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dattebae · 2 years

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TMG: Finding Cain (Ch. 1)

CHAPTERS: [1], [2]

(AO3 LINK)

Pairing: RK900 (Nines)/Female Reader

Word count: 9644

Rating: Explicit ( 18+ )

Warnings: Undercover antics, murder, mentions of drugs, prostitution, Nines struggling to feel nothing, NSFW

Note: So you guys were curious about Nines? Rightfully so. I had to write him his own little fic. I had to. P.S happy birthday! @cerberusdreams

Cain learned from a very young age that any successful project begins with a well structured plan. The reason he believed in that concept was simple: He was a breathing, living project himself, and his impeccable record was proof of how effective that construction was.

He’d only been four years old when he realized that he was different from his brothers and the rest of the kids at the orphanage. One day he’d found a chess board tucked away in the playroom, and he’d spent the whole day trying to figure it out. There was something incredibly interesting about a battle being fought within the barriers of rules, and Cain was quickly gathering victories after one of the caretakers taught him the game.

He could understand why the adults around him were so hesitant about what to do with him at that time. They spent their days teaching troubled kids how to think and behave, so when Cain did all of those things to perfection and even surpassed many with his outstanding intellect, they were a little lost.

Despite his sharp memory, Cain could never really pinpoint when he met Amanda. The CIA somehow eased into his life in such a natural way that he barely noticed them. Amanda had always been around for as long as he could remember, and Cain’s one on one sessions with her became his normal early on. The older woman would observe him throughout various IQ tests adjusted to his level, and then she’d discuss them with him.

She wanted to know everything about his thought process, and the cognitive aspects of them as well.

At his young age, Amanda was never humble about praising him. She knew that confidence was an essential factor that would push him to do better, which seemed to be quite effective. The CIA were scouting for a new weapon: a genius with the strength of a beast, and Cain happened to be their perfect candidate. They had constructed a flawless plan out for him, and it would stretch over the course of his life.

“ Do you like to play games? ” Amanda asked.

The space they were in looked like an interrogation room for suspects, but Cain had never been scared of her or the dark, metallic interior. On the contrary, Amanda had taught him that room was the place where he got rewarded for his good behavior and cooperation. It was the place where he didn’t have to worry about his brothers or the rest of the world.

“ I like to play chess. ” Cain responded.

He’d only been five years old, and his feet couldn’t reach the floor as he sat on the cold, hard chair. Amanda was sitting across from him by the table, and she gave him a smile.

“ Chess is good, ” She said, “ But today I would like to play a new game with you, Cain. ”

Cain tilted his head, blinking.

A new game?

“ Would you like to play with me? ” Amanda calmly asked.

“ I don’t know, ” Cain began, “ You haven’t told me the rules yet. ”

Amanda clasped her hands together over the table, giving him a gentle smile. So far, Cain had checked every box on her list, and this little game they were going to play together would have an impact on the rest of his life.

“ The game is simple, ” Amanda began. “ I want you to play as a boy named Richard. ”

Logically, Cain could understand what she was saying. What he couldn’t grasp was the meaning or purpose of Richard.

“ Richard is a nice boy. He lives with his brothers, he exercises regularly, goes to school and does his homework every night. He’s also respectful towards those who are older than him, and he cares deeply for those he loves. ” she explained.

Cain nodded. That sounded easy enough.

“ Now, ” Amanda said, “ The only rule you have to remember is that no one but me can know that you are playing Richard. ”

Cain tilted his head again, but this time he felt a little unsure.

“ What if someone finds out? ”

Amanda studies him for a moment, a devious smile lingering on her lips.

“ Then you lose the game. ”

***

The CIA was prepared for most things, but a certain police lieutenant’s interest in Richard and his two brothers was not one of them. Hank was a stubborn man, and once he put his mind into something, it was hard to deter him. Amanda had been patient with him despite his insistent reasoning that the brothers should stick together in adoption, and after a meeting that stretched out over several hours, they finally came to an agreement. The CIA would allow Hank to adopt Richard along with his brothers under one condition: They would proceed their work with him as usual, and Hank wouldn’t interfere.

At first, Richard didn’t have much of an opinion when it came to Hank. He was a man with a strong presence, and he seemed to be driven by what he found to be right. With that said, Richard realized that the man was just as much a child at heart as he was a loyal cop. He began to find an odd intrigue in the lieutenant’s personality, and the way he managed to balance his duty with his private life. He seemed to be giving each son a treatment adjusted to their needs, which, in Richard’s own analysis, meant that the older man was both observant and dedicated.

Connor got used to him the easiest, and Sixty became dependent on his attention fairly quickly. Richard didn’t quite understand it. His brothers were too comfortable around the older man while he spent most of his time up on his bunk bed, observing everything from a safe distance. Most of it was Sixty and Connor’s normal banter and arguments over petty things, but Hank always managed to put an end to them. What surprised Richard the most was that Hank never forgot about him, despite his discreet presence.

Hank would look up at him up on the bunk bed and ask him if he was okay. He’d ask Richard if he wanted to help him prepare dinner or join him for a walk with Sumo. Despite knowing fully well that Hank’s approach was merely a tactic to bond with him, Richard was somehow still impacted by his effort. The adults in his life had mostly seen him as an experiment: a wonderchild that was meant to be tested and pushed to new limits. But not Hank.

Hank saw a little boy, a son that he wanted to get to know and look out for, and it took Richard some time before he could see himself as those things. There was a sense of vulnerability that Richard felt around Hank, and it had everything to do with his secret. Hank knew about Cain and Amanda’s little game with him, and it made him feel exposed in an unsettling way.

