Whoomp ! There it is.

Now, he lies here with you sat astride him, stuffed full of his cock, and the bed frame rattles and squeaks, matching your little moans and gasps every time he thrusts up into you, your breasts bouncing, your nails digging into his chest.

“Come on, baby,” he pants. “Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck—” 

“Ah—oh, god,” you sigh, rolling your hips so Adrian’s cock hits you right where you want it. You fall forward a little, let yourself rest on his chest, and he takes over entirely, grabbing you by the hips, lifting you up and dropping you back down, relishing in the tiny noises that escape you every time he hits you nice and deep.

Lying forward like this, your face hovers just above his, and you lean down the few inches to connect your lips with his. He groans at the back of his throat when your lips trail down his jaw, when your teeth nibble at the skin of his neck.

“I’m gonna—need you to come, baby, please, I need it,” he says over the sound of his hips snapping up into yours. He can feel that you’re close from the way you’re holding yourself so tensely. “Touch yourself for me, you can—”

Your hand works between your bodies, between your legs, right to where you’re joined, and rubs furiously at your clit. “Adrian—Adrian—”

He feels it when you shatter, your entire body trembling, and his own body shudders with pleasure as he topples over the edge right along with you.

“Fuck,” he gasps. You collapse, boneless, on top of him, and his arms come around you to hold you close, tracing gently up and down your back, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

“That’s one way to celebrate a mission well done,” you murmur, and he laughs.

“My favorite way,” he says, kissing the side of your head. “You know that. It’s been torture, without you.”

You kiss his cheek softly. “No more torture.”

“Only the sexy kind,” Adrian grins.

You roll your eyes. “Come on. Let’s clean up before dinner. No funny business in the shower. We don’t have time,” you say firmly.

“Of course not,” Adrian says innocently. He’s lying through his teeth. He knows it, and you do too. There’s absolutely no way he’ll be able to keep his hands off of you, especially when you get out of bed and start walking toward the bathroom with your hips swaying like that, glancing over your shoulder with a teasing look.

“You’re evil,” he says, scrambling after you. Your laughter echoes off the tiled bathroom wall.

An hour later, Adrian is almost fully dressed, in his jeans and socks, picking out a shirt. You’ve got half an hour before you’re due to meet Emilia and Chris for dinner.

“Not-Economos isn’t coming,” Adrian reports, reading a text message from Chris. “Emilia declared the mission over, and he dipped. He’s going back to Evergreen. Not that I blame him.”

“His name is Marcus,” you remind Adrian.

“I really don’t give a fuck,” Adrian says as he responds to Chris’s message. You just shake your head, giggling and digging through your bag for a fresh pair of jeans, clad only in your bra and underwear.

“Hey, Ade?” you ask, your tone curious. He looks up from his phone to see you holding up the dress.

The pretty white one, from your closet. That he’d shoved at the bottom of your bag. His heart picks up speed, and his hands suddenly feel clammy.

“Yeah?” he says, trying to play it cool. 

“I know I didn’t pack this for myself,” you say, raising an eyebrow. “You planning to take me on a hot date?”

Adrian’s mouth goes dry, watching you hold the dress up against your body. 

Am I actually doing this? he thinks, as he looks at you standing there, half-naked and beautiful and here and his. It was a split-second decision, shoving that dress at the bottom of your bag back in Evergreen. He could play it off now, say he wants to take you dancing, or to a nice dinner. But his eyes flick to your left hand. Your empty ring finger. He imagines a diamond sitting there, sparkling, as your hand clutches the fabric.

He clears his throat and decides.

“Maybe,” he says. “If…if you want.”

“Hmm,” you tease. “I don’t know, where are you taking me?”

Adrian swallows nervously.

“One of the chapels on the Strip,” he says. Hesitant. Hopeful.

You freeze, the floral fabric wrinkling as you clench it in your fists. 

“Are you serious?” you ask. There’s something in your voice he hasn’t ever heard before. A little breathy wobble.

Adrian looks at you carefully, the way you’re looking at him with wide eyes. The surprise is written on your face, clear as day, but it’s hard to know what you’re thinking, and it makes him even more nervous. His heart skips, a quick rhythm he feels right at the back of his throat, but—it’s out in the universe now. He can’t take it back. 

He doesn’t want to take it back.

“I’ve never been more serious,” he says quietly, even as his voice shakes, setting his phone aside and standing up to walk over to you. Your eyes are glassy as you look up at him, and his hands skate up your waist, your arms, your neck, until his hands cup your cheeks. “I love you. And I just spent—all those weeks alone, and now I know what it’s like. To live without you. And I never want to do it again.”

“You want to…marry me?” you whisper, like you can’t believe it.

“I do,” he says, and you smile, wide and bright, your cheeks smushing a little between his hands.

“Really? You’ve—I mean—we’ve never even talked about it—”

“I know,” he says quickly. “I know I’m springing this on you. I just—I was thinking about it the other night, when me and Peacemaker were out doing touristy shit, and I saw all the couples coming out of the chapels, being happy and in love, and—I wanted to do that. With you.”

“I want that too,” you say softly. “I want to marry you, Adrian.”

“Yeah?” he whispers. You nod, and he smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and he laughs. “Really?”

“Really,” you say. “Let’s get married.”

“It doesn’t have to be here, or now,” Adrian says. “It can just be the two of us at the courthouse in Evergreen for all I care. Or—I am technically ordained. I did it online a couple years ago when I was bored. But I don’t know if I’m allowed to marry myself? I mean, not marry myself, but marry myself, you know—”

“No,” you interrupt. “Now. Today. Well—not today. Tomorrow. We need to call John and Ads, and give them time to fly down, so they can be here. And—we need to get rings, and I love you, baby, but you are not wearing the Vigilante suit at the altar—”

“Why not? It’s the nicest outfit I own!”

“You literally killed someone last night. It’s covered in blood.”

“Oh. Right,” he says. “I guess I can probably rent a suit or something, right? Maybe a teal bow tie?” His question is hopeful. You giggle.

“I wouldn’t expect any other color.”

“We’re really doing this?” Adrian asks, because he needs to make sure. That this moment is happening, that this is real.

“Ask me,” you say. “Say the words.”

Adrian’s smile widens. “Will you marry m—”

You cut him off with a kiss, dropping the white dress to the floor so you can wrap your arms around his neck and hitch yourself higher. He does what you’re wordlessly asking, lifting you in his arms, and your legs wrap around his waist as your lips move against his. You’re saying something between kisses, in tiny, quiet gasps.

“Yes,” you say, and Adrian’s heart sings. “Yes, yes, yes—”

Then you’re reaching down, pulling at his belt, unzipping his pants, shoving them down to his ankles. He grinds against you, he can’t help it, walking you back against the wall, and you whine.

“Please,” you say. “God, please—”

Adrian shoves your underwear aside and pushes into you, a slick, smooth slide, and he fucks you right there against the wall in frenzied thrusts that knock his glasses askew. You pull his mouth to yours and kiss him, let him swallow every sound you make, every word of praise you breathe.

“So good to me,” you say. “I love you so much.”

“I love you,” he gasps into your mouth. “God, I fucking love you.”

Your head falls back against the wall when you come, fluttering around his cock, and he spills into you almost immediately after, hot pleasure rushing through him.

