Although he had firmly promised himself not to pull another all-nighter, he simply couldn't help it. After all the terrible things that had happened over the past few weeks, painting had become an oasis where he could lose himself. True, he was only creating new cards for Noctis, but it was the act of painting itself that brought him joy.
That, and the fact that he could finally focus on something beautiful for a change.
In truth, he was eager to devote himself to that wonderfully large blank canvas, and he already knew exactly what he wanted to do with it. Come to think of it, he had already created twelve cards for Noctis. Maybe he could simply start preparing the canvas.
A faint smile crept onto his lips.
Even if he ended up losing himself in that canvas, he had already created enough cards for Noctis to get by for the time being.
The thought of his beloved made his heart beat faster. His body simply could not resist him, and although Isaac still could not trust him completely, it felt good just to spend time with him.
Noctis was constantly on his mind.
That was probably why his imagination had already formed a clear picture of how he wanted to paint his beloved. Besides, this break would do him good.
All he needed for his little break—besides a canvas, paint, and good music—was a strong coffee and perhaps a sandwich, since he hadn't eaten anything since morning. He had been so focused on the cards that he had simply ignored his hunger.
But his hunger could no longer be ignored.
The coffee machine hissed softly as he assembled what was probably the thickest sandwich of the century. Gentle piano music was still playing through his earbud, and he quietly hummed along to the melody. Nighttime was his favorite part of the day.
It was peaceful. No one called, and all the noises of the day had completely faded away. It was exactly the time of day that truly fueled his creativity.
"Oooooh~! So my nose wasn't fooling me after all!"
Ash's voice suddenly came from the doorway. Isaac flinched. For a fraction of a second, his entire body tensed before he managed to regain his composure. His heart gave an unpleasant lurch.
"Are you making me a coffee too?"
He shot her a brief glance and then nodded toward the second mug sitting on the counter.
"You can have that one."
His voice remained calm, but inside, his mind was already working at full speed.
Damn it... What exactly was Ashe doing in the kitchen at the precise moment he had spontaneously decided to get himself a coffee? He still suspected her of being a spy. He had to be careful, whether his suspicions turned out to be true or not.
He watched her warily out of the corner of his eye.
"You're the best!" Ashe cheered. She immediately walked over and grabbed the mug of coffee. "This life-giving nectar is exactly what I need right now!"
Without a word, Isaac placed another mug beneath the coffee machine. As the water trickled through, his gaze drifted over Ashe.
She looked terrible.
Her skin was pale, as though she had barely seen sunlight in days. Dark circles hung beneath her eyes, and even in the dim kitchen light he could see how exhausted she was. Her fingers trembled slightly as she lifted the mug.
"Maybe you should get some sleep instead of pumping even more caffeine into your system," he remarked.
Ashe shook her head firmly.
"No chance. I'm onto something, and I think I'm close to finding the answer."
No sooner had she finished the sentence than it was interrupted by a hearty yawn.
Isaac raised an eyebrow.
"What are you working on?"
"Gathering information."
She took a careful sip of her coffee and closed her eyes in satisfaction for a moment. With a quiet sigh, she rubbed the tension from the back of her neck.
"Vincent gave me so many names that I have no idea where all of this is going to end," she complained with a laugh. "But the distraction helps."
For a brief moment, she seemed almost ordinary—just an overworked woman who drank too much coffee and slept too little.
Ashe's gaze landed on his sandwich.
"Holy shit."
She pointed at it.
"That's not a sandwich anymore. That's an architectural project."
Isaac glanced at his creation and had to admit she wasn't entirely wrong.
"What's your excuse for a midnight snack of that magnitude?" she asked.
"Work," he answered hesitantly.
"What are you working on?" she asked curiously. "Is Vincent sending you on some kind of heist?"
Isaac's grip on his coffee mug tightened slightly.
What was he supposed to say to that? Ashe knew about the portals. She also knew about the talisman he had once made for Noah. However, she knew nothing about the cards—nor, perhaps, the full extent of what he could do with his magic.