“ Listen, I uh.. ” Hank struggled a little, but his awkward conversation starters were somehow still endearing years later. “ I don’t mean to be the guy who’s all up in your business, but it’s a Friday night and you’re reading about…math? ”

Connor was away on a class trip in Washington, and Sixty had gone out to a party with Leo and his friends, which left Richard all alone with Hank and Sumo at home. He’d been in his usual spot up on the bunk bed with his nose buried in a book, and Hank had somehow decided to confront him about his obvious lack of a social life.

“ Yes. ” Richard simply said, turning a page. The book he was reading was focused on advanced algebra, and even though he’d already solved the problems twice over the past two weeks, he figured a third time wouldn’t hurt. Amanda had a new test ready for him on the upcoming Monday, and he really wanted to impress her.

Out of all the possible scenarios, Richard didn’t expect Hank to suddenly snatch the book from his hands. He looked down at the older man, who stared up at him with a surprisingly serious look. Richard sat up, brow furrowing at the lieutenant.

“ Is there a problem, Lieutenant? ” He asked.

“ I’m worried about you, kid. ” Hank said, and Richard only felt more confused by his response.

“ Worried about me? ” He echoed, feeling the wheels behind his eyes working harder and harder. “ What have I done to worry you, Sir? ”

Hank rolled his eyes, grumbling something under his breath as he tossed the book aside. When he met Richard’s gaze again, there was something stern and tired in his eyes.

“ I told you to call me Hank. ” He said, “ Not Sir, or Lieutenant, or any other CIA crap they’ve drilled into your head. ”

Richard couldn’t make sense of Hank’s reaction. Amanda had always taught him to refer to his elders with respect and their proper titles, but Hank didn’t seem to appreciate it in the same way.

“ I’m… sorry. ” Richard finally murmured after some time. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t help but to feel guilty about upsetting Hank.

Hank sighed, shaking his head. He observed the younger boy for some time, who seemed to be avoiding the older man’s eyes on him. He walked closer to the bed, reaching up to grip the wooden frame, leaning against it.

“ Look, son. I’m not upset with you because you read books or because you call me Sir, ” Hank started. Richard glanced at him, unsure where he was going with this.

“ It’s just that- You’re eleven years old, and sometimes I feel like you forget that. ” Richard was in a silent disagreement. He knew very well how old he was, but he allowed Hank to proceed.

“ And no, I don’t mean that literally. Hell, I don’t think you’d forget something even if you tried to. ” Hank chuckled, and Richard couldn’t help a small curl from creeping up his lips. It was from that point forward that he realized Hank’s speech pattern wasn’t as literal as Amanda’s. The older man seemed to play with words differently, and they meant more than what he let on.

“ This …gift you have, ” Hank proceeded, gesturing to him vaguely. Richard was fully looking at him at point, sitting on the bed with his arms loosely hugging around his knees.

“ Is it a bad thing? ” Richard quietly asked, and Hank was quick to shake his head.

“ No, not at all. You have so many possibilities to use it for good. Which, I have no doubt you will. ” Hank smiled at him then, and Richard felt something flutter inside his chest.

He could suddenly understand why Hank didn’t like the formal names. He wanted Richard to see him as a dad, not just another adult. Although he had Amanda as some parental firgure in his life, it just felt different with Hank. It felt more organic and less…calculated.

“ I just don’t want you to lose yourself to it along the way. ” Hank said, and Richard’s small smile faltered at his words. His brow furrowed briefly, and he decided to share his confusion: “ I’m not sure what that means, Hank. ”

Hank.

The older man seemed pleased for a brief second.

Richard watched as Hank contemplated for a moment, trying to find the right words to explain his thoughts in a way that Richard would understand. The younger boy observed him intently, like Hank held the answers to problems more complex than advanced algebra.

“ It means that, sometimes in life, you have to listen to this… ” Hank reached two fingers to the left side of Richard’s chest, giving it a gentle tap. “ …before you listen to this. ”

His fingers moved to Richard’s temple, giving it a second tap. The younger boy’s brow furrowed as he began to think, and he fell mute under his thoughts. Richard had already realized that Hank’s way of communicating was different to Amanda, but his words still managed to reach deep into his heart.

“ Don’t forget who you are, Cain. ”

***

MOSCOW, 00:32 AM

PRESENT DAY

Richard drew a deep, cool breath into his lungs. At that moment, he tried to forget everything about who he was.

Contrary to most beliefs, the hardest part about being a spy wasn’t finding a loophole into the underground world, but passing through the gates without blowing his cover. Richard had worked in the field for many years, but this particular scene wasn’t exactly his forte. It was a cold night, and he was standing in a short queue to enter one of the dirtiest strip clubs in Moscow.

Eden club.

The neon lights were glowing in the darkness, and despite the sharp contrast, he could still see the two giants guarding the door like a pair of bulldogs on night watch. He’d arrived in a dark car and been escorted to the queue by his assistant, Rupert, who worked as an undercover chauffeur in the city. The guards had already gotten a man dragged away a few minutes earlier, but it still hadn’t deterred Richard from pursuing his mission.

Not that it was up for discussion, anyway. Amanda had been clear with her orders: He was sent there at the last minute to find you because your partner, Luther, had vanished into thin air, which meant that whatever operation you had going on was delayed, and therefore at risk of failing. Richard specialized in counter terrorism operations, and even though most of his work settled around Africa and the middle east, his Russian was still so exceptional that no one could tell that it wasn’t his native language. He knew that Amanda didn’t want him out on these kinds of missions, but he was one of her best, and whatever situation you’d been left in was becoming critically bad. There was no one more suitable to get you out of there.

