Although she never liked it, Nikita was used to waking in an empty bed. Her fiancé always claimed he didn't need much sleep. He instead spent his time researching or attempting to dig up any information he could. It was a habit from his Naval intelligence and CIA analyst days that he just hadn't shook. And the fact that he had managed to gather so much intel on Oversight using the tactic, he didn't feel the need to change anything yet. Nikita couldn't argue with him. All she could do was wrap her arms around his neck as he hunched over the computer and paperwork, and kiss his crown, "Babe, you need to rest."
"Yeah… when I'm done," Michael's shoulders instantly relaxed with his fiancée at his side. He spared his hand to clasp one of hers; however, he remained intently focused on his readings. He had to be close to something. Since the team had devastatingly discovered that Percy had plutonium, the former analyst had spent much of his downtime attempting to figure out the bastard's play. He hadn't gotten far, yet the destruction of the seventy million granted him more time to figure it out. Division had been silent since then; the black ops group couldn't destroy the world without its funding.
"Take a break. Relax. Come back with fresh eyes," Gently turning his head and stepping into his line of sight, Nikita sighed. Michael was doing important work- she couldn't deny that. However, he didn't have to burn himself out with all of his research. The team would learn Percy's plans and prepare to stop them, just as they'd always done. There was a lot of pressure with nuclear material involved. And there was possibly a time table they didn't know about that could prove detrimental. But they couldn't allow the lack of information to overwhelm them. They had to keep a clear head, and continue being able to relax.
Unfortunately, after all the digging he had done and anxiety he had felt, Michael didn't think he could relax. He probably shouldn't even relax. Despite the soothing palm Nikita placed on his cheek, causing him to melt into the warmth, he couldn't allow himself to breathe. He had to keep searching, "Nik, I need to figure out what Percy's planning with that plutonium. If I don't find anything soon, it could be too late. We can't be two steps behind him anymore. We need to get ahead and finally stop him."
"I know. I know. But it's okay. You're going to find something. You're a super analyst, remember?" Nikita grinned softly, slipping her fingers into his hair. She tenderly massaged his scalp and twirled his dark locks. Michael breathed, the stress melting away. He held to her waist, and pulled her impossibly close. She was definitely right in making him take a breather. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to hold her in the peaceful quiet of the morning. And she wouldn't have been able to comfort him so gently, "It's not all on you. We're a team, after all. Just take a break. Drink some water. Eat."
"Nikita Mears actually giving advice on taking a break," Ghosting his lips over hers, Michael tripped his fingers along her sides. Nikita couldn't help but giggle as her eyes rolled. The engaged couple's foreheads brushed, similar smiles pulling at their lips. It was easy to be that affectionate with the rest of the crowded safehouse still asleep. It was also easier to simply be and not have to think and consider too much. The moment could only be about Michael and Nikita. They were the only beings to exist.
"Yeah, yeah. It's the same as me advising Birkhoff to talk," Eventually, Nikita had to admit. Just as she was terrible at talking through her emotions, she would not take a break when she needed to. At least she and Birkhoff had actually had a conversation after he was arrested and she was shot. They were back to their steadfast yet childishly antagonistic relationship. The rift between them was mended, and old wounds were healed. She should follow her own advice more often, starting with letting herself relax.
"Well. Those who can't do, teach," Michael quickly covered his quip with a kiss to her lips. Before Nikita could fully comprehend what he had just said, he moved towards the kitchen out of striking range. His fiancée teased him playfully and relentlessly all the time. It was only fair that he returned the favor. As his taunt settled, she scoffed and he laughed safely from the other room. The glare she leveled at him was more amused than angered. She was going to get him back soon.
"Explain that to all the times I've kicked your ass," Beginning her torment, Nikita approached the kitchen. Michael only shrugged as he drank a glass of water. His green eyes sparkled as though he was up for whatever challenge she was about to initiate. She smirked. Her fiancé had no idea what was coming. He might have had Navy and CIA training (and he picked up a lot from her), but she was the culmination of the government's worst secrets. She was a weapon ready to pounce. And, of course, she had him wrapped around her finger. Whatever was about to happen, she had it in the bag.
However, before she could act what was originally on her mind, Michael wrapped his arms around her again. Instantly, Nikita settled for a kiss instead. He had absolutely no objections to that. Holding her more securely and tenderly, he kissed her back. Their situation- their world- truly disappeared with the affection. The engaged couple were blissfully alone and wrapped in one another. Until, footsteps thundered into the kitchen. The two regretfully parted as Alex's voice floated into the room, responding to the past taunt she had overheard, "Michael, don't engage. I've already made that mistake."
