Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Another disappearance in the London Tube…" yelled the radio.

Y/N turned the volume down, not wanting her son to hear. It was one of the rare times he was staying at her place and she wanted to make the most of it. She also didn’t want to think about her job and all the disappearances they had to work on. The police seemed to be incapable of protecting the people from those weird events and the government had gathered scientists from all over the country and even abroad to try and fix the situation they were in. Y/N never ever saw anything like this before. It almost was… paranormal. What if it actually was? Nah, Y/N didn’t believe in ghosts. But still, it was like no one had any power on the… stuff happening. Her phone lit from where it was resting, on the kitchen counter, letting her know she received a notification. She sighed, kissed Marcel on the head and stood up, walking towards her phone.
"We need to gather. Asap"

Obviously… The only rest day she had this week… She looked at Marcel who played with his little cars so innocently. She wished she could be a child again. She typed in a phone number.
"Hi, mum. Are you free right now?"

"Is it because of the new disappearance on the subway?" her mum asked anxiously.

"Yeah… I have to go and I was having Marcel over…"

"I’m coming right away. Such a pity you can’t enjoy little Marcel however you want, honey."

"I know, mum…"

"I’ll be there in fifteen minutes."

"Thank you so much."

She hung up and sat back down on the floor next to Marcel. She looked at him play and slipped her fingers through his brown hair. The ringbell soon rang and she came to open the door.
"Don’t waste any more time. I’m sorry, there was some traffic."

"Don’t worry. Thank you, you’re saving me."

Y/N kissed her son on the head and left her flat. Her brain was racing. She drove without really paying attention, in her thoughts and knowing every curve and traffic light on the road to the police station. She parked and entered the lift. She saw her reflection in the mirror and sighed. The doors opened and she walked towards the room they always gathered in when disappearances and weird events happened. They all nicknamed it « the catastroom », contraction of catastrophe and room. She could see through the big window walls that they were already all in and listening to Mr Thomson. Fuck… she didn’t make it on time. She opened the door slowly and looked for a seat. Till kept her one next to him, as usual. She couldn’t help a smile and sat next to him. They smiled at each other. Till was a young scientist from Germany with dark hair falling onto his forehead, glasses that framed his clear blue eyes and a strong body. Y/N and him always got along very well. They were part of the younger of the team, Till being two years older than her. She felt safe with him. He became more than a colleague, he was a friend. She loved hearing his thick German accent and his soft, deep and velvety voice when he was speaking. When he needed to focus, he was wearing his glasses, so it means that Y/N almost always saw him with his glasses on.
"Another whole subway disappeared." he whispered to her, bringing her back to reality.

"With people in it?"

"Mmh mmh." he nodded.

She sighed and listened to Mr Thomson, taking notes.
"Our collaboration with the police seems to be unclear for some of you. And for the inhabitants of this city. But I can assure you that we need everyone to take part in the process of getting this thing done. Is that clear for everyone? They protect the people, we study what’s the cause of all of this."

"But why scientists?" Y/N whispered to Till.

He shrugged and said:
"Some say it’s because it’s a monster. Some say it’s because it’s a ghost."

"Come on, I don’t believe in ghosts."

"Neither do I. But… I have to admit that it’s weird."

"What could it be?"

"I have no idea."

Mr Thomson let them leave and Till and Y/N stood up. Till removed his glasses and Y/N noticed his fingers were slightly shaking.
"You okay, Till?"

"Mm? Yeah, don’t worry. I just need some sleep."

"When was your last rest day? Proper rest day, I mean."

"Two weeks and a half ago. How is Marcel doing?"

"He’s doing okay. I had to call my mum to look after him urgently."

"Was it your rest day?"

"Yeah but just like everyone else, I have to work on my rest days…"

"Erm… are you free tonight?"

"I wanna spend time with Marcel…"

"Oh yeah, of course. It’s fine." he said with a forced smile.

"Why?"

"It’s my birthday today and I’m inviting some friends at a bar."

"Oh Till, I’m so sorry I forgot. Happy birthday!" she said, taking him in her arms.

He took the opportunity to take a whiff of her hair.
"Then I’ll come. But I won’t stay long."

"No problem, thank you, Y/N. Gonna text you the address."

They smiled at each other and parted ways. For the whole day, everyone worked, trying to understand what seemed to be incomprehensible. When it was already dark outside, there was a knock on Y/N’s door.
"Yeah?" she sighed, tired.

"Still working?" Till asked with a smile, passing his head.

"Pff, I don’t understand anything." she said, taking her head in her hands.

He came into the office, walked closer to her and rested his large hand onto her shoulder.
"Hey, you should stop working for now. You weren’t even supposed to work today. You need to relax. We’re about to head off to the pub. Are you coming?"

"Yeah, I just have one thing left to check."

"Okay but don’t work too much."

They smiled at each other and he left. Y/N looked at the clock. Already 9pm. She left Marcel at around 10am… she took her phone and looked at her wallpaper. Marcel laughing out loud at the view of squirrels in Saint James Park. She found herself smiling. She put her phone down and started working again. Until she realised she didn’t even have a gift for Till. Panic started invading her. Where could she find a present for him? What could she even get him? She closed her laptop and tidied her stuff before leaving. She went to a random shop but nothing seemed to fit. She bought a birthday card and wrote a quick note in it.
"I’m a bad friend. First I forgot your birthday and then I don’t have any present for you… I still wish you a happy birthday! Y/N"

It was pathetic and she felt second hand embarrassment when she read her little text. But that’s all she had… During this time, at the pub, Till was anxiously looking at the door, his hands mindlessly fidgeting with his beer bottle.
"Hey, stop stressing, big boy. She’ll come." Paul, another scientist, said with a chuckle, putting an arm around Till’s neck.

"Shut the fuck up, Paul." Till said in a bad mood, removing his arm.

"You know, it’s not a bad thing to have feelings."

"And who said the contrary?"

"Oh god you’re so bitter! Can't wait for her to arrive!" he exclaimed, rolling his eyes and leaving Till alone.

Till checked his phone, hoping for a text from Y/N. Could be anything, even a cancellation… but all he found on his phone was the clock. 10pm. He heard the door shut loudly and lifted his head quickly. She was there and he couldn’t help a smile forming. He stood up and came close.
"Hi, sorry I didn’t see the time fly…"

"Don’t apologise." he said, helping her remove her coat.

Paul was obviously not missing anything from a corner of the room, with a grin on his lips. He had known Till for a really long time now. They met at uni and they quickly got closer. From throwing parties in their tiny Berlin flat with flowing alcohol to comforting each other’s broken heart. Yet, Paul never saw his best friend that in love. When they first arrived in London after they had received their convocation, Y/N was the first person to explain the situation to them. Till was like hypnotised by her and Paul had teased him about it ever since. But he also knew how shy and introverted his best friend could be. And even more so when he was around Y/N.
"You’re all alone in your corner. Why aren’t you with the others?" Y/N said to Till with a smile.

"I just needed to breathe a bit." he lied with a smile. "What do you drink?"

"What’s your beer?" she said, taking his bottle to look at the tag on it. "Mm, interesting. I’ll have the same thing. Be right back."

She left and went to the counter. Till sighed, relieved. He still had her coat on his arm but seemed to have forgotten.
"All the coats are there." Paul whispered in his ear.

Till startled a bit and looked at his arm.
"Feeling better now, big boy?"

"You better shut the fuck up, tiny boy." Till laughed.

"I thought you knew me…" Paul chuckled, leaving.

Till burst into laughter and went to put Y/N’s coat with the others.
"Got you one too." Till heard her voice from behind.

He turned around and took the bottle she was giving him.
"Wanna get me drunk?" he said with a smile.

"Getting drunk with two beers? I thought you were German." she mocked him.

"I am." he laughed. "Maybe I had several other drinks before you arrived."

"I can smell only beer in your breath."

"I see you know what you’re talking about." he chuckled, trying to control the heat rising to his cheeks.

"Are you saying I’m an alcoholic?"

"No no! Of course not! I…"

"Relax, Till. I was just joking." she laughed.

He laughed with her, feeling ridiculous for being all giddy and blushing.
"Oh I almost forgot…" she said, walking to her coat and taking the card out of her pocket. "It’s nothing but I couldn’t find anything else unfortunately."

He took it and read it.
"Your presence here is more than enough. Thank you, Y/N. And no, you’re not a bad friend. You would probably prefer being with your son right now than having to deal with a German guy who gets drunk with two beers."

She burst out laughing at his joke and it sounded beautifully to his ears.
"Drink your beer, German guy." she said, clinking her bottle to his. "Happy birthday."

They took a gulp and she said:
"I’m monopolising you. Please go see your other guests."

"Will you leave if I go with them?"

"Erm… I guess I won’t stay long anyway."

"It’s fine. Go to Marcel." he said with a smile. "Thanks for coming. It means a lot."

"No problem. We’re friends, after all!"

He looked at her drinking her beer in one go, his heart aching at her words.
"Yeah, we are…"

"See you tomorrow! And happy birthday again!"

She took her coat and left. Till stared at the door, hoping she would come back. But the door remained closed.
"Already left?" Paul exclaimed.

"How come you always appear from nowhere?"

"That’s my short privilege. I sneak in everywhere, which means…" he said, leaving his sentence pending.

"Which means you can always be at the right place at the right moment, yeah I know."

"She looked pretty, mm?"

"Oh god… she’s the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen, Paul."

"Did you just confess your feelings for her?" Paul exclaimed, surprised.

"Shhhh! Dont be so loud!"

"After nearly one year, you finally confessed!"

"Oh shut up." Till laughed. "That’s what you wanted anyway."

"Run after her! Tell her!"

"No. Never ever I will tell her."

"But why?"

"Because I’m just a friend to her. She just told me."

"Till, big boy, I adore you but you’re so fucking dumb."

"Remind me of the last time you had a relationship?"

"That’s such a low blow!" Paul laughed, slapping Till’s biceps.

Till laughed and sighed happily:
"I’m glad she could come."

"I’m glad too because otherwise… you would have been a hell of a joykiller!"

They laughed together and clinked their empty bottles together before walking towards the counter to order some more.

Chapter Text

Y/N kept looking again and again at the board on the wall with all the pics, notes, newspaper articles and key words. And yet she didn’t understand anything at all. What could be the cause of all those disappearances? Why did the Tube sometimes seem to be swallowed up? Why were some parts of the Tube closed? She was tired of looking at papers and screens and decided to go to the field. But she wouldn’t tell anyone. Because they would all try to discourage her by telling her it was dangerous. As if she didn’t know it… She got her coat and scarf on and sneaked out of her office. At every step, she was looking on her right and left to make sure no one would see her leaving. She heard Till’s voice behind a door and couldn’t help but smile. When she was finally outside, she took a deep breath and walked towards the nearest Underground station. She walked down the stairs, went through the gate and wandered around in the corridors. But in fact she was looking carefully at broken tiles, water stains and any hatch. In short, everything that her eyes caught that could be a tiny little key to that case. She went on every platform in the station, getting weird looks from the crowd. At every train leaving the station, she was hoping that it would find its destination and not disappear. After two hours of not finding anything, she took a train, not even looking where it was heading to and stopped at the next station. There, she did the same thing. Same to a third station. And a fourth. She was getting tired, it was cold and her mouth was dry. She sat on a chair and closed her eyes. Maybe she should have told someone… What if something happened to her? How would they know where she was and where to find her body? Her mind went to Marcel… and Till. She dropped her head and looked at her phone. He sent her a few texts a few hours ago, asking why she left without a word, what was happening, if she was sick and at home, to call him because he was getting worried.
"Dw everythings ok" she texted quickly.

But the message didn’t deliver. She sighed out of frustration and dropped the back of her head against the wall, closing her eyes. It seemed like the noise from the train was increasing and the smell getting stronger. She didn’t notice before but felt a breath of air, almost unnoticeable, on her neck. She turned her head and saw a slight crack on the seal between two tiles. She touched it and felt air on her fingertips. She used her nails to try splitting them apart. It was slightly moving but she couldn’t continue, there were way too many people in that station. She decided she should come back at night. She stood up and walked towards the exit. When she emerged on the surface, she decided to go home, texting Till:
"im feeling a bit sick im home sorry i made u worry"

As soon as her text was sent, she received an answer from Till:
"Do you need anything?"

"im fine dw I have medicines"

"Okay take care and if you need anything please text me anytime even during the night"

"thats so nice of u till thx"

She felt bad for lying to him but she also didn’t want him to worry more than he already did. When she arrived at her flat, she prepared herself a sandwich and went to her bedroom to take a nap. A few hours later, her clock woke her up with a start. It was 10pm and it was time for her to go back to the Tube station. She prepared herself and put things she thought she might need if things turned out badly in her backpack before leaving her flat. She walked towards the Tube station, it was a bit far from her flat but she didn’t want to take the metro to there. She finally arrived and got down the stairs before going through the gate and onto the platform. She looked around. The station was deserted. She noticed a security camera and thought of breaking it before realising that if any disappearances happened in this specific station, she would blame herself. She got a little electronic device out of her backpack and started touching buttons and stuff until the camera moved to record somewhere else on the platform. She sighed in relief and started looking for the crack in the tiles. Once she found it, she followed it with her fingers and tried to split it open for long dozens of minutes. Her fingers were bloody but she didn’t care, she had to find a new direction to follow. After forty minutes of trying to open the wall, she heard a loud crack, making her heart beat way faster. She looked around. She was still alone and the camera was still turned to the side. The split was now way bigger and she could easily see the shape of an entrance. She got her hand in the split and moved the door until she could slip herself in. She took a flashlight out of her backpack and started walking in a long dark corridor. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she was sure that if anybody was there, he could hear it. She walked and walked, starting to think she was getting lost. She decided to walk just a bit longer before retracing her steps when she got herself in front of another door. She had to decide if she should push it open or not. Dang it. She opened it and found herself in a weird room lit by red lights. There was graffiti all over the walls and the smell was so bad she started coughing. She got her mouth into the inside of her elbow and kept walking, looking at the graffiti. Why would there be a room hidden in the walls of the London Tube? She took some pics with her phone and quickly walked away. She felt like suffocating, as if air was getting rare and her pounding heart didn’t help. She went too far to now turn back. And she didn’t want to go back to the red room at any cost. She soon found herself in an abandoned station. It was heavily smelling of ocean and there were dried seaweeds and shells all over the place.
"What the hell happened here…" she asked herself.

It was as if the station got submerged by water at some point. Some chairs were snatched and the tracks were rusty. There’s no way a train could ride here. She took some more pics with her phone, wondering how she would get out. The exit that used to exist must have been closed now. What if she followed the tracks? Would she find more abandoned stations? More red rooms? What happened in this station? How come it was submerged by water? What snatched the chairs? It didn’t look like the water did that but rather someone… or something. She then realised something. She looked at the name of the station she was in and then took a look at the map of the Tube she always had on her phone. She searched and searched but couldn’t find it anywhere on the map. As if it disappeared from the map. She also never heard of this station. How weird it all was… She made sure that she had enough pics before thinking of how she could find an exit. She thought she might follow the exit signs that were still there even though she was sure she couldn’t exit this way. And she was right, the exit was closed with bricks. She took her map on her phone again and tried to think where she could be. Or between which stations she could be. The only solution she found was to follow the tracks. And she did. For what seemed like a very long time. Maybe she walked for fifteen minutes only but she felt like she'd been walking for a whole hour. She found herself in a lit station and her heart started pounding again, of joy this time. The station was working and it meant she could find the exit. There were only a few people on one of the platforms but at least she was saved. She saw the name of the station and knew that she was on the other side of the city. Yet there was no way she walked throughout the whole city. It was physically impossible. She would have had to walk for hours and hours.
"Police!"

She jumped at the scream. Shit… She didn’t see them coming. She held her hands in the air and said:
"I’m a scientist for the disappearances that happen on the Tube, we are on a collaboration."

"Who ordered you to get on the tracks in the middle of the night? Don’t you know it’s dangerous? Trains ride there!"

"Yes I know but… I had to find something and I did!"

They helped her get onto the platform and that’s when Y/N realised she was drained of energy.
"Show us your pass so that we can be sure you’re indeed one of the scientists."

"Can I sit, please?" she said, utterly exhausted.

They dragged her towards a chair, the people on the other platform looking at them.
"Your pass or we have to put handcuffs on you."

"In my backpack. The little pocket."

One of the policemen opened the said pocket and found her pass.
"Y/FN Y/N?"

"Yeah that’s me. I work for Mr Thomson. Do you believe me now?"

"Yeah… So, what did you find?"

"I think I would rather tell Mr Thomson first."

"Miss Y/FN, we protect the people of this city, not your little scientist club nor Mr Thomson."

"Yet without us, you wouldn’t find anything about that case."

"You sure you wanna play that game?" he said, playing with the handcuffs.

"Okay." she sighed. "But not here."

"We’ll bring you to the police station where we can have a little conversation."

They walked and when they arrived at the surface, Y/N took a deep breath of chill air, smiling. She got on the backseat of the police car and texted Till:
"Awake?"

Her phone vibrated immediately in her pocket:
"Are you okay?"

She smiled at how cute he was for worrying about her.
"Ye i am dw but i might be with the police rn"

"What? What happened?"

"Gonna explain u later"

"Are you safe? Do you feel better?"

"Ye dw"

"Where are you?"

"In a police car"

"What have you done?"

"Thats the part i have to explain to u"

"Y/N I’m worried"

"Dont fr im okay"

"How do you want me to not be worried?"

