Ch1 Ghosts - Ch2 - Florence
The second phase started a few days later, One went to recruit a new guy, a former Deltas force.
After meeting at The Haunted House, giving the new guy a tour, you all went to the closest Diner for a late lunch. One introduced the new guy as Seven.
“How come you’re not Seven by the way?” Five asked you, then look at One, who did not acknowledge her question.
“Because she’s an eight.” Four shrugged
You scoffed. “Who gave you the right to rate me, skater boy?”
“See, the sarcasm removes 2 points.” He tilted his beer to you. Neither of you mentioned the night at the pool since then but there were lingering glances heavy with meanings.
‘Careful, she’s a feminist.” One said feigning to be afraid, focusing on some device in his hands.
“Don’t forget, the Feminist can access your bank accounts in a second.”
He points at you with a smirk, acknowledging your point. They resumed the welcoming talk for Seven.
“ When you’re dead, you get to stop all the bullsh*t. No more DMV lines, no more shopping Christmas.” Three pulled a face reminiscing his past life.
“Or backstabbing girlfriends. No more getting arrested by the pigs just for being naked or just usual stuff. You know, being naked, getting drunk. Casual stuff.” Four added.
You shook your head, a smirk forming on your face. Four’s old life looked interesting.
Seating at his right on the booth next to his, you glanced at him when they all focused on One’s magnetic little show. He caught you starring so wriggle his eyebrows to you, focusing back on the table ahead you hide a growing smile by taking a sip on your coffee. The guilt had diminished, in the grieving process you had passed from the denial and isolation to a quick depression then acceptance but it was taking time.
One explained the mission, a Coup d’état, replacing the evil shithead Dictator of Turgistan Rovach Alamov, with the Democracy-loving brother, Murat Alamov. Four poked your arm.
“You’re a ten by the way” he whispered.
“Shut up!” you punched his shoulder laughing, his presence and to be honest being in this weird squad was helping, you didn’t trust yourself to go through this alone. They didn’t pity you, per contra, they were pushing you forward, they were caring, each one of them in their own way.
Back at the base, you were showing Four a suite of connectors he would have to do during the mission, but he was clearly not paying attention. The old TV was playing this fucking Beaver show, and there was no way to turn it off, One had rigged the thing!
Four was poking your sides, enjoying his time alone with you. Footsteps approached the trailer, you swat Four’s hand, he smiled letting his tongue lick his under lip. Seven entered the trailer, eyeing the two of you suspiciously. After giving a new passport to Seven, this latter became nosy.
“Hey, what do you know about One?” he looked at his new passport
“We usually don’t ask about One” you responded annoyed at his presence, it’s not that Seven was a bad guy, but he kept asking stuff he shouldn’t so it was annoying.
“He loves Wally the dog, you sighed as Four began to talk pointed at the English mastiff drooling on the floor, he’s obsessed with this Beaver show. I think he’s an orphan actually. We got a little bet on if you want to put some money in.” You hit his arm, he widened his eyes wondering.
“sciocco ” you rolled yours in disbelief. Four always does that, sharing too many details and talking so fast you would have to muffle him to make him stop.
“It’s an interesting crew you got here. How many missions’ you guys run?
“Counting Florence?” Four put the passports back in the drawer, brushing your arm on the way
“One.” You answered in unison
“Well, actually, no, there was, um, this like mini-mission, so maybe one and a quarter. It was in Sicily. But Florence.., absolute shitshow. I mean, if I wasn’t there, probably more than one of us …dead. Four realized as he said it, he looked at you with an apologetic look. You just look at your laptop trying not to react.
“Are you f**king kidding me?” Seven started to agitate.
“I don’t fuck around.” Four said offended. He glanced at you still feeling shitty and fearing your reaction.
“ You realize I just buried myself in front of my family and friends, right?”
“Yeah, One told me about that, Four said genuinely interested while you started closing your tabs, Big military funeral. Guns popping, flags. It’s pretty cool. I mean in my funeral, there were five people there, and two of them left before the end. It is tough watching your mum cry at your grave though.”
“At least you had proper funerals, Seven.” You said coldly, unplugging the charger cable a bit too angrily.
“ Yeah.” Seven sighed, how was it for you Eight?” Seven turned to you.
