**Chapter 47: Unspoken Bonds***Safari's POV*Safari leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling of his office. The day had dragged on longer than usual, the usual chaos of his team's work tempered by a strange sense of unease. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about the way things were going lately had him on edge.His mind drifted, as it often did, to Bing. Their relationship had always been an enigma to him—complex and layered, full of unspoken agreements and silent understandings. On the surface, they were just two people blowing off steam, using each other to escape the pressures of their respective worlds. But Safari knew it went deeper than that, at least for him.He had always been drawn to Bing's calm demeanor, their ability to stay collected even in the most intense situations. But it was more than just admiration—there was something about Bing that made Safari feel... protective. Like they were his responsibility, even though they would never admit to needing anyone's protection.Safari knew better than to get too attached. They both had their own teams, their own loyalties, and anything more than what they already had was dangerous. But that didn't stop him from thinking about Bing as more than just a casual partner. In his mind, Bing was his spouse—the one person he could rely on, even if they didn't share everything with each other.He sighed, rubbing his temples as the day's stress began to catch up with him. His phone buzzed, and he glanced at it, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he saw Bing's name. They had agreed to meet again tonight, a continuation of the ritual that had become as essential as breathing for both of them.When he finally arrived at Bing's apartment, he found himself hesitating for a moment before knocking. It was strange how much he looked forward to these moments, even though he knew he shouldn't. When Bing opened the door, Safari couldn't help but smile at the sight of them, their usual calm demeanor barely masking the exhaustion in their eyes."You look tired," Safari said, his voice softer than usual as he stepped inside.Bing shrugged, brushing off the concern. "It's been a long day."Safari didn't push it, knowing better than to pry when Bing didn't want to talk. Instead, he reached out, pulling them into a hug. Bing stiffened slightly at first, then relaxed into the embrace, their head resting against Safari's chest. It was moments like these that made Safari's heart ache—when he could feel the walls Bing had built around themselves slowly crumble, even if just for a moment.They ended up in bed, the familiarity of their routine offering some semblance of comfort in the chaos of their lives. But tonight, something was different. As they lay together afterward, the usual post-intimacy silence settled between them, Safari found himself unable to let go of the tension he'd noticed in Bing earlier.Bing stared at the ceiling, their face unreadable, but Safari could sense the turmoil beneath the surface. He turned onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow as he looked at them. "You've been distracted lately," he said quietly, his hand finding its way to Bing's.Bing didn't respond immediately, their fingers curling slightly as if contemplating what to say. Finally, they sighed, turning to meet Safari's gaze. "It's nothing. Just work."Safari frowned, not entirely convinced. "Is that all it is?"Bing hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. It's just... work."Safari knew Bing well enough to recognize when they were deflecting, but he also knew when to let it go. For now, at least. Instead, he shifted closer, his hand gently cupping Bing's cheek as he pressed a soft kiss to their forehead. "You don't have to carry it all alone, you know."Bing closed their eyes, leaning into the touch. "I know."They fell into silence again, but this time it felt different. There was a weight to it, an unspoken acknowledgment of the growing complexity of their relationship. Safari knew he should probably address it—define what they were to each other, set some boundaries—but the thought of doing so felt almost impossible.Instead, he stayed where he was, his fingers brushing absentmindedly against Bing's cheek. He could feel their breathing slow, the tension in their body slowly easing as they drifted off to sleep. Safari stayed awake a while longer, his mind racing with thoughts he knew he shouldn't entertain.Bing was more than just a fling to him, more than just someone to pass the time with. They were his spouse in every way that mattered, even if they never said it out loud. But the reality of their situation was impossible to ignore—they were on opposite sides of a battle that neither of them could afford to lose. And yet, here they were, lying together in the dark, sharing a moment of peace in a world that seemed intent on tearing them apart.As he finally drifted off to sleep, Safari made a silent promise to himself. Whatever happened, he would protect Bing, even if it meant making sacrifices he wasn't ready for.
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I LOVE U I LOVE U SO MUCH SAFARI ILY BRO THEYE SO CUTE.....
the fact that safari thinks of bing as a partner in marriage is so :holding back tears emoji:
THEY NEED TO GET TOGETHER. IM SO SAD
