#codename: viper

[nyree2712]

Top Gun - Incorrect Quotes 61

Maverick: This is a secret party, in order to don't be caught by Ice from now on we will be using code names

Maverick: You can address me as Eagle One

Maverick: Goose codename is "Been there done that"

Maverick: Slider is "Currently doing that"

Maverick: Wolf is "It happened once in a dream"

Maverick: Wood codename - "If I had to pick"

Maverick: And Viper is

Maverick: Eagle Two

Viper: Oh thank god

IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW

[mikuluvu]

A/N: GUYS HERE IT IS!!! MY FIRST COD X READER!! BASICALLY, THIS A TF141 X READER! OMG I LOVED THIS.

TF141 X ASSASIN!READER

Lasswell sent them to get Intel from you... Or did she just want to make the team introduce you?

Price adjusted his cap, scanning the perimeter with a sharp eye. Soap stood beside him, muttering under his breath while Gaz and Ghost remained close, weapons ready.

“Intel says she’s here,” Gaz said, voice low. “Lasswell wants her alive and... cooperative.”

“She’s an assassin, Gaz, not a lost puppy,” Ghost muttered.

“Stay sharp,” Price commanded. “If half the things Lasswell said about her are true, we’ll need every edge we can get.”

Lasswell had briefed them earlier: Y/N, codename ‘Viper’. A one-woman army.

But what Lasswell hadn’t mentioned was your flair.

The team breached the building silently, fanning out. The place was eerily quiet, save for the faint sound of jazz playing somewhere deeper inside. Ghost signaled, and the team moved towardbwhere the music is coming from.

When they entered the main hall, you were already waiting—lounging comfortably in an armchair, a glass of whiskey in one hand, the other playing lazily with a combat knife.

“Well, well, well…” you purred, a smirk dancing across your lips. “You know, boys, if you wanted my attention, you could’ve just called.”

Soap stiffened, his hand instinctively tightening around his rifle. Price raised an eyebrow, and Gaz looked downright confused. Ghost simply stared.

“Y/N,” Price said cautiously. “We’re here for the intel. No need for this to get messy.”

You tilted your head, studying them with an amused glint in your eyes. “But messy is so fun, Captain.”

Before any of them could react, the lights cut out. A rush of movement, a flurry of expertly thrown smoke grenades, and in under five minutes… The 4 of them found themselves tied to sturdy chairs, weapons confiscated (dont ask me how lol)

When the lights flickered back on, you stood before them, arms crossed, looking way too pleased with yourself.

“Oh, boys, you make this too easy.”

Soap struggled against his restraints. “You’ve gotta be fuckin’ joking. Four of us, a single woman did all of this?”

You sauntered over to him, leaning close enough for him to smell your perfume. “Correction, sweetheart. One very talented woman.”

Gaz sighed. “Lasswell’s gonna love this.”

As if on cue, your phone buzzed. You put it on speaker. “Lasswell, darling, you’ve really got to send me a better challenge next time.”

Lasswell’s laughter echoed through the phone of the speaker. “I should’ve warned them about your… style, Y/N. But you’ve made your point. Let them go. And behave.”

You sighed dramatically. “Fine, fine. You’re no fun, Kate.”

With a few swift movements, their restraints fell away. Ghost rubbed his wrists, muttering something under his breath.

“Now, now,” you cooed. “No hard feelings, right?”

Price stood, brushing dust off his coat. “You’re quite the woman, aren’t ya’?”

You walked over to a side table, pouring four glasses of whiskey and handing one to each of them. “Come on, Captain. You can’t say you didn’t enjoy this little encounter of ours?.”

Soap accepted his glass, cheeks slightly flushed as you winked at him. Gaz cleared his throat awkwardly when you leaned against his chair, tracing a finger along his shoulder.

“And you,” you turned to Ghost, stepping into his space. “I bet you’re all broody under that mask, but I know you were impressed.”

Ghost didn’t flinch, but the slight shift of his shoulders gave him away.

“So, what now?” Price asked, sipping his whiskey.

You raised your glass with a sly smile. “Now? You tell Lasswell you couldn’t catch me, I give you your intel, and you admit that I’m the most charming asset you’ve ever met.”

The team exchanged glances before Price chuckled, raising his glass. “To Viper—may we never end up on your bad side again.”

You clinked glasses with them, satisfaction radiating from your smirk.

“Careful, Captain,” you purred. “Flattery might just make me keep you all tied up next time.”

Soap nearly choked on his drink while Gaz muttered something about needing a vacation. Ghost simply turned away, but even behind the mask, you could feel the smirk he was hiding.

You leaned casually against the table, swirling the amber liquid in your glass. “Well, boys, it’s been fun playing cat and mouse, but I think it’s time we move to more civilized activities, don’t you think?”

Soap raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly are you suggestin’, lass?”

You smirked, setting your glass down with a soft clink. “Dinner. My treat.”

Gaz blinked. “Dinner? Like… food?”

“No, Gaz, like target practice,” Ghost said dryly, earning a chuckle from Price.

You clapped your hands together. “Come on, gentlemen. I’ve already proven I could’ve killed you four times over by now, but instead, I tied you up and gave you whiskey. That’s practically an invitation to be friends.”

Price gave you a long look before sighing. “Alright, lass. But if you try anything—”

You interrupted with a cheeky grin. “Oh, Captain, if I wanted to try anything, you’d already know.”

Soap let out a low whistle while Ghost shook his head, muttering something unintelligible.

An Hour Later

The makeshift dining area wasn’t anything fancy—just an old wooden table you’d scavenged, set with mismatched chairs and dim overhead lighting. But you’d managed to pull together a surprisingly decent spread: steak, roasted vegetables, and a fresh loaf of bread.

Soap stared at his plate. “Not gonna lie… didn’t expect this from a … assassin.”

You poured red wine into Price’s glass and winked. “What can I say? I’m full of surprises.”

Price raised his glass slightly. “I’ll admit, Y/N, this is… unexpected.”

“Unexpected can be good, Captain.” You slid into the seat at the head of the table, glass in hand. “You boys are too used to constant firefights and rations. Let a girl spoil you for one night.”

Gaz took a bite, eyes going wide. “Okay… this is actually good.”

You smirked. “Don’t sound so surprised, darling. I’m not just good at breaking necks and slipping away unseen.”

Ghost, who had been quiet most of the evening, finally spoke up. “How’d you and Lasswell got close anyway?”

You took a sip of your wine, eyes glinting with fondness. “Kate and I go way back. Long before I became… this. She’s one of the few people I trust.”

The table went quiet for a moment, the weight of your words settling over the group.

As the night went on, the conversation flowed with laughter, banter, and stories shared between bites of food and sips of wine. You fit in surprisingly well, your sharp wit bouncing effortlessly off Soap’s charm, Gaz’s casual humor, and even Ghost’s dry sarcasm.

Price leaned back in his chair as the meal came to an end, eyeing you with something akin to respect. “You know, Y/N… for someone Lasswell sent us to handle, you’re not half bad.”

You raised your glass one last time. “And for a bunch of world-class soldiers who got themselves tied to chairs by one woman… you’re not half bad either.”

.

.

.

You stood by the warehouse doors, arms crossed, watching them prepare to leave.

But… you weren’t quite done with them yet.

“Leaving so soon, boys?” you said, stepping forward with a sly smile. “No proper goodbye?”

Soap chuckled, running a hand through his mohawk. “What, you want a hug or somethin’, bonnie?”

You stepped up to him, tilting your head slightly as your fingers traced the edge of his vest. “Oh, Johnny… I was thinking something a little more memorable.”

Before he could respond, you leaned in and pressed a quick, soft kiss to his lips. It wasn’t long, but it was enough to leave Soap blinking in stunned silence, a faint blush creeping up his neck.

“Careful now,” you purred. “Don’t go falling for me.”

Gaz let out a low whistle. “Well, that’s… one way to say goodbye.”

You turned to him next, stepping close enough for him to feel your breath against his cheek. “And you, Sergeant Garrick… don’t think you’re getting off so easily.”

You placed a gentle kiss on Gaz’s lips, your hand lingering briefly on his chest before you pulled away with a smirk. Gaz stammered for a second, rubbing the back of his neck while Soap laughed at him.

Ghost shifted awkwardly in the background, arms crossed. You turned your attention to him, your grin widening.

“Oh, Ghost,” you cooed, walking toward him. “Don’t tell me you’re shy under all that black gear.”

You stopped just inches away, your gloved fingers lightly tracing along the edge of his mask. “May I?”

He hesitated for a brief moment before giving you a subtle nod. Slowly, you lifted the mask just enough to expose his lips, and without another word, you leaned in. The kiss was brief but surprisingly tender, and when you pulled back, you lowered his mask with a teasing smile.

“There now… that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Ghost said nothing, but the way his head dipped slightly told you enough.

Finally, you turned to Captain Price. He stood there, hold the straps on his body, his muscles bulging, watching you with an unreadable expression beneath the brim of his cap.

“Well, Captain,” you said softly, stepping right into his space. “What about you?”

Price’s voice was low, gravelly. “You’ve had your fun, Y/N. Don’t push it.”

But you didn’t back down. Instead, your hand came up to rest lightly against his chest. “Come on, Captain… you’re not scared of me, are you?”

Price let out a long sigh, his shoulders relaxing just slightly. “You’re a damn menace, you know that?”

You grinned. “And yet, you can’t resist.”

Before he could say another word, you closed the distance between you. The kiss started slow—hesitant, almost cautious—but it didn’t stay that way for long. Price’s hand came up to cradle the back of your head, pulling you deeper into the kiss as he stepped a little forward.

Your fingers tangled in the fabric of his coat as the kiss grew more intense, filled with a mix of tension, curiosity, and something neither of you wanted to name. When you finally pulled away, both of you were slightly breathless.

“Well, Captain,” you said softly, your lips curling into a wicked smile. “That was… thorough.”

Price stepped back, adjusting his hat and clearing his throat. “Right. Enough of that.”

