"…thanks, Kieran. I owe you one," Isaac said wearily.
"No problem. Just take your time to recover and only come back when you're healthy again!"
Isaac snorted. With the gunshot wound, he wouldn't be doing much of anything for a while. Maybe painting, at best. Though that depended on how the Boss would react to the wonderful news that Isaac had killed a few members of the Viper Syndicate.
He was knee-deep in shit and still had no real idea how he was going to get out of it.
"I'll be back as soon as I can," Isaac promised. "Call me if things get tight."
"Seriously, Isaac, get some rest," Kieran sighed. "I know you always try not to cause trouble, and you're the first to pick up shifts when someone's sick. But this time you can rely on us, okay?"
Tiredly, Isaac rubbed his eyes.
"Got it. I'll check in over the next few days."
"Alright. Talk soon," Kieran said, and hung up.
Isaac looked at the screen for another moment before sighing and putting the phone away.
With a dull thud, the muscular man's body hit the cold concrete floor. The impact echoed briefly through the room before silence returned.
"All sorted?" Noctis asked.
Isaac nodded. "He's at the café. Luckily he read the message beforehand."
"Very good."
Noctis stretched slowly, as if he had just taken care of a minor inconvenience. His shoulders cracked softly as he shot Isaac a crooked, amused glance.
"Did you have fun?"
Isaac looked at him as though he had finally lost his mind.
"Two dead gangsters and one kidnapped guy don't really count as something I'd call fun," he replied wearily. His voice sounded rough. He brushed the damp hair out of his sweaty forehead and exhaled heavily, as if trying to force the tension out of his body. "This won't happen without consequences."
His gaze followed Noctis, who had just bent down to pick up his bag, as if all of this had been nothing more than a brief stop along the way.
"If you hadn't shown up so quickly, I might've ended up with some serious problems," Isaac added. "Thanks."
Noctis walked over to him without hesitation and pulled him closer for a brief moment. His lips brushed Isaac's in a short kiss.
"For you, I'd come to the end of the world—and faster than a damn heartbeat," he whispered. He brushed over Isaac's cheek before resting his forehead against Isaac's. "I wish the blood on you were only theirs."
Isaac's hand briefly clenched into the fabric of Noctis's coat.
"Couldn't be avoided. I tried to take them out one by one, but unfortunately things didn't go exactly the way I planned," Isaac said quietly.
Noctis's golden eyes locked onto his.
"The gunshot wound is the only one?"
Isaac shrugged slightly.
"Could be. Maybe a few scratches. But nothing really serious."
Noctis studied him silently for a moment, as if memorizing every detail. His hand was still resting against Isaac's face.
"I'm glad you're okay." His thumb brushed over Isaac's cheek again. This time it trembled slightly. "Wouldn't you rather quit your job with the boss and run away with me?"
Isaac closed his eyes briefly.
That topic again…
"Noc… you know that's not possible."
Noctis pulled away from him abruptly. His hand dropped from Isaac's face as if he had burned himself on it. With an annoyed motion, he ran a hand through his hair.
"You can save the explanation," he growled.
He made an impatient gesture as he began pacing back and forth across the room.
"I'm really sick of seeing you hurt all the time. This time it wasn't the cop. And yeah—it didn't happen during a heist either." His voice sharpened. "And yet you got attacked again. Before you'd even started your damn shift at that stupid café!"
Isaac's gaze drifted over the bodies and to Nico, who was still unconscious and tied to a chair. He sighed tiredly. Noctis was right—his life hadn't only been in danger since yesterday, and it seemed to be getting worse with time. He himself was tired of constantly ending up injured. Still, his desire to be useful to the boss remained his top priority.
"Noc… don't get worked up," Isaac began cautiously. "It's really nothing serious. I only got the wound because I wasn't paying attention for a moment."
Noctis stopped.
Slowly, he turned to face him. His eyes were now flashing with anger, bright and glowing like molten gold.
