#the tooth that broke off broke off earlier in the year and the gum has mostly healed over and the dead root is concealed inside my gums now

[halo-of-honey]

The Florist and the Chief

Jim Hopper x Original Fem. Character

Synopsis: Hopper and his girlfriend, Mac get in an argument about what happened to her one winter night.

Words: 8,795

Notes: I took some liberties with this fic, so bare with me. (I am aware that the band Greta Van Fleet is not actually a Led Zeppelin cover band, but for the purposes of this story, they are)

[[ Read on AO3! ]]

Rap rap...rap...rap rap rap.

A young woman stood in the kitchen of a small cabin in the woods. She was facing the counter, her hands pressed into the cracked linoleum. She was of average height and build with long auburn hair that at the time was secured in a messy plait down her back. Her glasses were propped atop her head; the left lens had a spiderweb pattern radiating from the bottom corner. When she heard the knock on the door, it startled her but she didn’t move to answer it. She could hear the rustle of the person on the other side leaning to press their head against the wood.

“Mac...I know you’re in there. Open the door.” a rumbling male voice growled.

The young woman sighed, “El!” she called out.

All four locks on the door slid open without anyone touching them. Moments later a tall, hulking man in a khaki uniform let himself in. Hawkins Police Chief, Jim Hopper shut the door behind him and relocked it. He reached to grab his ranger hat off his head and tossed it onto the empty kitchen table next to the door. Across the living room, the first bedroom door creaked as it swung shut, latching with a soft click. Mac had yet to move from the counter.

“Hey, I know I’m late.” Hopper mumbled apologetically. “Why didn’t you come to the door?”

Mac shook her head, “I’m tired, Hop. I just want to go home.” she sighed

“Why don’t you just stay here? It’s late and the roads are getting icy.”

Mac finally turned around, “I really just want to be in my own bed tonight.”

Hopper’s face immediately dropped as he took in the young woman’s face, “What the hell happened to you?”

“Nothing, I need to go home. Alright, Jim? I just need to go home.”

✧✧✧✧

“Hey, hun. How’s your day going?” Hopper said as he leaned back in his chair.

It was almost four o’clock and Hopper had only just gotten a chance to sit down. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes from his breast pocket, went to light one, then remembered who he had on the phone and put it back. Instead he reached into the top drawer of his desk and grabbed the pack of cinnamon gum he kept there. He popped a piece into his mouth and started to chew, feeling less than satisfied but knowing it would make the young woman on the phone happy.

“Good, I had a couple orders to do today. An anniversary and some office birthdays. And poor old Ms. Grayson’s daughter, Linda came in about doing the arrangements for Mr. Grayson’s funeral. She wants daffodils and I felt so awful trying to explain to her that they’re not in season.” Mackenna Kinney replied on the other end of the line.

Hopper frowned, “Right, I forgot about that.”

“Well...no matter. I’m just happy for the work. I could use the distraction today.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“Oh you know. Bad hair day, spilt my coffee on myself on the drive in and had to turn around for new pants. Dropped a bushel of yellow roses when I finally made it to the shop and probably bruised all of them. You know me, a mess as usual.”

“You’re not a mess, Mac. You’re wonderful.”

Hopper could almost hear her grinning across the connection, “Aw shucks, Jim. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you wanted something.”

“You know me too well, Mackenna.”

“So, fess up. What do you need?”

“Today has been nuts. I only just got a chance to sit down and call you.” Hopper confessed.

“Chief, what do you need?” Mac repeated.

Hopper pressed his lips together. He didn’t like to admit it, but he loved when she called him Chief, “I told El she could go over to the Byers’ house after school. I’m supposed to pick her up at six, but I don’t know if I can do that anymore. I was hoping you could go for me.”

“Oh, of course! That’s not a problem at all.”

“Good. I really do appreciate it.”

Mac chuckled, “It’s fine, Jim. Six o’clock you said?”

“Yeah...yeah. Six o’clock.” Hopper said distractedly as his secretary Flo poked her head around his office door. “You’re the best, hun. You’re a lifesaver.”

“You know it!”

✧✧✧✧

Hopper stepped closer to get a better look at Mac’s face. “Clearly something happened. Didn’t you tell me you dropped some roses earlier? Did you trip or something?”

“No, I didn’t trip.” she answered shortly. The skin around her left eye was already tinted black and blue and matching bruises were forming in splotches around her throat.

Hopper reached to cup her cheek but she flinched away, “How did this happen? Who did this to you?”

“It doesn’t matter, Hop! I just want to go home.” she said, trying to step around him.

“No, who did this to you?” Hopper growled and blocked her path to the door.

Standing at his full height, he towered over Mac though she wasn’t very short. She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, “Some dumbass kid when I went to pick up El. I was hoping you’d get home before the bruising set in so I could just take off without you noticing.”

“What kid? And why the hell wouldn’t you want me to find out?” he snapped.

Mac rolled her eyes and held out her hand to his chest which was puffed out in anger and his fists that were balled up at his sides, “For this express reason, Hopper!”

“Come on, Mac. That’s not fair. You’re smarter than that. Tell me what happened.”

✧✧✧✧

Mac was smarter than that. Her day job for the last seven years might’ve been a humble florist, and gosh darn it was she a good one. But she had always aspired to be a biology teacher. She had done her undergraduate degree in botany and had planned to continue on to get a masters and a teaching certification, maybe even a PhD someday. Though not everything works out how it’s planned.

She was raised by her grandparents after her own parents passed away in a tragic car accident when she was a child. Her grandfather owned and ran the little florist in town and Mac had spent many an afternoon in the shop with him. It was what spurred her to study plants in the first place. Her grandparents had always supported her endeavours and encouraged her to expand her mind in whatever ways she could.

Mac had taken a gap year after her bachelors degree to help out in the shop before starting into her masters program. Her grandmother had passed away a few years before and her grandfather was getting a little long in the tooth to be running a shop on his own. But as the old man started getting sicker and sicker, it fell on Mac to keep the family business alive.

She never resented her grandfather for expecting her to take over the florist shop. Not even after he passed away a few years after she graduated, leaving the deed in her name. Being a florist at the very least had something to do with her degree. What she missed some days -- when the money was tight or there were frustrating customers -- were her dreams of teaching. Mac had always wanted to expand young minds. She even ran a small biology tutoring group at the local library.

It was at the local library where she met Hopper for the first time. Mac was an avid reader, so it wasn’t unusual to find her scouring the shelves not only for books to help her students. She also enjoyed reading for pleasure. She liked to boast that her record was four books in one day. Her grandmother had loved to read her stories when she was young. So she supposed she got the botany from her grandfather and the bookishness from her grandmother.

