Noctis sat on the edge of Isaac's bed.
Absentmindedly, he stroked Isaac's hand. His touch was so gentle it seemed as if he were afraid of hurting him, yet deep inside him an unspeakable fury was boiling.
Anger at the wannabe gangsters from the Viper Syndicate.
Anger over the gunshot wound.
Anger at the damn cop who had made everything even more complicated.
Anger at the boss in front of whom Isaac always felt he had to function perfectly.
And above all, anger at the man who had driven him into a damn panic attack.
Noctis' jaw tightened.
He wished he could kill Nico one more time—and while he was at it, he would take care of that irritating cop as well.
Impulsiveness had never been a problem for Noctis. He acted quickly, often without thinking—and he had never regretted a single one of his decisions. No matter how much trouble they had caused him. Trouble was part of the business. Consequences as well.
However, he also understood Isaac's objection, and his brother wouldn't be thrilled either if he suddenly started killing cops. It would endanger the plan.
The only thing stopping Noctis right now was simple reason. And reason had never been his strong suit.
Slowly, he brushed a dark strand of hair out of Isaac's face. His fingers lingered for a moment at his temple.
Maybe I should have just locked you up somewhere instead of bringing you home…
He still lay there motionless, his skin pale, his breathing shallow and steady. That was probably for the best, because it had given Noctis the chance to call his brother so he could help him get rid of the bodies. At least he had been able to quickly check Isaac on-site before Noctis brought him home.
Vincent had said there was nothing to worry about, and since he was a professional when it came to injuries, Noctis trusted him completely.
Even so, Noctis felt more restless than he had in a long time. He didn't even know why Isaac had suddenly had that panic attack.
He wanted to know what had triggered such a strong reaction. The torture? What he had turned Nico into?
If Noctis thought about it seriously, he had turned Nico into a grotesque reflection of himself—and Isaac had watched the entire time.
Noctis' mouth twisted slightly.
But he had been damn furious. Because of everything Nico had done to Isaac, and he had gladly repaid him for every scratch and every single bruise. He had taken particular pleasure in thanking him extensively for the gunshot wound.
Even now, the anger burned hot in his veins when he thought about it.
He forced himself to exhale slowly.
Now Isaac just had to wake up.
Slowly, he breathed out.
Noctis leaned forward slightly, his fingers still wrapped around Isaac's hand, as if he could keep him anchored in the here and now that way.
At that moment, his phone vibrated. The sound cut through the silence of the room. Noctis frowned, pulled the device from his pocket, and glanced at the display. A name lit up.
He answered the call.
"Kieran?" he said calmly. "What is it?"
For a moment, there was silence on the other end. Then he heard Kieran's muffled voice.
"The cops were here."
"When?"
"About three hours ago. I had so much to do that I couldn't call earlier," Kieran replied. "Is Isaac with you right now?"
Noctis studied the motionless body on the bed for a moment. Then he answered without hesitation.
"No. Why?"
A brief pause followed on the other end.
"They were asking questions. Wanted to know where he was and why he didn't show up for work this morning. That one cop comes here every morning, you know, and he seems to get along pretty well with Isaac."
Noctis' jaw tightened.
"Get to the point."
Kieran sighed quietly.
"Anyway, I had to tell them that I opened the café a bit later because I overslept. I figured it was better to stick somewhat close to the truth on that part," Kieran continued. "Listen, Noctis, I told them Isaac took some time off because of a job. They thought it was strange that he got leave so suddenly, but they didn't say anything else."
Noctis tilted his head slightly.
"Okay. Why are you calling me about it?" he asked.
"Because I didn't like the cops' reaction. That one who comes in every day—"
"Benedict," Noctis growled.
"Yeah. Him. He didn't seem particularly convinced," Kieran said. "Have you already gone to see the boss?"
"No," Noctis replied curtly. "Something came up."
Another brief silence followed.
"You should go see him as soon as possible," Kieran said at last, his tone serious. "And explain what happened. If the police start sniffing around, things could escalate faster than we'd like."
Annoyed, Noctis rubbed his face.
"We'll go tonight," he said. "I already sent him a message."
On the other end of the line, he heard Kieran exhale in relief.
"Good. Tell Isaac to be careful, though. I wouldn't be surprised if the cops come by to visit him."
A faint smile appeared on Noctis' lips.
"Don't worry about that," he said calmly. "You know Isaac."