"I'm not supposed to get worked up?" His voice was dangerously calm. "When are you finally going to understand that I'm damn well worried about you?"
He stepped a little closer.
"Do you think I'm just going to sit around peacefully until you end up in a damn body bag someday?"
Noctis's gaze hit him with full force. There was something in it that Isaac rarely saw in him—bare vulnerability. Between the anger and the tension lay a deep, unspoken concern that instantly made Isaac's chest feel heavy.
An unpleasant pang shot through him. Guiltily, he looked away.
He had been thinking about exactly that only a few hours earlier. And never had he been as relieved as he was in this moment that Noctis couldn't read his thoughts.
He didn't even want to imagine how Noctis would react.
You're not alone anymore, Isaac. There's someone now who would be sad if you died.
The thought pressed stubbornly into his mind. But he pushed it aside immediately.
Now was not the right moment to think about it.
"I'm sorry," he finally said quietly.
Noctis let out a rough sound.
"You're such a damn idiot, Isaac," he growled. The next moment he pulled him into a tight embrace, as if he needed to make sure Isaac was really still there. "No one can save you if you're dead."
His arms tightened around Isaac.
"Keep this up and I'll chain you to my bed."
Isaac couldn't help laughing. The tension in his chest eased for a brief moment.
"If you chain me to your bed, I won't be able to do anything anymore."
"Congratulations," Noctis muttered into him. "You understood exactly what I was getting at."
He had buried his face in the crook of Isaac's neck, his breath warm against his skin.
Isaac wrapped his arms around him as well.
Only now, as the adrenaline slowly faded, did the pain in his thigh return in full force. A dull, pulsing burn spread through his leg. He subtly shifted his weight onto the uninjured leg while his hand moved soothingly over Noctis's back.
"I'll never leave you, you hear me, Noc?" he said quietly. "I have no intention of dying, and I'm not planning on getting hurt again either."
Noctis snorted softly.
"Then stop catching one bullet after another," he muttered. "I hate seeing you like this."
A faint smile touched Isaac's lips.
But the pain was already bringing sweat to his forehead. His body began to tremble slightly, and an unpleasant chill crept beneath his skin. Only now did his body seem to fully grasp what had just happened.
And how close it had been.
How nice it would be if he could take a hot bath and then crawl into bed. Together with Noctis until he had recovered. Just lie there until the pain faded and his body calmed down again.
"I wonder how the boss will react," Isaac finally asked quietly.
The thought hadn't left him since Noctis had helped him drag the bodies out of the alley. He could count himself lucky that no cops had shown up yet. And no one else seemed to have taken a closer look at what had happened there.
No one had probably heard the gunshot. They had used suppressors.
But the sounds of the fight…
Someone must have heard them.
Besides, the alley had been full of blood. Even after they had tried to clean up the worst of it, enough remained to raise questions.
Sooner or later someone would see something, and then the police would start investigating. Eventually everything would come to light.
Isaac felt his chest tighten uncomfortably.
He didn't even want to imagine how the boss would react. He had not yet fully regained the boss's trust. The disappointment over Isaac's earlier mistakes still hung over him like a shadow.
What if the boss really lost his patience this time?
Noctis sighed audibly, an annoyed, heavy sound.
"He probably won't react very well to it."
Isaac closed his eyes briefly. "Shit," he muttered quietly.
Noctis shrugged as if the outcome had been obvious all along.
"You don't really have many options left, darling."
He stepped away from Isaac and placed a hand on his arm, guiding him carefully toward an old wooden crate. Isaac sank onto it, grateful for the relief in his leg.
"Since you're terrible at lying," Noctis continued dryly, "I assume you'll want to stick with the truth."
Isaac nodded slowly.
"Keeping it from him is the last thing I want. The situation is a powder keg that could go off at any moment."
Noctis crouched down in front of him. His gaze moved carefully over Isaac's face, as if trying to read every small reaction. Then he tilted his head slightly.
"Why did you kill them in the first place? You're the most level-headed person I know. What happened to your 'we don't kill anyone' policy?"