When he reached the guards at the door, they scanned him from head to toe. Richard wore an attire consisting of a massive fur coat over a crisp, black suit to appear as a rich mafia boss’ heir, and he made sure his arrogance and sense of entitlement was just as clear as he dragged his bored gaze between the massive duo with a large cigar between his lips. They glanced at each other for a second, and then asked for his name.

Richard looked at them like they were fools, and they stiffened under his bored, icy gaze.

Good.

“ I was hoping you weren’t as dumb as you looked, ” he said, vaguely pointing his cigar at them between a long drag.

“ You’re lucky I’m in a good mood tonight, but next time, don’t make a Zakharov wait. ” His Russian was impeccable, and he could see that he’d won them over when they blinked in surprise.

Everyone and their mothers knew the Zakharovs were dangerous, and Richard hoped the rumor of his supposed visit wouldn’t spread before he found you. A calm man in his supposed position of power meant nothing but trouble, and the two guards seemed to catch on fairly quickly. They shared another glance at each other before stepping aside and welcoming him into the narrow hall, not even bothering to search him as they blabbered their apologies.

Richard flicked his cigar to the ground and crushed it with the heel of his shoe. He then sent the duo a lingering glare as he passed the door and walked down the glowing hall, leading him into the heart of the club.

The large space he found was nothing like the outside of the club. Richard was surprised to find it fairly neat and clean, despite the loud music and chatter. The club had various circle booths scattered around the main stage, and several bars surrounding the area. Most of the light came from the pink and red neons decorating the main stage, and rest were blues and purples from the bar counters. It was important that he kept his supposed persona while he scanned each nook and cranny of the club, so he snapped his fingers and tried his best to look annoyed at one of the staff members, who quickly came to his service.

“ Welcome, sir. ” The man said, “ Please, allow me to find you a booth.”

Richard gave him a low, raspy hum, his icy orbs memorizing every face he could see in the poor light. It was clear that the purpose was to keep the guests discreet and comfortable in the shadows, which only meant that this club had the most notorious criminals and gangsters as their guests.

“ I want a spot by the stage, ” Richard said. “ I heard Yasmina Petrov is performing tonight. ” Richard knew that Jasmine was your cover name, and no matter where you were in the world, you always stuck to a variant of it. It was the same for him, and his versions of Richard.

The staff member smirked, gesturing towards the stage as he spoke. “ After you, Sir. ”

***

Fifteen minutes later, he’d been served a tall, strong drink by his spot in one of the booths closest to the main stage. He did his best to appear bored, dragging his blue eyes over the glowing neons and attempting to capture more faces from the booths nearby. He didn’t pay any mind to the slow music booming from the speakers until the neon lights faded into darkness, and the low cheers from the guests signaled him that the show was starting. His focus shifted to the stage, and your dark silhouette by the pole captured his attention immediately.

Richard didn’t expect to be so entranced by your act, but somehow he got lost in the smooth way your body moved against the pole. When the neons finally landed on you, whistles and applause erupted from the guests. His face was still stoic and controlled, and even though he’d seen exotic dancers in his time on the field, something about you still put him on edge.

There was no doubt that the crowd loved your performance, although, Richard knew that most of the men lurking in the shadows were waiting to see you in that poor excuse of an attire they’d put you in. You wore a red, lacy thong and a matching bra that barely covered your chest as you moved down the pole in a pair of high heels, legs spreading wide and-

Jesus Christ.

He tore his eyes away from you and reached for his drink. This was ridiculous. You were both professional agents, and he was getting uncomfortable because of a simple performance?

It was unacceptable. It was below him.

You still hadn’t noticed him minutes into your performance, and Richard told himself that he kept his eyes on you solely for that reason. Even as more women joined the stage and found their respective poles to dance on, he still waited for you to find him, and finally (hopefully) end his supposed torture of watching you dance so provocatively before him.

He told himself that his reaction was a side-effect of knowing you from the past. You’d both been in the same selection process during your early twenties, and Richard remembered it like it was yesterday.

There’d been a hundred of you, and each month after various obstacle courses and performance tests, they’d kicked a portion out of the team. It’d taken a total of eleven months before they’d finally selected the last ten to become their new agents. It had in no way or shape been easy, but even knowing that, Richard couldn’t understand how you’d managed to get selected.

He knew why they’d selected him and Luther: Richard had his intelligence and speed, and Luther had strength and patience. But you? He’d seen you crawling and crying in the mud as you dragged yourself through the obstacle course, and he remembered how the superior had given you hell for it. Despite it all, you never gave in. You never stopped until you passed the finish line, and it made him feel…something.

On paper, he knew what your advantages were, and they weren't a lot. You had a list of languages you’d mastered in your days, and a decent background in the military, but that wasn’t enough to make you a good agent. Not to Richard’s standards, at least. To him, you were too impulsive and emotional to fit the role. CIA agents were meant to keep their feelings in check and accept any situation they were in, and you were driven by something that made you the complete opposite of that. Richard didn’t know how, but somehow, the agency had seen something more in you. Granted, he hadn’t seen you since the selection day, so, maybe he’d be pleasantly surprised by your progress over the years.

Maybe.

