Rogue Nation: Meet the IMF

Chapter 10: Red Box

Kat splashed her face with water, trying to both to cool her bruises and her head, when she heard something move behind her. She slowly lifted her head out of her hands and looked up in the bathroom mirror to see Brandt leaning against the doorframe.

"You know, there's a thing called knocking." Kat said dryly, and Brandt raised a brow before tapping his knuckles on the door. Kat rolled her eyes as she finished washing up, ignoring Brandt as she dried her face on the towel.

She tensed however, when his fingers brushed over her shoulder, lightly touching the purple bruise that was forming, visible beneath her thin tank top. Kat turned, moving her shoulder away from his hand as she locked eyes with Brandt.

"What are you doing?" She asked, forcing her tone to be neutral although her eyes were narrowed warily. His face was as unreadable as it had ever been as he stood watching her carefully.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." Brandt said finally, and Kat's hand twitched, almost like she wanted to curl it into a fist. Or slap him- that sounded really good at the moment too. "You should really put something on these- it'll help the bruises heal faster."

"I'm fine, thank you." Kat replied flatly, her tone clearly indicating she wanted him to leave her alone, and Brandt exhaled sharply through his nose, finally betraying a little of his frustration.

"Kat." He said in a warning tone, and she mimicked once more: "Brandt."

"Don't call me that." He growled and she returned: "It's your name, isn't it?"

"Not from you, it isn't." He snapped, his blue eyes blazing angrily as he let his composed façade slip and showed his true feelings. "I don't want to hear you call me that."

"Why not?" Kat asked a little sharply, and Brandt caught the accidental hint of bitterness in her tone and his eyes narrowed.

"You know why I ignored you the past six months." He said sternly, cutting straight to the point.

"And I don't see why you're choosing not to now." Kat pointed out, her lips pressing tightly as she glared at Brandt defiantly. "Not unless you're trying to be an insensitive jerk. Because when this is over," she gestured around them, "you all disappear, again, and I'll have to live pretending you never existed."

Brandt sighed.

"Kat..." He began, but she avoided his gaze as she muttered: "It's true, isn't it? This," she indicated between them, "could never work. It's why you left in the first place. Why are you acting like it's different now?"

There was a beat of silence before Kat nodded sadly.

"See?" She asked as she made to pass Brandt and leave, but he caught her by the arm, swinging her around and grabbing her chin before he kissed her again. Kat froze before she bit his bottom lip. Hard.

"Ow!" Brandt pulled back sharply, and Kat glared at him.

"Would you stop doing that?" She demanded and he retorted as he pulled on his injured lip, wincing slightly: "No!"

"Why not?" Kat demanded, getting royally pissed off with him, and Brandt snapped back: "Because I love you!"

Kat's heart stopped and she blinked as Brandt did the same, clearly not having meant to say that.

"Shit." He muttered.

A silence descended upon them as Kat stared at Brandt with her mouth slightly agape. He'd surprised her, that much was certain, and his words made her chest suddenly feel so much warmer. But there was also a deep fear in the pit of her stomach, knowing he'd said words he should never have said.