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The Valorant Protocol was full to the brim on days like today. When winters came by and snow began to fall in thick blankets of pure white, missions would be canceled in favor of staying in doors protected from the harsh cold. Many of the agents end up finding comfort amongst each other and staying inside. Phoenix, Jett, Neon, and Raze were all bundled up in the common area, each with their own cup of hot chocolate, as they watched some cheesy rom-coms. Sova and Killjoy found themselves not far from the others, talking about their tech and recent missions they’d been on. Others, such as Cypher and Omen, preferred to spend their free time alone, each confined to their own rooms.
Cypher spent his time staring at endless lines of text; the light of his computer glowed right onto his tanned skin and into his eyes. There was another light on in the background, as he knew better than to strain his eyes, especially when he wasn't wearing his mask. He read article after article for some paperwork Brimstone had asked him to work on, switching back and forth between the articles and a document, typing every once in a while to add notes or fill in information he deemed necessary. The loud whipping of the wind against his window caused him to jump a bit, diverting his attention to the window to gaze at the falling snow. Everything outside looked pure white; nothing but snow could be seen for a long time. A weird feeling churned inside Cypher’s stomach, knots of fear and anxiety that he refused to let himself acknowledge. With a lingering eye, he eventually convinces himself to turn back to his work and ignore the loud winds and aching feelings.
Omen, on the other hand, spent his time lounging in his bed, wrapped up in a warm blanket as he carefully knitted. It wasn't a past time he shared with others, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. His current piece was a long scarf in a deep shade of blue, a similar color to that of his cape. He wouldn’t admit out loud why he was making the scarf; he wouldn’t dare mention the fact that he overheard Cypher mention to the others that he got cold often during the winter. He sure as hell wouldn’t dare admit he was knitting said scarf for Cypher, because the little fact meant nothing to him. He was knitting for fun, and that is what he told himself as he glanced out the window to look at the snow. His gloved hands worked without him having to think too much about it, leaving Omen ample time to think and watch his surroundings.
The first signs of the increasingly heavy storm began to make itself apparent when the power in the facility flickered. The group in the common area all groaned loudly as their show was interrupted for a brief moment before it resumed. Cypher sat back in his chair as the bright screen on his face flickered. He felt his heart jump into his throat, the anxiety from before now making itself far more apparent. He wasn’t scared, no way. He spent every waking moment around others in a mask; no way a little storm or some flickering lights scared him. Right? As if the storm could hear his inner thoughts, a particular harsh gust of wind howled and whipped against the window, slightly shaking the glass from its force. There was a brief pause, and then yet another gust of wind picked up. Somehow even harsher than the last, or so it felt like that to Cypher. The lights once again flickered, but this time they did not come back. He sucked in a breath and quickly sat up, turning to look at the now-off lamp. The room he was in was filled with complete darkness, with no light inside or out. There was some commotion outside in the common area, but to Cypher, their voices seemed to melt together. He couldn’t distinguish one from another as a wave of panic washed over him. He felt around, frantically trying to find the closest thing to grab onto; in his panic, he only backed himself into a wall and slid down it. The waves of panic washing over him grew with each passing moment; he absolutely despised the dark.
Cypher covered his face with his long sleeves in an attempt to shield himself from crying. The all-powerful man, who knew so many secrets about the kingdom, the protocol, and his own friends, was reduced to a shaking, crying mess. He hiccuped in between sobs, trying to quiet himself down, not wanting to risk someone coming in when he didn’t have his mask on. Omen just so happened to be in the room next door, though even as the power was out and his room was too filled with darkness, he continued to knit away; he didn’t particularly need to see it. At first, he wanted to ignore the noises he heard through the wall; it wasn’t his business. He didn’t care about Cypher; he shouldn’t care about Cypher; he shouldn’t be worried. As the sobs grew louder and shakier, his heart ached, and he couldn't bring himself to just sit there and listen. Without a second thought, he was teleporting into Cypher's room, avoiding using the door entirely. He crouched down in front of the other man, whose knees were pressed into his chest, in an attempt to find any sort of comfort in himself.