You were crawling on the stage now, swaying your body along to the music until you reached the edge. When you whipped your head back, your eyes finally found his, and you suddenly stilled. Richard knew that you recognised him immediately, and it was clear that you weren’t pleased to find him before you. He was comfortably manspreading in his booth with his eyes fixed on yours like you were his target of the night, which, technically, you were.

Richard angled his head to the side, eyes narrowing as he studied you. He was silently scolding you for dropping your act so recklessly, and it seemed to snap you back into character pretty fast. He didn’t know why, but it made his lips curl to a faint smirk.

So you hadn’t changed, after all.

The girls were starting to trail down the stage and dancing their way over to the guests in the booths, and you were no different. Richard watched as you crawled over him at his booth, dancing over him as you brought your face close to his own. This was the first time he’d seen you upclose like this, and some part of him couldn’t help but to realize that you were…attractive.

“ What the fuck are you doing here? ” You hissed, breaking his small trance.

“ I’ve been ordered to take you out of here. ” He said, keeping his cold eyes fixed on yours. You shot a wary glance to your side, and he followed your eyes, finding a figure observing the two of you in the darkness. Before Richard could react, you were twisting your body around, sitting in his lap as you grinded against him. Your hands reached back, and you trailed your fingers through his hair while his mouth brushed over the shell of your ear.

“ Who was that? ” he murmured in your ear.

“ Tell them you want a private dance, ” you said, “ and be generous. ”

Before Richard could respond, you were already away to entertain another man sitting in a booth nearby.

And when he looked for the dark figure again, it was gone.

***

Getting some privacy at Eden Club was surprisingly easier than what Richard expected. It certainly came at a hefty price, but money was the least of his problems. He’d done what you’d told him to and requested a private dance with you to the staff member that had served him for the night. With a few bills tucked into the man’s shirt, Richard managed to get himself escorted to a room located down a narrow hall in the club. It was decorated with a surprisingly minimalistic interior despite its size, and something told him the luxury decor and the naughty red light had a lot to do with the money he’d spent.

After twenty minutes, you were finally escorted inside by the staff member, and he noticed that you looked a little nervous. It was unclear to him whether it was a part of your act, or if you had trouble hiding your anxiety.

“ I’ll pick her up in twenty minutes. I hope you enjoy your time, Sir. ” The worker said with a polite smile.

Richard gave him a lazy nod, leaning further into his seat as he spread an arm over the back, and the moment the staff member left the room, you rushed over to him, your worried expression turning into anger.

“ Do you have any idea what danger you’re putting me in right now!? ” you hissed, trying to keep your voice low despite your apparent fury.

“ Tell Amanda that I’ve got it all under control! I don’t need you here! ”

Richard was a little impressed. It seemed like the nervous look had been part of your act, after all. He shrugged the fur coat off his shoulders and stood from his seat, staring down at you through icy, lidded orbs. Despite your decent act, he was certainly not too impressed by your stubborn tendency to refuse orders.

“ Agent 851, your operation has been deemed unsuccessful and is therefore canceled. I’m here to assist you back to the Vancouver headquarters for debriefing.” Richard calmly explained.

You glared up at him for a long moment, and then you scoffed, looking utterly disappointed in his response. Richard didn’t react.

“ I’m not leaving until I find Luther. ” You said. “ And I sure as hell won’t cancel my mission after all the fucking shit I’ve had to endure in this hellhole. ”

He should’ve seen this coming. The impression Richard had gotten of you had been correct all along: You were too emotional and stubborn for this field of work, and this conversation was proof of that.

“ You will come back with me to Vancouver, ” he insisted, stepping closer to you. “ and you will report back to Amanda.”

He was practically towering over you at this point, but you refused to back down.

“ That is an order. ” he said, voice stern.

A beat of silence seemed to be enough to thicken the air with tension, but before either of you could argue further, a sudden noise caught Richard’s attention. At first, he thought it was a cry of pain, but the moment you tore your gaze away from him and crossed your arms over your chest, he understood. A woman was moaning on the other side of the wall, and for some reason, you looked ashamed about it.

“ These rooms aren’t just for private dances, are they? ” he asked, voice low as he dragged a cold gaze between you and the wall.

“ You have no idea what kind of hell this place really is… ” There was a subtle crack in your voice, but Richard caught it immediately. “ I have to put an end to it. I have to finish this mission even if it’s the last thing I do. ”

The reason he hadn’t taken a proper look at you before was clearly due to the lingerie you were wearing, but now that he did, he finally noticed the subtle marks and scars scattered over your body. Richard’s eyes narrowed as he focused on your skin. He found cigarette marks over your chest and bruises on your arms, hips and thighs. Despite knowing that it was another endurance of your job as an agent, something about it still made his blood boil. Not that he ever let that show, though.

“ You can’t. ” He said, tone firm but not quite as stern as before. “ I’m taking you out of here whether you like it or not. ”

You were about to retort when a noise outside the door caught both your attention. Richard was reaching for the gun at his hip, eyes hard and fixed on the door when your hands suddenly found his shoulders, guiding him back.

“ Don’t you fucking dare! ” You whispered harshly, quickly glancing back at the door before you decided to shove him down on the couch. He opened his mouth to speak, but you clasped your hand over it and climbed onto his lap, leaning close to meet his hard glare.

“ You’re not ruining my cover, Richard. ” You hissed, “ I won’t let you. ”

Another noise, sounding much like a footstep, came from outside the door, and before you could turn to inspect the source, a hand was wrapped around your throat. Richard shoved down on the couch, pinning you down against it. Your leg shot up in an attempt to kick him off, but he quickly grabbed your knee, blocking your attack.

