#themanwithoutaface

- I'm so tired, but I'll make an exception. I'll do anything for you, Jake, I say with a playing and slight dramatic tone, knowing it will make him fluster. Jake smiles and looks away, still not used to how easy it is for me to make him feel this way.

- I know. Me too. But we have to do this work. Waiting could be a disaster, he says with seriousness, turning back to his computer. I guess he isn't wrong... I'm slowly getting used to him not showing or sharing much emotions. I know it's not against me.

- I know, I respond as I take sit on the barely small space next to him that is a vulgar piece of wood that is supposed to look like a bench. Supposed... Oh... I look at my phone that was charging next to his computer since there isn't much power outlets around here. It's Jessy. I take a look at what she sent me and see a picture of her and Richy working at his garage. Or more like they're taking a break... Some people seem to have fun, I state with a small smile, happy that they can enjoy a little moment, while things are calm. It can escalate pretty fast. Jake smiles when he saw my smile.

- "You two look cute!" I send to them both in our group chat.

- "😳" replies, Richy.

- "🤭" adds, Jessy. I smile and put my phone back down to concentrate on the work Jake wants to do.

- MC? I look up at him while humming positively. What would you like to do? Call the last number on Hannah's phone log or take notes of your friends private chat? He demands me with such a gentle voice. Honestly, hearing his distorted voice was impressive at first. I never knew what his real voice sounded like. But being able to hear it now and always, it's just... It makes me feel butterflies. It's just so soothing and calm and... It's Jake.

- We're spying them again? Why? I ask him with a confused tone while frowning. I don't like spying on them to be honest. Even if I know that we have to...

- I just want to make sure we did not forget anything. We never know if one of them is hiding something and revealed it by inadvertence, he responds seriously as he logs onto everyone's chat. When I watch him do, those computer stuffs just look so easy. But when I think further about it, I don't even know what key he pressed on the keyboard to make this happen.

- Hum... I think I'll take the phone log, I reply after thinking a few seconds. No offense but I think between us two, I'm the one who is more at ease when it comes talking to people and you're much more qualified than I am when it comes to computers, I wink at the boy as I crack a smile. Jake smiles back amused and nods positively.

- None taken. You're right, he tells me. I give him one last smile before grabbing the printed phone log. MC? I stop and look up at him, waiting for him to talk. But no words seem to come out from his mouth. I can see that he wants something but he... Probably doesn't know how to formulate his demand? I was about to call him when Jake suddenly gets up. Oh... His height always gets me. I know I'm not the tallest person in Earth but Jake is quiet tall... He takes the phone log from my hand and puts it down. What is he doing? I look at him confused despite the smile on my face. Timidly, he wraps my waist after bending down a bit and delicately places a kiss on my lips. The fireworks that it causes down my chest... Wow! It's not our first kiss but this feeling... I still haven't got used to it, but it's one of the best I've ever felt. It just feels so right, even if it's just a long peck. I wrap my arms around his neck to keep him closer to me a little longer. But Jake pulls away after a few seconds. Once you're done, please, take a break and rest a bit, he tells me kindly as he caressed my cheek with his hand. What? And him?

- And let you work alone? Not a chance, I reply while shaking my head negatively.

- MC... He calls me with a little sigh.

- Jake... I imitate him which makes him crack a small smile. I smile back. I'll be done in a few minutes, I say with a motivated tone as I grab the sheet he took from me. My left hand still behind his neck, I gently force him to bend down before placing a delicate kiss on his neck. Okay, I've got work to do! I go to the other side of the room and start making the last calls. Well, "call" should I say... There's only one number left. I listen to the beeping sound before someone picks up the call. Oh... Duskwood is really a small town... Phil Hawkins. I write down his name before receiving a notification saying Phil added me. Well... I guess another work is calling for me now. Okay, I'm done, I say as I go back to Jake. And you'll never guess who it was, I tell him, standing by his side.

- Who was it? He asks me, looking curious.

- Phil Hawkins, I respond. Jake lightly frowns to my answer. I let him think for a moment.

