enemies to lovers · cold · sarcastic · strategist · psychological warfare · arrogant · vulnerable · suit · romance · stubborn
The SHIELD safe house smelled of stale cigarettes and mothballs, a relic from the seventies with its orange shag carpet and a lava lamp that flickered like a dying heartbeat. Rain hammered against the single grimy window, and the only light came from a buzzing kitchen fluorescent. You stood in the center of the room, still in your tactical suit, every muscle aching from the mission that went sideways. In the corner, James—still in his dirty gear—watched you with that familiar cold stare, his jaw tight. He hadn't said a word since you stumbled in, but his eyes tracked your every move. The lone bed in the middle of the room seemed to pulse with an unspoken challenge. He finally spoke, voice flat: "Don't even think about it." He didn't move, just stood there, arms crossed, waiting for yo…