The moment between bullets

Time slowed to a crawl as Petrov's men raised their guns. Oliver's mind raced, the cold grip of fear tightening around his chest. Every muscle in his body tensed, ready to react, but it was as if his feet were glued to the ground. He was not made for this—this world of bullets and blood.

But Alexei moved like he was born for it.

In one swift motion, Alexei spun toward Oliver, grabbing his arm and yanking him behind a stack of shipping crates just as the first shots rang out. Bullets splintered wood, ricocheting off metal as they dived for cover.

"Stay down!" Alexei growled, his voice edged with urgency. He returned fire, popping up just long enough to squeeze off two shots before ducking back down.

Oliver's heart pounded, adrenaline flooding his system, but through the chaos, all he could focus on was Alexei. The way his jaw clenched, the way his eyes flicked between their attackers and the next piece of cover. Alexei was the storm itself—fierce, relentless, and terrifyingly beautiful in his intensity.

"Are you okay?" Alexei asked, his voice rough with concern, snapping Oliver out of his daze.

Oliver nodded, struggling to catch his breath. His chest ached, not from fear but from the overwhelming realization that, despite everything, he trusted Alexei with his life. In this moment, amidst the danger and the noise, something shifted between them. It was as if the world was burning down around them, but all Oliver could see was him.

"We need to move," Alexei said, his voice low and controlled. "There's an opening in the fence over there." He pointed toward a gap between two shipping containers. "When I give the signal, we run. Got it?"

Oliver swallowed hard, his throat dry, but he nodded. "Got it."

Alexei's eyes lingered on him for a second longer than they should have, softening just enough to reveal the man behind the warrior. For the first time, there was something else in that gaze—a flicker of something deeper, more dangerous than bullets or mafia vendettas.

But before Oliver could say anything, Alexei took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Now!"

They bolted from cover, weaving between the crates as more gunfire erupted around them. Oliver's legs burned, his lungs screaming for air as they sprinted toward the fence. He could feel Alexei's presence behind him, close enough that he could almost feel the heat radiating off his body.

They reached the gap, sliding through just as more shots rang out, but the fence shielded them from the worst of it. They stumbled into an alley on the other side, gasping for breath as the chaos of the docks faded behind them.

For a moment, the world went still. The gunfire was a distant echo now, replaced by the sound of their ragged breathing. Oliver leaned against a brick wall, trying to regain his composure. His heart pounded in his ears, his entire body buzzing with the aftershocks of adrenaline.

And then Alexei was there, right in front of him.

Oliver looked up, and their eyes met—really met for the first time. The tension from the gunfight was still thick in the air, but something else pulsed between them now. Something electric.

Alexei stepped closer, his chest heaving, his eyes dark and intense as they locked onto Oliver's. There was no mask, no bravado, just raw, unfiltered emotion. The space between them shrank, the air crackling with unspoken words and unacknowledged feelings.

"You… you saved my life back there," Oliver murmured, his voice barely a whisper. He couldn't look away from Alexei, his pulse racing for reasons that had nothing to do with the danger they had just escaped.

Alexei's gaze flickered to the ground for a moment, his jaw working like he was trying to find the right words. When he looked back up, his voice was low, rough around the edges. "You shouldn't have been there in the first place."

Something in Alexei's tone sent a shiver down Oliver's spine. It wasn't anger—it was something else. Something deeper, like Alexei was fighting an internal war, torn between his instincts and something more vulnerable.

"You're blaming yourself for keeping me safe?" Oliver asked, stepping closer, his voice incredulous but soft. "That's ridiculous."

Alexei's eyes flashed with something intense, but he didn't step back. In fact, he closed the distance between them even more, their faces now inches apart. The tension was thick, almost suffocating, but neither of them moved.

"You don't get it," Alexei muttered, his voice strained. "I dragged you into this mess. I've put you in danger."

"I chose this," Oliver shot back, his voice firm despite the tremor in his hands. "I knew what I was getting into. I'm not afraid of what happens next, Alexei."

Alexei let out a harsh breath, his eyes searching Oliver's face like he was looking for a way to push him away, to make him leave. But when Oliver didn't flinch, didn't pull back, Alexei's resolve seemed to crumble.

"This world will destroy you, Oliver," Alexei whispered, his voice barely audible now. "It destroys everyone who gets too close."

Oliver felt the weight of those words settle over him like a shroud, but he didn't back down. Instead, he reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he placed it against Alexei's chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heartbeat beneath his fingers.

"I'm already in it," Oliver said softly, his voice steady despite the pounding in his chest. "And I'm not going anywhere."

Alexei's breath hitched, and for a moment, it felt like time stopped. The space between them dissolved completely, leaving only the sharp intensity of the moment. Oliver could feel the heat radiating off Alexei's body, could smell the faint scent of smoke and adrenaline clinging to his skin.

And then, suddenly, Alexei closed the final gap between them. His hand came up, cupping the back of Oliver's neck as he pulled him in, their lips crashing together with a force that knocked the breath from both of them. It wasn't soft or gentle—it was raw, desperate, like a storm that had been brewing for far too long finally breaking loose.

Oliver's hands fisted in Alexei's jacket, pulling him closer as the kiss deepened. Every ounce of tension, every unsaid word and unacknowledged feeling spilled out between them in that single, searing moment. The world around them disappeared, leaving only the fierce heat of their connection.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other. Oliver's pulse raced, his entire body buzzing with the aftermath of the kiss.

Alexei's hand still rested at the back of Oliver's neck, his thumb brushing against his skin. "This… changes everything," Alexei muttered, his voice rough.

"Good," Oliver whispered, a small, breathless smile tugging at his lips. "I was hoping it would."