"im sorry i had to lie to u"

"What do you mean Y/N? Tell me where you are I’m coming"

"Theres no need dw gonna explain u tmrw"

"Y/N pls."

"Okay… i think they lead me to our police station"

"Okay im coming stay safe"

She bit her lip, feeling bad for lying to Till and making him worry. They arrived at the police station but didn’t walk the stairs like she used to do to find their quarters. They stayed in the police part of the building and walked into an interrogation room.
"Really? An interrogation room?" she said.

"Sit down and tell us everything."

She did and started telling them in every detail her journey in the Tube, showing them the pics and sharing them onto their computers. Every time she saw a notification coming onto her screen, she swiped it away even though she knew it was from Till. She just couldn’t answer him right now even though that’s all she wanted. Being in his company… But instead she had to spend long minutes with those two policemen. When she finished her story and they finished asking questions and taking notes, she asked:
"Can I leave? Please, I just wanna sleep."

"Yeah, of course."

They led her towards the exit but she said:
"Can i get upstairs just a minute. I’d like to get the pics onto my laptop."

They agreed and let her get up. She got into her office and shared the pics to her laptop, answering Till’s texts during this time. When the pics were secured on her laptop, she got downstairs and then out. Till was there, his hair a mess from sleeping, pacing around in circle. When he saw her, he immediately went to her, taking her face in his large hands.
"Are you okay?"

"Till, yes I am okay. Don’t worry." she said with a soft voice and smile, placing her hands onto his wrists.

"I was so worried. What happened?"

"I’m gonna explain to you. But first, let’s get somewhere warmer. Why didn’t you come in? It’s freezing cold here."

"I usually don't step into the police quarters. I enter via the other entrance normally." he said, removing his hands.

"And you would rather freeze." she said with a smile.

He giggled. He looked so handsome in the poorly lit building entrance with his dark messy hair falling onto his forehead and his blue sleepy eyes on her. Y/N couldn’t help a smile. Seeing him and hearing him giggle warmed her heart. And after a tough night like she just had, that’s all she wanted and needed.
"My car is just there." he said, placing a gentle hand onto her lower back.

They got into the car, Till behind the wheel. He put the warming on.
"Is it better that way?" he asked.

"Yes, thanks. I’m so sorry you had to wake up for me."

"I wasn’t sleeping anyway. I felt something was wrong."

"Really?" she said, turning to face him.

"Yeah. And I was right. Paul kept repeating I was agitated since you left this morning."

"H… how come?"

"I have no idea. I was so worried, Y/N, please don’t do that ever again."

"I lied to you because I didn’t want you to worry."

"It made me worry even more. I prefer hearing the truth than having catastrophe scenarios playing on loop in my head."

"Catastrophe scenarios? Such as?"

"You finding the cause of all those disappearances and dying."

"Come on, I won’t die."

"Don’t take it so heart lightly."

"Okay, sorry. I’ll tell you next time."

"There will be no next time, Y/N."

"Till, that’s my job!"

"Then take me with you! Or anyone. But please don’t go alone! Where were you even?"

"In the Tube tunnels." she said, looking at her hands.

Being scolded by Till felt good, she had to admit it. Because it showed how much she was important to him.
"What? In the Tube tunnels? And what were you doing there?"

She started telling him, showing him the pics. He listened carefully to everything she said without interrupting her and zooming in on the pics to try to catch details.
"And that’s where the police found me."

"You realise you could have fallen in traps? You could have died?"

"You’re so dramatic." she giggled, trying to lighten the mood.

But Till wasn’t laughing at all.
"Till, listen, I’m sorry. But if I have to go back there to find more weird red rooms and more abandoned post-submersions stations, I will. It’s literally my job to find the cause of all that shit."

"It’s all of us’ job. And we are a team, Y/N. You can’t go exploring alone the Tube tunnels in the middle of the night."

His blue eyes were firm and she knew she crossed a line. He truly got worried and scared and was making sure she wouldn’t do anything stupid again.
"Understood?" he said.

"Yes, understood…"

"Good. Are you sleepy? Or do you wanna keep talking about that somewhere else? Paul wouldn’t hear us talking from his room."

"I don’t wanna bother you more than I already did. I’m gonna take the subway back home."

"No, you don’t go to the subway again. Especially at that time of the night. And I have a car, I don’t mind bringing you back."

"That’s very nice of you. How can I thank you, Till?"

"You don’t need to thank me, silly." he said, an uncontrollable smile forming on his lips.

He knew exactly how she could thank him but he would never let her know. He turned on the engine and started driving with one hand, the other being on the gear. Y/N couldn’t help but observe his thick fingers and the veins on the top of his hand.
"You will have to give me directions from this point on." his voice said, getting her back from her daydream.

She cleared her throat, trying to get back to her senses. She gave him directions and they soon arrived at the foot of her building.
"Do you… want to have a drink or something?" she proposed.

"No, thanks. I will let you rest now." he said with a smile.

"Sure? I don’t mind."

"Yeah. Maybe we can… have a drink together some time?"

"Only if you let me pay to thank you for the bother of tonight."

"Pff, it didn’t bother me. And I’m reassured you’re doing perfectly well."

She smiled, feeling her cheeks blush a bit, thanking the darkness of the car.
"So… see you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow. Sleep well." he said with a warm smile.

She hesitated to kiss his cheek but just left the car with a wave. She walked towards the building door and opened it with her pass before turning to wave to Till. He waved back with a smile and waited for her to get in the lift before driving away.

Chapter Text

One week later, everyone has been busy all day everyday, getting only a few hours of sleep. Y/N and Till didn’t get the chance to really talk again about that one night. Mr Thomson warned the whole team about Y/N’s discovery. Little groups of people were created and new abandoned stations were found. In exactly the same way, as if it had been submerged by the ocean. They were trying to place them on a map to try to find a logic. But it didn’t seem to have any. It was the turn of Y/N and Till’s group to go find some new abandoned stations. Till was clearly nervous and kept looking towards Y/N.
"Hey, you okay?" she asked him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Mm yeah. I just don’t really know what to expect."

"Just walking in the tunnels, following the tracks basically. That’s all. You won’t die, Till." she joked to try to ease his anxiety.

"Death doesn’t scare me."

"Then what is it?"

"Anyone else’s death." he said, looking straight into her eyes, because he couldn’t say it was her death in particular.

"It’s part of the job unfortunately. But don’t worry, nobody will die tonight."

They arrived at the station they were aiming for and went onto the platforms, splitting the group into duos. Till instinctively followed Y/N, wanting to keep her in his field of vision.
"What are we looking for?" he asked, looking at the numerous white tiles.

"Anything abnormal. This, for example." she said pointing a crack in the tiles with her finger.

"Doesn’t it look like the one you found the first time?" he said with a frown.

"Mmh mmh." she said, nodding.

She got a walkie-talkie out of her backpack and said:
"Crack found, I repeat crack found. Platform towards South."

She started scratching the crack with her fingernails until she could slightly slide them apart.
"What are you doing?" Till exclaimed, removing her hands. "Your fingers are already all bloody!"

"Till, please let me work." she said, starting to split the tiles away again.

Till sighed and looked at the others from their group coming onto their platform. As the first time, she ended up discovering a door which she opened and, without even looking at the others, entered it. She starting walking and Till said:
"Where are you going, Y/N?"

"Wherever this tunnel leads me."

He looked at the others and followed her. All the others followed Till and they walked for several minutes in complete silence. The only sound was their feet in the puddles. Till thought it was weird that there were puddles INSIDE the Underground walls. He jogged to get right behind her.
"Scared, Lindemann?" Y/N giggled.

His cheeks blushed a bit at the name.
"No but you’re all alone in the front."

"You’re such a gentleman." she mocked him gently, turning to look at him.

He thought of what Paul would say right now if he was there and Till couldn’t help a smile.
"Always." he giggled, gathering his courage to catch her hand and plant a kiss on it.

She giggled to hide her beet red cheeks. Since they were approximately twenty meters ahead of the group, they started talking, joking and laughing together. They walked like this for like twenty minutes before Y/N suddenly fell, letting a little scream out. Till didn’t have time to catch himself and fell on her.
"Oh god, I’m sorry. Are you okay?" he asked immediately, standing up and helping her onto her feet.

"Ouch… Yeah, I’m okay." she said, massaging her injured palms.

He took her hands in his to look at them as the rest of the group arrived running after seeing them fall.
"Till, I’m okay!" she said with a smile, melting.

"Just making sure. What happened?"

"I don’t know… I tripped onto that." she said, getting the light of her lamp to slide over what looked like a pipe.

"What’s that?"

"No idea. Probably a pipe for… electricity? Air? Water? Nothing would surprise me anymore in that situation."

"Look. It’s written that it's linked to the river Thames." a scientist said.

"The river Thames?" Y/N repeated, knowing very well the station they came from is nowhere near it.

"Look."

She turned around and looked. She was speechless. Nothing had sense. She took a pic of the pipe and one closer, of the script on it.
"Were there other pipes? Did anyone see other pipes or anything?" Y/N said.

No one answered.
"Or anything linked to the river Thames?"

"I saw a sign earlier. I took a pic." another scientist said.

He came closer and showed his phone to Y/N.
"What the hell?" she whispered to herself. "It doesn’t make any sense."

On the pic, there were various indications about the river, valves, a very detailed map of the river and other stuff.
"I thought it might be in case the Underground get submerged."

"But this station isn’t even remotely close to the river Thames!" Y/N exclaimed, not understanding anything.

"Can we talk about that later, please? I’m a bit claustrophobic and I’m not feeling so good right now." another scientist said.

They all started walking again, everyone trying to piece everything together but it didn’t make any sense. It was dead silent again and it got suddenly troubled by a huge roar. It definitely wasn’t an animal. Till grabbed Y/N’s hand without even thinking and she gently squeezed his fingers.
"What the fuck was that?" one of the scientists yelled.

Everyone shushed him very hard and Y/N’s started walking very quickly, therefore forcing Till to follow her. Feeling his warm hand in hers felt good and reassuring. Another huge roar followed and she let go of Till’s hand before running towards the source of the noise.
"Y/N!" Till yelled, running behind her. "Wait!"

She arrived in an abandoned station just when something disappeared in the tunnels. It looked like a huge tail that she could hear tap everywhere against the walls of the tunnels. She ran behind it and saw something she could never have imagined. The monster she had under her eyes was as if drawn from a kid’s nightmare. Giant, dark, dripping with water. Where the hell could it come from? Was it living in the river Thames all this time? And why coming into the Underground? Was he feeding himself with the Tube users? Was it the reason of all the disappearances? She realised she was holding her breath, watching the monster go away when Till ran into her, grabbed her and turned her around to hug her. He noticed her round shocked eyes.
"Are you okay? Did you see something?" he asked, worried.

She nodded and he frowned.
"What was it?"

She couldn’t let a word out.
"Let’s find an exit and get you warm. We’ve been through a lot today."

He got his arm around her shoulders and brought him back to the little group. She was as pale as a ghost and silent and everyone started asking her questions. But she didn’t hear any words, just hubbub. Till’s arm was like a shield and all she wanted to do was to snuggle into him. She felt cold suddenly and started shaking. Till yelled, pissed off:
"Guys! Stop asking her all those questions! Don’t you see she’s shocked? Let’s find an exit."

Y/N let Till support her, her feet walking without her brain working. Her mind was a huge fog and the only thing she could think of was the monster. Next time she blinked, she was in her office with a blanket wrapped all over her body and an empty cup of hot chocolate next to her.
"You’re awake." Till said with a soft smile when he entered the office.

"What happened?"

"What do you remember?" he asked gently, sitting on a chair next to hers.

"We were in the Underground tunnels and we were holding hands."

Till dropped his gaze to his hands to hide his smile.
"Then I started running and… that’s all."

"You really don’t remember anything from that point on?"

She shook her head.
"I wanna know, Till."

He took a deep breath.
"You saw the monster, Y/N. You’re the only one who saw it. We walked out of the abandoned station in the tunnels and found ourselves in a… working station, let’s say. So we got out and the police drove us back to here. You fell asleep on my shoulder in the car and…"

He fell silent, blushing slightly.
"And?"

He didn’t want to tell her that she kept murmuring his name and that he loved hearing that.
"And I carried you to your office where you slept for a few hours. Then you woke up with a start and started drawing."

He stood up and took a sheet of paper out of a sleeve. He gave her her drawing and she saw on the paper the monster she saw earlier in the tunnels.
"Mr Thomson alerted the police and the government. You were already back asleep. And now we are talking."

She massaged her temple with her fingers.
"Are you okay? You didn’t want to eat anything. You accepted only a cup of hot chocolate."

"My head hurts but that’s all."

She couldn’t take her eyes away from the drawing so Till put it back in the sleeve.
"Do we know what this monster is?" she asked.

"Everyone is currently doing research."

"Everyone must think I’m insane."

"No you’re not. You’re perfectly fine."

"You have been by my side all this time?"

"Yes. I tried to make you warm and eat."

"Thank you, Till." she said, looking in his blue eyes.

He only smiled at her.
"I’m gonna leave you alone now. You probably want to think about all that."

"I really owe you dinner." she said with a smile.

"Get well soon and that’s how you can thank me best." he said, smiling, before leaving.

She couldn’t help but smile. He stayed with her the whole time… It was already 4pm. They started their mission at 10am. She could only imagine the chaos the news must have caused. She opened her laptop and started doing research. She lost track of time, working on the case. It was now pitch dark outside and the only light in her office was from her laptop screen and a desk lamp. Her eyes were getting blurry from the tiredness. A bag got put on her desk right beside her keyboard. She looked at it. A famous sushi brand was written on the bag. Her eyes then slipped onto the man that put the bag on the desk.
"You need to take a break, Y/N. And you haven’t eaten anything for the whole day. I ordered some sushi for you, do you like that?"

"Mm…" she said, trying to process Till’s words before realising. "Yeah. Sorry, yes I do like sushi."

He gave her a smile and opened the bag, placing the different dishes onto the desk.
"All that? Are you trying to feed a whole regiment?" she joked.

"I didn’t know what you would prefer." he said with a giggle, placing the empty bag on the floor. "So… enjoy."

He started walking towards the door when she said:
"Wait, Till?"

He stopped and turned around.
"Would you want to share this meal with me? Have you already eaten?" she asked.

"No, I haven’t eaten."

"Then please sit down." she cut him off with a warm smile.

He smiled and took a chair that he placed at the edge of her desk. She gave him the chopsticks.
"I think there is only one pair of chopsticks though." she said.

"Take them, I don’t know how to use chopsticks anyway."

"Really? Show me." she mocked him.

He opened a box of sushi and tried taking one with the chopsticks. He giggled and she bursted out laughing.
"I’m gonna show you." she said, taking the chopsticks from him before showing him how to properly hold them. "You place one finger here, one here and the other here. Then you just have to pinch them."

She demonstrated by taking a sushi that she placed in her mouth.
"I definitely can’t do that with my fingers." he giggled.

"Come on. Of course you can. Your fingers are perfectly fine."

She stood up and got beside him, placing the chopsticks and his fingers correctly around them. He let her do, filling his nose with her perfume as much as he could and looking at her soft fingers moving on his.
"Now try." she said, taking the box of sushi. "Go slow. Pinch. That’s it, very good."

"I’m doing it!" he exclaims happily before opening his mouth.

Y/N saw his cute little misaligned teeth before the sushi fell onto his lap. They both burst out laughing and Till quickly got it up with his fingers.
"Way easier like this." he giggled, chewing the sushi. "Have the chopsticks."

"I think it’s better that way indeed." she said, still giggling, taking them from him.

She poured a bit of soy sauce onto one of the lids and they eat the sushi together, talking and laughing together. They both loved this moment very much. For a moment, they forgot about the disappearances. For a moment, they forgot about the monster living in the London Underground. For a moment, they were only her and him.
"I’m full!" she exclaimed, putting her hands on her belly.

He giggled.
"Thanks for the sushi, Till. And for today. And… for this moment."

"Pleasure is mine." he said with a smile.

"I mean it. You know, we only live for that shit happening in the tube. And… it feels good to sometimes think of something else. And even when I try to think of something else, it’s always there in a corner of my head. Even when I’m with Marcel. I can’t fully enjoy my time with him. But tonight, with you… it felt different. If felt good."

"I’m glad you feel this way too." he said.

Silent set for a few minutes before she broke it:
"Isn’t it hard to live away from where you come from? Did you go back to Germany since you arrived here in London?"

"No. And I don’t really want to, not gonna lie."

"Oh. Okay. Sorry, I don’t know why I asked you this. You’re not obliged to answer obviously."

"There’s no harm done. I don’t wanna go back to Germany because there is nothing left for me there."

"No family, no friends?"

"My dad died a while ago, my mother, well… she calls me from time to time. She tells me to enjoy what life gives me. That’s what I’m doing. I’m here in London, sharing sushi with you."

"What a great gift from life." she said, giggling.

"I think it is." he said, serious, with a smile. "My sister has her own life with her husband and kids. And in terms of friends, Paul is my only real friend. And he’s here in London too. So no, I don’t really miss Germany for now."

"Even speaking German? It must be tiring to always speak your second language."

"I live with Paul as my co-tenant so we speak German in our flat. And even when we’re together, could be here at work or on the street, we speak German. And I do like speaking English even though I have a pretty strong accent I think."

"I like your thick German accent." she said.

"Really?" he giggled.