Fifteen minutes later, you’re cleaning yourselves up, almost certainly going to be late for dinner, but you can’t bring yourselves to care. You keep stopping, pausing for one more kiss, and it takes longer than usual for you to pull your clothes on and make yourself presentable.

“Are you sure?” Adrian says, checking in one last time before you go. “I mean it. We don’t have to do this now. We can wait. Have a big, fancy ceremony, and get you a nice expensive sparkly dress, and a cake with like, ten layers—I can make Chris and Economos wear bowties, and maybe Eagly could be our ringbearer—”

“I don’t need any of that,” you say softly. “I just need you. And our friends. But I don’t care about all the rest. I just want to be with you, for the rest of my life.”

On the walk to the restaurant, you call Ads. Adrian can hear her screeching in your ear even from several feet away, and he laughs.

“You’ll be here, right?” you ask. “You and John. I need a maid of honor. Yes, you. Oh, Ads, don’t cry—”

Meanwhile, Adrian calls Economos.

“Hey, Adrian,” he answers. “What’s up? I don’t have time for an animal quiz today, I gotta—”

“Ads is gonna book you a flight to Vegas,” Adrian interrupts.

“I—what?”

“We’re getting married,” Adrian says, and Economos makes a choking noise.

“What?”

“I mean, we’re not getting married. I’m not marrying you,” Adrian clarifies. “Obviously. I’m marrying my girlfriend. My fiancee. Who I love very much. Everyone else is coming, so you have to be there too.”

“Jesus Christ,” Economos says. “I knew what you meant, dude. But holy shit, you’re not kidding? Okay. Um. Fuck. I guess I’ll drop everything in my entire life and hop on a last-minute flight to Vegas because I have nothing better to do—”

“You don’t have anything better to do,” Adrian says, confused. “You don’t have a life.”

“Fuck you,” Economos says, but he’s laughing. “Goddamnit. I guess I have to go pack a bag. Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Adrian says brightly. “See you tomorrow!”

When you sit down at the dinner table, Adrian doesn’t even give Harcourt time to criticize you both for being ten minutes late.

“We’re staying an extra day,” Adrian declares, sliding out your chair for you and then plopping down into his own with a huge smile.

“Five days ago, you were ready to quit your job because you wanted to not be here so badly,” Chris says. “What gives?”

“I didn’t miss home, I missed her,” Adrian says simply. “And we’re staying for a reason. Actually, you need to stay too, so you can be here. You were included in the ‘we.’ Ads and Economos are coming down, we just talked to them on the walk over here.”

“Ads and John are coming? To Vegas?” Emilia clarifies, brows furrowed.

“For what?” Chris asks, similarly bewildered. “The mission is done. I mean, we can have a bomb ass 11th Street Kids reunion and get plastered at the casino. You don’t need to ask me twice. But we can also get plastered on the roof of Emilia’s apartment building for a lot cheaper.”

You reach for Adrian’s hand on top of the table, a tiny smile on your face. He rubs his thumb over the empty spot on your ring finger. Emilia watches the movement with sharp eyes.

“Holy shit,” she says. “You’re not.”

You smile. “We are.”

“You’re what?” Chris says, looking around the table at each of you in turn.

“Oh my god,” Emlia says, clasping a hand over her mouth. “Holy shit. Holy shit.”

“What are you holy shitting about!” Chris cries.

“They’re getting married!”

Chris’s eyes go wide, and he looks to Adrian for confirmation, but he’s too busy staring at you, all love-struck and smiley.

“Dude! Why didn’t you fucking tell me! I’m your BFF!”

“It was a spur of the moment thing!” Adrian says.

“What the fuck!” Chris sputters. “Well—fine. I’m gonna be your best man, though, right?”

“Obviously,” Adrian says.

“And I asked Ads to be my maid of honor. They’ll be here tomorrow afternoon,” you add, smiling.

Emilia shakes her head. “Holy shit. Oh my god. This is crazy. I mean, it’s not crazy. I know you guys love each other. Well. It’s a little bit crazy, but Adrian is a little bit crazy, so really, what am I expecting here?”

“Aw man, Eagly’s gonna miss it,” Chris sighs. “He could have been your ringbearer or something.”

“That’s what I said!” Adrian exclaims.

“Shut the fuck up, Chris,” Emilia sighs, and you just laugh.

“Isn’t it bad luck to spend the night together before the wedding?” Emilia teases at the end of the night. You giggle, but Adrian frowns.

“That’s a tradition rooted in misogyny,” Adrian says matter-of-factly. “And respectfully, I think I’ve spent enough nights sleeping alone recently.”

“Fair enough,” Chris notes.

“Too many wedding traditions are about owning women,” Adrian continues. “Like someone walking the bride down the aisle to ‘give her away.’ She’s not an object!”

“Thank you for respecting my autonomy, honey.” He beams at you. “I still think we should do something the old-fashioned way,” you say. 

“Well, you’re gonna wear a white dress,” Adrian says. “Which is supposed to symbolize purity or some bullshit like that. Obviously I don’t care about that, I mean, literally this morning we were—”

Emilia slaps him on the back of the head before he can finish his sentence, and you laugh.

“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?” you suggest. “No misogyny or bullshit there. That’s just for luck, I think.”

He tilts his head thoughtfully. “Does teal count as blue? Or green? I want a teal bowtie.”

“I think the bride is supposed to have all four things,” Emilia says.

“More misogyny,” Adrian says. “Why does she need to carry the weight of superstition on her shoulders? This is a partnership. We shoulder all burdens equally.”

Chris rolls his eyes. “Yes, Adrian, teal is blue.”

“Perfect! And you already have a white dress, babe. What year did you buy it?”

“Why?”

“We need to know if it’s old or not.”

“I think the fact that it was buried at the back of the closet qualifies it in the ‘old’ category.” You giggle at Adrian’s thoughtful concentration. When his mind is set to something, he takes it incredibly seriously.

“I’ve got something you can borrow,” Chris tells Adrian.

“What is it?” Adrian asks excitedly.

“It’s a surprise.”

“I love surprises!” Adrian says excitedly.

“I know,” Chris says. “It’s almost like—get this—I’m going to be your best man for a reason.”

“So if you’re going to shoulder all burdens equally,” Emilia says dramatically, looking at you with a smirk, “that means we get to go shopping tonight for ‘something new.’ What are you thinking? Accessories? Something for your hair, or a bracelet?”

“I’ve got an idea,” you smile, and Adrian immediately opens his mouth to ask what it is, but you interrupt. “It’s a surprise.”

“Two surprises in one day,” Adrian says. “And I’m getting married? Tomorrow is going to be the best fucking day ever.”

“I’ll go with you,” Emilia says. “We can go buy whatever you’re thinking, and then we can meet Chris and Adrian at one of the casinos for one last drink before we turn in for the night.”

“Wait,” Adrian pouts. “Without me?”

“How is it going to be a surprise if you come with me?” you ask.

Adrian looks torn between wanting to cling to your hand for the rest of the night and getting his surprise tomorrow. He hasn’t let you out of his sight since the day he drove fifteen hours straight to get home to you after five weeks of being apart. You’ve been within arms’ reach for almost an entire week, and the idea of you watching you walk away from him, even for just a few hours, makes his chest feel tight with panic. You can see it in his eyes, and you cup his cheek in one hand and kiss him softly.

