Behind the Shadows: A Love Unspoken

Chapter 11: After the Storm

The battlefield had grown eerily silent. The city, once filled with the sounds of gunfire and chaos, now felt strangely still. The echoes of their victory reverberated through the empty streets as the Valorant team regrouped at their extraction point. Relief hung in the air, but for Gekko, there was a lingering tension that had nothing to do with the mission they had just survived.

He stole a glance at Iso, who was standing nearby, cleaning his rifle with his usual focus. Iso hadn't said much since they'd taken down the last enemy forces, but Gekko could sense something simmering beneath the surface. Something between them had shifted permanently, and though they had kissed, opening a door to feelings they couldn't take back, they hadn't yet had the chance to talk about what came next.

The rest of the team was wrapping up, Phoenix talking excitedly with Jett about their next mission while Sage quietly patched up the few injuries they had sustained. Gekko, however, couldn't bring himself to join in the banter. His mind was stuck on the events of the past few hours—on Iso's intensity, the way he had put himself in danger for Gekko's sake, and, of course, the kiss they had shared.

As if sensing his thoughts, Iso glanced over, their eyes meeting for a brief second. The heat from earlier lingered between them, but Iso quickly looked away, his expression unreadable.

"Hey, Gekko!" Phoenix's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "You good, man? You're kind of spacing out."

Gekko blinked, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm good. Just... tired, I guess."

Phoenix gave him a knowing look but didn't press. "We'll head back soon. Get some well-deserved rest."

The team wrapped up their final checks, and soon, they were heading back to the rendezvous for extraction. Gekko walked quietly beside Iso, the silence between them almost deafening. He wanted to say something—anything—but the words kept slipping away. The adrenaline of the battle had faded, leaving him vulnerable in a way he wasn't sure how to handle.

Finally, as they neared the extraction point, Iso broke the silence.

"Gekko, we need to talk."

The words sent a jolt through Gekko's chest. His heart raced as he nodded, following Iso as they veered away from the rest of the team, finding a quiet alleyway away from prying eyes and ears.

Iso stood there for a moment, his back to Gekko, his posture rigid. When he finally turned, his eyes were dark, intense, just like they had been before the kiss. But this time, there was no fight—only raw emotion, barely held back.

"I've been trying to figure out what to say," Iso began, his voice low. "What happened between us... I didn't expect it. I didn't expect to feel this way. But I can't ignore it anymore."

Gekko swallowed hard, his own emotions threatening to spill over. "Iso, I—"

Iso held up a hand, cutting him off gently. "Let me finish. I've been... obsessed with keeping you safe. It's been driving me insane, watching every move you make, always worrying about whether you'll make it out alive. It's more than just protecting a teammate—it's something I can't control. Something I've never felt before."

Gekko's chest tightened, his breath catching as Iso continued.

"I've been scared of it, Gekko. Scared of what it means. Scared that I'll lose focus, that I'll put you in danger because I can't think straight when you're involved." Iso's voice wavered, his vulnerability on full display. "But I realize now that trying to push it down, trying to control it—it's not helping. It's only making things worse."

There was a beat of silence, the weight of Iso's confession hanging in the air between them. Gekko took a step closer, his hand reaching out to gently touch Iso's arm.

"Iso, you don't have to push it down," Gekko said softly, his voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions coursing through him. "You're not alone in this. I feel the same way, and I don't want to keep pretending that I don't."

Iso's eyes met his, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something uncertain, something fragile. "But what if I screw it up, Gekko? What if this... thing between us gets in the way?"

Gekko shook his head, stepping closer until there was barely any space between them. "It won't. We'll figure it out. Together."

He could see the conflict in Iso's eyes, the fear warring with the deep, unspoken feelings that had been building for so long. But Gekko didn't give him time to retreat. He closed the distance between them, his hand moving up to cup Iso's face just as he had done on the rooftop earlier.

"I'm not scared of this, Iso. I'm not scared of us."

Iso's breath hitched, and for a moment, Gekko thought he might pull away again, might let that fear win. But then, Iso's hands came up to Gekko's waist, pulling him closer in a way that was both possessive and gentle. There was a desperation in the way Iso clung to him, as if Gekko was the only thing keeping him grounded.

And then, just like before, their lips met.

This time, the kiss was different—deeper, more certain. It wasn't just about desire or adrenaline; it was about all the emotions they had been holding back for so long, the fear and the hope and the quiet understanding that they were in this together now, no matter what came next.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing hard, their foreheads resting against each other as they tried to steady themselves.

"I'm still figuring this out," Iso admitted, his voice rough but honest. "But I know one thing—I can't lose you, Gekko. Not like this."

Gekko smiled, brushing a thumb over Iso's cheek. "You won't lose me. I'm not going anywhere."

They stayed like that for a few moments longer, the chaos of the world around them fading into the background. In that alleyway, with the sun setting and the distant sounds of their teammates readying for extraction, nothing else mattered.

Eventually, they pulled apart, but the connection between them remained, stronger than ever. Iso's hand lingered on Gekko's arm as they began to make their way back to the others, a silent promise that this was just the beginning.

As they approached the rest of the team, Phoenix raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. "You two good?"

Gekko exchanged a quick glance with Iso, and for the first time in a long while, he felt at peace.

"Yeah," Gekko replied, grinning. "We're good."

And as they boarded the transport, leaving the battlefield behind, Gekko knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.