“It doesn’t matter!” Closing your laptop, you stride over Four’s legs, petting Wally on your way out.
“Wait, fuck, sorry .. Eight I got carried away ..” Four started to get up but Wally did first blocking his way.
Waving him off “Yeah, as always.” Your throat dry as that fucking desert, acceptance was not easy.
“What’s her story?” Seven nodded your way
“The cold guy from Florence, .. her twin brother.“
Seven furrowed his brows, watching you mount your fat tire cruiser bike.
Later at night, you were at the dry pool as always.
“You didn’t answer.” His voice cracked through the perfect silence of the desert. The Moon spreading her pale light on him on the other side of the pool.
“Why Eight? You should have been Seven..”
… you took a deep breath, few seconds passed.
“I was born 8 seconds before my brother.”
You heard a whispered “fuck” coming his way.
“I argued with One to get this number. Thinking about it, childish move, but now …, it means more.” you played with the cross around your neck. “My mother gave it to him you know, the cross, you scoffed, I was incredibly jealous until I learned that she gave him because he needed it the most. You knew him as a joyful teen playing around being sassy, but he’d always needed an anchor and mamma thought God could be his.” Lifting the necklace to the sky, the moonlight started reflecting on the silver cross.
“Mamma knew I wasn’t one to believe, yet I prayed for him. Perdonami mamma” You mumbled to yourself.
“About earlier, I’m sorry…” Four began…
“Enough talking about me! You cleared your throat, Naked and drunk huh? Wanna tell me more about that?” you reminisce the talk at the diner.
He laughed getting up from the edge “What, it never happened to you? Never got shit drunk and ran butt naked in the streets?” He straddled your lounge chair near your feet.
“Oddly, I wanted to stay off police radar.” He chuckled
Lifting an eyebrow, he taunted “Drunk on a beach, skinny dipping, never?”
“As funny as it sounds now, I didn’t want to die, especially drowning. How’d you come so far in life?”
“Skills!” you pushed his leg with your foot scoffing at his answer. He rested one hand on your calves, you fall silent enjoying each other’s presence.
“I miss him.” He dipped his head as he said it. They had really become friends in an instant, you remember the first time you arrived at the Haunted House. It’s like they were lost brothers, Four said something about music and they bonded immediately.
Straightening you nudge his leg gently this time, scooting closer, your left leg bend over his lap, he looked over, and you just opened your arms, smiling softly. His hands were so warm around your waist, carefully resting your head on his shoulder, your own arms hugging his broad shoulders. He suddenly tightened his embrace, a sharp inhale escaping your mouth at the sudden action, one of his hand slowly going up your spine setting in your neck. You caught yourself closing your eyes letting your fingers brushed his buzzed haircut, he shivered.
“If I kiss you, you’re not gonna run, are you?” you didn’t answer, but your eyes bounced between his lips and his green eyes.
“Please don’t run.” He whispered, his lips faintly brushed yours before you rushed into the kiss as if to catch up the moment you’d lost last time.
“Okay, definitely not running away, he chuckled kissing you again standing up, you still in his arms, he made his way to the bad replica of a Mexican Abode where he had made himself at home.
His kisses trailed down your collarbone, your hands ran down his bare chest, up his toned arms and firm clad buttocks, his mimicking yours on your soft body. Soon his hand was where you wanted it most, biting his neck in response he groaned tilting his head for more.
The pale light of the moon shining on your body through the broken shutters, the cold night of the desert contrasting with the heat emanating from you both.
His warmth in yours, you were writhing under him, he made you reach some highs, eyes never leaving each other’s features, your bare body clad with sweat holding onto each other for dear life until coming undone, all the rage and stress from the missions gone for a moment.
“We could get kicked out …” you were still a bit out of breath, outrageously and gloriously nude
“What One doesn’t know … can’t hurt us” he mumbled against your shoulder, you half laughed. His fingers trailed up and down your bare spine, “I thought the all deal with being dead was freedom?”
“Feel free then” you smiled smugly, no sooner had he smiled back he disappeared under the sheet, you laughed, pulling the sheet away to watch him…
Fourth Chapter - I need a backdoor coming soon
A/N: don’t forget to double tap if you liked it. 🙏
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