Soap and Gaz were wide-eyed, while Ghost turned slightly away as if trying to give the two of you privacy—though you were fairly certain he was smirking under that mask.

“Well, gentlemen,” you said, stepping back into the shadows. “It’s been a pleasure… in many ways.”

Price gave you one final look, his voice steady. “Until next time, Y/N.”

You blew them a playful kiss as they walked out into the night, their silhouettes fading into the darkness.

Once they were gone, you leaned against the wall, a satisfied smirk on your face.

“Oh, Lasswell’s definitely going to hear about this one.”

.

.

.

The team sat in the briefing room around a table. The air was thick with silence, broken only by the occasional throat-clearing or the sound of someone shifting uncomfortably in their seat.

Price sat at the head of the table, arms crossed, hat pulled low. Soap was slouched in his chair, staring very intently at the table surface as if it might provide him with answers. Gaz fidgeted with his pen, and Ghost… well, Ghost was Ghost—silent, arms crossed, but the tips of his ears, barely visible under the edge of his mask, were suspiciously red.

The holo-screen flickered to life, and Lasswell’s face appeared. She looked far too amused.

“Well, gentlemen,” Lasswell said smoothly, her lips twitching upward. “I got Y/N’s report. It was… unbelievable.” she snorted

Price sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. “Lasswell, if you’re about to—”

“Oh no, Captain,” Lasswell cut him off, her grin spreading wider. “I wouldn’t dare tease Task Force 141. The most elite squad in the world. The same squad that was tied to chairs, kissed silly, and left flustered in an abandoned warehouse by one very charming assassin.”

Soap groaned, burying his face in his hands. “For the love of—Lasswell, please.”

Gaz muttered, “I’m never gonna live this down, am I?”

Ghost shifted in his seat but said nothing. The slight tilt of his head told everyone he was definitely embarrassed.

Lasswell continued, tapping her chin in mock thought. “Let’s see… Soap, you went all wide-eyed and blushy. Gaz, you couldn’t even form a proper sentence after your little moment. Ghost—oh, Ghost—let her lift your mask? My, my, what trust!”

Ghost’s head snapped up slightly, but he said nothing, arms crossing even tighter over his chest.

“And Captain Price.” Lasswell’s smirk turned downright wicked. “Oh, Captain. You didn’t just get a kiss, did you? No, no… You got the full VIP treatment.”

Soap choked on his coffee. Gaz’s eyes went wide. Ghost let out an audible sigh.

Price pinched the bridge of his nose. “Are we done here, Kate?”

Lasswell leaned closer to the screen, “Just one last thing, Captain—Y/N said, and I quote, ‘Tell Price I’ll be dreaming about that kiss tonight.’”

The room fell into stunned silence. Soap wheezed, Gaz stared at the screen like it might explode, and even Ghost let out a low, muffled snort.

Price’s face remained stoic, but the faintest tinge of pink crept up his neck. “Right. Briefing’s over. Dismissed.”

Soap practically bolted from his chair, muttering something about needing “a moment.” Gaz followed, shaking his head and mumbling, “I’ll never recover from this.” Ghost got up wordlessly, hands shoved deep into his pockets.

As they filed out, Lasswell’s voice echoed from the screen. “Oh, don’t worry, boys. Y/N sends her love.”

The screen flickered off, leaving Price alone in the room. He let out a long, exhausted sigh and leaned back in his chair.

“Bloody assassin.”

But despite himself, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

A/n: I had to make you and price make out... Your welcome <3

Thanks for reading! Reblogs w/comments is appreciated. You can support me by donating 1 dolla dolla on my ko-fi

[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: Ramming Speed

( Please come see me on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord Every bit helps)

The idea of ramming space ships into each other as a form of combat maneuver was beyond many galactic military minds comprehension.

A single spacecraft, let alone a military grade class vessel, would cost up in the billions of credits. Entire galactic economies had nearly bankrupted themselves trying to maintain a fleet large enough to secure their borders, so in turn each military ship became an asset not to be squandered lightly.

Perhaps it was this conservative mindset that nearly shattered when these powers first looked upon the Terran ship codenamed “The Ram”.

Unlike other modern vessels the ships of this new classification lacked all weapon emplacements. No energy cannons, missile launchers, rail guns; it was entirely free of weapons. What it did have was excessive amounts of armor plating, several separate shield generators, and a pair of overly powerful engines that could reach max speed in roughly five minutes.

The first time it was observed in combat was during the Terran/Crux war. Both powers had sizable fleets at their disposal and for the first couple months the two powers played cat and mouse games between each other; each trying to find a more advantageous position to commit their forces. Much to the dismay of both powers the first large scale battle was triggered by mere chance than a tactical decision.

A Crux patrol stumbled upon a Terran patrol emerging from a dense nebula in the Viper System. Both patrols requested reinforcements. Nearby patrols were soon diverted to the engagement and within short order what was a small skirmish ballooned into a full scale battle.

There were no battle lines or frontlines as ships opened fire at near point blank range with each other. Even when higher rank Admirals arrived to take charge both sides were too embroiled in the slugfest to make any more nuanced tactical moves without exposing themselves to the enemy.

It was here that the Ram emerged and showed its prowess.

Crux warship crews were not trained on how to handle enemy vessels rushing towards them. What’s more several gun crews became panicked when they saw the Ram ships rushing headlong towards them without diverting course.

With the extra armor and shielding the Terran ships not only struck head on into Crux ships but emerged from the attack relatively unscathed. In most cases the prow of the Ram ships punched clean through the entire hull of the Crux warship and emerged through the other side.

The Crux fleet desperately tried to regain order and form battle lines but each time they did so the Ram ships would plunge head first into their formation and take out the command ship coordinating the effort.

As more and more Terran ships arrived and formed their own battle lines the tide of battle soon drastically changed. After thirteen hours of intense fighting the last of the Crux fleet withdrew from the battle leaving the Terrans the victors.

A full fifth of the Crux navy was lost during the battle with the Ram ships having personally claimed 45% of the kills.

While the war itself would continue for another two years, the Ram ships and their unorthodox tactics had earned them a modicum of respect from the wider galaxy, and a great measure of fear from the Crux.

[caramel1mochi]

ㅤㅤPlasma [ Yoru x F! Reader ] [2] [ part 1 / part 2 ] words: 4.5k / Please refrain from stealing my work.

ㅤIt's known that earning Yoru's attention is a futile struggle. Still, the first to achieve it is you — a woman who plans for nothing beyond the optimal spot to doze off.ㅤ

note: This part contains two premium scenes! This emoji 🔆 is where the scenes would take place. Available on my Kofi for tier one and above, hehe

It didn’t take long before you all finally arrived at the base. Fortunately, by the time the vehicle landed, Iso’s body was now capable of healing itself without your help anymore, and the curse on Clove’s bones seemed to be stagnant. All the while Omen suffered no effects from everything that had just occurred.

Perks of being a wraith, right? Or something like that.

With Sage's reassurance, you would potentially get examined, pulled aside to fill out some forms then finally be integrated in the protocol with a codename of your own. From the way she described it, it didn't sound like a very complicated process. Which was very amiss for a so-called covert protocol who were pretty much your enemies twenty minutes ago.

Things seemed to be looking up, you mused.

But just as you stepped foot outside of the vehicle, not only did the afternoon sun pierce your eyes like arrows, but you were met with a group of at least a dozen people… who all had their rifles aimed at you.

What a greeting, huh?

Suddenly you questioned their claims about how friendly the members of this Valorant thing were.

ㅤㅤ

“Who's this, exactly?”

ㅤㅤ

One green-eyed woman hissed before you could take in their appearances. Sage, however, emerged from within the aircraft, and just her presence loosened their grips on their weaponry

ㅤㅤ

“Viper, please, put down the guns! This is our new recruit!”

ㅤㅤ

You expected the expression of wrath to ease, but it wasn’t. In fact, given the look of surprised followed with anger as she glanced at the healer, it let you know her words made things worse.

ㅤㅤ

“Excuse me? I don’t remember giving you the authority to recruit agents on the spot, Sage.”

ㅤㅤ

Viper uttered her name with a certain amount of vitriol.

Then, a much larger hand landed on her shoulder, and all of your eyes were instead locked on a massive burly man with a peculiar orange beret. He triumphed over the chemist with ease in terms of both height and muscle. Despite all of this, however, he was clearly much less intimidating than her by appearance and posture alone.

ㅤㅤ

“Calm down, Sabine. I’m sure Sage had a good reason.”

ㅤㅤ

Sage nodded, relieved at his words.

ㅤㅤ

“The radiants the Scions of Hourglass recruited were incredibly dangerous; we would’ve suffered heavy losses without her. Besides,” she glanced at you with a warm smile, “she’s Iso’s friend. She can help us uncover more about them.”

ㅤㅤ

Viper promptly stared at you with narrow eyes. Her unchanged posture was enough indication that she wasn't phased by Sage's hopeful words in the slightest.

And despite seeing what was practically the worst of the worst, you felt a bit uneasy being ruthlessly scrutinised like this by who seemed to be their superior. So much for a more 'merciful' protocol. Viper was just like one of your superiors, only she didn't hide behind dozens of appearances and fake names to give out cruel orders.

Your train of thought burst once she suddenly put down her weapon.

Everyone put down their own guns with a wave of her hand. Then, she took a step forward, moving closer towards you. With every step, Viper's heels sharply clicked against the porcelain ground you all stood on. Her glare remained unyielding, and her grip on her pistol grew firmer.

ㅤㅤ

“I'm impressed this one managed to gain the trust of our most indispensable assets within...” she stopped and gave you a once-over, “a few hours.”

ㅤㅤ

You were taken aback by her description of Sage. But before any of you could bite back, the larger man stepped up and swiftly interrupted, his tone much louder and friendlier than hers.

ㅤㅤ

"Alright, listen, let's save this chit-chat for later and focus on what's important."

ㅤㅤ

"Of course... I should be taking care of Clove, after all."

ㅤㅤ

You were surprised Brimstone had the guts to say something like that while the rest hadn't dared utter a single sound. Nevertheless, Brim and Sage's attempts to take Viper's attention away from you were in vain. Her eyes still drilled through yours with an unfathomable amount of malice.