“I’ll be with Em. You’ll be with Chris. I am not leaving Vegas, you are not leaving Vegas. No more missions. We’re together. I’m not leaving you.”

Adrian takes a shaky breath.

“I know,” he says quietly. “Just…be quick?”

“Two hours,” you promise, and he nods.

“Okay,” he says. “Here.” He opens his wallet and pulls out a wad of cash.

“What—”

“To buy your something new,” he says, shoving the money into your hands.

“You’re ridiculous,” you say, but you take the money, because he’ll argue with you if you don’t. “I’ll see you in a couple hours.” You pull out your phone and set a two-hour timer, holding it up for him to see, and watch a little bit more tension drain out of him.

“I love you,” he says.

“I love you too,” you say, and you kiss him again. “And when I get back, we’ll go pick out our rings, okay?”

“Ooh! Can I bring my Vigilante gloves with me? Maybe they can, like, embroider the left one—”

“Embroider your glove?”

“With some silver thread or something,” he nods. “The people need to know that Vigilante is off the market. Even the criminals should know that I’m taken, babe.”

Chris rolls his eyes. You just kiss your fiance and smile.

The next morning feels weirdly normal. Adrian wakes up with you curled around him, and he feels so fucking grateful for it, because the memory of an empty bed is still fresh in his mind. You’re still sleeping. He closes his eyes and pulls you closer.

But then you’re kissing him, softly, and he smiles as he realizes you’re awake after all.

“Good morning,” you say, your voice all raspy from sleep. He pulls you on top of him. He’s been doing that all week, using you like a blanket, your weight pressing him down into the mattress, comforting and secure. 

Adrian opens his eyes when you laugh. You’re a little blurry. He hasn’t put his glasses on yet. You can tell he’s squinting, and you reach over to the bedside table, then slide them on his face for him. He steals another kiss after you do, then checks his phone.

“Can you believe we’re getting married in seven hours, twenty-nine minutes, and forty-one seconds?” he asks, grinning.

“What?” you ask, bewildered that he’s keeping track down to the second, but he misunderstands your confusion.

“You did agree to marry me yesterday, didn’t you?” he says, a little uncertain. “I made an appointment on my phone last night. Unless—you’re not sure? We don’t have to—”

“No, that’s not what I meant,” you interrupt quickly, putting a few fingers over his mouth to stop him talking. He can’t help himself. He kisses your hand, and you smile. “I just—how do you know down to the second?”

“It’s kinda one of the greatest, most important things that’s ever going to happen to me,” he says, trying and failing to sound casual and chill about it when in fact he’s ready to vibrate out of his skin and take you right with him, levitating from the sheer power of his excitement and joy right down the street and through the doors of the chapel.

“You’re such a sap,” you say, but your eyes are shining, and the way you’re smiling at him makes his heart flutter in his chest.

“I’m allowed to be sappy. We’re getting married today,” he says, beaming.

“We’re getting married today,” you repeat, beaming back, just as bright. “Shall we?”

Adrian expects the day to drag, but he’s too busy to watch the clock. The two of you go with Chris and Emilia to pick up Ads and Economos from the airport, and for the first time in months, all of the 11th Street Kids are in one place at the same time. 

When you go grab lunch, you stop at a cheap fast-food joint with outdoor picnic tables where you can sit for a while and chat. But it’s not a quick bite. You spend hours there, catching up over too-salty fries, baking in the hot sun, laughing so loud you’re drawing attention to yourselves. Adrian looks around the table and feels so fucking happy he thinks he might explode. All of his favorite people in the whole world are here with him right now, and he gets to marry you today.

Between the trip to the airport and lunch, five hours have passed, and before Adrian knows it, the girls are whisking you off to get you dressed and ready for the evening.

“I’ll see you later,” you say as Ads drags you away into your motel room. Adrian watches you go and feels the familiar pang in his chest that comes with being apart from you, but the ache is soothed with the knowledge that the next time he sees you, you’ll be walking down the street together to the chapel.

He ends up in Chris and Emilia’s motel room with Chris and John, getting ready himself, and when he looks at the clock and realizes there’s only two hours before your appointment time, he’s surprised.

He’s been waiting for the panic to set in all day. That’s what happens in the movies. People get nervous before they get married. It’s a big commitment, it’s a big life decision. But it doesn’t feel like that, not for him.

Adrian decided a long, long time ago that you were it for him. Today, you’re just signing a piece of paper to make it official. He’ll tell you in front of his friends exactly how much you mean to him. But he’s done that dozens of times before. He tells you he loves you constantly. And he knows that you love him, too.

“I promised you something borrowed,” Chris says. He holds out a box for Adrian. “John stopped at the house to pick these up for me before he came down here.”

Adrian cracks open the box, and there’s a pair of silver cufflinks in the shape of Chris’s signature dove of peace.

“Thank you,” Adrian says, and before he can even get properly all choked up about it, Chris is rolling his eyes.

“Don’t be a pussy about it. Just put them on.”

When you text him that you’re ready about an hour later, Adrian nearly trips over himself with eagerness. Chris and John look at him, bewildered, when he rushes out of the motel room and down just a few doors to his own room where you’ve been getting dressed. They watch him knock furiously with fond exasperation.

“He’s so…” John starts.

“Whipped?” Chris suggests.

“Sure, let’s go with that. Just don’t let him hear you say it. He would probably misread a social cue and make it about like, BDSM or something.”

When you open the door, Adrian stares. Ads and Emilia have helped tame your hair into a stunning style, the floral white dress flatters your form absolutely perfectly, and—

“I am so fucking in love with you,” he says. “Fuck. How are you so pretty—”

He reaches for your face to kiss you, but Emilia slaps his hands away.

“You’re gonna fuck up her makeup.”

“Ask me if I give a shit,” Adrian retorts, and he kisses you anyway while you laugh at him. 

He does, in fact, smudge your lipstick a little. Once Adrian finally lets you go, Ads rolls her eyes and carefully fixes it as best she can.

As she does, Adrian’s eyes latch onto the sparkling silver necklace at your throat. He reaches for it, picks the charm up between his thumb and forefinger. A tiny letter A. When he swallows, his throat feels tight.

“When did you—”

“My something new,” you say, smiling softly at him as Ads steps back, satisfied with her work.

“Oh,” he says, his own goofy smile growing on his face. “A for—”

“Adrian, yes,” you giggle. “I thought about a V, maybe, for Vigilante, but—”

“It’s perfect,” Adrian interrupts, his voice cracking a bit. “You’re perfect. I’m so happy that I get to marry you, baby.” He goes to kiss you again, and Ads grabs him by the back of the collar.

“I just fixed her makeup, Adrian—”

“Save the sappy speeches,” Chris says from the doorway. “We don’t want to be late.”

Adrian snaps to attention. “No. We should be early, actually. Maybe they’ll get us in quicker—”

“He’s gonna fucking run down the aisle,” John laughs.

Adrian doesn’t run down the aisle. If you were at the end of it, waiting for him, he absolutely would have. But instead, you walk down the aisle together, hands laced tightly, both of you beaming and giggling like idiots the whole way to the altar.

“You’d never guess they were fucking assassins,” John mutters to Emilia, who just smiles and shakes her head.

