The Devil's Backbone by The Civial Wars

"Luciel, what are you -"

"Shh," He grabbed a hold of my wrists and pinned them to my sides, inching his body closer to mine.

"You can trust me, Four."

As his whispered those sweet words ever so softly, he brought his face closer to mine until I could feel the soft touch of his lips and –

"What the hell!?!?!"

Four immediately shot up and got out of bed, catching her breath, trying to make sense out of what just happened.

She touched her fingers to her lips as if some of the remnants of that dream remained there. Her eyes began to gloss over recalling on the feelings the dream stirred within her.

She groaned.

"What the hell am I thinking?" She spoke to herself.

She blamed that late night conversation with Luciel and this new understanding she had of him.

Still feeling quiet warm and shocked about the dream, she decided a quick cold shower would do her some good to help clear her mind.

Four sprung into action, answering the emails and joining in the chatrooms. She found that actually enjoyed the work.

Later on in the day she saw Jaehee in the chatroom. What caught Four's attention was that Jaehee seemed to be distressed.

[Four has entered the chatroom]

Four: "Jaehee, what's wrong??"

Jaehee: "Hello, Four."

Jaehee: "Well, I got a rather … strange email today. It maybe nothing to worry about, but even so … I find it quite unsettling …"

Jaehee sent the email she received.

Mint eye

The place where everyone's happy

The magenta of hopes and dreams.

Four: "Yea …. It sounds suspicious …"

Jaehee: "Right??"

Jaehee : "The sender is 'Mint Eye'."

Jaehee: " … I've never given out my personal information and this is the first time I've received a spam message."

Jaehee: "I wanted to delete it … but …"

Jaehee: "Its not like a normal spam message. It didn't contain any links. Just a couple sentences and that image."

Jaehee: "Doesn't that logo look suspicious to you?"

Four: "Yes, it does. We should ask Seven about it. He can probably figure it out."

Four felt her stomach flutter a bit at the mention of his name.

"This is not good …"

She cursed the feelings she was staring to develop against her will.

Jaehee: "Yes, I was planning to do just that."

Jaehee: "However, I have this very unsettling thought …"

Jaehee: "I feel as though I am being watched …"

Four felt a chill in the room as soon as Jaehee said that. Her guards were back up. She quickly turned her head and glanced around the apartment.

"No, Luciel said I was safe here … I trust him."

Jaehee: "Please be careful, Four."

Jaehee: "But in truth, I feel bad for giving more work to Luciel."

Four: "Hm, I know what you mean."

Four: "If we're being honest, I'm … also concerned for him."

Jaehee: "He has also become very sentimental."

Jaehee: "Should we be worried?"

Four: "I'll try taking to him."

Jaehee: "Thank you."

Jaehee: "I feel that you have become closer to him. I think you're special to him."

Four's face flushed a little.

"Stop it!"

Four mentally slapped herself.

Jaehee: "Ah, I lost track of time. I should get going."

Four: "Alright. Stay safe Jaehee."

Jaehee: "And you as well, Four."

[Jaehee left the chatroom]

[Four left the chatroom]

Four's paranoia nagged at her.

Whatever was going on didn't feel right to her. She felt on edge.

Despite her uneasiness, thoughts of Luciel came into her mind. Knowing that he may be able to figure it out had put her mind at some sort of ease.

Regardless, she still had work to do.

Once she managed to get the work done she carried on with her usual routine.

After her work out and her shower, her discomfort came back, so she decided to open up the messenger to see if any of the RFA members were online. To take her mind off of things if anything.

There was a chatroom already open. It seemed like there was something already going on between Zen and Luciel.

[Four entered the chatroom]

ZEN: "Seven … did you analyze the email?"

707: "Four! Have you received anything … weird?"

Four: "No, but Jaehee has. Did she contact you?"

707: "She did."

ZEN: "I also got something creepy too."

ZEN: "Actually, we were just discussing it."

ZEN: "So, Seven. Did you analyze it?"

707: "Oh, yes. I did."