One sunny Friday afternoon in mid-August she was looking for a new stack to keep her occupied over the weekend. She had five books in her arms already, which was the library’s limit, but was still scanning the shelves as she passed in case she spotted something she’d want to read more. Of course, because of this she wasn’t paying attention when she reached the end of the shelf and nearly barreled into Hopper.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, Chief. I didn’t see you there!” she cried apologetically.

Hopper took one look at her and smiled, an expression everyone knew he didn’t wear very often, “It’s no trouble Miss...Kinney, right?”

Mac blushed, “Yes, but Mackenna will do just fine.”

“Alright, Mackenna. Well it’s nice to meet you.” he said, holding out a hand for her to shake.

She juggled her books to take it, his hand almost completely engulfing her own. In the dust speckled light filtering in through the window, she could just see the few grey hairs growing in his beard. She remembered seeing pictures of him in the trophy cases at the high school. He had been on the football team and she guessed that he was probably about six years her senior. But there was something about the way he looked at her...she didn’t mind an older man.

“The boys responded to a call from you recently, I remember. A break in?” he continued.

“Yes, sir. Officers Callahan and Powell came by to check it out for me.” she replied.

“Oh, I see. Were they able to resolve it for you?”

Mac nodded, “Yes, it seemed like some drunk kids broke in expecting to find something good. There were some empty bottles in the alley behind the shop by the broken door. But I store the register tray in the safe every night, just in case, you know? So nothing was taken. Just some crushed flowers.”

“That’s very smart of you. I’m sorry it had to come to that, though.”

“It’s alright. If I’m being honest, I probably crush more flowers in a week just from my own damn clumsiness than what got ruined in that one night.”

Hopper chuckled, “I’m sure it can’t be that many.”

“Believe me, Chief, it really is.” Mac said honestly and Hopper raised a brow.

“You can call me Hopper, you know. You don’t have to call me Chief or sir all the time.”

Mac blushed, dipping her head to look up through her eyelashes shyly, “Oh, sure...Hopper.”

“Well I’ll let you get to your reading. Looks like you have a lot to get through.”

“Hardly. This’ll last me a day or two probably.”

“A day or two? You must be a real fast reader.”

“Yessi-” Mac stopped herself from calling him sir again. “Yes, a fast reader.”

Hopper was grinning madly, a rogue twinkle in his eye, “I never really got into reading myself. But my girl...she wants me to read with her and I never know what to pick out.”

“I could suggest a few books! What kinds of things does your daughter like?”

“Oh, she’s not my daughter.”

“Oh, sorry. I misheard you.” Mac said quickly.

“No, no. Sorry...you were right. She’s just not my biological daughter. It’s uh...kind of a long story.” Hopper explained nervously.

“Okay...well, regardless. Do you have a few minutes? I could help you pick some out right now, if you like.”

Hopper checked his watch, then smiled at her, “I guess I could squeeze in a quick search. Thanks.”

✧✧✧✧

“You don’t need to know. Because you’ll just rush off to find him and cause a scene. Just let it go, Jim.” Mac grumbled.

Hopper growled deep in his chest, “It was that fucking Hargrove kid, wasn’t it? I swear to God, I’m gonna lay that little shit out one of these days...”

“Hopper, shut up.”

Mac passed by Hopper and headed for the door. She got a few steps before Hopper turned and grabbed her arm. “Take your fucking hands off me, Hopper.” she hissed at him, glancing at the shut bedroom door to her left.

Hopper didn’t let go, “No, why won’t you just tell me what happened?”

“Why? Maybe because I don’t owe you anything. Maybe because I’m not your wife! I’m not El’s mother! Maybe because you let me in on all this shit and the next thing I know I’m getting throttled by a fucking teenager!” Mac shouted, yanking her arm free.

Hopper looked nervously at the bedroom door, which was just long enough for Mac to get to the front door. When he looked back she had gotten all the locks undone and was grabbing her purse and jacket from where they were hanging on a hook. She pulled the door open and headed out into the night, but Hopper was right on her heels. As she followed the snow covered path back to where they parked their cars, she jammed her arms into the sleeves of her coat, tugging it on awkwardly, and then fumbled with the zipper.

“Mackenna, please stop. Listen, I’m sorry. Can you please just come back inside and we can talk about this?” Hopper pleaded softly.

“Jim Hopper, don’t you dare try to sweet talk me now.”

“Please, baby...just talk to me.”

Mac sighed and paused, but didn’t make any moves to turn around.

✧✧✧✧

It was long dark by the time Mac closed up shop and headed to pick up El from the Byers house. When she pulled into the driveway, there were already two other cars parked there. A maroon BMW with Indiana plates and a blue Camaro with California plates. She recognized the BMW; she had seen Steve Harrington driving it around town a few times and assumed he was babysitting for Joyce Byers that night. But the Camaro, on the other hand, was new to her.

Mac parked her powder blue VW Beetle behind the BMW and climbed out. She was only a few steps from the front door when she heard the shouting coming from inside. She could distinctly make out the sound of a handful of younger kids and two older kids. When she made it to the door, she began to piece together what everyone was actually yelling about.

“Stop it! You’re gonna kill him!” she heard someone say.

“Shut the fuck up or you’re next, you little shit!” an older voice shouted in reply.

Without hesitation, Mac reached for the knob and pushed through the door. She entered into what clearly was already a losing fight. Steve was on the living room floor on his back, another teenage boy on top of him landing punch after punch into his face and head. In the doorway to the kitchen, El and her friends stood in a nervous huddle, watching in shock as their babysitter got beat to a pulp.

“Hey! What the hell’s going on here? Stop that, right now!” Mac yelled, immediately moving to try to pull the young man off Steve.

“Fuck off, lady!” the young man replied, shrugging her off when she tried to grab his shirt.

“Billy stop! You’re killing him!” one of the children, a redheaded girl, screamed.

“Shut the fuck up, Max!” Billy yelled back.

“Get off him!” Mac said, finally managing to get a good grip on the back of Billy’s shirt.

Suddenly Billy paused his assault on Steve. In half an instant he had wound up and backhanded Mac hard across the left temple. “What the fuck did I just say to you, bitch?” he screamed, standing up and turning to face her.

Mac stumbled backwards blindly, her glasses broken and askew on her face as Billy stalked after her, a hand outstretched. His fingers clamped down hard around her throat and Mac slammed into the wall behind her. She spluttered as the air was knocked from her lungs and when she opened her mouth to suck in a new breath, she found Billy’s grip made it impossible. Eyes popping in fear, she scratched at Billy’s hand and kicked at his legs. But the wild look in Billy’s eyes told her there wasn’t a chance he was going to let up anytime soon.

