Isaac looked wistfully at the couch in Vincent's office. Nothing sounded better than sitting down. Unfortunately, after last night, he was absolutely incapable of sitting properly without it becoming uncomfortable.
He didn't regret a single second he had spent with Noctis, but he could feel all too clearly just how much they had overdone it. Especially where and how Noctis had touched him. He could still vividly feel how deeply Noctis had been inside him, how firmly those hands had held him, and how completely he had lost himself in that moment. The dull soreness running through his entire body was a relentless reminder of just how shamelessly they had overindulged.
The memory alone sent a pleasant shiver through his body. Warmth spread in his stomach, and for a brief moment Isaac even forgot the uncomfortable pull in his muscles.
He would have loved to stay in bed with Noctis a little longer and simply sleep away the pleasant heaviness and exhaustion. Over the past few hours, he had realized just how badly he needed a vacation. Or at least some distance from everything that could potentially get him killed.
The boss's far too sudden death still irritated him, and the reason behind it worried him more than he wanted to admit. Not only because there was potentially a traitor among them, but also because he suspected none other than Ashe.
His stomach churned whenever he thought about something happening to Noctis. Isaac wanted to be there for him and support him somehow, but to do that he would have to become a killer.
And he didn't like that.
Sure, he wasn't exactly innocent. He had killed people before. But he didn't want murdering people to become his profession. Self-defense was something entirely different, and that was how he wanted it to stay.
At least the Webster clan meetings never lasted very long. Afterwards, he could simply lie back down for a while before dealing with his mother's records.
So Isaac deliberately walked past the couch and leaned against the wall instead.
Immediately, he grimaced inwardly with a curse. Even standing was uncomfortable.
Carefully, he shifted his weight, searching for a position that didn't make every single muscle protest, and only let out a relieved breath once he was standing somewhat comfortably.
The relief lasted only a few seconds, because a quiet chuckle came from Vincent's desk.
"What?" he asked, sharper than intended.
Vincent looked him over with undisguised amusement. "You look like you're about to collapse at any second." The corners of his mouth twitched slightly. "If you want, I can heal you."
Isaac immediately pulled a face. "Worry about your own problems," he snapped back.
But that only made Vincent laugh even harder.
Isaac looked away, only to find himself staring directly at Noctis, who was lying completely relaxed on the couch. He looked like a content, lazy black cat. Though Isaac never thought of a cat when he looked at Noctis. A fox still suited him far better.
"That's actually not a bad idea. Then we could continue where we left off for a little while longer."
"Figures you'd like that," Isaac muttered embarrassedly.
Four rounds should've been enough for you too.
"Of course I like the idea," Noctis yawned. "Though I also wouldn't mind staying in bed a little longer just cuddling with you."
Isaac's chest tightened pleasantly at those words.
Yeah… that really would be nice, Isaac thought quietly to himself.
But instead of voicing his thoughts, he gave his lover a warm smile. What they did behind their bedroom door was none of Vincent's business, even if the boss of the Webster clan seemed to know exactly what they had been up to the day before.
And it was nobody else's business either. At the moment, it was only the three of them, and fortunately there was still no sign of the others.
"By the way, I got everything that was on your list, my dear brother-in-law," Vincent continued. "Though some of it seemed a little questionable."
Isaac looked at him questioningly.
Vincent gave him a crooked grin.
"Of course I got you everything you wrote down. I do want to spoil you, after all," he said with a smile.
Something about that smile didn't sit right with Isaac at all.
Suspiciously, he narrowed his eyes slightly. He genuinely couldn't imagine what could possibly be questionable about canvases, paints, and various materials. It wasn't as if he had ordered explosives or torture devices.
"Thanks for taking care of it," he said honestly anyway.
Vincent waved it off casually. "Just have fun with it and let me know if you need anything else. Moz is bringing everything up to your room right now."
Isaac gave a brief nod, but before he could reply, the door opened. Lucy and Ashe entered the office.
Isaac's gaze instinctively settled on Ashe immediately.
Over the past twenty-four hours, he still hadn't come up with any answer that would get him anywhere. Was she the one passing information to Levi or the other clans? Then his eyes shifted to Lucy. Or was it someone else from the Webster clan after all? Someone from Vincent's inner circle?
Isaac wanted nothing more than to leave this place. He wanted a home of his own that he could share with Noctis. He hated this constant mistrust that kept taking hold of him. Even before all of this, he had been suspicious by nature and had barely let anyone get close to him, and now he felt as though it had become far worse.
