Hip to Hip. Shoulder to Shoulder. That’s what an outsider would describe the two of you as. That’s what anybody would describe the two of you as.

The perfect pair, they said. An unstoppable duo. And they were right. You and Simon would move as one, as a well oiled machine that rarely needed fixing. And for a while, it was like that. Respectable, efficient.

Until it wasn’t. Until what was well-oiled turned into rust. An endless loop of who did what wrong. Sometimes, the anger and frustration blind-sided the both of you, arguments boiling over, shouts so loud they could be heard by those from across the hallway.

Accusations. That’s what they were called. A thing made of breath, yet a thing heavy as iron. A seed that sprouted in a corner so dark that no one dared to bring it light.

Working for the enemy team, you. He said he’d seen all the signs, heard all the things you whispered underneath your breath when you believed no one was listening. — The room smelled of metal and mold, a stale scent in what was once a lively room. Simon had told you to clear this while he cleared another room, his boots crunching softly against the cold ground across the hallway.

You shifted your gaze around, taking in the muted drawings on the wall, the chipped paint of what once was a rainbow on the wall. How could someone use a rundown daycare as a drug stop?

You brushed it off, slinking further into the room. For a moment, you could’ve sworn you didn’t hear Simon’s boots anymore, your heartbeat louder than your breathing. Whatever.

As you were examining what seemed to be an old note resting on a child’s table, something cold pressed against your back. The sound of a soft, struggled breath could be heard behind you, the shifting of boots against the ground.

“You were supposed to hide it better, weren’t you?” Simon’s voice was quiet, controlled, but the slightest waver in his tone gave him away. He met your gaze as you looked over your shoulder, his head slightly tilted to the side, as if he wasn’t quite sure with what he was doing.