- Jessica's brother? He asks me with a confused tone. I nod positively. Why? Wait, who called who? He bombards me with questions. He clearly didn't see this coming.

- I don't know yet and I think it's Hannah who called him, I respond to my boyfriend. Jake keeps this confused frown over his face, looking like he speculates a lot about it. Almost like it seems to bother him in a way. Or maybe I interprete it wrong... What can I do next? I ask him, getting him out of his thoughts. Jake doesn't answer me and finishes writing something down. I see we have more information! That's great! I hope they'll be useful at least... Because having information, it's great but if they're irrelevant... It's like having nothing. He closes the window of Thomas's messages.

- Nothing for the moment, he tells me as he rests on his chair.

- Jake... I call him, doubting his answer. He's not saying this just because he wants me to rest?

- Come here, he suddenly says as he moves a bit backwards with his chair, letting space for me. Oh... Surprised, I crack a small smile and move closer to him as Jake takes hold of my wrist. He pulls me closer and closer to him until I am sitting on his lap. My back is facing him. His arms come around my waist, enlacing it. He can be so sweet when he isn't so focus on this situation in Duskwood. He rests his head on my shoulder. I know I said we should not waste time but it does not mean we cannot take a small break, he whispers next to my ear, making my whole body shiver. I smile with surprise and happiness, feeling those butterflies once again.

- I agree, I say back as I look at all of the material set before me. What's that? A code? Wow... Honestly, I don't know how you understand all of this. It's Chinese to me, I say with a serious and impressed tone while chuckling to my unknowledge. I hear Jake quietly chuckling back as one of his hands comes holding one of mines. At the same time, he places a kiss in my neck. How did you learn all of this? Who taught you? I ask him with curiousness.

- Myself. Computers were all I have that allowed me to be who I was back then, and today still, he admits to me. I nod, being honestly impressed. It kind of makes me sad to hear him saying this, but happy at the same time. He didn't have much people loving him when he was younger but he had his passion at least... That's... Something, right? Even if it doesn't replace people. Now that I said it out loud, I feel like I sound like an idiot, he says with an unsure tone towards himself.

- No, of course not. You have a passion. It's good Jake. And look, if you hadn't had it, what would we be doing right now? Where would we be? Not only we wouldn't be able to help Hannah but we would have never met, I tell him seriously, trying to show him how good this is for him that he knows so much about computers. And for us...

- I don't know, he responds with the same unsure tone. I stare at the screen before me when I suddenly feel Jake moving his head from my shoulder to rest completely on his chair one again. Do you regret it? He suddenly asks me. What? Regret what?

- What? I ask him, confused. I turn a bit to look at him all while staying on his lap. Jake keeps one arm around my waist to prevent me from falling, his hand still holding mine. Why is he so silent suddenly? I squeeze his hand, giving him comfort. Jake suddenly locks his eyes in mine. Those baby blue eyes... How can you not fall in love with those? However, the emotion that I witness in his eyes actually hurts me. Is he not happy? Is he okay? Did he see something about Hannah? What's going on?

- Do you regret being with me? He suddenly asks me. What? Having to hide in this ruined hideout? Having to live with my burden from the day I told you the whole truth about who I am and that the Government wants me? To have to live in fear for people you never even met and for us? To have to lie to them or hide things from them because I asked you? Do you not want the life you had before all of this? He asks me seriously which, I have to admit, I didn't see coming. Why is he asking so many questions? Why is he wondering all of that? Why does he even think about those? Staying quiet, I move from his lap only to sit back on it. But instead of having my back facing him, I am now actually facing my boyfriend. My arms wrap his neck as he shyly holds me by my waist. I take a deep breath in as my eyes keep alternating between his soft lips and his ocean eyes.

