#vanderbae

He's startled out of his thoughts when MC tugs his hand, pointing at a spot on the beach. "Over there! There's a free spot there!"

Vanderwood follows after MC and starts setting up their towels and beach umbrella. This is the first step in his grand surprise for MC today: spend the morning at the beach, a place MC rarely went to. The excited look on her face is all the confirmation he needs; he did good, choosing this as the start of their date.

MC sits on the towel under the shade of the umbrella and takes off her wide-brimmed hat, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. When she opens them, she turns to Vanderwood. "Baby, this is perfect. The skies are clear, there's a breeze and there's not much people; it's almost like we have the beach to ourselves!"

Vanderwood chuckles, sitting beside his girlfriend and reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear. "You like it?"

At his touch, she blushes and smiles, nodding her head. "I do, Vanderwood. I really do."

He leans forward, lips quirking up into a smirk. "Good...that's real good, MC." Vanderwood can see the blush on her face deepening as he inches closer and his own heart races, eyes darting to her slightly-parted lips. As he draws nearer though, he hears a whooshing sound through the air and a distant yell: "LOOK OUT!"

His reflexes kick in and Vanderwood pulls MC against his chest then pins her against the ground, using his body to shield her from whatever it is --MC doesn't even have the time to process what's happening. But she feels herself warming, eyes fixated on Vanderwood's tense expression, at the way he's hovering on top of her, holding her protectively against him.

A second later, their umbrella is knocked over and a spray of sand flies across Vanderwood's back. He turns away and shields MC's eyes, a million thoughts already flying through his mind.

"Could it be that some agents found me? How many are there? How am I gonna get MC safely to the car? The taser's in the bag, if I could just reach it in time

"Vanderwood turns his head to look for the target-

-when his eyes fall to the white volleyball lying on the sand near them.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry, that's my fault!!!" A kid with blonde hair is running up to them, waving his hand and trying to bow at the same time. Vanderwood's eyes narrow. Wait a minute...isn't that-

"Yoosung?" comes MC's voice.

Sure enough, Yoosung's purple eyes widen as recognition dawns and he laughs, running faster. Right behind him is the silver-haired actor and Jaehee Kang, all dressed in their beachwear. Zen smiles when he spots the two familiar faces but it only lasts for a second --the moment he realizes the position the couple are in...

"YA!!! Vanderwood! What are you doing!" Zen glares at Vanderwood, pointing an accusatory finger at the Silver Spoon's bodyguard. Vanderwood narrows his gaze at the actor but hurriedly straightens himself, his face feeling warm.

"Baby, are you okay?"

"I am...what was that all about?" MC takes Vanderwood's hand and he pulls her up just as Yoosung stops in front of them, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Sorry! Zen hit the ball too hard and I received it wrong so it went flying...I didn't know it would end up here where you guys are! I didn't even know you two were going to be here too!"

Vanderwood rubs the back of his neck, wishing they'd leave him and MC alone. It's not that he doesn't like them, but today he'd like MC all for himself. "Ha...yeah, what a coincidence."

"Ya, you!" Zen jabs a finger at Vanderwood's chest, eyes blazing. "What the heck was that!"

Vanderwood looks at Zen with a deadpan look on his face. "I thought there was a threat, so I was defending my girlfriend. Will you stop having perverted thoughts?"

MC giggles. "It's true, Zen! He was just trying to protect me~"

"That's very quick thinking." Jaehee pipes in, picking up the ball. "I suppose that's what makes you a great bodyguard, Vanderwood."

"Ha...thanks." Vanderwood feels awkward still, but for an ex-agent with no family and no friends...his life's shaping out real good. Still, friends or not, he wants these people to go away and let him pamper his girlfriend. "So, now that that's settled-"

"OH! Why don't you two join us in a game of volleyball? Please!!! I'm tired of picking up the ball all the time!" Yoosung begs them, hands pressed together in front of him.

"Aww, that sounds fun! We're game, right, baby?" MC says, winking at Vanderwood. To the others, she says, "The two of us will be in a team against you guys! You'll see, Vanderwood will carry our team!"

Vanderwood can't help but feel proud at MC's words. Okay...maybe one game of volleyball wouldn't hurt. After that, they'll go back to their spot and maybe he can go swimming with MC, or get some cool drinks.