Unfathomable to others, of course. This look was very familiar to you.

ㅤㅤ

"I'll handle Sage. Brim, you'll be taking care of our guest."

It wasn't a suggestion, that much could be inferred.

However, you couldn't help but notice how everyone's expressions slightly shifted at this, some more obviously uncomfortable than others. And you also couldn't help but wonder what she meant by 'handling' Sage. Was she going to cut down her rations, or something? Perhaps restrict water and make her train vehemently for hours. Or maybe even public shaming, that sounded like something this green-eyed woman would do.

You smiled fondly at the punishments as they ran through your mind. Did you have a right to say 'good old days' already? You only left a few minutes ago.

You weren't really given the pleasure of seeing the events unfold, not since you were pulled aside in a pristine office with Brimstone. And so far, his questions seemed to fit Sage's words back in the aircraft.

He only asked for basic information. Your age, height, name, and abilities; nothing really about the Scions of Hourglass.

The conversation between you two was calm and, admittedly, unremarkable. In fact, your little brain got more dopamine out of simply inspecting your surroundings. There were charming pictures both hung on the walls and framed on the sturdy wooden desk in front of you, dog tags next to a laptop, a bulletin board cluttered with papers and pictures, even a little CD player on the side.

It was cute.

It was also a massive contrast to the argument you could hear just outside in the hallways. Well, you couldn't exactly hear it. Their words were muffled just enough to be inaudible mumbling. And the remarkable silence in the room only helped magnify the volume of their voices. Even with his questions and the new environment, your mind simply honed on the two women outside.

Was this on purpose? If so, then maybe you were right about that public shaming thing.

Huh.

ㅤㅤ

"What were you thinking, recruiting an enemy like that?"

ㅤㅤ

Viper questioned through gritted teeth, her fists clenched. And while Sage was clearly shaken up by this, her desire to defend her choices overwhelmed her thought process first.

Being in a dreary plain hallway made predominantly of metal, their voices loudly echoing throughout the constricted area, and the lights that hung above that emitted a lifeless glow — all of it contributed to the anxiety that stemmed from arguing with someone like Viper.

ㅤㅤ

"Viper, you don't understand, the damage they've done is irreversible! Clove could still very much be cursed, I–"

ㅤㅤ

"Iso's recruitment in and of itself was a misstep." Viper interrupted. "He only joined to kill Omen; how do you know she's not the same?"

ㅤㅤ

"I assure you, she's not! She has more reasons to go against them than to obey them!"

ㅤㅤ

Sage explained delicately as she took a step forward, both of her hands clasped together. However, her boss could only callously wave her off. Her tone grew harsher with each word, and at this point, she struggled to find reasons to keep Sage around.

Of course, that only applied if Viper wasn't only second-in-command.

ㅤㅤ

"The only reason Iso defected at all is because he happened to be sensitive. What do you think he would've done if he wasn't?!"

ㅤㅤ

"Iso and Clove both would've died if she hadn't alerted us to their state. Viper, I'm sorry but I don't think you understand the magnitude of the situation!"

ㅤㅤ

"Yes. Those two could've died because they were exposed to a rank we were unprepared for — the same rank from which you recruited a member."

ㅤㅤ

"Would you have preferred I let everyone die?!"

ㅤㅤ

Sage's desperation reached higher levels, evident in the slight shakiness of her high-pitched voice, but Viper remained unphased.

As per usual.

ㅤㅤ

"I would've preferred you not be negligent for once!" She stopped herself, promptly sighing and pinching her nose bridge. "I should've known better."

ㅤㅤ

For a moment, there was only silence; all Viper could do was lean on the nearby wall as she gathered her thoughts. And at this point, she heavily regretted not handling you whilst Brimstone dealt with Sage. Hoping to calm her thoughts, Sage opened her mouth to speak−

Then, the door swung open, swiftly interrupting their argument.

The two women didn't even need to look at the figure itself to recognise who it was, considering his massive shadow that concealed a quarter of the hallway's walls.

ㅤㅤ

"Sabine. You're gonna wanna see this."

ㅤㅤ

"What is it? Did she try something?"

ㅤㅤ

Viper's hand fell to her sides, and she turned around to meet his gaze, but the unconcerned look on his face said otherwise. A massive contrast to the chemist herself.

Brimstone couldn't help but chuckle.

ㅤㅤ

"No, it's just her powers. She controls blood... and there's some physiology jargon I don't get along with."

ㅤㅤ

He explained as he slowly stroked his beard.

Brimstone's voice had a softer lilt, he spoke at a much lower volume; Sage couldn't help but be pleased at this given that her throat began to strain from the argument. That, and the ringing in her ears. It was almost as aggravating as the unbearable beeps of a spike preceding its explosion. Including the unfathomable dread she'd feel.

Viper stared at him in silence, presumably looking over the situation. Or just to understand what the heck he meant by that. He couldn't be any less clear if he tried.

With a sigh, she glanced back at Sage, her hand held out.

ㅤㅤ

"Give me your gun."

ㅤㅤ

"There's really no need for–"

ㅤㅤ

"I wasn't asking."

ㅤㅤ

Viper bit back with gritted teeth, swiftly shutting her up. So, with a sigh, Sage took out her Sheriff and reluctantly placed it in her impatient boss's palm.

Gun in hand, Viper marched inside Brimstone's office with both of the superiors behind her.

It took Iso a while to finally come out of his room and sit amongst the others in the lobby. And for the first thirty minutes, it was considerably empty. This unexpected stillness allowed him to simply relax on the comfortable sofa as he scrolled through a few dozen atmospheric songs to help calm him down — even though he had his earphones on and the battery was at 60%.

For a moment, the few people in the lobby minded their own business. This allowed Iso the time he needed to look over the situation without a clouded mind.

His mind was stuck on the mission and you.

To say he felt guilty at practically deserting you at the Scions would be a vast understatement. The second he handed Omen his phone to show him the mission was when he should've also alerted them about you. But he wasn't sure why he didn't. It's not like he had forgotten about you like everything else, but–

Iso flinched once the couch suddenly dipped on his right, and his eyes locked on a very familiar Scot who plopped themselves down directly next to him. Despite being a quarter of his size, the couch was compressed before forming back to its original shape once it adjusted to their weight.

Clove made themselves comfortable before resting one arm on the backrest of the couch, their big eyes glimmering as they glanced at Iso.

ㅤㅤ

"So, Zhao Yu, aye?"

ㅤㅤ

...

ㅤㅤ

"Huh? Oh, yeah. My name." He returned to scrolling. "You can call me Yu, though."

ㅤㅤ

"Really? But I've nae seen yer friend call you that."

ㅤㅤ

Clove asked with a tilt of their head, and Iso shrugged.

ㅤㅤ

"I tried telling her. Once."

ㅤㅤ

This statement made them pause. However, as they looked over what the heck he meant by that, the two didn't notice a figure peer over both of their shoulders.

ㅤㅤ

"So, Iso…"

ㅤㅤ

A high-pitched voice from behind them interrupted their short-lived conversation, and the duo looked over to see both Jett and Neon leaning on the backrest of the couch, their eyes locked on the hitman.

Iso quickly gave the room a once over. Wasn't it empty just a few minutes prior, with the exception of maybe Raze and Killjoy?

ㅤㅤ

"You didn’t tell us you had a friend from where you worked."

ㅤㅤ

Jett started, earning an eye roll from Neon.

ㅤㅤ

"Seriously. No offence, but from what you said back there, we all thought you were a lone-wolf, or whatever."

ㅤㅤ

After what felt like millennia, Iso finally settled on a song without lyrics to help him focus. He tapped on it and promptly pocketed his phone, finally meeting their gazes.

ㅤㅤ

"Technically, I worked alone. She was just my assigned healer."

ㅤㅤ

"Assigned healer!" Jett blurted out, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "You mean you had your very own medic to heal you after your missions?"

ㅤㅤ

"That’s, uh, one way to put it."

ㅤㅤ

"You had your own private healer? Sounds lavish, ja?"

ㅤㅤ

The duo jumped once another voice popped up from behind, and they looked over to see Killjoy leaning on the armrest. The one person Iso wasn't surprised to see.

The three women that surrounded them all bore that same look of excited curiosity. After all, the younglings suffered from a disease called 'being too expressive', and it was bloody obvious they were about to ask every question in the book to learn about you.

Clove couldn't help but lean towards Iso as their eyes jumped from one eager agent to the next.

ㅤㅤ

"Iso, we're getting surrounded."

ㅤㅤ

Iso replied with a light and awkward chuckle. However, before he could respond, Neon suddenly interrupted their would-be conversation with her own question.

ㅤㅤ

"Sige, chika! What's she like? Are you guys actually friends, or it's just that formal crap? How'd you two meet?" <Come on, let's gossip!>

ㅤㅤ

Neon spoke very fast. Almost too quick for him to keep up, but he managed to pick out the important words in her sentence.

ㅤㅤ

"Uh, no, we're friends; I've known her for a while... She's pretty cool." He shrugged. "But I don't remember how we met."

ㅤㅤ

"Lame. You don't remember anything."

ㅤㅤ

Jett grumbled. Clove, however, noticed Iso's very subtle yet uncomfortable reaction to her statement.

ㅤㅤ

"I'd kill to meet her. Hoy, where'd they say she was, again?"

ㅤㅤ

"I heard she's still with Viper. Do you think she's grilling her like she grilled Iso?"

ㅤㅤ

The others exchanged hums and looks of agreement. And because of this, the conversation continued between them, now discussing how they thought the Scions of Hourglass functioned and your role within it. But Iso was clearly and silently displeased at Killjoy's 'grill' comment. He only watched them converse in silence, after all, a slight furrow of his brow being the only indication of such a thing.

For once, however, there was only one person who noticed the aggravation in Iso — Clove glanced at him for a moment before they laid their head on his shoulder.

This gesture served as a successful attempt to ground and calm him. He couldn't help but lightly smile at this, allowing his mind to drift back to the conversation between the group.

