Project K-9

Chapter 31

Say something you idiot, Red scolded himself as he watched Antfrost fidget on the bed.

"Uhmm...can I sit beside you?" he finally said.

Ant looked up for a minute with a surprised expression on his face, before turning his gaze back to the floor and scooting over to give Red some space.

"Thanks..." Red said as he slowly walked over to the bed and sat down.

It was painfully quiet in the cell, neither of the men knowing what to say. Antfrost's nerves were getting to him and he reached for his locket, a coping mechanism that he developed during his time serving the MOB.

Red was quick to catch this, and his heart filled with enough courage for him to finally speak.

"Tell me the truth Ant...what happened that day?"

Antfrost stilled in his seat, trying his best to act cold towards the man his heart yearned for.

"I was a coward and didn't want to reject your confession..." Antfrost lied.

His chin was then roughly grabbed by Red, who turned the brunette to face him.

"The truth Ant," Red demanded.

Antfrost felt the tears starting to pool in his eyes. He gritted his teeth, pushed Red away, then stood up.

"It is the truth! Why are you even here Red?" Antfrost yelled.

"Stop lying to me Ant, if you really felt that way you wouldn't have kept that locket." Red declared his voice raising to match Ant's angry tone.

"What? This?" Antforst stated angrily, as he tore the locket from his neck, breaking the chain in the process.

"This means nothing to me!" he yelled, as he moved to throw it to the ground, so he could crush it under his foot.

Before he could do so, however, he found himself in Red's warm embrace. His anger melted away as he slowly returned the hug, the tears that he had tried to hold back, now started to fall.

"You don't mean that Ant, I know that you don't," Red said, running his fingers through Ant's hair.

"Why? Why won't you leave me alone..." Antfrost sobbed. "I've done terrible things to innocent people. I've invaded their privacy, exposed them, and ruined their lives."

"You had to do it to survive Antfrost, you are not at fault here..."

"But-" Antfrost tried to respond, but Red stopped him with a light peck on his cheek.

"Enough Ant, stop tormenting yourself with things that you couldn't control," he whispered against Ant's skin, causing the latter to shiver.

"And I won't leave you Antfrost..." Red continued, pulling slightly away to gaze lovingly into Ant's eyes.

"I love you too much to do that," he ended with a smile.

Hearing those words finally broke Ant's determination to stay away from his friend, and he wrapped his arms around Red's neck, holding him tightly as he sobbed.

Red released himself from Antfrost's hold and softly kissed Ant's tears away. "Stop crying Ant, show me that smile that I've missed so much," he said sweetly.

Ant felt his lips slowly tug up in a genuine smile, and Red slowly closed the distance between them, stopping only when their lips were mere centimeters away.

Ant was the one who made the final move and pressed their lips together. "I love you Red," he said between the kisses. "I love you so much..."

"I love you too..." Red responded as their lips met again and again.

Meanwhile outside the cell, Eret, who had just finished his bath, was listening to everything with Ponk standing beside him.

"I think we should give them some privacy. Why don't we head to the surveillance room for now..." Ponk whispered and Eret nodded.

When the pair reached the room Ponk offered him a warm drink and some snacks.

"No offense, but aren't you a bit too relaxed with your prison security?" Eret asked.

"Well, no one has managed to escape yet successfully. Besides, even if someone does manage to get out, our K-9s will track them down."

"Even so... don't you think that you should up the security a bit more, especially since the agency is pretty high tech already?"

Ponk hummed, "Well, do you have any suggestions?"