Dalia blinked open her eyes to sunlight streaming into the cavern. She was nestled against Fantôme with her head buried in the crook of his neck. His arms were wrapped securely around her, enveloping her in warmth despite his metal suit. She felt safe.
Fantôme, who was already awake, felt Dalia stir and tilted his head to murmur in her ear.
"Good morning, love."
"G'morning," Dalia mumbled groggily.
"You sleep alright?"
"Mmm," she sighed.
Dalia felt the soft vibrations of his chest when he chuckled. The sun was smiling down on them, draping the pair in its warm, golden embrace. In that moment, Dalia couldn't have wished for anything more.
Eventually, heavy footfalls approached them rapidly and someone cleared their throat. Fantôme jerked like he'd been electrocuted and shot off the ground, hand instinctively reaching for the sword strapped to his back.
Dalia pushed herself up and twisted around to see Ashton, who had a hand on the gun holster at his waist. She gently grabbed Fantôme's elbow and brought his arm down to his side while giving Ashton an apologetic smile.
"Ashton," Fantôme grunted.
"Soldier," the commander acknowledged with a tight smile.
Dalia decided to break in before anyone got hurt. "What's going on?"
Ashton fixed his tense gaze on her. "I need your help. With a mission."
"Absolutely not," Fantôme interrupted before Dalia could respond. "No way is she going on one of your 'adventures'."
Ashton's eyes narrowed. "This is an order, soldier. I suggest you treat it as such."
Dalia frowned. "Why do you need my help?"
"You're the only one in this base with the necessary technology clearance and medical training who is not currently incapacitated." He paused. "A group in America needed everyone we could spare."
"Oh." She could practically feel the anger radiating off her partner's body, but she ignored him. With a firm nod and an "okay" to Ashton, she turned to Fantôme.
"I'll be alright."
He sighed. "I know you will."
"Good." Dalia's frown twitched into a soft smile and they shared a tight embrace.
"I love you," Fantôme breathed into her ear. Three special little words, only for her.
"I love you too," Dalia whispered back before releasing him and turning to follow Ashton.
*********************************************************************
Fantôme stared after her, arms hanging loosely at his side, already missing Dalia's warmth.
He had a bad feeling, right in his gut, that she wouldn't actually be okay.
Something Ashton had said to him years prior, when he'd first became a soldier, echoed in his mind.
None of the higher-ups care about you. You're just a number to them. Get used to it, because you'll lose more working for them than not.
Fantôme was pretty sure that was finally going to catch up to him.
*********************************************************************
"We're here, be prepared to land."
YOU ARE READING
As The World Ends
Azione"Classified? What are you, a secret agent?" "Something like that." She considered that. "How long before you leave?" "Twenty minutes." "Can I come with you?" This is just something I started writing a little over a year ago and I'm putting it on...
