Inverted (a Neil / Tenet fanfic)

Chapter 8

New York

In the morning a smile blossomed again on her face when Crystal saw him waiting for her in front of his car.
Neil opened the door for her like a gentleman, then drove to the camp.

Although he wore a happy face, she could feel the awkwardness and some tension lingering in the air while they talked about petty things, updating about what they did while they were separated. And she had to keep from him the worst part of the story.

When they arrived at the camp, she opened the door to jump down, but she was stopped by his hand grabbing her knee.

"Our boss wants to talk to us" Neil briefed leaning towards her with a confidential tone.

In front of her alarmed reaction, he added with a nervous scoff "I guess it's nothing important or he wants a report about the mission. But if he talks about us... I want you to know that nothing he can say or menace will keep me away from you".

His hand moved from her leg to grab her hand and squeeze it.

"If you risk your job because of this..." she sighed, that was an unexpected conversation "I'm not letting you lose it".

"Let it be also my decision, I beg you" he leaned closer and kissed her.

Crystal grinned on his lips and caressed his freshly shaved face "I find forbidden things even more attractive and exciting".

He surprised her giving a soft bite to her fingers "I wish I can agree with you, but I fear it will be very hard to keep this secret".
She chuckled in approval and jumped out of the car before things could turn hotter in there.

They walked together to the off limits sections of the camp.

The Protagonist was sipping some coffee at his desk when he glanced up at the couple that stepped into the room and his eyes immediately dropped on their entwined hands.

"Did you want to see us?" Neil asked gingerly as he sat next to the woman in front of the older man "Is the device safe?".

"It's still here, locked it in the vault".

"The vault? Do you think I can't break in there?" Neil teased, getting a dismissive scowl.

"Ives came to warn me about another stuff..." The Protagonist eyed them to check their reactions.

"Don't call it forbidden" Neil intervened with a sigh of exasperation.

"I don't. I'm just warning you. Ives thinks that it's inappropriate. But I disagree".

Neil gazed at him slack jawed "You do?".

The Protagonist grinned at his surprise and leaned to rest his elbows on the desk "I don't mind about how you spend your free time. Seeing you happy warms my heart too. And it's better seeing two agents together than seeing you involved with someone else, putting the secrecy of our organization in danger".

Crystal felt a new wave of admiration and gratitude for that man. Although it wasn't enough to soften her anxiety.
She had expected to hear him saying that he discovered something about her.
Instead he was giving them his blessing for their fling or whatever it was.

Neil stood up and shook his hand with irrepressible gratitude.
It was hard to see them on a professional level.
There was a respect and a friendship to bond them tightly and Crystal saw it clearly in that occasion for the first time.

As she walked next to Neil, she heard his heavy breaths for the joy that was shaking him and it affected her too.

The other agents shot them furtive glances, but it was the sight of a confused Ives that irritated Neil and set him against his former friend.