"Yeah, it’s cute as fuck." she said with a smile.

She saw his cheeks slightly redden as he avoided her gaze.
"All I can say in German is Hallo and Scheisse. That’s all. I’m sorry but it’s not with me you’re gonna be able to speak your mother tongue." she giggled.

"You have to start somewhere." he giggled. "Scheisse is actually a very good way to start learning German."

She laughed and he was glad he could make her laugh because he loved to hear this sound.
"I’ll remember that." she giggled before blushing at her question. "No… girlfriend waiting for you there?"

"Oh no. I’m… too busy with work."

She noded slowly.
"I told you about me, now it’s your turn." he said to change the topic.

"What do you want me to say? I’m boring as hell."

"I’m sure you’re not."

"I’m just a mum of a five year old." she said with a smile, thinking of Marcel.

"You’re « just » a scientist working on the biggest case of disappearances ever, also." he said, mimicking the quoting signs with his fingers.

"Yeah but that’s all."

"You’re « just » the one who discovered the monster."

"It could have been anyone else. I just was at the right place at the right time."

"Y/N, why are you always degrading yourself?"

"It’s just the way I am." she said, shrugging.

"You’re an amazing woman."

She giggled.
"You’re the first man to tell me that, you know?" she said after a minute of silence.

"Really?" he exclaimed, genuinely surprised.

"Yeah or rather you seem to be… sincere."

"I am."

Silence set so he asked out of nowhere:
"What happened with Marcel’s dad?"

"We just decided we weren’t happy together anymore. I wasn’t there at all because of my job and he had to deal with chores and Marcel and everything alone. So we broke up. And he has custody of Marcel obviously. It’s better that way. How could Marcel even live that way with me? He needs a mum, not a scientist. And 99% of my time, I’m a scientist." she said, looking at her fingers fidgeting with the chopsticks.

"The best of them all."

"He doesn’t care about that. He needs maternal love and that’s all."

"I’m sure he knows how much you love him."

"Yeah but it doesn’t change the fact that he sees me only once a week. And that, most of the time, I still have to work on that day."

He bent and took her hand in his, his thumb gently caressing her knuckles.
"Sorry, I think I ruined the mood."

"It’s fine. Thank you for sharing this with me."

She smiled and looked at his fingers on her hand. They both didn’t want this moment to end. And if everyone could tell they had feelings for each other, they both would never tell the other.

Chapter Text

It has now been weeks that Y/N saw the monster and that everyone has been doing research based on her drawing and descriptions. They didn’t discover much but they couldn’t really wait any longer before trying to kill it. They could suppose that the monster was living in the waters of the North Sea, going up the river Thames pretty often until a certain point in the suburbs of London where it was slipping itself into the tunnels of an abandoned still submerged Underground station. It was then moving to any station and made the train go off rails where it was eating peacefully all the people inside of it. That was one of the numerous suppositions they made but it was the most plausible one. Y/N soon proposed to launch a mission to kill it and everyone told her she was crazy, that they would get killed and that they didn’t even know anything about that monster. Only Till seemed to truly support the project of a final mission. They were all overworking to try to find a solution. Especially Y/N, who was trying her best to plan the mission that took place the day after.
"Didn’t we say we would have a drink together?" Till’s voice said, eating a sandwich.

"You really think it’s the right moment?" Y/N joked, her fork pushing the pieces of her dish.

"I think it is indeed the right moment. We need a break from all this. Are you free tonight? We could have a drink and then, I don’t know, do you know a good restaurant?"

"Is this a date?" she giggled to hide her excitement, her voice slightly higher than usual.

"No, it's just a reminder that you said you owed me dinner." he laughed.

She burst out laughing. Till sighed internally in relief, he saved the day!
"I’m joking, obviously."

"No but seriously, I’ll pay my part. I saw somewhere that you Germans like to split the bill."

"Come on! We’re not even there yet and we’re already arguing on who’s gonna pay." he giggled.

"Me. I owe you so much, Till."

"Pff, it was nothing."

"Maybe for you it’s nothing but for me it means a lot." she said, serious, looking into his eyes.

"I didn’t even think about doing those, and if I had to do it again, I would do it again without thinking."

"You have such a big heart, Till."

They smiled at each other. Paul entered the break room at that moment and stuttered:
"Oh sorry… I won’t be long, I'll just grab my lunch from the fridge."

"It’s fine, Paul, you can stay." Y/N said with a gentle smile, standing up to throw her meal away in the trash.

Paul kicked Till in the ribs and made a make out face while she had her back at them. Till pushed Paul’s head away, whispering something in German and Paul giggled. Y/N sat back down and gave Paul a smile. They started talking together and Till got lost in his thoughts, his loving eyes on Y/N and a slight smile on his lips.
"Well, break is over." Y/N’s voice said, getting him out of his daydream.

"I don’t know if I’ll see you again before tomorrow but I hope the mission goes well. I wish you all the luck in the world." Paul said.

"That’s very nice of you, Paul. Thank you." Y/N said with a smile before turning to Till. "See you later, Till."

"See you later, Y/N."

They smiled at each other and Y/N left.
"See you later?" Paul exclaimed as soon as the door was shut. "I think you have things to tell me, big boy."

Till laughed and said:
"In case you didn’t notice, we WORK together!"

"Oh come on, I’m not that dumb, Till."

"No, for real, we have something to work on together for tomorrow’s mission."

"Till…"

"Okay… We will go have a drink together tonight."

"HALLELUJAH!" Paul exclaimed, very loud.

"Shut up!" Till laughed.

"Till, big boy, this is your time! You HAVE to tell her!"

"Never."

"Till, you both leave tomorrow for a very dangerous mission. I don’t wanna talk about negative stuff but if she doesn’t come back, you will deeply regret it." Paul said, his hand on Till’s shoulder.

"I know but I just can’t. No matter how hard I try and want, I just can’t."

"Till, you think too much. Big boy, you have to find a way."

"Paul, I don’t know how to tell her. What if she doesn’t like me back? What if it ruins our friendship?"

"Big boy, everyone here knows you have feelings for each other." Paul said, his index finger doing circles in the air. "You wanna know something? We all started betting on how long before you two get together."

"What?"

"I swear." Paul giggled. "The only ones who don’t see that you two are in love with each other are you and Y/N."

"You bet too?"

"Obviously!"

Till dropped in the back of his chair and sighed:
"So it’s that obvious?"

"As your nose is in the middle of your face. Earlier, the way you were devouring her with your eyes, big boy! And you always smile to each other and spend time together and you’re the first one to support everything she does and she protects your name a lot and you two get so shy when the other is near and those look you give each other when the other doesn’t see. Do I continue?"

"No, it’s fine."

Till brought his hands onto his face.
"Till, stop thinking and take action. Do you want me to talk to her?"

"No, it’s even worse." Till said, dropping his hands onto his lap.

"Or I can make things work. I don’t know, push her into your arms or something like that."

Till rolled his eyes and giggled.
"We’re not in a romance book, tiny boy."

"But still, you have to tell her."

Till sighed before saying:
"Paul, when she’s here I'm petrified. She’s so pretty, soft, funny, sweet, and smart! I feel so… boring compared to her. She’s perfect in every way possible."

"Big boy, you’re so in love."

"You have no idea."

"That’s another reason to tell her! Till, what’s the point of being in love with someone - who loves you back! - if you don’t tell her?"

"I don’t know, Paul. Anyway, I should go back to work. We have an important mission coming tomorrow."

"You’re avoiding the topic, big boy!" Paul giggled.

"Exactly!" Till giggled too, leaving for his office.

During this time, Y/N was working in her office when she heard her phone vibrated.
"I have an unexpected emergency, can u have Marcel tonight?"

Y/N looked at her phone and read the text from her ex:
"I have smh planned tonight…"

"Pls I can’t bring him"

She bit her lip. She didn’t want to cancel her date with Till but at the same time, Marcel was her son and it was her duty to keep her child.
"Ok…"

"Thx I bring him to the police station? Ig you’re working"

"Yeah"

"Gonna come pick him up as soon as I can I promise"

Y/N stood up and left her office, heading for Till’s. She knocked on the door and waited for his approval to get her head inside.
"Till, erm… does it bother you if Marcel is here tonight?"

"Erm… no. Of course not."

"I’m so sorry. His dad just texted me, he has an emergency apparently. If you prefer, we can delay our…"

She stopped abruptly and swallowed, not sure how to call their date.
"No, I don’t mind. He’s so sweet." Till said with a smile. "For real, Marcel is a really nice kid."

"Thank you, Till." she said with a smile, relieved that he didn’t want to delay.

She closed the door and sighed, a big smile on her lips.

XXX

A few hours later, Marcel was playing quietly on the floor, in a corner of Y/N’s office, with his little cars. There were knocks on the door and Till entered. He smiled at Y/N and went to Marcel.
"Heyyyy, where’s my buddy? Hellooo, Marcel." he said in a higher voice, squatting down to ruffle the kid’s hair.

"Hello!" Marcel said happily, recognising Till.

"Can I play with you?" Till said, sitting down on the floor as the kid gave him a car.

They started playing together and Y/N couldn’t help but look at them with adoration. They were so cute together and Till seemed so good with kids. Marcel stood up and jumped on Till.
"Marcel, be careful!" Y/N exclaimed.

Till only giggled, ruffling the kid’s hair again. He sat cross-legged and Marcel sat there, finding a perfect seat in Till’s lap. Till took a little car and started to play with it on Marcel’s body, making it go up an arm, on his neck, down the other arm before drifting onto his legs and crashing on the floor. Marcel was laughing out loud and Y/N took a pic of the sweet scene. They seemed to truly like each other and she almost didn’t want to bother them by telling them she was done with work for today. The mission was sealed off and only praying for a success was left.
"Mamaaaaaaa?"

"Yes, Bunny?"

"I’m hungryyyyy."

"I finished working, we can go."

Till and Marcel stood up and Till helped Marcel in his coat. They then all left and started to walk, Marcel holding Till’s hand and babbling about nothing and everything. They then arrived in front of a bar and entered. It was packed with people but they found a table in the back of the room.
"What do you wanna drink, Bunny?"

"Coke!"

"Alright… You know you’re not allowed normally. And you, Till?"

"I’m gonna have a beer."

"Be careful to not have two or else you’ll get drunk." she joked.

Till laughed and Y/N left for the counter. Till couldn’t take his eyes off her, forgetting that Marcel wasn’t missing anything with his smart little eyes.
"Why do you look at Mama like this?"

Till turned to face the kid and smiled, saying:
"Because she’s beautiful. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Don’t you think?"

"Yes, Mama she’s the most pretty."

Till turned his head again to look at Y/N queuing.
"Are you Mama’s friend?" Marcel asked.

"Yes, we are friends."

"Are you her special friend?"

"What do you mean by special?" Till asked, curious.

"You know, a friend who stays a lot with her. Who hugs and kisses her."

Till giggled to hide the fact he didn’t really know how to answer that.
"Have you ever seen that at school? Like, with your friends?"

"Yeah! Sometimes Ethan hugs Lily and they hold hands."

"Really? That’s so cool! So you think it’s like that?"

"Maybe. But I don’t know, I just wanna know. Are you and Mama like that?"

"Well, maybe… But it’s a little more complicated than that. You’ll understand when you’re older." Till answered, amused and slightly embarrassed. "But yeah, you’re right. Sometimes people hold hands and hug when they like each other. It’s more about caring."

"So you care about Mama?"

"Yes, I do care about her. A lot. Yeah, that’s one way to put it."

"So you are in love with Mama?"

"Well, it’s a bit more complicated, buddy." Till said, blushing heavily.

"So do you kiss her?" Marcel asked innocently.

"Hey, buddy, it’s not really something we talk about, okay?"

"Why not?"

"Because…" Till started with a nervous giggle. "Because it’s an adult thing and… it’s private. Your mama and I are… good friends."

"So you don’t kiss her?"

"Not yet, no." Till said with a nervous smile, blushing.

"Oh I thought that’s what special friends do." Marcel said, a bit disappointed.

"Well, sometimes… but it’s not always about kissing. It can be just about being there for someone."

Marcel thought for a moment before saying:
"Okay but you like her?"

"Yes I do like her but it’s a bit more complicated than just kissing or holding hands. It takes time."

"Okay. But one day you’ll kiss her, right?"

"Maybe…" Till giggled. "But that’s something we’ll figure out later, okay?"

"But why don’t you just kiss her?"

"Well it’s… not that simple."

"It’s just a kiss, how hard can it be?"

"It’s more about timing and feelings than the actual kiss."

"But you can still try!"

"Maybe I will, someday."

"Are you scared to kiss Mama?"

"Scared? No, not at all." Till said, surprised.

"It’s boring."

"What’s boring? It’s not. It’s about making sure you’re ready, you know?"

"Ethan and Lily kissed and now they’re always happy!"

"Maybe you’re right."

"Are you waiting for something?"

"Well um… not exactly. Sometimes people just take their time."

"So you’re waiting for the right moment."

"Something like that, yes."

"I think you should kiss her soon."

Till burst out laughing and said, soften:
"You’re a smart boy, Marcel. And erm…" Till started, hesitating. "Do you think Mama likes me?"

Marcel thought for a moment and answered:
"I think she likes you. She always says you two are good good friends."

"Oh she does? And do you think she likes me enough that… she’d want to kiss me?"

Marcel widened his eyes and said:
"I think she would! Just ask her! Why don’t you just ask her?"

"Erm, it’s like when you give a gift to someone, you want it to be special. You understand?"

"I do."

"You think I should tell her I like her?"

"Well yes otherwise she will wait."

"What if she tells me she doesn’t wanna kiss?"

"She won’t say no. If she likes you, she won’t say no."

"Okay…" Till sighed, in his thoughts. "Maybe I’ll try then."

"If you don’t tell her, you will be sad."

Till turned his face to look at Y/N who was now ordering their drinks.
"You always look like that at Mama."

"What do you mean by « like that »?"

"As if you wanna kiss her and hug her."

"Maybe I’m just happy when she’s around."

"But if you wanna kiss her, you should tell her. Otherwise, she will think you don’t want to."

"So you noticed, mm?"

"Yes, you look at Mama the same way Ethan looks at Lily."

"It’s a bit the same but… not the same."

"Why?"

"Your mama is very special to me."

"If you wait too much, she’ll think you don’t care."

"I guess you have a point."

"If you want, I can tell her you wanna kiss her."

Till burst out laughing again, embarrassed.
"No no, I will do it, don’t worry. But thank you, that’s nice of you. Would you be okay if your mama and I… kissed?"

"Well yeah. You should kiss if you love each other. I told you, that’s what Ethan and Lily do!"

"Yeah but with adults, it’s a bit more complicated. We need to be sure."

"But why wouldn’t you be sure? You love her, no?"

"You’re right… maybe I should stop overthinking it."

"So you wanna kiss her."

"Well… yes, kind of. And about me and your mama… I mean… what do you think your dad would think?"

"Papa would be fine with it. He wants Mama to be happy, feel good and smile and you do that."

"I’m glad to hear that. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to choose between us and your dad or anything like that."

"I don’t have to choose. You’re both nice to her and to me."

Till let out a little sigh, his heart lighter. He saw Y/N finally coming back with the drinks so he bent a bit on the table and lowered his voice:
"Alright, here’s the thing. This is a big secret. Can you keep it just between us for now?"

"I won’t tell Mama, I swear." Marcel said with a big smile, nodding. "Promise."

"Can I trust you?"

"I’m good at keeping secrets." Marcel whispered.

Till ruffled the child’s hair and Y/N finally put the drinks onto the table.
"Oh god, it’s so packed. So what have you two been talking about all this time?" she asked, sitting next to Marcel and opposite Till. "You look a little… sneaky."

"Oh, nothing really." Till said, avoiding Y/N’s eyes. "Just some… nothing important."

Marcel looked at Till then back at his mum with a mischievous smile.
"We talked about… some grown-up things."

"Grown-up things? What kind of grown-up things?" Y/N asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I can’t tell you, Mama! It’s a secret!"

"A secret? Between you two?" Y/N laughed gently.

"You can’t know, Mama! It's a secret." Marcel said, very serious.

"Alright, alright. I’ll let you keep your secrets for now."

"I told you I was good at keeping secrets, Till." Marcel whispered, bending towards Till.

Y/N burst out laughing and Till blushed a bit.
"I’m not telling her, right?"

"Nope, not telling her." Till giggled. "Let’s toast!"

They clinked their glasses, Till and Y/N locking eyes. Marcel let out a giggle and Till blushed, remembering the kid’s words about the way he looked at her. They then started talking, well… Marcel started talking.
"Marcel, you’re so talkative when Till is here!"

"Because he’s my friend and I’m happy when he’s here!"

Till’s heart melted and he fist bumped the kid. Y/N was very happy that her son seemed to like Till so much.
"But Till, I have a question. Why do you speak weird?"

Till giggled and said:
"It’s because I come from another country. And, in my country, we don’t speak English."

"Why do you speak English with me then?"

"Because in my country, we learn English when we are kids. So we know how to speak English. But we keep an accent. My English is not perfect but I try my best."

"You sound funny." Marcel laughed.

Till laughed with him and said:
"In Germany we say « Lachen ist gesund », laughing is healthy."

"Your accent is cool. It makes you sound like a secret agent!"

"Secret agent? Nah, I’m just a simple man." Till said, happy with the comparison.

"His accent is cute, don’t you think?" Y/N said.

"I think it’s more funny than it’s cute."

