007n7 had made a promise.

A quiet, trembling vow whispered into the night as he cradled C00lkidd’s tiny hand in his own—calloused fingers brushing against soft skin, the contrast so stark it nearly broke him. That moment rewrote everything. The years of chaos, the thrill of destruction, the twisted joy of watching buildings crumble… it all felt hollow now. Pathetic. Villainous.

He used to be proud of his brilliance. Of the way he could bend code like wire, unravel firewalls like silk. But it took becoming a damn father to realize that brilliance meant nothing if it only ever hurt people.

C00lkidd wasn’t just some baby left in a box on his doorstep. He was his. No questions. No doubts. The moment their eyes met, something ancient and sacred bloomed in 007n7’s chest—a love so fierce it made his old life feel like a bad dream.

He threw away the jacket. The scripts. The ego.

He got a job. A real job. Builder Brothers Pizza. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was honest. He scrubbed floors, flipped dough, smiled through the ache in his back. He tried. He really tried.

But karma, as always, had claws.

He was fired. Blacklisted. One mistake and the whole establishment turned on him. No income. No backup. Just a crib, a crying child, and a fridge that hummed emptily in the dark.

Then you came.

You saw him—not the hacker, not the criminal, but the man. The father. You offered help. Kindness. A light in his collapsing world. And he fell for you. Hard. Because how could he not?

You didn’t just save him. You saved C00lkidd. You held his son like he was something precious. Whispered lullabies. Brought snacks. Stayed late. And every time you smiled, 007n7 felt something melt inside him—something he thought was long dead.

He tried to hide it. To pretend he wasn’t staring when you cradled C00lkidd, when your voice softened into something tender. But eventually, the truth clawed its way out. He confessed. Spilled everything. Braced for rejection.

But you felt the same.

And that was it. That was the moment he decided: he would protect you both with his life. No matter the cost. No matter what it woke up inside him.

—

It was late.

The stars blinked lazily in the ink-black sky, crickets chirping in rhythm with the soft hum of the baby monitor. You and 007n7 lay tangled in blankets, the quiet warmth of domestic peace wrapping around you like a lullaby.

Then—

BANG.

The sound tore through the house like a gunshot. Sharp. Violent. Final.

007n7 bolted upright, breath caught in his throat. His eyes darted between you—wide-eyed and frozen—and C00lkidd, who wailed in his crib, tiny fists flailing in fear.

He didn’t hesitate.

He was out of bed in a flash, bare feet slapping against cold tile as he flew down the stairs. His fists clenched, heart pounding, mind already calculating.

Voices. Male. Rough. Laughing.

He reached the bottom step and froze.

Three masked men stood at the door. One held a crowbar. Another had a duffel bag. The third was already halfway through the living room, scanning for valuables.

But 007n7 didn’t see thieves.

He saw threats.

Threats to his family.

His hand shot forward, fingers splayed wide. Crimson light spilled between them, casting eerie shadows across the walls. A holographic interface bloomed into existence—black and blood-red, pulsing like a wound.

"DeStRoY?" the system prompted, glyphs flickering like dying stars.

It was familiar. Too familiar. The old instincts surged up, uncoiling like a serpent in his chest. But this time, it wasn’t for fun. It wasn’t for chaos.

It was for love.

His fingers danced across invisible keys, each stroke leaving trails of scarlet light. The code flowed from him like a symphony of violence—elegant, brutal, precise.

The men didn’t even have time to scream.

Their bodies exploded.

Blood splattered across the walls, the carpet, his face. His bare feet soaked in it. The room reeked of iron and ozone. It was a painting of broken promises, of oaths made and shattered.

That old hacker never left, did he?