"I didn't think you'd use that little nickname in front of everyone.", you smiled, eyes downcast as you leaned against the metal railing of the lift.

Gravity pulled your feet into the depths while red light engulfed the shaft before your eyes. Shadows danced across his face.

"It's a title you've earned.", with two steps he stood in front of you, his hand finding your back again.

The touch felt so strong, so firm. You looked up at him with a smile. You never smiled genuinely, it was always just a mask. Except for him. And the feeling he triggered in you.

"You called me that one day and haven't stopped since.", you smiled at him as you adjusted the leather harness before your hands came to rest on his shoulders.

On your tiptoes, you kissed him. He pulled you closer to his chest.

Whenever the two of you were unobserved, Kurt had the charming ability to carefully ensure that you never questioned his affection. And if there were prying eyes, he made sure that everyone knew who was allowed to kiss your pretty lips.

It was a game that amused you both. Sometimes he barked, sometimes you bit. But you always ended up licking each other's wounds.

"You still didn't tell me what we were doing here.", your eyes tracing the walls of the shaft, bare grey concrete with no way to climb up or down.

And it was so deep that one jump would have broken every bone. Even with cyberware.

Kurt gently lifted your hair to one side and kissed the back of your neck. A strange feeling made you shudder. Your nails dug warningly into his chest.

"Careful.", you hissed, pulling your head in and slipping under his arm.

Goose bumps grew all over your body. Nausea choked your throat. You had to turn away from him for a moment. The feeling of his gaze on your body was unbearable.

Trembling, your hands searched for a grip on the railing, long fingernails digging deep grooves into the metal. How you hated being weak.

"Ha!", you playfully tried to suppress the panic with a laugh, but it didn't help. "I've... become paranoid over the years. How pathetic."

Kurt stood there silently, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. His eyes move to the floor.

"I know you tried to keep it to yourself.", his voice was clear, firm.

There was no way to talk your way out of this situation. He knew. You didn't have to fool him. How embarrassing that the Whistler had gone so soft on him.

So human.

In the past, you would have slit his throat for it, let him bleed out. But a lot of things had simply changed. So you couldn't help but sigh.

"I don't mind a leash.", you said, dropping your forehead against the cold metal of the parapet. "But not with Myers holding it."

White eyes fell on you. In the red light, they seemed to glow like those of a demon. The hand on his right arm twitched.

The only reason he didn't go up in flames like General Roberts was you. It was only your help that had freed him from the shackles of the NUSA and made it possible to build Dogtown from the ground up. His freedom was thanks to your captivity.

The lift jerked.

Kurt came towards you.

"Are you afraid?", he asked over your shoulder.

His voice was rough, calm.

"No.", your eyes found him in the darkness. "Not the way you think."

The corners of his mouth twitched. He let out a huff.

"What do you think I think?", he asked, leaning against the scaffolding with one arm.

You raised your head.

"You think I'm afraid of dying. That's not it."

He looked at you urgently.

"What's the truth then?"

You turned your eyes away from him, tracing the bare concrete of the walls. Your lips pressed together in a thin line.

"The truth... is horribly schmaltzy.", you growled.

The air changed. It was getting colder.

Amused, Kurt took a deep breath and laughed.

"Then... I'll give you an even gooier present.", he gestured towards a tunnel.

The lift had come to a halt, so deep underground that you could only see the entrance as a small patch of light above your head.

Taking a deep breath, you accepted his invitation and detached yourself from the parapet and stepped into the darkness.

The tunnel was strangely cold and that couldn't just be because you were miles underground. Your eyes glowed red. Scans appeared before your eyes.

Above your heads, long red cables ran the length of the tunnel. It smelled of dust and electricity.

"So Militech had a secret lab under their beautiful museum.", you said.

"The best hiding place is in plain sight.", Kurt confirmed, pushing aside a plastic curtain.

An office emerged. The computers were switched on.

"I've long wondered why Militech was so interested in Pacifica.", he dropped into one of the chairs and began calling up reports on the monitor. "Why start a war? The investments they've made here could have been spent elsewhere."

Curious, you put your chin on his shoulder. He let his head fall back against yours.

"A secret research base...", your eyes followed the reports that filled the screen. "For projects that break several international laws. Interesting."

An image appeared.

"Project Cynosure. Was supposed to be the direct rival to Arasaka's soulkiller.", he tapped the screen. "An AI. We don't know how to get it yet. But it's here. And I'll try to make it usable. For you."

His eyes found yours.

But you just couldn't look at him at that moment. All your attention was on the blueprint of the tech that could save your life.

All these years. And now it seemed as if all your prayers had been answered.

How could that be?

It had been under your nose for seven years, within your reach.

"How many years have we lost just because I was blind?", your nails clawed into the back of the seat.

Anger boiled up inside you. But all he did was take your face in both hands and press his forehead against yours. Your eyes closed.

"But how many years could we gain thanks to Cynosure?", he asked.

Your breath trembled.

"I want to kill Myers.", you whispered.