Fade was one of the ones who had their guns pointed at you back there. And unlike the other new agents, all whom she utterly disregarded due to their uninteresting personalities, you caught her eye... Really caught her eye.

From the moment you stepped out of the helicopter, Fade couldn’t take her eyes off of you. Your skin, despite most of it being concealed by the robes you wore, was as pale as a bone. And the midnight blue robes only brought out how malnourished you looked.

And your hair?

She loved the way it fell on your shoulders. Almost like wilted flowers that framed one half of your fatigued face while concealing the other with curls that could hardly hold themselves up. If death itself took on the appearance of a woman, she was sure you'd be the result. Her curiosity and desire to seek you out dictated all of her following actions. Which is why she was so willing to wait a few hours until your little talking session with her superiors was finally over.

In fact, she couldn't help but manipulate her essence of raw fear to isolate your location the moment she heard you were finally let go. Nobody knew where you were. But in more ways than one, the nightmare agent was an outlier from the rest.

She marched down the empty hallways as the whispers and shadows guided her to you.

And she found you; you were sitting under the gazebo in the courtyard. Chin on your hand, eyes closed, she wouldn’t have thought twice about you being dead if it weren’t for the rising motion of your chest as you breathed.

Well, that’s really her problem for associating so many things with death. Death, death, death.

Fade marched towards the gazebo and stopped in front of you, her shadow completely engulfing your figure. And yet, you hadn’t noticed the silent Turk. Her steps were impressively quiet, and the only thing that gave away her presence was the coldness emitted from her silhouette.

ㅤㅤ

“Hey.”

ㅤㅤ

Fade's sharp voice broke the previously tranquil silence. You barely lifted your eyelids to meet her gaze. But even with the sun, it was hard to outline her features in such darkness. Fade looked like an extension of the shadows.

She promptly crossed her arms.

ㅤㅤ

“I'm impressed you haven't been found yet.”

ㅤㅤ

At this point, opening your mouth to even reply felt like lifting twelve full suitcases with one hand. But alas, you had to.

ㅤㅤ

“You Valorant soldiers get impressed easily.”

ㅤㅤ

"Ha. Soldiers? Really? You're being too kind."

ㅤㅤ

"So what are you?"

ㅤㅤ

"Me? I'm amazing. Though, I'm not too sure about the others."

ㅤㅤ

You unwittingly tittered at her remark. The sound was unnatural coming out of you. But lord knows you couldn't help yourself, especially not in the face of such a bold woman.

You glanced up at her with a half-smile.

ㅤㅤ

"You know what? I l−"

ㅤㅤ

"I know you do. But for the sake of formalities... thanks."

ㅤㅤ

...

ㅤㅤ

"How did you know what I wanted to say?"

ㅤㅤ

Fade eyed the pearly white bench behind her, the one opposite to you. She promptly sat and made herself comfortable. Then, she glanced at you, a mischievous smile lifting the corner of her black lips.

ㅤㅤ

"I read your mind. Nothing special."

ㅤㅤ

...Wow, you thought to yourself. She really was something else, wasn't she?

However, once she sat down, you finally caught a glimpse of her own set of breath-taking features. Fade's voluminous hair transitioned from a rich black at the top to a bold grey, and that wasn't to mention her unique makeup. It definitely reminded you of something you couldn't put your finger on. Nevertheless, in the same way you hypnotised her, she did the same to you, and you couldn't help but observe those eyes she bore.

One brown, one blue — both competed for your attention and dared you to look away. Other than Iso, this was the first agent you genuinely wanted to speak to.

With all of the scraps of energy you could muster up, you sat up, reclining on the benches.

ㅤㅤ

“What’s your name?”

ㅤㅤ

“Fade. Yours?”

ㅤㅤ

“Y/N. What do you do?”

ㅤㅤ

“I have a lot to do with intuition. Getting into people’s heads, seeing their primal fears, secrets and everything else. It’s hard to hide things from me.”

ㅤㅤ

You half-smiled in response. Your old bosses would've exploited the heck out of her powers. Getting into people's heads? Absolute goldmine.

ㅤㅤ

“Tight. Are you in mine?”

ㅤㅤ

“Working on it. So, Y/N,” she reclined and rested her arm on the back of the bench, further making herself comfortable, “tell me a little bit about yourself. How come you know Iso and this pitiful organisation? And what do you, exactly?”

ㅤㅤ

You averted your gaze to the porcelain flooring, remembering how you got in. But it's not like it was an arduous task; you just spent the past hour or however long recalling everything you could when Viper questioned you earlier. It was a long, and, as you’d say, dumb story. Mostly because you were an incredibly lovestruck girl with radiant powers that just began emerging in your teen years.

Could you even be bothered to explain everything…?

ㅤㅤ

“I control blood. And I joined cus my boyfriend lied to me. Iso joined cus he was a kid.”

ㅤㅤ

Now that Iso wasn’t here, you were free to somewhat talk about this without making him anxious.

ㅤㅤ

“You control blood, and all you can do is heal? That doesn’t add up.“

ㅤㅤ

Word for word what Viper said, you noted in your mind.

ㅤㅤ

“Yup. Cus my powers are disabled.”

ㅤㅤ

She laughed at this, though it was more so a laughter of disbelief than anything else.

ㅤㅤ

“You can’t permanently disable a radiant’s abilities. It’s just not possible.”

ㅤㅤ

“You can if they’re developing.”

ㅤㅤ

“Okay, how did they do it? Did they attach a chip in you, or use some kind of suppression field?”

ㅤㅤ

You had no idea what she meant by a suppression field. Or chip. So you shrugged.

ㅤㅤ

"Dunno, they hired a load of scientists and they did their work."

ㅤㅤ

She nodded with a hum.

ㅤㅤ

“Have you told Viper about all of this?”

ㅤㅤ

“She offered to revert it.”

ㅤㅤ

“And?”

ㅤㅤ

“Dunno. Haven’t decided.”

ㅤㅤ

Fade tilted her head. Clearly, this surprised her as much as it surprised Viper and Sage. And Brimstone.

ㅤㅤ

“Is that seriously something you have to think about?”

ㅤㅤ

“Yup.”

ㅤㅤ

“Why?”

ㅤㅤ

“I don’t wanna learn anything new.”

ㅤㅤ

Fade stared at you for a few seconds, lightly swinging her leg back and forth as she went over what you said. And she couldn't decipher what on Earth you meant. No matter how she framed it.

After all, who would pass up on the opportunity to be able to finally access every aspect of their powers? Especially a late bloomer like yourself.

ㅤㅤ

“I can’t make sense of what you’re trying to get at, Y/N.”

ㅤㅤ

“Can’t you get in my head?”

ㅤㅤ

You noted the surprise on her face judging by the way her eyes slightly widened, and the subtle parting of her lips. It was a bold statement. Clearly, you meant it, your stony face conveying just as much.

Fade cracked a smile once more, amusement now etched all over her features.

ㅤㅤ

“Are you giving me permission?”

ㅤㅤ

You lazily lifted a hand and flashed her a thumbs up. And Fade stared at you for a few seconds, attempting to understand if this was a joke or not.

She secretly probed your brain throughout this whole conversation. Nothing special, she did this with everyone, even if it was an unconscious habit on her side. However, she knew if any one of the others found out, they'd definitely make a scene.

But you were okay with it. Which was perfect.

With this confirmation from you, it allowed her to pick up the painfully slow pace and freely dig into your brain. And, to her surprise, she couldn’t really find anything too debilitating.

Sure, you were just as traumatised as Iso no question as to how she knows that, but she couldn’t find anything intense within you. Not depression, not an overwhelming sense of anger, no lust for revenge, nothing. Heck, even the satisfaction of some of your old superiors being dead was naught.

Nothing but the strong desire to... what was it, be still?  It was something stagnant. Idle.

Whatever it was, matched the words you were saying, that’s for sure.

ㅤㅤ

“I’m sensing a detached energy from you.” She paused. “You want to relax? Is that it?”

ㅤㅤ

You replied with a thumbs up again. And Fade was delighted at her correct assumption.

She saw a bit more as she continued observing your brain. It wasn’t anything different from what you said; invasive experiments, different labs, scientists…

But Fade quickly stopped once she saw you shouting at a particular lilac-eyed child, presumably twelve, calling him a thief as you were held down by multiple people and forced to draw your own blood. Jesus, you were way angrier than she thought.

She suddenly shook her head like an irritated cat once she saw one specific memory. It took her a moment to come back from it no thanks to the ringing in her ears.

Fade glanced at you.

ㅤㅤ

“You can’t… naturally draw blood?”

ㅤㅤ

You shook your head. And Fade processed the situation.

This didn’t add up. Why did you undergo so many experiments to prevent you from fully accessing your abilities while the rest were free to make people brain dead within thirty seconds, or curse bones to form holes, or control bloody minds?

Why were you an outlier?

…

It clicked when she saw a few more memories, and a look of realisation painted her previously blank expression.

ㅤㅤ

"Do you understand why they suppressed you specifically, Y/N?"

ㅤㅤ

"I was a bratty kid. Could be that."

ㅤㅤ

You noted with a shrug, earning a smug smile form her. Bratty is an… well, after what she saw? It's not the word she'd use, that's for sure.

ㅤㅤ

“You don’t understand how devastating blood magic can be, do you?”

ㅤㅤ

Given that the sun mostly shined upon you while she herself was engulfed in darkness, she easily noticed the very slight raise of your eyebrow. Enough to indicate you were either curious, or confused.

ㅤㅤ

“My partners are worse.”

ㅤㅤ

Fade cackled at this, her laughter laced with innocent villainy.

ㅤㅤ

“Do you know just how much damage you can cause with these powers, Y/N? Do you know how many lives you can take with just a wave of your hand?” She tucked away a few strands of her black hair, allowing only her brown eye to be visible to you. “Blood is just like fear; you’ll find it in every single living being. And if you control it? You control everything.” 

ㅤㅤ

You stared at her for a few seconds as you processed her words.