Isaac stared at the floor for a moment.
Good question. Why had he killed them at all?
"The big guy was a reflex when he shot me," he explained slowly. "The other one… I don't know. He pointed his gun at me, so I killed him too."
There wasn't really anything more to say about it. It hadn't been right—he had simply reacted. He had given himself over to the fight instead of thinking about the consequences of his actions. It had been stupid. More than stupid.
But it happened, and now you have to live with the consequences, whatever they may be.
Noctis studied him in silence for a moment.
"Good," he finally said. His voice sounded completely emotionless. "Kill anyone who tries to hurt you."
His gaze briefly swept through the room before settling on Nico, who was still unconscious in the chair. The ropes had cut deep into his wrists, his head hanging to the side.
Noctis's attention returned to Isaac.
"Take off your pants."
Isaac immediately shook his head. He had no desire to pull the tight, blood-stiffened jeans over the gunshot wound. Just thinking about it made his stomach tighten.
He knew exactly how much that would hurt.
"Just cut them open," he said instead. "The jeans are ruined anyway."
Without hesitation, Noctis pulled a knife from his pocket. A small, dangerous smile played on his lips.
"I'd also be happy to help you take your clothes off later."
Isaac's cheeks immediately warmed. Despite the pain and exhaustion, a flush crept across his face.
"Idiot," he muttered, shaking his head slightly. "This is neither the place nor the time for that."
Noctis's golden eyes sparkled with amusement. "With you, it's always the right time, darling."
Then he grabbed the fabric of the jeans.
Without warning, he cut and tore the pant leg open along the seam. The fabric gave way with a dry ripping sound, and the useless piece of cloth landed carelessly on the floor behind him.
Isaac immediately clenched his teeth.
A sharp pain shot through his thigh as the fabric pulled away from the wound. A cry caught in his throat; he pressed his lips tightly together until his jaw began to ache.
Of course Noctis noticed. His gaze darkened slightly, but he said nothing. Instead, he carefully removed the pressure bandage.
The wound beneath it was still fresh. Dark blood slowly seeped out—far less than before, but enough to soak the cloth beneath it again.
Noctis's eyes narrowed slightly as he examined the injury more closely.
"Damn," he muttered quietly.
He grabbed a small bottle and poured disinfectant over the wound. The clear liquid ran over Isaac's skin, mixing with the blood and dripping onto the floor. Isaac drew in a sharp breath.
Noctis pulled on a pair of gloves and began cleaning the wound thoroughly. His fingers worked with precision and care, but his expression remained tense.
"Looks like a clean through-and-through. You got lucky."
Noctis's voice came out as a quiet hiss. Yet the tone wasn't relieved—it was cold with anger. His golden eyes stayed fixed on the wound, and suddenly a murderous glint flashed in them, so sharp and unrestrained that a shiver ran down Isaac's spine.
"That makes one gunshot wound," Noctis continued coolly as his fingers carefully checked the edges of the injury. "One attempt to choke you unconscious. And several cuts and bruises."
He lifted his gaze.
"How many times did he come after you again?"
Isaac sucked in a sharp breath as Noctis touched the sensitive edges of the wound. Reflexively, his hands tightened around the edge of the wooden crate he was sitting on. The wood creaked under his grip; his knuckles turned white.
"F-four times," he gasped.
Noctis nodded slowly.
"Alright," he growled. His gaze drifted toward Nico. "That little bastard is going to feel exactly what he's done."
Noctis seemed to be practically simmering with rage.
It was a rare sight. Normally, even in dangerous situations, he remained remarkably calm—almost indifferent. But now there was something dark in his gaze.
With a slightly trembling hand, Isaac lifted his arm and brushed his fingers over Noctis's cheek. Noctis briefly froze at the touch.
The murderous intent in his eyes was… strangely attractive.
He was angry because of him. Even though Isaac was still able to sit upright. Even though he could still walk on his own. And yet Noctis was ready to make Nico pay for it. Isaac suddenly felt a warmth spread through his chest.
