#codfanfiction

In the time leading up to the crucial meeting, my last interaction with König replayed in my mind like a riddle I couldn't solve. 

While sat in the stark meeting room, my gaze occasionally drifted toward the being who brought such inquisitions. Leaning against a wall, his eyes held a steady intensity as he listened to the commanding officer's briefing.

We were introduced to some intel about a main drug producing facility, located far remote in the woods at nearby frontiers. We were planning to give them a friendly visit since the local forces are too corrupt to do so.

Multiple satellite images of the area were displayed in the background with indications written over them, showing how the operation would unfold. They were followed by photos of some of the key figures in the criminal organization, each accompanied with simple introductions. Each except one: the last image had no face, only a simple caption beneath it that read 'Shadow'.

"And last but not least, the presumed leader. We have little to no info on him except this code name. We don't believe he'll be there, but if you hear this name, listen up. Any intel on him is new and valuable."

My eyes slowly drifted toward König again as the briefing continued. Something was itching inside, my train of thought wouldn't go away and I felt stupid for it. 

Why did I care so much? 

Urgh, the meeting room is clearly not the best setting for such contemplation anyway.  

After everyone geared up, we went for it. The helicopter took off, making its way out of the base with its crew ready for the upcoming operation. The trip gave me time to sink into a more focused state, taking into account what was at stake.

As the heli landed, we all stood up as one unit. Being in the far back, I was with the last ones to exit the iron belly of the vehicle. But, as I did, my luck led my foot right into a shallow hole right at the base of the ramp. I tripped, but immediately felt a strong grip on my tactical vest, restraining my body to go further down. I quickly regained my balance before peeking over my shoulder to recognize my favorite giant. He just continued to hold on for a moment as I gave him an embarrassed smile.

"Watch where you're going."

I could only muster a quiet 'Thank you' that he was already gone, and my cheeks heated up on themself. Luckily, it seems no one else saw my poor performance.

I hurried toward the jeeps where the rest of the team was. König was already there, as was Kevin. Of course he was. And, the cherry on top, it was painfully obvious I had to be the one to sit in the back in between them.

What a perfect recipe for chaos.

"I can sit in the middle" König offered, noticing my discomfort surrounding the situation. Kevin, however, didn't seem to get the message. He spoke up loudly, interrupting König's attempt to avoid a bloodshed.

"Nah man, she's fine. I got this." 

König tried his best to ignore Kevin's comment and resumed his tempting proposition: "You don't have to sit with him if you don't want to."

"Oh, so you do like her then?" Kevin chuckled while glaring at König with defiant eyes. His voice, dripping with deceit, grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. Even in interventions now he won't stop being annoying? For god sake!

"Kevin, this is the last time I'll politely ask you to shut the fuck up" I brutally interjected.

I then sat in the middle seat to shut down any more bickering. Kevin went quiet right away, looking somewhat bewildered. He only muttered a "Yes ma'am" in return. Both men took places next to me on the backseat without further wording, and the driver started the engine.

Kevin kept glancing over at me throughout the ride. I, on the other hand, stared out at the road through the windshield, but just enough so I could keep him in the corner of my eye. He talked loudly with the soldiers in the front seats while König and I remained silent, true to ourselves. 

My brain was more and more proficient with the task of filtering Kevin's existence all together, but I was brought back to reality when I felt something fall on my thigh. 

"Kitten, are you listening?"

My body tensed instantly as a shiver of disgust ran down my spine. König immediately stood up for me as he presumably had been keeping a close eye on Kevin the entire time.

"Kevin, take your ha—"

But I harshly cut him by raising my hand up, resolved to handle this desperate cause alone. By slowly bending toward Kevin, I let my shoulder rest against his. I got so awfully close my mouth was right next to his ear. He was now the one looking tense, his breathing only growing faster. A small smile was even starting to creep up on his face as he thought he had finally won, but that was before I whispered my real intentions. 

"If you don't take your filthy hand off of me right now, then say goodbye to your offspring."

Kevin hadn't noticed how I had set the tip of my rifle right over his crotch, at least until now. His eyes widened with disbelief, unsure if he should be horrified or completely mesmerized. In any case, he was anything but amused. His face turned red and he quickly removed his hand from me, bringing it in the air in defeat. 

"You're fucking crazy" he spluttered, visibly embarrassed.

"I know, thank you!" I cooed with a fake bubbly voice.

The driver and the soldier in the passenger seat bursted out of laughter when they saw Kevin's face. They started to pick on him, remembering him of all his past 'exploits' since he joined KorTac. It really made me wonder how he even got recruited. 

I let out a heavy sigh as I sat back correctly, instinctively bringing my body away from Kevin's like it was the plague itself. My knee brushed against König's thigh and the sudden contact made me flinch, recalling only now his presence next to me. 

Before I could move away, he shifted his legs to make room for me, inviting me to come closer without the need of words. I thanked him in a discreet whisper and brought my body closer to his. He only nodded in response, keeping his interest in what was going on outside of the window.

The rest of the ride went smoothly as Kevin finally stayed silent for once. He better have understood the message… Nonetheless, his case was a matter for later anyway.

Soon, the jeep arrived at our final stop: a nearby tree line where we had to finish by foot. Everyone was already walking toward the forest while König closed the car door behind me as I hopped out of it.

He stood silently beside me for a moment. 

"You think you're ready for this?" he asked.

My gaze was fixed ahead of me, pointing directly toward where we were headed, and my hand gripped my rifle on its own.

"Couldn't be more ready. Let's make this quick and easy," I assured.

König walked with me, his expression somewhat serious. Leaves were crumbling as we stepped on them, muffling the sound of my heartbeat. We walked in silence as if we were taking a solemn walk. It surely wasn't anything new for König, and it shouldn't be for me either. Yet, I still felt this pit in my stomach, the one I knew only too well, where slow and deep breaths were what I needed.  

König seemed deep in thought too. When I looked at him, his eyes snapped back on my figure. We exchanged a heavy look; König's eyes being powerful messengers, sending what could not be brought to words directly into someone's soul. And, somehow, it was exactly what I needed to alleviate my disquiet.

