighed,

“No, no, it’s... Fine,” He reassured. Was he lying? Maybe a little bit. He honestly wasn’t opposed to this, he was just confused. 

The bar doors loudly swung open, making Jarrah flinch. He looked straight into Donnie’s eyes and gulped,

“Fuck, I apologize in advance.” 

Donnie wanted to question what he meant, but he couldn't seem to get a word out. Subconsciously, he already knew what he was doing. 

Jarrah slid his hands up to Donnie’s cheeks and gently pulled their faces closer until they were centimeters apart. Donnie could feel Jarrah’s breath on him, his heartbeat quickening, the sweat dripping off his face - it was beautiful; fuck,  he  was beautiful. 

His eyes fell down to Jarrah’s lips; they were quivering, slightly parted, and so close to Donnie’s. With an exhale, he fluttered his eyes closed and leaned into Jarrah, connecting their lips. 

Yeah, Donnie has had more magical kisses, but it’s not like this meant anything, right? 

…Right?

He shook that thought out of his head; of course, this didn’t mean anything. This was just to get out of a sticky situation. 

Donnie opened his eyes again and looked across Jarrah’s shoulder into the room. 7 very out-of-place men paced round the bar and, after a little bit, angrily left. Donnie looked back at Jarrah and departed their lips. He stayed close and whispered,

“They’re gone,”

Jarrah let go of Donnie’s face and shifted away from him. He rubbed his eyes and sighed,

“M’gonna get a drink.” He informed, walking to the bartender. Donnie’s eyes followed him as he left. He was in shock that after they just, oh you know,  fucking kissed , he just walked away. 

Donnie followed his partner across the bar. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have a drink or two. 

Walking up to where Jarrah was, Donnie got a snippet of his conversation with the bartender,

“... I just, like, fucking kissed him, mate.” Jarrah ranted, lying his head and arms on the bar in agony. The bartender moved his gaze to Donnie,

“Your name Donnie?” He asked.

He hesitantly confirmed. Jarrah then lifted his head and buried his head in his hands,

“Ruin-  fucking shit - Hey, hi, yeah” 

Donnie took a seat next to Jarrah,

“I’ll just have a Budweiser.” He said. The bartender nodded and slid him the beer,

“It’s on the house. The name’s Hafiz, by the way,” He extended his arm for Donnie to shake it, which he did. 

Hafiz turned back to Jarrah,

“So, Jarrah, how’s work been?” He asked. The Australian took a sip of his, what seemed to be some sort of highball, and shrugged,

“You know, same as usual. Today’s just been a failure. M’glad I can finally relax, y’know?”

Donnie leaned against the bar,

“You two know each other?” He asked, making Hafiz perk up and Jarrah sink into his stool.

“Oh, yeah, me and Jarrah know each other, alright. He comes here  very  often.” Hafiz announced smugly. Donnie gaped at Jarrah, shocked.

“You, you, you go here? Often!?” Jarrah groaned and mumbled something to Hafiz that Donnie couldn’t quite decode, before turning to the American,

“I’m surprised you just came to that conclusion,” He teased, tiredly getting up from his seat, “I’m gonna call in, tell ‘em the mission failed.” 

Donnie watched Jarrah walk to the bathroom, 

“Wow. How’d I never put that together?” he muttered, taking a drink of his beer.

“Mm,” Hafiz put a finger up as if he had just remembered something, “We also used to date,” 

Donnie practically choked on his drink, throwing him into a fit of coughs.

“Wha..?” He asked when he finally composed himself. Hafiz just snickered and walked away to the back. 

He looked back to the bathrooms and shook his head. What else was Jarrah not telling him?

Chapter Text

Nomad stared at the ceiling above him, counting the glow-in-the-dark stars scattered across it. Every time he looked at them, he thought about Firebreak and the stars on his ceiling that Nomad had practically forced him to get. The thought always made him smile.

He lazily checked the clock and read 7:59. One more minute and Krystof would be awake. It took a little, but Nomad had memorized Firebreak’s nighttime and morning routines. Strange? Yes. But he enjoyed waking up at the same time as him so they could hang out alone for a few hours.

At 8:01, Nomad got out of bed, combed his hair, got dressed, yadda-yadda. He left his room with a smile on his face, making his way giddily to Krystof’s. When he got there, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door, cracking it open. Firebreak was still in bed when he walked in.

“Hey~, good morning! How’s it going?” He asked, leaning on the doorframe. He couldn’t help but notice that Firebreak was shirtless. He always was at this time of day, but today, Nomad couldn’t stop staring at his chest.

Krystof groaned and ran his fingers through his hair,

“Not the best. Feel like shit,” He said, sinking into his pillow. Nomad stopped leaning and stepped over to him, placing the back of his hand on Krystof’s forehead.