~

Yoosung, Jaehee and Zen stayed with them the entire time. After volleyball, they took MC and Vanderwood to their rented cabin and shared their meal. Vanderwood and Zen ended up grilling meat and seafood for the rest but it was actually fun. The non-stop chatter and laughs, the volleyball games, seeing MC enjoy herself --okay okay, it's not so bad that their first date got interrupted. But of course, Vanderwood has more tricks up his sleeves.

A long drive and a shower later, Vanderwood and MC change into more semi-formal attire as he drives them to one of the fancy restaurants in town. The restaurant is situated atop a building, with the entire floor encased in glass windows so guests can dine with a view overlooking South Korea. It's fine dining and Vanderwood has never been to a classy restaurant while off-duty; to be honest, something like this kinda suits Jumin Han more...but Vanderwood doesn't want to take MC to their regular dining spots. No, for this special day she deserves something special too.

As they're led to their seats by the hostess, Vanderwood once again intertwines his fingers with hers. "I heard this place has the best seoullangtang."

MC tugs at his hand, looking at him with narrowed eyes. "Baby, this place is really expensive...you didn't have to."

Ha...oh no, doesn't she like it?

"It's our anniversary," he tells her, lifting their hands and then turning hers so he can kiss the back of it. "Don't even think about that, baby."

MC turns red at Vanderwood's blatant display of affection. Usually, he's more reserved and careful when they're in public; she assumed it's because of his past and she didn't mind. But today, he's been more touchy and showy...MC has to admit, it's giving her heart a pleasant workout. They're seated right by the window and Vanderwood is the perfect gentleman, pulling her chair out for her and helping her onto her seat. MC feels shy all of a sudden as Vanderwood slides into his seat across her. With the dim lighting from the restaurant, the candle in the middle of the table casts Vanderwood's face in a warm glow and MC unconsciously swallows, entranced by him.

Their previous dates were never this fancy and she's not complaining --she loves wherever they are, be it the beach or the supermarket, a fancy restaurant or McFonald's. As long as they're together, she's happy.

But seeing her boyfriend all dressed up in a crisp button-down shirt and a coat, hair tied into a half-ponytail, brown eyes staring at her --she can't help but feel the depth and seriousness of their relationship. Today is their anniversary, which means she's spent 365 days with this man...more than that, of course. Ever since they met, her days have been full of color and life. MC reaches across the table for his hand and holds it tightly in hers.

"I love you, Vanderwood."

Vanderwood's glad it's kinda dark because his heart does that weird little thing and he feels his cheeks burn as a smile spreads across his face. "I love you too, MC."

She mirrors his smile and it's strange but MC feels like she did the first time she met him in person, nervous and intimidated, but at the same comforted by his presence and intrigued. This once mysterious man is hers and though she knows she's barely scratched the surface of all that he is, she can't wait to learn more about him everyday, for the rest of their lives.

"Baby, order whatever you like, okay? Haha, don't be worrying about the prices." Vanderwood says as they open their menus. MC's eyes are skimming through the dishes (half of which she can't even pronounce because they're in different languages) when she hears the sound of a familiar voice.

"I didn't expect to see you both here this evening."

Vanderwood tenses. No freaking way...

But he's been hanging around that voice for months now and he'd recognize it anywhere --his boss, Jumin Han. Vanderwood reluctantly looks at the man standing beside their table, the leader of the RFA at his side. Jihyun at least looks apologetic for barging into their date.

"Jumin! Jihyun! What a coincidence!" MC exclaims happily, smiling at them. Truth be told, she was looking forward to spending more alone time with her boyfriend, but she also doesn't want to be rude to her friends. "Did you guys just arrive?"

"Yes. A business colleague recommended this place. I would have asked for a private room but Jihyun preferred to stay close to the windows."

Jihyun laughs good-naturedly at Jumin's words. "This place is popular for their stunning view of the city, after all. We should get going to our table, Jumin, let's not bother them..."

"Have a good time, boss, Jihyun." Vanderwood gives them a little wave. "Nonsense. We haven't seen MC in a while. Perhaps we should ask for a bigger table and dine together."

You've got to be kidding me.

"Jumin-" Jihyun tries to interrupt, but Jumin is already gesturing for the host. In mere minutes, Vanderwood and MC are seated with Jihyun and Jumin. Of course...it's not all that bad. He didn't have to be so formal with his boss since they're outside of work, and Jumin knew his way around the menu; the meal Jumin ordered for them was mouth-wateringly delicious. Vanderwood had no idea which ones were good, so he's grateful for that part, at least.

But seriously...this was starting to get annoying. Would the RFA be popping up at his planned dates with MC? Vanderwood represses a sigh though, and fights the itch for a cigarette.

