König x Reader- Bad taste in men

Part 8

"König," you say while your fists hit his back, "Put me down. Who told you I was on a date anyway?"

Your nose is greeted with the familiar smell of your room, the vanilla and coffee candle you burnt earlier still wafting around the space. König lowers his body allowing you to slide down from over his shoulders, lightly placing you on your bed.

"Ghost," was all he said a your eyes meet, a fire burning behind them.

You huff as you fold your arms across your chest, "He had no right to do that. I deserve-"

Unexpectedly, his hand moves, finding its way under your chin, holding your attention.

"You DESERVE someone better than that sorry excuse of a man. He didn't even hold the door open for you."

Of course, he was hiding his jealousy behind concern for what "you deserve".

Recently things had changed between you too. Since they day you two met, you've been attuned to one another's emotions, a phenomenon neither one of you could explain. Both of you tended to hide your emotions behind false smiles and rehearsed laughs, but it never fooled the other.

Last week you had been stuck in your head more than usual. König noticed immediately but waited until you two were in your room to ask you about it, not wanting to put you on the spot in front of Ghost or Price.

Sitting on your bed your hands mess with one another, picking at the lose skin around your fingers. A bad habit you had kicked when you were younger but found yourself fighting against after the loss of your parents. It took shape in different forms, from peeling the skin around your fingers, to picking at the scab of a cut or scratch, or pressing on bruises you sustained from missions. You found yourself needing the slight pain to remind yourself that you were alive, constantly feeling like you were stuck at the crosswords of death and life.

You never felt completely alive. It was as if your body drew shorter breaths than what it needed to operate on, but despite the extra work, your body never stopped pulling in the air. Almost like a fish that washed onto shore, suffocating until the next wave, only for the cycle to repeat.

Warm, gloved hands pull your attention back as König hands pulls yours apart from each their, stopping their attack on one another.

Looking up from them, his word come out low and soft as you make eye intact with his blue onces.

"Give me a truth Y/n."

You sigh, your eyes closing as you admit, "I feel...lonely. I noticed it in the mess hall earlier while Ghost and Price joked with the other recruits and soldiers. I was surrounded by people, but had never felt more alone. I know Ghost and Price work hard to make sure I feel included any chance they get but I'm alone in my trauma and sometimes I feel like I'm stranded on an island by myself watching and participating from a far."

He doesn't downplay your feeling, instead he rubs your hands between his, "Look at me. Is there any point or second in the day were you don't feel that way?"

"I can't explain why or how but yes." Your eyes lift to his, "When I'm with you."

You had expected a shocked or repulsed look on his face but instead he smiles, his hand lifting to tuck the hair behind your face, "Good. I'm your best friend. I feel everything you feel, perhaps deeper than you think. When you feel like you're drowning, pile all those heavy emotions on me. I promise I won't sink under the weight of them, and I won't let you either. I'll aways be your life raft."

Something fundamental had changed in that very moment, your face titling as you eyes really took in the man before you.

He had noticed it too, his chest rising and following at a quicker pace.