Before any of us could muster to break this silent conversation, a distant voice called for me and brought the both of us back to reality.

"Y/n, you go left from here. Your remote position is only a few clicks ahead."

I acquiesced and turned back to König, giving him somewhat of a forced smile, "Stay safe, and good luck with Kevin on your team."

He nodded and we parted away. Now left alone to proceed on my own, I was soon all set up in the bushes, waiting patiently for my time to shine. Overall, the mission went by smoothly without having to put up much of a gun fight. Civilians, or more so prisoners that were forced to manufacture drugs, were in the majority unarmed. My uphill position gave me and the other snippers a clear enough view to overwatch what was going on ahead, enabling our team to proceed safely.

A voice I could recognize beyond a thousand got through my earpiece, making my heart jump a little. But it quickly sunk in my stomach when I heard how his was filled with concern.

"Command, I've got some bad news: there's more to drugs here. We've found cells underground with multiple prisoners, it looks like there's also human trafficking going on here. Do you copy?"

"Copy König. Everyone, keep securing the area, we'll exfil the prisoners when it'll be safe to do so. We're calling reinforcement right now, over."

I tried to not let emotions get the best of me, but hell that was hard when my blood was boiling like it did. I kept my breathing steady, driving all my frustration into one goal only: making this operation a success. 

After multiple back and forth, the mission finally came to a close. Organization's members were arrested while the civilians and prisoners were taken away to safety.

"Ok, nice work everyone. To all snipers in position, keep an eye out on the area until every last soldier is exfiltrated." 

Finally. 

I exhaled to lift some of the tension present in my muscles away. But the relief I felt was not long lasting as I was prompted to press the button of my radio.

"This is Delta 1-5, still in po—"

I was rudely cut mid-sentence as something—or rather, as someone jumped on me from behind.

_______________________________

Weeks passed and went by so quickly I couldn't really grasp how time flew by. Every day was so busy I wasn't doing much more than wake up, train, eat and sleep. Sometimes we managed to hang out and have some fun, though König would never participate. Hanging out with him could only be done away from too many distractions, but we eventually met from time to time at the back of the warehouses, thus making it our unofficial hanging spot.

Now outside of the gym after another long day of training, the only thing which kept me standing was the idea of a nice and warm shower. My sweat drenched my shirt in a way that made me proud of my efforts, but it was also starting to bother me deeply. A frustration of being grimy, only driven by the future satisfaction of feeling clean. My mind was locked on my soon liberation when a figure appeared in front of me, cutting me out of my tracks. 

Kevin. 

The simple vision of his smirk made me done with him already, even though he hasn't said anything yet. My exhausted self just stopped in front of him in hopes my annoyed face would give enough of a hint to piss off. 

It didn't.

"Hey there Kitten!"

"Stop calling me that" I scowled, my tone as cold as ice.

But he continued like he couldn't read how his presence alone gave me murderous impulses. His roaming gaze was followed by a disgusting wolf-whistle. He then took an exaggerated raspy voice that made him look even dumber, a not so rare exploit I had the pleasure to witness again.

"Look at you, so worked up... Damn, isn't your boyfriend a lucky guy?"

I didn't know how I managed to stay calm, because my primal urges were begging me to crush a knee into his crotch. Instead, I only pinched the bridge of my nose and exhaled an over dramatic sigh. 

After the shooting test incident, it only took him a week to come back and annoy the shit out of me. It was mostly dumb catchphrases that made the others laugh, but even my patience has limits… 

And he grazes them far too much. 

I glided my hand up to my forehead, brushing away some wet hair strands on the way, debating if I should just suggest him to go fuck himself with his right hand while it's not broken. 

"Why would you care?" I grunted as I exhaled again.

"I just do. Oh, but don't tell me… You don't have a boyfriend?" he insisted.

Urgh, someone, anyone, make him shut up before I do! 

The look in Kevin's eyes told me exactly what his intentions were. It was painted all over his face. A view that only confirmed to me that, no matter what I would say, he wouldn't stop pursuing this little warped fantasy of his.

I can't stand the way he invades my personal space, leaning in too close, his eyes lingering on me as if he expects me to be enchanted by his unwanted advances. I'm fucking done being his little personal challenge to conquer.

He stepped closer and, before I could say anything, heavy footsteps followed by a deep voice stopped Kevin on the spot.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

As I saw König over Kevin's shoulder, a rush of relief washed away all the tension I was trying to control. König had that power on me, refraining my urges to always be tough and surly. This was a new kind of tranquility my subconscious gladly welcomed. However, I still kept a mask of annoyance as I looked back at Kevin. 

"You're deaf? Fuck off, now," hissing my words like venom. 

Kevin slowly turned his head to glare at what was towering him, his expression showing a mix of irritation and embarrassment. He probably wasn't expecting anyone to interrupt and spoil his 'moment', surely even less by one of KorTac's biggest threats. But it wasn't long before he regained his well known cocky demeanor.

"And what are you doing here? You're following your sniper girlfriend around?" he gloated.

Kevin's head turned back to me with a smirk, as if I should feel impressed. König's body on the other hand didn't do much as flinch, like he tried to hold an impulse back. His presence became somber, his voice lowering into a menacing growl.

"Do yourself a favor and learn your place: leave right now if you don't want a new report with your name on it."

Kevin opened his mouth to say something in return, but stopped when König shot him a warning glare. Kevin's gaze darkened as he gave me a nasty look, one that I gladly returned. He knew König had the power, and the will, to carry out his threat. 

Kevin only twitched his tongue and left with a clear look of frustration plastered all over his face. He mumbled something, but I couldn't care less. I smiled and waved at him as he walked away, my hand slowly forming into a middle finger. König chuckled lightly at my childish behavior as he tilted his head in amusement.

"You're quite the character, aren't you?" 

"With magnetic properties it seems, since I only attract assholes" I blurted out.

Still looking toward where Kevin left, I somber deep in thoughts of what just happened, asking myself if I should report him for real, wondering if it won't do more bad than good.

As silence was the only sound filling my ears, my field of thoughts suddenly stopped itself with the realization of what I just said to König.