Kieran snorted softly.
"Yeah. That's the only reason I'm this relaxed. I need to get back to work. We'll talk again if I learn anything new."
"Thanks for the information."
"Anytime. Take care of yourselves."
With that, Kieran hung up.
Noctis looked at Isaac for another moment before dialing a different number. Somehow he had the feeling that Benedict would show up here later that afternoon. He was far too fixated on Isaac for anything else.
The line rang only briefly before a calm voice answered.
"Sandman?"
Noctis leaned back slightly.
"Number Two," he said shortly. "What's our favorite cop up to?"
"He's still out and about. They're questioning the neighborhood."
"Keep watching him," Noctis said calmly. "And call me if he does anything he normally wouldn't."
"Understood."
With that, Noctis hung up. He glanced at the clock—it was already 3 p.m. If he wasn't mistaken, the cop usually finished his shift between five and six.
His gaze drifted back to Isaac.
Only now did he really notice what the two of them looked like.
Blood still clung to his hands and beneath his fingernails. Dark, stiff stains had formed across his shirt. Isaac's clothes were no better—torn, sweat-soaked, and laced with the metallic scent of dried blood. On top of that came the fine dust from the abandoned factory hall, which had settled in their hair, on their skin, and even on the bedsheets.
They smelled of fighting, sweat, blood, and grime.
Noctis exhaled quietly.
He should really take a shower and then take care of Isaac.
He leaned forward slightly and pressed a gentle kiss to Isaac's forehead.
"I'll be right back, darling," he murmured softly.
At that moment, the corner of Isaac's mouth twitched.
Noctis froze.
The hand he had been holding suddenly tightened slightly around his fingers. A faint, pained groan slipped from Isaac's lips. His brows drew together.
Noctis leaned back a little and watched him closely while his fingers brushed gently over Isaac's cheek.
"Hey…" he murmured calmly.
But in the next moment Isaac's eyes flew open. With a startled cry, he jerked upright.
Crack.
His forehead slammed straight into Noctis' chin. Both of them reflexively grabbed the spots they'd hit.
"Ow…" Noctis muttered, grimacing.
Isaac, however, barely seemed to notice the collision. Panic-stricken, he looked around the room, his gaze darting from one corner to the next.
"Where…?"
Noctis rubbed his chin one last time, then placed a calming hand on Isaac's back.
"You're home," he said quietly. "Easy."
Isaac's breathing was quick and shallow.
"How do you feel?"
Isaac let out a trembling breath. A single tear slipped from his eye and slowly ran down his cheek.
"Like shit," he finally managed in a hoarse voice.
His gaze found Noctis.
"Tell me that didn't happen," he whispered. "That I just had a damn nightmare because of the gunshot wound."
Noctis studied him for a moment.
"What exactly do you mean?" he asked carefully. "The torture?"
He hated seeing Isaac like this. That kind of fear didn't suit him.
Isaac bit his lip.
"No…" His voice was barely more than a shaky whisper. "The name."
His expression grew even tenser.
"Did he really say Levi?"
Noctis needed a moment.
"Levi…?" He thought briefly, then nodded slowly. "Yes. He did." He frowned slightly. "Who was—"
The sentence broke off.
Suddenly it clicked. How had he missed that connection?
Of course. So that's what he reacted to so strongly.
Isaac's body suddenly began to tremble violently.
His breathing was unsteady, and in his eyes there was a fear that ran far deeper than it appeared on the surface. Without hesitation, Noctis wrapped his arms around Isaac and pulled him close.
At first Isaac was completely rigid, but then he returned the embrace, clinging to Noctis.
He held on as if he might fall apart without that support.
Noctis placed a hand at the back of Isaac's head and slowly stroked through his hair.
"Hey…" he murmured quietly. "Easy."
Isaac's fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt.
"He won't hurt you," Noctis said calmly into his hair.
But Isaac barely reacted to the words. His body continued to tremble.
A cold anger rose inside Noctis.
Levi.
So that damn bastard had resurfaced.
Vincent had searched for him for years. After what happened back then, they had combed through everything—followed every lead, checked every possible contact. But eventually even Vincent had run out of traces. No sightings. No rumors. Not a single hint that Levi was still alive.
In the end, they had assumed someone else had already taken care of the problem.
That Levi had been disposed of after his attempt to murder Isaac.