Black spots started to dance at the edges of her vision as unconsciousness began to creep in. Mac tried to struggle, but the longer she went without oxygen, the harder it became. She was sure this boy was going to kill her when suddenly he was ripped from her and tossed like a sack of potatoes across the room. His body hit the opposite wall and slid to the floor with an awkward and terrible thud. For a moment, the room was completely silent.

✧✧✧✧

The air was bitter cold, but Mac made no moves to follow Hopper back inside. Instead she stood there with her back to him and shivered in her coat. When she heard his slow footsteps coming closer to her, the snow crunching under his boots, she held up a hand. He stopped and waited, the only sounds the rustling of dead tree branches in the wind.

“I’m just...really rattled, Jim. That kid could’ve killed me and then El...I’ve never seen her use her powers like that before.” Mac explained quietly.

“Mackenna!” Hopper shouted exasperatedly. “Would you please just tell me what the hell happened tonight?”

Finally she turned on him, angry again, “Fine, Hopper! You know what happened? I went to pick up your daughter like the good girlfriend that I am. Like the fucking normal girlfriend that I am. Not caught up in your whole twisted life!”

“That’s not fucking fair, Mac.”

“I don’t give a fuck about fair, Hopper! What’s not fair is that I tried to do something nice for you and got caught in the middle of something completely insane.”

“Tell me about it! Would you please? For the love of God, Mackenna. Please just tell me what the hell happened so we can be done with it!”

“You want to know what happened?”

“Yes! That’s what I’ve been fucking asking you.”

“Shut up, Hopper! Just let me speak!” she shouted back at him.

He ground his teeth, just as frustrated with her as she was with him.

“I went to pick up your daughter only to find whatshisface...Billy Hargrove beating the everliving crap out of the babysitter. I went to pick up your daughter only to get backhanded by said shithead and then literally choked out within an inch of my life. But then your daughter uses her goddamn mind powers to toss the kid across the room like he weighed no more than a loaf of bread!

“Then not only did I have to make sure Steve Harrington wasn’t dead on Joyce Byers’ living room floor, but I had to make sure your fucking daughter didn’t just murder a teenage boy after he basically tried to murder me! And then I had to drive her back here, because I couldn’t just leave her there after I told you I would get her. Because this is the fucking assbackwards world I live in now!

“So forgive me, Hopper if right now all I want to do is go home to my own apartment, to my own normal life where the only strange thing that happens is someone orders fifty potted marigolds for no apparent reason!”

Hopper stood there, the angry clench to his jaw completely gone. His eyebrows knitted together in concern as Mac’s shoulders heaved in angry breaths. She glanced past him to the front door of the cabin and he heard it quickly snick shut. Both of them knew El had been listening. Both of their hearts broke at the same time. Mac turned away as tears started to prick her eyes. Hopper took a deep breath.

✧✧✧✧

After that day at the library, Hopper started making a point of trying to see Mac whenever he could. At first he would make excuses to visit the library. To do research for a case, to look up an old article, to find new books for El. He would walk past the fiction shelves slowly, glancing out of the corner of his eye not to look like he was actively seeking her out. If he noticed she was there, he would strategically position himself to run into her and strike up a conversation.

When he started to realize bumping into her at the library all the time was getting obvious, he changed tactics. He went to her shop and ordered flowers to give to Flo, or to leave on Barbara Holland’s grave. He would stay for a few moments though just to talk to her, to see the way she smiled at him. Until eventually he mustered up the courage to ask her out for a drink. When she agreed, the shock and anxiousness reminded him of being a teenager asking a girl out for the first time.

Drinks turned into dinner and dinner turned into movie nights and movie nights turned into meeting El and watching TV on the couch. Through it all, Jim was stunned that this young, beautiful woman would ever want a fat, old man like him. But Mac insisted she loved his curves, the salt and pepper in his beard, the crows feet around his eyes. Most of all she loved the way he made her feel safe and secure. When they were alone she teased that they were beauty and the beast.

“So I got us tickets to a show on Friday night. Do you think you can make that happen?” Mac asked him when he called her from work one day.

Hopper aimlessly pushed a pen around on his desk, “A show? What kind of show?”

“A concert, Hop. It’s not a musical or something, so calm down.”

“Alright, alright.” he sighed. “What kind of concert?”

Mac chuckled and Hopper was sure she was rolling her eyes at him, “A rock concert. I was trying to make it kind of a surprise. It’s that Zepplin cover band you’re always telling me about. They’re playing at the Castle Club.”

“You got tickets to Greta Van Fleet?”

“Yes, Jim. I got tickets to Greta Van Fleet. Now can you make it happen or what?”

“Hell yeah I can!”

On Friday night, Hopper pulled into the alley next to the florist shop and parked. He climbed out and went around back, climbing up the stairwell to Mac’s apartment over the shop. He knocked on the door and waited, turning the brim of his hat over in his hands. There was a soft crash, followed by muffled cursing, and then the door was yanked open. Mac grinned at him, pretending like she hadn’t just knocked over the potted plant that was clearly broken across the floor.

“Hey! Hey...come in! I’m almost ready I just...this damn plant, you know? It just jumped right out at me!” she told him, gingerly pushing her hair back from her face with the back of her palm.

Hopper watched her go, biting his lip as he took her in, “I didn’t know we were getting dressed up.” he commented.

She glanced up at him from where she had crouched down to start picking up pieces of the shattered pot, “What?”

“Your outfit, Mac.”

Mac looked down at her clothes, redness coming to her cheeks and ears, nearly matching her hair and lipstick. She was wearing an acid washed denim jacket, a loose fitting white tee shirt, and a tight, black leather mini-skirt. Her legs were covered by slightly torn black tights and she had white high-top sneakers on. Her long red hair was the only thing she had mostly left alone. It appeared to have a little more hairspray than usual, but otherwise was her normal style.

She stood up quickly, “Is it too much? Oh...no, it’s too much, isn’t it? I just thought...I’ve never really been to a concert like this and...I didn’t know...” she stammered.

“Mac...” Hopper said gently as she continued to ramble in her panic. “Mac...Mackenna!”

She stopped mid sentence, “What?”

“You look incredible.”

“What?” she asked again, eyes wide as saucers and a small smudge of potting soil on her cheek.

Hopper stepped forward, careful not to tread on any of the debris and reached to rub the dirt off her cheek with his thumb, “You look fucking hot. I’m not gonna be able to keep the guys off you tonight.”

“Oh!” Mac exclaimed and if it was even possible, turned an even deeper shade of crimson.

“Come on, we’re gonna be late.” Hopper said finally, giving her a chaste kiss on the temple as he passed her to get the broom and dustpan.

