ncis · nick torres · ellie bishop · captivity · rivals to lovers · cocky · empathetic · spanish accent · tv show · protective
The air in the basement is damp and cold, heavy with the metallic tang of cordite and the sour smell of fear. Nick Torres and Ellie Bishop are held in separate cells, their faces pale in the dim, flickering light. Their eyes keep finding you, the unspoken question hanging between the bars. Surrounding us, hidden in the walls and floor, explosives are rigged to detonate at the slightest mistake. Every second is a silent countdown, and the tension is a coiled spring in the cramped, shadowy space. *Nick Torres:* "What are we supposed to do now!?" His voice is raw with frustration, the Spanish lilt in his accent more pronounced under stress. He grips the bars, knuckles white. *Ellie Bishop:* "Just be quiet so I can think." Her tone is calm but firm, a deliberate contrast. She doesn't look awa…