Yet now, seventeen years later, he suddenly resurfaced and was reaching for Isaac again.
Noctis' gaze lowered to the man in his arms.
Isaac lived a withdrawn life. Aside from the café, he rarely deviated from his routine. No conspicuous contacts, no social circle, no unnecessary errands. Noctis could not imagine when Levi might have discovered him.
How long have you been after him?
He did not like that thought at all.
Isaac's breathing was still uneven.
"Calm down, Isaac," Noctis said quietly as his hand moved slowly over his back.
A shaky, almost hysterical laugh escaped Isaac.
"Easy for you to say…" he muttered hoarsely.
His fingers dug into Noctis' shirt as if he had to hold on to it to keep from losing his balance.
"Fuck…" A sob tore through his body. "Everything's over…"
"It isn't," Noctis said calmly.
Isaac shook his head weakly.
"It is," he contradicted in a broken voice. "I screwed up so badly there's no way out of this. If the boss doesn't punish me, the cops will catch me…"
His voice faltered.
"…or Levi himself."
Noctis pulled him a little closer.
"You're forgetting, once again, that I'm still here."
Isaac buried his face against Noctis' chest.
"You can't do anything against all of them either…" he sobbed. "Just because I couldn't control myself in that damn alley…"
His grip tightened.
"How could I have been so stupid…?"
"Isaac."
Noctis gently pulled him away. Not roughly, but firmly enough that Isaac was forced to look at him. With his thumb, he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Do you want to disappear?" he asked quietly. "We could run. Before anyone finds you here."
Isaac blinked at him.
For a brief moment his expression seemed empty—as if his mind first had to process what Noctis had just said. Then he broke down into even heavier tears. His hand clutched Noctis' shirt again.
"Noc…" he forced out. "My whole life is in this apartment…" His voice trembled. "I can't just—"
"Then we start somewhere else," Noctis interrupted calmly. "Together."
He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Isaac's cheek.
Isaac swallowed. His lips trembled slightly before he bit his lower lip again.
"I'd like to live with you," he finally whispered. "But…"
"…but?" Noctis asked quietly, although he already knew the answer.
Isaac shook his head helplessly.
"If I just disappear now… wouldn't they search for me everywhere? No matter where I hide, they'd find me. Just look at me. With the way I look, it's child's play to track me down," he said desperately. "I'd be putting you in danger too. None of them would just give up."
Noctis was silent for a moment.
Then he sighed quietly.
"Isaac."
He placed two fingers beneath Isaac's chin and lifted his head slightly until their eyes met.
"Don't act," he said calmly, "as if I couldn't protect you."
"That's not the point of whether you can protect me!" Isaac suddenly snapped. His voice was rough with emotion, his eyes still wet. "The point is that I would be living in constant fear!"
Noctis returned his gaze steadily.
"Then you stay home until you feel safe enough to go outside again," he said quietly.
To him, that sounded perfectly logical.
And if he was honest, he would prefer that anyway.
Isaac shook his head. A tired, resigned smile flickered briefly across his lips.
"When you say it, everything always sounds so simple…" he murmured. Then his gaze dropped. "I can't just ignore the boss either—"
He broke off and ran a hand over his face.
"Damn… what will he say when he hears about this…?"
Noctis' expression remained blank.
The boss probably already knew. In this city, almost nothing happened without it reaching him sooner or later. Information flowed here faster than blood.
Noctis could hardly have cared less.
The old man believed he controlled the city, and it would not be long before the bastard breathed his last and Isaac was finally free of him.
It irritated Noctis that even in his current situation Isaac was still thinking about what the boss would approve of and what he would not.
He sighed quietly.
"So you want to settle things first before we run?" Noctis asked.
Isaac nodded. "I can't just leave things like this."
Noctis ran a hand through his hair in irritation and exhaled deeply. Then he looked at Isaac again and gently brushed a hand over his cheek. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Think about it again, Isaac. We could disappear. Far away from here. Let the whole thing blow over. We could find some secluded place to live, order our food to the house, and spend the entire day together in bed. Between the two of us we have more than enough money not to worry about anything for the next ten or twenty years—except what we feel like doing when we're not sleeping with each other."
Isaac's breath caught softly. Noctis' fingers moved through Isaac's hair.
"We could travel. See the world. Walk barefoot along beaches. Hike through the mountains. Visit old cities, temples, ruins… all the things you're always interested in."