"I wasn't talking about you" I quickly added to correct my last statement.

König brows furrowed as he looked down at me, his expression softening slightly toward the end. I was strangely getting used to how some of his emotions were showing through his eyes, a secret code only a few knew the combination of.

"I know," König said rather calmly. He then turned around and started walking toward the barracks.

"Even though you sure had your way to attract my attention as well," he added, out of nowhere, a hint of mischief now present in his tone.

He could be so blunt at times, but I eventually learned how he wasn't someone to wrap his words with a coat of courtesy. 

He didn't bother to check if I was following him as he fully expected I would do so, and I proved him right since I quickly caught up to his pace.

"You mean our first sparring match, right?" I asked. "Speaking of which, I still wonder what you expected when you asked a poor thing like me to fight against you," I added with a mischievous smirk.

König raised an eyebrow. The look he was giving me was quite intense, like he was trying to gauge my words; Was I implying something? Or was I just messing with him? The latter was the correct answer of course, and he knew it. 

"I know a good fighter when I see one,"  König said calmly as he slowed down his pace. "I simply wanted to see how you would fair against an opponent like myself."

Still looking in my direction, his expression shifted to amusement as he spoke again.

"You held out far longer than I expected," he admitted, "So I guess you proved to be a bit tougher than a 'poor thing'."

His words made me smile. And, coming from a quiet force like him, it only made my joy more perceptible. 

"Ah? So, what am I in your book then?" I playfully inquired.

He made a guttural sound as he thought about what to say in return.

"Well, I guess you're a bit of a 'tough cookie' in my perspective," he said with a sigh, "Though, a pain in the ass might be a better way to describe you," he teased. 

I scoffed as I continued to walk beside him.

"Don't lie, I know you can't get enough of me!" I teased while faking an innocent look.

"You wish" he only chuckled.

We continued to walk alongside each other toward the barracks, making small talks all the while. When we arrived at the entrance, I let out a satisfied sigh as the craving to take a shower only grew stronger the closer we got to the building.

König, being slightly ahead of me, grabbed the door handle and opened it for me.

"After you." 

I thanked him and walked past him. As I glanced behind me, I saw König only leaning lazily against the door frame, his gaze fixed on me as I entered. 

"You're not going in?" I asked as he loomed over me, arms folded across his chest while his head slightly tilted to the side. His expression shifted once again to something more serious and emotionless as he gazed down at me.

"Nah," he replied, "I still have some things to do."

He lowered his arms back to his sides as he turned around. "Enjoy your shower," he concluded in a rather friendly tone before walking away. 

I stayed in the entrance for a few seconds as I wondered why he walked with me then. 

Wait, was it to prevent Kevin from bothering me again?

Nah! 

…Unless…?

_______________________________

After our return to base, everyone helped out to put back the various gears and equipment to their designated areas. König and I were tasked with returning the weapons to the armory. 

Initially, we both were grabbing a handle of the big storage box. However, König decided to handle the box alone after a short while—deeming it was more efficient that way. He assured me it wasn't that heavy, so I didn't insist. While the weight was manageable for two, his solo handling of the box highlighted once again just how strong he was.

After sorting the box's contents, I took a moment to stretch while glancing at the wall clock. We were late in the afternoon, but it was still too early for dinner. In essence, it was the perfect time for a break.

"Hey, fancy grabbing a beer with me?" I offered.

König stayed silent as he processed my suggestion, carefully weighing the pros and cons. 

"Where?" he finally inquired. 

I smiled and gestured with my hand to follow me. "Behind the north warehouses. No one ever goes there." 

Given his reserved nature, I easily guessed the usual hustle and bustle of a bar wasn't an option with him. He followed me without adding anything and we picked up some beers on the way. 

We sat next to each other at the sole table of the secluded spot. As we gazed at the sunset, the both of us stayed silent. It was peaceful here, far removed from the usual commotions of the base.

I opened my bottle and took a sip, thus experiencing the tangy flavor on my tongue. I couldn't help but make a small face; I always had a hard time getting accustomed to the peculiar taste. 

"How come you didn't tell everyone that you beat me?" König asked, breaking the silence with that thick accent of his that leaned a certain charm to the words. "I really thought you'd boast about it"

I take a moment to consider his observation. It's true that, deep down, I would have loved to rub it in his face. Yet, something always told me that no one would have believed me if I did. I took another sip of my beer before answering, grimacing slightly as I swallowed the bitter liquid.

"I don't know, maybe 'cause I'm new here? It felt weird to do so," I started. "Also, the idea of someone being annoyingly teased just because a woman beat their ass isn't what I call a victory."

His blue eyes remained fixed on me, attentively listening to my words. He hadn't opened his bottle yet, his gloved hand was just holding it. 

"I mean, I don't assume that's what would have happened," I added, "but I can imagine that taking down the almost 7' beast would have made some noise."

The 'beast'.

König couldn't resist smirking audibly at my choice of words. He cracked open his beer and raised it under his mask, tilting his head as he took a sip, not giving much more to see of his face than I already had. He returned his beer to the table with a contented sigh.

"Thanks for your concerns, but the people here know very well not to come and get me," he stated matter-of-factly.

"If you say so. I've just encountered so many disingenuous folks, can't help but be careful now," I rebooted.

The expression in his eyes was mixed: partly confused, yet understanding of my perspective.

"What happened to make you think that way?" he inquired curiously.

"A lot as you can guess, but what about you? You must have a reason to hide your face," I asked back, subtly avoiding his last question in the process.

His eyes remained fixed on his bottle, likely debating again whether telling me was worth it or not. I let him be and took another small sip of my drink. After placing my bottle back on the table, König's answer finally came.

"There are things, especially from my past, that I prefer to keep hidden."

He sighed as his hand went to gently rub his face beneath his hood. I offered him a soft smile in hopes to alleviate any discomfort.

König's body relaxed when he understood that I wasn't going to insist. Though, his hand stayed under the hood accompanied by a soft scratching noise, raising my curiosity again. Maybe the rumors were true? Maybe he really was hiding something gruesome behind that mask of his? Yet, it felt like there was something more profound at stake.