"No, no heist. But he asked me to paint something for him."
"Hm."
Ashe studied him for a moment longer.
"Interesting."
She said nothing more. Yet the faint glimmer in her eyes told Isaac that she was drawing her own conclusions.
For several seconds, silence settled between them. Isaac stared into the dark coffee swirling in his mug.
There was so much he wanted to ask—about Levi, and whether Ashe was really working exclusively with the Webster Clan at the moment. He bit back the questions as the coffee machine finally finished brewing.
At that exact moment, the machine fell silent.
Isaac picked up his mug, tucked the gigantic sandwich under one arm, and took a step toward the door.
It was probably best to keep his distance from her until he came up with a good strategy for extracting information.
"Don't stay up too much longer," he said at last. "You look really tired."
Ashe smiled over the rim of her mug.
"Are you worried about me?" she asked with a grin. "That's actually really sweet of you, but don't worry. I was only planning to work on this for another hour at most. My brain is completely exhausted."
Isaac couldn't bring himself to return her smile. He couldn't manage to talk to her normally while suspecting her of being a spy. The conflicting emotions were wearing him down.
And the longer this situation continued, the more exhausted it made him.
"We all seriously need a vacation soon—and about twelve hours of beauty sleep," Ashe continued, stretching as her joints gave a series of quiet pops.
Isaac nodded in agreement.
"A vacation doesn't sound bad, actually," he said. "Just make sure you get a few hours of sleep later."
"That's the plan."
He raised a hand in farewell.
"Sleep well."
With those words, he left the kitchen.
"You too!" Ashe called after him. "And try not to spend the entire night painting again!"
Isaac didn't reply. He merely lifted a hand in brief acknowledgment before disappearing around the corner.
He hated that he found himself searching for signs of betrayal in every word she said.
___
Back in his room, Isaac took a sip of his now lukewarm coffee and finally turned his attention to his sandwich. The first bite tasted almost heavenly. Only then did he realize just how hungry he actually was.
Normally, he was meticulous about eating regularly and staying hydrated. But it had been a long time since he had become so completely absorbed in painting. Hours had passed without him noticing.
A faint smile crossed his face.
There were times like that. Moments when the world around him faded away and only the colors, shapes, and images in his mind remained.
He savored the last few bites of his sandwich and set the empty plate aside. Then he rose and began preparing his easel. With practiced movements, he secured the canvas and laid out the paints he would need for his new piece.
His fingers practically itched with anticipation.
The image of the painting was already perfectly clear in his mind.
Afterward, he grabbed his phone to see whether Noctis had messaged him. He had ignored it for several hours, and indeed, Noctis had written to him. He quickly skimmed the message and sent a reply.
At least he's okay, Isaac thought with relief.
He was just about to put his phone away so he could finally start painting when it vibrated.
A message from Moz appeared on the screen.
"Come to Vincent's office. Noctis has been shot."
Isaac froze instantly and read the message again.
But no matter how many times he looked at it, it simply made no sense. His mind refused to accept the information.
Noctis is hurt...? But how?
The blood seemed to freeze in his veins.
His phone slipped from his hand onto the table as he rushed from the room without another thought, heading straight for Vincent's office.
How could he have gotten hurt when he had a talisman? Isaac had only a vague idea of what the city looked like at the moment. Tensions were high, and from what he had heard during the meetings, the Webster Clan's assassins already had their hands full.
His heart pounded so hard that the sound roared in his ears.
Immediately, he thought of Levi's words.
Maybe he had something to do with it.
No. No. No. No.
The thought made Isaac feel sick. In a panic, he tried to focus on something else. But his mind gave him no choice.
Either he saw Noctis in his imagination—bleeding, gravely wounded, perhaps even on the brink of death—or he saw Levi. And neither image made it any easier to breathe.
Isaac cursed under his breath and immediately broke into a run.
Please don't let it be serious. Please let him be okay.
His heart hammered against his ribs as he raced through the corridors.