They enjoy their meal and, realizing he has no choice but to endure it, Vanderwood relaxes and allows himself to enjoy the company.

All of a sudden, they're bathed in a hue of colors and MC's eyes turn to the windows, widening with surprise. The sky is lit up by fireworks --something Vanderwood had arranged for. Her eyes are bright and her smile is priceless. As the fireworks paint the night sky with streaks of brilliant color, MC feels a peace inside her, knowing that's exactly what she was thinking of moments before. Vanderwood is like the scene outside, illuminating her life with the most dazzling colors.

And while MC gazes at the beautiful display, Vanderwood stares, enchanted, at the woman who brought light to his life.

~

The last stop of the evening is the last showing of the latest romance movie, a movie MC has been waiting for. Vanderwood settles into their comfortable lazy boy couches, glad he paid for these seats.

"I'm so excited, I've heard a lot of good reviews already!" MC whispers to him, leaning close. Vanderwood chuckles.

"Baby, it's gonna be amazing." He leans closer to her, stealing a quick kiss in the dark theater. MC bites her lower lip as he pulls away, wanting to tell him how much she loves him. But the movie starts and MC has to stop herself from squealing in excitement. She keeps her hand locked with his, eyes focused on the screen.

Vanderwood feels relaxed now, knowing no one can interrupt them, knowing he can enjoy this moment with his girlfriend and sneak glances at her cute reactions.

But just thinking those thoughts has jinxed the situation. The doors to the cinema creak open and Vanderwood picks up the sound of popcorn bags and two hushed whispers. He glances at the empty seats beside him and sighs.

"Oh! If it isn't Mary and MC!"

Vanderwood curses inwardly and almost slaps his hand to his face. No. No freaking way. No damn way.

But after some shuffling sounds, Saeyoung plops down on the seat beside Vanderwood with Saeran occupying the other.

"Ohoho, I didn't know you were into romance movies, Vandy~" Saeyoung whispers before leaning forward in his seat and waving at MC. "Hi, MC! Thanks for restarting this guy's heart! If you ask me, you should have used a tase-"

"Ya! Shut up!" Vanderwood says, a little too loudly. The audience shushes him and Vanderwood slinks into his seat while Saeyoung covers his laughs with a hand.

For the duration of the movie, Vanderwood has to put up with Saeyoung's reactions and his hushed side comments. At some point, popcorn starts to fly towards the brown-haired man too, bouncing off his hair. Saeran shakes his head, heaving a sigh as Saeyoung takes another popcorn and throws it subtly to Vanderwood. The ex-agent was ready though; he catches the popcorn and throws it back to Saeyoung, who slides down his chair dramatically.

"I've been hit...Saeran ah, save yourself~~~"

Vanderwood glances at MC's face to watch her reaction and he's surprised to see her eyes fixed on him. She's biting her lower lip, trying to stop herself from laughing. Vanderwood smirks, reaching out and freeing her lower lip from her bite.

"You want a shot at the idiot?" Vanderwood murmurs near her ear. MC nods and takes a piece of popcorn then tosses it to Saeyoung, who's crawling up his chair as quiet as he can.

Saeyoung gasps and flops back down on the ground, holding his chest as though he's wounded.

"Sneak attack! Saeran, help m-"

"No."

"Okay no ;;;;"

~

Vanderwood stirs, stretching his arms above his head with a yawn.

Damn, what time is it?

Yesterday felt so long --with all that happened, Vanderwood feels exhausted and a little disappointed at himself for failing MC. Everything should have been perfect, but as luck would have it, the RFA just had to meddle in all his plans.

He lays in bed, blinking away his sleepiness, wondering if he can do anything today to salvage their anniversary. Absently, he reaches beside him, wanting to pull MC to his side and wake her up with kisses --but his hands come up blank.

"What the-?"

His head whips to the empty space beside him and Vanderwood sits up just as the door opens. MC comes in, balancing a small tray table filled with food.

"Baby, what are you doing?" Vanderwood asks, bewildered. He starts to move from the bed but MC makes a sound and continues moving towards him.

"No no, you stay right there," she says, eyes staring at the orange juice sloshing inside the glass. "Don't get off the bed, baby!"

Vanderwood freezes, unsure what's happening. Finally, MC lays the tray table on the bed and beams at Vanderwood. "Happy anniversary, baby!"

The brown-haired man blinks, surprised. Then a soft chuckle escapes his lips. "MC, baby...did you do all this for me?"