Till and Y/N shared a look and giggled. The conversation went on until Y/N received a text.
"Marcel, finish your glass, Papa’s almost here."

He drank it all and jumped off the bench.
"Bye, Till! And don’t forget what we said." Marcel said as Till fist bumped him.

"Bye, buddy. I won’t, don’t worry. And thanks for the advice."

Y/N gave Till a smile and left, holding Marcel’s hand. Marcel’s dad was already parked in front of the bar.
"How did it go?" he asked Y/N. "I’m sorry for this emergency."

"No problem. It went very well."

"Mama was with her special friend I told you about!" Marcel said.

"What?" Y/N exclaimed, blushing.

"Ohhhh, the famous « special friend » of yours." the dad said, grinning.

"Oh come on, don’t start." Y/N said, rolling her eyes playfully.

"Marcel told me you’ve been smiling a lot lately. Who’s the lucky guy?" the father teased Y/N.

"You’re ridiculous, Ed." Y/N said laughing, trying to brush it off.

"No, seriously. Is he tall, dark and handsome, or should I be worried?"

"He’s nice, Papa. He’s from Germany!"

"Germany?" Edward said, raising an eyebrow. "Does he come with a built-in accent?"

"Yes he does! He sounds so funny."

"Stop it. He’s just a friend. And a colleague." Y/N sighed, trying not to smile.

"A friend, mm? A very special friend, right?"

Y/N didn’t answer so Edward continued:
"Come on, I know that look. You’re glowing!"

"It’s nothing like that, seriously."

"I just have to make sure he doesn’t teach you how to yodel, doesn’t show up wearing Lederhosen and carrying a Bratwurst."

"You’re impossible." Y/N sighed, shaking her head, amused.

"Does he call you « Fraulein » or « Meine Liebe »?" Edward teased Y/N even more.

"Oh please. It’s really not a big deal."

"You’ll like him, Papa!"

"As long as he doesn’t start talking to me in German…" Edward laughed.

"Till speaks English really well." Marcel said.

"Till…" Edward repeats, raising an amused eyebrow and turning to face Y/N.

"Oh no… You really had to say it, didn’t you?" Y/N said to her son, her cheeks beet red.

"Aha! Looks like someone has a little crush, mm?"

"Stop teasing me! It’s just a name."

"Just a name? You’re blushing! Must be a pretty special Till. If that Till makes you blush just by his name, he has definitely got your attention."

"Papa, he’s so cool!"

"Seems like this Till has fans already! Let’s not keep him waiting then, let’s go before Mama becomes bright red, Marcel. Have a nice evening, Y/N!" Edward said with a wink.

She planted a kiss on Marcel’s cheek before taking Edward into a hug.
"I’m going to avoid talking too much rubbish in front of the little one." he whispered in her ear in an innuendo tone.

Y/N became bright red but didn’t have time to say anything that they were already in the car. She watched the car drive away before entering the bar again.

Chapter Text

Y/N went back inside the bar, looked around her before getting her eyes on Till, in the back. She walked to him, her eyes shining slightly.
"Sorry I kept you waiting." she said with a slight smile, sitting back.

Till lifted his eyes from his glass and smiled when he locked his eyes with hers.
"It’s alright. I wasn’t going anywhere anyway."

He pinched his lips together, embarrassed by his own answer. Y/N smiled at his discomfort.
"It’s alright, Till. You don’t have to explain yourself. You’re always so careful with your words."

"Maybe I’m careful because… I don’t want to rush things. I don’t want to make a mess."

"Then let’s not make a mess." she said with a light smile. "I think we’re both better when we’re not overthinking it, mm?"

"Yeah I guess." he said before taking a deep breath. "Maybe we should get some food?"

"I don’t understand, you had only one beer?" she mocked him gently.

"I’m not drunk." he giggled.

"Food sounds like a good idea. I’ve heard there’s a nice place near here. Do you wanna try it?"

"Yeah, why not?" he said, standing up.

They got their coats on and left, Till following her. They talked, feeling both lighter but the tension also stayed between them. They both knew what they wanted to do but neither wanted to cross the line.
"So you think this place is any good or are we just trusting my random choice?" she said.

"Well I trust you… most of the time. But maybe next time, we can pick a place together."

She looked at him from the corner of her eye, surprised by his words.
"Next time, mm?" she said, holding an eyebrow. "I’ll hold you to that."

He giggled.
"It’s here."

He opened the door for her and they entered. Till looked around and said:
"It’s cosy."

A waiter came and Y/N asked for a table for two. The waiter led them to a small table. The place was cosy, intimate and comfortable.
"Nice place. Very quiet." he said, getting in his chair.

"Yeah I thought you might like that."

The menus came and they looked through them. Till’s fingers gently taped it as he examined the dishes.
"I’m not sure what to get. I can never decide when it comes to pasta."

"Pasta? You seem more like a steak guy." Y/N teased him gently.

"It all depends on the mood."

"Tonight’s mood is pasta apparently."

"I guess." he giggled.

"Do you always take this long to decide on dinner?" she gently provoked him, giggling.

"I guess I’m indecisive. Or maybe I just don’t wanna make the wrong choice."

She got that he didn’t talk only about food but didn’t want to make things more uneasy. The waiter came back and they ordered their food, that came fast. They ate, enjoying the food and talking about nothing and anything. It was like they were both shy and not wanting to say the words they were both dying to hear. Till gathered his courage and got his hand on Y/N’s. He started gently caressing her fingers before going up her forearm. She looked at his thick fingers moving on her skin and leaving goosebumps.
"Do you think he felt something?" Y/N asked out of nowhere.

"Who?"

"Marcel. About tomorrow’s mission."

He sighed internally, relieved she didn’t ask if he thought Marcel felt he was completely in love with his mother. But his stomach got tight at the thought of tomorrow’s mission.
"He’s still young."

"Yeah, you’re right. I worry too much."

"And you will come back." he said with a sad smile, trying to hide he’s worried. "Are you… ready for it?"

She shrugged.
"I have to be. There’s no other choice."

She looked down on his fingers that stopped moving.
"Everything has been planned, everything’s in place."

He bent a bit closer, locking eyes with her.
"I know how good you are but… you know how dangerous it is, right?"

"Yes I know. And I won’t be alone. You’ll be here too. The mission comes first. I’m prepared."

"Prepared doesn’t always mean ready." Till said, not hiding his worry anymore. "And of course I know we’ll be successful but… this mission is super dangerous. And I’m not okay with it."

He paused and slid his fingers until they were back on her hand to hold it.
"You’re going into danger. And I… I feel so useless."

She looked at him, very surprised by his words. She let a little smile slip onto her lips.
"You’ve always been so protective of me. But you know I’m capable, right?"

"I know. But I still don’t like it. I wish there was something more I could do than just being in the back. Like, taking real actions. Like you."

"Hey, I’ll be fine." she said, gently squeezing his fingers and bending onto the table.

They were close now. She joked, trying to ease the tension:
"I’ll make sure to come back in one piece."

"Promise me you will be careful."

"I promise."

Her thumb gently caressed his as they let the silence set.
"And… if this was my last night…"

She let her sentence on hold for a moment, choosing her words carefully. She added them in a whisper:
"… I’m glad I spent it with you."

He was taken by surprise and felt a shiver run through his body.
"I’m not ready to let you go."

She gave him a little sad smile.
"Neither am I. But we don’t always get to choose, do we?"

He took a deep breath and bent even closer to her.
"Yeah but I don’t wanna lose you."

She closed her eyes, feeling them water slightly, and felt Till’s second hand getting on hers. She opened them to see a very worried Till looking back at her.
"Thank you, Till… for being here."

"Of course. We’ll get through this."

She noticed he used « we » and not « you ». They stayed for a moment silent, enjoying being in each other’s presence and each other’s caresses.
"I should go back home… I have to wake up early tomorrow." she said after a long moment.

"Let me walk you back. It’s late, you shouldn’t be out alone."

He didn’t even wait for her to agree that he was already up, getting his coat on. It was obvious for him. Y/N knew it was for her safety but also to extend the moment. Till went to pay and they then left.
"I was supposed to pay." she giggled, trying to ease the tension in the air.

"You’ll pay next time, I promise."

The streets were peaceful and the night was cold. They walked beside each other, Till had his hands in his pockets. Their steps echoed in the air. He was taking a furtive look at her from time to time.
"Are you sure you’ll be okay tomorrow?"

He wanted to not ask her that again but his worry was too heavy to handle.
"I don’t know. I have no choice but to go through it. I’ll do my best."

He looked at his shoes, trying to find a solution.
"I just don’t want anything to happen to you."

She had slowed down without even realising and now turned to face him.
"I appreciate that, Till. Really."

She searched for his eyes.
"I promise I’ll be careful but I can’t make promises on that kind of things."

Till looked at her for a moment, mesmerised by Y/N. If it was the last time he saw her, he wanted to engrave her face in his mind forever. He took a step closer.
"Just don’t forget that you’re not alone in this. Even when you’re by yourself."

She gave him a smile and he took her hand. They started to walk again, hand in hand. They finally arrived at the foot of her building and they both knew this was where they parted. She turned to face him.
"Well… this is it."

He didn’t move, as if he was scared that with a movement everything would shatter. That with a movement, she would be gone.
"Stay safe, Y/N." he finally whispered, his eyes still on her.

She slowly nodded her head.
"I’ll be back, Till. I swear."

She looked at him one last time, trying to memorise his face forever. She finally turned around and opened the front door. His brain was racing. He was hearing Paul and Marcel telling him to stop overthinking and take actions.
"Y/N, wait!" he exclaimed.

She got surprised by his loud and desperate scream. She turned around, just in time to see him come in long steps. He was determined, she could see it. Till knew it was the opportunity to release all his feelings without words, just through gestures. The sudden impulse was too strong for him to resist. It was a gesture he could no longer contain, an irresistible desire to be with her again before everything changed. He leaned forward her with an urgency that left no room for doubt. He put his hands on Y/N’s face, drawing her closer to him and, with an almost brutal movement, he kissed her. It was a passionate kiss, full of everything he never dared to tell her. It was an all-consuming kiss, a kiss that had everything. Fear, desire, the anguish of the separation and the certainty that there was no turning back. He lost himself in that kiss, forgetting everything that could happen tomorrow. It was just this moment between him and her. And it was beautiful. At first, Y/N remained a little frozen, surprised by the intensity of his gesture. But very quickly, her body reacted. She closed her eyes, letting herself be carried away by this whirlwind of emotions. Her arms rose and she clung to him, responding with equal intensity. She suddenly felt vulnerable but also more alive than ever. She clung to him a little tighter, her hands slipping into his hair, her body instinctively seeking to move closer to his. She always knew there was something between them but now everything was clearer, more concrete. They were together, just the two of them, in this kiss. Till ended up breaking the kiss but kept his hands on her waist, keeping her close to him. Their breath was rapid and his eyes searched hers with an intensity that was almost painful. He never felt like this before. This absolute need to hold her, to not let her go without telling her everything he felt.
"Don’t go yet… please." he begged, his voice slightly shaking.

It wasn’t just a kiss. It was a silent declaration, a farewell, a desperate plea. Y/N looked at his lips, took his hand and entered the building. They waited for the lift and then entered it. A « ding » sounded, announcing that the doors were about to close. They exchanged a glance, a spark just waiting to explode. In an irrepressible rush, Till came closer and Y/N welcomed him without hesitation. The kiss was instantaneous, searing, like an urgent response to a wait that had been way too long. The doors closed softly, isolating their embrace from the rest of the world. The lift started up again but for them, nothing existed except the warmth of that moment, their mingled breaths and the explosion of sensations that flowed through them. The doors slid open, revealing a deserted corridor bathed in the cold light of night-time neons. But they didn’t stop. Their lips remained linked, their bodies pressed together as if the only thing that mattered was this moment they couldn’t let slip away. The sound of the lift engine gently brought them back to reality. The doors began to close but they didn’t move immediately. It was Y/N who finally broke the kiss, her breath still rapid and her eyes shining with the intensity they shared.
"The doors will reopen if we stay here." she murmured, almost in a breath.

Till smiled, his gaze locked on hers, and said:
"So shall we move or start again?"

She laughed softly, took his hand and led him down the empty corridor. Their footsteps echoed in the stillness of the night but the warmth of that kiss seemed to envelop them. She was still holding his hand, her fingers intertwined with his, as if she was afraid the moment would slip away.
"What now?" she murmured, a shy smile tugging at the corner of her lips as they arrived at her flat door.

"Now I think we see how far the night takes us."

She giggled and turned around to open the door. Till wrapped his arms around her waist and murmured in her ear:
"You’re so pretty, you know that, mm? You know that you drive me totally insane?"

Y/N blushed heavily and opened the door. They entered her flat and the door slammed shut behind them but they paid no attention to it. Before she could even switch on the light, Till pulled her against him, their mouths searching for each other again with palpable urgency. She stumbled backwards slightly, laughing between kisses, before feeling the cold wall against her back. Her hands roamed his face and neck as if she wanted to make sure he was real.
"Are you sure you want to…" he began but she interrupted him, resting her forehead against his.

"I’ve never been so sure of anything, Till."

She reached out with one hand to press the light switch. The subdued light flooded into the living room, revealing a warm, intimate space but they paid no attention to it. They removed their coats and shoes and left them by the entrance, on the floor. She took his hand again and led him to her room. Till followed Y/N down the corridor, their footsteps echoing softly on the wooden floor, until she pushed open the door to her bedroom. As he entered, he immediately felt a gentle warmth envelop him. A string of lights snaked around the headboard, diffusing a soft golden light. The bed, wide and inviting, was covered in a cosy cotton set, enhanced by a pile of soft cushions and a knitted blanket thrown over the edge. On the bedside table, a book was waiting for Y/N to open beside an extinguished candle and a glass of water still half full. But Till didn’t notice any of those details. Till was focused on Y/N and Y/N only. Her gestures, her silhouette in the subdued light, the way she glanced nervously around the room before mechanically smoothing the bed cover. Everything about her captured his attention far more than any decor. She turned back to him, her lips stretching into a slightly shy smile. He took a step forward, his eyes locked on hers and that intensity she felt in the lift returned in full force.
"What?" she whispered, her cheeks blushing a bit under his gaze.

He shook his head gently, an imperceptible smile on his lips.
"Nothing. Just you."

He crossed the space between them and put his hands on her hips, drawing her to him with a calm assurance. Their breaths mingled before his lips found hers again in a kiss that was both sweet and hungry. Y/N slipped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him and they moved back together until her legs met the edge of the bed. She sat up slowly, her heart racing. But Till stayed there. This time, she didn’t need words to understand. He was there. Entirely there. For her and nothing else. He just stood there, looking at her as if she was the only thing that mattered at that moment. She gently slid her hands over his chest while he knelt in front of her.
"You’re making my head spin, you know." he murmured, his voice low and slightly husky.

"Good." she answered, a little mischievous despite her rosy cheeks.

He placed his hands on her knees then slid them slowly down to her waist, brushing against the fabric of her jeans. The light, almost hesitant touch made her shiver. She grabbed his wrists, forcing him to look up.
"If you want us to slow down, I’m here. Just say the word and I’ll stop." he said with a soothing smile.

Y/N stared at him for a moment, her eyes looking for reassurance and a promise in his. What she found there made her slowly release her grip on his wrists.
"I don’t want you to stop." she breathed.

Till straightened a bit, his lips finding hers once more. But this time the kiss was different. Less urgent, deeper. As if they were exploring unknown but long-awaited territory. Y/N gently moved back on the bed, taking him with her, her fingers playing with the buttons of his black shirt. Each gesture, each shared breath seemed to amplify the warmth between them. The tension between them became almost palpable. Each undone button revealed a little more skin and she let her hands explore that warm, firm and hairy surface, enjoying every shudder it provoked. Till leaned over Y/N, his lips tracing a line of fiery kisses down her jaw to her neck. She sighed, tilting her head back slightly to give him more access, her breath coming faster as he slowly descended. Their movements quickened, guided by a shared urgency. He unbuttoned her jeans and slid them off her as she removed her blouse. His hands roamed over her with an almost devouring intensity, stopping at every spot that provoked a shiver or a sigh. Y/N drew him to her forcefully, their bodies meeting in a heat that seemed to consume them both. Her fingers curled in his hair as she nibbled gently on his bottom lip, provoking him and arousing him even more. The bed cracked slightly under the weight of their embrace but neither of them paid any attention. The world beyond this room no longer existed. There was only their mingled breaths, their hearts beating in unison and the burning desire that drove them towards each other again and again. Y/N slid Till’s shirt off his shoulders and her fingers slid down his back, exploring every contour. She discovered scars on his arms that she never saw before and traced them with a careful precision. Till, for his part, let his lips travel along the curve of her shoulder, his kisses becoming deeper and more possessive as it went down. She shivered, not just from the contact of the air but above all from the intensity of his gaze and touch. He was staring at her, his pupils dilated. As if he was trying to engrave this moment in his memory.
"You’re beautiful, Y/N." he murmured.

She responded by drawing him against her, her hands running through his hair, embracing him. Each kiss, each caress was a call, a response to the urgency of this moment they had seemed to wait for their whole lives. Y/N unbuttoned his jeans and tried to slide them off him. But due to their position, it was an impossible task and it made her giggle. Till giggled too and kicked his jeans off.
"Touch me, Till. Please." she begged in a desperate whisper.