“ This is your last chance. ” He growled. ” Don’t test me. ”

Richard wasn’t prepared for the crooked smirk that slowly formed on your lips, or the loud, pornographic moan you let out afterwards. The sound rippled through him like a shiver, and almost instantly, his whole body froze.

Your thighs were warm against his sides, and your chest was pressing up against him in a way that was becoming harder to ignore. It took him a few seconds, but he finally understood why you were doing this. Whoever was outside the door was listening to the two of you, and you wanted to give them the impression that you were being…intimate with each other.

It was all to protect your cover.

Richard tried to move back, but you locked your legs around his waist and pulled him closer with another moan.

“ Jasmine- ” He warned, but you reached out and jerked on his tie instead, loosening it around his neck as you pulled him down to crash your mouths together.

The door opened at the same moment, and the same staff member from earlier stepped in. He hesitated the second he saw the two of you on the couch, watching as you breathlessly parted from the kiss to stare at him.

“ I’m so sorry to interrupt but- ” he began a little awkwardly. Your legs were finally loosening around Richard’s waist, and he wasted no time to move back. Your lipstick was smeared over his lips, his hair was disheveled and his tie hung loosely around his neck. Whatever image you wanted to give the staff member of the two of you certainly worked.

“ Zlatko wants you back on the st- ”

It only took a second. The silencer was already attached to the gun when Richard reached for the weapon at his hip and pointed it at the wide-eyed man.

“ No! ” you shrieked.

You’d reached to stop him, but by then the bullet was already lodged between the man’s eyes,

and he slumped to the floor with a loud thud.

***

Moscow was facing a cruel snowstorm that only seemed to add to Richard’s list of problems. Many roads were blocked due to the horrible weather, and the traffic had come to a standstill all around the city by the time the two of you were on the move. Rupert had handed him his bag and a new coat to keep him warm, but been unable to drive the car anywhere because of the storm. Had this been one of his usual operations, Richard would’ve managed it just fine. He didn’t mind the cold, or the hours of long walk it would take to your supposed hideout. But this was different. Richard had you to take care of, and you turned out to be the most complicated, stubborn person he’d ever had the displeasure to work with.

On paper, getting you out of Eden Club was a simple task, but you, of course, didn’t let it be that way. Not only had you refused orders repeatedly, but you’d also ended up attacking him in the private room after he’d shot that staff member dead. You both knew why he’d done it, and it had turned you feral.

You’d spent a month working undercover in that club, and it was obvious that you’d endured a lot of horrors. Naturally, with Amanda cutting your mission short after Luther disappeared, it left you quite frustrated. The problem wasn’t that Richard didn’t understand you, the problem was that you let those emotions get the best of you when you shouldn’t.

You were CIA, for god’s sake.

Although, as Richard replayed the memory of your fight with him in the room back at Eden Club, some part of him was impressed by your combat skills. By the surprisingly brutal strength you were hiding under that delicate facade. It had taken quite a bit of his power to unlock the deadly grip your thighs had around his neck at some point, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about that. By the time he’d finally gotten you to submit, the room had looked like a complete mess and he was struggling to catch his breath.

Richard knew that you only gave in because you couldn’t save your cover anymore, but that was the point. That was his intention when he shot that man, and you knew that. You both knew that.

You were wearing his fur coat as he dragged you along through the busy streets of the city, and even though you were barely wearing anything beneath it, you didn’t seem to care about the cold.

Luther and you had been sharing a base in a village outside of Moscow. It was an old cabin an elderly woman had rented out to the two of you during your time there, and it was clear that neither you nor Luther had been there for some time. The cabin was positioned at the foot of a mountain in a secluded part of the village, and Richard wondered how it managed to withstand the snowstorm in that poor condition. He could feel each breeze and whistle of the wind against the planks when you led the two of you inside, but you didn’t seem to mind it at all.

Richard observed you in the corner of his eye, watching as you quietly wandered over to Luther’s room only to find…nothing. By the looks of it, he hadn’t come back to the hideout either, and the evidence was the scatter of belongings he’d left behind.

You’d been wearing a tired, stoic look on your face since the moment you’d given up fighting him, and Richard didn’t know if that was good or bad. On one hand, you’d stopped being difficult, but on the other hand, you were impulsive and unpredictable, and that could mean anything. Even though he never wanted to think about his family during his missions, Richard couldn’t help but to think about Colin. Something about your reckless, stubborn nature reminded him of his older brother, and it felt both familiar and alarming at the same time.

You lazily wandered around the cabin, checking every room and corner, and when you didn’t find anything of interest, you disappeared inside the room next to Luther’s. Richard took a moment to scan the space around him before he followed you inside. It seemed like the room you’d entered was yours. He could tell because it consisted of a mess of clothes, bags and disheveled sheets on the bed, and nothing about it surprised Richard.

“ There is no hot water. ” You had your back turned to him as you spoke, not bothering to look at him as you shrugged the fur coat off. Richard watched as it dropped to the floor, leaving you in the red, lacy lingerie from Eden Club.

“ You have to turn the boiler on from the bathroom. ” You were sitting on the floor now, looking through your bags and searching through various clothes until you found interest in a large t-shirt.

“ That won’t be necessary, ” Richard responded. “ We’ll be out of here soon, so you should pack. ”

You turned to look at him over your shoulder, eyes hard and flaring with a familiar defiance that almost relieved Richard. He didn’t know why, but after that odd, dead look you’d carried, it felt good to see your personality peeking through again.