MC shrugs, her smile wide enough to light up the room. "Maybe~"

She carefully sits on the bed closest to Vanderwood, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Baby, yesterday was amazing! I wasn't expecting those surprises at all."

Vanderwood's brows furrow. "What do you mean..? MC...I...was gonna apologize-"

"What? For what?"

Vanderwood awkwardly scratches his cheek, not sure what to say. "Uh...ha, 'coz I didn't intend for the RFA to show up. And I mean, anniversaries aren't supposed to be celebrated like that...right? The movies we watched, the celebrations ain't like that."

Giggling, MC leans towards her boyfriend and kisses his cheek. "Oh Vanderwood, it was perfect. I had so much fun, even more so because our friends were with us celebrating our special day with us.

Without the RFA, you and I would have met in a different way. But I like our love story, because everything that has happened so far has led us to this moment, baby." She holds his hands, cheeks turning red. "I loved watching you play volleyball and grill our lunch, I loved listening to you talk with our friends, I loved catching my boyfriend all dressed up to take me on a fancy dinner, and I loved that you sat through another romance movie with me, all the while having a popcorn battle with Saeyoung."

MC squeezes his hands and all of Vanderwood's doubts vanish; his eyes fix on her, his heart beating loudly against his chest.

"Vanderwood...the girls in those movies we watch get one big gesture per movie but I got three amazing dates in one day. My friends were there to celebrate a special day with me: the anniversary of the day I promised forever to the love of my life. And I-"

Before MC could finish her speech, Vanderwood closes the gap between them and meets her lips for a kiss, pulling her close to him without toppling over the tray. MC's hands clutch the front of his shirt and her eyes close, her body tingling as he pours his emotions into their kiss.

"MC," Vanderwood says breathlessly, leaning his forehead against hers, "I love you. I'll keep takin' you out for dates, keep celebrating this day with you every year. 'Coz it's the day you and I got together, the day my life started to make more sense..." He gives her another peck and pulls her closer, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "But every day you remind me that there's more to life than fighting and running. Every day, I wanna see you smile and hear you tell me you love me."

MC giggles and wraps her arms around him. "I love you, Vanderwood." She lays her head on his chest, feeling the strong beat of his heart, a heart that's tied to hers. "Yesterday was amazing but today I'm keeping you all to myself."

Vanderwood chuckles, reaching for a piece of bacon and holding it near her lips. MC takes a small bite from it and Vanderwood takes a larger chunk. "You and me all day, huh?"

MC nods, reaching for her phone. "You and me, all day, everyday." She holds the phone away from them, opening the camera app. "Happy anniversary, baby~"

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Thank you so much for the opportunity to participate, @mysme-rbb :) I had fun and kudos to the mods for an amazing project! 

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Check out my other Mysme writings here!

Mango Shake/Ko-fi is always very much appreciated (ᵔᴥᵔ)

Okay, so I’m sure many of you have seen that image of Saeyoung and Saeran posing together that circulated around the fandom just before the release of Ray’s route. If you need a refresher, here it is again:

cries bc they so cute hhhhhng

Okay, so as of Ray’s good ending, Saeyoung is still missing, and the twins haven’t been reunited. The RFA is still searching for clues about his whereabouts. This photo, though, shows the twins posing together. Do you see what each twin is wearing? Saeyoung is posing in Saeran’s outfit from his good end, plus the tie from the Saeran persona earlier in the route. Saeran is posing in Saeyoung’s signature hoodie, complete with the red undershirt, denim pants, and cross necklace. How could they be posing like this unless they find Saeyoung?

If this image is, in fact, a real image from the route, that means Saeyoung is, in fact, found, and the twins most likely make up. How it all will go down is unknown lol to me, but either way, so long as the image is official from the route, Saeran and Saeyoung will probably get a happy ending together, as well.

Also, if Saeyoung is found, then there is a possibility that Vanderwood will also be found, as they were kidnapped at the same time as Saeyoung was.

He takes off the mittens and reaches for the toothpick container. Shaking one onto his palm, Vanderwood then glances at the open tablet on the countertop and reads the instructions. He cautiously pokes one of the cupcakes with the toothpick. Gingerly lifting his hand, Vanderwood gives a sigh of relief at the clean stick.

"Okay, I got the cupcakes right..." he mutters. Vanderwood takes the tablet and swipes for the instructional video, placing his elbows on the counter and leaning forward while watching the next steps intently. He barely notices the locks of the front door clicking; the sounds of the security codes being keyed in are drowned out by the video's joyous, tinkling background music.

