Work Text:
Lils padded downstairs and hesitated outside the doorway of the sitting room. She could hear Cullen’s voice inside. On the phone with his kid again. She wasn’t sure how many times a day he called him, but it seemed like when he wasn’t curled up in bed with Laica or meeting with the security people, he was on the phone. It was sorta nice how happy he sounded when he talked to the kid, so she waited. Her eyes closed as she rested her head against the wall, listening to the rise and fall of his words. Laica was right. He sounded good with his softer northern accent.
Her mind wandered with his voice as the backdrop, going back to the contacts she’d talked to during the last few days. It had been quiet at first. But now? Something was happening. Someone was being sloppy and hiring fast, and the payout was big enough to tempt almost anyone. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who the someone was, although why it was happening now and hadn’t happened before, she couldn’t guess.
The abrupt lack of voice jerked her from her thoughts, and she shifted her shoulders. He’d believe her. …right?
Before she could decide otherwise, she stepped into the room and found him sitting on the couch. “Hey, Cullen?"
He looked up from the phone and offered her an easy smile. “Oh, hello, Lils."
Don’t fidget. She dropped her hand that started to reach for her pigtail. “Um. Can I talk to you for a minute?"
He lifted an eyebrow, and worry immediately crossed his face. Not that it was very far from it any time she’d seen him lately. “Of course." He patted the couch next to him and pocketed his phone.
Lils hesitated, then pushed herself toward him. With a sigh, she sat down next to him and studied her sock feet. Surprise made her stiffen when he rested his hand lightly on her shoulder, and he pulled back. “Sorry."
She shook her head, turning it to smile a bit at him. “It’s okay. Really. Just wasn’t expecting it."
Cullen nodded, but didn’t put his hand back, instead resting his arm across the back of the sofa. And focusing on her with intense eyes. The hand had been much better than that . Maker. You could watch someone, but be subtle about it, Cullen.
"I…um." Brilliant start. What was next? More fillers no doubt. She ventured a glance at his face, hazel eyes still intense as ever, but there was no impatience, and when he rubbed her shoulder again, she found herself leaning into it. There was something soothing about the weight of it, and her throat loosened. “You’re working with the…" her hand flicked toward where the security team had set up their headquarters. “Right?"
Cullen blinked and looked in the direction she’d gestured. “The…? Oh, the security team. Indeed."
She nodded and tucked her legs up to her chest, hugging them to her as she chewed her lip. She could feel the concern on his face grow without even looking at him. When his arm slid around her shoulders, she didn’t object, instead letting herself lean against him a little.
"You don’t like them much, do you?" The question made her grimace, and she shook her head. “No, but that isn’t…I mean, I need to talk to you about something."
He nodded and subsided into silence, his thumb lightly rubbing her shoulder as he waited. The tightness in her chest eased, and she took a slow deep breath and let herself rest against his side. Keeping her voice low, she whispered, “If I tell you there’s …something that could hurt Laica and Sebastian, you’ll listen, right?
Cullen stiffened, his fingers gripping her shoulder, and she swore she felt his heartbeat spike. His eyes bored into the top of her head. “Of course! Lils…”
She rubbed her face and wished he would stop looking at her. How was a person supposed to talk with someone trying to dig out her insides with their eyes?
“Lils, what is it?” He turned toward her as if focusing on her more might actually help, and she burrowed under his arm against his side.
“I don’t know yet,” she told his shirt.
“Lils…”
“Just listen to me!” As if she didn’t feel stupid enough coming to him with nothing.
He gripped her shoulder but nodded, his face nearly void of blood. Lils took a deep shaky breath and curled her fingers together. “I’m trying to find out,” she whispered into him. When she shivered, he squeezed her again, but obediently didn’t interrupt. “There’s something … someone is hiring.”
Her mouth opened to explain further, but he inhaled sharply. “Oh.” She flicked her eyes to him and watched as he rubbed his hand over his face. “That’s why we have them, Lils. We..” He swallowed, that nice voice thrumming with fear. “…we always assumed someone was.”
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course they had. They weren’t that stupid, but …setting her jaw, she tried again. “No. This is new. And it’s not an assumption . There.is.someone.hiring. And fast. Not sure if Laica and Sebastian are on the list because I’m hearing all sorts of things, but some people say yes. And I think I can find out right before it happens, but I need to know that you’ll listen to me and make those…guards believe me too. I’m trying to get more before then but I don’t know if I will, probably not.”
Cullen was quiet for several moments, his hand tightening and loosening on her shoulder. She watched him out of the corner of her eyes. His mouth worked, but words hadn’t made it from his brain yet. Finally, he spoke. “Can I…talk to these people you know?” Well. Words had made it. But not good ones.
Lils stared at him. “Maker’s tits. No. They’d scent you before you ever saw them. You fucking ooze ‘cop’.”
“Maybe one of…”
“No!” She glared at him and pulled away from his arm. “I’m not … No. And if you guys blow this, I won’t be able to get any more details!” Like she’d trust them with this. With anything . “I know what the fuck I’m doing, Cullen. I just need to know that you’ll sodding listen to me!”
He spread his hands. Fucker. Trying to placate me . “I will.” Some of her suspicion must have shown on her face, because his eyes searched it again. “I will, Lils. I promise. Maker.” He scrubbed his hands through his hair, then rested his head in them. “We both want to keep them safe, Lils.” The desperation and doubt in his voice struck her, and she curled back up against his side.
“Alright.”
His heavy arm wrapped around her again, and she closed her eyes, trying not to shiver as she pressed against him.
“Just tell me what you need,” he whispered. “I’ll listen.”
She gritted her teeth. “I don’t know yet. I just…if I tell you to get them back or away from somewhere, just do it. And make sure…” Lils jerked her head toward the security station and slid her hand in her pocket, touching a button to make it vibrate. “They do too.” She glanced down at her pocket. “That’s Warren. I gotta go.”
Without waiting for a response, she slid away from him and felt his eyes on her back as she left the room, pretending to answer her phone. “Hey, Warren…”