if we only die once, i wanna die with you
Author: bobbimqrse
For: @letitrainletitsnowbutdontletmego
Pairing: Hunter/Bobbi
Rating: K+
Set during 3x10.
Sorry this is a few days late, I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and that you enjoy this. Happy New Year!!
[Read on AO3]
The base is a cacophony of blaring alarms and near-constant gunfire. Bobbi spins around and throws her elbow back, then brings her baton down. She barely has time to register the sound of bone shattering and the grunt of pain, before double doors are swinging open and a swarm of nameless, faceless Hydra agents pour in.
“Bob-“ shouts a familiar voice.
Hunter is on the other side of the room, covered in blood and looking pissed off, but otherwise unharmed. Most of her anxiety bleeds away, although there’s a lingering fear that he’s been hurt somewhere she can’t see. She twirls her batons twice in quick succession to get her focus back. She can deal with her feelings after the rapidly approaching small army is dealt with.
He tilts his head at her and she nods back, understanding the movement enough to know that he wants them to head for the only other door. It’s not a bad plan really. She regretfully slips her batons into their holsters, drawing a gun instead, before running for the door.
“Ready?” he asks. She doesn’t miss the way he looks her over, checking not too subtly for injuries just as she did.
“Don’t suppose we have a choice.”
She fires multiple shots into the mass of bodies then follows him through and slams the door shut. That should cause enough chaos to buy them a few minutes.
“Looks like the only way is up, love,” he quips.
Rolling her eyes, she follows him up the rattling stairs. Fire exit… presumably. She hates that word. She hates impromptu missions, especially one into a castle of all the places. If only she’d had a chance to study the layout, they’d at least know if they were about to walk into the most populated area of the damn place.
“Aaand here they come. Cover me?”
Hunter moves with deadly precision, the agents dropping like flies around him almost as soon as they set foot on the stairs. There’s nothing much she can do in such an enclosed space and he’s got it all under control himself anyway, so she settles for watching him. It had always fascinated her how much their fighting styles differed and yet how effectively they were able to work in tandem, twice as deadly.
-
-
“Bloody cockroaches, the lot of them!” he complains.
“Yeah they definitely weren’t kidding about that whole ‘cut off one head, two grow back’ thing.”
They stop at the top of the abandoned stairwell, guns trained downwards. It’s quiet, which is most likely good. Unless Hydra had planned any other surprises.
“Just like the old days,” he says with a grin, chest heaving from exertion. She grins back, leaning back against the wall to catch her breath. The burn in her lungs is almost painful but exhilarating all the same. For months, she was sure the field was nothing but a distant memory and she’d be stuck watching the action from a screen.
“You did good,” he says.
It’s as if he can read her mind, which would be disconcerting if it were anyone else. With him though, it’s different. He’d seen her at her worst – on the days when she’d barricaded herself in her bunk but he’d sat outside and talked to her all day anyway. He’d dried her tears, borne the brunt of her anger and frustrations, held her through the nightmares… She knows that he’s concerned and would much rather she waited for the doctor’s all clear, but he’s supportive and she can’t thank him enough for that. This is what she needs – to be out doing things again.
“Didn’t do too bad yourself,” she smirks, in an attempt to keep the tone light and stop the distracting thoughts.
“How’s your leg?”
‘Fine’ almost slips out like a reflex, but she doesn’t want to deflect with him anymore. Back on that hospital bed, she meant it. She wanted them to have a proper relationship – one with trust and communication and mutual understanding. It’s worked so far, allowed them to move forward to a place she never thought possible.
“As expected. Nothing that a few painkillers and some rest won’t solve,” she says, seeing the way he analyses every word, stares intently at her face. Eventually, he seems satisfied with her answer, and visibly relaxes.
“Come here,” he says, tugging gently on her wrist. She doesn’t need to be asked twice, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His breath is light against her skin and she sighs softly, enjoying the quiet moment despite the danger they’re standing right in the middle of.
“I’m fine,” she reassures “I promise.”
“Oh I know,” he smirks, gaze lowering pointedly.