Firebreak laughed,

“You don’t know how, Hlupák,” He teased. Nomad rolled his eyes,

“Sure, but you’re still burning up. Lemme get you a damp washcloth,” He ran off to the bathroom, leaving the dismissive whines of Firebreak behind him. 

When he got back, Krystof had propped himself up and, much to Nomad’s dismay had put a shirt on. Tavo placed the washcloth on his friend’s forehead. He hovered over him, maybe for a little too long. He finally pushed himself to stand straight,

“Erm, do you neeed anything else?” He asked, diverting his gaze, praying to god Firebreak didn’t notice how red he was getting. Firebreak sighed a closed his eyes,

“I be okay,” He said, eyes shifting ever-so-slightly to look at Nomad.

Nomad smiled and stepped back,

“I guess I’ll leave you to rest, then. I’ll let the other’s know,” He murmured, turning to the door.

“Wait!” Nomad turned around at Krystof’s desperate shout. Firebreak’s eyes widened,

“Sakra, sorry, I-” He cursed, fidgeting with his rings. Nomad noticed they were the rings he gave him for his birthday. Realizing he slept with them on, Nomad felt like his stomach was doing backflips.

“Please, stay,” Krystof pleaded, eyes looking at Nomad so helplessly. Nomad kneeled at the edge of the bed, holding his hand gingerly,

“Yeah, yeah, of course, it’s okay,” He softly smiled at Firebreak, resting his head on the mattress. They stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like hours. Tavo could see the different shades of blue in his eyes, the light shade of pink that tickled his cheeks, and how his lips parted slightly. Nomad found himself looking at his lips for longer than he would’ve liked, they just looked so kissable.

“You know,” Tavo said, breaking the long-lasting silence, “That one time I was sick, I do believe we were interrupted, yes?” He looked back up at Firebreak’s eyes.

Krystof looked away,

“I don’t know. Don’t want to get you sick,” He replied sheepishly.

Nomad smirked,

“Oh, I don’t give a fuck about that,” He insisted, sitting on the edge of the bed and cupping Krystof’s face.

There was nothing more to be said. Firebreak leaned in and kissed him sweetly, caressing Nomad’s jaw delicately. 

Tavo combed through Krystof’s hair, twirling it around his fingers and smoothing it out. The sensation made Firebreak whine through the kiss and Nomad couldn’t help but smirk.

Even when they pulled away, they still held each other close, panting and gulping for air. Nomad pressed another kiss to Krystof’s lips, then one on his nose, his forehead, cheeks, jaw, temples. Every and anywhere on his face was kissed.

Tavo leaned back and smiled at Krystof’s blushing face, the latter looking away embarrassed.

“Aww, you’re adorable,” He cooed teasingly. Firebreak pushed Nomad away,

“Drž už hubu!” He laughed, making Nomad giggle as he fell backward onto the bed. They both stopped when they heard someone clear their throat,

“Hey, meeting at 9:30, so I’d suggest fucking before that time,” Spectre interjected nonchalantly. Nomad flipped them off, sitting back up,

“We’re not fucking, as much as you’d love to fantasize about it,” He joked, making Spectre roll their eyes and leave the room.

Tavo looked at Firebreak and noticed he was faking a pout,

“We’re not?” He asked, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smile. Nomad’s face flushed as he struggled to come up with a reply. Krystof laughed,

“Joking! We don’t have to-” “Now I didn’t say I don’t want to,” Tavo smirked, interrupting Firebreak, “How about we wait til after the meeting, then we’ll come back to this?” He asked.

Krystof smiled, 

“Maybe we should wait when I’m not ill,”

Chapter Text

“Ruin, Ruin, Ruin, Ruin, Ruin,” Prophet poked and chanted at Ruin, trying to get his attention. Ruin finally, after a headache had already started, swatted David’s mouth shut with his hand,

“What the fuck do you want?” He asked, frustration painfully obvious in his voice. Prophet grinned evilly and licked Ruin’s hand, making him disgustfully pull it away. He went to wipe it on his shirt.

“Well, I know how you’re trying to get over your crush-” Ruin cut him off, pausing his palm halfway through running down his shirt, “It’s not ‘ a crush ’, I just… like him,” 

David looked at him with raised brows,

“Uh-huh, sure,” He patted his friend's back, “I have this friend who I really think you’d like.”

Donnie raised his head, an exhausted sigh escaping his lips, “And?” He hesitantly asked.

“You’re going on a date with him.” It wasn’t even a suggestion, it was more of a demand. Ruin opened his mouth to protest, but Prophet continued talking, shushing Donnie instantly,

“The decision’s already been made. If you don’t like him, I know you won’t have a hard time saying no to a second date.” Seeing Ruin’s droopy, upset face, Prophet smiled reassuringly at him,

“Come on, it’ll be good for you to get out of your house and think about something or someone else for once.” 