I watched as König took another sip of his beer, nearly emptying half the bottle in two swallows. As I continued to observe him, my fascination deepened. It was as if I were compelled to unravel the secrets hidden beneath that mask, seeking the man obscured behind it. 

But, should I? Or, wouldn't it end up in a poor repetition of the Pandora tale?

'Curiosity killed the cat' isn't an empty saying after all. …But, what about kittens?

"Would it be alright if I touched it?" The words rolled off my tongue as I was thinking out loud. "Your face, I mean" I quickly added, now too deep to turn back.

He seemed taken aback when he turned his head to me, but the surprise faded when he saw I wasn't trying to joke around. He seemed conflicted, yet also... intrigued. 

After a few seconds of hesitation, he finally nodded and bent his head toward me, lessening the distance between us. 

A bit hesitant at first, his eyes displayed his determination to go forth with it nonetheless. So, I cautiously lifted my hand from the table, taking my time to gradually extend my fingers towards him. It was as if I were approaching a wild animal, affording him the opportunity to flee if necessary. All the while, my eyes were ensnared in the depth of his resolute stare.

As I approached his hood, I slipped my palm beneath it. My middle finger encountered something smooth, fabric-like. It was the balaclava he wore in addition to his hood. He twitched slightly at the first contact, but he didn't voice any further objection.

I identified his chin as I brought my other fingers there. Slowly, I moved them around his cheek, attempting to discern his features. Unfortunately, the fabric covering his skin muffled most of what I could grasp from this little touching session. The contours of his jaw, cheek, and temple were melted into a smooth and soft surface.

König's hand suddenly went under his hood without warning. He abruptly adjusted the lower part of his balaclava and tucked it under his chin. My eyes widened while my body jolted with surprise, my hand frozen in place as I feared any further movement would cause something else to happen.

"It tickled" König remarked, and curiosity winned me back instantly. 

I resumed my previous motion and delicately explored König's cheek with my digits. Despite not being able to see a thing, I could feel much. I was able to grasp a faint stubble tickling my fingertips; based on how it pricked my skin, he probably shaved 3 or 4 days ago. As my fingers moved downward to his chin once more, I detected a slight dent on the way, likely a scar. 

My finger continued to carefully trace his jawline—strong. 

Then his nose—well-defined. 

Finally his lips—soft and slightly wet from the beer he drank just a minute ago. 

His eyes didn't leave me for a second, my own following the path my fingers were taking as if I could see through the fabric in between. He maintained a profound silence, to the extent even his breath was almost imperceptible.

I felt more indents that were scar-like all around. My finger twitched on its own when it encountered another, larger one that extended from his eye to his upper lip. While I couldn't precisely map out every detail of his face, one thing was crystal clear: his face bore plenty of scars.

"It wasn't the battlefield that did this to you, was it?" 

The words slipped from my lips quicker than I could think about them, revealing some of my concerns away. 

He hesitated for a moment while my hand rested on his cheek, my thumb gently brushing over one of his scars as if I was attempting to soften it in some ways. His skin had healed, yet a part of me wished for any left trauma to fade away.

"It was my dad" he finally replied.

I froze, but he didn't elaborate further. I carefully withdrew my hand and he readjusted his balaclava to its previous state, concealing his facial features even under his mask.

The urge to prob further nagged at me, but I stopped myself from prying any deeper. However, the meaning behind his answer was troubling me. How could a parent… to their own child? Even without having seen them, it wasn't that hard to figure out those scars weren't left by accident. 

"So they're the reason you hide your face?" I only inquired.

"I guess. And, I don't know—I've kinda gotten used to it," he answered rather quickly this time. 

Releasing a deep sigh, he finished the remainder of his beer without another word, definitively closing the topic. I picked up my own bottle and took several audible gulps too, as if the sour liquid would somehow wash away the uneasiness of the situation.

We watched the sun set as it was painting the surroundings in shades of orange, some rays reaching and reflecting on my hair. I could feel König's gaze on me, but my eyes stayed on the tranquil scenery before us as my eyelids were getting slightly heavier.

"You're the first person in a long time I've let acknowledge them. Well, you haven't seen them directly—but still," he confessed.

In that moment, it became evident to me that König and I shared a lot in common. I too had my own, invisible scars that I wasn't ready to share yet. Our eyes met and we exchanged somewhat of a silent comfort. König then chuckled as he dropped his arms back on the table surface, causing it to tremble.

"You know, at first you seemed like a bit of a troublemaker. I even had some concerns about your case. But now I must admit that I was wrong, you seem like a decent person."

His sudden confession elicited laughter from me. 

"Of course I am, you must have been blind to not see it sooner!" I gloated. 

"Don't make me regret my words" he quipped.

A new gleam lit up his eyes as I nudged his shoulder in a playful protest. We shifted on lighter topics as the sun continued its slow descent, enjoying our time together before it would get too late to do so.

And that, my friends, is what I call an unusual, yet successful team building.

_______________________________

You sabotaged him quietly. You hid perfectly. Until now. Soap knows—and he’s coming for you.

Chapter: STRIKE

“Oh shit, guys- better shut up, real quick, our little Corp looks like she’s plotting your murder.”

Your jaw clenches tighter, till you feel your teeth’s edges biting into another. Forty meters.

“No, bro, she figuring out how to sabotage your gun and make you look like a dumbshit in front of your squad.”

“What,” A deep voice growls. “Did ye just say?”  MacTavish.

Your eyes meet. And for one impossible second, he’s still.

Eerily still.

The tension doesn't build—it drops, hard and heavy, like something snapping tight inside him.

He doesn’t blink.

Doesn’t speak.

Just stares. And that stare—that look—isn’t confusion or amusement anymore.

And in a voice that shouldn’t sound so calm, not from him, not now, he says—

“You.”

Uh-oh.

Days have passed since the shooting test and today was finally the day to head for a "real" mission, one with guns, gears, adrenaline and… yet, another briefing. 