707: "I found out who sent it."

Four: "Wow. I'll admit, I'm pretty impressed you managed to so fast."

707: "Ha ha ha. Remember, I am a genius! XD"

ZEN: "So, it was just spam … right?"

707: "Nope."

ZEN: "WHAT!?"

707: "I was surprised too, but I tracked the sender's proxy …"

Four: "And?"

707: "It's a hacker and he's after us."

Four: "Us?? Why?"

707: "I have no idea what this guy wants with the RFA."

707: "A lot of big people come to our events."

707: "So maybe, they're after information.."

ZEN: "Information?"

707: "Yea … I'll have to discuss it with V."

707: "I'm worried about Four though."

Four: "Me? Why?"

707: "Jumin has his body guards looking after the others, but he cant send any to you since no one can know the apartment's address …"

Four: "I'm not helpless, Seven."

707: "I know, but even so …"

707: "Please just trust me and try to be patient. Don't do anything rash, Four."

Four: "Fine."

707: "Thank you."

Four: "What about you?"

707: "Me?"

ZEN: "Yea, you don't have a bodyguard either."

707: "Lolololol, I am the Defender of Justice!"

707: "My faith in God and my gates are my bodyguards!"

ZEN: "What about when you leave your house?

707: "I don't leave my house."

ZEN: "Seriously!?"

ZEN: "Isn't that suffocating?"

707: "I don't have time to feel suffocated. Especially with this whole hacker thing going on."

707: "I rarely leave the house anyway. Only to go to work."

ZEN: "Seriously? How can you live like that?"

707: "I'm completely fine."

707: "Its been bearable so far."

ZEN: "Bearable so far?"

Four: "I'm sorry …"

707: "Don't worry about."

707: "lololol, like I said. I'm fine."

ZEN: " Ok, so what now?"

707: "Well, since I got their IP address, it means I know their physical address."

ZEN: "Holy shit!"

Four: "Holy shit!"

Four and Zen wrote at the same time.

"I had no idea that he was that good … it's kinda scary …"

Four muttered to herself.

707: "Now that I have their address …"

707: "I'll barge in there myself."

ZEN: "Now things are going somewhere!"

Four: "Hell no."

ZEN: "What?"

707: "What?"

Luciel was honestly going to barge in to whatever place it is, without any information on it, alone?

Four: "Its too dangerous to go alone. You don't even know what to expect."

707: "Four … are you worrying for me?"

Four: " … honestly, yes …"

Four hesitated to actually say those words, but she couldn't help but have a bad feeling about this. She was indeed worried.

707: "To be honest, I don't know how to finish this …"

707: "You'd usually attack back or tighten the security.

ZEN: "Wait … didn't you say you were already so busy with work from the agency?"

707: "Yep."

ZEN: "Do you even have the time to go?"

707: "Who else will? I'll be fine."

Four: "I'm coming with you."

707: "Uh, thank you but I don't even know what will be there."

Four: "That's why you take me."

ZEN: "Huh?"

707: "No. Despite what people might think of what I do for the agency, not all my work is done behind a computer screen. I've been out in the field in similar situations."

Four: "Seriously??"

"How could I have not known that?!"

Four was shocked to find that Luciel also done work in the field.

"Hes more versatile than I had thought."

707: "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

707: "I have to go. I must prepare!"

[707 has left the chatroom]

ZEN: "Do you think he'll really be ok?"

ZEN: "He has so many secrets …"

ZEN: "I'm scared that he'll just blow up one day."

ZEN: "I mean, nothing will stop him, but …

Four: "I trust he knows what he's doing. Try not to worry too much."

ZEN: "Yeah, you're right."

ZEN: "Try not to worry too much either, Four."

ZEN: "If anything strange happens and you cant get a hold of Seven, you contact me, ok?"

Four: "Oh, um, sure. I will. Thank you Zen."

ZEN: "Good girl. Ok I'll get going. Please be careful, Four."

Four: "You too, Zen. Bye."