To her, you had basically won the radiant ability lottery. But to you? Well…

ㅤㅤ

“I don’t wanna control everything.”

ㅤㅤ

“Why not? Too much responsibility?”

ㅤㅤ

"I dunno. Starting all over sounds like work." You noted. "I don't like work."

ㅤㅤ

For a moment, there was only silence as she pondered over what you said. You weren't lying when you said you wanted to relax. But still, this desire seemed to stand in the way of — what she considered — powers with vast potential.

But it wasn't hard to see why you weren't convinced; after all, not only were you a late bloomer, you weren't even able to draw an adequate amount of blood.

Fade promptly leaned forward, resting both arms on her lap as she stared right through you; a mischievous glint in her visible eye.

ㅤㅤ

“Okay. You can stay as our healer and only draw a few pitiful drops of blood. But when you’re alone, weaponless, and surrounded, wouldn’t you want maybe… a blood weapon? A blood barrier?” She tilted her head. “Control over other peoples' blood?”

ㅤㅤ

You paused.

This made you remember the altercation you had with Iso, the entire reason you were defenceless when he finally got to you. You had just drawn blood moments prior, and thus, couldn't take out anymore until a few minutes had passed. But even if you managed to get blood, again, you weren’t capable of forming things beyond keys or whatever the heck couldn’t be used as a weapon.

And now that she said it out loud, it sounded pretty cool to be able to create barriers out of your own blood... without any drawbacks, probably.

So, you shrugged again.

ㅤㅤ

“K. I’m convinced.”

ㅤㅤ

“Finally. See, I knew you were smart. You'd have to wait until your files are processed, but it's a start."

ㅤㅤ

Fade noted as she pondered, her eyes locked on the porcelain floor. The visible one, anyway. And for a moment, you wondered what this entailed. Being free of your restrictions and being able to… Wait, besides the barriers, what'd she say? Make blood weapons? You quickly thought of making a spear. That would be so wicked, you thought.

Suddenly, she stood up, catching you off guard.

ㅤㅤ

“Enough talk — it's about time I introduced you to the clowns I work with. What do you say?”

ㅤㅤ

She held her hand out to you.

You stared at her palm, your eyes following the intricate designs that gently enveloped it. A pattern just as mysterious as the woman who created it.

With a smile, you slowly took her hand and stood up, promptly following her.

🔆 (1, 2)

[msmk11]

I saw that you wanted some tangerine requests. I'd say I'm pretty good at requesting those🤓☝️.

OK, so I really like this concept.

Tangerine and reader have met before. Maybe it was at a gala. Maybe it was on a mission, I'm just gonna leave that open to you. But the point is, they have had multiple meetings before. Maybe they flirted on the mission or maybe they just got into a fight, again leaving that for you.

Basically, Lemon Tangerine and Reader have all been assigned to do a mission. And before that mission happens, they're planning at a dinner ( They don't really have the worry about blowing their cover because the diners kind of like in assassin's diner where assassins can meet up)

And a scene like this happens (ripping off of pulp fiction) And instead of talking about the pilot, he brings up her career as an assassin.

https://youtu.be/O3tGImqhrMo?si=1FVe6VFQSvZC7UfR

They flirt, they plan, Lemon feels awkward

And they both leave thinking about each other. I love this concept so much!!!!

Sorry for any grammar mistakes

I’m Sorry, Thank You, I’ll Always Protect You

Tangerine x fem!reader

WC: 3.5k

CW: lots of cursing, mention of weapons and blood, mentions of food, mention of alcohol, smoking (just cigarettes), mentions of death/fighting (it’s a Tan fic for goodness sake)

Author’s Note: Thanks for requesting lovely! Hope you enjoy! (This fic is also proof that I can’t write briefly for the life of me.) (also, side note, for the sake of the fic, your codename is viper)

The charming classical music playing softly in the background hardly matches your agitated mood. Your handler had just given you a new mission. One that, to your dismay, was not a one-man job, but rather, required you to work with partners. You always preferred to work alone because having a partner could get messy fast. Whether it was because they were too gutsy, not gutsy enough, or they were a cocky, arrogant asshole, you’d been thrust into one too many less-than-desirable situations because of the interference of a partner. Therefore, going into this mission, you are, rightfully, hesitant, and you pray that you haven’t been partnered with a total fucking idiot.

You anxiously check your watch for the umpteenth time, drumming your fingers on the dark, wooden table. Your new partners are not late, yet, but the dread pooling in your stomach makes you anxious to get this meeting over with as soon as possible.

“Viper?” A deep, heavily British voice declares.

“That’s me,” you say, looking up. And then your voice dies in your throat.

“Oh, bloody fucking hell,” the man in front of you curses.

It’s him. That arrogant bastard you’ve had the unfortunate luck of working with before. His twin is here too, of course, and you’re thankful for the slightly more pleasant company.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite twins, Peanut Butter and Jelly,” you drawl.

Peanut Butter and Jelly- your own personal nicknames for the twins. Ones that, to your delight, really pissed off the brunette.

“Told you not to fucking call us that,” the mustached man grumbles, sliding into the booth across from you.

His brother follows after him, and you notice the smirk he is trying to hide, “You’re just mad that you’ve been dubbed Jelly.”

“Yeah, ‘cos everyone bloody knows that peanut butter is the better part of the fucking sandwich. And I’m the better twin, obviously, so I should be peanut butter” he growls.

“The masses would disagree, Jelly, you fucking prick,” you retort.

His jaw tenses and you can’t help but revel in the feeling of getting him all worked up.

“Well aren’t you still a fucking daisy,” he replies.

“And as charming as always,” his brother adds, winking.

“Always a pleasure to see you PB. Though I suppose I can’t call you that on the job. What’ll your code name be this time?”

“I’m Lemon,” he responds, “and my brother here is going by Tangerine.”

You snort, “like the fucking fruits?”

Tangerine glares at you, “Yes, like the fucking fruits. What’s so funny about it?”

You hum and sigh dramatically, “I don’t know, Tan, it just seems a little silly, don’t you think? I mean, I can see Lemon being intimidating, because you never know what you’re gonna get with one. But Tangerine sounds pathetic, really. It’s the snack of grubby-handed children.”

You’re pretty sure his mustache twitches, and his hands certainly close into fists, “It’s sophisticated, yeah? Classic. No one likes fucking lemons.”

You feign mock offense, “I do. I like lemons a lot, actually. Tangerines, not so much.”

“Well sorry if I don’t really value your fucking opinion,” he spits out.

“I like lemons too, mate,” Lemon tells him.

“Well fuck me then.”

In your most teasing, seductive voice you reply, “Later baby, we have work to do first.”

Tangerine chokes on his spit and you hide your smirk as you pick up the menu.

Lemon coughs uncomfortably as he follows suit, “so what’ll it be tonight? We’re paying.”

“Like fucking hell we’re paying for her,” Tangerine protests.

Though you can’t see it, the grimace that flickers across the brunette’s face tells you that Lemon has kicked him in the shin, “Be fucking polite will ya, brotha’? Can’t go around dressed like that and then not pay for people.”

Lemon isn’t wrong. Every time you’ve seen Tangerine, he’s been dressed to the nines, fitted in the finest of suits and decked out in gold bling. It’s a wonder to you that he ever dresses nicely at all, considering all the blood that ends up on him by the end of a mission.

The brother with frosted tips, you think, has always had more swagger and appropriate mission-clothing. He is usually dressed more casually in a jean jacket and semi-formal shirt. Tonight, it’s a blue button-up with a Thomas the Tank Engine tie.

Before Tangerine can make some nasty reply, the waitress appears at the table asking if you’re ready to order. It’s a sight to behold, watching the cocky douche switch from his true, unpleasant self to a polite British gentleman.

“Yes, darling. I’ll take the steak, medium rare, and a whiskey f’me, please.”

You’re not surprised he orders a fucking steak, and, for some reason, it really pisses you off. While Lemon orders a burger and fries, you scan the menu looking to order whatever will tick him off the most.

“And what’ll it be for you, ma’am,” she says to you.

“I’ll have the most expensive thing on the menu, please,” you tell her sweetly. And then, you motion to your counterpart, “Tangerine here is paying tonight, and said to treat myself. Quite the doll, isn’t he?”

Tangerine masks his grimace with a charming smile, one that makes the waitress blush a little.

“Only the best for you, love” he says through gritted teeth.

You ignore the way your heart flutters the teeniest bit at the nickname.

When the waitress walks away with your menus, the brunette merely glares at you.

You only give him a sickeningly sweet smile, “Thank you, Tan. You’re awfully generous.”

He inhales sharply, trying to stay calm.

“If ya didn’t have such a pretty face, I think I’d punch ya right now. Lucky for you, darling.”

“Lucky for you too, I guess. Wouldn’t want my blood to ruin your shiny, new bling,” you retort, judgmental eyes trailing down to his adorned fingers.

“Right well,” Lemon interrupts, “can we get down to business? Please. You two’s bickering is making my hair whiter than it already is.”

Tangerine bites his tongue and nods while you just smirk.

Lemon turns to you, “Viper, I’m sure you got the briefing?”

You nod.

“I can tell this job is gonna be a lot more fucking difficult than our last one. We gotta save one person from a whole ass gang. It’s gonna be bloody.”

You lean back casually in your seat and cross your arms, “Won’t be a problem for me, Lemon. These sorts of jobs are my speciality.”

You dig through your bag beside you and pull out a pack of cigarettes. You put one to your lips and then curse, “Bollocks, forgot my lighter. Either of you happen to have one on you?”

Lemon shakes his head, “Nah, don’t smoke. Already put my life at risk everyday for my job. Not about to tease fate with those killers.”

The cigarette hangs loosely between your lips and you smile lazily at him, “to each their own, I guess. Tangerine?”

He shrugs nonchalantly and smirks, “Might, if you give me a cig.”