And so here I was, sat in the meeting room, waiting for the mandatory reunion to begin. My knee jumped on its own as excitement blended with anticipation into a nice melting pot. While I was trying to gain control of my own impatience, someone suddenly plopped down onto the seat next to me, making me flinch in surprise. It wasn't unusual for my colleagues to have the subtlety of a sledgehammer, but still. 

I shot an immediate glare at the boor who so rudely interrupted my self therapy session, only to be greeted by the sight of the Austrian I hadn't seen since the shooting test. König, on the other hand, wasn't even addressing a glance toward me, appearing completely indifferent to my presence. I was about to open my mouth when someone else grabbed everyone's attention to start the meeting.

I exhaled as I crossed my arms on my chest, choosing to focus rather on what was at hand for now. The mission was going to be a reconnaissance one. Nothing thrilling, but any intel was valuable at this point if I understood correctly.

After the meeting, everyone got to their assigned tasks. My team hit the road, going there by the wheels. König remained silent, occasionally glancing in my direction, but whenever our eyes met he swiftly averted his gaze. 

Before long, we reached our intended location. We split up to cover the area, maintaining vigilance despite the place looking indeed deserted. 

As I approached some abandoned buildings with my gun in hand, an eerie feeling crept over me—as if something or someone was trailing behind. A quick glance over my shoulder revealed König, following me while keeping a cautious distance.

Should I say something? But, is he even really following me? After contemplating the matter, I chose to continue on my route, allowing events to unfold naturally.

König trailed silently behind me, his boots making subdued sounds on the packed dirt. I entered the first vacant building and began my inspection. 

He stayed outside and looked around before eventually catching up to me.

"All clear?" he asked.

I lifted my gaze to observe him standing by the main door frame; his helmet almost reached its apex, his imposing figure nearly filling the entire space. In that fleeting moment, I couldn't help but marvel at the wonders nature could create on this earth; even though it occurred to me that König might have taken more lives than contributed to it whatsoever.

"Almost, I still need to check upstairs if it's clear too." I replied.

König nodded and shifted his gaze to the ceiling behind me, then returned his look, seemingly raising an eyebrow.

"Do you need help?" he inquired.

Confused, I turned around and noticed that the stairs were in rather poor condition. Also, the next floor also appeared somewhat distant from the ground. Considering both of our stature, it was obvious who had to climb up. Unperturbed by this conclusion, I headed myself towards the opening in the ceiling.

"Yes, give me a hand please."

König nodded and approached. Using his hands, he created a step for my foot and provided a boost, keeping a close eye on me as I climbed up. 

Once upstairs, I explored the area. However, I found nothing of significance: the place had some mundane, discarded items here and there as some scattering of cigarette butts. 

After confirming the emptiness of the second floor, I retraced my steps to the opening and bent down in front of it.

"It's all clear, I'm going down." I warned.

König glanced up as I promptly settled myself on the edge of the hole, ready to jump downstairs. However, doing so made me realize how far up I was. Jumping down on my own was not a good idea after all.

"Erm… Can you catch me?" I asked hesitantly, "I'd rather not hurt myself on my first mission."

König met my gaze before his arms extended in my direction. As he spoke, his voice tinged with a touch of amusement.

"You should consider yourself lucky I'm the one here and not Kevin. I can't imagine how he would have taken advantage of the situation."

A bit surprised with the sudden mention of my nemesis, I chuckled.

"Don't get me started, I would leap off a 10-story building rather than seek his help!" I jested with a grain of truth.

König had his hands raised just below me, ready to catch me, so I dropped down. He effortlessly gripped my waist, his large hands fully cupping it. While I expected him to set me down, I instead noticed his eyes narrowing as a smile probably grew on his lips. Instead of placing me on the ground immediately, he raised me slightly as to make his point.

"I would catch you even if you fell from a 10-story building," he stated like a matter of fact. He finally lowered me to the ground rather softly, his gaze fixed on mine. 

"Sure you could!" I chuckled, "But let's hope we'll never need to come to such desperate measures."

König stood back up fully, making his imposing figure a stark contrast to mine again. We resumed our thorough examination of every building in our area. Occasionally, we engaged in casual chit chat. While not being a particularly extensive talker, König still shared some context about the overall mission.

After inspecting the last building, silence settled between us again as we made our way back to our vehicles. My eyes fell onto König's gloved hand and I could almost see the biting mark through it. At first, I thought about what I could say to tease him, but the prospect of having to fight against him again was in fact not a very appealing one.

"Uhm, you know, I'd like to properly apologize for biting you last time—it wasn't really bright of me to do" I finally said as I wanted to make sure there wasn't any bad blood left between us.

König remained silent for a bit. Having spent some time with him now, I found it less unsettling than before. He sighed as he looked down at me. His blue eyes remained cold, yet they held hints of content.

"You're still thinking about that?" he asked with a shrug. "You have nothing to apologize for," he added after a moment of pause. "If anything, I should have been the one to be more careful." 

It still felt a bit surreal to be able to communicate together without being at each other's throats, like we hadn't fought for our lives merely days ago. I guess we really just got off on the wrong foot.

"So, we're good? Off to best buddies now?" I chuckled with a cheeky smile.

As we continued walking, he spoke up with the most relaxed tone I've heard from him so far.

"Yeah, we're good," he said as he turned his face toward mine, "as long as you don't try to sink your teeth into me again," he added jokingly.

"As long as you don't duel me again," I retorted, "or else I might really start to think you enjoyed it."

His eyebrows shot upward and he let out a hearty chuckle.

"Don't tempt me."

König then got silent as he looked straight ahead. After a few more moments, his tone became solemn once again.

"I'm not a big fan of showing emotions," he confessed, "but I have to admit: I appreciate having someone around who knows how to keep things interesting."

He then continued to walk toward our vehicle without another word, effectively closing the conversation. For the first time in a while, I found myself at a loss for words, so I trailed behind him in silence.

What an interesting development indeed, I thought.

_______________________________

As I was finishing preparing my rifle in the storage room, I noticed König glancing at me. Memories of our match came in, some of his warnings too. Even when I took a quick shower this morning I noticed new bruises on my back and arms, yet another reminder of what could happen if König decided to turn his threats into reality.  

It wasn't long before his sharp accent came to my ears again. 

