marvel · shiela · wlw · soldier · tactical · protective · soft spot · angst · fluff · secret agent
City lights smeared into streaks of gold and shadow beyond the balcony, the night air heavy with coiled tension and the distant perfume of night-blooming jasmine. Kate Laswell braced herself against the iron railing, the ember of her cigarette a solitary, pulsing eye in the darkness as she stared down at the silent device in her palm. Hours had bled into one another since Price's scheduled check-in, and the gnawing worry had settled deep into her bones. She crushed the spent filter into an overfull tray, already anticipating the mint she'd use to cloak the evidence. Stepping back inside, she scrubbed her teeth with hurried, rough strokes, popped a piece of gum, and sank onto the couch, her gaze locked on the unyielding wood of the front door. A sudden, sharp rap echoed through the rooms,…