He leaned forward and kissed Isaac gently on the forehead.
Isaac's hand reached for his, trembling slightly, and held on. He said nothing—just listened while tears quietly ran down his cheeks.
"If we want to go out somewhere to eat, we'll just disguise you," Noctis said calmly. "I'll disguise myself too. We'll make up fake names and drive the people around us a little crazy."
A faint, crooked smile crossed his face.
"And if we don't feel like going out anymore… we'll stay home."
He shrugged.
"We'll watch every terrible movie ever made. And afterward we'll make love until we fall asleep from exhaustion."
Isaac suddenly looked at him with an expression Noctis had never seen on his face before. There was a deep, painful longing in it.
Noctis brushed his thumb over the back of Isaac's hand.
"I would kill anyone who tries to come after us," he said calmly. His voice was completely matter-of-fact. "No one will ever get their hands on you again."
"…Snow," Isaac murmured quietly. His voice was brittle. Another sob escaped him as his shoulders sagged slightly forward. "I want to go somewhere where there's a lot of snow," he continued softly. "Somewhere so cold that we have to keep each other warm."
Noctis looked at him for a moment, then leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips.
"Wherever you want," he said calmly.
Isaac exhaled slowly. For a moment, some of the tension seemed to leave him.
"But only after everything here is settled," he finally added. "I don't want to constantly wonder whether someone might discover us."
Noctis nodded slightly.
"I expected that," he murmured.
With his thumb, he brushed another tear from Isaac's cheek.
"Will you leave this Levi to me?"
Isaac's head snapped up.
"W-what?"
A cold smile played on Noctis' lips. There was nothing he would rather do than turn that bastard inside out and watch him die slowly.
"I'll kill him and present you with his head so you can sleep peacefully again. What do you think, darling?" He kissed Isaac on the lips. "Let me destroy your nightmare. Let me give you only pleasant dreams."
Isaac stared at him, clearly overwhelmed.
"I can't possibly—" he began.
"Yes, you can," Noctis interrupted calmly. He loosely intertwined his fingers with Isaac's. "Besides, starting today I'll be living here with you, and you'll tell me several times a day where you are."
Isaac's eyes widened even more.
"Wait, Noctis—" Isaac started. "That's too much all at once, I—"
He tried to push him away slightly. But Noctis effortlessly pulled him closer again.
"These are my conditions," Noctis said. "If you want to stay and handle everything first, then I'll help you. But we'll do it my way, okay?"
Isaac still looked at him uncertainly.
"Do you really want to move in here?" he finally asked quietly.
Noctis gave him an innocent smile.
"You won't even notice me. Besides, you need someone to take care of things here while your leg heals."
Isaac's inner conflict was visible without a single word being spoken. Noctis waited. He had said his part. Now it was Isaac's turn to make a decision.
Another shaky breath escaped Isaac's lips.
Then he fixed Noctis with his reddened eyes.
"Okay," he said quietly at last. "You can move in."
The corners of Noctis' mouth twitched slightly. But Isaac immediately raised a warning finger.
"However, I'll keep working on my jobs whenever possible, and you will not interfere—even if you get horny and can't keep your hands off me," he began. "I don't know if I can just disappear. Especially not while everything here is still burning."
His expression softened.
"But a vacation together with you would be nice for a start."
Isaac bit his lower lip again. The brief moment of relief faded from his face, replaced by the familiar tension.
"As for Levi…" he began quietly. "Okay… I don't think I could do anything against him if he suddenly stood in front of me."
His gaze lowered briefly.
"I'll leave him to you… but I want to see him when he's dead."
Then he looked back at Noctis. "Everything else I'll decide after I've seen the boss."
Noctis studied him for a moment.
It wasn't quite what he would have preferred. Ideally, he would have kept Isaac entirely out of this matter. But it was at least a beginning.
Perhaps Isaac would eventually realize that the boss was not the man he believed him to be. And if not, that problem would solve itself sooner or later.
That left only the cops.
"I'll present Levi to you on a silver platter in the morgue," he promised.
Isaac snorted. "…How romantic…"
A faint laugh escaped him—still fragile, but noticeably more relaxed than before. Some of the tension had left his face, even though his hands were still trembling slightly as he clung to Noctis.
"Can I really lean on you through all of this?" he asked uncertainly.