"You're ready?"

I gave him a side eye and nodded silently, settling on the strategy of not digging my own grave as soon as I open my mouth around him. 

Like yesterday, guessing his current emotional status was difficult without a face to look at. My only hint was his voice, but it was plain neutral. The large man looked around, then gestured towards the nearby shooting range. 

"Alright, let's see what you've got then."

He strongly patted my shoulder and left with long strides. I couldn't really decide if this was an attempt to encourage me or, on the contrary, to put pressure on me again. Nonetheless, I followed him and saw that the other recruits were already in position. I joined them and took place at the end of the range, then waited quietly for instructions.

But Kevin, the annoying shit next to me, didn't share that point of view it seemed. He whispered to me without really caring if people around us could hear him.

"Hey Kitten, aren't you worried? You know that you have a reputation that sticks to your ass, right?" 

I kept my gaze in front of me, resolved to not let any of his words phase me. I was starting to get used to the character: only mouth, no guts. As his miserable taunt remained unanswered, he scoffed.

"If you can't make it up to it doll don't worry, I'll take care of it." 

He had a snide glint in his eyes as a smirk hung about his lips. He really looked as dumb as he sounded, his American accent not helping his case. 

I then noticed how his sleeves were rolled up, proudly exposing his scratched forearms. In the last hand-to-hand combats, Kevin saw fit to provoke me and my response may have left him with a lovely souvenir—just like I did with König's hand now that I think about it. The only downside being him calling me "Kitten" ever since.

I stared ahead of me again, focusing on the training area and the impending tests that lay ahead. Soon, one of the instructors spoke up, providing a brief recap of what to expect.

"Alright, let's begin. The targets range roughly from 20 up to 100 feets away from your positions. You'll have to handle your reloads and adjust your setup when necessary, there will be no breaks. Any questions before we start?"

Kevin's voice erupted by my side, sending direct shivers down my spine. His voice was so irksome, especially to my ears, that I couldn't help an annoyed expression to claim my face.

"Yes sir! Will the best win something?" he queried with evident mischief.

I felt Kevin gaze on me again. Of course this was a "hidden" duel request. I stayed silent but oh god, he had his ways to crawl under my skin. I couldn't help but to wonder what was worse between having to put up with him all morning or to face the consequences of shooting him in the foot.

König glanced at Kevin, but chose not to comment on his cocky attitude.

"We will only be taking into consideration your accuracy score. This is an evaluation of your progress within the shooting range, not a contest." he stated, his tone alone implying that it was better for Kevin to keep quiet.

Kevin scoffed but didn't reply. He instead lowered his voice again and whispered to me: "May the best win, Kitten."

I was already committed to taking this test seriously anyway, but now, I had the additional mission to shut Kevin's mouth once and for all. The instructor resumed like nothing happened, his voice monotone but still helding an imposing presence.

"Alright, the test begins on 3, 2, 1… Weapon's free!"

Loud gunshots were heard throughout the shooting range as the targets started to move. I aimed for the heads when I could, refraining any hesitation to creep in. 

When they checked for accuracy points they kept the results silent, probably to avoid any childish competition among some. Kevin's cocky smile was mostly gone, but I refrained myself from looking at him too much as the less interaction with him, the better.

Later came the test for ranged weapons and I sighed in relief: seeing we could only go one after the other would mean I wouldn't have to bear Kevin's presence again during it. Speaking of him, I guess he did great by how he got up with a wide smirk after his evaluation. I could only guess, since I wasn't too bothered to look actually. 

He came to me and landed his nasty hand on my shoulder, right where König did yesterday. 

"Sorry, but I couldn't make this easy for you, you know?" he gloated.

I shoved his hand from my shoulder, pointedly ignoring him. Even König let out an amused grunt as he watched Kevin's taunts getting rebuffed once again. He was probably delighted to see me undergo what I had indulged him during our fight yesterday.

I laid on the ground in front of the sniper rifle, quickly reloading it while I took a peek at the field through the scope. As I got the green light to start, I isolated myself in my thoughts, landing my shots and scoring clean headshots all throughout the evaluation. 

König seemed pleased with the skills, and I could hear whispers amongst the other recruits as one was pocking Kevin with their elbow. His usual smugness was absent from his face as it drifted onto mine. When I got to him, I gave him my most devilish grin as I mimicked his grating voice.

"Sorry, I couldn't make this easy for you, you know?"

He didn't respond, but frustration was clearly showing through his clenched fist and gritted teeth. From this point on, he thankfully stopped talking to me whatsoever. He only shot me nasty glares, and I left every one of them unanswered. He really have a fragile ego for an arrogant prick.

After all tests were finished, we were finally given the results as our newly assigned position. The others seemed excited for the missions ahead, comparing each other's performances. In my case, I was unsurprisingly confirmed into the sniper team. 

I saw Kevin leaving the room without another word, surely prompted by how I had a better overall score than him. As I said: all mouth, no guts.

While I watched him leave with an over satisfied smile, I heard footsteps behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw König coming toward me with a slow gait. He seemed to be in a much better mood than yesterday as he came to a stop in front of me.

"Well done on the tests," he complimented in a rather pleased tone, "I expect great things from you."

His words caught me off guard, but I managed to offer him a smile as I extended my hand in a peace making manner. Despite the temptation to brag, I saw this as an opportunity to show I could rise above pettiness.

"Thank you, I only wish to be useful here."

He looked down at my extended hand for a moment before taking it strongly to shake it.

"You will be," König admitted. "Now that's out of the way," he continued as he released my hand, "I hope that you will show the same level of maturity as today."

His expression then returned to its usual stoicism as he turned and walked away without another word.

So… I guess we're good now?

_______________________________

"Alright… I surrender." König groaned.

I hastily released his arms as a rush of relief floods my whole body and mind, not even questioning if he was genuine or not. He strongly pushed himself up, causing me to fall to the ground in the process. He halfheartedly dusted off his shirt before his raspy voice echoed through the cold walls of the gym again.

"I did not expect this level of aggression from you, but I should have known better. You will do just fine here, soldier." he admitted, his voice tinted with a tad of annoyance.

