LEO
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26/01/2003
Panay, The Philippines
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I was fucking terrified when I thought she was dead.

For the longest time, I've said I can't stand her.

But for that awful few hours, when I thought she wouldn't open them intense green eyes ever again, I realised that I can't stand the thought of her being gone.

Unable to sleep because of my ever-running mind, and also since it's still very fucking hot, I slide off of my bunk, no longer having to listen to Jed's tossing and turning since he's now apparently a goddamn terrorist.

The barracks are echoed by the sounds of soft snores. It's pretty damn hard for me to tread lightly because of the size of me, but I try my best. I cross the wooden floorboards with delicacy; the odd creak causing a teammate to roll over in their bunk slightly, but nobody wakes up.

I sigh in exhaustion as I head to the washroom, pushing open the door ready to splash some of that saviour cold water on my face.

I didn't realise the room was already occupied. And I blink as my breath catches slightly.

Nova is leaning against the faucet, elbows on the side. Thin sleep-shorts creased between her perfectly rounded ass. And Jesus Christ, to my embarrassment, I'm fucking hard. Hard over Nova goddamn Shields.

She turns around and glances at me in surprise, her hair all up in a disheveled topknot, loose strands framing her face.

She's clearly been doing the exact same thing I came here to do. I clear my throat and head to the washbasin next to her, running the faucet.

"Can't sleep?" I mumble, rubbing some of the water into my strained features and silently praying for the bulge in my pants to fuck off.

"Nope, you?" She groans frustratedly, running her hands across her face as she leans back over the washbasin.

I shake my head, gazing over at her. It's only now I notice for the first time that she has a tattoo, a small constellation of stars just underneath the nape of her neck, travelling down her back slightly. Into an area shielded by her cami that sticks to her like second skin.

I don't say anything, instead I clearly think it's a better idea to stare like a goddamn creep. She dries off her face and glimpses at me with a confused expression, "what are you looking at?"

"Your tattoo," I say quietly with a shrug, pulling my gaze away and looking back into the mirror.

"It's Orion, the constellation," she replies with a small smile, turning around and looking backwards into the mirror, glancing over her shoulder so she can see it.

"How are you feeling, after everything?" I ask, changing the subject abruptly as she whips her head to look at me. Maybe it's the heat that's getting to me, but I have a painful urge to pull down that tank and see the rest of that goddamn tattoo.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

"I'm okay," she says it so bluntly, so nonchalantly. It's painfully fucking obvious that she's lying.

"No you're not," I interject, a frustrated expression flashing across her face. She places a hand on her hip, popping it out sternly and pouting her lower lip.

"Yes I am." She snaps, hanging the towel back onto a rail before spinning to walk away. It's not often I get chances to talk to her completely and utterly alone, so I link my hand around her wrist.

"Nova Shields, for once in your Goddamn life, stop being so fucking stubborn and admit that  you aren't okay." I whisper-shout, slowly leading her towards me.

"Stop saying you don't care and then acting like you do!" She seethes, but doesn't resist the way I'm still guiding her back into my space. I don't even think I need to lead her anymore, she's walking just fine.

"Of course I fucking care, Goddamnit woman." I hiss, taking a deep breath to calm down, or maybe it's to fight against the ridiculous urge to grab her cheeks and just kiss that stubborn fucking face off.

I wonder how she tastes. How it would feel to have those puffy, rosy lips on mine. More to the point, I wonder why I'm suddenly so fucking over my head.

Her momentary silence is unnerving. "It's about time you admitted it." She snickers under her breath as I shake my head.

"You can be a real thorn in my side, you know?" I raise an eyebrow, looking down at her. I don't even realise the my hand is still gripping her wrist.

"Then why haven't you been able to stay away from me recently?" She gazes up at me, tilting her chin and blinking a few times. Angling her head up towards me. Her mouth.

Oh Jesus Christ, those green fucking eyes. They're absolutely hypnotic, about three blinks away from causing me to lose all self control. Of course she's always had them, but it's as though I've only just noticed how breathtaking they actually are.

They're like two emeralds, a slightly deeper shade of green around the edges, which just make the centre of her iris' even more stunning.

"Because even though there's times when I absolutely can't fucking stand you, I also can't stand the thought of not having you around." I sigh, glancing sideways before staring back into her eyes, because how can I not?