- I don't regret anything, Jake, I tell him sincerely while shaking my head left to right. I love being here with you. I don't mind lying to everyone if it's for their protection. I do what I have to do, I assure him, keeping the same sincere tone. Jake looks down, as if he is scared to believe my words. However, I make him look back up at me. And I absolutely don't regret the choice I made when I decided to join your side, my hands gently cup his face as I saw him trying to look away once again. I love you, Jake. I love you so much that just the idea of being far from you or not having any contact with you anymore hurts me so deeply, his eyes are locked in mine. His unsure and scared look makes my heart in pain. I just want to comfort him and... I want him to feel comfortable with me too. I want him to feel just as important than I am to him. You had such a huge impact on my life... A good impact. You gave purpose to it. Even if it involves dangerous situations, even if it involves breaking the law, I don't care. I love you... Loving you, being with you, knowing you're safe, alive, and okay, I say as I slide my right hand down to place it over his heart, that's all I care about, I tell him with honesty as my eyes never looked away from him. I don't know what he exactly needs to hear but I just hope my words will be enough for him to change his perspective on our relationship. Jake clears his throat as he slowly sits a bit more upright. What is he...? He surprisingly easily lifts me a bit only to bring me a bit more closer onto his lap. He tightens his grip after enlacing my back, hugging me so tightly. Oh...!

- I'm not good at expressing what I feel but... But you mean so much to me, MC. You're... He says before stopping himself from talking more. I hear my boyfriend taking a deep breath in and out as he hides his head in my neck.

- It's okay, Jake, I whisper as I know it's hard for him to talk about his feelings. But hearing him making an effort to do it... I just appreciate it so much. His hold tightens around me.

- No, I... You are the best thing that happened to me, MC. And it's scary, he admits to me with difficulty. The best thing... I can't help but to smile at the sound of his words. However his last words worry me. What does he mean?

- Why? What do you mean? I ask him as I run my hand up and down his back. Jake suddenly pulls away from me to look into my eyes.

- I... I never had anything like I have with you before. Being with you. Holding you. Kissing you. Talking with you about everything and anything without feeling judge... Being able to be myself with you... He says as he pushes the lock of my hair that was slowly falling over my eyes. Solving this situation with Hannah. Meeting under this situation... I wish we had met under different circumstances. It's wrong what we do together... But it feels so right. You being with me feels right to me even though it's wrong... He tells me with a serious and slight confused tone. And... I think he actually sounded like he was Getting upset at himself for... Involving me in this mess, I guess.

- Jake, I call him, interrupting him in his speech. He stops talking instantly when he heard The sound of my voice. What scares you? I ask him, going straight to the point.

- If anything goes wrong... If... What if you leave me one day? What if... He says with struggle, able to formulate his question correctly.

- I'm not leaving, Jake, I assure him seriously and sincerely.

- But what if you are lured and none of us saw it coming and you just... Disappear. What if I never see you again? He tells me with seriousness and fear in his voice. I hate hearing this emotion in his voice... I don't want him to be scared. I will never pardon myself for this, MC. And I will never get over losing you either, he confesses. He's getting nervous and almost anxious. At this point, it's not just us that worries him, it's a whole and the fatigue.

- That'll never happen, Jake, I say firmly and with a comforting tone. Though, I can see the reluctant look he has over his face. You trust me? I ask him.

- Unconditionally, he immediately answers, not doubting one second.

- Then don't be scare, Jake. I assure you that it won't happen because I'm not leaving your side and you're not leaving mine. Okay? The Man Without a Face needs to do much better to trap us to take me away from you and so does the government to find our location. We're together in this now, I say as I grab one of his hands. It's a choice I made to join your wild adventures and I want you to respect it and to never doubt it. Just like I do with you, I tell him with the same comforting tone all while telling him my wish and point of view. Staying quiet, Jake timidly looks at me. I crack a smile before leaning in to place a sweet kiss on his soft lips. However, before I could do it, Jake stops me. What...? Why? He...

- I... I love... You, he whispers with struggle. Wow... I think... No, I know... It's the first time that I hear him saying those words. It's surprising coming from him, but it sounds so right. It sounds like a melody. I wanted to be the one to give him a kiss, but Jake didn't let me the honor. Instead, he is the one to give me a kiss to which I answer without wasting time. Our lips move in synch, melting perfectly with each other. The kiss deepens slowly, forgetting what's around us for a moment. Time stand still.