It was absurd.
He knew exactly how violent Noctis could become. Whatever Noctis had in mind for Nico, it would be neither pleasant for him nor particularly easy to watch.
And yet Isaac's heart beat a little faster.
Maybe he had finally lost his mind. After all, torture certainly wouldn't improve his situation.
Still, he heard himself ask, "What are you going to do to him?"
The corner of Noctis's mouth twitched.
"Just talk to him," he said innocently.
Isaac's gaze drifted automatically toward Nico.
The man was still tied to the chair, his head slumped forward, his face half in shadow. But his faint, uneven breathing revealed that he was slowly coming to.
"Just talk to him, huh?"
Isaac's voice sounded rough as Noctis began bandaging the exit wound. While doing so, he gently pushed Isaac back.
"Lie down."
Isaac obeyed reluctantly and shifted on the crate so Noctis could reach the back of his thigh. The movement made the pain flare up again.
"Why do I have the feeling," Isaac gasped, "that you're going to hurt him quite a bit?"
Noctis briefly lifted his gaze.
"Because I am going to hurt him."
He soaked a piece of gauze with disinfectant and began cleaning the entry wound.
The pain hit Isaac immediately. A strained groan escaped him, and his eyes shut reflexively.
Noctis cursed under his breath. His movements became even more careful, though he continued working efficiently.
"And you're not going to stop me when I do it," he continued.
Isaac exhaled shakily.
"I'm already in this too deep," he sighed tiredly. "Do whatever you think is right."
Noctis's lips curved into a slow, murderous smile. For a moment his white teeth flashed.
"Thank you for the permission."
Behind them, a quiet laugh suddenly sounded.
Nico had lifted his head. His eyes were still glassy from unconsciousness, but his grin had already returned.
"Isn't that adorable?"
His voice was hoarse but dripping with mockery. His gaze shifted between them.
"Wouldn't have expected a damn icicle like you to have someone who regularly polishes your back door."
Isaac's hand clenched into a fist immediately. Anger shot through him, hot and impulsive. But before he could even straighten up properly, Noctis had already moved. In two quick steps he stood in front of Nico and punched him in the face without a word.
The blow was hard and precise. Nico's head snapped to the side, the chair creaking under the force. Before he could recover, Noctis grabbed his chin and jerked his head upward roughly so their gazes met.
"Who would have thought your voice is just as annoying as your ugly face," Noctis said calmly.
His voice sounded almost bored.
Nico coughed violently. A dark spot of blood dripped onto his chin as he spat some out. His lip had split from the blow.
Even so, he glared at Noctis with fury.
He tested the ropes around his wrists. The rope tightened, cutting deeper into his skin, but it didn't give even slightly. Annoyed, he let out a sharp breath.
"…and who the hell are you?" he hissed.
Noctis gave him a casual slap on the cheek with his free hand, almost like an ironic reprimand. A cold smile settled on his lips.
His voice turned sickeningly sweet.
"None of your damn business."
Nico snorted contemptuously and turned his head slightly to look at Isaac.
"Are you seriously hiding behind your lover now?" His voice was rough. "I knew you were a damn pussy."
Isaac's fingers clenched again. Maybe he should teach Nico a lesson himself before Noctis had his turn.
But Noctis reacted faster. He grabbed Nico by the chin again and forced him to look at him.
"You don't seem to understand the situation you're in," he said calmly. "So let me explain a few rules."
His grip tightened slightly.
"You nod when you understand something. And you only speak when I tell you to."
He looked straight into Nico's eyes.
"Understood?"
Nico stared back at him. For a moment it looked like he was considering simply spitting at him. Then he nodded reluctantly.
Noctis smiled.
"What a good boy," he said mockingly. "Now listen carefully. There are a few things I want to know from you."
He tilted his head slightly, as if looking forward to the conversation.