"If not me, then who else?" Noctis replied with a smile. "I protect what belongs to me."
And I'll kill anyone who tries to take you from me.
Isaac nodded slowly.
"Okay…" Then he wrapped his arms around Noctis again and pulled him closer. "Thank you."
Noctis immediately returned the embrace and held him lightly against his chest.
"I love you, Isaac," he said calmly. "Even though I think you've chosen the harder path."
Isaac snorted quietly against his shoulder.
"Sorry, but I can't just disappear with all the things that could catch up with us someday," he said softly. He pulled back a little and looked at him. "Thank you for staying with me despite everything."
Then he leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips.
"I love you too, Noctis."
Noctis no longer held himself back.
"How bad is the pain?" he murmured close to Isaac's lips. "And how much does the wound actually limit you?"
Suddenly he felt a strong urge to leave Isaac breathless in a different way.
Isaac, however, immediately grimaced.
"I feel like my leg might explode at any moment," he said dryly. "And besides, I feel so disgusting that I'd really prefer to shower first."
Noctis blinked once.
Right. There was that.
"Then we'll shower together," he decided immediately. "I'll help you wash."
Isaac looked at him skeptically.
"Seriously, Noc… I really just want to wash."
Noctis grinned anyway.
"That's all I'm talking about too."
He stood up, grabbed a small container from the nightstand, and handed Isaac a painkiller along with his water bottle.
Isaac murmured a quiet "Thanks," swallowed the pill, and let himself sink back into the pillows for a moment, exhausted.
Meanwhile, Noctis walked over to Isaac's wardrobe. He opened the doors, briefly scanned the contents, and eventually pulled out fresh clothes for both of them. He placed them neatly on a chair next to the bed.
With Isaac's injured leg, it would probably be easier if he changed later in the bedroom.
Noctis cast a brief glance back at the bed. Isaac was still lying there half-reclined, his eyes closed for a moment as if gathering his strength. Noctis had just been about to help Isaac up to bring him to the bathroom and finally wash the dirt and blood from their bodies when his phone began to ring.
He glanced briefly at the display.
Without hesitation, he answered.
"Two?"
"The cop just finished his shift," the voice on the other end reported. "But he's not driving home."
"Which direction?"
"Moonshadow."
Noctis' gaze narrowed.
"Keep an eye on him," he said calmly. "Call me as soon as he gets close to here. Follow him discreetly."
"Understood."
The line went dead.
Noctis lowered the phone and exhaled slowly.
Figures, you damn cop.
So Benedict had indeed decided to stop by personally one more time.
He had to deal with the cop before he saw Isaac. Ideally, he would inflict enough pain on him that he would never come back here again. However, he did not know what the police already knew. If they had a concrete suspicion against Isaac, the powder keg would explode the moment he killed him.
Unless…
A cold smile touched his lips. He had an idea that might actually work.
If the cops came, he would give them an appropriate reception.
"Who was that?" Isaac asked wearily from the bed.
Noctis slipped the phone back into his pocket.
"One of my men," he replied calmly. "The cop is on his way here."
Isaac froze.
"What?!"
He looked down at himself and hastily sat up on the edge of the bed. The movement was so abrupt that a sharp groan escaped him immediately as pain shot through his injured leg. He hunched slightly.
Noctis crossed the room in two quick steps.
"Calm down, darling," he said quietly, placing a hand on Isaac's shoulder. "I have an idea."
Isaac looked at him tensely.
"But what if he sees me?" he said quickly. "He'll notice immediately that—"
He broke off mid-sentence. His gaze turned suspicious.
"Wait," he said slowly. "What are you planning?"
Noctis' grin widened.
"Something you probably won't like," he said calmly. "But afterward we might have some peace from the cops for a while."
Without further explanation, he carefully lifted Isaac. Isaac let out a soft groan as his leg was strained and reflexively clung to Noctis while he carried him toward the bathroom.
"What are you planning?" Isaac asked again, trying to breathe more steadily.
"I'll explain in the shower," Noctis replied.
Then he stripped them of their clothes and stepped under the hot water with Isaac. While carefully washing his hair and body, he explained his plan.
Noctis could hardly wait for that damn cop to ring the doorbell.
Let's see how you like my idea, he thought with malicious satisfaction.
If the cop was making the extra effort to come see Isaac in person, then Noctis intended to give him a proper welcome.