With a hard swallow and a doubtful nod, Ruin gave in, 

“Fine,” He said, holding his arms up in defeat, “I’ll go on the date.” 

Prophet clapped his hands cheerfully, “Okay, okay, be ready at 1 pm tomorrow, in casual wear. I’ll pick you up.” 

Donnie would’ve liked a bit more clarification, like who the guy was, where they were going, and so forth. David was already out of the room before Ruin could even say goodbye.

Ruin stayed up much longer than he would’ve liked that night. He couldn’t stop his mind from racing, thinking about every thought he could. What was the guy he was meeting like? Was he tall, short; dark or pale; strong, or on the scrawnier side? 

He tossed and turned til the earliest hours of the morning. There was a single thought that stood out. A thought he wished would go away, but never did. It was like someone was whispering it to him every 5 seconds.

Was he anything like him ?

Ruin woke up, an honest mess in his bed. It was already 11 by the time he opened his eyes and focused on the clock directly ahead of him. He rushed out of bed, got in the shower, and had just enough time to thoughtfully pick out an outfit. 

He went with a black tank top, an unbuttoned-red flannel, ripped-bleached jeans, and topped it off with earrings, a necklace, and a watch. Looking in the mirror, Ruin couldn’t help but mumble to himself,

“I look like a butch lesbian…” 

He decided “Fuck it.” and wore a pair of high-top Doc Martens to really sell the look. 

“ This is gonna be a great first impression. ” He thought to himself sarcastically. Ruin was undeniably doubtful about the date. Of course, he had to dress like this . For all he knows, the guy could be some preppy bitch that can’t bare the thought of men wearing jewelry.  

A honk was heard from the driveway and Donnie knew it was time for him to stop nitpicking at his looks and get going. He left the house hastily, greeting David at the car. 

Prophet looked him up and down,

“Wearing that to a first date?” He teased as Ruin got in the passenger seat, “Confident, are we?” Ruin sighed,

“No, nope, haha, we are definitely not confident.” He smooshed his face against his hand, “I wear dumb shit like this when I’m nervous.”

David threw a worried glance at his friend,

“Come on, you don’t look stupid. The outfit really suits you,” He smiled, maybe towards Ruin, or perhaps he was just smiling, “And besides, he’ll find it appealing, too.”

Neither of them had a response after that. In fact, the rest of the car ride was silent. All being heard was the car and the occasional clearing of someone’s throat. Prophet eventually turned on the radio, just to fill the silence. 

The drive there was short. David stopped at Sylvia’s Country Kitchen, a restaurant Ruin had heard of but had never been to.

“He might be a little late just so you know,” Prophet stated, checking his phone quickly, “Guess you should get in there and grab a table.” He said, giving Ruin a soft smile. Donnie cleared his throat and got out of the car.

“I’ll see you later, man.” He said, walking towards the restaurant entrance. Looking back to the car, Prophet threw a thumbs up at him in support before driving away. 

Ruin got a table for two and took his seat. He nervously fidgeted with his necklace and sleeves. Donnie hated dates; he always got embarrassingly anxious whenever he went on one. 

Minutes passed of Ruin being on his phone, drawing on napkins, and inevitably ordering his food. He was lost in thought for a while, mindlessly eating his nachos, when footsteps stopped at his table. Ruin couldn’t find it in him to look up thinking it was just a server.

“Sorry, I’m late. Got a little lost on way here.” The man said. His accent was thick, cutting through the silence Donnie was sitting in like scissors cutting frozen honey. Ruin knew that voice; he’d recognize it from miles away.

His head snapped up, staring into the man’s crystal blue eyes. Firebreak. The man that unknowingly stole Donnie’s heart, or maybe since he was here, he did know. 

Krystof sat down across from Donnie and waved over a waiter to order his food. All the while Ruin stared blankly at him, digging in his mind for any answer as to why the fuck Firebreak was here.

Prophet . That fucking skeeze, Ruin thought, he definitely set this up. Of course, he fucking did. Firebreak cleared his throat, getting the American’s attention.

“I believe you didn’t expect me,” He stated with a chuckle, placing his interlocked hands on the table. He started picking at his nails when Donnie didn’t answer. Honestly, Donnie didn’t know how to answer. 

“Why are you here?” He muttered, keeping his eyes glued to the table. He felt like the embodiment of awkwardness right now. 

Firebreak looked at him, analyzing every inch of his face; the way his eyes fixated on his plate, his lips lightly quivering, and his eyebrows curving downwards, making him almost look angry.

A sigh left his lips,

“Donnie, why do think I’m here?” He asked. Ruin didn’t look up, nor did he answer, leaving Krystof to answer himself.