Vanderwood unconsciously drums his fingers against the countertop as he watches the woman in the video frosting the cupcakes. Damn...how does she swirl it like that? Narrowing his eyes on the screen, he leans forward and swipes the screen back, rewinding the scene and focusing on her actions, committing it to memory.

Blowing a stray lock of hair that had fallen to his eyes, Vanderwood grabs the strawberry frosting and tries to mimic what he saw. Unfortunately, he squeezes too hard and a clump of frosting falls flatly onto the cupcake.

As a former secret agent, he had to sort through wires to diffuse bombs, follow intricate instructions to decode locks or cancel missile launches. Not to mention needing to slip into different roles to gather intel, or infiltrate heavily guarded underground facilities. But never did he have to learn how to bake cupcakes or "frost cupcakes and decorate as desired."

A string of curses is leaving his mouth when he hears a giggle. The man looks up and sees his wife standing by the door to the kitchen, the smile on her face easing away his worries. One side of his lips curl up, a playful smirk ready for his mischievous wife.

"How long have you been standing there, MC?"

"Not long enough. I wish I could have been here since the beginning, I'm sure you looked so cute while mixing the ingredients!" MC says, walking to his side.

Vanderwood can feel his cheeks warming and he averts his gaze, scratching his cheek awkwardly, his previous confidence vanishing. "Ahh, baby, I told you not to call me cute."

He feels her pulling his hand away from his face, his fingers replaced by her lips as MC tiptoes and kisses his cheek. "The cupcakes smell delicious, baby."

MC is about to walk away but his arm shoots out, encircling her waist and pulling her close to him. Vanderwood hears her gasp, and he smiles as he leans closer to her, eyes watching the blush creeping up her cheeks.

"I think my gorgeous wife smells better."

Cupping her cheek, he brushes his lips over hers before capturing them in a passionate kiss. God...no matter how many times they kiss, the sensation of connecting with her in such an intimate way never dulls, never fails to make his heart beat a thousand times faster.

When MC first came into his life, he never thought she would become a big part of it; after all, she was the coordinator of an organization Seven shouldn't have been involved with in the first place. But damn...so much has happened after that. Vanderwood never meant to get involved with the RFA's matters, but somehow he ended up tangled in their affairs. Somehow, he ended up falling for the woman in his arms.

Pressing his forehead against hers, Vanderwood pulls away and meets her hazel gaze, a serene smile on his face. Thanks to the RFA's help, he and Saeyoung are now out of the agency and happily living their lives as normal people, with jobs at C&R.

"Welcome home, MC," he says in a low voice, so that only the two of them can hear. MC grins and gives him a quick kiss.

"Thank you, baby. I missed you while I was gone." MC pulls away from him and moves to check on the mess on the countertop, laughing. "I guess it's time for me to save the day."

Vanderwood rubs the back of his neck and moves to stand beside her. "Yeah...I wasn't sure how to do the frosting, baby."

Tying her hair back, MC washes her hands and tells her husband to stand back and watch as she gingerly squeezes the piping bag and makes swirls atop the cupcakes. Then, she places strawberry slices on top of the frosting, finishing the cupcake with a flourish.

"Tada!" MC exclaims. Vanderwood is about to respond when there are loud footsteps from the hallway upstairs.

"Uh oh." MC giggles. "It's your job to keep these cupcakes safe until tomorrow's party, Mr. Stark."

Vanderwood gives her a deadpan look, the nickname a joke between her and Saeyoung. But then he shakes his head and chuckles. Striding away from the countertop, Vanderwood steels himself for the tornado that's about to come. Sure enough, as the footsteps grow louder, two people appear in the doorway, both much shorter than him.

Before they could even take more than 5 steps into the kitchen, Vanderwood takes them by their waists and scoops them up. Happy squeals come from the children in his arms, the boy chuckling and the girl giggling.

"No fair, daddy!" the little girl says.

"What's not fair is you both eating all those cupcakes I worked so hard on before the party tomorrow." Vanderwood puts them down and bends so he's eye level with his children. "So you both can stay here and help mommy, but no eating, okay?"

The boy nods eagerly before running to his mother, climbing up a stool and asking if he could do the frosting for the next cupcake. Vanderwood stares at his daughter, who's shuffling her feet in that adorable way that she does, looking at him with her big hazel eyes...eyes like her mother's.

