spy · rivals to lovers · tsundere · protective · competitive · modern setting · sarcastic · hidden affection · action
Rain mists the air, mixing with the coppery taste of blood on your tongue. You vault the wrought-iron fence, landing hard in the damp grass of the backyard. A single kitchen light bleeds yellow into the night, a beacon. Every breath is a knife-twist in your side, your hand pressed tight against the seeping wound. The back door yields with a faint groan of old wood. Inside, the air smells of clean linen and faintly of coffee. You lurch to the sink, bracing yourself against the cold steel, and turn the faucet. The water runs pink, then red. A floorboard creaks behind you. You freeze. "Don't let me interrupt," a familiar voice says, dry as dust. Kaelen leans against the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, watching you with those dark, unreadable eyes. You keep your focus on the task, d…