“I’m here for the date; with you .” Firebreak thought he’d never admit it. He never thought he’d fall in love in the first place. Growing up, he was never around loving couples, so he always thought love was a myth. If only he knew the way this man would make him feel.

Ruin shook his head,

“No, no you’re not. Prophet set this up, okay, I know you’re just-” “You would’ve said no!” He didn’t mean to yell it, but then again, he always had trouble controlling his anger. 

People at neighboring tables stared at them until Firebreak calmed down and slumped back into his seat.

“Firebreak sorry,” He mumbled, hiding his face in his hands, “Was scared to ask cause you’d say no.” Donnie pressed his lips into a straight line. Is that what he thought of him? He guessed he was good at hiding his feelings, but not that good. 

“Shit, no, I’m sorry,” He groaned, running his fingers through his hair and looking at the table, “I guess I’ve been giving off the wrong signals, but on purpose? I mean, I like you, a lot but I was, uhm, scared, I guess, that you’d reject me or something. I don’t really know,” 

“Donnie,”

Ruin looked up at Krystof and realized he had been rambling. Firebreak grabbed his hands,

“I like you, too,” He blurted. Donnie stared in shock. He probably should’ve realized it by now, but he thought it all was just a dumb joke. 

“You… You do?” He asked. It sounded stupid, he knew it did, but he was just in such disbelief. Firebreak tittered,

“I wouldn’t have said so if didn’t,” He smiled. Donnie felt his heart skip a beat when he smiled. His smile. Fuck, it made him go crazy. 

“Uhm, yeah, okay, cool. Cool, cool, cool,” Ruin replied, sinking into the seat and fidgeting with his jewelry. He heard Krystof laugh light-heartedly and it made him blush. God, he was making such a fool of himself.

He looked back up and smiled. Turns out this wasn’t a bad idea after all.

Chapter Text

Spectre always took a liking to Prophet; He was sweet, respectful, caring, everything you’d want in a friend. For a long while, Spectre and Prophet were generally close. Close enough to make Spectre hate it.

They never fell in love easily, always thinking it was dumb and a waste of time. Prophet used to be the opposite but got his heart broken one too many times, and stopped dating for a long time.

“I think I’m in love,” Spectre snapped out of their thoughts, looking at the source of the noise.

“You think?” They asked, staring at the now-cold tea Prophet had mistakingly made them. It was odd, the feeling in their chest, almost a mix of hope and dread. They didn’t know what it meant.

“Kieran. It… It’s Kieran,” Prophet confessed. 

Spectre should’ve been happy for him, they really should’ve been. But it was so hard to. There was a feeling of helplessness in the pit of their stomach. But they had to be happy. It’s taken Prophet years to love again.

“Th-that’s great, man,” Spectre replied. Yet another reason they were glad no one could see their face. He couldn’t see their pained expression.

They spaced out while Prophet went on and on about him. Spectre hated it. They hated themself. Because they swore on their life to never fall in love with a teammate. Yet here they were. That was that feeling, the feeling of despair. Prophet was in love, but not with them.

The feeling was like drowning, being suffocated by desperation and distress. It was hard to breathe and they had an odd urge to vomit. And they hated it. They hated every second of it, every moment they felt anguish or unhappiness because they had no right to feel that way. Prophet was happy. What he wanted was none of Spectre’s business. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.

That night, they couldn’t get that voice out of their head. Kieran. Kieran. Kieran. Kieran . Fuck. No. They had to get it out of their head and stop the echoing of his words. They slammed their head against the wall, angrily trying to stop the thoughts. Which only ended in Ruin pounding on the wall and telling them to “shut the fuck up”.

Spectre flopped onto the bed and grabbed their pillow. This was stupid. It was all so fucking stupid. They felt like a dumbass- getting all upset over something so small and so, so stupid . They already knew they weren’t going to get any sleep tonight, so they decided to get some work done.

They just wanted to forget about Prophet, though they knew that wouldn’t happen because they worked together. So, for the time being, they just needed a distraction. Something to get away from it all. And right now, that was work.

Chapter Text

It was a dark, peaceful night. The only light on was a lamp in Tavo’s small apartment that he shared with his fiance. Said fiance, Krystof, was currently sleeping, cuddled up on Tavo as the latter read a book. It was calm.

It  was . Gradually, Krystof started stirring in his sleep, to which Tavo tried comforting him, wrapping his arm around him to pull him closer. He started mumbling something about his dad and sister, but most of what he said was in Czech, and Tavo had a hard time deciphering it.

As Tavo gently shushed him and kissed his forehead, Krystof’s movements got more violent and he started whining and yelling. Tavo put his book down to focus all his attention on Krystof. He held him to his chest to avoid either of them getting hurt.

“Krystof, hey, hey,” Tavo tried waking him, tenderly stroking his hair. It didn’t exactly work, but it calmed him down a bit. 