“Even people surrounded by death all the time deserve a little happiness,” she murmurs.

And you are. The both of you. Happier than you’ve ever been, because you love each other. Adrian has known for ages now that he was going to love you forever, but now—there’s something special about it. Setting it in stone, making it official. Being able to call you his wife instead of his girlfriend, being able to look at the wedding ring he’s going to place on your finger

He’s so caught up in it all—his imaginings of that future—that before he knows it, the officiant is done with his cookie-cutter speech, and offering the floor to the both of you to share your vows, gesturing for you to speak.

You offer Adrian a nervous half-smile and he squeezes your hands. The light in his eyes washes all of your worry away.

“The day I met you, I didn’t even see your face,” you begin. “All I knew was the man behind the mask. I knew you were funny, and brave, and righteous, and a little bit of an idiot, and part of me knew, from that very first week, that I wanted you to be my idiot. Forever. I trusted you to have my back in the field for years, and I have trusted you with my heart for almost as long, and you have done nothing but pour love and laughter into my life. I am so grateful for you, Adrian, and I love you. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life, and I will show you that love every day. No matter how far away we are.”

“When I was growing up, I never thought I’d love anyone like this,” Adrian says, a little choked up. “And now that I do, it’s the most special thing, and Chris might be my best friend, but you are my best best friend, in the whole wide world, and you are so funny and badass and hot and every time I look at you I just feel so—lucky, and every day that I wake up and I get to love you is the best day of my life, and I never want to be without you.” He takes a deep breath after his rambling confession.

The officiant gestures for John and Emilia to step forward. They each hand you something—the rings that you and Adrian had picked out the night prior. Simple, silver bands. 

Adrian had wanted to get you something flashier, but you’d reminded him that you were both assassins for a living and you often worked with your hands. A lot of the time, the ring would be living on the new chain around your neck, hiding beneath your shirt right beside the tiny silver letter A. A big diamond would get caught on your clothes and in your hair.

You take the rings now from your friends and slide them onto each other’s left hands. Then your hands come up to cup Adrian’s face, framing his bright, boyish smile that widens even further when he feels the cool metal of your wedding band pressing against his cheeks.

You turn to the officiant. “Can I kiss him now? While you do the boring part?”

The man shrugs. “Be my guest.”

Somewhere in the background, you register the words as the officiant pronounces you husband and wife. Hear the sniffles that Ads and John try to hide, the clapping from Emilia, the wolf whistle from Chris.

You’re too busy kissing your husband to care about any of it.

Several hours later, tipsy and tired, you and Adrian stumble toward your motel room, giggling between kisses. It takes him three tries to get the electronic lock to work because he’s so distracted by your lips on his neck, sending bolts of heat shooting down his spine. He hums and tilts his head to give you better access as the door finally opens.

You start to step inside, but he grabs you by the wrist and yanks you into his chest.

“No,” he says. “I’m supposed to—to do a thing. Carry you.”

“Bridal style?”

“Yeah,” he says. “You’re a bride. My bride. I gotta do my duty. I will not fail at husbanding within the first six hours.”

“I think that’s for when we get home,” you laugh. “And I don’t think husbanding is a verb, baby.”

“Humor me,” he says, picking you up anyway, sending you into another fit of giggles. He steps over the threshold with a goofy smile and then sets you down on the bed and shuts the door behind him. “Okay. All done.”

“Thank you, my love,” you say dramatically.

“You’re welcome, Mrs. Chase,” he teases, leaning over you on the mattress, and then he makes a face. “Ew. Sorry. I wanted that to be sexy, it is not sexy. I’m just thinking about my fucking mom now. Gross.”

“You’re gonna have to tell her,” you point out.

“Not tonight, I’m not,” he says. “Tonight, I am going to make love to my wife, and tomorrow we are going to go home and stay home for several weeks and not talk to anybody except each other, because the rest of the world got to have you for five fucking weeks straight and it’s my turn to be alone with my wife.”

He’s been calling you that all night. Every bartender, every stranger on the street, even to Chris and Emilia and John and Ads, like they don’t know who you are already. The words feel magical on his tongue. He’s not sure he’ll ever get sick of them.

“You’re all mine,” you say. “No missions. No interruptions. Just us.”

You reach up for his bowtie and pull it loose, dropping it on the floor, then push his unbuttoned, already-disheveled suit jacket off his shoulders. His cheeks are flushed, his hair is a mess, his mouth hanging open, reaching forward for your lips, but your duck your head to the side, kissing at his neck instead. He groans.

“You’re so handsome,” you say, nibbling at his jaw as you unbutton his shirt. “How are you so handsome? I’m so lucky.”

“You’re so lucky?” he says incredulously, hands trailing up your thighs. “I’m so lucky. The luckiest guy on the fucking planet. With the most badass, beautiful wife ever. I love you so much.”

“Are you gonna take my clothes off or what? I feel like I’m doing all the work here.”

“I get to see you naked all the time. I only get to fuck my wife in her wedding dress once,” he says. He’s not even smug about it. He’s just—earnest, excited. He just wants you. And you want him just as bad. 

He’s just a little bit drunk, maybe, he thinks to himself, the world all hazy and warm. He can’t stop smiling, giggling, and neither can you, the both of you feeding on each other’s joy, amplifying it back in an echo chamber that makes his chest feel tight, like he can’t physically hold in all the love he has for you.

“Do whatever you want with me,” you groan. “Just fucking touch me already.”

Adrian scrambles for your underwear, tugging it down your legs in what he wanted to be a swift movement, but ends up being clumsy. Still, as he dips down to eagerly lick at your slick pussy, you whimper—no matter how clumsy he might be right now, he knows you, knows your body, like the back of his own hand, and it takes him no time at all to work you up to your peak, until your thighs are trembling around his head and his glasses are fogging up.

When you come, tiny gasps of pleasure spill from the back of your throat, and Adrian feels a strange, possessive feeling take over him as he realizes that he is the only one who will ever get to hear you make these noises. Who will ever make you feel this way. You’re his, now, forever, and no one else can ever take you away from him. 

“I just can’t believe I get to keep you,” he murmurs, kissing up your body—your belly, your breasts, your neck, until he finally reaches your mouth, delving his tongue inside to meet yours. It’s sloppy. It’s greedy. It’s perfect.

You unbuckle his belt to shove his pants down his thighs, and Adrian groans when his cock springs free and you wrap your hand around him, pumping. He’s already rock hard, leaking precum everywhere, and if he doesn’t fuck you in the next ten seconds, this will be over before it even starts. 

He places his hands on your upper thighs, pushing the skirt of your dress up out of the way, and spreads your legs so he has room to settle between them. You lay back on the mattress, watching him, pupils blown so wide he wouldn’t even know what they looked like if he hadn’t spent hours of time staring at your face, admiring every fleck of color in them.

Adrian gives you no warning when he pushes into you, and your eyes flutter shut, thighs tightening around his waist. He thrusts into you with practiced movements, relishing in the fact that he knows your body so well. Knows the exact angle that will hit that sweet sensitive spot inside you, knows exactly how fast and hard you like it. Knows exactly when you’re moments away from your second orgasm, because you start clenching around his cock in that familiar way, tight and warm and perfect.