Please let him be alright. Please don't let him be badly hurt.
Nothing else existed in that moment besides those thoughts.
Breathless, he reached Vincent's office. Without knocking, he threw the door open.
His eyes found Noctis instantly.
Everything else in the room disappeared. He didn't care who was present or who might be watching him. He saw only Noctis. The blood on his bare torso. The fresh stitches directly above his heart. The bloodstained clothes. The soaked compresses scattered across the desk.
Isaac's stomach twisted painfully.
Noctis was frighteningly pale.
How much blood have you lost?
For a moment, the air left his lungs.
Noctis met his gaze and looked just as surprised as he did alarmed. Almost as though he hadn't expected Isaac to find out. Had he intended to keep it a secret? After all, Vincent could heal injuries.
Isaac pressed his lips tightly together.
He had enchanted the talisman to protect Noctis from a fatal blow...had the talisman really been forced to do its job this soon?
"What happened?" he managed to choke out. His voice sounded rougher than he would have liked.
Noctis briefly lowered his gaze and looked almost guilty.
"He was shot," Vincent answered for him.
Isaac felt the blood drain from his face. Only then did he become aware that other people were still in the room. The entire situation felt unreal.
If the talisman was broken, then it had worked. It had protected Noctis, and yet he was still sitting there injured. Why had he been hurt only a few hours after Isaac had given him the talisman?
Then again, he didn't want to imagine how Noctis would be sitting there now if Isaac had never given it to him in the first place.
His eyes fixed on the stitches and drifted a little lower, to where his heart lay beneath his chest.
Isaac swallowed hard.
Then he would probably be dead...
A lump formed in his throat.
Of course he would be dead.
The talisman's purpose had been to prevent a fatal strike.
Isaac couldn't force a single word past his lips. With heavy steps, he walked over to Noctis and wrapped his arms tightly around him.
I almost lost you...
A profound emptiness suddenly opened inside him, one he couldn't push away.
He heard a quiet sigh from Noctis, and a moment later felt his beloved's arms close around him, pulling him nearer. Isaac buried his face against Noctis's shoulder, his fingers digging into his cool skin.
"I'm so glad you're still alive..." he said, his voice breaking.
He hadn't even realized the talisman had shattered because he hadn't been magically linked to it.
The next one will definitely be linked to me again. Otherwise I'll find out far too late when you need my help...
"I'm fine, darling," Noctis said softly. "Vince healed me. I don't even have any pain anymore."
Isaac lifted his head.
"Really?"
Noctis leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his hair.
"Really."
For a moment, Isaac closed his eyes.
The gesture did little to calm him. The image of Noctis's blood-soaked chest had already burned itself into his memory, impossible to erase.
"Will you help me shower?" Noctis asked. "I'm a little unsteady on my feet."
Then he lowered his voice until only Isaac could hear him.
"I'll tell you everything once we're in my room, okay?"
Isaac nodded silently.
He wanted to leave as well.
With unsteady movements, he slipped off his cardigan and draped it over Noctis's shoulders. The gesture was almost automatic. He couldn't stop his hands from trembling slightly. He had no desire to remain in the office any longer—not under the watchful eyes of Vincent, Benedict, and Moz.
Then he took Noctis's hand.
"Can you walk?" he asked quietly.
But Noctis's expression already told him everything, and Isaac couldn't have cared less about his pride in that moment. He needed to know what had happened and how Noctis had been injured. If Levi was involved, he did not want to hear it in front of the others. Damn it. He was already on the verge of tears as it was. His eyes burned fiercely, and Isaac felt as though it would take only a single wrong word for the dam to burst.
Noctis rose to his feet and immediately swayed alarmingly.
"Hold on," Isaac said.
A surprised sound escaped Noctis's lips as Isaac swept him up into his arms and carried him out of the office like a princess.
"Darling, I can walk..." Noctis protested.
"Yes, you just demonstrated that wonderfully," Isaac replied, ignoring the objection.