You roll your eyes at him and sigh. You pull out another cigarette and give it to him. He pops it in his mouth and then pulls out a silver lighter from his suit pocket. He flicks it on with one try and holds the lighter to the tip. It lights and smoke pours out. You watch the way his pink lips blow out a ring of smoke, and it’s for much longer than you’d ever admit. He takes another long, slow drag and you know that he’s testing your patience. As much as you want to nag him to hurry up, you don’t, knowing that if you did, he’d only purposely take longer. Finally, he holds out the lighter towards you. You go to take it from him and he swiftly pulls it back.

“Like fucking hell you’ll take this, love. This here is my nicest lighter, and I’m not going to let you fucking break it.”

You huff, “Fine, fine. Do whatever the hell you want.” And under your breath you mutter, “Asshat.”

You lean across the table, cigarette between your lips, and he reaches out to light it. The tiny flame pops up, and his hand gets so close to your mouth that if you moved forward just a little bit, your lips would connect with his skin. It isn’t an unpleasant thought, and that’s what disturbs you the most. Once it’s lit, you quickly pull away and take a long drag. You close your eyes and let the smoke work its way into your lungs, calming you.

“So for the mission,” you sigh, taking another inhale of smoke, “I think one of you two needs to be in charge of getting the hostage, so I can help take out the mob.”

“Yeah bloody right,” Tangerine argues, “Lemon and I are a team. You’re not fucking spliting us up.”

You lean forward and narrow your eyes at him, “For the sake of this mission, we’re a team. And if you have a fucking problem with that, Tangerine, I’m going to have a fucking problem with you.”

Tangerine is about to spit something else at you when Lemon interferes.

“That’s enough bickering from you two. We all have to work together, whether you like it or not. So you two best sort yourselves out now, because I swear to god, if I die ‘cos you two can’t get your shit together, I’m going to come back and kill you both.”

You turn and look at Lemon seriously, “Last I recall, I was the one that almost fucking died last time because of your shithead brother.”

(flashback)

Though it had been nearly three years since your last mission together, you could remember that night clear as day. It’d been a double-profit job- you three were assigned to attend a charity gala and steal a diamond necklace being auctioned off while also partaking in a little shill bidding to hike up the price of the necklace. A heist/scam job, in your opinion, was an easy cash-grab in comparison to your usual missions as an assassin. Tangerine and Lemon had thought so too. The plan had been simple: you and Tangerine would appear at the auction as a wealthy couple interested in buying the necklace, and drive the bidding price way up. The highest bidder would pay a hell of a lot more than the necklace was worth, and that chunk of money would go straight into the pockets of your employer.

Lemon, on the other hand, had gotten hired to be a part of the auction staff, which gave him the chance to switch out the diamonds for a fake.

You’d shown up that night in a sleek, midnight blue dress that hugged your curves and shimmered slightly like the night sky. Tangerine had worn a suit that matched in color, though it was adorned with white stripes. He’d looked really bloody good that evening and you’d hated him for it. It’d left you feeling just a little flustered and distracted- a dangerous mindset to be in on a job. The early half of the night should’ve been easy. All you’d had to do was lay on the charm thick with the wealthy folks and spread the word that the shiny, new couple was interested in the diamond necklace. Greedy as that lot was, you and Tangerine had known that you two’s feigned interest in the necklace would get it a lot of bidders.

As it turned out, the job hadn’t been so easy, not because the objective had been hard, but because Tangerine’s hands had been all over you all night. Deep down, you’d known it was all part of the appearance you were putting on, but after a while, his touching had started to get to you. The horny part of you had been delighted to have his big, calloused hands on your back and bare shoulders. But the other, more serious side of you had been uncomfortable with his touch. As a woman in the field, you’d rarely been taken seriously and were often only seen as a piece of meat. In that moment you had begun to feel the same. It’d felt like Tangerine was showing you off saying, “look how sexy and wonderful my (fake) wife is”. And as the night had progressed, those two conflicting emotions had come crashing together, leaving you angry and overwhelmed.

The auction had set off without a hitch, and the two of you had braced yourself when the diamond necklace was brought out. Once the bidding war had started, all eyes were on you two, and Tangerine’s hand had casually made its way to your thigh. That, for some reason, had been your breaking point, and you’d hissed under your breath, “Get your hand off my fucking thigh, now.”

Tangerine had only been half paying attention, too focused on the bidding going on, and so he’d only mumbled, “quiet, darling.”

That had really pissed you off and you’d begun to curse at him under your breath. You’d gone to force his hand off your thigh, and that’s when shit had hit the fan. You’d looked down for one second, and then you were on the floor, Tangerine on top of you. There’s been shouts and screams and the loud bangs of gunshots. Bewildered, you’d tried to sit up, but had instantly hissed in pain. Everything had happened so fast, you hadn't noticed the bullet that had grazed your side. The one that, you would later learn, had been aimed right at your chest until Tangerine saved you. It seemed your mission had been leaked, and people had been sent to take you three out. Though you’d only been grazed, your counterpart had forced you to stay in hiding while he’d run off to take care of the last of the men.

When the job had been finished, Tangerine had hauled you up and out to the side of the building where Lemon had been waiting with the car. It was only when you’d driven a few miles away that the shock had finally settled and was replaced with fear, anger, shame, and embarrassment. And instead of dealing with your emotions healthily, you’d lashed out at Tangerine. You and him had gotten into a screaming match- you’d blamed him for invading your space and treating you like a wounded animal and he’d called you negligent and over-emotional. The night hadn’t ended in any reconciliation, and he’d been a thorn in your side ever since.

It seemed like he always popped up at the most inconvenient times, often messing with your missions or just plain pissing you off.

Those past three years of tension culminated into your hatred for him today, and the fact that he’d somehow gotten more handsome since the last time you’d seen him didn’t help either.

(Back to present)

“Oh bloody ‘ell, here we go again,” Lemon curses.

But then, the unexpected happened.

You’re tense, biting words already at the tip of your tongue, ready to argue whatever point Tangerine makes.

Instead, he quietly says, “I wasn’t ever gonna let you die, love.”

Your heart literally stops beating in your chest for a moment, and you swear that his gaze softens a little.

“I was aware of our surroundings the whole time, and also knew you were off your game that night. Your death was never an option. I wasn’t going to allow it.”

You begin to butt in, trying to defend why you were off your game

Tangerine only interrupts you, “And you don’t need to explain to me or anyone why you were off your game. You just gotta trust that we also know what we’re doing. And you gotta trust that I- we- got your back. It’s also why I think you should be in charge of the hostage. It’s safest if Lemon and I work together to protect you while you go for ‘em. Anyhow, you yourself have said that ya work best alone .”

He turns to you and Lemon with a slightly vulnerable look on his face, “No one’s dying on this mission, I swear by it.”

If Tangerine couldn’t already tell that you and Lemon are slightly shocked by his emotional outburst, the silence that follows certainly does. You hold Tangerine’s gaze, his blue eyes piercing into yours, and a series of words seem to be exchanged:

I’m sorry.

No, I'm sorry.

Thank you.

I’ll always protect you.

In your peripheral you see Lemon shift uncomfortably in his seat and you cough, finally breaking eye contact with Tangerine and taking another drag of your cigarette.

Tangerine inhales deeply through his nose and takes a drag too.

Then he says, “Although I know you could take those men out quickly, Viper, I think we’ll work better as a team if Lemon and I can simultaneously take the guards out while you move ahead. We basically have twin telepathy and work like a well-oiled machine. Plus, you can most easily hold your own if you run into anyone on your way to the hostage.”

You wave him off, “No need to flatter me, Tangerine. You two could hold your own just as well.”

“Not from what I’ve heard,” he tells you, “Everyone’s been talking about your job in Peru.”

“Ah my moment of glory,” you say with a smirk and a roll of your eyes, “pretty sure I peaked then.”

Tangerine smiles at you a little, an actual, genuine smile, “What was it actually like, that mission? People tend to always fucking throw things out of proportion.”

“It was a solo mission where I was just supposed to take out the CEO of my client’s rival company and her guards. But it ended up being an ambush. It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle, of course, but Christ, it was bloody.”

“And how’d you do it all by yourself?”

“With a knife and a gun. See, im pretty good with knives. Can throw ‘em, stab, slice, the likes. I even tried something new with a knife on that mission, out of necessity.”

He cocks an eyebrow at you impatiently as he blows out another puff of smoke, “What was it?”

“Nah, too gory,” you say calmly, taking another drag of your cig.

“Love, I’m a fucking assassin too, it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“Using a knife, it’s different from a gun, Tangerine. It’s a lot more cruel and I’d rather not tell it to you,” you reply somewhat shyly.

“A hundred other people already know though,” he counters, “and it might change what I think of you.”

You pause, thinking over your next words carefully, “that’s what I’m afraid of. I know we’re in a nasty business, but I’d rather not have my partners think I’m a monster.”

Tangerine puts his cigarette out on the windowsill and looks at you softly, “that’s not what I meant and you know it. It’d only make me respect you more, not less.”

And then, he adds, with a teasing smirk, “not that I could respect you any less than I already do.”

You roll your eyes and suppress a giggle. A fucking giggle.

“Well I’d rather not risk it. And anyways, there’s too much pressure, now that I’ve built it all up.”

“Fucking tease,” he whispers playfully, and kicks your leg lightly under the table.

You hide your blush under the guise of looking down to put out your cigarette. When you look up, you catch Tangerine’s gaze again, and the tension is palpable.

When the waitress suddenly arrives with the food, Lemon vocalizes exactly what you’re thinking, “oh thank god. Jesus Christ.”

You dig-in to whatever the fuck you ordered, using it as a distraction from Tangerine.

*****

The rest of the dinner is quiet and, as promised, Tangerine pays. Lemon leads the way out, and you’re acutely aware of every movement of your body as Tangerine walks behind you. When you get to the door, he grabs it from Lemon before you can, and he’s so close to you his cologne makes you woozy.

When you make it out to the parking lot, Tangerine sends Lemon off to find the car while he escorts you to yours. Though you unlock your car, he opens the door for you. As you get settled, he leans against the roof, and it makes his muscles bulge deliciously.

“You be safe tonight, Viper, and I’ll see you in a few days.”