He slid his fingers up to her vulva and started stroking her clitoris and between her folds through her underwear. He loved seeing her pleasure spread onto her face. He then licked his fingers before pushing the fabric aside and caressed her again. The feeling was overwhelmingly strong and intense. She grabbed the sheets and he knew he was doing her good. She was moaning his name softly and it immediately became the most beautiful melody to his ear.
"Till, stop please." she whispered, breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" he asked, afraid he might have hurt her.

"You really ask me if I’m okay?" she giggled, slightly ashamed. "Till, you just gave me the quickest orgasm I ever had."

He smiled and crawled to kiss her lips.
"You have magic fingers?"

"Who knows? I’m full of surprises." he joked on her lips.

Y/N slid her hand into his boxers and felt how hard and thick he was. She started stroking him slowly, wanting to enjoy every inch of his length, wanting to enjoy the feeling of every vein, wanting to enjoy the beauty of his body against hers, wanting to enjoy seeing the pleasure on his face, wanting to enjoy every second of their shared love. She was slowly driving him more and more crazy and she knew it. After a moment, when she felt they were both ready, she whispered in his ear:
"Till, I want you inside. Please."

"Do you have a condom?"

She stretched her hand to open the drawer in her bedside table and gave him a condom. Till got rid of his boxers during this time. He took the condom from her hand and rolled it onto himself as Y/N removed her underwear, revealing her entirely to his burning eyes.
"Ready, Liebling?"

She nodded, blushing slightly at the nickname. She bit her lip hard when she felt him sliding inside and Till gave her time to adjust to himself, sparkling kisses on her lips and face. Their bodies then fell into an instinctive rhythm, a silent dance in which every movement, every thrill was guided by desire and total abandonment to the other. Their breaths quickened in unison. Each touch and movement awakened a new wave of thrills and suppressed desires that were finally finding expression. Her hands lingered on his skin, exploring it with a delicacy that contrasted with the urgency of their kisses. She drew him even closer, erasing every space between their bodies. Their movements became more fluid, like a silent language. Her fingers slid over him as a sigh escaped her lips, breaking the silence of the room. Their bodies were finding each other, adjusting, seeking that perfect balance between abandon and connection. Till looked at Y/N for a moment, his eyes reflecting a mixture of wonder and passion. She responded by sliding a hand over the back of his neck, drawing him to her for a deeper, more assertive kiss. The alchemy between them was obvious. Their bodies moved in harmony. His skin against hers caused a mixture of shivers and heat to rise in waves, clouding her thoughts. Every sigh, every shudder became a language of their own. Her hand instinctively clung to his shoulder, to his hair, seeking an anchor as she lost herself in this storm of sensations. Y/N opened her eyes briefly to meet his gaze. She drew him even closer, letting her instincts guide her movements. Making love with Till was exactly how she imagined it (countless of times, it must be said…) : sweet, passionate, hot and… intense. When they finally laid down, their bodies intertwined, the sheets crumpled around them, everything seemed to calm down. They remained there, their hearts still pounding, their breaths mingling in a new-found calm. He gently stroked a lock of her hair, pushing it away from her face. Y/N opened her eyes, a tired but satisfied smile on her lips.
“That… was worth the wait.” she giggled.

Till giggled too, a bit embarrassed but happy.
"Stay the night, please." she demanded softly.

"I’m not going anywhere, Liebling." Till replied, leaning down to place one last kiss on her forehead, his arms closing around her.

Chapter Text

Till opened his eyes slowly, the soft morning light filtering between the thick curtains. For a moment, he didn’t move, still wrapped in the warmth of the sheets. His gaze slid towards Y/N, who was still asleep, her breathing steady and peaceful. A lock of hair had escaped her face, caressing her cheek. By seeing Y/N naked by his side, he immediately remembered the night before, which brought him a smile to his lips. He watched her asleep, realising the importance of what they had shared, feeling a gentle warmth deep inside him. His eyes slid on her skin. He didn’t want to wake her up. Not yet. It would break the moment. There, in all that peace and quiet, she seemed almost vulnerable. A far cry from her usual self-confidence she used at work. Till straightened slightly, leaning back against the cushion. He looked at her, lost in thoughts. The events of the night still seemed so unreal. The exchange they had shared. That kiss and that very intimate moment. All that had changed something in him, as if an inner lock had been broken. After contemplating for a while, Till decided to get up. He gently pushed the sheets back, taking care not to make too much noise. His feet touched the cold floor, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the bed. He picked up his jeans from the floor and got his phone out of his pocket. Here, he saw multiple texts from Paul throughout the night:
"How is the date going big boy???"
"Don’t forget to tell her!!!"
"Ig you told her since you’re not back home yet 😉"
"Get that dick on defrost 😂"
"Jk enjoy your night!"
"😏😉"
"Be careful you two 😏"

Till couldn’t help a smile, reading the texts and answered:
"The date went on very well, as you can guess I told her and we kissed"

"I told you she wouldn’t reject you big boy!" Paul answered immediately.

"Already awake night owl?"

"Don’t change the topic! So you two just « kissed »???? 👀"

"We went to her flat"

"Yeah to knit I bet"

"Exactly 😂"

"Obvs… silly me"

"Paul she’s so beautiful"

"Oh Ik you told me that at least a thousand times 😂"

"Stfu tiny boy 😂"

Till got his phone back in his jeans pocket on the floor and went to sit on the edge of the bed where Y/N was lying asleep. He bent and placed a slow kiss on her shoulder, his nose filling with the scent of her bare skin. He then stood up, got his boxers on and walked out of the room, looking for the bathroom. In the half-light of the corridor, he opened the first door and switched on the light. It wasn’t the bathroom. But a room for a little boy. What shocked him was how empty the room felt. But yet the room was far from being empty with its child’s bed lined with colourful blankets and toys strewn all over the floor. It felt empty, as if the room was never used. Frozen in time. Till knew that Marcel was living with his father and that Y/N only saw him at weekends or in rare moments stolen from her busy schedule. Perhaps it was this story that had touched him from the start. She carried within her a mixture of strength and pain that she tried to hide. But Till sensed it. He knew it but seeing this frozen room made him stand still, a strange emotion washing over him. Everything here seemed to be frozen in silent expectation. As if the room itself was hoping for the return of the little curious child. Till stood still for a moment in front of the child’s bedroom.
"The bathroom is on the left."

Till gasped slightly, startled by Y/N’s voice and turned around to face her. There she was, standing in the shadows of the corridor, wearing his black shirt from the day before. Her hair was a mess and her eyes, still clouded with sleep, were soft on him.
"Sorry… I didn’t mean to…" he began, not knowing how to finish his sentence.

"It’s fine, don’t worry." she said with a smile. "Coffee?"

He nodded.
"Borrowed your shirt, hope you don’t mind." she said, trying to ease the tension, inching closer to him.

"It looks better on you than on me, it’s unfair." he answered with a soft smile.

"Stop talking trash about yourself, Till. I’m not a hot German guy who gets drunk with two beers." she teased him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He giggled, placing his hands on her waist. She got on tiptoe to press a soft kiss onto his lips.
"Good morning, pretty boy." she murmured on his lips.

He pressed his lips against hers once more and gently caressed her hair.
"Gonna prepare some coffee." she said, getting lost in his eyes.

He smiled and they parted. Till followed the direction she had indicated, slipping into the bathroom. He gently closed the door behind him, splashing cold water on his face to wake himself up fully. Meanwhile, she headed for the kitchen. The flat was quiet. She turned on the coffee pot and took two cups out of a cupboard, taking care to choose her favourite ones. She poured the steaming coffee, wondering how the day would go. Until they had to leave obviously… But the kiss the day before, the moments they had shared, all of it still seemed so fragile. Like a bubble she feared would burst. But as she poured the coffee, she caught herself smiling. Till entered the kitchen, his hair still a little damp and a slightly embarrassed look on his face. He had his jeans on but was still shirtless.
"Do you want me to give you your shirt back, by the way?"

"Not that I don’t like seeing it on you but… I have nothing else to wear."

She giggled and left for her room. She removed it, put on a big t-shirt and then buried her nose in the fabric of Till’s shirt. She then came back in the kitchen and gave him his shirt back, that he started buttoning. She looked at his thick fingers going from button to button.
"You’re drooling." he joked with a giggle.

She came back abruptly from her daydream and wiped the corner of her lips. But she wasn’t actually drooling so Till laughed at his joke. Y/N laughed with him. It seemed so unreal and fragile. They both didn’t want to think of the mission.
"Thanks for the coffee, by the way." he said, taking a sip.

"No problem."

There was a brief silence. It was the kind that comes from newness and from a certain gentle awkwardness. Till remained silent for a moment, pondering his words. But before he could think of anything to say, Y/N broke the silence:
"Till?"

Her fingers were resting on her cup, slightly fidgeting with the edge.
"Yes?"

She hesitated, as if weighing the importance of her question. She then looked up at him and asked:
"How long have you been in love with me?"

Her voice was calm, almost shy. But her eyes sought a sincerity that she seemed to fear as much as she desired. Till, taken by surprise, put his cup down on the table.
"Since the very first time I set my eyes on you. That sounds cheesy as fuck but it’s the truth."

"Really?"

"Yeah." he giggled. "But honestly, I fell in love deeper and deeper. The first time you smiled at me. The first time you pronounced my name. The first time you told me about Marcel."

A gentle smile appeared on her lips.
"What about you?" he said suddenly.

"Me?" she replied, feigning surprise to gain a little time.

"Yes, you. How long have you been looking at me like that?"

She rolled her eyes but her smile betrayed a certain nervousness.
"Maybe since you stopped giving me back my car keys five seconds after I put them down somewhere."

They burst out laughing and the atmosphere relaxed.
"So you noticed." he said, an amused gleam in his eyes.

"How could I not have noticed?" she replied softly.

A silence settled in. This time it was charged with soft and quiet intimacy. Till was a caring and meticulous person and developed a reflex of picking up things that Y/N misplaced. Because of her busy schedule, she often was absent-minded and he often helped her find her things. Eight times out of ten, it was her car keys. That’s when she became aware of his constant attention to her. Even this small repetitive and almost insignificant gesture revealed Till’s consideration and presence in her life. Till finished his coffee, his eyes fixed on the cup as if he was thinking about something important. Y/N, for her part, was looking at his hands and let her mind remember how good his hands felt on her skin and how perfect they fit her curves.
"You know… I didn’t mean to embarrass you earlier." he said, returning to the topic of Marcel’s room.

"You didn’t embarrass me. It’s just that…" she began before taking a deep breath. "Every time I walk past that door, I wonder if I’m doing the right thing."

Till rested his elbows on the table, slightly bending towards her.
"You’re doing your best. That’s no small thing."

She looked up at him and he took her hand gently in his.
"Hungry?" she asked, trying to escape her thoughts. "I should prepare something to eat."

She stood up and Till straightened up, taking this as an invitation to help her.
"Let me help you."

"Can you cook?" she replied, teasing him.

"I manage." he said with a shrug before giggling. "You know, when you live with Paul, you can’t rely on him to cook and you might end up ordering pizzas."

She giggled and they started preparing breakfast. The kitchen soon filled with the smells of toasts and scrambled eggs. Their hands kept meeting unintentionally and they exchanged glances and smiles everytime it happened. But beneath this apparent lightness, a deeper tension floated between them. They both knew it. This day was just a respite before the night to come. As they sat down to eat, Till broke the silence in an anxious voice:
"Have you checked your equipment?"

Y/N nodded.
"Three times. Everything’s in order."

"And plan B?"

She smiled, recognising his habit of anticipating everything.
"In place too."

He looked down at his cup, searching for words.
"This is a shit mission."

She looked up, surprised by his abrupt tone.
"It’s our job, Till. You know that as well as I do."

"I know." he said, looking her straight in the eye. "But that doesn’t mean I like it."

She gently placed her hand on his.
"We’ve been through worse." she said, her voice softer.

"Not like this. Not you."

She sighed and removed her hand.
"Till, you have to promise me one thing."

He frowned.
"What?"

"If anything goes wrong, you don’t do anything crazy. You stay back, follow orders and come back."

He widened his eyes slightly, shocked by the almost clinical coldness of her request.
"You know I can’t promise you that."

"Till…"

"I can’t promise that. If you think I’m going to leave you there, you don’t know me as well as you think."

She looked at him, torn between sadness and shock.
"That’s the problem." she murmured. "You care too much about me.

She sighed and stared at him for a long moment, as if weighing up a difficult decision.
"Till, I’m going to take you off the mission."

He frowned, stunned.
"What?"

"You’re not going tonight."

He stood up abruptly, clearly frustrated.
"You’re joking, I hope."

"No." she said, rising to her feet. "You’re too emotionally involved. If anything goes wrong, you’ll be taking crazy risks and I can’t afford that."

"You can’t do that! I’m as qualified as anyone else on the team, if not more!"

"And that’s why I don’t want to lose you."

The weight of her words stopped him in his tracks.
"It’s not your decision to make." he murmured.

"As team leader, it is. And it’s already been decided."

She looked him straight in the eye, trying to keep her composure despite the emotions that were threatening to boil over. She inched closer and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. He froze, surprised by the gentleness of her gesture.
"I’m sorry, Till. But it’s better this way." she murmured.

After a moment of hesitation, he hugged her back, squeezing her shoulders gently.
"It’s not fair." he breathed.

"I know."

They stayed there, entwined, each fighting their own emotions. She pulled back slightly, her hands still on him.
"Trust me." she murmured with a faint smile.

But in her eyes, he saw the fear she was trying to hide.
"I’m gonna have a quick shower." she said, pressing a kiss on the corner of his lips.

Till remained motionless, his arms falling slowly to his sides. He heard the water starting to pour as his mind was racing. He had to be there. He had to find a way. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. A dull anger surged through him, mixed with deep concern. He knew the danger of the mission but that wasn’t what was paralysing him. What terrified him was not being there for her if things went wrong. A few minutes later, she came back into the living room and gave him a smile, that he returned. She could feel his anger mixed with worry and sadness.
"You know that doesn’t change anything, right? I’ll find a way to get there."

She went closer to him.
"No, Till. You will respect my decision."

"What if I don’t want to?"

"Then you’ll force me to do something I hate. Give you an official order."

He swallowed, clenching his fists to contain his frustration. She approached him even more and placed her hands on his shoulders.
"I want you to stay here because you’re precious for the team. And… for me." she added in a breath.

This revelation disarmed him and he lowered his head, avoiding her gaze.
"And if it’s you who don’t come back?" he finally said.

"Then you’ll carry on. Just as you always have." she said, having thought of this possibility a thousand times.

Her gaze sought his but he always looked away, his jaws clenched, unable to hide his concern and frustration. She raised her hand and placed her fingers on his cheek, forcing his gaze go meet hers.
"Till… I understand how you feel."

"No you don’t. You’re asking me to stay here, to wait, to imagine the worst…"

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment under the weight of his own emotions. She left her hands on his cheek, her fingers brushing his skin as if to calm the storm inside of him.
"It’s precisely because I understand you that I’m doing this. If you come with us, I won’t be able to concentrate. I won’t be able to do what needs to be done. Because I’ll be thinking of you."

Her words hung in the air.
"But have you thought about me? If I lose you…"

She didn’t answer immediately. She moved closer, so close they could feel each other’s breath.
"I don’t want you to lose me." she breathed. "And that’s why you have to stay here."

He placed a hand on the one she had on his cheek, his thumb gently caressing her fingers.
"You can’t stop me worrying about you."

"I’m not asking you to, Till." she replied softly.

A silence stretched out between them but it wasn’t oppressive. It was charged with everything they couldn’t put into words. Till got even closer to her body.
"If anything happens to you…"

"Nothing will happen to me." she cut him off, placing her other hand on his chest.

"You can’t guarantee that."

"No." she admitted. "But I can promise you that I’ll do everything I can to come back."

He sighed and lowered his forehead to hers, closing his eyes.
"You’re unbearable." he breathed, a mixture of exasperation and affection.

She smiled slightly, their faces still so close.
"That’s why you love me."

He giggled sadly and slid his hands up her arms.
"Yes and it drives me completely mad."

When he raised his head, his gaze fixed her lips, just for a moment. An irrepressible impulse seized him. He kissed her. It wasn’t a hasty kiss nor was it carried away. It was slow, full of an emotion they had never dared name out loud. His hands slid to her waist, holding her to him as if he feared she would disappear. Y/N responded to his kiss with the same restrained intensity, a fragile tenderness mixed with a silent urgency. When their lips parted, she kept her forehead against his, her fingers gently playing with the nape of Till’s neck.
"I hadn’t planned this." she murmured with a slight smile.

"Neither did I. But I’m not sorry."

She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, her hand returning to rest on his cheek.
"So trust me, Till. Just this once."

He hesitated again but finally nodded slightly.
"That doesn’t mean I accept."

She laughed softly and said:
"I’d expect nothing less from you."

They stayed like that, close to each other, savouring this suspended moment before reality caught up with them.