"You remember the day that North had enough of our shit and you got transferred back to the Falcons, and you said that 'we both got what we wanted'?" I ask quietly, gazing down at her.

She seems deep in thought for few seconds before nodding slowly, releasing a breath with her tongue darting out to wet her lower lip. God. "Yeah, I remember."

I don't even realise how much I've leaned down, and how damn close our faces have edged towards each other, it's like a magnetic pull.

One that I definitely can't resist, and she can't either, by the looks of it. Not based off of the way she just raised onto her tiptoes.

"It was never what I wanted, Nova." I whisper, my breath sending a few loose strands of hair rustling around her face.

I reach up my hand and gently brush her hair out of the way, tucking it behind her ear. She remains quiet for a few seconds, before her eyes soften around the edges as all of her intensity seems to crumble away.

"It wasn't what I wanted either, Leo." She speaks softly as I lean in further, moving my hand to cup the side of her cheek, skimming my thumb across the harsh line of her cheekbone.

I lean down. Our lips less than an inch away as our noses brush together slightly. She sighs into my mouth, her warm minty breath sending goosebumps up my back.

The mere feeling is like an electric shock, causing both of us to jolt a little. Unfortunately, it shocks us back into reality as we lunge away from one another, staring at each other with wild eyes.

And in the fucking nick of time apparently, since Martin Shelley suddenly walks through the door, groaning and stretching.

"Why can't I get any damn sleep?!" He complains, completely ruining the moment of whatever the fuck just happened. 

Nova gives an awkward, fake chuckle before practically flying out of the washroom.

Fuck.

What in the actual fuck am I doing, having these thoughts?

Chasing after her definitely isn't the best way to go about this. I just nod to Shelley before heading out of the washroom a few seconds later.

—

"Hendrix! Come in here!" I hear North bellow out into base from the door of his 'office'.

What the fuck is going on now?

Unless it's to do with last night, if he's somehow found out.

I plaster the usual serious expression across my face and stride towards the small building.

Walking inside, I could've guessed.

Joseph is perched on North's side of the desk with the laptop open in front of him, a satisfied expression on his face. Opposite him and glancing up at me, is Nova.

My jaw clenches from the mere sight of her. I've got absolutely no fucking idea of how to act around her now, so my best guess is to just pretend that nothing happened.

"Morning," I mumble, faking a yawn as I sit down in the chair next to her.

Before she even gets the chance to reply, North speaks up.

"Joseph here has got us an exact pinpoint on the location of the hostages. Turn's out the son of a bitch Jed wasn't as organised as he thought, since the address was printed in a text message," he exclaims enthusiastically, earning a shocked glance from me and Nova.

"How do we know it's definitely the right location?" Nova urges, cautious as ever as her eyebrows furrow.

"It's printed down numerous times in reference, efforts were to keep us as far away as possible until the 'right time'. Cunt's aren't going to know what's hit them, since they probably don't even know we've caught Jed out." He snickers, clearly ecstatic.

"Where is the location?" I ask this time, trying to get a glimpse at the laptop screen.

"An old farmhouse in Passi City, we've got the address," North grins.

"A farmhouse, huh? Seems a strange place for a group of terrorists to be based," Nova murmurs apprehensively, leaning back in her seat.

"Well, I say a farm house, but it's fucking giant. We've got images through satellites." He informs us, toning down to a more professional voice rather than his blatant excitement.

"So what's the plan? Are we pushing in immediately or are we giving it a few days?" I question, glancing between them all.

"We need to execute this perfectly, we absolutely can not afford to fuck up. That's why I've called the pair of you in here. Since you both seem to have settled down rather than fighting, I need both of your help in organising this. Like I always said, your skill sets fit together perfectly." He explains, calmly yet urgently.

I'm starting to think our skill sets aren't the only things that fit together.

"We will do our best, Sir." Nova speaks suddenly, standing up from her chair with a screech.

North nods in satisfaction, waving us away with his hands. "Go and talk things through, come up with a basic strategy and then inform me. Here's a file that I put together," he passes Nova a paper folder.

We both nod slightly before turning, walking out of the room and towards the barracks in complete silence.