You nod, “goodnight, Jelly, don’t miss me too much.”

He winks at you, “I won’t, cos I’ll see you in my dreams tonight.”

You roll your eyes and scoff, but internally your stomach does flips.

Tangerine watches as you pull away, a sort of ache in his chest. Lemon pulls up in the car and he gets in, still thinking about you. Before he has a moment to process anything, Lemon smacks him upside the head.

“Ow, fucking shit,” he curses, “what the bloody hell was that for?”

“For being fucking whipped for The Viper, you dumb shit.”

[pointycorgiears]

Talon: Sister, do you feel better?

S-Snake, sitting up in bed: Uh huh.

Talon: Why are you still sad?

S-Snake: I failed my mission.

Talon: It's okay. I didn't want to go back anyway. You can stay here with me.

S-Snake: *frowns and eyes water*

Talon: It's okay! It's nice here! Look, I brought this for you! *gives her a plush elephant*

S-Snake: What...is this?

Talon: It's to help make you feel better. Captain Buggy told me to give it to you. There's lots of toys on this island!

S-Snake: Huh...that Emperor gave me this bracelet, too...*tugs at the bracelet on her wrist with jewels and stars, and with letter beads that spell V-Y-P-E-R*

Talon: *reading the bracelet * That sounds cool. Do you like that?

S-Snake: *thinks about it, then smiles* I guess so.

~earlier~

Mihawk, staring at S-Snake passed out on a bed: It's troubling that the Navy sent another of the Seraphim to try to take Talon back. We were lucky she experienced a malfunction, but we may not be so fortunate in the future.

Crocodile: When are they going to quit being cowards and stop sending children here to fight? *leans over to place a blanket over the girl*

*S-Snake's eyes snap open, startled, and she BITES Crocodile's hand*

Crocodile: YEEOOOWAARRRGGHHHH!!!!

Buggy: HAHAAAHAAAHAA!

Crocodile: WHY ARE HER TEETH SO SHARP!? *nurses his wound*

Buggy: AHAHA! YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN YOUR FACE, CROC!

Crocodile: SHUT UP! There's puncture marks!

Mihawk: Well, she seems to be quite the little viper, doesn't she?

~end flashback~

Talon: I think that's a neat name for you.

S-Snake: You think so? What about my designation?

Talon: You can still have it! But, this is like a codename. It's special, just for you.

Vyper: Okay then. I guess I'll use it for now on this island.

[simplegeneral]

Blister, codenamed through the war as the 'Black Diamond' as she frequently weared a black seawing armor Coral gifted to her.

I haven't really developed Blister as a character in my AU, I had most of my focus on Burn, but well, Blister hasn't changed much, except she is more sadistic as canon Burn and will kill anyone and anything to reach her goal, including dragonets, especially dragonets, for she loves to project her dragonethood insecurities into torturing them.

Blister may be a mastermind but she has a shorter temper than Burn and will have outbursts frequently when things don't go her way, usually ending up in she trying to murder someone.

At my theoretical book 5 AU, instead of a stupid gift to Burn and she falling to an obvious trap, Blister instead instructs one of her guards to use a blowgun with poisonous darts so she can easily defeat Burn in an open duel, a simple plan that costed her soldiers in the rainforest and learning about poison to achieve it. Burn is weakened but not defeated and they fight, but as soon as things don't go her way, Blister rages and orders her soldiers to release a bunch of dragonbite vipers into the sandwing audience to cause chaos and confusion, leading to her escape.

I intend Blister to not die that easily and rather be a recurring villain in arc 2 until her eventual defeat.

[rainverry]

my all time favourite nct fanfics

just a heads up, some of these are no longer available to read, but they will always be remembered in my mind just because of how amazing they are <3 i'd like to describe them but i think it'd be better if you read them all for yourself and give love to all the writers listed here!!

angst = a, fluff = f, comedy/crack = c, smut = s

JOHNNY

love me now (series) by @epinebleue (a, f, s) homecoming by @caiuscassiuss (a, f, s)

YUTA

close to you by @moonscriptsx (a, f, s) for him (series) by @epinebleue (a, f, s) that's rich! by @tyonfs (a, f, s) cool blue by kerminghaos (a, f) codename: viper by @yutaholic (a, f, s)

DOYOUNG

afterglow by @epinebleue (a, f, s) [coming back soon!]

JAEHYUN

devoted (series) by @maknaesdancersrappers (a, f, s) i like me better (when i'm with you) by @tyonfs (a, f, c, s) for the rest of our lives by @epinebleue (a) baby by @moonctzeny (a, f, s)

MARK

bugboy by @btsfaris (a, f, s) is there somewhere + running back to you by @rosepetalmark (a, f, s) b-side + a-side by @luvdsc (a, f) watch me by @sluttyten (f, s) perfect by @rainverry (a, f) YES IM PROMOTING MYSELF IM JUST PROUD OF THIS ONE OKAY PLS LOOK AWAY

HAECHAN

winter nights by youaremyfullsun (a, f, s) no longer by youaremyfullsun (a, f) and they were roommates by @tyonfs (a, f, s)

JAEMIN

two nights, one you by @nctsworld (a, f, s) cat & mouse by @tyonfs (f, c, s) besties (gone sexual) by @tyonfs (a, f, c, s)

YANGYANG

game on by @tyonfs (f, s) (honestly, anything by alice is a masterpiece!!)

[fototingobug]

presenting the love of my life , Kifah Suleiman . Warning : hella yap .

I said if I got 5 likes on the original post I made for them that I would make a mini lore dump and I got 6 so 👍

Kifah is 30 during X-men 97 . Their codename is viper .

Kifah’s mutant abilities include hyper-agility , improved stealth , and the psychic ability to trap another mind in a dimension of their own making if their hands make contact with the other person’s head . Both of them will go limp during this time , as they are no longer in that plane of existence . Their physical bodies remain unharmed , and Kifah can’t hold someone there for longer than 30 minutes in the real world , but considering they can do anything to shatter the minds of whoever made the unfortunate decision of being on the opposite side as them , it could feel like years . Kifah prefers close-range combat because of their hands , but does occasionally fight with a bowstaff .

They were born to a Syrian mother and an Afro-Syrian mutant father . Kifah was born looking the way they did but did not develop their psychic abilities until they were 12 .

Kifah is intersex and identifies as agender , but does refer to themselves as transfeminine or transgender at times and identifies with the label to some extent . Their pronouns are they/she .

Kifah’s mother was unaware that she carried the X-Gene , and she was also unaware that her husband was a mutant . Her husband himself was in such denial he genuinely didnt believe he was either . His mutant ability was to speed up the photosynthesis process in plants .

TW BRIEF CHILD ABUSE AND CSA MENTION UNDER THE CUT . NOT GRAPHIC .

Kifah’s father left when she was 5 due to not wanting a mutant child . Her mother turned to neglecting them , and instead pouring all her time out into their younger brother .

Kifah’s mother eventually married another man who abused Kifah in multiple ways including physically and sexually . This eventually lead to Kifah scratching their stepfather on the face , causing him to go blind in his right eye .

abuse mentions over 🖤

Kifah’s stepfather twisted the story and made Kifah out to be an uncontrollable mutant who needed to be put down . Kifah’s mother unreluctantly sent them to live in a Christian orphanage , before they were declared too much trouble and were sent to an orphanage and boarding school in the United States where they met their best friend Molimo ( my friend’s oc , unfortunately he isn’t a tumblr user but here’s doodles of them I’ve done )

Much like them , molimo couldn’t hide being a mutant , and they bonded over that . I don’t have my friends permission to talk much about their oc right now , but if I get it I’ll update . To make a long story short , the orphanage burned down due to anti-mutant rioters , and Kifah was ‘ killed ‘ in the fire . Molimo found forge , and Kifah , was found by Fabian Cortez . Fabian saw potential in Kifah’s reality-warping and time-bending powers , and so he manipulated them into feeling as though they were in a safe position .

im getting tired of writing so to make another long story short , Kifah leaves what would become the acolytes at 16 , briefly joins the brotherhood , quits and keeps a low profile for the next 4 years , before rejoining the brotherhood and losing their horn on asteroid M during the magneto protocols . She goes on a villain arc due to this as her horns are incredibly important to her , before joining briefly with the X-men and reuniting with Molimo . After this they become more of their own character and aren’t really a part of any particular organization , school , or group , and instead makes radical statements of anti-government and anti-mutant hate groups through extremist acts of art and protest , as well as some physical assaults on government officials and police .

they were originally made for the comics but after watching 97 I think I’m obligated to make them work for 97 as well . It may change a bit to accommodate for how she lost her horn since asteroid M and the magneto protocols take place when they would be 30 , so maybe they lost it somehow else .

tldr I love Kifah and they deserve the world .

[evaglass]

Speculation about Mizu's parents pt. 2

Please read pt. 1 in order for this to make more sense

Now going into one Blue Eye Samurai's biggest influences, Kill Bill

Kill Bill is a story split into two films due to length, Volume 1 in 2003 and Volume 2 in 2004. The story, for anyone who has never seen the films, is about main character Breatrix Kiddo waking up for a coma and going after revenge against her former coworkers and boss/lover, Bill.

To give some backstory, Beatrix was a trained assassin in a team known as the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, along with four other individuals, and they all worked for Bill.

One day, when Beatrix is on a mission, she finds out that Bill got her pregnant. After finding out she's pregnant, she abandons her mission, fakes her death, changes her name, runs away, and starts a new life so her baby could be raised in safety.

Bill, being heartbroken about Beatrix's supposed death, tries to track down the people responsible for her death, only to find out she has a new life, and she's pregnant.

Bill, being enraged, decides to instruct his team to kill Beatrix and the new people close to her, him not knowing the baby is his.

Notice how there's four of them

Beatrix's former coworkers go in and really mess her up before Bill shoots Beatrix in the head. However, the bullet doesn't kill her, just puts her in a four year coma.

When Beatrix wakes up, she notices that her stomach is flat, indicating that her baby daughter is gone. She goes into grief immediately, then rage as the first thing she does is set off for revenge against her four former coworkers and Bill.