Chapter Text

The air was clammy, saturated with the smell of rusty metal and a rancid draught that seemed to come from the bowels of the earth. It seemed to thicken with every step. The walls, covered in greenish mould and oozing water gave the impression that the metro had been abandoned for centuries. Every drip from the pipes in the ceiling sounded like a warning, mingling with the distant hum of a generator somewhere. Y/N led the way, her headlamp projecting a flickering circle of light that seemed to be swallowed up by the omnipresent darkness. Behind her, three members of the team followed in close formation. They were heavily equipped. Harnesses, sound detectors, special projectile rifles. But their nervousness was evident in every moment. The silence of the tunnel was just an illusion, she knew it. If she listened carefully, Y/N could hear the underlying sounds pulsating in the bowels of the earth. The distant rumble of an underground train mingled with the “silence”, like a ghostly echo. Nothing had run on these rails for weeks, and yet… The steady trickle of water running down the walls, the creaking of ageing metal structures and, most worrying, that distant irregular rumbling. She paused for a moment, raising a hand to signal the rest of the team to stop. Her gloved fingers brushed mechanically against her earpiece. In the oppressive silence, she heard a faint but distinct noise.
"Can you hear that?" she whispered.

Behind her, one of the scientists nodded.
"It sounds like… a heartbeat? Like a heartbeat but much stronger."

Y/N didn’t answer. She was staring at a point in the darkness, where the shadows blended with the flickering light from their lamps. Something abnormal was there. She could feel it. A series of splashes, as if something gigantic was moving gently through the water. She activated the microphone in her helmet.
"Control room, this is Alpha Team. We are at the entrance to segment E-14. No visuals but unusual sound activity."

A sizzling voice answered in her earpiece:
"Roger, Alpha Team. Stay safe."

She nodded, even though no one could see her. But safe wasn't the right word. Every fiber of her being was screaming that they shouldn't be here, that they weren't ready to face what they were looking for. But she had no choice. She turned her head slightly and addressed the team:
"We're moving in line. Stay alert. If you see any movement, don't shoot without my signal."

The group resumed their advance, their steps sinking slightly into the thick mud that covered the tracks. The smell was unbearable, a mixture of stagnant water, rusty metal and a strange, almost sweet perfume. A smell that shouldn't have existed in a tunnel. After a few metres, she stopped again. This time it wasn't a hunch. She'd seen something moving.
"Full beam." she ordered.

Three beams of light converged on the area. For a split second, nothing happened. Then a shadow slipped out of their field of vision, fast and stealthy, but massive enough to cause the ground to tremble slightly.
"What was that?" a voice cried, almost panicked.

"Stay calm." she replied firmly. "We'll carry on."

But deep down, Y/N knew that this was only the beginning. Her fingers mechanically touched the bracelet on her wrist. Till's watch. It was almost a ritual now, a way of anchoring herself. She briefly saw his face again, his jaw tight as she told him she was taking him off the mission. His voice echoed in her head:
"Promise me you'll come back."

She took a deep breath.
"Stay focused." she thought to herself.

*** ***

The silence in the flat was almost deafening. All Till could hear was the monotonous ticking of the wall clock and, occasionally, the distant rumble of cars in the street. He was sitting on the sofa with a cup of cold coffee in his hand. His eyes were fixed on his phone on the coffee table, but the screen was blank. No messages. No calls. Nothing. He glanced out of the window of Y/N's flat. He stood up abruptly and started pacing back and forth in the living room, walking past a shelf of marine biology books. He knew their titles almost by heart: Abyssal Creatures... Ecosystems of the Deep... Everything she had read to understand what they had discovered in the metro. Everything here exuded her presence. The walls were lined with photos, hand-annotated nautical charts and a whiteboard on which she had scrawled incomprehensible calculations. He approached the board, hoping to find some distraction. The hastily drawn lines and curves probably represented the seismic readings they had collected in the tunnels. A sentence, written in red capitals, caught his attention: UNIDENTIFIED FREQUENCIES - DANGER TO HUMANS. A shiver ran down his spine. He remembered the first time they had heard these sounds. A low frequency, almost inaudible, but which made the bones vibrate and left a profound feeling of nausea. Some members of their team had even hallucinated after prolonged exposure. He shook his head, trying to clear his head. On one of the shelves he saw a model submarine, probably a gift from someone who thought a marine scientist would appreciate the humour. Despite all this, Y/N's flat seemed colder than usual, as if her absence had drained the space of its warmth. Yet the room was suffocating him. He had tried to immerse himself in his own research but reality was crushing him: she was there, under tons of concrete and water, facing something they still didn't understand. And him? All he could do was wait. He closed his eyes, trying to push away the images that haunted him. Each passing second seemed to stretch time, and his imagination, always too fertile, tortured him with visions of catastrophe. Scenarios unfolded in his mind, each more terrifying than the last. Y/N trapped in a collapsed tunnel. A brutal attack from the creature, too quick for her to react. Silence, definitive silence...
"Why did I let her go?" he thought, blaming himself.

He jerked his eyes open and ran his hands over his face. No. He had to calm down. But how, when he didn't even know if she was still alive? The phone on the table vibrated. He grabbed it immediately, but it was just an automatic message from his operator. He sighed, almost disappointed that he hadn't received an emergency call. The wait was becoming unbearable. To distract himself, he opened her laptop. Perhaps he could have one last look at the data they had collected. Audio recordings taken in the metro, blurred images from surveillance cameras... And that low, almost infrasonic frequency that seemed to cause hallucinations in those who heard it for too long. He opened an audio file and put on his headphones. A shiver ran down his spine. This thing should never have existed. He reached for his phone for the umpteenth time and opened their message thread. It had only been a few hours since their last conversation:
"Promise me you'll be careful"

"Always"

But she was never careful when it came to her work, and he knew it.

*** ***

The tunnel widened, forming a sort of cavern where the rails disappeared beneath a murky expanse of water. Y/N stopped and scanned the surroundings. The ground was littered with debris: chunks of concrete, fragments of machinery, and remains that looked like... bones.
"Control room, this is Alpha. We are in zone E-14. Visibility reduced. We have found... organic remains."

Her voice remained calm, but her heart was pounding. One of the scientists approached, pointing his lamp at the bones.
"Do you think it's human?" he asked, his voice trembling.

She didn't need to answer. The shape of the skull, partially submerged, spoke for itself. Suddenly, a thud sounded behind them. A creak, followed by a deep, almost animal-like roar. Y/N turned, raising her weapon.
"Lighting!" she shouted.

A tremor ran through the ground beneath their feet, causing the water to vibrate. A shudder, almost imperceptible, but enough to make the team flinch. Y/N felt a chill run down her spine.
"Did you feel that?" asked one of the scientists.

Y/N didn't answer. She was focused on a point ahead, at the intersection of two tunnels. A light blinked red, like a warning. She motioned for the team to stay back and stepped forward on her own. Her boots sank slightly into the mud covering the rails. Her whole body was on alert.
"Control room, this is Alpha. Low seismic activity registered. We are making progress."

She then turned to her team.
"This is it." she said in a low voice.

She had barely finished her sentence when a wrenching scream sounded, followed by a sucking noise. The roar was so powerful that the walls shook. Their headlamps scanned the darkness, but all they revealed was a huge figure lurking in the shadows. The huge mass emerged from the water, gleaming and bristling with organic protuberances. Its tentacles, thick as tree trunks, slowly unfurled, and two gigantic, luminescent eyes fixed on them with terrifying intelligence. Y/N felt her breath catch. The ground began to vibrate more strongly, and there was another rumble, as if the entire tunnel was breathing. The team took a step back, but Y/N remained motionless. Her instinct was to run, but she knew they didn't have that luxury. She took a deep breath. For Till. For London.
"Get back!" she shouted.

But before anyone could move, the immense mass burst out of the darkness, roaring so powerfully that the whole tunnel vibrated. Tentacles, glistening and slimy, wrapped themselves around the tunnel walls. Y/N felt her heart stop for a split second. She threw herself to the side, rolling on the floor to avoid one of the appendages, which slammed against the concrete with terrifying force.
"Fire!" she shouted to her team.

Detonations erupted, briefly illuminating the space with dazzling flashes. But in the midst of the chaos, she saw something that chilled her even more than the creature itself: those eyes, immense and brilliant, set directly on her.

*** ***

A thud sounded in the distance, seeming to come from the bowels of the city. The rumbling had reached a crescendo, as if the earth itself was protesting against a force that should never have been awakened. Till startled and sat up abruptly, clasping his hands over his ears. He looked up at the ceiling, observing the vibrations running along the walls of the flat. A small statuette on a shelf wobbled dangerously before falling with a thud. The curtains billowed slightly, as if on an invisible breeze. But there was no wind. Just a heavy, palpable tension that seemed to seep into every corner of the room. The vibrations seemed to run through his own body.
"Scheiße, Scheiße, Scheiße..." he leapt to his feet, his breathing rapid and erratic.

He ran to the window, his heart beating wildly. He opened the window, drew the curtains with a nervous gesture and leaned out, scanning the street. The lights of nearby buildings shook slightly, as if a distant earthquake had shaken the city. People seemed as disturbed as he was, looking up at the slightly vibrating buildings. A dog barked frantically, tugging at its leash. His heart was pounding. He knew. He grabbed the remote control and turned on the TV. The news channels were not yet reporting anything unusual. Yet he knew. Something was happening, and it was directly related to her. His phone suddenly vibrated. He rushed to it, hoping for a message from Y/N. But it was just a notification:
"ALERT: Unusual seismic activity detected in central London. Avoid underground areas."

His heart clenched. He froze for a moment, his gaze fixed on the words. “Unusual.” They didn't understand. They didn't know it wasn't a simple earthquake, but this. This monster she'd decided to face alone. He knew exactly what it meant. The monster. There, in the depths of the metro. And Y/N, with her team... A wave of panic swept over him, overwhelming all reasoning. He jerked his computer away, ignoring the open files on the screen, and reached for his phone. His fingers frantically typed in Y/N's number. He tried to call her. No answer. He tried again. Still nothing.
"Answer..." he murmured, his hands trembling.

He tried again and again. No voice, no words, just an oppressive silence. The dial tone sounded, relentless, but no one picked up. He tried again, and again, until both of his hands began to tremble.
"Answer... Answer, damn it!" his voice was strangled, a mixture of fear and frustration.

This cocktail of emotions was now mingled with a dull anger. Why did she always have to take these risks? Why couldn’t she think of herself for once? He closed his eyes, but instead of calming down, all he saw were terrifying images: Y/N trapped under rubble, the creature attacking, and him, powerless. He dropped his phone on the table, arms crossed over his head. His thoughts raced in all directions, terrifying images dancing before his eyes. Till stepped back, his throat tight, and collapsed into the armchair. The mental image of Y/N kept haunting him. Her determined face, her team advancing into the darkness. He closed his eyes, trying to block out these thoughts, but the idea of her out there, confronting that thing, was unbearable. Another rumble shook the apartment, and this time he felt the floor vibrate beneath his feet. He ran to the window again, pulling the curtains violently aside. The street was a controlled chaos. Passers-by clustered in small circles, looking up or moving quickly away. A woman, clutching a child, ran under her building. His phone vibrated again and a message appeared:
"Red zone detected. GPS signal unavailable in affected area."

His heart missed a beat and a drop of cold sweat rolled down his temple. The monster was there, he knew it. Where the rumbles had started. “Red zone” That could only mean one thing: the tunnels were collapsing. And she was there. She was there, and there was nothing he could do. He grabbed her computer, put it on his lap and hastily opened the data stream she had given him access to. Figures scrolled by, incomprehensible, but one curve caught his eye. A sudden increase, like a seismic signature, but far too localised. It was coming from there. The underground.
"No, no, no..." he breathed, his voice breaking.

He sat up abruptly, overcome by a mixture of helplessness and anger. He had to do something. He couldn't just stand there and watch. One last time, he dialled her number. The tone sounded. Then, at last, a click. Not her voice, but a distant background noise. A murmur. A whisper, perhaps.
"Y/N... Answer, please..."

Silence again. This time he felt himself sinking, his head in his hands, his knees buckling under the weight of his anguish. If she didn't answer... maybe there was no one left to answer.

*** ***

The howl of one of the team members echoed through the tunnels, mingling with the deafening sound of crushing metal. The flickering light from their headlamps couldn't pierce the darkness, but Y/N knew the creature wasn't far away. Its heavy, deep breath sounded like a drum in the cave.
"Regroup!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the tumult.

But she already knew that her order was only a reflex. Chaos reigned. One soldier had already thrown himself to the ground, spasming, while another backed away slowly, his weapon pointed at the moving shadow. A tentacle shot out of the darkness, lightning fast, taking out one of the portable searchlights. The light swirled in the air before fading abruptly, plunging the scene into an even more oppressive darkness. She activated her microphone, hoping that the line to the control room was still active.
"Critical situation! We need immediate extraction! The creature is..."

A terrible crash interrupted her call. Part of the tunnel collapsed, chunks of concrete falling with a dull roar. She pressed herself against the wall, her arms covering her head to protect herself from the debris.
"Everyone, hold on!"

The silence that followed was worse than the noise. A heavy silence, where every drop of water falling from the ceiling sounded like a hammer. She scanned her surroundings, her eyes trying to adjust to the darkness. One of the soldiers was still standing, his weapon trembling in his hands. The others... She looked away from a pile of rubble. They were no longer there. Then she felt it. An almost imperceptible vibration running up her boots. The monster was moving again, somewhere in the depths. She switched on her headlamp again and scanned the area. A trail of blood glistened faintly on the ground, disappearing into the darkness.
"Give me a position on the target!" she shouted into the microphone, but there was no reply.

She wondered for a moment if the control room could still hear her. She tightened her fingers around her weapon, aware that the only certainty was the creature itself, somewhere nearby. A wet, splashing sound caught her attention. She turned around slowly. Two luminescent eyes floated in the shadows, staring straight at her. Immense. Terrifying.
"Fire!" she shouted, without waiting.

The bullets crackled through the tunnel, their glare briefly illuminating the creature's massive form. A mass of tentacles bristling with suckers, chitinous plates gleaming like polished metal. She stepped back, her heart beating wildly. The bullets seemed to ricochet off its body like drops of water. The monster moved forward in a fluid motion, one tentacle hitting the ground just a few centimetres from her feet. She lost her balance and crashed heavily against the wall. A metallic taste filled her mouth.
"This can't be happening." she whispered, her voice choked with adrenaline.

She reached for a grenade strapped to her belt, her fingers sliding over the cold metal.
"Back off!" she shouted to her team, although she wasn't sure if anyone was still there to hear her.

She pulled the pin and detonated the explosive. A second later, the tunnel burst into blinding light. The explosion sent the creature reeling back, a deafening roar echoing through the underground. But instead of fleeing, it seemed to grow even more furious, its tentacles flailing frantically. Y/N sat up, panting. Her ears were ringing. She knew she couldn't win, not like this.
"Control, this is the commander. The creature is coming up. You need to evacuate the area immediately!"

One last look into the darkness. The monster was still advancing. And this time, it didn't seem to want to play anymore.

*** ***

Till's eyes were glued to her computer screen, but the data he was seeing no longer made any sense. Shaky curves, flashing red alerts, and a series of coordinates that seemed to contradict each other. Every second that passed brought him a little closer to panic. A shudder shook the building again, stronger this time. The cup of coffee he had left on the desk wobbled before falling, shattering into pieces. He raised his head, his heart beating wildly. It was coming from further away, but he felt something approaching, something immense. He reached for his phone. There was no news. No answer to his calls, no message from Y/N. He'd tried calling the control room, but all he got was dead silence. A new vibration shook the flat. The lights flickered briefly before stabilising. Till got up hurriedly and went to the window. The street was almost deserted now. A police car whizzed past, sirens blaring, as the last of the passers-by stomped away. Something about the way they walked, the mixture of panic and confusion, sent a cold shiver down his spine. His phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out feverishly. An alert:
"Abnormal activity detected. Risk of collapse in underground areas."

He clutched the phone in his hand. This couldn't be a coincidence. This wasn't just a collapse. This was it. What she was trying to stop. He tried calling her again. One dial tone. Two tones. Then a click.
"Y/N?" he called immediately.

But instead of her voice, a hoarse murmur filled the earpiece. Then a low rumble that seemed to vibrate into his bones. It was a sound he couldn't identify, but which he knew to be dangerous. His throat tightened.
"Y/N, answer! Can you hear me?" he shouted, but there was nothing else.

Just that dull roar that eventually died away. He threw the phone on the table and grabbed a jacket, unable to stand still for another second.
"I can't... I can't just wait." he opened the flat door, ready to step outside, but stopped short.

What exactly was he going to do? Go down these tunnels alone? Run straight into something capable of shaking an entire neighbourhood? He slammed the door shut and returned to the living room. His fingers trembled as he rummaged through Y/N's files on the computer. Maps of the tunnels, data on risk areas, scanned handwritten notes. If she was still there, he needed to understand where and why. His gaze fell on a line of text she had highlighted in red on a document:
"Point of no return. Once the creature emerges, everything will be out of control."

A cold sweat ran down his back. The shaking he felt, the rumbling, the alarms... This was it. The creature wasn't going to stay in the tunnels. He clutched his head in his hands, his mind racing. She was there, in the middle of it. And all he could do was wait. Wait and hope that she would come out alive.

*** ***

The tunnel was plunged into an oppressive silence after the explosion. A silence that seemed to swallow up the slightest sound, except for the steady drip of water crashing to the floor. Y/N struggled to her feet, a stabbing pain radiating from her shoulder. She had hit the wall when she was thrown by the blast from the grenade. She scanned the darkness with her headlamp. The air was thick with dust, making every breath heavy and laboured.
"Situation report!" she barked into her microphone, her voice hoarse.