“ With that storm roaring outside? ” you asked, “ We’re not going anywhere, hotshot. ”

You’d already turned your attention back to the messy scatter of clothes before you again, but Richard still fought to keep his face controlled.

It wasn’t about you witnessing how you managed to get under his skin, it was a principle: Richard refused to forget his role and why he was there.

He was CIA, and unlike you, he’d stay professional.

“ Besides, I’m not leaving without Luther, ” you casually continued, “ or a hot shower. ”

Even though Richard had no intention to go along with your plans, he decided that he wasn’t going to argue with you. There were things he had to do, and even though he hated to admit it: you were right.

In a few hours the sun would rise, and the storm outside was only going to become worse.

***

Luther’s room was definitely not as messy as yours, but it was left in a way that had Richard speculating various theories for his odd disappearance. What if he’d come back to the hideout but been followed? What if this place wasn’t as safe as he thought it was and a sudden raid would wipe the two of you out in minutes? The knowledge of the brutal storm outside was the only thing keeping him partially sane. Even if that was the case, no one could endure the snow or the wind, and that gave him some comfort.

Richard had gathered Luther’s belongings in a perfect pile at a corner in the room and settled in for now. The old couch in the living room hadn’t looked that appealing, and even though it didn't feel entirely right to take Luther’s room, it gave him a sense of privacy that he prefered with you stranded in the cabin with him.

It was around 9 AM now, and he was laying on the bed with an arm slung over his eyes, so sleep deprived that he could die. His head was pulsing with pain, and it was all thanks to the whistling wind and creaks from the cabin wood he’d been forced to hear during the night. Whoever built this cabin didn’t prioritize isolation the slightest, and as much as Richard cursed that fact, it did give him the advantage of hearing you move around. He could hear you out in the kitchen now, working and fiddling with pots and pans, and when the smell of coffee managed to creep inside his room, you’d finally won him over.

He sat up on the bed and rubbed his tired eyes, hoping that today would be the day the storm would settle just enough to allow him a chance to contact Amanda again. During the night, Richard had spent hours trying to find a signal on his phone and laptop, and he’d realized there was no point. The storm was absolutely ruthless, and neither of you had a chance to connect to your superiors anytime soon.

Great.

He’d been smart enough to change into a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt, and you seemed to have settled on a similar outfit when he saw you out in the kitchen. It was a little funny how he almost couldn’t recognize you with clothes on.

You threw a glance at him over your shoulder when you felt his presence, and then you grinned to yourself.

“ I knew the coffee would lure you out. ”

It was such a simple detail, but it managed to make him feel a little exposed. How did you know that?

“ Actually, it was the noise. ” he countered, and it was only half true. The noise had been a factor, but it wasn’t the reason he came out of his room. Luther’s room.

You didn’t look too convinced when you handed him a hot cup of coffee, and Richard took a moment to stare down at it. When he looked up again, he arched a brow at you.

Did you take him for a fool?

You rolled your eyes.

“ You’re unbelievable. ” you said with a sigh, bringing the cup to your mouth to take a long sip from it.

“ Surprise, surprise! No poison in the coffee! ” you cheered sarcastically and pushed the cup into his hand. When you walked over to the kitchen table, Richard couldn’t help but to smirk a little.

Okay.

So you were playing nice, after all.

You were staring out of the kitchen window by the time he decided to join you at the small breakfast table you’d put together. You’d fried some eggs and put out some bread with butter on the side, and despite the simplicity of it, Richard felt a little impressed by your effort.

“ Have you been able to reach Amanda? ” he asked, reaching for the bread. You shook your head, glancing down at the coffee cup in your hands for a moment.

“ That’s the least of my worries right now. ” you said, drifting off as you stared out at the storm again. Richard observed you for a moment. Some part of him began to wonder if there was something more between you and Luther that he’d failed to consider. Not that it would surprise him, really. You didn’t seem to care about the prohibitions or protocols for your occupation, but even so, forming intimate relationships with other agents was a horrible mistake, and Richard thought that you were smarter than that.

“ When was the last time you saw him? ” He asked, biting into the bread, and your eyes flicked over to him momentarily.

“ Luther, ” he elaborated.

You were trying to keep your emotions under control, and Richard could sense your struggle.

“ Four days ago, ” you said, swallowing thickly. “ He told me he’d cover our tracks over here and then we’d be ready to take Zlatko down. ”

“ Zlatko… ” Richard’s brow furrowed. It was the same name the worker had mentioned when he’d returned to the room in Eden Club. You nodded, sighing:

“ Zlatko owns the club. ” you explained, “ The sick bastard is running a whole criminal network in Moscow. ” You were starting to sound bitter now, but Richard couldn’t bring himself to blame you.

“ Weapons, drugs, prostitution: everything’s going through that filthy club of his, and he’s damn good at covering it up. ”

Richard recalled the figure lurking in the darkness back at the club, and even though he had no way of proving it, something told him it was Zlatko.

“ It’s Cain, right? ” you asked, and Richard stopped chewing. “ Some names become a blur after a while, but I‘m pretty sure you were Cain. ”

A tension was creeping up his body, and it wasn’t long before his pulse was picking up, too. He didn’t realize it then, but it was the first crack to find a home in the walls around his hidden identity. That name, his real name, carried a heavy baggage that Richard had no desire to unpack, and certainly not with you.

You were observing him as you waited for his response, a little confused by his sudden silence and stiffness. Richard tossed the bread onto the table after a moment, finally meeting your eyes with a stern glare.

“ Don’t ever call me that again. ”

Whatever version of common ground you’d found together over the breakfast table was tossed out of the window the moment those harsh words escaped him. And you? You weren’t having a second of it.