"By the way, disobedience, smart answers, or silence will be punished with pain," Noctis continued. "I don't care in the slightest if you try it. In fact, I want to hurt you, so go ahead—resist as much as you like. Understood?"
Nico only glared at him angrily.
Noctis moved almost imperceptibly. His fist slammed hard into Nico's stomach. The air left Nico with a choking sound. His body bent forward as much as the ropes allowed.
"I asked," Noctis said calmly, "if you understood me."
Nico coughed, gasping for air. Eventually he nodded hastily. Noctis watched him for a moment.
"Boring," he said then, sounding disappointed. "I thought you'd put up more of a fight."
He briefly crossed his arms and looked at him critically.
"Why are you trying to kidnap Isaac?"
Nico snorted.
"You can go fu—"
He got no further. With a quick, precise motion, Noctis grabbed his right hand and snapped his little finger without hesitation.
The crack was dry and distinct.
Nico screamed. His body tensed against the ropes, tears springing involuntarily into his eyes.
Isaac watched the scene from the crate. And realized he didn't feel the slightest bit of pity for him.
"Answer the question," Noctis said calmly.
Nico panted, his breathing uneven.
"…it was a job, you stupid asshole," he finally forced out. "You know exactly how that works."
He spat out more blood.
"Someone wants something, hires you—and you do it." His gaze briefly slid to Isaac. "Without asking questions."
Noctis exhaled slowly. There was a bored disappointment in his posture.
"You're making this neither exciting nor amusing."
Nico laughed quietly, even though the pain was clearly shooting through his entire body.
"As if I'd give you what you want," he growled.
His broken finger stuck out at an unnatural angle. Even the slightest movement twisted his face with pain, and the sweat on his forehead betrayed how much it hurt.
Noctis didn't even react to the remark. Instead, he reached for Nico's hand.
A second dry crack filled the room.
The second finger broke.
Nico let out a sharp scream.
"Speak only when I allow it," Noctis said disapprovingly, as if correcting a misbehaving child. "Did you forget that rule already? There really weren't that many."
"Bas—"
Another crack. The third finger.
This time Nico screamed loudly. His body jerked against the restraints, the chair nearly tipping backward.
Noctis hummed contentedly.
"Better," he said calmly. "At least your screaming sounds more pleasant than your voice."
Then he leaned closer again. His golden eyes fixed on Nico.
"So, once more. Who hired you?"
A hoarse laugh escaped Nico, even though his breath trembled.
"As if I'd tell you," he gasped. "I'm dead either way."
Noctis sighed softly.
"How right you are."
He released Nico's hand and slowly straightened.
"However, it's entirely in my hands how long it takes before you die."
He took a few steps back. For a moment he said nothing.
Instead, he began pacing slowly in front of Nico. His footsteps echoed faintly on the concrete floor. Nico followed every movement with restless eyes.
"You know," Noctis continued thoughtfully after a moment, "I've never quite understood why everyone tries to keep their secrets."
He stopped. His gaze remained calmly fixed on Nico.
"In the end, it doesn't do you any personal good. The one you die for won't care about your death anyway."
A brief pause.
"Or do you really think your boss sees it differently?"
His voice grew quieter.
"Do you think he'll shed even a single tear for you?"
Nico's eyes widened briefly in shock, but he said nothing.
The remark hit Isaac unexpectedly hard as well. Would the boss be sad if something happened to him? He had taken him into the family and, in some way, treated him like a son—hadn't he? Despite everything that had happened after Isaac's failure, he was still important to him… wasn't he?
Noctis slowly cracked his fingers while continuing to watch Nico.
"You really don't want to answer?" he asked calmly.
Nico lifted his head as far as the restraints allowed. His eyes burned with hatred.
"Forget it, you damn bastard," he hissed. "I'd rather die than answer you."
A satisfied smile spread across Noctis's face.
"What a loyal dog you are." His voice sounded almost approving. "Then I'll make sure your master gets a keepsake from you."
What followed were probably the worst six hours of Nico's life.
Noctis worked methodically. Without haste. Without visible emotion.
