Archive of Our Own ^beta

Alex and Yassen are handcuffed together.

Handcuffed. Together with one of the most ruthless killers Alex has ever encountered.

Great.

Taking a big breath and releasing it slowly Alex finally breaks the silence that hangs between them since their capture.

“So what's the plan?”

A shifting of clothes behind him is the only response he gets for a long moment. So long in fact that Alex startles when the assassin finally speaks.

“There is a tunnel that will get us out of here. It's behind a grate somewhere in this basement complex.”

Alex waits for more, before realizing that's all the older man had, “...That's it? Do you know which room it's in, where it leads?”

A sigh and another shift meets his question, “I’m afraid little Alex this is the best information I have. If someone hadn’t tried to spy where he wasn’t wanted then I would know more.”

Gritting his teeth, Alex begins working at the handcuffs tying their wrist together. “Right.” He mutters just before his hand makes contact with something wet and warm.

Alex’s mind is a whirl of thoughts when did- and then it strikes him.

During his capture instead of holding him at gunpoint like what usually happens it was poised to shoot him in the leg. Yassen had intervened, had rushed in front of Alex and had knee’d the assailant in the face, a shot had gone off.

And then a second one had fired and the man lay dead in a pool of gore.

“You…you killed that man and You’re hurt…because of me”

An exhale of air, a laugh?

“It would not be my first time taking a blow for you, it is becoming an unfortunate habit”

Wincing, Alex nods before remembering he couldn’t be seen, “No one told you to take it for me.” he takes a steadying breathe, “thank you”

A quiet settles between them as Alex works the handcuffs binding them together, he thanks smithers under his breath for the file he was given.

He was sent with a woman this time, She had been sweet.

Had been. His stomach churns at the memory.

He'd been working on his maths when Crowley had come to his front door; Had smiled all polite and friendly at him and Jack even though it meant Alex was in for a world of trouble.

He’d been going to Spain, his target was a young man named Alejandro Pérez, he was responsible for a massive underground drug trafficking ring and they were fortunate enough to have an invitation to a charity ball he was holding.

Yonda had been her name, a middle aged woman who had looked at him with absolute delight. He’d heard her whole life story on the way over, a mother of one college student who looked so much like him.

It had been odd but nice, he was cared for only for a brief time and he couldn’t deny his heart felt warm at her cooing.

It was supposed to be simple, she would attend the ball and try to rizz up Alejandro, meanwhile Alex would go below and see if he couldn’t locate the drugs that were supposed to be shipped out in the morning.

He shivers at what actually happened.

He’d been looking for the basement to sneak into, and his eyes caught a vent that peeked into the main ballroom.

It was the color of the floor that had caught his interest at first, it was red.

Red like….

Alex had turned pale, he’d drawn closer to confirm his worst fear, dozens of people lay dead, blood pooling around them. He’d seen her, a sweet agent who had a family waiting for her.

She raised her head in defiance as she stood kneeling, her lips drawn back in a snarl.

“I’ll never talk scumbag!”

He said something in response that Alex couldn’t catch and then-

Then he’d raised the gun and she was no more. Just a pool of red against the marble tile.

The memory of the last day haunted him, he tried to shake the unwanted memory away as he filed.

Finally after a good ten minutes he had one cuff freed. The file however looked in poor shape, he wasn’t sure he had enough left for the other cuff.

“Fancy trick,” Yassen breathed out, and wow.

Now that Alex got to see him for the first time Yassen wasn’t looking good. He was paler than he usually was, his shirt and pants were stained a thick dark red, the wound on his side was still uncovered he realized.

“You look…bad”

For just a brief moment Yassen lets out a little huff of a laugh, “Yes, well blood loss can do that to you.”

“Here let's get you up, you said there's a grate down here right?”

It's awkward going, Alex’s left hand was free but his right still anchored to the assassin.

The assassin that killed his uncle, and who’d saved him on air force one, and the one who told him he loved him, and -

Alex’s thoughts were spiraling, he shook his head to clear it, he would think about the implications of all of this once they were home free.

For now he had to figure out how to stop the bleeding unless he wanted to be weighed down by an adult man.

Taking off the bandana he was wearing around his neck, another gift from smithers, it would act as a self sealing bandage if an injury was to occur, Alex had hoped this one would be useless. Grimacing, he winches at the way the blooded fabric sticks to Yassen’s skin.

“Here this should help” The bandage practically sanctions itself to the gaping wound in Yassen’s side, but it does its job.

“Useful toy” The older man mutters, he wasn’t looking good.

“Come on, let's find that grate” It was hard work getting the other man up, Alex had to use both arms to steady the injured man, and still it was a challenge.

They hobbled their way out into the hallway, dusty and abandoned.
“Weird…” He whispers, “ no guards?”

Just then it's revealed why there were no guards when the acrid smell of smoke began to bellow down the hallway towards upstairs.

“Damn it, lets go”

Hobbling their way through the basement checking room after room, each one making Yassen breathe hard in pain, making him deader and deader weight.

Finally they find it, hidden behind a crate is a grate blowing out fresh air. After a moment of work the grate is off, it's small but Alex is sure he can squeeze through it but Yassen with his injured side… he bites his lip.

The smoke is filling the room, their only saving grace was that they were close to the ground already.

“It's a tight squeeze but we can do it, here let me….” Alex attempts to get Yassen into the vent.

Attempt is a strong word here, the man may only be a few inches taller than him at this point but he was packed with lean muscle and moving him would not be an easy feat.

“Sasha…use your file, i won’t be joining you”

Each word was stoically strained, Yassens face only slightly betrayed the massive amount of pain he was in.

“NO!” The word comes out louder than Alex intends it to startling them both.

“I-i’m not leaving you. Not again, come on we have to go!”

Displaying strength Alex didn’t know he had, he slides Yassen closer to the vent, wiggling himself inside, he tugs at their still attached wrists, “Come on!”

The only man is slow to move but move he does. His eyes have an unreadable emotion in them, but they don't have the time for them to figure it out.

It's an agonizing journey, Alex is sliding practically backwards as he’s aiding Yassen through the vents, it takes at least ten minutes to get through the concrete tube in the pitch dark before finally a cool breeze meets Alex's sweat soaked skin.

With one last heave of strength Alex helps Yassen out of the tunnel.

They’re in luck for once, the snow around the perimeter looked pristine and untouched, clearly the men that were trying to kill them didn't know this place existed or didn’t think it a likely exit.

Forcing themselves to move they trudged into the forest beyond, only stopping when Yassen finally collapsed against a tree.

Sitting down heavily beside him Alex took a moment to catch his breath.

“So. whats next”

He repeated the familiar words with a wry smile.

He was met with a huff of laughter and Alex thought just for a moment they would be ok.

God they had to be ok.