No feedback. She turned her head slowly, her eyes searching desperately for familiar figures. To her left, a scientist lay motionless, his helmet shattered and his weapon abandoned just centimetres from his fingers. To his right, another staggered to his feet, his face covered in blood.
"Carter, can you hear me? Where's the rest of the team?" she asked as she approached.

Carter nodded weakly, raising a trembling hand to point into the darkness.
"They... they've been..." his voice broke, and he looked away.

Y/N gritted her teeth. She didn't need to hear the end of his sentence to understand. Her eyes fell on a dark streak on the floor, a mark left by something - or someone - dragged into the depths. Then she felt the vibration. Not like the explosion. It was something deeper, more alive. It was coming from below, rising slowly but surely. She froze, listening intently. A rumbling, barely perceptible, was growing in intensity. The monster.
"Control, this is the Commander!" she said, pressing down on her microphone. "The creature is moving. It is injured but not neutralised. Evacuate all underground areas immediately!"

Still nothing. The line was dead. She glanced quickly at Carter.
"Get ready to move. We need to get back up."

But before she could take another step, a wet, slimy sound echoed in the darkness. She turned her lamp in that direction. Two points of light floated in the darkness, huge and cold. The eyes. The monster's eyes. She grabbed Carter by the arm and pulled him back.
"Get back, now!"

But before he could obey, a tentacle shot out, hitting the ground with a violence that shook the tunnel. He collapsed, his head hitting the concrete hard. Y/N stepped back, drawing her weapon. Her hands were steady despite the terror that gripped her chest. She fired several shots, aiming for the creature's eyes, but the bullets ricocheted off a hard, shiny surface.
"Bloody armour..." she muttered through gritted teeth.

The monster stepped forward, revealing all its immensity. Massive tentacles wrapped around the tunnel beams, bending them as if they were twigs. A gaping maw opened, bristling with translucent teeth that gleamed in the shadows.
"You wanna play? Then come on, you filth." she growled, pulling a second grenade from her belt.

She knew it wouldn't be enough to kill the thing, but it could buy her some time. She pulled the pin and threw it straight into the gaping maw of the monster. The explosion lit up the tunnel in a blinding light, followed by a roar that shook the ground beneath her feet. The blast threw her backwards, and she hit the wall hard, the taste of blood filling her mouth. In the flickering light, she saw the creature recoil slightly, visibly irritated but still intact. She struggled to her feet, aware that her time was running out. She had to get to the surface and alert the world before the monster could get out. Panting, she turned to Carter, still unconscious.
"I'm not leaving you here." she whispered, pulling him onto her shoulders.

Every step was a struggle, but she pressed on, fierce determination in her eyes. Behind her, the monster roared again.

*** ***

The lines of code, the graphics, the red alerts, all intertwined before his eyes like a web he could no longer untangle. His hands trembled on the keyboard, but Till knew there was nothing more to find here. The data confirmed what he had feared all along: the creature had exceeded everything they had anticipated. The seismic coordinates showed a movement towards the surface. It was rising. And she was still down there.
"You should have let me come." he murmured, his words echoing in the silence of the flat.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. It was unbearable. The idea that she might be in danger, alone in these damp, oozing tunnels, surrounded by this... thing. That he might never see her again. He slammed the computer shut, pushed back the chair and grabbed his coat. His phone slipped off the table and landed on the floor. He picked it up, the screen cracked, but the dial tone was still ringing in his ears as he tried one last time to call her. Nothing. No answer.
"I'm not just going to wait."

The words were more for himself than anything else, a desperate attempt to justify what he was about to do. He opened a drawer, looking for something - anything - that might help him. He found a torch, a dusty pocket knife and a notebook full of Y/N's scribbled notes. He stuffed everything into a backpack he had found, his movements quick and mechanical. A few minutes later, he was speeding down the stairs of the building, his footsteps echoing in the stairwell. The cold night air whipped against his face as he stepped outside. The streets were strangely quiet, but a distant thud seemed to vibrate in the air, like a distant heartbeat. He walked quickly, then ran, his bag jerking against his back. He knew where she went - she had shown him the maps, talked about their plans. The tunnels under the disused Charing Cross station. That was where he would go. The few people he passed on the streets all seemed to be heading in the opposite direction, their faces marked by worry. An alert sounded on his phone but he ignored it. He had seen the warnings before. None of it mattered.
"She's down there." he kept telling himself.

When he finally arrived near the entrance to the underground network, he found the perimeter cordoned off with barricades and security tape. A squad of policemen and soldiers seemed to be evacuating the last people. One of the officers approached him.
"Turn back, sir, it's dangerous here."

"I have to get through." Till retorted breathlessly. "Someone I love is in there."

The agent shook his head.
"Nobody can get in. It's a red zone, a collapse is imminent."

Till felt a dull rage rise up inside him. He couldn't stand there, only a few metres from where she might still be.
"I'm part of the research programme. I'm a scientist." he said, showing his card. "Look at my card."

The policeman looked at it but said:
"Sorry, sir, but you're not authorised."

"Then arrest me if you like." he gasped before rushing to the side, rounding the barricades in a desperate dash.

He slipped into the darkness of a side passage. The damp, metallic smell of the tunnels filled his nostrils. His heart was pounding but he kept moving, his torch shining on the moss and graffiti-covered walls. The rumblings grew louder, echoing in the depths like a portent of something unimaginable. He stopped for a moment, his hands on his knees as he gasped for breath. A tear rolled down his cheek. He thought of her face, of her determined smile, of everything she had sacrificed for this mission.
"Don't die, Y/N." he whispered, his voice breaking. "I beg you, hold on."

He got to his feet and continued forward. If he couldn't save her, then he would find her. He wanted at least to be able to tell her that he had come. That he tried. That he loved her.

*** ***

The air was thick, saturated with humidity and the stagnant smell of the metropolis. Till advanced cautiously, a torch trembling in his hand. Each step echoed in a muffled way, amplifying his anxiety. He didn't know exactly where to look for Y/N but he followed the clues left by the team. Boot prints marked the damp ground, and occasionally a piece of fluorescent tape indicated the direction the scientists had taken. Part of him regretted being here. The images he had conjured up in the flat came flooding back: visions of the creature emerging from the darkness, muffled screams, blood splattering. But he pushed these thoughts away. He had to find her. He HAD to tell her how he felt, show her that he could be there for her. A sudden splash startled him. His torch swept across the tunnel, revealing only puddles and shifting shadows. His breath quickened. He stopped for a moment, trying to calm the frantic beating of his heart.
"It's nothing... just water…" he murmured, as if trying to convince himself.

The oppressive silence was interrupted by a crackling electrical noise. An abandoned radio, hanging on a wall, emitted a barely audible voice:
"Alpha Team, reporting a disturbance..."

The words were lost in interference. Till approached, but the radio fell silent before he could understand. He resumed his walk, moving deeper into the darkness. Every detail seemed hostile. The rusty pipes groaning under the pressure of the water, the rats that fled at his approach, the shadows that danced at the edge of his vision. Finally, he came across a scene that made his blood run cold. Scattered equipment, the remains of torn nets and a dark stain that could have been blood. He knelt down, examining the ground. His fingers trembled as he touched an abandoned electronic beacon.
"Y/N..." his voice cracked.

Then he heard it. A muffled cry, far away, but recognisable in a thousand ways. It was her. Without hesitation, he got to his feet and ran in the direction of the sound, his breath short and his thoughts clouded by urgency. Fear gave way to brutal determination. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. The tunnels seemed to stretch on forever, but the cry repeated itself, guiding his steps. Finally, he came to a large cavity, where he saw a familiar figure, crouching, weapon in hand, facing a gigantic mass emerging from the water. The monster was even more terrifying than he had imagined: a creature with luminescent tentacles and eyes glowing with sinister intelligence. Till screamed:
"Y/N!"

Y/N turned around, her face lit up with a mixture of relief and anger.
"Till?! What are you doing here?! I told you to stay in the flat!"

She glanced quickly at the monster, who was starting to move, as if disturbed by the noise. Its tentacles slid down the walls, making a slimy noise that sent a shiver down Till's spine. Y/N lunged at once, pinning Till against a wall to protect him from a tentacle that landed heavily where he had been a moment earlier.
"And I told you I couldn't leave you alone!" he replied, panting, his face just a few centimetres from hers.

"You must leave now! It's too dangerous!"

Her voice trembled, but she retained an undeniable authority.
"No way!" he retorted, clenching his fists. "I've come this far to help you, and I'm not going to let you face this alone."

The creature let out a shrill cry, rattling the walls around them. Y/N grabbed Till by the arm and pulled him behind another pillar as a spray of water from the creature pulverised the ground behind them.
"If you really want to help me, then listen to me. We have to work together. But you follow MY instructions, understand?"

Till nodded, his gaze fixed on her.
"Understood."

Together, they quickly drew up a plan. Y/N removed an explosive charge from her belt and handed it to Till.
"Place this near the opening where it came out. I'm going to lure it to the other side. As soon as you've finished, you step back and wait for my signal. Got it?"

He swallowed hard, but nodded.
"Be careful." he murmured before running off.

Y/N ventured into the water, her gun pointed at the creature, drawing its attention with repeated shots. Meanwhile, Till knelt by the opening, his hands trembling as he fixed the explosive to the wall. The creature's roar echoed behind him, but he remained concentrated. Finally, he finished and ran away.
"It's ready!" he shouted.

Y/N activated the remote detonator, and a deafening explosion shook the tunnels, engulfing the creature in a swirl of water and debris. Till joined Y/N, panting. She hugged him briefly before releasing him.
"It's over, isn't it?" he murmured, almost pleadingly.

Y/N, her face serious, shook her head.
"We haven't finished yet. We need to check if it's really dead. Creatures like that... they always find a way to come back, unless we make sure."

The debris floated on the surface of the murky water, and a deafening silence settled over the cavity. Till wiped his forehead, dripping with sweat and moisture, his legs trembling.
"You stay here. I'll come down."

Till stepped in, placing a firm hand on her arm.
"You're hurt, look at you. Let me go."

She stared at him, a mixture of anger and concern in her eyes, and said:
"I'm more experienced than you are."

"Maybe, but you trusted me earlier. Let me show you that you still can."

There was a short silence. Then, reluctantly, Y/N nodded. She handed him a waterproof torch and another, smaller explosive charge.
"Be careful. If you see anything moving... set this off and come back up immediately. Got it?"

Till nodded, clutching the charge in his hand. He took a deep breath before plunging into the icy black water. Beneath the surface, everything was different. The world was silent, oppressive. Debris swirled around him, and he struggled to make out anything in the gloom. The torchlight illuminated fragments of the creature's body. A severed tentacle, bits of glistening flesh. He swam deeper until he saw what appeared to be the main body. He approached it cautiously, his breathing echoing through his mask. The creature's luminescent eyes were extinguished, but a disturbing pulse was coming from its entrails, a faint, almost imperceptible movement.
"It's still alive..." he thought with horror.

With hurried movements, Till fixed the small charge to what he assumed was the monster's torso. The creature seemed to react, a shudder running through its body. He stepped back quickly, his heart beating wildly. Back on the surface, he shouted:
"Blow it up! Now!"

Y/N, already ready with the detonator, didn't hesitate for a second. An umpteenth explosion shook the cavity, raising an immense wave. Till was thrown backwards and clung desperately to a metal pipe. When the waters subsided, there was nothing left. The creature had disappeared, swallowed up by the water and the collapsing rocks. Y/N ran to him, helping him out of the water.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" she asked, her tone betraying an anguish she almost never showed.

Till nodded, still shaking.
"We did it... it's dead for good."

Y/N hugged him briefly before stepping back.
"You were incredibly brave. But don't ever do that again."

Till gave her a tired smile.
"Not without you."

They collapsed on a wide pipe and took time to catch their breath, sitting side by side. Y/N glanced at Till, who still seemed a little stunned, but a tired smile played across his lips.
"You know, Till..." she paused, searching for words. "If you wanted to prove to me that you were prepared to get yourself into dangerous situations, you could have chosen something less... risky."

Till let out a nervous laugh, an unexpected sound in these gloomy surroundings.
"You mean like... I don't know, rescuing a cat stuck in a tree?"

She shook her head, smiling.
"Something like that, yes. But no, you had to jump into a tunnel filled with water, with a monstrous creature that wanted to devour us."

They looked at each other, and despite their tiredness, a slight sense of hilarity came over them. The stress, the fear, everything seemed to be evacuated through this absurd moment. Their laughter echoed faintly in the tunnels. Then, with an unexpected impulse, Y/N placed a hand on Till's cheek, her smile softening.
"Thank you for coming to get me. Even if it was a completely crazy idea."

Till straightened slightly, his eyes boring into hers.
"I would have come, no matter what. I couldn't lose you."

Without further thought, she leaned in and gently placed her lips on his. It wasn't a kiss of unbridled passion, but a silent promise of relief, gratitude and a bond they could no longer deny. When they parted, Till looked at her, a little amazed.
"If I'd known that diving into a tunnel with a monster led to this, I might have tried it sooner."

She tapped him on the shoulder, but her smile betrayed her amusement.
"Don't get used to it. It doesn't mean you have carte blanche to risk your life."

They stood up, ready to leave. As they walked side by side, hand in hand, a light laugh continued to float between them, an unexpected echo in the darkness of the tunnels, a sign that even in the darkest moments, they could find a little light together. The return to the surface was slow and silent. Every bend they turned seemed to bring them a little closer to fresh air and daylight, but their tired bodies made every metre harder. When they finally reached a rusty ladder leading to an access hatch, Till looked up at the pale light filtering through.
"This is it. We're outside finally."

Y/N nodded, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Hop in. I'll cover you."

Till didn't argue, climbing quickly despite his aching muscles. Once at the top, he forced the trapdoor open and climbed out. The icy night air whipped at his face, but he welcomed it as a blessing. He held out his hand to Y/N, who joined him nimbly, despite her injuries. They stood for a moment, breathing deeply. All around them, the city continued to live on, oblivious to the battle that had just taken place beneath its feet. The street lights twinkled, and the distant rumble of the underground announced that the lines had resumed their normal activity. Till sat down heavily on the pavement, resting his elbows on his knees and looking up at the starry sky.
"Do you realise that we've just saved the whole city?" he said with a smile.

Y/N, still standing, ran a hand through her soaking wet hair, a half-amused, half-serious expression on her face.
"And no one will ever know. It's always like that."

She sat down beside him, their shoulders touching.
"You know, Till... You were amazing down there."

He turned his head towards her, one eyebrow raised.
"Does that mean I'm forgiven for disobeying?"

Y/N pretended to think, but a slight smile lit up her face.
"Let's say you're temporarily forgiven. But I warn you, if you do something like that again…"

"Yes, yes, I know. You'll leave me alone to deal with the next sea monster." he joked.

They exchanged a knowing glance, a mixture of relief and pride. She rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her hands around his biceps. They enjoyed this moment of calm. They were together and not badly hurt. Then Y/N put a hand on his leg and stood up.
"Come on, now. A hot shower and a real meal await us. And maybe, for once, we can get a full night of sleep."

Chapter Text

The streets of London were almost deserted at this late hour, bathed in the subdued light of the street lamps. The air was cool, laden with the characteristic humidity of London nights. Till and Y/N were walking side by side, hand in hand, their heavy, irregular steps betraying exhaustion. Neither of them had spoken since leaving the pavement on which they had sat to catch their breath. The silence was both comfortable and filled with a gentle tension, as if a dialogue was emerging without them yet knowing how to formulate it. Till kept glancing at Y/N, trying to read her thoughts in the shadows of her features. She looked so tired but something in her demeanour was intact. A strength, a resolution that had always fascinated him. As for her, she felt Till's presence by her side like an anchor, a certainty in a world that, just a few hours earlier, had seemed on the verge of collapsing.
"A hot shower wouldn't be bad." Till finally murmured, breaking the silence with a tired half-smile.

"A shower, a roughly balanced meal and a full night of sleep." she replied, her voice hoarse but tinged with a slight note of relief.

She turned her head towards him and added, more gently:
"But first of all, I'm just glad you're here."

Till felt a familiar warmth welling up in his chest, relieving some of the exhaustion that was weighing down his limbs. He had spent hours worrying about her, imagining the worst scenarios. Seeing her safe and sound was all that mattered.
"Me too." he said after a moment. "But you know, I was... scared. Scared that something would go wrong, that you wouldn't come back."

She nodded slowly, as if carrying the weight of that reality.
"It crossed my mind too. But I couldn't have done that if I knew you were out there, in danger."

He nodded, understanding what she meant. It was one of those discussions they had in silence, through their choices. A moment passed before she spoke again, her voice softer, almost shy:
"And now... what are we going to do, the two of us?"

Till looked at her, taken aback. He had never imagined that this question would come so quickly, even though it was so obvious.
"You mean... if we tell the others?"

She nodded, a smile emerging on her tired lips.
"Yes. After all, we're not exactly the kings of discretion. But it's recent, so I wonder... are we ready?"

Till inhaled deeply, thinking. His thoughts intermingled: relief at having her by his side, fear of what their colleagues might think and the simple, pure desire not to hide what he was feeling any longer.
"What I do know..." he said finally. "... is that I'm glad we're alive, both of us. Everything else... we can handle it. Together."

She paused for a moment, looking at him with obvious tenderness. Then she nodded, obviously determined.
"Together, then. We'll tell them. But not tonight. Tonight, all I want is a shower, you and some peace and quiet."

Till laughed softly, a faint but sincere sound, and laid a hand on her shoulder.
"So let's get going. A shower and a hot meal await us."