“Cypher…” Omens' voice was barely above a whisper; he didn’t want to scare the other more than he already was. The other man looked up, teary-eyed, at the shadowy man before throwing his arms around his shoulders and hiding his face in his chest. Cypher felt so embarrassed that someone was seeing him like this, but the fear he felt was much more prominent in his head; he just wanted nothing more than a hug. Anything that made it feel less like the darkness was closing in on him and going to swallow him whole. Omen immediately returned the hug, wrapped his arms tightly around the shaking man, and rubbed small circles into his back. “It’ll be okay. Nothing will hurt you.”
Cypher gripped onto Omen's cape as if it were the last thing in the world; if he were to let go right now, the darkness would consume him. The other man kept him grounded, his hand never leaving his back. “I’m right here. I’ll stay right here until it’s fixed. I will keep you safe.” He mumbled softly into his hair, which seemed to help ease the others' worries. He meant every word he spoke and every promise he made. He pressed the lightest kisses to Cypher's temple every few sentences, giving his words more meaning and wanting to make sure the other knew very well. Soon, his sobbing was reduced to sniffles and tiny hiccups. He knew the fear wouldn't go away until the lights were on again, but this was a nice distraction. “You’re doing amazing, Cypher. It’s all going to be alright. You’re so brave, so strong.” Omen moved his free hand to cup Cypher's cheek, wiping away some stray tears before rubbing his cheek softly with his hand.
The small action eventually soothes Cypher enough to look at Omen, who, to his surprise, had removed his own mask at some point from when he entered. “I… I didn’t want you to feel more worried that I had seen you, so I thought I’d return the favor." They were both silent for a long time. “I can put it back on. I- I’m sorry if I’ve scared you-” He is cut off by a gentle shush. “You do not scare me, Omen. You are…” Cypher trails off; his hands had finally let go of his cape, only to now be resting on the other's cheeks. His hands felt cold on Omen's skin; he wasn’t used to such intimate contact with others, but as long as it was with Cypher, he didn’t mind nearly as much as he probably should have.
“Can I kiss you?” It is asked so quietly that Omen almost misses it over the sound of the wind. His heart races at the thought, “Me?” He looks into Cypher's eyes for confirmation, trying to find any sort of malice or lie, but finds none. Cypher only nods in return and leans closer to him. Their faces were only a few centimeters apart, and they could feel each other's breaths. Omen decided it was now or never; maybe he’d never get another chance like this. He closed the gap between them, gently pressing their lips together. Cypher was quick to follow the kiss, smiling softly against the others lips. Omen had heard the others say before that kissing someone was like fireworks, and maybe there was really a method to their madness because he felt like he was on cloud nine. After a few moments of holding the kiss, Cypher is the first to pull back, blushing immensely and hiding his face on Omen's shoulder. “I didn’t think you’d actually kiss me.” He giggles almost like a little kid. "There's no way I’d let that chance go.” He responds, pressing another small kiss on his temple.
“Do you want to spend the night in my room or here in your room?” Omen asks after a bit. Cypher thinks for a moment, “Your room.” He gives a small nod, grips the other a little tighter, and teleports them both back to his room. He plops onto the bed and allows Cypher to get comfy by his side. “Thank you for helping me,” Cypher eventually whispers to Omen, having turned to face him and leaning into his chest. “I don’t mind one bit. And don’t worry, I wouldn’t dare tell anyone.” He lightly reassures him as he wraps his arms around the other man securely.
Cypher only nods, already starting to drift into slumber since he was pretty tired. He cuddles as close as he can to the other, humming softly once he is finally comfortable. “Amir, by the way.” He mumbles as he falls asleep, a tiny little smile drawn across his lips. Omen is left shocked and oddly warmed at the fact he is trusted enough to know the others real name. “Amir…” He lets the name roll off his tongue and past his lips before deciding he would follow the other into sleep.
The winter had never felt warmer.