Ashe smiled at everyone and greeted them as usual. Eventually, her gaze settled on Isaac.
"Are you not feeling well?" she asked with concern.
Isaac immediately waved it off.
"Don't worry about it," he said.
It felt wrong to suspect Ashe.
Maybe because she had never done anything that clearly spoke against her. Or perhaps because Isaac simply didn't have enough insight into people to see through her smile and recognize a possible façade beneath it.
"If you need anything, just let me know," Ashe said calmly. "I still have tablets for pain and nausea in my room."
Afterward, Ashe sat down beside Noctis on the couch. She immediately opened her laptop and moments later was once again completely absorbed in whatever she was working on.
Moz entered the office shortly after that. He looked at Isaac somewhat awkwardly and gave him a nod. Then he cleared his throat and took his place beside Vincent.
"You all look well-rested," Vincent said with a smile. "Don't get too comfortable, because we have news."
"So there really is new information?" Lucy asked. Yet she sounded less surprised than relieved.
She sounded less surprised than relieved — as if she could barely endure the uncertainty any longer.
Vincent nodded slowly.
"The Viper Syndicate killed the boss. The police haven't arrested anyone," Vincent continued, "but the syndicate is already trying to snatch up everything the boss left behind before the cops can secure it."
He held up a photograph showing a man Isaac had never seen before. And even if he had seen him somewhere, the guy had an utterly forgettable face. Isaac would have been surprised if he could recognize him again.
"This is one of the killers who works directly for the boss of the Viper Syndicate. One of the cops identified him, and unfortunately he's also more than familiar to us."
Noctis scoffed. "Isn't that the bastard who kept getting in our way? I still have a score to settle with him."
"Get in line," Moz hissed. "If anyone's dealing with him, it'll be me."
"Children, calm down. I don't care which one of you tears him apart, but he's a thorn in my side. If you see him, kill him on sight. That'll hurt those idiots from the syndicate," Vincent cut in.
Isaac felt sick the moment the syndicate's name came up. His thoughts immediately went to Levi.
Noctis noticed the look on his face and turned toward his brother.
"Could this Levi have something to do with it?"
Vincent slowly leaned back in his chair.
"It can't be ruled out. I had a spy planted inside the syndicate, but I haven't had contact with him since the day before yesterday. So we can assume his cover was blown."
Lucy cursed quietly under her breath.
"Okay, if the Viper Syndicate is involved, then at least we know where we should focus our attention."
Vincent nodded. "They're on the list, but they're not the only ones causing us problems. The boss died too early and disrupted quite a few things I intended to do at this stage."
He grabbed a stack of envelopes lying on his desk and handed them to Moz, Lucy, and Noctis.
"I want you to take care of these men. But don't fool yourselves. It won't end with them. A lot more people are going to have to die." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "I hope you enjoyed your short breather. The coming weeks are going to be hard."
Lucy sighed. "We all knew what was coming."
Noctis stood up, opened his envelope, and flipped through the small catalog of targets.
"How soon do you want them dead?" he asked coolly.
As relaxed as Noctis had been only moments ago, he was now completely in killer mode.
"Preferably by the end of the week. But you won't manage that, even if you hurry. Best to work your way down from the top and keep reporting back to me. I don't want any of you staying out in the field for more than three days at a time, and I want you recovering regularly. Depending on how things develop, we may have to adjust our plan. Our main priority right now is containing the chaos before the entire city goes up in flames."
Isaac took a step toward Vincent. He could no longer ignore the unease twisting inside him.
"What about Levi? Is he on the list?"
"No," Vincent answered calmly.
"Why not?! No matter what happens over the next few days, if he's involved in this, then the whole thing can only end in disaster!" Isaac snapped at him.
"I would've taken him out long ago if we knew where he was hiding," Vincent replied, still calm. "We don't know where he lives, or when he's at the syndicate's hideout. We know next to nothing about him. He's like a damned ghost who appears and disappears whenever it suits him."
Isaac let out a frustrated breath.
"Isaac, I promise you we'll deal with him. But the current chaos is more important. Once we've restored some order to the city, we can redistribute our resources, okay?"
"Just stay here and focus on your studies, darling," Noctis said. "He wouldn't dare set foot in this place."
Vincent gave a dark smile. "And if he tries, he'll be torn apart at the entrance."
If Levi showed up here, Isaac would fight back with everything he had. That much was certain. Levi was one of the very few people Isaac genuinely wished dead, and he wouldn't mind witnessing that death firsthand.