Krystof kept attempting to escape Tavo’s arms as he yelled and cried. Tavo was scared, he knew his fiance had nightmares but he had never witnessed one. He wasn’t as much afraid for himself, but more so for Krystof. He looked so in pain, so terrified, and Tavo couldn’t stand seeing him like that.

“Stop, stop! Prosím…” He begged through sobs. He wasn’t talking to Tavo, that much he knew. Tavo tried his best, holding and shushing him quietly. 

Krystof’s eyes shot open, scaring both of them. He tried shoving Tavo away, not fully comprehending who it was,

“Baby, baby, shhh, it’s just me,” Tavo comforted, kissing the top of his head. Krystof didn’t fight anymore, he embraced Tavo freely and softly cried into his arms. They held each other tightly, Tavo whispering sweet nothings in Krystof’s ear and Krystof listening to every word like they were the most essential things in the world.

It took a few minutes, but Krystof relaxed and took a deep, long breath. 

“Hey, everything alright? I’m here, it’ll be okay,” Tavo worriedly said, cupping Krystof’s cheeks so he’d look at him. Krystof sighed and leaned into the touch of his lover,

“I’ll… be okay, just a nightmare,” He reassured, kissing the palm of Tavo’s hand. Tavo looked at him sympathetically,

“If you need to talk about it, I’m right here,” He offered. Krystof smiled,

“I know you are, můj drahý,” Krystof didn’t exactly want to get into it, but he knew Tavo wouldn’t leave him alone if he kept quiet. 

“Just sestra and otec. Not good,” He confessed quietly. Tavo frowned and placed a kiss on his nose.

“It’s okay now. I’ll keep you safe,” Tavo assured, pulling Krystof down so they were both lying on their sides. Krystof buried his head in the crook of his fiance’s neck,

“I know, I know,” He muttered, words muffled. Tavo turned the lamp above him off,

“Let’s get some rest, er, some  actual  rest,” He recommended, “I promise to cuddle you closer this time,” He smiled. 

Krystof smiled back, nuzzling Tavo’s cheek and kissing his jawline,

“I love you, Krásná,”

“I love you, too, Querido,”

Chapter Text

Kisses sprinkled around his face woke Krystof up. It was bright out, but the blinds shielded him from the sun. Tavo rested above him, sitting on his stomach and pressing their foreheads together. Krystof got on his elbows and gave his lover a quick kiss on the lips.

Tavo chuckled,

“I thought you’d never wake up,” He joked lightheartedly. Krystof cleared his throat groggily,

“What time is it?” He asked. Tavo couldn’t help but blush at the huskier voice he had. 

“About 10:00, maybe 10:30,” He smiled, looking at the window. Krystof panicked; it was so late in the morning. Didn’t they have stuff to do today?

Sensing the worry in his boyfriend, Tavo snuggled his face into the crook of Krystof’s neck,

“Don’t worry about it,” He reassured, “We got the day off,” 

Krystof hummed, relieved but also curious as to why. He wasn’t going to ask, but it’d be nice if Tavo told him. Tavo looked over, kissing Krystof’s jawline,

“Do you know why we have the day off?” He asked teasingly. Krystof thought about it but actually had no idea. He shrugged. 

Tavo smiled,

“It’s your birthday, baby,” He declared happily. Krystof made an ‘oh’ with his mouth; he had forgotten that. He felt pretty stupid now. 

Tavo got up from the bed and stretched,

“And I’ve been planning this day for months, so it’s packed,” He seemed more excited about it than the birthday boy was. Krystof wasn’t exactly used to celebrating his birthday as his dad never really cared. He had a couple of parties before his mom left, but that was about it. 

Tavo looked at Krystof as the latter stared into space. He sighed worriedly,

“Everything alright?” He asked, kneeling next to the bed and holding Krystof’s hand. Krystof smiled at him,

“Yes,” He confirmed, squeezing Tavo’s hand. 

Tavo kissed the back of Krystof’s hand before getting back up,

“Alright! Our first stop is brunch!” He announced, pulling Krystof off the bed, struggling to do so as he was built like a brick but managing to get him on the floor after a minute or two. 

“Okay, okay, there’s this really nice place across the block, and I’ve heard it has the best French toast around,” Tavo explained excitedly as he walked hand in hand with Krystof down the sidewalk. 

Krystof wasn’t much of a talker, but he took in all the information carefully because he absolutely loved hearing Tavo’s voice. It was so smooth and gentle, it made him crazy. 

They were suddenly in front of a large building when they stopped. Maybe Krystof had gotten a little lost in thought. They walked in, got a table, and ordered their food; everything you do at a restaurant. 

