Behind the Shadows: A Love Unspoken

Chapter 4: Beneath the Surface

The next morning, the air inside the safe house was thick with tension, though only Gekko and Iso felt its weight. They hadn't spoken much after their conversation last night, but something had shifted between them. Gekko kept replaying Iso's words in his head—*"You mean more to me than you know."* The confession had left him restless, uncertain of what it all meant, but one thing was clear: Iso wasn't just watching out for him like a teammate. It was more than that.

The others, completely unaware of the tension, carried on as usual, preparing for another mission briefing. Gekko tried to focus on the plan being laid out by Brimstone, but every time he glanced at Iso across the table, he felt a strange pull, a quiet connection neither of them could ignore.

As Brimstone discussed tactics, Gekko couldn't help but feel the weight of Iso's gaze on him, though Iso remained outwardly calm, as always. But Gekko knew now. He knew that every glance, every silent moment, held something deeper.

"And Gekko," Brimstone's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "You'll be leading the charge again. Make sure your creatures sweep the area clean before the team moves in."

Gekko nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. The mission ahead was dangerous, like always, but now there was something else nagging at him—Iso's presence, his confession, the unspoken feelings between them. He wasn't sure what to do with any of it, but one thing was certain: he couldn't keep pretending that everything was the same.

The briefing ended, and the team began gearing up for the mission. Gekko found himself alone in the weapons room, double-checking his gear. His creatures hovered nearby, sensing his unease. His mind was still swirling with last night's conversation. He hadn't had the chance to really process it. How long had Iso felt this way? How long had he been watching, protecting him from the shadows?

Gekko sighed, running a hand through his hair. *What am I supposed to do?*

The door creaked open behind him, and Gekko didn't need to turn to know who it was. Iso's presence was unmistakable, like a cold breeze that always sent a shiver down Gekko's spine. He didn't look up immediately, trying to gather his thoughts, but Iso spoke first.

"You're distracted." His voice was low, quiet, but there was an edge of concern in it.

Gekko turned to face him, eyes locking with Iso's. The room felt too small with the two of them in it, tension thick enough to cut through. "A little," Gekko admitted, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Can't stop thinking about everything. Last night, what you said..."

Iso's face remained impassive, but Gekko could see the way his jaw tightened, the way his hands clenched ever so slightly. He was struggling to maintain control, to keep the walls up, but Gekko had already seen behind them.

"You shouldn't be thinking about that," Iso said, his voice colder now. "You need to focus on the mission. There's no room for distraction out there."

Gekko frowned, stepping closer. "That's not what I asked, Iso. You opened up last night. You can't just pretend that didn't happen."

"I can, and I will." Iso's voice was sharp, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes—fear, maybe. "You shouldn't be concerned with me. I told you already, my job is to keep you safe. That's all."

"That's not *all,*" Gekko pressed, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "You don't just protect me because it's your job. You admitted it last night—you care about me. More than you should."

Iso's eyes darkened, and he took a step back, trying to create distance, but Gekko followed him. The air between them was charged, the tension from last night unresolved, simmering beneath the surface.

"Why won't you just talk to me?" Gekko demanded, his voice rising slightly. "Why are you always pushing me away?"

"Because I have to!" Iso snapped, finally letting the mask slip. His voice was raw, filled with a frustration he had been holding back for too long. "I can't let you get too close, Gekko. You don't understand what it's like."

"Then help me understand!" Gekko's voice softened, the frustration giving way to something more vulnerable. "You keep watching me, protecting me, but you won't let me in. Iso, I want to understand. I want to help."

Iso's breath hitched. He wasn't used to this—someone *wanting* to understand him. He had always been alone in his obsession, in his need to protect Gekko from everything, including himself. But Gekko wasn't backing down. He wasn't afraid, and that terrified Iso more than anything.

"You don't need to help," Iso said, his voice quieter now, filled with the weight of everything he had been carrying. "You just need to stay safe. That's all that matters to me."

Gekko shook his head, stepping even closer. "That's not all that matters, Iso. You matter. This—" He gestured between them. "Whatever this is, it matters. You can't keep pretending it doesn't."

Iso was silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on Gekko, torn between the desire to pull him close and the instinct to push him away. He had always been so careful, so controlled. But now, standing here with Gekko, he felt the last of his defenses crumbling.

"I can't lose you," Iso said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "You don't understand what that would do to me."

"You won't lose me," Gekko replied, his voice soft but firm. "I'm not going anywhere, Iso. But I can't do this if you keep shutting me out."

Iso's hands clenched into fists, the tension in his body evident. For so long, he had kept himself locked away, convinced that his obsession would only bring Gekko pain. But now, standing this close, with Gekko's unwavering eyes on him, Iso wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up the act.

"I don't know how to stop," Iso admitted, his voice filled with a quiet desperation. "I've been watching you for so long, protecting you. I can't stop. I don't *want* to stop."

Gekko's heart ached at Iso's confession, and without thinking, he reached out, gently placing a hand on Iso's arm. The touch was light, tentative, but it sent a shockwave through Iso, breaking the last of his resolve.

"You don't have to stop," Gekko said softly. "But you don't have to do it alone, either."

Iso's breath hitched, and for the first time, he let himself really look at Gekko, his eyes filled with a mix of fear, longing, and something else—something deeper.

"I don't know how to be anything else," Iso whispered, his voice barely audible.

"You don't have to be," Gekko replied, his voice steady, full of warmth. "You just have to be you. That's enough."

The words hung in the air between them, and for the first time, Iso felt the weight of his obsession lift, just slightly. He wasn't alone anymore. He didn't have to be.

And as Gekko's hand remained on his arm, offering a quiet promise of understanding, Iso let himself believe that maybe, just maybe, there was a way forward. A way that didn't involve hiding in the shadows, but standing side by side, in the light.