Whether he would actually be able to break free from that paralyzing fear if they met again was an entirely different matter. Isaac was painfully aware of the effect Levi had on him.
So all Isaac could do was believe them, even though nothing appealed to him more than leaving this godforsaken city behind.
After that, he continued listening to their discussion about the current situation and the unrest spreading through the underworld.
Overall, the situation looked utterly bleak, and Isaac couldn't see any clean way out of it. How could there be, when everyone involved understood the risks and was prepared to die at any moment?
He only hoped the whole thing wouldn't drag on too long, so he could finally take the break he so desperately needed.
___
"You really want to leave right away?" Isaac asked quietly as he watched Noctis change clothes and pack his bag.
Noctis gave a brief nod. His bad mood was written clearly across his face.
"You heard it yourself. We have to act," he growled, pulling the zipper of his bag shut. "It's really bad that the boss was taken out this early."
Isaac leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. "It's the middle of the day," he pointed out. "Without the cover of night, you're an easy target."
Noctis looked up at him and flashed a crooked grin. "I love it when you worry about me."
"How could I not worry?" Isaac sighed. "I'm not really any help to you as long as I can't manage to create one useful tool or another for you. Watching you throw yourself straight into chaos is…"
Noctis walked over to him, pulled him briefly into his arms, and kissed him softly. "I'll always come back to you."
"You better," Isaac murmured before Noctis turned away from him and removed all of his jewelry except for the earring Isaac had given him a few months ago.
It was the one object that connected them. Just like Noctis's cross earring, which was now dangling from Isaac's own ear.
Afterward, Noctis checked his pockets, slipped his knives and a small pistol into place, and finally pulled out a few of the cards Isaac had painted for him long ago.
"How many do you still have?" Isaac asked.
Noctis thought for a moment.
"Six or seven."
Isaac nodded and decided that maybe he actually could contribute something after all.
"I'll make you new ones over the next few days. Do you have any specific requests?"
Noctis's eyes immediately began to sparkle. "Make most of them like the ones I already have, and a few that put everyone within a hundred-meter radius to sleep except for me. That way I can save some of my strength and eliminate my targets faster," he mused. "Maybe then I can even wrap up a few packages for the cops."
He walked over to Isaac again and kissed him once more. This time a little longer, and Isaac could feel how reluctant Noctis was to leave him behind.
"I don't like the thought of you having to fight," Isaac sighed again.
Noctis shrugged.
"Don't worry, darling. They don't call me Sandman for nothing," he said. His lips found Isaac's once again. "Thanks to my illusions, most jobs are pretty relaxed. I rarely get the pleasure of seriously fighting anyone."
Isaac raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"And here I always thought you threw yourself into bloodbaths with the greatest enthusiasm."
Noctis laughed quietly.
"In principle, I probably would enjoy it," he answered in amusement. "But the job of a killer is far less spectacular than that of a certain former Phantom. While you were stealing things and getting caught up in chases, my assassinations were basically child's play."
Isaac hadn't expected that answer. But it made sense. Noctis had always been an illusionist, even if Isaac had only learned that fact recently. Of course he had used his magic during every contract killing.
Combined with the cards Isaac had made for him, Noctis apparently hadn't even broken a sweat.
"Okay, sorry for worrying about you, you walking myth," Isaac snorted and demonstratively crossed his arms over his chest.
Noctis immediately grinned in satisfaction.
"Don't be mad, darling," Noctis replied. He kissed him again and pulled him close. "I just always had a very good reason to take care of myself."
Isaac sighed once more and wrapped his arms around Noctis. In that moment, he wished for nothing more than to skip ahead by half a year—or even a full year. Then they wouldn't have to deal with all the clans anymore. Noctis wouldn't have to keep going out to kill so many people, and they could simply enjoy their time together somewhere in peace.
Or at the very least, they could enjoy a few quiet days in a row.
"As long as you come back to me unharmed," Isaac finally murmured, "I don't care what methods you use."
Noctis let out a heavy breath and closed his eyes for a moment.
"Don't make it even harder for me to leave. I'd much rather spend the whole day lying in bed with you," Noctis sighed. He pulled Isaac against him one last time and gave him a farewell kiss before finally letting go. "I'll see you again in two or three days."
Isaac nodded slowly.
"Take care of yourself."
With a wink, Noctis blew him a kiss before leaving the room.
"Always, darling! I love you!"
"I love you too!" Isaac called after him.
But whether Noctis had actually heard him, he didn't know. He had disappeared far too quickly.