—

Sitting on Nova's bunk to discuss this probably isn't the best idea, but the barracks are the quietest place in the daytime. So far, she hasn't mentioned last night at all. She's been acting completely normal, and it's throwing me right off kilter.

Does she really not give a fuck?

Her mouth is constantly moving and she hasn't shut up once since we sat down, drawing plans up all over the folder like a madwoman. I want to shut her up.

Last year, it would have pissed me off; I think I definitely called her an obnoxious bitch a few times. Now however, I sort of admire it. She works so fucking hard. She was seconds away from death last week, but that hasn't stopped her.

"Leo? Are you listening?" She waves the pen at me to snap me out of my thoughts.

"Honestly? No, I'm not. I'm thinking about what happened last night," I admit suddenly, causing her head to immediately swivel into the opposite direction.

"What about it?" She murmurs, fiddling with the pen.

"You know what about," I mumble in response, a frustrated frown plastering across my lips.

"It was just the heat of the moment," she sighs, still looking away. She's a painfully bad liar.

"Nova-"

"Look Leo, I don't think talking about it whilst we're trying to plan an operation to rescue 19 hostages is a good idea," she quickly interjects, letting out another frustrated sigh.

She does have a point.

Instead of saying anything else, I just nod slowly and lean forward to analyse the plan she has so far. Based off of her little doodles, it looks like she wants to just power right into that farmhouse and take them all out.

"Do you really think just flying in guns 'a blazing is the best idea? Shouldn't we try and be a little more stealthy?" I question, glancing at her face.

"No, because if somebody fucks up when we're already inside, Altashih immediately gets the upper hand. They'll corner us in, but if we push in straight off the bat, we catch them off guard." She explains, pointing her pen at the sketches.

"As soon as we step through them doors, it'll be like a battlefield. They're going to have artillery, there's no doubt about that. I just think that maybe not drawing tons of attention to ourselves straight away might be a better idea, Nova." I furrow my eyebrows slightly.

"No, Leo. Even by drawing attention to ourselves, we still get the upper hand since we will be the first ones to shoot at them, hopefully taking some of them out before they get the chance to prepare themselves." She speaks with frustration laced in her voice.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I grunt, shooting her a glare. She knows exactly how to agitate me, purposeful or not.

I forgot how we tend to bicker when we're forced to organise something, since our strategies always seem to be entirely different. It hasn't taken long in the past for our arguments to turn hostile.

"Well I think it is," she narrows her eyes at me.

"It's a death wish," I sigh, shaking my head.

"Being a part of Fleetwood is arguably a death wish," she quips back.

"Okay, so say we go in the way you've planned, what if half of our team gets taken out immediately?" I raise my eyebrows, tilting my head slightly.

"I'd hope we're more fucking skilled than just getting wiped out immediately like a bunch of goddamn bowling pins. Plus, we will all have our gear on. Taking a few bullets wouldn't be a bother as long as they hit the vests." She answers with no hesitation.

"I still don't think it's a great idea," I mumble, frowning slightly.

"You never think any of my ideas are great," she folds her arms across her chest.

"Because they're not," I narrow my eyes at her, even though it's a complete lie. Most of her ideas are amazing, but not this one.

"You told me that feeding Abe was a bad idea," she grumbles, her jawline sharpening as her teeth grit together.

"And you thought that going out on a damn walk outside of base with Jed was a good idea, you goddamn idiot!" I hiss at her, with instant regret.

Her countenance immediately twists from anger to disappointment as she glances away.

Why the fuck did I just say that?

She just heaves out a long, agitated sigh. Within a few seconds, an intensified fury returns to her eyes.

I've definitely fucked up.

"Fuck you," she seethes, standing up off of the bunk and practically launching the pen at me.

"Nova-"

"God forbid I fucking trusted someone," her voice emits an emotion I can't even describe.

She paces on her spot for a few seconds before turning and lashing her finger at me, "and you, you're clearly just the same obnoxious asshole that you were when I joined the Hawk's."

"Nova, I'm-"

"Just shut up. Banksy can do the plan with you, I'm not getting fucking involved. In fact, stay as far as fucking possible away from me," a significant force of rage cracks right through her voice.

She won't listen to me anymore.

So I'm not even going to attempt to make her stay, because she's far too stubborn to hear me out.

Instead, I just watch as she storms to the door, yanking it open and slamming it behind her.

Shit.