Every time Krystof looked over at Tavo, his eyes were so focused on him- staring dreamily. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He asked finally, amused. Tavo shook his head,

“Sorry, you’re just really pretty. I mean, you always are, but you look especially good today,” He confessed, giggling at how flustered Krystof got. He reached his hand over and twirled a strand of Krystof’s hair around his finger. 

Krystof bit the inside of his cheek and blushed. The waiter walked up and gave them their food- two plates of French toast, one with a side of scrambled eggs, the other with fruit skewers.

They happily ate their food and chatted about anything and everything. Every bite was eaten with a smile and every smile was followed by a laugh. When they were done, Tavo paid, even though Krystof offered. 

“Babe, please, everything we do, I’m gonna pay for,” Tavo explained, placing a kiss on Krystof’s cheek. Krystof sighed,

“Feels bad,” He whispered, looking down at his shoes. Tavo frowned and cupped his boyfriend’s cheek,

“Don’t feel bad, it’s your special day, cariño,” He reassurred lovingly. Krystof sighed but smiled softly, nodding in agreement. Tavo smiled back and grabbed his hands,

“Okay, now to our second stop,” He declared, dragging Krystof down the sidewalk like a little kid at DisneyLand. 

They walked for about 30 minutes before Tavo stopped to catch his breath. He sat down and huffed,

“Sorry,” He sighed through breaths, “Maybe we should’ve taken the car,” 

Krystof blinked at him, concerned at his lack of stamina. Instead of waiting for him to compose himself, he wrapped his arms around his waist and legs and picked him up. Tavo yelped in surprise and clung onto him as if his life depended on it. 

Krystof laughed wholeheartedly and continued walking. Tavo cleared his throat,

“Y-you don’t have to do this. I’m completely capable of walking!” He argued, but to no avail. Krystof kissed the top of his head,

“But Krystof like holding you,” He cooed. Tavo blushed and burried his face into Krystof’s shirt, much to the other’s amusment. 

Krystof walked with Tavo’s directions until they got to their destination; indoor rockclimbing. Tavo hopped out of Krystof’s arms,

“Ta-da!” He exclaimed, “I know you’ve wanted to learn for a while, soooo today you’re gonna learn from me!”

Krystof tilted his head,

“From you?” He asked. Tavo’s eyes lit up,

“Yes!! I already knew the basics, but I also took a bunch of classes so I could teach you!” He clarified. Krystof stood awestruck. No one has ever gone to such great lengths for him before. It gave him butterflies. 

“Come on, come on,” Tavo laughed, pulling him into the building. They got checked in and got their equipment on.

Krystof anxiously looked at the rock climbing wall that towered over him. Tavo squeezed his hand comfortingly,

“Hey, we’ve got this,” He encouraged. Krystof inhaled and exhaled deeply.

Tavo taught him all he needed to know, and Krystof was a surprisingly fast learner. He quickly caught on how to properly climb the wall, even getting to the ceiling on his 3rd try and successfully getting back to the floor. 

After Krystof got the hang of it, they climbed next to each other and would jokingly try to make the other fall. It was a good time, and Krystof was happy. That’s all that mattered to Tavo.

When they got done, Tavo called a taxi instead of walking home- because he turned out to be an extremely slow walker and didn’t want Krystof to make fun of him for it anymore. 

Krystof walked through the front door and yawned, kicking his shoes off. Tavo followed after him and hugged him from behind.

“Now that we’re home, I wanted to give you a massage and a nice bath,” Tavo confessed happily. Krystof turned around to hug him properly.

“You don’t have to-“ He went to fuss, but Tavo shushed him with a kiss,

“Shhh, I want to take care of you,” Tavo said. Krystof smiled hesitantly. It felt like Tavo was doing so much for him; too much, even. He felt guilty that he hadn’t done this much for Tavo’s birthday.

“I’m going to start the tub,” Tavo stated, leaving the room. Krystof took the time to grab a fresh towel and washcloth and bring them to the bathroom. When he arrived, the bathtub was already full and Tavo was patiently waiting for his lover.

Krystof took his clothes off, trying to ignore the way Tavo stared at him. He got in the water and took a long, relaxed breath.

He looked over at Tavo, whose eyes were glued to him.

“What?” Krystof asked, chuckling. Tavo jumped and moved his eyes to look at Krystof’s face.

“Sorry. You’re just,” He took a moment to look him up and down, “Fuck, you’re hot,” He admitted, biting his lip.

Krystof waved him off, but mentally he was giggling and twirling his hair. Just the way he was looking at him made him giddy. 

He felt hands on his shoulders and he tensed. Tavo soothed him and started massaging his back and shoulders. Tavo admired Krystof’s body; all of his muscles, beauty marks, scars. He loved all of it.

Tavo gently washed and massaged Krystof,

“So good for me,” He praised quietly. Krystof didn’t respond.