This time, when you come, Adrian is seconds behind you, his thrusts losing rhythm as he falls over the edge and spills into you. He drops to his elbows until he’s covering you with his whole body, his face hovering right above yours, breaths mingling.

“I love you,” you say, reaching for his left hand. He gives it to you, beaming as you kiss the cool metal of his wedding band. He returns the favor, ducking his head down to kiss the pendant of your new necklace.

“I love you too,” he says. “So fucking much.”

Tomorrow, you’ll head back home with your friends. Next week, you’ll be back at work, doing what you both do best—maiming and killing and whatever needs to be done for the good of your missions. But right now, there’s this. There’s the two of you, joined together, married. And with you, Adrian knows he’s ready to tackle whatever comes along next. 

Taking a deep breath, you glance at Adrian. His fist is clenched around his fork, knuckles white. How the hell were you supposed to take down Flag and Luthor when these two were bickering like an old married couple?

You let a doubtful smile play at your lips. “I think you're exaggerating a bit there, Chris.” You chuckle and take a drink of your coffee.

“Fine. Maybe I'm feeling a little sensitive after everything. I have feelings, too.” Chris sits back, eyes locked on Adrian. Adrian doesn't meet his gaze, and the only indication he's even listening is the muscle feathering in his jaw.

You and Adebayo share an exasperated look.

“Okay, time for the adults to talk now.” You chuckle.

Chris shrugs and starts shoveling scrambled eggs into his mouth.

“What’s the plan today?” Tipping your cup back, you drain the last of your coffee.

“According to Rip, both Flag and Luthor have bases here in Evergreen.” Ads explains.

“Evergreen is the centralized point of access to all the interdimensional beings coming through the rift.” Rip shakes his head. “They want to stay close and have implemented check points to keep the newcomers from infiltrating beyond the boundaries of Everygreen.”

“How do we get to LexCorp’s base?”

“Head southeast towards the county highway you can't miss the miniature Metropolis Lex has built himself. Just avoid the checkpoints.” Rip concludes.

“Where's Flags base?” Adrian asks Adebayo, eyes flicking to Chris and back. “You know, in case you need our help.”

“Rip says it's a few miles south of the site we came through.”

Adebayo slides a burner phone onto the table. “We'll keep in touch with these during the stake out. I expect we will be at Flags command base until nightfall. Hopefully we can catch Harcourt alone.”

Rip shakes his head. “It could take days. She doesn't leave the base often.” He presses his lips together before his eyes flick towards you. What isn't he telling us?

“Who else is with Flag? We need to know what we're up against.” Ads presses.

“Peacemaker and Harcourt, Cyborg.” Rip shakes his head. “Then there's Vandal Savage, Brainiac, and a few others.”

“Shit.” Chris shakes his head. “Why the fuck did I team up with the losers?”

When Adrian finally speaks up, his voice is low, tone lethal. “What’s your motto again? You cherish peace with all your heart and you don't care how many men, women, or children you have to kill to get it?” He's staring at his hands. “You fit right in.”

“Adrian…” Chris runs his hand through his hair. Adrian's green eyes flick up to him.

“Is that why you did it? Did you think killing her would bring peace?” His nostrils flare.

Adrian studies his friend's pale face before turning to Adebayo. “I hope you get Harcourt out while you still can.”

“Is there anyone we can trust to get us to Luthor's base, or lend us a car?” You quickly add, squeezing Adrian's hand under the table. Calm Down.

“Larry says he found a guy that can lend you a car.” Rips gaze flicks between you both and Larry nods stoically.

“Thanks, man.” Adrian pushes away from the table and tucks the phone in his jeans. “Better not waste any more time.”

Chris stands abruptly. “Adrian, don't trust Lex Luthor. He's got to have his own agenda in this. Even if he's got Superman’s on his side, he's the furthest thing from a good guy.” His blue eyes are pleading. “Call us if you get into any trouble.”

Adrian nods grimly and Adebayo rises. “Come on, we have ammo, if I know you, you'll probably need it.”

You watch as they walk away, Adebayo's hand resting between Adrian's shoulder blades.

When Chris heaves a sigh and flops back down in the booth, you arch a brow at him. His face is in his hands, boulderous shoulders quivering.

“He fucking hates me.”

Larry pats him on the back. You and Rip watch in silence before Rip turns to you.

“You really shouldn't let Adrian meet his future self.” He hooks a thumb at Chris. “This one's doppelganger tried to kill him on sight.”

“Yeah, seems like a common occurrence whenever I meet myself in another dimension.” He groans.

“Adrian's said he's met one of his doppelgangers before and they didn't try to kill each other.”

"I remember. They got along a little too well." Rip raises a brow at Chris. “Maybe it's a temperament thing.”

“I'm right here, dont talk about me like I'm a fucking dog.”

“Still, I suggest you assess the situation before introducing them.”

“Alright.” You sigh. You don't think there's any way to keep Adrian from meeting his future self if it's what he really wants to do. Once that man gets his teeth into something, he does exactly what he wants, damn the consequences.

Rip holds your gaze when Chris and Larry leave the table. “Also, just a bit of advice; be prepared.”

“For what?”

His brows rise. “Adrian… he's changed.”

Back in 2026

“Ahhh, shit what's this asshole going to do now?” John Economos slaps the stack of papers down in frustration. A few loose pages of the recorded metrics that he and Happersen pulled from the rift drift to the floor.

They've been pouring over data since they hacked into LexCorp's and A.R.G.U.S. 's records, searching for anything that could explain where that worm hole sent his friends and how to close the rift.

John turns the volume up on the television, Happersen, handcuffed, turns in his computer chair, staring blearily at the screen.

Lex Luthor, looking every bit a megalomaniacal politician, is standing rigidly at a glass podium in front of the press, brows drawn down, mouth a resolute line.

John sits back in his chair. He really doesn't have the time to spare for this clown. He and Happersen are working against the clock hoping to find any way to neutralize the rift before it's too late. The data shows the rift is growing exponentially, ripping through dimensions as it careens untethered into the unknown. You'd think Lex would be busy trying to solve that problem instead of holding a press conference.

Despite his disdain for Lex Luthor, John pushes up his glasses and leans forward on his elbows.

Maybe Lex has already found a way to stop it.

Lex Luthor's icy blue eyes scan the room. The flashing of camera bulbs and murmuring of the attendees slows to a breathless halt as he takes them all in. A small smile tugs at the corner of his lips."

“It's my duty to the citizens of this great nation, a nation that I love, and to the people of the world, to educate you all on a great injustice that has been perpetrated by the United States government.

"Everyone has noticed the growing stain in our precious Earth's atmosphere.” Lex pauses, blue eyes holding the camera.

“Really playing it up isn't he…” Economos snorts.

“A.R.G.U.S has used ground breaking experimental tech developed by my company, LexCorp Technologies, inappropriately and without our consent.” He nods, brows knit. “An interdimensional rift has occurred under General Rick Flag's directives."

"The most brilliant minds at LexCorp confirm, the rift in the sky is growing, opening up our world to dangerous creatures from other dimensions. I am here today to announce that I am leading a task force to stop this cataclysmic event from worsening. I'm calling on the world's best aerospace engineers, theoretical scientists focused on physics and interdimensional research, heroes, and meta humans to join me. Come together under my banner."

He pauses, gaze piercing the camera. "With me, you can help save humanity.”