“Shut up,” she says, but there’s no bite to it.
He takes a step even closer and presses a kiss to her lips, lingering longer than he anticipated. He tucks a strand of flyaway hair behind her ear before untangling himself from her grasp.
“Hunter, I’ve been thinking and-“
She’s cut off by a loud bang and a reminder that this is definitely not the place. Her wedding band hangs from a chain around her neck, drumming against the spot just above her heart as she starts running with him.
-
-
Somehow, the mission ends up being mostly successful, and they end up back in the locker room, both in one piece. She immediately strips off her suit, leaving it pooled on the floor while she tries to tame her hair by running her fingers through it.
Giving up, she turns toward him as he pulls his shirt over his head. Her eyes immediately fall on the blots of ugly purple marring his exposed skin, and she feels the panic welling up.
“Let me take a look at that,” she says, grateful that her voice doesn’t crack.
He doesn’t resist as she guides him to sit on the bench. She’s gentler than she used to be back when they were married. Her touch is light as she traces around the bruises on his chest, checking the severity of the injuries. He lets her grab a clean shirt and ease it over his head, part of their unspoken routine.
“Nothing broken,” she concludes, breathing a sigh of relief “You’ll be okay.”
“Bobbi-“
“No, wait. I… I think we should do it, get married again.”
To his credit, her sudden admission only leaves him speechless for a few seconds.
“Bob, you’ve been through a lot. I don’t want you to rush into anything until you’re ready.”
“I’m not. I’m ready, Hunter.”
“You’re sure? Don’t do this just for my sake, okay? I shouldn’t have mention-“
“Shhh. I want this. More than anything.”
“What brought this on, love?”
“I never thought marrying you would be a mistake,” she starts, avoiding making eye contact “Anyone can see that we’re doing better than we ever have. What I’m trying to say is… I was scared. It’s stupid, I know, after everything.”
“It’s not stupid,” he cuts in, taking her hand from where she’d laid it on his chest, and slipping it into his own “I know how we ended up. There’s a reason for that Hellbeast nickname.”
“Oh, you think that’s bad? You should have heard some of the things I said about you.”
He blows air through his nose, smiling as he sees her eyes crinkle with laughter. Their familiar back and forth relaxes her and gives her more confidence as she continues.
“I guess I was just scared of putting a label on this. I thought maybe it would ruin what we have now and I can’t go back to what we used to be. But I’m ready to make marriage work for us, if you are.”
They lapse into silence as she gives him time to consider her words and he absentmindedly rubs circles into her hand. He hopes the gesture is reassuring and she knows that he appreciates her openness.
Suddenly, he releases her hand and stands.
“Hunter, wha-?”
Before she can finish, he’s on one knee in front of her, a grin that can only be described as dorky on his face.
“Barbara Morse, would you make me the happiest man alive by becoming my wife?” he says, adding as an afterthought “Again.”
“Only,” her eyes light up playfully “If you swear to never call me that again.”
“I suppose I can do that,” he says, grin never leaving his face “But, uh, I don’t have a ring.”
“Here,” she says, carefully lifting the chain from under her shirt and deftly unclasping it. She hands him the ring, much like he had done with her several weeks ago.
He’s quiet as he slides the circle of gold onto her ring finger. It widens the smile on her face. It felt so right to have the extra weight on her finger again. She feels tears prick at her eyes as he brushes his lips against her hand. God, she’s getting soft.
“Get up here,” she murmurs, voice thick with emotion.
He’s barely on his feet before she’s launching herself at him. His reflexes kick in and he catches her easily, pulling her flush against him.
“I love you,” she whispers, over his shoulder, hugging him tighter. She’d never let go if she had the choice.
“I know,” he responds, after a moment.
She snorts as she pulls back to look at him properly, dropping a kiss to his nose. He cups her head, fingers tangling in her curls, kissing her as deeply as is physically possible, reluctant to end the moment. They stand like that for a while, so close it’s almost like they are one person.
“Come on, then, fiancée,” he says, after a while “It’s our turn to cook.”