König's gaze was like a laser piercing through my flesh, focusing particularly on my upper body. A shiver traveled all along my naked spine, soon realizing how much skin I was exhibiting. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I grabbed my shirt and frantically put it back on. 

I could almost hear him labeling me as an exhibitionist now. But let's play cool for now, at least I'm… alive!

"To be frank I never thought I would win, but..." 

I let my lips stretch to a cocky grin.

"... the end justifies the means, am I right?"

I cupped my hips with my hands and proudly puffed out my chest, like the true winner I was. König let out a small, almost mocking laugh as he looked away for a moment. His eyebrows furrowed when his face fell toward me again.

"Don't let it get to your head, you won one match. You have a lot more to prove before you start bragging."

Amused, I replied tit for tat: "And I think you should take a look at your hand before giving lessons!"

I bursted into laughter as I saw the fresh wound throbbing. König turned his head slightly and only acknowledged it with a scoff. His aura changed to a more somber one as he leisurely walked toward me, much like a predator to his prey, closing the space remaining between us. 

"Don't think I am not one for revenge," he said sternly, growing annoyed again. 

He towered over me from all his height, more menacing than ever. My fight or flight reflexes kicked in when he slowly moved his arm in front of my face. I flinched, ready to go back at it, but it was only to showcase the sweet injury I left him, presenting to me the irrefutable evidence of my crime.

I smiled at the view of the perfect imprint of my teeth on his skin. I took great pleasure in analyzing it, checking if everything was in place like the dentist I wasn't. 

I couldn't deny the absurdity of the situation as a sense of amusement bubbled within me, threatening to spill over in the form of a giggle. König shot me a glare and I couldn't help it; another laugh escaped my lips as a result of nerves mixed with excitement. 

His expression hardened, which caused me to feel a wave of cold air wash over my body. He stared at me for a few more seconds before speaking again. 

"Laugh all you want, but you will pay for that in due time." König warned with a low, guttural voice.

My eyes snapped right back onto his. I tried to compose myself, wiping away my grin, but failed miserably. Despite the impending fallout, I reveled in the pettiness of our exchange.

"And yet, you're the one who wished for a fight—what were you expecting?" I quipped.

I crossed my arms on my chest as to put more weight to my plea, the adrenaline from our match still coursing through my veins, a mocking smile dancing on my lips. 

König gazed at me intently, remaining stoic and deep in thoughts for a moment as the echoes of our fight still lingered in the air. Clearly, he had little tolerance for disrespect, nor did he appreciate my respondent. 

"What was I expecting?"  König repeated in a threatening tone, "I was expecting a fight, not a little wolf trying to sink her teeth into me."

"Though you liked it." I smirked.

His cold body language and deadly stare told me everything I needed to know. He wasn’t amused by my attempt to inject humor into the situation, not at all. 

Unimpressed, he bent down and firmly gripped my shoulder, getting to my height like he would with a little child, but his tone was everything but gentle and reassuring: his voice was cold and slow, mechanic almost. 

"I'll admit I underestimated you, but don't try to eat more than you can swallow." "You're still new here." "And replaceable."

Ouch. This hurt more than I would have liked to. The amusement dimmed off of my face as the reality of potential consequences sank in. The force he displayed moments ago also made me reconsider to just nicely comply rather than stand up to him. I still want to work here after all, and being a fractious little gremlin won't do me any favors.

König's gaze shifted downward to my shoulder, which was still in his grasp. His expression had returned to its former demeanor—stoic and reserved. 

"If you really want to earn your place in this taskforce, you'll have to do more than surprise me." he warned.

Ah, so beating your ass doesn't count I guess?

"You know that you'll have to prove your shooting skills tomorrow, or perhaps you really didn't listen earlier?"

As he locked his blue eyes with mine I could feel heat emanating from his body, perfectly contrasting with that icy gaze of his.

He squeezed my shoulder, enjoying the tension he was forcing me to feel. But I wasn't overly concerned about it; instead, I saw it as a challenge to take on.

"I know, and I will sir." I simply replied, not wanting to address the part about me dozing off in the middle of a meeting.

Our faces were mere inches apart, our foreheads almost touching. I unconsciously seized the opportunity of being this close to analyze what could be grasped of his masked face. His grayish eyes were half closed, looking almost tired. The body paint he was using around them made them pop so much it was impossible not to dwell on them. If he wasn't so much of a pain in the ass, I could almost admit they were stunning. 

As no sound came to my ears, I started to wonder if I had pressed the pause button unintentionally. König looked almost puzzled as he remained silent and motionless. Yet, I don't remember hitting him on the head.

I slightly rotated my head to inspect König's hand, still grabbing me by the shoulder. It was so big in comparison, I wondered for a second where else it could go without giving me that impression.

"You have something else to say?" I almost scolded, looking at him with a side eye.

His eyes flicked to meet mine as I spoke. The tension in the air was palpable as he continued to hold my shoulder, but his grip was slowly loosening.

Finally, after a moment of silence, he let go and turned away. 

"That's all, soldier," he said in a somewhat bored tone as he walked away, "Be sure to get plenty of rest, you'll need it for tomorrow."

I looked at him leaving the building, puzzled with what just had happened, before eventually making my own way out of it. Soon after, hot water was finally cascading over me in the showers, washing away the remnants of the day's chaos. The sound of the running water provided a soothing backdrop as I stood there, reflecting on the surreal turn of events. 

Steam filled the cubicle, creating a perfect reflection of my state of mind. Despite the warmth, a shiver ran down my spine. Still, I couldn't help but to smile as I replayed the scene in my mind. 

When I got back to my room, the weight of the day settled in. I crawled into bed, the softness of the sheets offering a stark contrast to the hardness of the gym floor. Everything was quiet, the only sound being the distant hum of the late base activity.

Lying there in the dark, I couldn't shake the feeling of accomplishment that clung to me like a comforting blanket. There was a certain satisfaction in defying expectations, especially when they were mine. Yet, beneath the amusement, a flicker of concern still lingered in the back of my mind. 

