CONTENT WARNING!!! -- Implied sexual content because I can't write smut without laughing my neck off

***

For some reason, Val was still alive. He was staring at a familiar looking ceiling. He blinked slowly. He didn't want to move. He groaned and flipped over to his side. Everything hurt. Footsteps. The stench. He jumped to alert and got up before he knew it. Guard raised, breathing heavily.

He blinked rapidly and his heart skipped a beat. Vic was there, the smirk had turned into a real ear to ear smile. Val was pulled into a tight hug.

"Ow, ow! Go easy would you?"

He blushed and let go immediately.

"Sorry."

Vic looked like he was looking for words to say, but couldn't find them. Val knew. He couldn't say anything either, so he wrapped an arm around Vic's neck and kissed him instead.

"Damn, beat me to it."

"Can't let you do all the work can I?"

"I missed you."

"Did I go anywhere?"

"Yeah, week-long coma. I'm just happy you're fine now."

Vic glanced at Val's scars. "Ish."

The noise. That noise.

"Hang on," Val said, looking for the earpiece. It was on the bedside table.

"I catch wind you're better," The Handler said. Val's spirits dropped. He wasn't in any mood to hear that obnoxious droning again.

"I must be losing my mind quicker than I expected. That sounded like you care about me."

"I see your attitude is... resilient. I have a job for you."

"What if-" What if I refuse? Val wanted to say. He didn't.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. What do you want?"

"A dent I see. Obedience? That's a new one."

"Try me." Val clenched his fist.

"Alright. This one is... personal. Kill the agent."

"What?"

"Your target is Victor Franco."

"You're shitting me!" Val felt his gaze drift upwards, towards Vic.

Vic stepped closer. "What's wrong?"

"Do it. You already know what happens if you disobey."

He couldn't. He wouldn't. Val stared at Vic. That sweet stare had just recently started emitting a glow that had never been there. Val knew something: Vic was happy. And he wanted him to stay that way.

"No."

"I have a proposal. Kill Victor Franco and you're free. I no longer require your services, but he can't be allowed to live," The Handler spoke. He was getting irritated.

"I have a better proposal. Go fuck yourself, and go fuck yourself." Val hung up. He couldn't look him in the eye. Until he saw Vic's shock, Val hadn't realized he'd just yelled into the earpiece.

"Hun, everything ok?"

"No, we have to go. Now." Val sighed. His legs started shaking below him.

"Why? Val, let's think this through."

"No. Vic, he asked me to kill you."

***

"Is this safe?" Val asked.

"Well it's safer than jumping fifteen LVs down into the residual waters just after coming out of a coma," Vic replied.

"I'm not going to ask."

"It's shit water. We both swam in shit water."

"Awesome."

"Remember we did shower before leaving."

"That's a comfort."

Val stepped first into Vic's old apartment. He'd been moved to Jericho as well, but Vic's circumstances – or at least how he put it – had been more favorable than Val's. Inside was slightly tidier than his current place. Vic shrugged and locked the door behind them. He drew the curtains and dimmed the lights.

"Precautions."

Val nodded. He reached for the sword only to realize it wasn't there anymore. He felt as if he was missing a limb. He pretended to pay no mind.

Vic rummaged in the drawers and the fridge.

"Nothing here. Mind if I step out to grab something?"

"I'm coming with you."

"Not in your state, hun. You need rest." Vic gently pushed Val towards the couch and sat him down. "I mean it."

Val watched Vic walk out the door. He stood up and went to the window. He hadn't missed the noise.

He got to the door and peeked outside, when he didn't saw Vic, he walked out. He closed the door behind him and went down the stairs.

Val spotted Vic outside the building, walking down the street. Val headed the opposite direction. The street was familiar, he remembered there being a grocery on the corner. Though he'd been there before, he hadn't thought Vic lived there. That made it tolerable.