"Not even one teensy weenie bite, dad?" she asks in a sugary sweet voice.

Oh God.

Vanderwood remembers having to withstand the most painful of tortures before, and he never broke for his captors. But his heart softens at the little girl standing in front of him. It's too hard to say "no" to someone he cares about, especially when it's the sweet angel standing in front of him.

"Well..." Vanderwood begins, before he's interrupted by MC's melodious laughter.

"My love, you're spoiling our daughter too much," she says. "But okay, one cupcake for you both, but that's it! You can have more at tomorrow's party, okay? The cupcakes are for your friends after all, sweetie, since they'll be celebrating your birthday with you."

"Yes, mommy!" their daughter exclaims, giggling. "Just one!! It's my favorite, strawberries!"

Vanderwood straightens as his daughter joins MC as well, clapping gleefully. He chuckles to himself and for a moment, the former secret agents stands there and watches his family. MC is gasping, smiling widely as their son finishes frosting a cupcake successfully. Then their children choose their own cupcakes, each one radiating a gleeful innocence. These people in front of him make him believe that there is goodness left in this world, a goodness that's worth protecting. And even though he's done with being a secret agent, he still wants to keep this safe; he wants to protect the smiles of the people he loves, to make sure they keep smiling like this.

For a man who never thought he could ever be happy, never thought he could have something as beautiful and precious as this moment, Vanderwood feels like the luckiest man alive. No longer is he the tragic informant. No longer is he alone.

Now he has three people he truly loved and who truly loved him. His heart swells with emotions as he gazes at his family. MC meets his eyes and beckons him over but before he could join them, the phone in his pocket buzzes. Vanderwood takes out his phone and a smirk appears on his face. Their friends were logged onto the messenger.

Saeyoung: I made a special gift for RFA's little miss! Jumin Han: Just now...? I've had her gifts ready since last month. Yoosung: What!!! ;;;; It's tomorrow?? I don't have a gift yet! Saeran: Didn't MC send out the invites a month ago...? Yoosung: It's been so busy in the clinic T-T Zen, come buy one with me!! Zen: Oh...sorry, man, I can't tonight...I have a date! Jaehee Kang: Oh dear... V: Yoosung, let me accompany you. I can help you pick out a gift as well.

Vanderwood chuckles. He could never forget the RFA, of course.

"Dad, can I go on a ride with Uncle Saeyoung tomorrow after the party?" His son's voice startles him and Vanderwood shakes his head.

"Absolutely not! That guy drives like a maniac." Vanderwood answers. His wife finishes frosting the cupcakes and places them inside the fridge, then looks at the messy kitchen.

"Okay! It's time to clean!"

The two children share a look before climbing off the stools to make their escape, but living with a secret agent has taught MC a thing or two. Her hand shoots out with lightning reflexes and she manages to grip their wrists, that peaceful smile still plastered on her face. Vanderwood has to admit...his wife has moves --moves that never fail to astonish him up to this day.

"Now, now. Your father worked real hard on these cupcakes. It's time for you both to do your parts."

The kids look sheepish for attempting to escape but they start to tidy up the space. Vanderwood opens his arms as MC steps into his embrace, looking up at him and kissing him.

"Mission accomplished, Agent Vanderwood."

"Glad I survived it. I thought I was a goner, MC."

"Next time, we should try baking a cake."

"Ha...baby, we can bake anything you want to. As long as you do it with me, next time."

They share another intimate kiss before their kids start making gagging noises in the background. MC laughs and Vanderwood leaves her side, rolling his sleeves up; cleaning still calms him, and helping them would give him more time to bond with his children.

"Okay, I'll wash the dishes." Vanderwood's words are greeted with happy cheers from his kids. A sense of peace and contentment settles over his body, the once-foreign feeling of happiness making it hard to erase the genuine smile from his face.

This is his greatest adventure now. This is his life mission: to pursue his happiness, to live to the fullest and enjoy little moments like these. The former secret agent turns on the faucet and feels the cool water against his hands. Hands that protect, hands that will cherish this second chance at life.

"I'm home."

✥﹤┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

I know I’ve been quiet for a while here on tumblr, but I’d really love it if you could support my new project @teamicamea-scl​ ;) If you like my works (or you know, romance and angst in general) then please check it out! The brilliant @rossyele​ is my partner for this fic and we’re both out to make hearts break melt :D

Check out my other Mysme writings here! 

Mango Shake/Ko-fi is always very much appreciated (ᵔᴥᵔ)

I’d be honored to write your story <3