His Immortal

29

The kiss was gentle but firm, filled with unspoken promises and unspoken devotion. Marcus let it linger, savouring the feel of my lips against his. When he finally pulled away, his eyes flicked over my face, studying my reaction.

I smiled softly as I looked up into his eyes. Marcus's eyes softened as he gazed back at me, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "There's that smile I love," he murmured gruffly, his thumb brushing against my cheek.

His gaze remained fixed on me, his expression gentle and affectionate. Despite the pain he was in and the fact that he was stuck in a hospital bed, all he wanted was to hold me close and see me smile.

A bit later on in the morning, Marcus's colleagues filed into the room, their expressions a mix of relief and concern as they saw their injured team member lying in the bed. Some of them looked surprised to see me asleep next to him, coiled against his side, but they quickly composed themselves and approached the bed.

"Hey, man, how are you feeling?" One of the agents asked, his voice hushed as he looked down at Marcus.

Marcus let out a hoarse grunt, wincing slightly as he shifted position in the bed. "Like I've been shot," he replied gruffly, a hint of wry humour in his voice.

The others chuckled softly, their expressions a little brighter at hearing Marcus's typical bluntness, even in his wounded state. "You look like hell," another agent chimed in, grinning faintly.

"Thanks, that's a real confidence boost," Marcus retorted dryly, his eyes briefly flickering towards me as I slept by his side. Some of the agents followed his gaze, noticing my slumbering form. A few of them raised their eyebrows, clearly surprised to see me there, but none of them commented on it. They simply exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.

"Looks like you've got a dedicated nurse," one of them commented, a hint of mischief in his tone.

Marcus's expression darkened slightly, his arm instinctively pulling me closer to him as if to protect me from their teasing. "She's not my nurse," he said gruffly, his voice leaving no room for debate.

The agents chuckled knowingly, clearly amused by Marcus's protective gesture. "Sure, she's not," one of them quipped, their tone laden with sarcasm. Marcus grunted in irritation, but he couldn't deny that the agents' teasing had struck a nerve. He didn't like the idea of anyone thinking of me as nothing more than his nurse, a mere caregiver. I meant so much more to him than that, even if he hadn't found the words to express it yet.

Despite his irritation, he couldn't help but glance down at me again, studying my peaceful expression as I slept. The sight of me there, my head resting on his shoulder, filled him with a strange mix of tenderness and protectiveness.

The agents seemed to sense his inner turmoil, their teasing remarks dying down as they saw the seriousness in his expression. "We're just messing with you, man," one of them said, his tone more considerate now. "We're just happy you're okay."

Marcus grunted in acknowledgement, his gaze flickering back to his colleagues. "Yeah, well, it'll take more than a bullet to keep me down," he said gruffly, trying to play it off with his usual bravado.

The agents chuckled, some of them shaking their heads in admiration. They knew Marcus's stubborn streak all too well, and they were confident he would bounce back from this injury, just as he always did.

"You're a tough bastard, I'll give you that," one of them said, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Marcus grunted his expression a mixture of irritation and pride. "Damn right, I am," he muttered, his hand briefly tightening its grip on me instinctively. The agents chuckled again, clearly enjoying their banter with their wounded friend. But beneath the light-hearted exchanges, they were all genuinely relieved to see him looking relatively well, considering the circumstances.

As I began to stir, Marcus quickly noticed the shift in my breathing. He looked down at me, his expression softening at the sight of my sleepy, disoriented state. The agents, noticing his attention, immediately went silent, watching with interest as I slowly opened my eyes.

I blinked a few times, groggily taking in my surroundings. As my gaze met Marcus's, a brief look of confusion crossed my face before recognition set in. I smiled faintly, still slightly disoriented. Marcus's expression softened even further as he saw the dazed look in my eyes. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from my face, his touch cautious so as not to disturb my drowsy state.

The agents watched the interaction between us two, their grins widening at the sight of Marcus's softer side, a sight they rarely witnessed. They were used to his tough, stoic exterior, so seeing him display such tenderness was a rarity.

"Looks like our boy here's got a soft spot," one of them commented, keeping his voice low to avoid waking me up fully.

Marcus shot them a glare, but it lacked its usual intensity. He was more focused on me than their teasing. "Shut it," he grumbled, his hand still gently caressing my hair.

The agents chuckled quietly, clearly enjoying getting under his skin. "Aww, he's so defensive," one of them cooed, mock-baby talk in his voice.

Marcus's scowl deepened, his expression darkening. "Keep it up, and I'll shoot you myself when I get out of this bed," he threatened, his tone low and irritated.

As I cuddled into him, Marcus couldn't help but soften his expression further. He could feel the warmth of my body against his, the gentle pressure of my head against his shoulder. His arm instinctively shifted to wrap around me, holding me close. The agents chuckled softly at my display of affection, their teasing growing more blatant now that I was awake.

"Looks like we're interrupting something here," one of them remarked, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Marcus shot them a warning glare, but his arm remained around me, clearly signalling his unwillingness to let me go. "You are," he grumbled, his tone laced with possession.