[ZEN has left the chatroom]

[Four has left the chatroom]

Four had trouble concentrating after that.

Her thoughts were filled with worry. Worry over the RFA members.

Worry over herself.

And worry over Luciel.

Her frustration grew and rang loud and clear, downing out the worry. Turning it into something more … familiar.

Something she can unleash.

She angrily hung up her make shift punching bag and began letting it all flow out.

Four hated this feeling of not being able to do anything. Luciel could take her! She could be of use.

He said he had worked in the field before …

Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing.

Luciel.

She answered it without hesitation.

"Luciel? Is everything ok?"

"Wow, you sound so … sincere."

"Luciel …"

"Sorry."

She heard him release a long sigh.

"I think I'm sick … I know I've been acting strange these past couple of days."

"Its … alright. You're under an extreme amount of pressure."

"Thank you, Four, but it's not just because of that. Listen," he paused and she waited, "can you hear me out?"

"Ok."

"Thanks. You know, some days, when I'm talking with you, it might sound strange," he chuckled, but it sounded bittersweet, "it feels as if I'm sitting under the sun."

Four immediately felt a rebel blush slowly spread across her face.

"Four, I don't know if you know this, but a long time ago I had this mission where I was supposed to infiltrate a facility where the enemies were outside. I was to retrieve some vital information, and of course, I was successful! Or … so I thought. I sent out the other agents and was about to leave … but more enemies came. I hid. I hid in a boiler room for three days … it was so unbearably hot. I was so thirsty … I thought I was going to die. In the most pitiful way." Another bitter laugh from him. Soon his voice turned serious again. "All that time there left me with time to think. I realized that if I die, there was nothing that would prove that I was … here. The meaning of all that. All the work I do for the agency is anonymous. There's nothing to prove I did any of that. If I die … there would be no trace of me. It's strange … I know I'm telling you this because you can understand what it feels like … but also … I was so distracted by those thoughts that I was typing your name in some coding. It was stupid of me, careless. I could've put you in danger … I knew, that when I saw you cry that day, that you were truly a good hearted person. Unlike me … I keep wanting to know more about you. I wait for you to show your face again on the CCTV, even if it's just to flip me off, haha."

Four's face was beet red … her mind put the pieces together.

God … is this a … confession?"

"God … what am I doing …?" Luciel spoke after a frustrated groan.

"Luciel, I – "

"No, Four. You don't need to say anything. I just needed to get that off of my chest."

Four's heart was beating fast. She could no longer deny her developing feelings towards him.

"Four, if anything happens to me … run."

Her blood went cold.

"Run?"

"Run. Leave everyone and everything behind and run."

"I can fight them. The mint eye, the agency. I can protect the RFA members."

"No, Four. Not from the agency. If I go, there's nothing keeping them off your trail. They will continue to hunt you down and they will find you, and they will use the RFA members to get what they want. You running will not only give you some time, but it will protect the other members as well. Please, Four. Promise me."

"Ok … I promise."

"Thank you, Four. I promise I will protect you for as long as I can."

"I know, Luciel. I trust you."

"Thank you." She could practically feel Luciel's breath or relief across her face.

"I should get going."

"Luciel?"

"Yes?"

"You better not die."

"Haha, I will try not to."

"Luciel."

His hearty laughter chased away the foreboding feeling she was having.

"Four, Hahaha. I can't promise, but with everyone who needs me, I have to try."

"Good." She spoke softly.

"I, uh. I should go, haha."

"I'll talk to you later, Luciel."

"Goodbye, Four. Stay safe."

Four poured herself a glass of wine, turning on the TV to help distract herself from the conversation her and Luciel had.

It was such an inopportune time for her to be having such feelings, especially for Luciel, but she couldn't stop them.

The more she learned about him and realized how similar they were, the more she felt drawn to him.

Two and a half glasses of wine and two full length movies later, she had fallen asleep on the sofa. She was in a deep sleep. It would seem that nothing would be able to wake her.

She didn't hear the small chime of the security system deactivating and reactivating.