Then, Lex Luthor waves off the stream of frantic questions coming from the press with a dismissive jerk of his head and exits the frame.

“He's doing damage control.” Happersen sucks his teeth. “They don't have the case, and the worm hole is closed.”

“He doesn't actually care about people!” Economos shakes his head in frustration.

“No, but now he has the advantage in coming out and pinning it on Flag.” Happersens mouth tilts into a slash of a grin. “I know Lex, he's going to play both sides. And in the court of public opinion, this makes him look like a damn hero.”

Economos pulls his beard. “Lex hates the metas… why would he work with them?”

“There's something in it for him.” Happersen smiles knowingly before tapping on his keyboard and bringing up the data they were analyzing. “There always is…”

—

“Geeze, this place is a shit hole now.” Adrian's lip curls. “Evergreen wasn't that special before but… it wasn't like this.”

You squint past the swinging pinetree shaped airfreshener and through the webbing of the cracked windshield of the beat up sedan Larry's contact provided.

Despite it looking like it's driven through the apocalypse, the interior was thankfully clean and smelling fresh. You nod, at a loss for words as you take in the destruction.

In the dark, Mainstreet looked like any other run down thoroughfare in a busy city. But in the daylight, it looks more like a war zone. The windows and doors of the shops and restaurants that line the streets are boarded up, crowds of people and interdimensional beings are sleeping against buildings or loitering in alleys. Trash litters the sidewalks and scorch marks and craters pepper the buildings still standing.

“How'd it even get like this? Shouldn't Flag at least try to get this under control?” Adrian says through gritted teeth.

When he drives by a trio of ragged looking people tossing a trashcan through a shop window he slams on the breaks, outraged.

“Hey, assholes!” They turn their hungry eyes on him and his jaw drops.

“Holy shit, is that my 12th grade biology teacher Mr. Grant?”

“Adrian! Go! We can't be recognized and we can't worry about this right now!”

“I went to freaking jail for that!” Adrian hollers out the window before peeling away. He tilts the review mirror to watch as a crowd of people rush the store to loot it.

“I hope future me has a spare Vigilante suit, because this is out of hand.”

Your stomach turns. Those people were desperate and starving. Abandoned. “Just get us out of here.”

Adrian nods and tightens his grip on the steering wheel, gunning it through the rest of the lights until the buildings begin to taper into rubble, then run down homes, then fields and trees. Adrian's quiet, which is unusual.

“You okay?” Your hand smooths over his and he winds his fingers with yours.

“I never really liked Evergreen. I never fit in or had friends… well, not until Peacemaker.” He says softly. “But no matter how shitty this place was, it was still mine.”

He glances over, brows drawn down. “We have to fix this.”

“We will.” You smile, swallowing back the all too real truth that it may already be too late.

The car's tires crunch over rocks and sand when Adrian swings the car onto a back road and out towards the highway.

Rip wasn't exaggerating when he said you couldn't miss the little piece of Metroplos Lex built in Evergreen. Hundreds of acres of what used to be farm land had been cleared, paved, and developed. Adrian's mood darkened the moment LexCorps mirrored tower peeked over the horizon.

Unlike Evergreen’s Mainstreet, Lex Luthor's company town was clean and well landscaped. Matchbox buildings put up with cheap materials housed the masses that strolled along streets and plazas adorned with cheerful candy striped awnings that sold everything from gelato to party supplies.

“Welcome to Pleasantville.” Adrian murmurs, shooting you a wide eyes glance. And pleasant it was... at least on the surface.

You can't help but notice the gun toting officers that patrol every block. They shoot cursory glances at you, but look away, unconcerned, rather quickly.

The closer you get to the tower, the larger the buildings get. Office buildings, schools, a police station, and a hospital were all new and freshly painted. Did Lex even even try to fix the rift before dumping his resources into his new paradise?

Adrian parks the car a few blocks from the tower. It's massive, dwarfing the city growing around it. Truly it's an eye sore in comparison to the quaint little town Evergreen once was.

“Guess he's just got to have his ivory tower.” Adrian pulls the bill of his hat down to shade his eyes from the glare off the tower as he looks up at it.

You entwine your hand in his and pull him away and down the block. Walking along a row of buildings across the street from the tower, you both disappear into the stream of locals perusing shops and running their errands, providing the perfect place to look out for your target - future Adrian.

Spotting a bench with a good vantage of the front doors of the tower, you drag Adrian to it and sit down. But his eyes are focused down the street.

“Stay here and keep watch, I'll be right back.” He leans down and kisses you sweetly before disappearing into the crowd. You watch for a moment, until you lose sight of his tattered ball cap, then turn back to the monolith across the street.

LexCorp tower is a busy building. The revolving door to the side of the main entrance doesn't stop, a constant flow of couriers and sharply dressed professionals filing through it.

There's no one you recognize yet. Were these people from Evergreen? Did they escape that hellhole that was once their home and find refuge here? It sounds like something Lex Luthor would do. You ponder the profitability of letting one town be destroyed only to build another, shiny and new, in its place when you feel a gentle tug on your pony tail.

You look over your shoulder and laugh when Adrian slides next to you on the opposite side of the bench. His eyes are sparkling when he sets a paper bag on the bench and hands you a paper cup. It's good to see him smile.

“What is this?”

“Peppermint vanilla tea and an almond croissant." He grins crookedly at you and you could kick yourself for the hot tears prickling your eyes. “My favorite.”

“I know.” He wets his lips and pulls out a sandwich and bag of cool ranch doritos.

For just a moment you forget you're in another world, another time. If you close your eyes, and lean in real close to him, you could swear you're right where you belong. Sitting in the passenger seat of the Shocker Electric van staking out a strip club, or scrolling recordings of petty crimes at headquarters on the team's laptop. It's just another day, another stake out.

“Who's this?” Adrian says around the last bite of his sandwich, eyes tracking a dark tinted SUV.

“Looks important.” You mutter as the vehicle pulls up the front of LexCorp tower. A doorman hurriedly abandons his post to open the vehicles back door. The moment you see the polished bald head you know it's him: Lex Luthor.

Lex, clad in a black suit, moves his polished shoes across the sidewalk slowly, intentionally. When he steps from the shadow of the vehicle, a tall broad man in blue and red follows.

“Superman?” You crane your neck around the people stopping in the street to wave at the duo. Adrian grunts, watching from under the bill of his hat, eyes narrowed as they continue towards the building.

People on the street begin moving again, continuing about their day now that the spectacle is over. And you have to admit seeing Lex Luthor and Superman walk side by side is quite the spectacle.

“Who's that?” Adrian whispers beside you.

“Superman and Lex.” You glance at him confused. Everyone knows who Superman is.

“No. Him…” His green eyes flick to yours and back across the street.

The SUV is pulling away from the curb and towards the parking garage. In its place stands an imposing man clothed head to toe in a matte black suit and armor. A sword and shot gun are strapped to his back. Knives and pistols line the holsters on his belt. His gloved hands rest on his hips. Teal and gray lines meet on his chest plate forming a sharp V.

When he turns his head, the morning sunlight is swallowed by an iridescent teal visor, and your breath leaves you.

You can feel a buzzing sensation race under your skin a moment before he turns your way. You pivot towards Adrian just in time.

