Dangerous connection (Freenbecky)

Chapter 12

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the worn curtains of the rural safehouse. The atmosphere was calm, a stark contrast to the chaos of the previous night's attack. Freen woke up with Becky still sleeping peacefully beside him, her arm still loosely wrapped around him in a protective gesture. Her face, though pale from exhaustion, was soft and serene.

As soon as Freen saw she was waking, his protective instinct kicked in. "Morning," he whispered softly, brushing a few strands of hair away from her face. Becky blinked, her innocent eyes focusing on him. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Becky smiled, her voice a little hoarse. "I'm okay... just sore."

"You need to eat," Freen said firmly, already standing up and heading to the small kitchen area. He found some bread, fruit, and a bit of soup left over from the night before. As he prepared the food, he couldn't help but glance back at Becky, making sure she was alright.

When he returned, Freen sat beside her and carefully handed her the food. "Here," he said, his voice unusually gentle. "You saved me last night. Now, it's my turn to take care of you."

Becky blushed, her heart fluttering at his words. "You don't have to, Freen..."

He shook his head, giving her a stern look. "I want to. Now eat."

Slowly, Becky took a few bites, but she was still weak. Without hesitation, Freen took the spoon and began to feed her himself, making sure she ate enough. His movements were careful, and he watched her with an intensity that made Becky blush even more. His touch was gentle, his presence comforting

Across the room, Noey sat with a painful grimace, still nursing the injuries he had sustained while protecting Irin. He had shielded her during the attack, making sure she wasn't harmed. Despite his attempts to downplay the situation, Irin was determined to take care of him.

"You saved me," she said softly, gently adjusting his bandages. Her eyes were filled with gratitude and worry. "You shouldn't have put yourself in danger like that."

Noey gave her a reassuring smile, though his arm throbbed. "How could I not? I couldn't just let anything happen to you."

Irin blushed, her hands trembling slightly as she handed him a cup of water. "Still, you need to rest. Let me help you."

Noey chuckled, wincing as he shifted in his seat. "I'm not one to let anyone fuss over me, but for you, I'll make an exception."

Her face flushed deeper, but she stayed by his side, offering her help with every little thing. Though Noey teased her lightly, there was an unmistakable connection forming between them.

Just as the moment grew a little more tender, Nam, Heng, and Kade entered the room with wide grins. "Well, look who's gone and turned heroic," Kade said with a dramatic flair. "Noey, risking his life for Irin—who would've thought?"

Nam smirked, crossing her arms. "Becky and Freen over here, and now Noey and Irin? What's going on in this safehouse?"

Heng laughed, giving Noey a playful pat on the back. "I didn't know you had it in you, man."

Noey rolled his eyes, his usual humor returning. "What can I say? Someone had to keep Irin safe. I just did what needed to be done."

Freen, sitting next to Becky, chuckled softly. "I see Noey's got a soft side after all."

Kade couldn't help but join in the teasing. "Seems like Noey's the one who's gone soft. We might need to add him to the list of lovestruck fools."

Irin blushed furiously at the teasing, her heart racing. Noey shot them a half-hearted glare, though there was amusement in his eyes. "You're one to talk, Kade," Noey fired back. "Last I checked, you were still the only one here without someone to fuss over you."

Kade groaned dramatically as the room erupted into laughter. "Leave me out of this! I'm single by choice, okay?"

Nam and Heng exchanged a knowing look. Nam smirked. "Yeah, we've heard that one before."

Irin, her face still pink from embarrassment, glanced shyly at Noey. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with sincerity.

Noey smiled warmly. "Anytime, Irin. Anytime."

Nam smirked, leaning against the wall beside Heng. "Becky and Freen over here playing house, and Irin practically being Noey's nurse." Her grin widened. "You two are really milking this injury thing, huh?"

Heng chuckled, crossing his arms. "I didn't know either of you were the clingy type."

Freen, for once, didn't even try to hide his feelings. "You're just jealous, Kade. It's gotta be tough being the only single one here."

The room erupted into laughter, and Kade rolled his eyes dramatically. "Oh please, Freen. I'm single by choice. You, on the other hand..." He pointed at Freen and Becky, who blushed as Freen put his arm protectively around her. "You've gone soft."

"Soft?" Freen raised an eyebrow, teasing Kade back. "I wouldn't be talking if I were you. Nam and Heng practically have to babysit you."

Nam grinned wickedly. "He's not wrong."

Kade groaned as Heng, his partner, gave him a playful punch in the arm. "Leave me alone. At least I don't have to share my space," Kade muttered, his face redder by the second.

Irin and Becky, who had been quietly taking in the teasing, exchanged surprised glances. "Wait... Nam and Heng are a couple?" Becky asked, her innocent tone filled with curiosity.

Irin's eyes widened. "How did we miss that?"

Noey burst out laughing, clutching his side. "Oh wow, you two didn't know?" He shook his head, teasingly. "They've been together for years! How did you not pick up on that?"

Becky and Irin looked at each other in shock, and Becky blushed again. "I didn't realize. They're... so perfect together."

Nam smirked and put an arm around Heng's shoulders. "You've got good taste, Becky. We keep it low-key because... well..." She grinned, glancing over at Kade. "We have enough drama with this guy."

Kade sighed dramatically. "I'm a victim of circumstance."

Freen chuckled, pulling Becky a little closer as she finished her meal. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Kade."

With the teasing continuing, the atmosphere lightened. Despite the injuries and the looming threat of Mike, there was a warmth in the room—a sense of family, of shared bonds and love. Freen looked down at Becky, who was now resting her head gently on his shoulder. Even in her innocent, pure way, she had fought for him, protected him. His heart swelled with emotions he hadn't felt in a long time.

Meanwhile, Irin carefully adjusted Noey's bandage, her eyes lingering on him a little longer than usual. She had never met someone like him before—so brave and strong, yet so lighthearted. Noey noticed her gaze and gave her a soft smile, one that made her blush and quickly look away.

As the laughter died down, a sense of peace filled the safehouse. But the danger wasn't over. They knew Mike would come back, and they would have to be ready.

For now, though, they had each other, and that was enough to get through the moment.