Hopper drove Mac’s VW to the club since neither of them wanted to pull up in Hopper’s Blazer. There was a line outside of the club of people waiting to get in. But it didn’t take long before the bouncer started filing people through the door. Mac handed over her tickets to the man at the door, who not-so-subtly gave her a once over. She could feel Hopper bristling as he placed his hand firmly on the small of her back. A moment later, the man handed back their tickets and allowed them inside.

“Are you going to growl like a dog at everyone we see tonight?” Mac mumbled to Hopper as they made their way through the growing crowd to the bar.

“Absolutely,” he replied. Then added, “Maybe I should’a had you change after all.”

Mac stopped and looked up at him, horrified, “See! I knew I should’ve worn something normal!” she said.

But Hopper just laughed, “I’m kidding, Mac. Seriously you look great.” he told her and she seemed to relax.

“Okay...okay. I believe you.”

“I’m just being the big, bad boyfriend, that’s all.”

“Hmm...the big, bad boyfriend, huh?”

“That’s what I am, right?”

Mac quirked an eyebrow at him above the frame of her glasses, “I suppose...”

“You suppose?”

Mac just gave him a coy smile and stretched up on her tiptoes to kiss the corner of his mouth. He couldn’t help but grin as her hand also reached to give his ass a little squeeze. Before he could reciprocate, Mac pulled away, continuing on through the crowd. Chuckling to himself and reaching up to scratch his beard, he dove after her. The opening band had just come on stage and the noise level had risen considerably. This was certainly going to be a fun night, Hopper thought to himself.

They made it to the bar and Hopper leaned in to flag down the bartender, “Two whiskeys, neat, please.” he ordered, putting down a few bills.

Mac leaned casually against the bar, her elbows on the counter so she could watch the stage, “It’s strange, you know? That word.” she yelled over the din.

“What word?” Hopper called back.

“Boyfriend.”

Hopper grinned at her, intrigued, “Why’s that?”

She looked at him finally, a glint in her eye that Hopper hadn’t seen before, “Because we’re not kids, Chief. I feel like there should be some kind of adult equivalent.”

“Oh yeah?” he said, knowing she had called him Chief intentionally. “Like what?”

“I don’t know!”

Hopper moved to stand over her, purposefully pushing his knee between her legs, “What about lovers?”

“Can we really say we’re lovers, Chief?” she replied, just barely loud enough for him to hear.

Hopper could almost see the flutter of Mac’s heartbeat in her throat as she gazed up at him through hooded eyes. Could almost feel the heat rising off her skin. They hadn’t yet slept together, but it wasn’t like the thought never crossed Hopper’s mind. From the moment he saw her in the library, the sun turning her hair to molten copper and catching the silver in her pale blue eyes, he wanted nothing more than to kiss every inch of her. But he also felt the fierce need to protect her and respect her in any way he could. So they had kissed and even napped together on the couch. But it had never gone farther than that.

Suddenly the bartender slid two glasses up behind Mac’s elbow and her eyes were pulled away from him, the moment passed. Hopper moved back to stand next to her, so he could also see the stage and passed her a drink. They sipped and watched the opening band play. When it seemed they were almost done, they finished their drinks before making their way towards the stage. Hopper’s size allowed him to easily force his way forwards until eventually there were only a handful of people still in front of them.

The headlining band, Greta Van Fleet came on moments later and immediately launched into their first set. Hopper tried to pay attention to the band, especially since he had actually been looking forward to seeing them live. But he was distracted when Mac started to dance. He had seen her dance before at the cabin with El to some of Hopper’s old records. This dancing though wasn’t like that. It was smoother, more fluid. Like top shelf honey whiskey or a fine cigar. He was entranced by her. More than anything, he was getting very, very turned on.

The band stopped for a brief break, so Hopper and Mac returned to the bar for another drink. Hopper had always been glad that Mac was a whiskey drinker like himself. It made it easy for him to order for her, but it also meant she got drunk faster than if she just wanted a beer or a glass of wine. She did drink wine sometimes, usually when they were at her place and he had to admit that she was no lightweight. But after a couple glasses of whiskey, she was definitely becoming a little more loose.

They stayed at the bar for the second set and Mac ordered a third drink. Hopper resisted, knowing he would have to drive them home later. Mac continued to dance and Hopper continued to watch her. He licked his lips as her hips swayed to the beat of the music. When she turned to face him, a devilish grin across her ruby red lips, he had to hold onto his own hands to keep from jumping her right then and there.

Eventually the band announced they were playing their last song and Hopper decided he couldn’t take it any longer. He reached for Mac, pulling her into him so he could whisper in her ear. His grip was firm and the very feeling of her pressed against him was driving him mad. She looked up at him innocently, like she didn’t know exactly what she’d been doing to him all night. He wondered if this had been her plan all along.

“I need to take you home.” he growled in her ear.

He watched her tongue snake out to trace along her lips, “Now? There’s only one song left.” she replied, clearly toying with him.

“Yes, now.”

“If you insist, Chief.”

He nearly shivered as he steered her towards the door. It was early fall, so the air was brisk when they got outside. Mac huddled against Hopper as they rushed back to the car. Though they definitely weren’t rushing only because of the cold. Hopper had a white knuckle grip on the steering wheel as he drove them the half mile back to Mac’s apartment. She kept one hand draped casually on his thigh. When he pulled into her parking spot in the alley, he turned the car off and then dove on her.

Hopper kissed her fiercely, pushing her back into the passenger door. Her mouth tasted like whiskey and he didn’t even care that he was smearing her lipstick. Mac’s hands roamed his body, her fingers finally bunching up the front of his shirt. Their breath came heavy and she writhed against him, gasping for air between kisses. He deserted her lips and trailed kisses down her jaw to her throat, breathing in the floral, clean smell of her hair.

“Hop...we should go inside.” she mumbled finally.

Hopper grunted, taking a moment longer before moving away so they could get out of the car. She held a hand out to him and led him up the stairs to her door, but he couldn’t make it even that far. He pressed her against the door and kissed her again and again. Eventually she twisted around to unlock the door and push it open. They tumbled into the dark apartment.

Once inside, Hopper kicked the door shut and grabbed Mac. He put each of her arms over his shoulders and then lifted her by her thighs to carry her to her bedroom. She giggled and despite the fact that she made him feel like a wild animal, he smiled too. She tossed her head back when she laughed and he kissed the thin skin under her chin which only made her laugh more. He soon found himself laughing with her.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“It tickles! Your beard!” she gasped.

“Oh this? This tickles?” he answered, rubbing his beard against her jaw and neck.

She squealed and squirmed in his arms, “Jim! Stop!”

Hopper grinned, “No way.”