“Love?” He asked, leaning over to look at Krystof’s face. He was peacefully sleeping. Tavo couldn’t help but smile at the sight; he was too cute.

Tavo managed to get Krystof out of the tub, dried off, and put into a pair of boxers, all while he was asleep. Lucky for him, he was a heavy sleeper. 

Tavo lightly placed him in bed and threw the covers over him. He kissed him on the forehead,

“Sleep well, sweetheart,”

He went to walk away but Krystof grabbed his wrist,

“Zůstaň se mnou,” He muttered. Good thing Tavo had been taking those Czech lessons.

Tavo cuddled up next to Krystof and watched lovingly as the latter started dozing off again.

“Te amo,” He whispered.

Krystof sleepily kissed Tavo’s neck,

“Také tě miluji,”

Chapter Text

Jarrah giggled as he was shoved against the wall,

“You don’t have to be so rough,” He said through laughs and kisses. Donnie kissed his neck with a smirk,

“Oh, you like it,” He dismissed, cupping Jarrah’s cheeks and kissing him hard. Jarrah kissed him back with the same amount of vigor. 

The relationship between the two men was nice but definitely unexpected. Jarrah couldn’t recall when it had started. They didn’t necessarily care how it happened, they were just happy together. Jarrah would guess they’ve been officially ‘together’ for at least 2 years, yet they’ve never been very intimate.

Jarrah’s brain short-circuited when he felt Donnie’s hands lift up the hem of his shirt, making their way underneath. His body tensed, 

“No, wait, stop,” He pleaded, shoving Donnie’s hands away. 

Donnie looked up anxiously, 

“What’s wrong?” He asked. His voice was gentle when he asked, hands grabbing Jarrah’s comfortingly. They were shaking. 

Jarrah was on the verge of hyperventilating. Donnie squeezed his hands,

“Okay, follow my breathing; Inhale for 4, hold for 2, and exhale for 4,” He started following the instructions he gave himself, listening for Jarrah to join. It took a few breaths, but he soon got the hang of it and matched his breathing with Donnie’s.

Jarrah started calming down, following the directions well. He opened his eyes; when did he close them? Donnie was staring up at him with so much worry. Shit, the last thing Jarrah wanted to do was make Donnie worried. 

Donnie kissed Jarrah’s knuckles,

“You alright, baby?” He asked. He wanted to apologize but didn’t know if Jarrah was fully there yet. He wanted Jarrah to know he was sorry as he obviously made him upset. 

Jarrah took a few more breaths,

“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay. I’ll be fine,” He hesitated. Donnie gulped.

“I-, Jarrah, I’m sorry. I should’ve asked first,” He frowned up at him. Jarrah’s eyes widened. 

“No! I was overreacting,” He started, collecting his thoughts quickly before Donnie could argue with him, “Listen, there’s a reason I freaked out, and I should’ve told you before,” He continued, slowly taking off his shirt. 

Right under his pectorals were scars,

“I’m trans,” Jarrah said. He wanted to take it back as soon as he said it. All he could hear was his heart beating in his ears as the room filled with silence. 

“Okay..?” Donnie dragged out the word, either for dramatic effect or because he really wanted to get his point across, Jarrah couldn’t tell, 

“Sweetheart, I don’t love you any less. We’ve been together for god knows how long and you being trans isn’t gonna abruptly end our relationship. I still really fucking love you,” His words felt so genuine, so welcoming, that Jarrah couldn’t help but start tearing up.

 Donnie held him close,

“Hey, hey, don’t cry,” He hushed. Jarrah softly sobbed into Donnie’s shoulder as the latter held him tightly, keeping him safe and warm and comforted.

He wiped his tears away,

“No one’s… No one’s taken it that kindly before,” He laughed, but his heart wasn’t in it. He was just trying to fill the room with something other than his crying. 

“Did you get them out of your life?” Donnie asked. Jarrah sniffled,

‘Y-yeah,” 

Donnie hummed, satisfied,

“Good,”

They stayed in that position for what could’ve been 30 seconds or 2 hours, neither of them cared about how much time had passed, though. They loved being in each other’s presence, holding each other tightly with no plans of ever letting go. 

Jarrah suddenly giggled into Donnie’s shoulder, though the laughs were muffled into his skin. Donnie smiled,

“What are you laughing about?” He asked, laughing a little himself. 

“I feel like I ruined the moment, I guess. Not sure why I’m laughing about it, though,” Jarrah explained.

“Of course you didn’t! You were gonna have to tell me sooner or later,” Donnie dismissed. His lips turned into a devilish smile.

“So can you peg me?” He asked. Jarrah’s face flushed at the question.

“Wha-what??” Jarrah asked back, flustered. 