“ Oh, get over yourself. ” you snapped. “ Would it kill you to act like a decent human being for five minutes before you’re back to being Amanda’s obedient machine boy? ” Your head tilted to the side, eyes narrowing at him with distaste, and Richard felt his blood boil beneath his skin.

“ I’m not here to be your friend, ” he shot back, and something faltered in your expression at his words. “ I’m sent here to complete a mission, and that’s exactly what I intend to do. ”

For a long moment, the only sound existing between you came from the storm outside. The low whistles and creaks of the wood were somehow too loud and not loud enough to dampen the sound of his pounding heart in his ears. You stared at each other for a long while, and Richard met your searching eyes with an icy glare. He didn’t have it in him to analyze his own anger, and luckily, before he fell victim to his own spiraling thoughts, you decided to stand from your seat.

“ I think- ” you paused, trying to calm the fire rising from your throat. “ I think I'm gonna take that shower now. ”

***

Forty-two, forty-three, forty-four, forty-five…

Richard was struggling. He was struggling so much and it had nothing to do with the forty-six pushups he was working himself through on the floor of his room. It did, however, have everything to do with the suffocating fact that he couldn’t escape you or this stupid cabin. It was the frustrating fact that he couldn’t find a signal to contact Amanda and find comfort in her guidance after you’d pushed him onto a path of thoughts that he was terrified of facing.

It’s Cain, right?

Cain. Cain brought on so many questions and thoughts into his head that he was in no position to answer or reflect on. Cain dragged him into the past and forced him to relive the excruciating cocktail of emotions he’d swallowed down throughout the years. It was everything from that odd longing to hug his dead mother, the pain of losing Hank and watching Sixty lose himself to addiction, to the realization that he couldn’t be with a woman like Suki or live a normal life like Connor.

Cain brought on too much that Richard didn’t have time to dwell on, and he wouldn’t.

Eighty-one, eighty-two, eighty-three…

Sweat had gathered over his brow and his arms were starting to shake, but it still had nothing to do with the pushups he was doing. It was dark outside, and you’d been awfully quiet throughout the day. Even through the paper thin walls, he hadn’t heard you move around the cabin after you’d taken that shower, and he didn’t know what to do with that information.

Had he been too hard on you?

Logically, he knew that you probably needed someone to talk to after Luther’s sudden disappearance, but he couldn’t forgive your lack of respect for protocol. Richard didn't know if Luther had been entertaining those kinds of private conversations with you, but he wasn’t going to be that type of agent. He’d made it clear what his intentions were, and you should’ve respected them.

Would it kill you to act like a decent human being for five minutes…

He’d reached a hundred pushups when he finally decided to stand up again, and he took a moment to simply catch his breath while he stared at the storm outside of his bedroom window.

Is that what he was lacking?

Humanity?

He was wiping the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand when he heard a noise from your room. Richard paused, going as far as holding his breath to hear you a little better. Maybe he just wanted to prove to himself that he did, in fact, carry more humanity than he let on around you. Had you been smarter, you would’ve understood that it was simply a necessity of his job. He had to put his emotions aside, and so should you.

Richard heard another noise, and this time, it sounded like a whimper. Or maybe… a sob? He rubbed his eyes with his hand, cursing quietly under his breath. Were you really crying? He dared to think that it was because of his harsh words that morning, but then his eyes caught Luther’s pile in the corner and all of those thoughts faded away.

Were you missing Luther?

Another muffled sob reached his ears, and Richard contemplated what he should do. He tried to think about the dynamic between two agent partners, and the expectations they’d have on each other. Perhaps being there for you was a necessity he’d overlooked simply due to his years of working solo.

Richard took a deep breath, and then, for some unknown reason, he decided to walk towards your room.

He was a grown man. He could be an adult about this and apologize, and he prayed to god that you’d find it in you to respond with half of the decency he was going to show you. Your cries were a little louder when he reached your door, and he was surprised to find out that it was partly open.

“ Jasmine? ” he murmured, gently tapping his knuckles against the door.

You didn’t respond, and it made Richard’s brow furrow. There was another noise, though, one that he couldn’t quite make sense of, mixing with your quiet little cries that were starting to worry him. Almost urgently, he decided to stride inside your room, and what he saw then had him freezing on the spot.

You were laying on your back on the bed, head thrown back and hair spread over the pillow with your hands working a small device between your legs. Richard’s whole body flooded with heat at the sight, and the moment you met his eye, he felt himself twitch inside his sweatpants.

This-

This was a horrible mistake.

There was no reason for you to hold his gaze, but you did. The scorching heat of desire pooling in your eyes was enough to burn him alive, but that wasn’t what had his breath hitching in his throat. It was the sight of you so exposed to him while you chased a pleasure he’d never thought to understand or feel himself. Despite the small size of the vibrator, he could feel its high intensity as it buzzed against your most sensitive parts, making your thighs shake as you suddenly clamped them shut and sat up on the bed with a gasp that sounded too much like a moan.

“ Fucking hell– ” You panted, looking annoyed by his sudden presence as you lazily turned the vibrator off and fought to catch your breath. “ Can I help you? ”

Can I help you?

Richard had no idea how his face was looking at that moment, but he prayed to god that it wasn’t as horrible as he felt inside. For a second, he’d felt what could only be described as embarrassment for walking in on you at such an intimate moment, but now he was feeling…annoyed.

Annoyed at you for being annoyed at him.