He heard Vincent chuckle quietly. He didn't care. At least this way, he would get Noctis back to his room faster. And the sooner they got there, the sooner he would learn what had happened without anyone interrupting. Neither of them spoke until they reached Noctis's bedroom. Isaac pushed the door shut behind them and finally set his beloved down on the bed.
He studied Noctis, whose exhausted gaze rested on him. Isaac pressed his lips together. Now it felt as though his own legs no longer wished to support him. He sank to his knees and wrapped his arms around Noctis's waist, resting his head against his stomach.
"Who was it...?" Isaac asked, his voice breaking.
Here, he no longer had to hold himself together. Here, no one but Noctis could see his tears.
"Darling..."
Isaac closed his eyes.
"Who. Was. It." Isaac asked.
So many emotions were crashing through him at once that he had no idea how to handle them.
"Was it one of Levi's men?"
"They were assassins," Noctis replied.
Isaac jerked his head up.
"Assassins?" His eyes widened. "Plural? How many were there?"
"Two," Noctis answered calmly.
Isaac's stomach tightened.
"Did you get anything out of them? If they were Levi's men, then—!"
"Darling," Noctis said gently.
He stroked Isaac's hair in a soothing motion.
"They got me because I wasn't paying attention. But they're both dead."
Isaac stared at him.
"And what if Levi sent them?" he asked, panic creeping into his voice. "What if someone's watching you and he wants you dead?!"
"It doesn't make a difference whether they were Levi's men or not. We're putting pressure on so many clans right now that I'm honestly surprised I'm the only one who's been attacked so far," Noctis replied. "Vincent and the others are investigating it, okay? Don't worry."
For a moment, silence filled the room.
"I'm not supposed to worry?!" Isaac snapped.
He shot Noctis an angry look.
"You almost died!"
Noctis brushed his thumb across Isaac's cheek.
Only then did Isaac realize that tears were streaming freely down his face.
"I almost lost you..." Isaac sobbed.
His voice finally broke.
"Vincent may have healed you, but that doesn't change the fact that the bullet could have gone straight through your heart!"
"I'm sorry, darling," Noctis said softly. "I scared you. I never wanted that."
"If you hadn't been wearing the talisman..."
Noctis wrapped his arms around Isaac once more.
"I know exactly how you feel," he said quietly.
Isaac buried his face against Noctis's shoulder.
"I don't want you putting yourself in danger again..." he sobbed.
"I can't abandon my responsibilities yet," Noctis replied softly. "I can't leave my brother alone to deal with all of this shit."
His voice reflected the exhaustion written plainly across his face.
Isaac knew.
He knew that Noctis couldn't simply walk away. They had been fighting the crime that plagued Magnolia for far too long for that.
But Isaac didn't want to let him go out there alone again.
Nor did he want to help them kill all those people.
Criminals or not.
Isaac killed only when he had to.
He closed his eyes briefly.
If he wanted to help Noctis, then he had to do something.
Even if it meant going against his principles.
It wasn't as though he was incapable of killing. It simply wasn't something he ever wanted to do willingly.
For Noctis's safety, he would.
"Then I'm coming with you," Isaac said quietly.
"Darling—"
"No."
Isaac shook his head.
His voice remained soft, but his decision was made.
"There is no way I'm going to sit here and wait for someone to try and kill you again."
He took Noctis's hand and squeezed it tightly.
"Isaac," Noctis said calmly. "If they really were Levi's men, then you'd be putting yourself in danger. And you know I'd throw myself into the line of fire without a second thought if it meant protecting you, don't you?"
Right...
They still didn't know whether Levi was involved.
Isaac bit his lower lip.
"Then what am I supposed to do?" he demanded. "I can't just do nothing!"
"Look at me, darling."
Noctis gently ran a hand through his hair.
Reluctantly, Isaac pulled back and lifted his head.
"I don't want you coming with me."
"But—!" Isaac burst out.
Noctis pressed a finger against his lips, silencing him.