You can feel him watching you from across the street. The scary thing is, everything in you is screaming for you to meet his eyes and run to him. Instead, you hold Adrian's wide gaze.

“Adrian… that's you.”

Meanwhile in 2026…

Happersen snaps his fingers. “I got it.” He pushes back from his desk, a smug smile pulling at his lips. “They're in a type of temporal parallel dimension.”

Economos groans. “God, I thought Adrian was going to be the biggest nerd I ever had to work with. What the hell does that mean in normal people talk?”

“It means they are tethered to this reality, this here and now, by linear causality.” Happersen sneers.

“Like when we went to Nazi world.” Economos breathes.

“What?” Happerson glares at him. “No, not like Earth X. This is different. The two realities are directly linked. Whereas Earth X deviated from this reality, hence the Nazis winning world war two, Sanctuary isn't a different world than ours, it runs linear to ours.”

Economos squints, trying to wrap his mind around the theory.

“Explain it.” Economos growls.

“Okay, so, think about it this way. You have two televisions set to the same channel, but one is experiencing a delay. When the team on the first screen scores a touch down, the team on the second screen is still running towards the 10 yard line.” Happersen snorts. “Or they're already dumping Gatorade on the coach.” Happersen snorts.

“Only some of the most advanced theorists can understand what I'm saying.” Happersen leans back and rolls his eyes in thought.

“There are going to be fundamental discrepancies in Sanctuary because of the temporal link. What exactly that link is and how it affects Sanctuary, I'm not sure yet.” Happersen pauses, searching Economo's eyes.

“Do you understand?”

“No.” Economos groans.

“Well, you're proving my point beautifully.” Happersen laughs.

“Do you think Lex knows this yet?” Economos’ eyes widen. Maybe they could get ahead of the game…

Happersen opens his mouth, an answer at the ready. Such a tool.

“Wait. If Sanctuary is the same… broadcast reality t.v. show as the one we are in, that means Luther, Flag… we are all there right? Won’t they wonder why Peacemaker is there if they sent him into Sanctuary?” Economos screws his eyes up.

Happersen hums in thought. Economos’ lips twitch in a grin. How about them apples, asshole?

“They won't know they are Sanctuary." Happersen steeples his fingers and leans back in his chair.

“Even an above average human brain cannot readily comprehend the logic of what you're questioning. Lex is far beyond your intellect, but because he's smack in the middle of it, it’ll take him some time to figure this out.” He snorts a laugh. “And Flag is as dumb as a pole.”

He nods. “They'll land on the most obvious and convenient answer.”

“And what's that?”

“That Peacemaker came back through the rift.” Hopefully your friend is smart enough to keep his trap shut.”

Economos squeezes his eyes closed when he realizes there are going to be two Peacemakers in Sanctuary who shouldn't be there. Fuck. One of them is going to screw it up for sure.

“Since this other dimension, Sanctuary, is a temporal parallel dimension, what can we do now, to try and fix this shit.”

“It all depends on what side of the linear scale it falls on.” He pauses, head tilted, dark eyes gleaming. “I can't pinpoint the coordinates, just that Sanctuary resides in a bracket of approximately seventeen years.”

“Do you want me to cuff you to the radiator again?” Economos threatens.

Happerson sneers in response. “Based on my calculations, the linear scale ranges between negative two years to positive fifteen years”

John resists the urge to twist Happersen’s broken nose to get all the answers from him, but he doesn't need to be a genius to understand that if Peacemaker, Adrian, and you were sent into the recent past, everyone would eventually find their way to HQ.

—

“What’s he doing?” You squint when Vigilante stalks to the parking garage next to the LexCorp Tower and disappears into its shadowy depths.

“His suit is so fucking cool.” Adrian says wistfully. “I wonder where he got the material for the armor, do you think it's bullet proof? It looks like ceramic…”

“I'm sure Lex had it made for him.” You whisper, glancing at Adrian. His lips pull into a frown as he considers this.

“Sold his soul to the devil.” He mutters.

“We don't know that.” You shake your head. “You must have had a good reason to team up with Lex.”

Adrian studies you sadly, looking away when a black motorcycle idles out of the parking garage and into the street.

“Fuck, hes got a sick bike, too!” Adrian groans when you drag him to his feet. “So not fair.”

“Come on! We have to follow him.”

It's been about fifteen minutes on the highway when Adrian makes a worried noise low in his throat.

“Hes going to know we're following him.” Tearing his eyes from the road, he glances at you worriedly. Future Adrian is a little over a quarter mile ahead on the county road leading back into Evergreen. “He's smart, obviously, and there's like… no other cars on the road.”

“I know you're smart.” You smile over at him and he can't help but smile back. “Honestly, he could have lost us a while ago, so he must not be worried about us.”

Adrian squeezes and relaxes his grip on the wheel, you can just see the wheels turning in his head. He presses his lips closed before looking over at you again.

“Do you think he'll like me?”

You want to say yes immediately, but you really can't predict how his future self is going to react to seeing either of you. The man you know is sitting next to you, the one on the speed bike is essentially a stranger. You remember what Rip told you; Adrian has changed.

“I think so.” You say carefully. “But Rip told me that you should hold off on meeting him right off.”

“What the hell, how long do I need to wait?” He scoffs. “Why are we even listening to that guy?”

“He's only trying to help.” Your eyes are locked on the man in the distance. “I… I'm going to try and talk to him first.” Your voice trembles around the words.

His face pales. “But, what if he thinks you're a ghost?”

“Adrian!”

“Fine. But you have to stay in my sights. I'm going to have a gun trained on him.” A muscle in his jaw feathers. “One wrong move and he’s done.”

“Okay.” You concede.

“Promise me.” He holds his pinky out. Heart pounding, you loop your pinky around his, hoping that whatever it comes down to, Adrian doesn't have to pull the trigger.

Adrian's brows knit when the bike pulls off the highway and onto a back road.

‘I think he's headed back to the old gateway portal?” He spins the wheel, pulling onto a packed gravel road. Dust flies up behind the car as he accelerates to catch up with his target.

You and Adrian watch from the car as Vigilante parks his bike and treks to the construction site. You lose sight of him when he wades into the tall grasses. Your eyes travel to Adrian as he watches with bated breath next to you.

“He's going to kill those guards." He glances over, green eyes wide, pupils dilated. “That’s what I would do.”

Sure enough gun shots ring out moments later. In the distance, you can spot Vigilante brawling with Rick Flag’s guards. He cold cocks one guard after twisting the man's arm and kicking away his gun. He punches the guard, again and again, until the other man is stumbling backwards on his feet, face a bloody mess.

“Why's he playing with him?” Adrian squints, pushing his glasses up and grimacing when Vigilante sweeps his victims legs out from under him and presses a boot to his throat.

Your brows draw together. “It looks like it's personal.” Maybe having a gun trained on this guy is a good idea.

After the guard stops kicking, Vigilante drags the guard's bodies to a clearing and lines them up side by side. Then he calmly collects the weapons, holsters them, and walks to the concrete block wall. Leaning against it, he waits.

Adrian shifts in his seat beside you, sighing.

You tear your eyes from Vigilante, who's since sat on a low concrete block wall and is practicing throwing knives into a nearby tree trunk.

“I never actually thought I could die from boredom, but … “ He lifts a hand, gesturing in frustration to his future self. “ This guy is boring as fuck.”