So an interesting writing choice about the Kill Bill, the audience doesn't know Beatrix is her name until Vol. 2. Whenever Beatrix is mentioned by her name, it's bleeped out in the Vol. 1. There are two other alias Beatrix is referred to before her name is revealed, which is either her old codename Black Mamba or the Bride because she was attacked during her wedding rehearsal.

Both the Bride (Beatrix) from Kill Bill and the Bride from episode 5 tried to run away from their old lifestyles

Both cared very much cared for their daughters

Both were hurt by a spiteful lover

Both saw their daughter ripped away from them

And both later wake up and seek revenge

Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/Part 4/Part 5/Part 6

[actualbird]

guys help me out here. im trying to think of an NSB agent codename for an agent whose main expertise and skills lie in honeypots and seduction

[saturnniidae]

Claire's codename suggestion of "Queen Death Viper 5000 of the Shadow Realm" really sounds like some variation of a middle school animal jam username

[bree-lex]

This is Renge Kiritani Fabron !! ^^

She is Yoru and Chamber’s daughter (yes a ship child) AND I LOVE HER SO MUCHHH

Her codename is Eclipse and she’s a radiant. She’s also Viper’s assistant so she helps in her lab.

I’ve had this OC for a year now and I wanted to share her because she’s really special to me and if you want to ask anything about her feel free to !! ^^

[natandwandaseries]

If I were writing Kindred now, I would have made Yelena’s codename Blue Jay instead of Viper. Do you think people would notice if I went back and changed it 😂 maybe I’ll have her demand an update or something. Blue Jay just seems much more her personality, rather than just her fighting style

[monochromaticblue]

Now feels like a better time than ever to officially introduce my Persona 5 Arcana Swap

Everyone’s roles were entirely randomized except for Morgana (I could not work with him *anywhere*.)

Fool - Ann Takamaki (Codename WIP) - Medea

Chariot - Makoto Niijima (Codename WIP) - (Persona WIP)

Lovers - Goro Akechi “Reaper” - Moriarty

Emperor - Sumire Yoshizawa “Rouge”- (WIP)

High Priestess - Yusuke Kitagawa “Viper” - (WIP)

Hermit - Akira Sakura “Ghost” - Pollux

Empress - Futaba Isshiki (WIP) - (WIP)

Justice - Haru Okumura (WIP) - Circe

Faith - Ryuji Sakamoto (WIP) - (WIP)

As you can see, it is clearly still in development but I thought I would officially post about it just to get the idea out there!!

[yumiyue07]

Through Fire and Blood

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11

｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★ POV: K-idol x reader

H/N = His name Y/N = Your name M/N1 = Member 1’s name (choose any member of your bias’ group) M/N2 = Member 2’s name (choose any member of your bias’ group)

Trigger warning: swearing, violence ｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★

"They used you as a spy on us," H/N growled, his voice a low rumble that carried an undercurrent of seething fury. "You studied us—our routines, our weaknesses—slithering like a snake in the shadows."

H/N’s fists were trembling as he stared at the tattoo now visible on the spy’s neck. A viper, coiled and ready to strike. His pulse pounded in his ears as recognition clicked into place.

"Venomous Syndicate," he muttered under his breath, stepping back as he wiped his hands. "I should have known."

H/N nodded grimly, his jaw clenched tight. "It fits. Their top agents always have snake codenames. Viper, Cobra, Python..." His voice trailed off, the venom in his words echoing his disgust. "These bastards don’t just deal with street-level crime. They infiltrate, blackmail, ruin lives from the inside out. And they’re making their move on Seoul."

M/N2 scoffed, his grip on the spy tightening. "Trying to take our territory, huh? Bad call."

H/N’s fists clenched and unclenched as his mind flashed back to a time not too long ago. He knew all too well what the Venomous Syndicate was capable of. A trusted ally of his had been compromised by them, lured into their web of blackmail and betrayal. They’d torn apart that man’s life, left him with nothing but a bullet to the head.

He’d sworn that wouldn’t happen to anyone else he cared about.

"They're trying to expand from Busan. But Seoul is my city," H/N growled, his voice low and dangerous. "And I'll be damned if I let them take an inch of it."

H/N’s mind raced as the pieces came together. The Venomous Syndicate had been a whisper in the underworld for years, operating from Busan, always in the shadows, taking down enemies without ever showing their face. H/N’s mind raced as the pieces came together. The Venomous Syndicate had been a whisper in the underworld for years, operating from Busan, always in the shadows, taking down enemies without ever showing their face. They were more than just a gang—they were a network of spies, manipulators, and killers, and now they were trying to sink their fangs into Seoul.

He’d heard about their methods—turning allies into enemies, using blackmail to control the weak, sowing distrust within rival organizations until they crumbled from within. Viper wasn’t just some lackey. He was a high-level operative, sent here to infiltrate his ranks.

But H/N wasn’t like their other targets. He knew their game. He’d watched them destroy people before. He wasn’t going to let it happen again. Not to you. Not to his city.

His thoughts flickered to you, the woman he had vowed to protect. The one they had taken. A dark fire burned in his chest at the memory of your smile, so full of life. How quickly they had turned your world into a nightmare, dragging you into the crosshairs of this sick game of power and control. The thought of you being in their hands, vulnerable to their twisted manipulation, made his blood boil.

You weren’t just another piece in their game—you were everything. The only thing that mattered.

He swore under his breath, his fists tightening until his knuckles were white. They don’t know who they’ve messed with. They thought they could waltz into his city, take what belonged to him, and get away with it? Not you. Not ever. He’d raze the whole city to the ground if that’s what it took to get you back.

Seoul might be his playground, but you... you were his heart. And he wouldn’t lose either. Not to anyone.

The tension in the room thickened like a storm about to break. Faces were frozen, a mix of shock, fury, and betrayal reflecting in each gaze. The gravity of the truth settled in—a web of deception that ran deeper than they had ever anticipated. And at the center of it all stood Viper, still defiant, a twisted smile playing on his bloodied lips.

A bead of sweat trickled down Viper's temple, but his defiance remained. "Congratulations, it finally clicked. Slow on the uptake, huh?" he rasped, a twisted smile playing on his bloodied lips.

Another sickening crack filled the air, this time accompanied by a bone-chilling scream. H/N had broken Viper's right arm with a savage twist. "You talk too much unnecessary stuff, snake."

Viper writhed on the floor, his face contorted in pain. His attempt at defiance had been met with a swift and brutal punishment.

"I’m asking one last time. Where the hell is she?!" H/N roared, his voice raw with barely contained rage.

"Fuck you", Viper snarled, a dark glint flickering in his eyes. "I guess by now, my boss has taken good care of that little bitch," he said, licking his lips.

The room seemed to close in around him, the fury bubbling just beneath the surface threatening to erupt into uncontrollable violence.

A flash of you crossed his mind—your face, your voice, your laughter. The memories twisted like a knife in his chest. He could imagine you trapped, scared, desperate. The thought of you at the mercy of anyone, let alone the Venomous Syndicate, made his blood boil.

"Wrong answer."

Without thinking, he lashed out again, a brutal punch to Viper's jaw, sending the man crashing to the ground. Blood dripped from his mouth, but Viper only chuckled through the pain, the sound like nails on a chalkboard.

"You think you can protect her?" Viper wheezed, coughing up blood. "You're just a pawn in a bigger game, H/N. Cobra's already—"

The words barely registered before H/N grabbed him by the collar, pulling him inches from his face. "I will find her," he growled, the raw emotion cutting through his voice like shattered glass. "And I’ll rip apart anyone who stands in my way, including your pathetic boss."

But H/N knew one thing for sure: you were alive. And he wouldn’t stop until you were back in his arms—no matter how many people he had to take out along the way.

Viper grinned, even through the agony. "Big words... but too late."

H/N’s grip tightened, his knuckles turning white. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "The only thing that’s too late, Viper, is your salvation."

With a growl that sent shivers down Viper's spine, H/N slammed him back against the wall. The interrogation room became a whirlwind of controlled violence. Each calculated blow from H/N elicited a choked gasp from Viper. When H/N was about to smash Viper’s head with his foot, he shouted, "Stop!" raising his arm in defeat.

Finally, Viper, a whimpering mess on the floor, rasped, "Wait... I'm talking..."

"Go on then!" M/N1 now shouted.

"They took her to a warehouse... an abandoned factory lot outside of the city," Viper croaked, his voice hoarse with pain. "About an hour's drive."

H/N locked eyes with M/N1, a silent communication passing between them. Time was a relentless tide, pulling them further away from her every passing second.

"We leave now!" H/N commanded, his voice a steely resolve. "Everyone on duty comes with us. We'll strategize on the way. Take this bastard with us."

"You'll never make it," Viper wheezed, a cruel amusement laced in his voice. "That b*tch will be dead by then."

H/N cut him off with a punch to his ribs, breaking them and silencing him. If he hadn't needed him alive, he'd be dead now. Everyone in the room knew that. He simply grabbed Viper by the scruff of the neck and dragged him towards the door. "We'll see about that, worm," he said, his voice dripping with contempt. "But one thing's for sure – you and your boss are not going to make it alive out there."

H/N’s chest heaved with fury as he yanked Viper to his feet, dragging him like dead weight toward the exit. The room felt suffocating with tension, but H/N's focus remained razor-sharp. His jaw clenched as he led the way, M/N1 and M/N2 close behind, their faces set in grim determination.

As they moved through the dimly lit corridors, Viper's labored breathing filled the air, each step a painful reminder of the punishment he had endured. But H/N’s mind wasn’t on the traitor. It was on you. His pace quickened as thoughts of what might be happening to you, alone in that warehouse, churned in his mind.

The venom in Viper’s words haunted him: "That bitch will be dead by then." The words echoed in his ears like a sinister taunt. But no—he couldn’t allow doubt to seep in. He had to reach you in time. Failure wasn’t an option.

To be continued...

♡

Stay tuned for part 13!

Love, YumiYue 🌙

(⌒▽⌒)♡

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