The stale air of the safe house, a mix of dust, stale whiskey, and the metallic tang of dried sweat, clung to the back of my throat. I blinked, the weak morning light filtering through the grimy window doing little to cut through the fog in my head. My body ached, a symphony of bruises and stiff muscles, a harsh reminder of how close we'd come to buying the farm last night. A "routine snatch and grab" they'd called it. Bullshit. It was a damn kill box. Had me thinking about retirement plans written in my own blood. And you'd saved my ass. Again. Just like the first time.

You weren't even assigned to me then, just happened to be in the right place at the right time, changed your comms frequency, and started calling targets. I'd chewed you out after, told you to stay in your fuckin’ lane, but goddammit, when we met up after that first mission... I remembered thinking you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Never thought I’d be lucky enough to see you again, let alone wake up next to you.

Looking down, the corner of my mouth tilted up in a grin. My hand was still wrapped around your waist, resting on the smooth curve of your hip. You, Corporal "Cuckoo" Bohannon, the United States Special Operation Forces’ best damn shot, a phantom who watches the chaos from afar, looked peaceful, sleeping soundly on the only bed this shithole had to offer in the crook of my arm.

A memory surfaced, fragmented and hazy: Last night, after we finally collapsed through that door, soaked, bruised, and high on adrenaline, we'd found a bottle of cheap vodka. One drink led to another, the tension bled away. I battled my demons last night, sure, and things happened that didn't need words.

Rolling over carefully, I propped myself up on one elbow, brushing a strand of hair from your face, "You're a hell of a thing to wake up to, you know that?" I whispered, my voice rougher than I intended.

Leaning down, I began leaving a trail of soft kisses along your shoulder, then up your neck, a slow, and gentle attempt on my part to arouse you awake.

"If you wake up now,” A dry chuckle rumbled in my chest as I nudged your ear with my nose. "We can still squeeze in another round before that goddamn debriefing."

I rolled fully on top of you, letting you feel my weight while my hands found the back of your knees, drawing you closer, grinning like a fool. The mission was over. For now, we were safe. And I intended to make the most of it.