They resumed their walk, their steps lining up instinctively and the shadows of the night seemed less heavy around them. When they reached her building, they passed through the glass doors and headed for the lift. The silence returned, not uncomfortable but charged with emotion. As the doors closed in front of them, the same thought seemed to cross their minds: it was here, in this small, cramped space, that they had kissed for the first time. Till lowered his eyes, a discreet smile grazing his lips as she met his gaze in the reflection of the mirror.
"You remember?" she asked softly.

"How could I forget?" he replied, his voice almost a whisper.

The ding of the lift brought them back to reality but the moment remained suspended between them, like a silent promise. They got out, Till slinging his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door of her flat, ready to leave behind them the horrors of the day. When she opened the door to the flat, a scene of chaos greeted them. Several books were strewn across the floor, broken mugs scattered across the carpet and a small ceramic statuette was lying in pieces near the desk. She stood still for a moment, evaluating the damage. The creature's vibrations, so intense in the tunnels, had clearly reached the surface, shaking the building and causing this mess. Her gaze moved over to the table, where her computer had been left open, surrounded by crumpled maps, hastily scribbled handwritten notes and several empty cups stacked precariously. A chair had been knocked over and a few papers scattered on the floor, evidence of the haste with which Till had set off in search of her. She breathed in deeply, hands on hips, as if to absorb the scale of the chaos.
"Well... I suppose it's a reflection of this day."

The disorder told a story, of a day when they had almost lost everything but had found something more precious: a future, together. Till stepped forward, running a hand through his messy hair.
"I'm sorry." he said. "When I left, I... I didn't really take the time to tidy up."

She turned her head towards him, a tired but sincere smile on her lips.
"Don't apologise. I'd rather have you here, alive, than a perfectly tidy flat."

He shrugged, smiling in return.
"That, I can hear. But I can at least try to clean up a little."

She laid a light hand on his arm, stopping him.
"Not tonight. We'll deal with all that tomorrow. Tonight, we deserve to rest."

She picked up one of the broken cups carefully and placed it on the coffee table before straightening, meeting his gaze. They were both exhausted but in the chaos there was a strange serenity, a mutual understanding that few words could express.
"Thank you for being there." she murmured, her voice softened by emotion.

"Always." he replied without hesitation, his gaze filled with a sincerity that made her heart beat a little faster.

They stood there for a moment, amidst the scattered books and trembling memories, before she broke the silence:
"Go take your shower. After that, I'll make us something to eat."

"Or maybe you can join me there..." he replied, his smile widening despite his tiredness.

She blushed but returned his smile. The shy Till, not even daring to admit his feelings to her, seemed a world away. He took her hand and pulled her into the bathroom. Till closed the bathroom door behind them, letting out a sigh as he finally felt the weight of the day begin to evaporate. They then began to exchange passionate but slow kisses, enjoying the moments they could finally share together without fear. They quickly removed each other's clothes, their lips immediately finding each other every time, as if they were drawn like magnets. He turned on the hot water, enjoying the steady sound that masked the chaos of the outside world for a moment. The dim light of the room and the steam that was beginning to fill the air created a soothing, almost unreal atmosphere. Under the hot jet, they let the water trickle down their skin, washing away the sweat, dust and intense memories of the day. The tense muscles in their bodies began to relax but their minds were still filled with thoughts: the mission, the fear he had felt for her and the fear she had felt in front of the monster. Till closed his eyes, resting a hand against the cold tiles of the wall and sighed deeply. He had never imagined he could feel something so powerful, a connection so immediate and visceral. And now that he had found her, there was no way he was losing her. She began to wash his back gently, placing deep kisses on his shoulders and neck. He opened his eyes, slightly surprised but a soft smile spread across his lips. No words were exchanged. They didn’t need them. The silence was filled with another kind of language, the language of gestures and glances. Water flowed around them and the cramped space suddenly seemed larger, as if there was nothing but their bubble of warmth and closeness. They were there, together, sharing this simple but deeply intimate moment, where words were not necessary. Just the feeling of no longer being alone, of no longer carrying the weight of the world without each other. The chaos of the flat and of the day was forgotten, washed away by the water. Only them remained, in this suspended moment where nothing else mattered. Under the hot water, their closeness became natural, almost instinctive. The drops ran down their tired skin, washing away dust, superficial wounds and accumulated tension. Till raised a hand, hesitating for a split second before gently placing it on her shoulder. She looked up at him and in that simple gaze, there was infinite tenderness, a need for comfort as much as connection. He leaned in slowly, their breaths mingling and their lips met once more in a kiss that carried everything: fear, relief, and budding affection. Time seemed to stretch as their kisses grew deeper, more assertive. His fingers slid into her damp hair, while he gently traced the curve of her back, each gesture a mixture of gentleness and urgency. The outside world faded away, leaving only the warmth of the water and the one emanating from their bodies. They took care of each other, their hands gently exploring, washing away the fatigue and traces of the day. Each gesture was imbued with an almost sacred intention, a way of marking that they were here, together and alive. He traced a line of water on her arm with his fingertips, as if to memorise it, while she let her hands roam his chest, stopping on the old scars that bore witness to a past she had not yet explored but had already accepted. The boundaries between comfort and desire slowly faded, giving way to an implicit but obvious intimacy. They lost themselves in the warmth, in the murmurs muffled by the water, in the simplicity of this shared moment. Nothing was rushed. Everything was natural, as if this moment had always belonged to them. When they finally stopped, breathless, their eyes met again. There was no need for words. Everything they wanted was in their eyes, in the way their fingers intertwined in the shower before they slowly calmed down, like two souls who had found refuge in each other. Once the water was turned off, the silence of the bathroom seemed thicker, broken only by the sound of drops hitting the tiles. Till grabbed a towel, his movements slowed by fatigue but imbued with an almost ceremonial gentleness. He held the towel out to her and she accepted it with a slight smile, a smile that, despite everything, contained a warmth that made her forget the exhaustion. They helped each other, wiping drop after drop, their gestures interspersed with furtive glances and intentional touches. When her fingers brushed his, he felt a warmth different from the water’s, a deeper, more intimate feeling. Once dry, she grabbed another towel and, with a knowing smile, began to dry his messy hair. He let her do it, his lips stretching into an amused smile.
"I think you’re taking advantage of the situation a little too much." he said softly, a teasing glint in his eyes.

She shrugged, feigning innocence.
"Maybe so. But someone has to take care of you."

When they were finally ready to leave the bathroom, she was about to step out first but he gently held her hand back. Before she could protest, he slid one arm under her knees and the other in her back, lifting her off the floor in one fluid motion. She let out a small squeal of surprise, quickly followed by a burst of laughter.
"Till! What are you doing?"

He shrugged, a tender smile lighting up his face.
"We deserved this, didn’t we? After a day like this, I think we can afford a little… romance."

She didn’t answer but instead wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling closer to him. Her head fell naturally against his shoulder and for a moment, she felt incredibly light, as if the events of the day were far behind them. Till crossed the flat, his steps slow and measured, the chaos around them becoming almost invisible. When he reached the bedroom, he pushed the door open with his foot, revealing the simple but welcoming space. With infinite care, he placed her on the bed, as if she was the most precious thing in the world. She looked at him, her smile softening.
"Thank you." she murmured.

"Always." he replied, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity that spoke volumes more than his words.

The dim light of the room seemed to stretch around them, like a silent promise of calm after the storm. The hot water of the shower had soothed their tired bodies but in the air, a tension lingered, the tension of everything they had been through together. Till was exhausted but his heart was beating faster than he would have thought, as if he was trying to make up for lost time, to escape the anguish he had felt in her absence. A discreet smile brushed Y/N's lips, like a silent invitation. He leaned over her without saying a word, his gaze lost in hers. He desired her, deeply, like never before. The adrenaline of the day, the fear of losing her, all of it mixed into a burning sensation that almost took his breath away. He was nothing more than a man faced with the beauty and vulnerability of the woman he loved. She hadn't said anything but in the softness of her gaze, in the adoration he read there, he understood everything. His hands brushed her hips almost imperceptibly and a shiver ran through her skin. Then, their bodies came closer. Till took her in his arms with infinite tenderness, brushing her skin with his fingertips, as if he was afraid of breaking her. He looked at her for a long time, his breathing hoarse, admiring every detail of her body. The curve of her neck, the softness of her forms, the warmth of her skin under his hands, everything about her seemed to call him. He had never felt this with so much power, a desire mixed with gentleness, respect and admiration. Y/N closed her eyes, feeling his breath brush her skin, a shiver running through her. She raised her arms, her hands getting lost in Till's hair, pulling him even closer to her. Their breaths mingled in a slow, deep kiss, like a silent promise. Their lips brushed, sought each other, tasted each other with infinite tenderness.
“I’m here.” Till murmured against her lips, his voice filled with emotion. “I’ll never let you go.”

She smiled, her eyes opening again to meet his. She felt soothed, sheltered in his arms, in the adoration he showed her. The kisses he traced on her jaw descended on her neck then her shoulders before reaching her breasts. He wanted to worship her body, to show her how beautiful she was. He knew that she had always prioritised her work over her son, but also over herself. He had often seen her at work looking at herself in a mirror with a disgusted look and it had driven him crazy. He wanted to scream at the whole world to look at how beautiful she was. And she was his. All his. And no one else's. He didn't really realise yet how lucky he was. He felt like he was in a dream. And yet the warmth and texture of her skin seemed very real under his fingers. Her nipples were hard against his lips and the soft curve of her breasts seemed to fit perfectly in his hands. His warm palms and thick little fingers wanted to caress every inch of her skin, wanted to make goosebumps burst everywhere they went. He continued to go down her body, slowly, very slowly. He arrived between her legs and looked up at her, waiting for her agreement, which she gave him without hesitation. He put a pillow under her hips, gently placed his lips on her and she closed her eyes and tilted her head back immediately. Her hands got lost in his hair as he slowly but surely pushed her to the limit of her control. He kept his eyes fixed on her face, loving to see her pleasure blossom as well as her soft moans escape through her slightly parted lips. But for her, it was simply not possible that she could hold his gaze. Yet, she had often imagined him between her legs but the reality was far too overwhelming for her to watch him do it. One of his hands gently rested on her lower belly and a gentle pressure brought her brutally to the climax of her orgasm, her body shaking as she breathed his name. He then moved up her body, sparkling passionate kisses on her skin. He reached her neck then kissed the back of her ear and whispered there:
"I want you to know that you have nothing to fear, that I will always be there. But I can't help but want to have you, to keep you for myself alone. You are mine and I am yours. It's as simple as that."

She had never seen his possessive side but it created a sweet warmth in the depths of her being.
"I have nothing to fear because I know that you protect me but... You are my everything, Till. I need you as you need me. If being mine is what you want, then I will be there, because I want nothing more than to be yours, each day a little more."

"You don't even know how much this means to me, Y/N. You want to be mine? Then I will do everything to make sure you never regret this decision. I will be there for you, I will protect you, I will make you happy. Because being yours is all I want. And every day, I will prove it to you. If being mine is what you want, then know that I will be there too. I will be there for you, every day, to love you like no one has ever loved you. Hearing that from you makes me want to give you even more, to show you that I will be there, every day, to cherish you as you deserve. I want more than that. I want you to be mine, but I also want to be yours, all of me. I will never hurt you, never have any doubt about that. I found you, Y/N, and every day spent with you reminds me that I am exactly where I am meant to be. If being yours is all I can do, then I am ready to belong to you, body and soul. I want you, more than anything. I promise you that you will never have to doubt my love, never fear losing me."

Y/N felt her heart pound under the depth of his words. She gently took his face in her hands, her eyes shining with tenderness and admiration, then said to him, her voice slightly trembling with emotion:
"I have never doubted you, Till. And I do not doubt the love you give me. Hearing all this... it makes me feel so good. I am already yours, Till. And every moment by your side reminds me why. You are also mine, all of you. I will give you my love the same way. You will never have to doubt what I feel for you."

She pulled his face to hers and their lips met once again. What was happening between them was stronger than anything they had ever experienced before. She had never said those words to anyone, not even Marcel's father. She knew it was Till and only Till. Her eyes lost themselves in his and a slight shiver ran through her body. Finally, breaking the silence, she whispered, almost timidly, the words that were burning her lips:
"Till... I love you." she said in a breath, her heart beating fast, before looking away, a slight pink colour on her cheeks. "Maybe it's too early to tell you, I... I don't know..."

Her face coloured even more, a little embarrassed and her hands unconsciously joined in front of her face. Doubt began to creep into her mind but before she could completely back away, Till placed a gentle but firm hand on her chin, gently guiding her to look at him. In his eyes shone an infinite warmth, a sincere love that needed no more words. With infinite tenderness, he whispered to her, his gaze fixing hers with a gentle and reassuring intensity:
"I love you too. Ich liebe dich, Y/N."

And before she had time to react, he slowly approached her, brushing his lips against hers in a kiss of absolute sweetness, as if each gesture was a silent oath, a promise to be there, by her side, every day, no matter what. Their lips brushed, in a slow caress, all in softness, as if to show her that there was no rush, just the eternity of a shared moment. Y/N, under the spell of this tender kiss, let herself go, forgetting everything, only immersed in the love they had for each other. Her eyes closed, her heart beating faster with each moment spent in his arms. And in this kiss, she felt that there was nothing truer than this love, that there was no doubt to have. The night that followed was slow, sweet, a silent ballet where each gesture, each caress, seemed to be a declaration of love. They loved each other in the tenderness of the moment, where passion mingled with sweetness, where the fears and anxieties of the day dissipated in the embrace. It was a pure, tender love, a deep respect for the other, a love born of fear and desire. They stayed there, together, their bodies linked in infinite sweetness, the outside world no longer existing. This moment, this union, was all that mattered. After this night of pure and passionate love, Till, his eyes closed, took a moment to soak up the feeling of her presence, the scent of her hair, the warmth of her body against his. He slowly detached himself from her, his fingers still brushing her skin as if to imprint this moment in his memory. Then, in an instinctive gesture, he gently placed his head on her chest, just above her heart. A comfortable silence settled and he did not feel the need to speak. The rhythm of his breath mingled with Y/N's, creating a soft harmony between them. He closed his eyes, letting himself be enveloped by the warmth of her skin, soothed by the soft beating of her heart that he felt against her skin. He was here, at her place, in this perfect moment, everything he needed was right there, by her side. Y/N, touched by this gesture, let her hand slide gently through his hair, tenderness in her touch. She knew that they had just reached an important milestone, but here, in this moment of calm, there was no pressure, just a pure connection. She leaned down a little, whispered softly, almost to herself, but loud enough for him to hear:
"You're safe, Till... you have nothing to fear here."

She placed a light hand on his back, feeling the warmth of his skin, and gave him all the time he needed to relax in this shared moment. She wished they could stay like this forever, in this bubble of intimacy and tenderness. Her fingers brushed his skin, his back, in a comforting gesture, all the while Till lost himself in his thoughts. Till, soothed by the softness of her touch, sighed slowly, his mind finally freeing itself from the torments and worries of the day. He felt good, so good, more than anything. He pressed himself a little closer to her, finding refuge in the warmth of her presence.
"I never want to leave this place." he murmured, almost in a low voice, as if he was afraid of breaking the magic of the moment.

Y/N replied with infinite tenderness in her voice:
"You don't have to leave, Till. Not tonight."

They stayed there, in that intimate position, where words were no longer necessary. Time seemed suspended and the sweetness of the moment enveloped them completely. Their bond, silent but strong, tightened a little more, each savouring the presence of the other, feeling deeply anchored in this binding love. Y/N broke this comfortable silence with a wry smile:
"Tonight is not the night we're going to have a full night of sleep, apparently."

Till slowly raised his head, his eyes lighting up at the sound of her words and a light laugh escaped his lips. This laugh was light, sincere and so natural, like a breath of fresh air after so much tension. He straightened up a little, trying to catch her gaze while catching his breath.
"You're hard on me." he said in a whisper, his smile growing wider. "I thought we deserved some calm."

Y/N, well aware of the situation and the fatigue that was beginning to set in, returned his smile but her gaze was tender and caring. She straightened up slightly, taking a deep breath.
"Calm, yes but not too long. We still have a lot to discuss, I think."

She looked at him for a moment, as if she was weighing her next words. Then, without warning, she snuggled a little closer to him, wrapping her arms around him. Till, amused and relaxed by this answer, looked at her for a moment, then replied with a mischievous smile and a wink:
"We could always try to sleep a little. But I can't guarantee anything, with you near me."

The atmosphere between them became lighter but the intimacy remained present. The complicity was palpable. Y/N, suddenly feeling a little more at ease, replied:
"I'm sure we'll manage to find a balance, even if it's not tonight."

The two let themselves go into another moment of silence but this time, this silence was filled with this shared warmth. They both knew that, despite everything they had just experienced and the stakes of their relationship, there was no rush, no pressure. They could simply let themselves be, in this present moment. Then, after a few moments, Y/N, tired but serene, let herself gently collapse into the pillow, her eyes slowly closing. Till, still laying on her, slid his hand on her arm in a protective gesture, before placing a light kiss on her breast.
"We'll see if we can sleep, but as long as I'm with you, I feel good." he murmured softly.

Y/N, soothed by his words and his gesture, nodded gently, a smile on her lips, before closing her eyes. The tension of the day faded, replaced by this sweet feeling of security and connection. They stayed there, together, in a quietness full of promise, waiting for sleep to gradually take them away.