“ I thought you were- ” he changed his mind the moment the words left his mouth. What difference would it make what he thought? He’d just walked in on you masturbating, and he was still there, feet glued to the floor like he couldn’t walk out even if he wanted to.

You observed him with a look that put him on edge, and once again Richard focused on controlling his expression. He stared at you through cold, half lidded eyes, and the light clench of his jaw only added to the angry look on his face. For some reason, you took that as an invitation to push his buttons further.

“ What? Am I breaking protocol, again? ” You taunted, eyes narrowing at him. There was a faint smirk on your lips that Richard ignored in favor of his own sanity, but the fight in him was quickly dying out when you decided to get off the bed and close in on him. This was a dangerous game you were playing, and even though Richard told himself that he had no desire to play with you, he found himself forced into a new silent battle of wills. If he backed away now, you’d win this little staring contest, and he just couldn’t allow that to happen.

You peered up at him when you finally found your spot before him, your head slightly tilted back while his bowed in favor of staring down at you. His hands were curled into tight fists at his sides, and his chest was rising and falling with each heavy breath he tried to keep under control. Richard looked angry. He looked like he wanted to tear you apart with his teeth and dump you to the wolves out on the mountains, but you weren’t buying it.

“ Do you want to fuck me, Cain? ” you asked, dragging your sinful gaze down to his lips, and then back to his hard eyes.

The next breath that came out of him was unsteady, vibrating in his throat before it passed through his parting lips. It was an absolute disgrace that he couldn’t control himself better in a situation like this. He’d been working in the field for years and had several operations involving intimacy with various women, but they’d never had him feeling this feral before. Richard knew that his sexual frustration was a natural, fleeting thing that he’d have to face every now and then, and he’d been content taking care of his needs alone behind closed doors. But now? How was he supposed to resist this overwhelming desire to throw you onto that bed and fuck you until you couldn’t move anymore? And more importantly, why did he want that?

Why did he want you?

“ You’re crossing a serious line right now. ” he warned, voice low and threatening in a way that only seemed to encourage the faint curl at the corner of your lips. Sexual intimacy or intimacy of any kind was prohibited between agents, and you knew that very well despite your apparent desire to defy it.

“ Well, maybe I wouldn’t be if you just had let me finish, ” you quipped, leaning up to deliver those harsh words in his face. The two of you seemed furious with each other, and Richard was clearly the one closest to breaking. A large hand was suddenly gripping your jaw, and Richard even challenged the non-existing glue on the floor by stepping closer into your space to snarl down at you.

“ Then finish. ” he ordered, and somehow it managed to sound like a threat.

You glared up at him for a long while, and he glared back, listening to the deep, rapid breaths you both were struggling to keep under control. Richard didn’t expect your hand to dive between your legs, but the moment he heard the familiar buzz starting up again, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed in a way that bled frustration. It was becoming unbearable, difficult to concentrate on your face when all he wanted to do was to reach for that devious little device, and use it on you until you were begging him to stop, but despite it, he held on. He found that there was a unique satisfaction in watching your face contort in pleasure while you moved the vibrator against yourself, and he clung to that for dear life.

Despite his straining self control, he managed to endure the sound of your moans. Hell, he even endured the way your free hand clutched onto his forearm while he kept you still in his iron grip. But when you began to say his name, his real name, in a needy, desperate whisper, Richard almost lost it completely. You’d heightened the intensity on the vibrator, and even though he couldn’t see it himself, your face was telling him that it was working over your most sensitive part. He listened to the sounds: the way the buzzing became clearer and then muffled as you moved it around against yourself. He observed each result of those movements on your face, and when you suddenly stopped moving it around, Richard knew you’d found the right spot. You were getting closer and closer to your end, and Richard just hoped, just prayed, he was strong enough to hold himself back until you were finished.

Your knees gave in after a while, and instead of holding you up, Richard felt himself being lowered down to his knees with you. He was breathing hard, the sharp tip of his nose dragging down the side of your face while you held on to him for dear life. He could feel you shaking and squirming under his grip, your eyes filling with tears as you let out a small cry.

“ Come on, ” his voice was quivering, and he sounded so demanding it almost made him question his own motives.

“ Come for me. ”

You fell off the edge almost immediately, and Richard tightened his grip on your jaw to a point where he was sure he was going to leave a mark. It almost scared him, the realization of how much the idea of marking you up seemed to satisfy something deep and carnal in him. Your mouth opened in a silent cry, and you clutched onto him for dear life while you rode out each wave of pleasure washing through your body.

Richard couldn’t make out how long he held you like that, but by the time you moved your head back to look at him through those tired, half-lidded eyes, he was fighting to steady his deep, desperate breaths. He watched your face, the way your hair was sticking to your sweaty skin, and something about that drunken, awed look on your face reached something deep inside him that he didn’t know existed. Richard felt your heat radiating through the oversized t-shirt you were wearing, and the moment the buzzing from the vibrator came to an end, he blinked, landing back to reality. His heart fell into his stomach, and he stared at you with wide, awed eyes before he finally let you go.

You didn’t bother to stand on your feet when he urgently rose to his own, breathlessly staring down at you like you were a ghost in the room that he wasn’t supposed to see, or touch.

Something shifted in your expression then, something that tried to crawl inside him and pick him apart, but Richard wouldn’t have it.

He tore his gaze away from you, and then he was rushing out of the room.

He had to get away from you,

away from the unspeakable things that just happened between you.

#dbh #rk900 x reader #nines x reader #dbh nines x reader #rk800 #tmg stuff #detroit become human

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