He continued kissing her and the laughter stopped, turning yet again into that slow burning fire. When he made it to her bed, he put her down and looked her over in the glow from the streetlights outside her window. Even in the dim light, she looked otherworldly. He was once again blown away by the fact that she still wanted him, that she wanted him in this way. Mac reached for his belt and he was assured all over again.

In the morning, when the sun started to rise Mac woke to Hopper’s warm breath ruffling her hair. His bare skin was almost too warm against hers under the covers. She rolled over to face him and reached up to run her fingertips along his jaw. She had to admit she thought Hopper might be the most handsome man she’d ever seen. He wasn’t the most physically fit, but he was strong and caring and he seemed willing to do anything for her. He’d even made an effort to try to quit smoking when she admitted it was the one thing she didn’t like about him.

Hopper’s lips pulled into a smile, but he didn’t open his eyes, “Morning, you.” he grumbled.

“Morning...” she mumbled back.

“How long’ve you been up?”

“Not long,”

“Good...” Hopper answered, pulling her into him tighter and snuggling his face down into the crook of her neck. “Can we just stay here all day?”

“We sure could try. Though I think the Wheeler’s might not want another child.”

“Eh...El can take care of herself. She’s got superpowers.”

Mac was quiet for a moment, wondering what Hopper meant by that. There had always been this air of mystery over how El came to be in Hopper’s care. Mac had never asked and had always assumed the girl was just some kind of runaway that Hopper took in out of the goodness of his heart. But she had heard rumors of strange happenings in Hawkins. Being the smart woman that she was, she had to wonder if the two were connected somehow.

“Jim...” she whispered.

Hopper grunted in response.

“Where did El come from?”

She felt Hopper tense slightly before he pulled back to look at her. His rich blue eyes glinted seriously in the morning sunlight, “What do you mean?” he asked her.

“You know...” Mac said, suddenly feeling like she said the wrong thing. “You’ve never told me about how you adopted her...how it all happened.”

“It’s a long story.” he said.

Mac chewed her lip, “Okay...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, you know...pry. I was just wondering...”

A small reassuring smile played on Hopper’s lips, “Mac, no...honestly I should’ve told you when you met El. But it can be...kind of a lot to take in.” he admitted.

“What does that mean?”

“Come over for dinner tomorrow night, okay? Come over for dinner and I promise El and I will explain everything.”

“Okay, Hop. I’ll come over for dinner.”

✧✧✧✧

“Mackenna...I’m sorry. Please, just come back inside.”

Mac hung her head and whispered, “I don’t think I can be near her.”

For a moment Hopper just breathed. He knew someday this moment would come, he just hadn’t ever expected it to come from Mac. In the scattered moonlight, he watched as Mac’s shoulders started to tremble and heard the soft sob that escaped her lips. Without another thought, he went to her even as she once again protested against him. He stepped around her and pulled her into his chest. She continued to cry.

“It’s gonna be okay, Mac. Alright? You’re safe. No one’s going to hurt you.”

“I know El would never really try to hurt me...she saved my life tonight for Heaven’s sake! But...all that power. It’s terrifying.”

“You hardly even know.” Hopper mumbled, more to himself than anything. “Please just come back inside.”

✧✧✧✧

Mac arrived at the cabin about fifteen minutes late for dinner. She was coming from the florist shop where a customer had kept her past closing. By the time she managed to close up, run upstairs to grab the apple cobbler she made for dessert, clean up the mess she made when she dropped the carton of double cream for whipped cream, and stopped to pick up another carton she was feeling a bit frazzled. She rushed down the autumn leaf covered path to the cabin and up the few steps to the door.

She had known about the secret knock for a while. From the first time she had ever been to the cabin, Hopper had told her about the knock. He had never really explained why he and El used it, but she assumed it was because he often left her home alone. A regular latchkey kid. Either way as she shuffled the cobbler and carton of cream in her arms to reach up and knock, she knew she’d probably find out the real answer later that night.

Rap rap...rap...rap rap rap.

The locks clattered one by one and then the door was yanked open, El grinning warmly on the other side, “Hello, Mac! You’re late.” she said.

“El, come on. You know that’s not nice.” Hopper grumbled from the kitchen.

El glanced at him, “Right...sorry.” she said sheepishly.

Mac smiled down at her, “It’s okay, sweetheart. May I still come in?”

“Yes!” El said, stepping out of the way. “What is that?”

“This?” Mac asked, holding up the cobbler. El nodded, “It’s an apple cobbler for dessert. And some cream we can whip up to go on top.”

“Cobbler?” El asked curiously, turning the word over in her mouth.

“Uhm...well I guess it’s kind of like apple pie, but with the crust all mixed in.”

“Sounds delicious.” Hopper said, finally coming over to slide a hand around Mac’s waist and kiss her temple.

“I’m just glad I didn’t drop the cobbler.”

Hopper grinned knowingly, “What did you drop instead?” he asked.

“The cream of course. And I’m sure it got under the fridge. My apartment’s going to smell like rotten milk for the rest of time.”

“I’ll come by later this week and help you move it so you can clean it up.”

“Thank you, Jim. I really do appreciate it.”

“Do you have a book for me?” El asked.

Mac smacked the palm of her hand to her forehead, “Oh, shoot! I totally forgot! I’m so sorry, El. I had a book all picked out and I left it on the counter.”

El nodded, but to Mac’s relief didn’t look as disappointed as she thought she would be, “That’s okay.”

“I promise I’ll give it to your dad as soon as I can and he can bring it home to you, okay?”

“Will you read another book tonight?”

“Sure, hun. I can do that.”

El scampered off to her room, Hopper and Mac watching her go. “Does that need to go in the fridge?” Hopper asked suddenly.

Mac looked up at him almost in a daze, “Oh...right, yeah. The cream does, the cobbler can stay on the counter for now.” she said, letting him take it from her.

“You okay? You seem out of sorts.”

“Sorry, I guess I am. It was kind of a long day.”

“Are you sure you want to do this tonight then?”

Hopper was eyeing her, the concern written in the wrinkle of his brow, “Absolutely. I want to know everything, Hop. I mean, you make it sound like you’re going to tell me a bunch of government secrets or something.” Mac joked.

Hopper didn’t laugh, but turned away instead, “You’re not far off...” he mumbled to himself.

“What’s for dinner anyway? I’m starved!”

“Lasagna, I helped!” El replied, returning from her room with three different books in her hands.

“El let’s leave the books on the couch for now. Can you go wash your hands, please?” Hopper asked.

El did as she was told, dumping the books on the couch and then going to the kitchen sink to wash her hands. Mac helped Hopper set the table and then they all sat down to eat. Over dinner they chatted about work and El told Mac about what she was doing with her homeschool tutor. Which reminded Mac that this was another strange thing about them. All of El’s friends went to the local public school, but El had a tutor that came to the cabin four times a week. Mac also recognized that El’s vocabulary was significantly lacking for a girl her age.

