✓ ❘ 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐈𝐈𝐈: 𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐄 ─ 𝐁. 𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sɪx: ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴘᴇᴀᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ / ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sᴇᴠᴇɴ: ᴅʀᴏᴘ

"Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me."

I sighed deeply, letting my shoulders slump as I looked at the man in front of me tiredly. Why, God, why? Out of all the possible agents Hydra had to offer – WHY?

Did I want to beat the shit out of him? Hell fucking yeah. BUT... (Y/N) still had me in the doghouse, and I knew that being the cause behind a wonderfully battered and bruised Doctor Aaron Ross would not help my case.

Thus, I relented.

"Look, I know I've spoken about kicking your ass a thousand times, but seeing as how you're currently under the control of a homicidal maniac, this hardly seems fair to you, so..." I extended a hand in truce-like fashion. "Let's both just back down, yeah?"

Apparently, Ross felt otherwise, as he showed by delivering a solid punch to the left side of my torso, followed by a harsh strike to my right cheek. I was admittedly caught off guard – because never in a million years did I think that he would have the balls to hit me – and the attack sent me flying into the wall. I groaned lowly as I hit the cold floor.

Oh, so that's how it's gonna be?

Grinding my teeth, I sucked in a harsh breath. "Okay."

Pushing myself up, I swept Ross' legs out from underneath him, causing him to tumble to the floor. I stood over him, looking down.

That was too easy. I almost felt sorry for the guy.

"Ross, c'mon," I tried again, shaking my head, "Don't make me do this."

With a grunt, he struck the side of my knee, making my leg buckle, and punched me in the face for a second time.

Fuck it. Imma kill him. Sorry, (Y/N).

He went in for another strike, but I countered it and delivered one of my own. Ross was thrown off balance, and I used the oppurtunity to grab the gun from the holster around his waist and disarm him.

Tossing the gun to the side, I just about managed to dodge a kick from the doctor. He followed up swiftly, hitting me in the gut and tackling me to the floor where he held me down with a foot to the chest.

Guy's been taking lessons for sure.

"You got good," I complimented, breathing heavily.

I reversed the hold, pulling myself up to my feet and holding Ross in a submission lock with my arm.

Unfortunately for him, they weren't with me.

"I'm still better," I reminded, increasing the pressure and cutting off his airflow. "Just give in."

He managed to elbow me in the chest, knocking the wind out of me. He twisted out of the hold, immediately smashing his forearm into the side of my head.

Ross scrambled to try and get to the gun across the floor, but I tripped him and knocked him down. I quickly pinned him down, placing my knees firmly against his torso as my hands clasped themselves around his neck.

He tried to fight back, his hands flying to mine and struggling to pry them off of his neck. I only increased the pressure.

"Come on," I grumbled, mentally willing him to lose conciousness. Any longer in this fight and one of us would do something they'd regret.

His eyes were starting to glaze over and he was starting to fade. I squeezed harder.

"Brendon!"

And there it was. The only thing that could capture my attention regardless of where I was or what I was doing.

Her.

I turned, my bruised face looking at her. Even panicked she was beautiful. She ran forward, stopping a little way away from the two of us and holding her hands up. Looking down at an almost lifeless Ross, a tiny gasp left her lips.

I felt a pang in my chest. She thinks I'm the bad guy. When it comes to me and Ross, she'll always think I'm the bad guy. I flexed my jaw.

"Let him go," she said softly.

He'd kill both of us if I do.

"No."

She ground her teeth. "Brendon, if you kill him, I swear to god I will never forgive you."

Nice to know you think so highly of me.

Maintaining eye contact with her, I increased my pressure one more time, and Ross' limp arms fell to the floor as he faded away.

I looked up at her immediately, watching as her lips parted, a throaty scream expelling from her mouth. The ground vibrated with every harsh step she took as she rushed forward with only one goal in mind.

Checking to see if he was okay.

Dropping down, she kneeled next to Ross' limp body, her laboured breathing filling my ears even as I stood to the side.

I looked on distastefully but I didn't interfere, allowing her to have a moment; if I had said or done something, I was almost certain I would've gotten an icicle to the heart.

Fire swirling in her eyes, she glared at me. If looks could kill... "What the fuck is wrong with y-"

"Relax," I shut my eyes in annoyance, holding out one hand to silence her, "He's not dead. Just knocked out."

Her entire body relaxed at my words, and she closed her eyes and let out a thankful sigh. I treaded over and kneeled on the other side of Ross' body.

"We need to get him to the infirmary," I said, starting to lift the doctor up.

She helped, transferring Ross fully over into my grasp once he was upright. Both of us started down the corridor.

"Then what?" she queried, giving the smallest of frowns as she noticed the blue tinge in his skin.

"I'm gonna recalibrate him."

To some, her concern may have seemed endearing but to me, it was the exact opposite. It disgusted me. It angered me. Seeing her fawn over him made me want to scream and rip my hair out.

Especially since she knew... she knew.

I guess she just didn't care.

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Thank you for reading x