Val walked into the store and grabbed ingredients. He paid via the chip in his wrist and went back to the apartment. When he finished walking up the stairs, he saw Vic exiting the elevator. They stared at each other. Vic covered his face and turned away. Val got closer, worrying he might have angered him, but as he got closer he realized Vic was laughing. Val laughed too.

"I'm cooking tonight." Val opened the door.

"I brought some stuff, too. Couldn't find a sword and I forgot the one I nicked in the other flat."

"Don't worry. I'll get one later."

"So, what do you have in mind?"

"Cooking. Being with you. Stand watch when it gets late."

"Can I help?"

"Sure my... my..." Val looked around. "My... I'm sorry, I suck at pet names."

"That's quite alright, cupcake."

Val covered his face with the flap of the jacket Vic had lent him before putting his bag on the table. Vic kept pressing on with increasingly stranger pet names. After a while, they simply focused on getting a meal ready.

It was onion soup with cheese, Val poured into two bowls and pushed one towards Vic. He sat down as Vic blew on a spoonful before trying it.

"It's good!"

"Glad you like it, cielo."

"Happy to see someone took notes."

"Figured. I tried to pick one of the nicer ones."

Val went to the other side of the table and leaned against Vic. He would occasionally feed him a spoonful of his own bowl. Val returned the favor every time.

"Why don't you use one of the weirder ones?"

"Alright, Stu-" Val couldn't finish, he was focusing on stifling a laugh. "Stu-" Vic started laughing too. "God dammit! Stud Muffin!"

Vic kissed him on the nose and they kept eating between random bursts of laughter. When they were done, Val picked up the utensils and dumped them in the sink. Vic put on a movie he'd grabbed earlier and they cuddled together in the couch. Val once more felt the excitement of every tense moment, as the hero blasted his way through a building seized by criminals to survive.

Two hours went by, and the movie was over.

"How was it?" Vic asked.

"Masterpiece!" Val clasped his hands to his mouth. Habit had made him think there was a threat a few steps from him at all times.

"It is! You'd be surprised how many great stuff you can find at old movie stores."

"Can I pick one next time?"

"Sure hun. Alright, off to bed."

Vic stood up after switching off the TV and helped Val. He went to the bedroom, but Val stayed by the couch.

"Aren't you coming?"

"Wha- I'll ahm I guess I'll stand guard for the night. You sleep," Val said, turning away, crossing his arms and looking menacingly at the door. It was dark, so maybe Vic wouldn't perceive him blushing furiously as he was.

"Come on, I'm one hundred per-cent sure this place is safe. I was supposed to give up the place for another agent but they never showed up. I didn't report it, either."

"What? Why?"

"Just in case."

"Oh." Val kept looking about, avoiding eye contact.

"So?"

"I'm a guest. I can't-"

"Val. It's warm here. There's blankets; and I got word there's a really handsome, long haired swordsman here."

Val thought of arguing. "I like the cold."

But he didn't. He stopped a moment to reflect and realized he didn't really like the cold. He was simply used to it. It was all he'd known.

"You win." Val entered the bedroom and sat on the bed. He wasn't sure what to do next. He took off the jacket and hung it on the headboard.

Val lied down and turned away. His heart was racing, he hoped Vic didn't mind him being there. He felt like he shouldn't be there, as if even existing was a mistake. He curled into a ball and tried not to think. He then felt Vic's arms wrapping around his waist.

"I've done many things, but running into you was the best of them all."

Val turned around and faced Vic. "You say that like I'm dying tomorrow, drama queen."

Vic kissed Val in the neck. A shiver went up Val's spine. "You better not."

Val felt Vic tugging at his shirt. Val pushed him apart gently before removing it.

"Scars." Vic said, tracing each line of hardened tissue he could see in the night and pulling Val closer. "I want you to do me a favor," He asked, cupping Val's face with one hand.

"Yeah?"

"If I do something that makes you uncomfortable, stop me. I don't know if you- ehm-"

"Cielo, for the first time I feel like I know what I'm doing." Val put a hand on Vic's back, moving it down.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

For the first time since he could recall, Val wanted to remain in the warmth. He wanted Vic.