When they were done eating dinner, Hopper cleared the table and got to work whipping up the cream while Mac helped El with some of her science homework. Hopper served them each a dish of Mac’s cobbler with the freshly whipped cream and then sat down again. This time Mac could tell things were more serious. It was time to get down to business. It was time Hopper told her everything.

“Before I tell you anything, I need you to understand that everything I tell you tonight, you cannot tell anyone else. Everything I’m about to tell you is secret. I’m only telling you because I trust you. But also because I know you won’t be in as much danger as say...if I told you a year ago.”

“Jeeze, Jim...I didn’t realize it was all so serious.”

“Do you promise not to tell anyone?”

“Of course, I promise.”

Hopper nodded slowly. Then he launched into the story. He started with Will Byers’ disappearance. He explained that he didn’t just get lost in the woods like everyone thought. He told her about another dimension with a monster that crossed through into their world. El corrected him and called the monster a demogorgon from the Upside Down. For a while, Mac thought they were just messing with her. Telling her a scary story to get her riled up. But then the story kept going.

He explained about what really happened to Barbara Holland. Explained about the government scientists who made a deal with Hopper to keep it all a secret. Then he explained about El’s biological mother, Terry Ives and the illegal government experiments she was part of. He told Mac about how Terry Ives was tricked into thinking she had miscarried her child, but in reality El had been born with the very abilities they hoped to create in her mother.

“El, would you like to show Mackenna what you can do?” Hopper asked the young girl.

One moment everything was normal, they were sitting around the table together eating cobbler and telling stories. Then the next Mac’s whole perception of the world around her was turned, for lack of better words, upside down. The TV across the room suddenly switched on, the channels flipping until it landed on some kind of sappy black and white film. Mac jumped and turned to look at it, only to watch as the books El had put on the couch before dinner started to float up in the air. They crossed the room and landed in a neat pile on the kitchen table. Moments later, the TV switched off again.

Mac gaped at El with wide eyes as El glanced worriedly at Hopper, “You can’t be serious. You’re playing a trick on me. This is just some kind of magic trick.” she said.

Hopper shook his head, “It’s not a trick, Mac.”

“Not a trick.” El parroted.

Mac sat in stunned silence, “So everything I read in the paper...everything I heard on the news. It was all a lie?”

“For the most part, yes. They lied to keep the town safe. To keep the town from going into hysteria.”

“I...I don’t know what to say.”

There was a pause while Mac tried to take it all in. Then El asked quietly, “Are you...afraid...of me?”

Mac looked at the girl, at the concern and fear on her face and quickly shook her head. She reached out to run a hand over El’s curls, smoothing them down the back of her head, “Oh no, sweetheart. I’m not afraid of you. I’m not afraid at all. I’m just trying to make sense of it all. It doesn’t exactly fall into the science and reality I thought I knew.”

El seemed puzzled by what Mac said. “She’s just a little confused. Kind of like how Joyce was, remember? When she found out about your powers.” Hopper explained gently.

“Yes.” El said, nodding. “I remember.”

Mac sat back in her chair, “I certainly see why you two live all the way out here now. And all the rest...”

“I try to give El the most normal life she can have. We were even able to get her a birth certificate. But obviously we still have to be careful. El knows the limits of her powers. She knows what will happen if more people knew about them.”

El nodded gravely at Hopper. “Right of course...” Mac said, touching her fingers to her lips.

There were a million questions Mac wanted to ask, but in that moment she wasn’t sure she could handle any more answers. So instead she checked her watch and then pushed back from the table. She gathered up their empty dishes and brought them to the sink. Hopper and El stayed put, as if waiting with bated breath to see how Mac would react. Mac took a deep breath, bracing herself for a moment on the counter and then looked back at the two of them.

Despite the fact that she saw them in an entirely new light, the man in front of her was still Hopper, still the man she was growing to love. And El, with her beautiful curls and curious eyes was still the same girl who fell asleep on her shoulder watching TV and needed help with her science homework. So she put her confusion, her worries, and her questions aside for right then and gave them a small, tentative smile.

“Alright well if you still want your bedtime story, you better go get ready.” she said.

El’s face lit up and she dashed off, the stack of books following behind her as if carried by a ghost. Mac watched them go, unable to hide the look of befuddlement on her face. Hopper stood slowly from the table and went to Mac. He reached to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Mac’s ear and she leaned into the warmth of his palm on her cheek. Even this small gesture brought a sense of security to her.

“Are you sure you’re okay with all of this?” Hopper asked quietly so El wouldn’t hear.

Mac nodded and looked up into his eyes, “Every family has secrets. Some more than others, I suppose. If I’m going to be part of this one, I kind of have to be. Don’t I?”

A warm smile grew on Hopper’s lips, “Family?”

“Isn’t that what you two are? A family?”

He shrugged and leaned to kiss her forehead, letting his lips linger there as he said, “I guess I just like hearing you say it.”

“I’m falling in love with you, Jim Hopper.” Mac whispered. “I’ll believe anything you tell me.”

Hopper’s heart pounded, matching the raging rhythm in Mac’s own chest, “I never thought I’d ever say this again, but I’m falling for you, too Mackenna Kinney. From day one...you stole my heart in that library.”

“Well I’m not giving it back.” Mac teased, grinning at Hopper as he leaned in to kiss her lips.

“It’s the price I’ll have to pay.”

“I’m ready!” El shouted suddenly from her bedroom.

Mac winked at Hopper, “I’ve been summoned.”

✧✧✧✧

Mac sat on Hopper’s bed, listening with her heart in her throat as he went to knock softly on El’s door. At first the young girl didn’t answer, but then Hopper pleaded with her and a moment later Mac heard the door click open. She listened as Hopper crossed the room to sit on the edge of El’s bed. She could picture him reaching out, putting one of his massive hands over one of hers. She could picture El curling her tiny fingers into his.

Mac could just hear El when she said, voice trembling, “She is afraid of me.”

Both Hopper and Mac made a strangled noise, “No, El. Mac isn’t afraid of you. She’s just shaken up, that’s all.”

“But she said...” El started.

“I know what she said. But you have to understand, El that sometimes when grownups are upset they say things they don’t really mean. You know that. Like when we had that fight and I yelled at you. But I only said it because I was angry and worried about you.”

“Yes...”

“I think Mac was scared about what happened to her. What Billy did to her. I think Mac is grateful that you were there to help her. That you saved her from the bad man.”

“I should have stopped him before. I could have stopped him before.”

“I know, but it’s okay. It’s over now.”