“Can you peg me?” Donnie asked again confidently. Jarrah squinted his eyes,

“I have a dick, if that’s what you’re asking. So, I guess I could peg you,” Came the awkward response. 

Donnie smirked,

“Sweet,”

“ Oh my god ,” Jarrah shoved Donnie’s face away in embarrassment. They both laughed about it, which in ways Jarrah could never wrap his head around, led to them making out again.

Donnie was very touchy when it came to his lovers. He would gently caress Jarrah’s chin, all the way down to his hips, where he’d stop for a few and hold them to keep Jarrah steady. 

Jarrah couldn’t get enough of him. Every kiss and bite, every whisper and loving praise, every touch to his skin, it all felt like heaven. 

Donnie broke away from the kiss,

“So, are you gonna peg me or..?”

“ Donnie- ”

Chapter Text

There were plenty of things Nomad loved about his boyfriend, from his beautiful blue eyes to his adorable smile. But one thing about him was most admired by Nomad, and that was his hair. The way it softly fell on his shoulders when down, or was tightly contained in a ponytail. It was silky and smooth and overall the most beautiful thing Nomad had ever seen.

His fascination with hair was something he never really thought of before he started dating Firebreak. When they first got together, Tavo always found himself playing with Krystof’s hair while they were cuddling or getting intimate. 

Krystof didn’t mind. Honestly, he liked his hair getting touched and played with, especially by someone who cares so much about it. But it started to become a problem when their team questioned it. 

Which is where they were now; Nomad was braiding Firebreak’s hair for the 5th time that week, and Ruin finally asked them,

“Why are you always messing with his hair?”

Neither had a solid response. They hadn’t told anybody that they were dating, and they weren’t planning to, either. Ruin stood with his arms crossed, awaiting an answer. Finally, Krystof spoke up,

“I don’t know how to braid. Firebreak like it, though,” 

For once Firebreak was glad he didn’t know English very well - maybe even if his response didn’t make much sense, Ruin wouldn’t look into it too hard. Donnie sighed, saying something like ‘whatever’ before leaving. 

Tavo let out a sigh of relief, 

“Maybe I should lay off the hair touching, sorry,” He stated, slowly continuing the braiding. Krystof raised his arm behind him to pat Nomad on the cheek,

“No, no, Krystof likes it. No need to stop,” He dismissed, leaning his head back to smile at his boyfriend. Nomad smiled back, quickly kissing his forehead before going back to finish the braid. 

A few more seconds went by before Nomad pulled back, happily announcing,

“Voila!” 

Krystof got out of his seat to stretch, glad he could look Tavo in the face for longer than a second. He looked around the room and then leaned in to capture Nomad’s lips in a kiss. The latter kissed back without hesitation, giving into the biting temptation that had been eating away at him for hours. Finally, no one was around, so he was allowed to kiss his boyfriend in peace.

Tavo webbed his fingers into the braid, making Krystof gasp, giving him the opportunity to slide his tongue into his mouth. The sensation sent shivers down Firebreak’s spine as he continued making out with Nomad, listening to the quiet whines and moans coming from him. 

If there was anything Krystof loved more than his hair being played with, it was making his lover enjoy themselves; the breathy noises Nomad was making were enough for Krystof to know he was doing a good job.

Nomad pulled away, hand moving down to Krystof’s neck as he tried to catch his breath. Firebreak watched with a smirk at how worked up Tavo was getting, noticing the blush on his face and the bulge in his pants growing. Nomad went in for another kiss but was stopped,

“Ah-ah-ah, not so fast,” Firebreak teased. Tavo tilted his head as Krystof continued,

“We could get caught here, and don’t we have to be somewhere?” He asked though he knew the answer. Tavo groaned,

“Firebreak, come on-” “Well, that’s not my name, is it?” Krystof cut him off, smirking at him. Tavo knew what he was doing, but still, he couldn’t help but not say his name.

“Krystof,” He whined softly. Firebreak lightly bit his bottom lip,

“Say it one more time,” He demanded. Tavo didn’t have to, he could say no, but something in him wanted to obey,

“Krystof~,” He said again, a bit louder than the last time. He felt his face flush at how easily he gave in to the demand. Krystof cupped Tavo’s cheeks,

“This is punishment for almost getting caught,” He explained, kissing the corner of Nomad’s mouth. Nomad frowned,

“Oh, fuck you,” He said, but there was no malicious intent behind the words. Firebreak grinned,

“You can,” He got closer to Tavo’s ear, “Later,” He whispered before letting go of his lover and walking away with a wink. 

Nomad watched him walk away, the tension in his jeans growing unbearable. He hated how turned on he got by dominant acts like that. But, fuck, if he wasn’t going to submit to Krystof the second he’s able to. Right now, however, he had to get himself composed so he doesn’t look like an idiot at the meeting.

He just hopes no one suspects anything.