His Immortal | Marcus Pike

30

The agents chuckled, their grins growing wider at his protective tone. They knew better than to overstep their bounds, but they couldn't resist teasing him a bit more. "Gotta admit, it's good to see you with a girl who can keep up with you," one of them added, his voice sly.

Marcus's expression darkened, but his hold on me only seemed to tighten. "She's not just any girl," he grunted, his voice gruff but filled with a hint of tenderness.

The agents glanced at each other, eyebrows raising at his vehement response. They could practically feel the protectiveness radiating off him, and they knew better than to push too far. "Alright, alright, we'll lay off," one of them relented, a hint of a smile playing at his lips.

Marcus grunted, his expression softening slightly as he looked down at me. He was glad they were backing off, even though a part of him was itching to send them packing completely. But he knew they were worried about him too, in their insufferable way.

One of the agents, a bit bolder than the rest, decided to push his luck a little further. "So, when can we expect the wedding?" he teased, a cheeky grin on his face.

Marcus's glare intensified, his eyes narrowing at the audacity of his colleague's question. "Keep dreaming, smartass," he growled, his voice filled with irritation.

The rest of the agents chuckled at their colleague's audacity, both amused and surprised by his boldness. They watched as Marcus's expression darkened, his grip on me tightening even more in a protective gesture.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," the agent backpedalled hastily, sensing he had pushed too far. "But really, we're happy for you, man."

Marcus's gaze softened a bit at the agent's genuine tone. He knew they meant well, even if their teasing sometimes crossed a line. "Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, his irritation subsiding slightly. "Just make sure you keep it PG-13 when you're around us," he warned, his eyes flickering back to me.

Marcus glanced down at my hand as it rested near his injured shoulder. He could feel my touch even through the bandages and the numbness caused by the painkillers. The agents noticed the small gesture, their grins faltering slightly as they realized the depth of my concern for him. They glanced at each other, their playful expressions replaced by empathetic glances.

They knew better than to comment on it outright, but they could see the way I was looking at him, almost as if I was willing him to heal through sheer concern. It was a stark contrast to the usual tough act that Marcus put up, and it tugged at their hearts a little.

The mood in the room shifted subtly, the atmosphere becoming a bit more serious. One of the agents, a slightly more sensitive one, spoke up, his voice softer than before. "You've got a good one there, Pike. Don't mess it up."

Marcus's gaze flickered towards the agent, his expression unreadable for a moment. He knew the guy was well-intentioned, but he also knew that the agent's words held a hint of warning. He turned his gaze back towards me, taking in my concerned expression and the gentle pressure of my hand near his wound. He exhaled deeply, a mixture of irritation and vulnerability flashing in his eyes. "I know," he mumbled gruffly.

The agents watched the exchange quietly, their expressions softening further. They knew Marcus well enough to understand that his gruff exterior often masked a deep vulnerability. And seeing him now, with me by his side, they could see that vulnerability more clearly than they ever had before.

One of the agents, the one who had teased Marcus about marriage, spoke up again, his tone softer this time. "Just remember, man. We may give you a hard time about this, but we're genuinely happy for you. She's a keeper."

Marcus grunted in acknowledgement, his expression flickering between irritation and vulnerability. He knew the agents were just looking out for him in their annoying way. He found himself looking down at me again, his expression softening further as he took in my concerned face. The sight of me worried for him only served to deepen the strange mix of emotions swirling within him.

One of the other agents, sensing the shift in the mood, decided to lighten the atmosphere a bit. "Looks like she's got you wrapped around her little finger, huh Pike?" he joked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Marcus shot the agent a glare, his usual gruffness returning. "Shut it," he growled, his arm instinctively wrapping around me tighter as if to shield me from their teasing. The agents chuckled, their grins widening once more at his defensive response. They were all too aware of how protective he was of me and they couldn't resist pushing his buttons a bit more.

"No denying it, man. We've never seen you this whipped before," one of them teased, a knowing smirk on his face.

"Stop-" I said quietly. The agents blinked in surprise, their grins faltering at the unexpected sound of my voice. They had been so focused on teasing Marcus that they had almost forgotten I was awake.

They all turned to look at me, surprise and mild guilt visible on their faces. "Sorry, we didn't mean to-" one of them began before he was cut off by Marcus's grumble.

"Told you to knock it off," he muttered gruffly, his gaze flickering between me and his colleagues. He appreciated that they were trying to lighten the mood, but he didn't like hearing them insult me or mess with him, even if it was just teasing.

The agents exchanged glances, sheepish looks on their faces. They knew they had pushed their luck a little too far this time. They all quickly apologized, their voices filled with sincere remorse. "Sorry, ma'am," one of them said, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

I nodded, accepting their apologies. I knew they were just messing around, but I didn't like hearing them make jokes about Marcus being "whipped" just because he cared about me.