“He won’t hurt anyone else. I made him promise.”

“I’m sure you did. But I need you to promise me something now, okay?”

“Okay...”

“I need you to promise me, El that you won’t use your powers like that unless it’s absolutely an emergency.”

“Emergency?”

“Like what happened tonight. If you think someone is going to get really hurt, like Mac. I know you know that, but I need you to promise me anyway.”

“I promise.”

“Okay, good.”

“Can I talk to Mac?”

Mac sucked in a breath and Hopper paused, “In the morning, hun. Okay? Let’s just give her a little time. Can you do that?” he said finally.

“Yes,” El replied disappointedly.

“Alright, well lie down now. Get some sleep.”

“Night, dad.”

“Night, kid.”

El’s door clicked shut and Mac heard Hopper’s heavy footsteps as he crossed the living room to his bedroom door. He entered the room and shut the door again behind him. Mac looked at him with watery eyes, her whole body trembling. Gently Hopper scooped her up into his arms before turning to sit on the bed, holding her close to his chest. He let her cry until she was too exhausted to cry anymore. Then he changed her out of her clothes into one of his flannel shirts and tucked her into bed. He climbed in behind her and pulled him against his body, pressing soft kisses behind her ear.

“I’d be a terrible mother to her.” Mac whispered finally.

Hopper shook his head, his nose moving her hair, “No, Mac, you wouldn’t.”

“But look what I said! I didn’t even try to lower my voice. Even if she hadn’t come to the door, she could’ve heard everything I said.”

“Shh...” Hopper said, reaching to turn her head so he could look into her eyes. “Parents fight and they can’t always keep it from their children. It happens. You’ve never done this before and that’s okay. You’ll make mistakes but you’ll learn. That’s the best thing about family, Mac. We’ll always love you, we’ll always forgive you.”

“I don’t deserve you, Jim Hopper.”

Hopper chuckled, “If there’s anyone in this house who doesn’t deserve someone, it’s me.”

“Then I guess that makes us quite the pair.”

“I guess so.”

[teenycabb]

Royai Week 17: Day 1

Can I tell you how hard it was to think of something for today’s prompt that wasn’t stupid? It was very hard. I’m not sure how I really feel about this, but it’s complete and I suppose that’s what matters. Also, ignore the vague-ness I used when regarding the chess, I know nothing of the game. I tried.

Theme: Chess

Words: 2,520

Laughter echoed as Mustang spit blood out of his mouth. There seemed to be no part of his body that didn’t ache; his face and jaw from the blows he received, his arms and shoulders from the way they had been restrained behind the wooden chair he’d been in for the past few days, his abdomen due to the beatings he’d been given, and he was sure he had dislocated his knee attempting to get free. That, and his whole ass was numb.

He should have been smarter than this. In retrospect, it was obvious that the anonymous tip they had received was the beginning of a trap. While most whistleblowers wanted a secluded, secure area to pass the information they brought about, meeting miles away from any hint of civilization was extreme to the nth degree. And of course, he had ignored all of the warning signs in his desperation to get the smugglers off the streets.

Mustang was grateful that his lieutenant was more level-headed and vigilant about the potential trap than he had been. Even if that vigilance amounted to very little when they walked into the ambush.

Mustang glared at the unseen figure chuckling in the shadows. He hoped that today the interrogation was going to ask a few more questions and spend less time throwing their fists and feet into his body.

The chuckles from the figure in the dark slowly trailed off as the figure stepped out from the safety of the darkness. Mustang couldn’t keep the scowl from his face as he recognized the head of the smuggler’s ring. Adam Barclay.

“My, my colonel. I must say that you should stop going to the dentist you’ve been seeing recently; he hardly can do his job correctly. Just look at how much blood is coming out of your mouth. Perhaps you should get someone to look at your gums. We wouldn’t want such a nice smile as yours to fall out.”

Roy fought to keep his face from forming a sneer. He didn’t need any more blows to the face due to his determination to keep the façade up. He had already noticed that a couple of his teeth were loosened from previous blows.

If he could come out of this with his smile intact, that would be preferable.

“I thought we could do something a little bit different today, since our usual methods of interrogation don’t seem to be revealing the answers we would like for either of you.”

The smart-ass part of Roy’s brain was answering that it was because they never bothered to ask any questions while interrogating him. But the other, more rational side of Roy’s brain made note of what Barclay had just said. Either of you. Plural.

The lieutenant.

Roy was unable to keep the growl from being let loose in his throat. If they hurt her in any way, he would be doling out hell for any man who dared lay a finger on her.

But that was the worst part. He didn’t know if what Barclay was telling him was the truth. He didn’t know if she had gotten away after his vision was blocked by the sack that covered his head once they had wrestled him to the ground. She had still been fighting tooth and nail their abductors the last he saw. He never was aware of her being shoved into the van with him before he was carted away to wherever this was. But that didn’t mean she did get away, there were at least two other vehicles they could have thrown her into and taken her wherever they wanted. Roy wouldn’t have any idea where.

They could’ve done anything to her.

So focused on following the rabbit trail, Roy almost missed what Barclay was asking him.

“—Isn’t that right Mustang?” Barclay had moved from where he had been at the edge of the light to rest in a chair a henchman must have brought in for him. A table that had not been there before was laid out between them. A set chess board stood on top of that.

Barclay looked up from where he had been studying the board to look at the confused look on his captive’s face.

“Chess. I’ve been told that you are somewhat of an aficionado when it comes to the game. You play weekly with your commanding general over in East City, don’t you? Haven’t won a single game in the year you’ve been playing him. Tsk, tsk.” Barclay looked up and over at Roy. “My informants must be misinformed about your tactical brilliance with a track record like that.”

Barclay lifted the king from the board and looked across it to Roy’s face, attempting to see what he could read off of it. Roy schooled his face and stared back into Barclay’s eyes, refusing to allow the fact that this smuggler had inside information rattle him. If there was a mole inside of Eastern Headquarters, Roy guaranteed the individual would be found. As soon as he got out of this chair and landed his fist on Barclay’s nose.

“Perhaps they’re wrong. How about you and I share a game so I can see for myself?”

Barclay gestured to someone behind Roy, and Roy found that his hands were uncuffed behind his back. The momentary relief he felt in his shoulders and on his wrists was short-lived. It took the unseen man behind him less than a second to secure his wrists to the table in front of him. The handcuffs were looser this time. Loose enough for him to be able to play the game, but not loose enough that he would have the opportunity to wrench himself free.

Roy wiggled his fingers and regained some of the sensation he had lost in the time they had been pinned behind his back. By the time he finished that, Barclay had already moved his first piece. Gently Roy fingered the smooth black polish of his pawn before moving it forward.

