What a gorgeous man, am I right?
But all you see whenever you look at him is this dumbass who keeps on running his mouth.
And you wouldn't have it any other way.
Over the weeks the two of you spent in the wastelands of Africa it finally dawned on you how much you missed the old times.
Simpler times, in a way.
When this whole 'saving the world' thing was something you two would've laughed your asses off not too long ago.
When you didn't fall hopelessly in love with a certain BSAA operative.
When his blood wasn't known to be the cure to the C-Virus.
◇
"I thought you were into blonde federal agents?"
Your voice was a teasing muse under the huffing and puffing of the effort that transpired between you two.
Your head tilted while those steel blue eyes of his focused back on you. The slightest curl of a smirk tugged at his lips before he moved to adjust.
"I was. For a time. But y'know, things change."
The smile that adorned your lips was nothing if not effortless beauty. The slight breathy hint to it was something he was always attracted to. No matter the setting.
And he certainly didn't mind it now.
You.
Him.
Breathless from physical effort.
Until your foot came flying for another lethal kick.
One Jake evaded with infuriating ease. He sidestepped and caught the limb by wrapping his arm around your calf.
"You had something with that Birkin girl, didn't you?"
You asked with a grin, not at all bothered that he had you captured in an iron hold.
You simply balanced your weight onto your other foot and watched his face like a hawk.
"That's hardly any of your business, gorgeous."
His answer only solidified your point.
You knew something happened between the two. You were sure of it.
There was a time where he didn't run after you. You were dead set convinced that it was Sherry's doing. She had him by the affectionate leash.
"Oh, you totally slept together."
The huff that came from him only worsened your teasing streak.
Jake pulled you forward by the captured leg and used the momentum to try and capture you in a hold.
But you were like a slippery eel. Using your agility to evade his grippy hands and land some mean punches to his torso.
◇
The impromptu training session was oved with neither of you admitting to defeat.
Strong egos, I see.
"You two were cute together, you know that?"
The words were a simple murmur.
A sweet notion to the connection that grew between Jake Muller and his federal agent.
If it just wasn't for the fact that you were cleaning up the bloodied skin on his face.
Maybe you two were too rough with each other.
You didn't look any better. Probably.
You weren't sure.
"What is it with you and droning on about Supergirl and I?"
He asked from his seated spot, those piercing eyes of his watching your face like a hawk. Like it was his mission to file away any and every little reaction that crossed your features.
It was almost sweet.
"'Cause it gives you a reason to stop running after me."
"Am not running after you."
"Gorgeous, you asked me out for dinner or drinks every time we've interacted since that job back in Italy."
A scoff came from him. Of course you'd keep count of such a thing.
He did try often, didn't he?
"Never heard you complain about it before."
"The attention was nice."
That seemed to catch his full attention.
So you did enjoy it as much as he suspected? Cheeky, he'd have to give you that.
"But you weren't what I was looking for."
"You wanted someone like that jarhead?"
His voice was a little rougher, the octave lower as he retold a fact he still didn't fully believe.
"Exactly."
"Yeah, well, see where that got you."
The tension that came after was less than welcome. It was clear Jake hit a nerve with that one.
But he was right. Loving a man like Piers Nivans with the kind of life you wanted to live was predestined to end horribly.
You just didn't want to admit it yet. Because admitting it meant making it something real. But something real only broke what pieces of your heart weren't shattered yet.