"Isaac," he said. "I want you to stay here. Levi is looking for you, and if you come with us, there's a higher chance he'll find you."
"He wants to capture me. He wants to kill you!" Isaac shot back.
The words came out harsher than he had intended.
Noctis remained completely unfazed.
"That's why, from now on, we operate in pairs," he replied. "Vincent doesn't want to risk anything happening to either of us, and after today, all of us are on high alert."
Isaac stared at him for a long moment before letting out a sigh. He still had no desire whatsoever to face Levi again. Every time he heard Levi's name—or saw him standing in front of him—he froze solid.
Could I really protect Noctis if I went with him?
Probably not.
More likely, Isaac would willingly surrender himself to Levi if it meant keeping Noctis safe.
No matter how afraid Isaac was of Levi, his fear for Noctis was greater.
"Who's going with you?" he finally asked.
Noctis shrugged. "As long as it isn't Moz, I don't care. Any of our assassins can take care of themselves while I do my thing."
"I don't like any of this... What if it really was Levi?" Isaac whispered. "What if he actually catches you next time? He said he'd kill everyone who's close to me..."
"Because he won't get me, and I'll kill him if he ever shows that ugly face of his again," Noctis promised darkly. Then he smiled. "Which doesn't mean I don't want a new talisman, though."
Noctis' confidence helped Isaac calm down a little.
"You're getting ten," Isaac snorted, his voice unsteady.
There was no way he would allow Noctis to be hurt again. If he couldn't go with him, then he would do everything in his power to make sure Noctis returned to him safely.
And if he got hurt again...
...then he would...
"Will you at least rest for a few days, even after you're healed?" Isaac asked before his thoughts could spiral any further.
"I can't, darling. We have far too much to do."
"What could possibly be more important than your recovery?!"
"We're moving," Noctis replied.
Isaac looked at him in confusion. "What?"
"We're changing safe houses," Noctis answered. "We don't know whether our enemies have found our hideout. So we're relocating."
Isaac frowned.
"You have multiple hideouts in Magnolia?"
A tired smile appeared on Noctis' lips.
"My brother always plans for the worst-case scenario. If we ever have to disappear in a hurry, we have several fallback options."
He brushed a hand over Isaac's cheek.
"Promise me you'll stay safe. I don't want Levi to get you."
Isaac pressed his lips together.
"If he attacks you, I'm not going to keep hiding like a coward anymore," Isaac swore darkly.
Noctis kissed him on the forehead.
"I won't let it come to that," Noctis promised tiredly. "Besides, that bastard isn't getting anywhere near you."
Isaac pressed his lips together.
"It would be nice if he'd just disappear into thin air," he muttered.
"Tell me about it. I'm tired of seeing you suffer because of him," Noctis said. "I like you a lot better when you can focus on your hobby, like you have these past few days."
Isaac lightly punched his chest. "You know perfectly well that I make enough money from my paintings to support both of us."
"Then I can finally quit my job and become a househusband," Noctis chuckled.
"As long as you cook and stay safe," Isaac snorted. "…I still don't feel good about any of this."
"Only if you get yourself somewhere safe first," Noctis insisted gently.
Isaac nodded. He traced a finger over the freshly healed scar on Noctis's left chest.
"Do you want to take a shower?"
Noctis nodded. "Though I'm also in the mood for something a little naughty, but I'm really tired," he sighed.
Isaac got to his feet and held out a hand to him.
"When you're feeling better, we'll do whatever you want," he promised.
"Whatever I want?" Noctis asked with a mischievous grin.
Isaac had the uneasy feeling that he had just made a mistake, but he nodded anyway.
"Anything."
Noctis took his hand. To Isaac's surprise, he suddenly looked far more awake—as if the mere prospect of that promise had breathed new life into him.
In a good mood, he let Isaac help him shower and even had the nerve to tease him the whole time.
Isaac forgave him everything, though. After all, he was alive.
And that was more than Isaac had ever dared hope for.
He would do anything to make sure nothing happened to Noctis.