“Text Ads.” You lean back into your seat, willing your bladder to stop aching.

“I tried, but Peacemaker keeps answering.” He rolls his eyes.

“You should just… forgive him. He feels really bad about killing me and everything.”

Adrian considers this for a long moment then meets your eyes. “No.” He says bluntly.

“Adrian-”

“I can't, I can't just forgive him like that! I need to know-”

You pop the door open. “Call him.” You say before sliding out.

“Hold on! Where are you going?”

“I have to pee.” You close the door. You mimic holding a phone. “Call him.”

“Fine…” Adrian scowls and pulls the phone out.

Shooting a glance at Vigilante, you see he's still throwing knives into the tree trunk. He probably has about two dozen of the blades, you should have plenty of time to relieve yourself.

Rushing as quietly as you can into the trees, you find a secluded spot.

The sunset is shining bright through the shadowy trees. If Vigilante doesn't move on soon, it's going to be so much harder to follow him at night.

You shake your head, there's got to be another reason he came all the way out here. Did he just kill the guards for fun?

“Fucking… peeing in the woods.” You mutter in annoyance, pulling your jeans up.

You realize your mistake when you hear a stick pop. Your scream is three seconds too late, cut off before you could even take a deep breath by the black gloved hand clamped over your mouth. A strong arm slips around your waist and drags you against a hard body. Your breath shudders when you feel the point of a blade prick your ribs.

“Why are you following me? Who are you?” Vigilante growls.

“Adrian, please…” Your voice is weak behind his palm.

“How… how do you know my name?” He roughly turns you, knife pressed just under your jaw as his masked face takes you in, teal visor tilted down. You can see your reflection in his visor, your eyes wide and searching for the man you know and trust behind the mask.

The blade slowly lowers. It falls from his hand and drops to the leaf strewn floor. Vigilante peels his hand off your mouth and pulls his mask off. Boyish waves falling over his forehead, his hand gently pushes your hair back from your face.

Your can barely breath as you look up at him. Your own reflection is gone, looking back at you now is a reflection of the man you love. His usual subdued green eyes are intense and bottle green, gleaming with tears, and his face has a few more lines and scars, but it's Adrian… your Adrian. He searches your eyes before he speaks.

“You're finally here.”

To be continued….

master list

I hope you're enjoying the series so far! 🙏✨️ Feel free to reach out with any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you!

To be fully honest, she still wasn’t sure what Adrian even saw in her. When he first tried (awkwardly) showing that he was interested in her by speaking loudly about things they both enjoyed, complimenting the weirdest things about her, and just…always hanging around. 

She kicked herself for weeks, he was attractive and he did make her smile, but the 11th Street Kids felt so…real and permanent. She’d never forgive herself if she slept with him and then he ditched her and she just had to pretend like everything is normal. 

But at least so far, it hadn’t been like that…he had been sweet. He brought her flowers, held doors open, and followed her around like a lost puppy. 

Unfortunately it didn’t stop the fear of the other shoe dropping. 

She really tried to keep it in and away, trying to enjoy her time with Adrian, but when they were alone and just spending time together one on one it was hard to let those thoughts sit. 

Tonight was no exception. She had invited Adrian over for dinner and they had been taking turns showing each other movies that they liked. She was sprawled out on the couch, her legs in Adrian’s lap as he rubbed her calves absentmindedly, humming softly as he focused on the movie. Tonight it was her pick on movie and Adrian’s pick for dinner. 

And it didn’t take long before she started to regret her choice of 10 Things I Hate About You the moment the similarities began to arise in her mind. 

“They’re so dumb,” Adrian complained halfway through the movie and she paused it, looking over at him. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean, they clearly like each other! Plus he’s getting money and he can use that to spoil her, as he should,” he said firmly and she let out an awkward laugh.

“I mean…this is a real fear people have,” she said gently. 

“That someone is paying their partner to date them?” he asked, tilting his head as he looked at her.

“Not just paying, just that there’s an ulterior motive.”

“That’s fucking dumb,” he said with a huff. 

“It’s a real fear,” she said firmly, feeling her nerves raise. 

“It shouldn’t be.” 

“I mean, I’m shocked you haven’t left me for someone better,” she said, trying to keep her tone light and teasing but there was an edge to it that he seemed to pick up immediately as his brow furrowed. “This is a fear I have, just like the movie,” she said, trying to get him to see her point. 

“What?” he said, face dropping. 

“I mean, Adrian come on! You’re strong, handsome, and kick ass at your job. You’re like a million leagues ahead of me! I’m still surprised you even approached me first and wanted more than just like a little fling.” 

She watched her words hit him as he shuffled on the couch, pausing the movie. First moving her legs off his lap staring forward before looking over at her, his mouth opening and closing as he tilted his head frowning. Then he stood up and started to pace, pausing so often to look at her and point and then keep walking.

“What is happening right now?”

“I’m sorry, I’m trying to think of a polite way to ask if you’re the dumbest person alive,” he said, stopping in front of her.

“I’m sorry, what?” she asked, eyebrows raised and panic took over his face as he shook his head. 

“No! No, sorry! I don’t mean it like that! You’re not dumb that’s the point,” he said, watching her closely. “You’re like…oh my god you don’t even realize that I’m the reacher and you’re the settler!”

“What are you talking about?” 

“You! Holy shit, you’re smart, you’re beautiful, you’re so fucking badass. Like I still don’t fully understand why the hell you even give me the time of day!” he said, sounding genuinely upset that she wasn’t seeing what he was saying. “You’re just…like I told Chris the day we met that you fucking walked out of my brain! You’re literally my dream girl come to life but better because you’re real and you like me!” 

She watched him as he finished, his chest heaving hard as she sat on the edge of the couch. Adrian’s hands fidgeting and pulling at his hair, his whole body seemed in distress. When she didn’t say anything Adrian kept going. 

“I love you, you’re amazing and gorgeous and literally deserve someone way better than me and I’m just now realizing that is the first time I’ve said I love you and we’ve only been seeing each other for a few months,” Adrian rambling, eyes wide behind his glasses as she blinked at him, finally standing up. She took a step towards him and he took a step back. 

“You love me?” she repeated, voice soft and face neutral as his eyes seemed to search for any sign of discomfort. 

“I do,” he said finally after a beat, his words soft and gentle. “I really do. You’re amazing and it…it hurts me to think that you don’t see what I see and I’ll do anything to get you to see it.” 

“Adrian…” she said gently, her nerves melting as she cupped his cheek and kissed his other cheek. “I love you too.” 

“Really?” he asked, sounding like an excited puppy being told their favorite words. 

“Yes, I do,” she repeated. “I really do love you.”

“That’s good, really good because that was going to be really awkward if you didn’t!” he said laughing brightly as he swept her off her feet as she squealed, her arms flying around his neck as he spun her and peppered her face with kisses. “I can’t believe you think I’m hot! And you thought I was hotter than you!” he said laughing hard as if it was the most ridiculous thought on the planet. 

“Okay, you doofus, put me down. We still have to finish the movie,” she said, slapping his back gently as he sat her down, moving them back on the couch, this time much closer. 

“I will, only because I love you and you’re beautiful,” he said. “And I’ll start the movie again because I love you and you’re awesome.”

“Is this going to be every day now?”