Isaac looked over at his mother's records and wondered whether he should lie down for a little while longer. In the very same moment, he decided against it. He felt guilty about resting while Noctis had immediately left to carry out his assignments.
He couldn't just postpone going through the records.
Afterward, he left Noctis's room and went to his own, where all the materials Moz and Vincent had gotten for him were waiting. He would read for a while and then work on the cards for Noctis.
Besides that, he needed to check whether Moz had really bought everything on the list.
After that, he could get himself a coffee and do some reading.
It was genuinely convenient that his room was so close to Noctis's. That way he didn't have to run into anyone or get dragged into unnecessary conversations.
He opened the door to his room and found himself staring at a mountain of boxes. Moz had gotten the easel, there were several shrink-wrapped canvases, and all the paints and brushes Isaac had written down. Isaac knelt down and checked everything, and Moz truly had thought of everything. He found texture paste, palette knives, sponges, and three mixing palettes.
Though what anyone needed three of them for was beyond him.
He pulled the next box toward himself and opened it—only to slam it shut again in shock.
What the hell…?!
Why would Moz buy him that of all things?
That's why he looked at me so awkwardly. But how…?
The realization sent an icy chill down Isaac's spine. Hastily, he grabbed his phone and checked the message he had sent to Vincent.
Embarrassed, he closed his eyes.
So that was why Vincent had made that stupid comment. He had probably jumped at the opportunity and happily bought the thing for him.
All because of Noctis!
Just because he couldn't keep his hands to himself!
"I'm going to kill him…" Isaac muttered in horror.
Isaac's cheeks burned with shame as he opened the box again and saw the package containing the bright pink dildo. He threw the thing onto the bed and decided he would shove it into the deepest corner of the closet.
But that wasn't even the end of it.
Apparently Moz had been thoughtful enough to buy condoms, lubricant, and even more sex toys on top of that. Isaac pulled out a vibrator, stared at it speechlessly for a moment, and tossed it onto the bed as well.
Then he discovered a coiled rope.
A moment later, several leather straps and strange metal fasteners followed, whose purpose Isaac absolutely did not want to figure out.
Annoyed, he rummaged through the box, threw the entire pile of stuff back inside from the bed, and shoved it against the wall.
Vincent had definitely tampered with the list and added far more than he should have. Isaac might have forgiven him for the dildo alone. Everything else had clearly been bought purely for Vincent's personal amusement.
"What an annoying idiot," Isaac cursed quietly.
Maybe he should just burn the entire box.
Or beat Vincent to death with it.
His phone vibrated.
His phone vibrated. Isaac picked it up, only to see a message from Vincent. He read it and let out an annoyed snort.
Vincent
Come to my office tomorrow morning.
I hope you like my gift, my dear brother-in-law. <3
Isaac rolled his eyes in irritation.
Isaac
Go bother someone else with your stupid jokes.
The reply came almost instantly.
Vincent
=)
Isaac stared at the message.
How the hell did Vincent even know he had already opened the box? For a brief moment, he seriously wondered whether Vincent had hidden cameras somewhere. At this point, absolutely nothing about that man would surprise him anymore.
Grumpily, Isaac switched to his chat with Noctis.
Isaac
I'm going to kill your brother.
Noctis replied almost immediately. Apparently he still hadn't reached his destination yet.
Noctis
What did he do?
Without comment, Isaac sent him a photo of the rough contents of the box. He was already about to throw his phone aside when he changed his mind and typed one last message.
Isaac
And you're next when you come back.
I told you to keep your hands to yourself!
Noctis sent several laughing emojis.
Isaac's fingers tightened around his phone. Moments like this made it painfully obvious that the two of them were brothers.
Isaac
We'll see if you're still laughing once I tie you up with this stuff.
Noctis
I can't wait, darling.
Just make sure you do it properly, otherwise I'll tie you up instead. <3
Isaac immediately felt his cheeks grow even hotter.
"Of course he'd actually enjoy this too…" he muttered in exasperation.
Naturally, Noctis was having fun with this.
With an annoyed noise, Isaac tossed his phone onto the nightstand before beginning to neatly spread out the painting supplies across the table. Brushes were sorted, paints lined up beside each other, and the blank card templates carefully prepared.
He had originally intended to finally deal with his mother's records.
But he was far too worked up for that.
If he tried to read now, he wouldn't understand a single sentence anyway, because his brain was still stuck on that absurdly embarrassing box.
"Idiots," he snorted quietly.
Then he grabbed a brush, dipped it into black paint, and began creating new cards for Noctis — quietly hoping that focused work would eventually calm him down again.