He inflicted one wound after another and barely gave Nico time to breathe. When there were no fingers left to break, he broke his wrists.
Then he moved on to the toes.
From time to time he punched him.
With his knife he cut small, precise wounds into Nico's skin.
Over time, Nico turned into a bloody, barely recognizable bundle of flesh and blood.
Several times he lost consciousness. Each time, Noctis revived him with smelling salts so quickly that Isaac almost felt sorry for the bastard.
Isaac was exhausted.
The pain medication Noctis had given him was barely working anymore. The dull throbbing in his thigh had turned into a constant, burning pain that pulsed with every heartbeat. His muscles felt heavy. His head did too.
All he wanted was to be lying in his bed.
To pull the blanket over himself.
And sleep.
The hours dragged on endlessly. It wasn't only torture for Nico—the waiting wore Isaac down as well. Again and again he had briefly dozed off, only to be woken by Nico's screams.
Though he had to admit, it had been… interesting. He had never watched Noctis torture someone before.
And it was definitely not something he wanted to experience again. Watching someone suffer for that long didn't suit him. Isaac already knew the memory would linger with him for a long time.
Once was more than enough.
What he couldn't seem to get enough of, however, was Noctis's expression while he did it. Especially in the moments when the injuries Isaac had suffered at Nico's hands were involved.
In those moments, Noctis had looked like an enraged Valkyrie.
Cold. Relentless. Destructive.
His golden eyes had glowed as if something inside him was burning.
Eventually Nico's screams stopped. Instead, only a weak whimper escaped his lips. His body hung limply in the restraints, and his breathing sounded like a rattling rasp.
At some point he began to beg. Not for mercy.
For Noctis to finally kill him.
Noctis knelt down in front of him. Blood dripped slowly from his gloves onto the floor.
"Gladly," he said calmly.
His voice sounded almost friendly.
"Tell me who hired you, and I'll even promise to hurt him in your name."
He leaned a little closer.
"So much that you'll feel his suffering in hell."
Nico laughed weakly. It sounded more like a strangled wheeze. His breathing was heavy, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"L–Levi…," he murmured.
In an instant Isaac was fully awake.
He jerked upright on the crate and stared at Nico.
Isaac stared at Nico in shock. He must have misheard.
Noctis tilted his head slightly.
"Levi? Never heard of him. Who is that?"
Isaac's hand moved automatically to his neck. His breath caught. Suddenly it came far too fast, far too shallow. So he hadn't misheard after all.
"H–he works… under the Boss…"
Levi was still alive—and he was still looking for him? He knew that Isaac hadn't died back then?
Isaac wrapped his arms around himself protectively. That couldn't be right. Why now, after so many years?
No, no, no, no, no…
Nico's eyes slowly drifted shut. His head sank forward. Noctis gave him a sharp slap across the cheek.
"Hey, don't you dare die yet!" he growled. "Hey!"
But Nico's body no longer reacted. His head slumped weakly to the side. Noctis grabbed his neck and checked for a pulse.
A moment later he cursed loudly.
"Damn bastard, we weren't finished yet!" he shouted at him.
But Isaac barely registered any of it.
The words reached him, but they felt distant, as if they were coming from another world. His heart raced.
He tried to breathe calmly.
Slow. Controlled.
But it didn't work.
His worst nightmare seemed to have become reality.
The man he had been hiding from for seventeen years. The man he had feared for seventeen years had returned—and of course he had to be wandering around Magnolia.
Isaac's breathing grew more frantic.
Too fast.
Too shallow.
Not enough oxygen reached his lungs. Black spots began to dance at the edges of his vision.
He heard footsteps. Noctis was coming toward him.
"Isaac?"
His voice suddenly sounded different.
"Isaac!"
He heard him calling his name. But before Noctis could reach him, Isaac's body tipped to the side. The world went dark.
And Isaac let the darkness envelop him gratefully.
When he woke up, he would realize that it had all been nothing more than a bad dream.