There was no words spoken between the men as they played back and forth, capturing pieces and avoiding capture. It had only taken a few moves for Roy to understand Barclay was more strategically inclined than his external demeanor alluded too.

Although, Roy worked under the same mask to cover up his own movements in the military, and one didn’t head a smugglers operation without having strategic prowess of his own.

Barclay was contemplating his next move when he broke the silence between the two of them.

“You’re not an easy man to understand, Colonel Mustang. Most of how people understand you seems to stand in contrast how I’ve seen you behave. Many have said that you’re lazy and unwilling to actively work, but you never hesitated to jump into the field when the opportunity came to arrest me. Something most commanding officers would willingly let their subordinates to take care of.” He decided the move he was going to make and took out another of Roy’s pawns.

“I think it’s clear that you’re a man of action. The office work is tedious, boring. There is no challenge to what you do. You’re an alchemist, always searching for the next big challenge to take on, always wanting more. Signing papers all day is beneath you. That’s what I think.”

Barclay leveled his eyes to look across the table at Roy. Roy stared into his eyes for a few moments before looking down to decide what his next move was going to be. He wasn’t going to give Barclay the satisfaction of knowing that he was partially correct in his deductions. Signing papers all day wasn’t stimulating at all.

“You’re the type of man that’s always thinking about something. Right now, you’re probably wondering what a chess game is going to lead too. And I’ll get to that, I promise, but I first I have a question for you.”

Roy abandoned his search for his next move. His hands dropped to rest against the table and he stared at Barclay. A cold sweat broke out across the back of his neck. What sort of question was he about to receive? If Barclay could see through to a portion of the reason why he was ‘lazy,’ what else could he see through?

Barclay on the other hand suddenly had no interest in making eye contact with his prisoner. He had picked up one of the pieces he had captured from Roy earlier in their game and studied it closely. There was an easy and content smile on his face.

“Your lieutenant is a beautiful woman, isn’t she? And strong. She managed to seriously injure a few of my men before sheer numbers overwhelmed her. She’s got spirit, doesn’t she? But of course you knew that, you are in love with her after all.”

And there it was. It was exactly what Roy had feared. But he was given no time to deny what was said before Barclay continued speaking.

“It’s no wonder you spend so much of your time discussing your dates and playing the womanizer. It diffuses the attention from your extra-curricular activities with your secretary. A brilliant move on your part Colonel.”

Somehow, Roy was able to grind out his words even as every muscle in his body clenched.

“There is nothing of the sort between the lieutenant and I. We have a purely professional relationship, and I assure you that whatever you’re implying with ‘extra-curricular activities’ has not and will never happen.”

Barclay laughed at Roy. Not the light chuckle he had given earlier in the day, a heartfelt belly laugh that shook his whole frame. Tears sprouted from the corner of his eyes by the time he regulated his breathing and calmed down enough to speak mostly calmly.

“If you truly think that, you are blind. The sheer panic when my men ambushed and separated the two of you was enough to convince anyone of the truth behind your feelings. Feelings such as those can’t be repressed for too long. Eventually something comes of that.”

Roy stared intensely at the man who had done so much to them. Who had abducted and separated them, imprisoned them without any clue as to where they were or what time it was. The man who was running illegal guns and potentially other things into and out of the country.

“Then you don’t know Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye at all.”

As if he spoke the magic words, the door behind Barclay opened and two quick gunshots were given before anyone had walked into the room. The guards that had been standing behind Roy fell to the ground clutching where the bullet had entered their flesh. Roy watched as Barclay’s eyes widened and he whirled around attempting to draw the gun out from underneath his jacket.

By the time he turned around the lieutenant had the barrel of her gun pointed directly at his heart.

Roy couldn’t help the way his heart soared at the sight of her. Even though she was bruised and dirty, with her hairclip missing and the look of cold fury she had on her face, she was the most beautiful sight in the world.

“Speak of the devil,” Barclay muttered to himself.

“Drop your gun to the ground and kick it over to the wall,” she said evenly. “Then get on your knees. Slowly.”

Barclay did as she asked, sending the gun skittering across the cement floor and inking to his knees. His hands rose and his fingers laced together behind his head.

“What a presence. It must be an experience with you in the bedroom.”

There was a flash of something in the lieutenant’s eyes that Roy pretended not to catch. While still keeping her gun trained on Barclay, Riza walked forward and took out some handcuffs from her pocket. Roy was dismayed to notice that there appeared to be some blood around the silver rings. His glimpse was cut short when Riza secured them tightly around Barclay’s wrists, perhaps a little tighter than she would have normally secured them.

Roy couldn’t help but smirk at the small cry Barclay gave.

After Riza successfully restrained Barclay, she turned to the two other men she had shot before she even entered the room. She padded around in their pockets until she found the keys she was looking for. She then set to work on releasing her superior from his restraints.

It took Roy a little longer than he would have liked to admit to stand up, and his muscles and joints ached at their use, but he was relieved at the change in position. He stretched in attempts to ease out the kinks, but his bruised ribs reminded him that it was a bad idea and he clutched at his abdomen.

“Are you alright sir?”

Roy let out a huff of amusement as he watched the woman who’d rescued him secure the men she had shot with the cuffs she had just freed from Roy.

“Nothing that a few painkillers and a day’s rest won’t handle.”

She hummed and stood up to examine his face in any case. Her hands reached out, hesitated for a moment, before resting on his face as she turned it to get a better look at the bruising there. Her mouth was pressed into a thin line as she took it all in.

Roy raised his own hand and gently touched around her swelling cheek, probing for any broken bones there. She winced when his fingers got too near the bruise, but she didn’t say anything. She dropped her hands to her side and took a step back. Roy’s hand floated in midair for a moment or two more before he dropped it down to his side. They looked at each other for a moment or two before Riza saluted.

“I believe I saw a telephone in one of the rooms I passed on my way to rescue you sir. If you are capable of cleaning up in here, I’ll place the call to Headquarters and organize the extraction.”

Roy nodded and watched as she made her way out of the room towards wherever the phone was that she had found. She paused on her way out of the room and glanced back at the table with an unfinished chess game on top.

Without a word, she changed direction and moved one of Roy’s knights across the board. Roy and Barclay watched as she nodded at the move she had made before looking at the two men.

“Checkmate.”

She was swift after that to leave the room to find the telephone she had spoke of.

Barclay whistled lowly after she left the room. Despite the handcuffs around his wrists and the fact he was about to potentially spend the next few years in prison, he was smiling as he turned to look up at Roy.

“Right. Because you have the strength to resist that.”

Roy swallowed. Perhaps maybe Barclay was right, and feelings like his couldn’t be bottled up forever.

Not that Roy was going to admit it out loud.