I could see the bite mark as if it was still in front of me: a symbolic reminder of today's events, engraved in my memory—but mostly onto König's skin. 

I giggled, thinking about how he'll have to put up with it for a while. But it was my message for him, full of innuendos, like how someone signs a letter for their lover with a lipstick kiss mark; only the intent here clearly more on the hate than on the love side. 

As I closed my eyes, the image of König danced in my mind, a peculiar lullaby that accompanied me into the realm of sleep.

_______________________________

I wasn't able to react quickly enough. 

This time, he managed to grip my wrist hard. I was seeing all my life before my eyes as I was now locked in a position where I would never be strong enough to push him down with my upper body. And then, it hitted me. 

But perhaps with my legs, I could...

Without second guessing it, I fleetly jumped and kicked my feet on König's ass. While it projected him to the floor, it also made him lose the grip he had on me as I strongly pushed myself away. 

Here was his strongest, and yet weakest point: his imposing stature. He couldn’t get up as fast as I could. 

As he began to stand up, I rushed and jumped on his back, knees bent forward, effectively pushing away all the air present from his lungs in my landing. My hands fiercely seized his arm back and locked it again, his other hand left free for a second. König was stunned, but he quickly scanned for options. He could make one last attempt to gain control, and he took it. 

By swiftly spinning around his upper body, he extended his free member and grabbed the collar of my shirt in an instant. Using all his force to bring me down, my back crashed with the floor in a resounding thud. I winced as a sharp, electric pain surged through me instantly.

I let out a frustrated roar and tried to struggle, but König’s hands strongly kept me on the ground as if I weighed nothing. He then casually laid down on his side over my abdomen, effectively trapping me beneath him. His weight made any attempt to escape futile.

"Fuck!" I growled in frustration.

He pinned both of my wrists above my head with one hand, the other remaining on the ground to lean on it, preventing his mass from crushing me more than it already was. 

König's expression was yet again unperturbed while my anger was clearly showing. He stayed motionless over my excessive attempts toward freedom, reveling with the pure rage that emanated from me in every way, shape or form. I could have sworn there was a smile forming behind his hood as he watched me struggling under his one hand. 

"Good, you have at least some fire behind that pretty face." he said bluntly.

I scoffed and shot him the meanest glare I could afford.

"Release me and you'll see what this pretty face will do!" I yelled, not a care in the world about the actual position I was in.

I struggled again but was unable to free myself from this beast of a man. I frantically moved my legs up and down, but I still wasn't able to reach him. König let out a deep laugh as he found pleasure in my frustrated attempts, making my body shake with his as the sound reverberated in my rib cage.

"I won't lie soldier: I appreciate your tenacity, but you won't get anywhere if you keep throwing a tantrum. Save that anger for real danger."

He maintained his hold on me as I clearly wasn't willing to give up, but his strength was too much. 

I had to face it: I would not be going anywhere until he decides otherwise. My cheeks burned with embarrassment; this situation was fucking humiliating. 

I felt so lucky that there wasn't anyone else in the gym at that moment because, as a last resort, I ceased all movements and waited for him to lose his grip. As my struggles began to die down, a blank expression washed over my face; It almost looked like defeat. 

But König wasn't stupid, he wasn't going to let me escape that easily.

"You think I can't see you're only pretending?" he said with a low, menacing voice.

He brought his free hand closer to my face so he could bend over me, pinning me even more onto the ground with his huge torso. The weight he put on my chest made it difficult to breathe, his body warmth aggravating the situation. It took over me like a wildfire; the heat spreading in my lungs was unbearable, suffocative even.

He looked at me in his grasp for a moment before averting his gaze back into my eyes. He was so close I could almost feel his hot breath brushing against my lips and neck.

"You cannot defeat an enemy by laying down for them, soldier." he stated, satisfied as he made his point.

Our eyes were locked together, fighting a new battle on their own. His gaze of steel showed how he was savoring his victory, and you know what? 

That's perfect. 

Because that means he has yet to know he just fell into my trap. 

With his free hand now within reach, I rushed my mouth at it and bit him as hard as I could. König only clenched his jaw, refusing any sound to escape; thus robbing me of any satisfaction. 

He took a deep breath before releasing my wrists, only to seize my collar forcefully. He slowly lifted himself from me, bringing me along as though I were a mere dog on a leash.

As he brought me closer to his face, he took a moment to analyze my teeth clenched into the meat of his hand. His eyes scanned my face slowly, like he was searching for something. I kept my jaw locked, my teeth digging in his flesh as a faint taste of iron began to seep onto my tongue.

His grip on my collar was so intense that it was marking my throat, stretching the fabric in the process. In any other setting I would have been pissed at him; but, at this moment, I could only be grateful at the second opportunity he was giving me on a silver plate. 

I smirked on König's hand before bringing my arms up in the air and slipped out of my t-shirt in an instant. König was dumbfounded as his hand was now filled with nothing but a piece of fabric, the other left cold and wet with my saliva. 

Seizing advantage of the surprise effect, I rushed behind him and jumped on his back again with full force.

"Scheiße!" he almost choked.

He struggled to remain standing on his knees, trembling with the lack of stability. I was firmly gripping him from behind, trapping him with my arms and legs as I locked them around like my life was on the line—as it still kinda did.

Just like in an over-exaggerated cartoon, his upper body rocked slightly back and forth… only to fall miserably onto his stomach. My shirt slipped from his grasp as I pinned down both of his arms with haste, my legs straddling his trunk firmly.

"How's the view down here huh? Had enough yet?!" I mocked, my laughter soon echoing throughout the empty gym.

I tried to appear confident, but inside I was praying hard this was the end. 

My raw torso, only covered by a sports bra, was moving up and down in a frantic motion as I panted heavily. I felt drops of sweat sliding down my spine as I saw one falling from my forehead onto König's back. Only now I realized how much effort I had invested into this merciless fight.

König sighed before averting his gaze upward through half-lidded eyes, his head lifting slightly from the ground in the process. He was definitely distracted, he didn't even try to struggle. 

Now that I was on top of him, he could see me from an angle he never thought was possible…

Not even in his wildest fantasies.

_______________________________