"At least you're finally learning," Nikita just had to toss back. As he chuckled and continued to drink water (more so to settle his heartbeat after kissing his fiancée than to relax) Michael kept his hand on the small of her back. Alex rolled her eyes, moving to grab breakfast from the fridge. She probably deserved the snide comment after interrupting the two, but that was their fault for being intimate in a public place. Unfortunately for the whole team, the engaged couple never had the privacy they deserved.
"How's wedding planning?" Rather than dwell on that, Alex attempted to distract Nikita from any more sarcasm. The question did cause the rogue a quick moment of panic at her lack of progress on that front, yet then she quickly glared. The young woman giggled and it was the other two's turn to roll their eyes. Michael and Nikita's wedding was a backburner topic, everybody knew that. They'd get to it when they could. At that point, it looked like that moment would be when they destroyed Percy for good. Hopefully, with his money all gone, that would be a lot sooner than later.
"Give them a break. They don't know how to be spies and be normal," Before the rogue could retaliate against his girlfriend, Sean interrupted. The kitchen was growing a bit crowded, yet it surprisingly worked for them. The four seamlessly moved around each other as they prepared different types of breakfasts ranging from pancakes to cereal to even coffee. Working so long as a team wasn't just beneficial to the field. The team had grown to adjust and work with one another's presence in the safehouse. That explained why they hadn't come to blows over being forced roommates. They could survive each other.
"I thought we taught you two that," The team simply relied on just a little too much sarcasm and childish antics to be able to stand each other at times. Michael taunted Sean while Alex and Nikita nudged each other in attempts to make them spill their cereal and coffee. Although it was true that the engaged couple advised the other couple that they could be in both a relationship and a war, it was the same kind of advice that Nikita dished out. They couldn't quite blend both aspects of their life.
"At least we have our own living space," Alex replied. Technically, Sean had more of a living space than she did. She couldn't go back to the apartment she had rented before she became Alexandra Udinov again. And between the war and ensuring her mother stayed safe, she hadn't found a new place. She simply crashed at the beach house or at Sean's apartment. Those were far better options than living in an empty place all by herself. Being surrounded by friends and someone she loved would always be the best choice.
Sean certainly didn't complain about her practically living with him. The team didn't necessarily care when the two stayed over either. It made it easier when they had to dash out on missions. Yet when Alex made comments like that one, the response was always to tell her to go home. It was mostly an empty order, no weight to it. They were just alright with her being a bratty heiress somewhere else. In fact, as Nikita was about to respond with that, Birkhoff beat her to the punch when he stumbled into the livingroom, "Then go home."
"I'm regretting not having my own safehouse," The last to join, Ryan voiced. He kept his distance from the kitchen until it cleared out, knowing the fight for breakfast wasn't that worth it. His own place was never really an option, but it was nice to think about. They had all thought about their own living space from time to time. Along with pardons and freedom, it'd be an amazing reward when the war eventually ended. Friendships and team relations could only last so long when they had to share everything. Sometimes their breaks from their fight had to be breaks from each other.
"And what would you do in it? All the action happens here," Despite being the biggest hopeful for her own house with her fiancé, Nikita countered. Being separate wasn't the best choice for the team with how wild things got. They had to be prepared to roll out together in a moment's notice. Also, keeping the amount of weapons and equipment they had in a single location helped them stay hidden. The rogues didn't need to draw more attention to themselves than they probably do at times. They were supposed to be spies, after all.
"Too much action," Birkhoff mumbled, shooting the engaged couple a look. Neither Michael nor Nikita were amused. First of all, they weren't the only couple anymore. Sean and Alex could be just as terrible at times. And second of all, they had gotten better about their PDA since that first shared safehouse in the woods. They ensured no one was around, or they stuck to their bedroom. There was really no reason Birkhoff had to complain.
"You're just jealous," Sean took the heat off of Nikita and Michael by going after the nerd. The team had all seen the way Birkhoff had interacted with Sonya, Division's rival hacker. He liked her. Though, nothing could actually happen between them at the moment. No one said anything to him about it, not wanting to bring up the awkwardness. Sean didn't actually mention it at the moment, he simply threw a taunt out there. But the thought sprang to Birkhoff's mind. He couldn't not think of whatever it was between him and Sonya when he was around the couples. Did he want to kiss her- he wasn't sure, and he didn't want to find out.
"Of you, mama's boy?" In his jumbled confusion, the nerd ended up lashing out. If he had uttered the taunt a few weeks ago, he would've been met with laughter and an annoyed glance. But because of recent events, silence washed over the team. Only Alex dared to look at Sean, the other's avoided eye contact. Maybe that made things worse, but they hadn't talked to him since his mother died. They didn't know how he was faring. It was easier to avoid the impact of the nickname altogether.
He was fine, though. Sean wasn't in a laughing mood, yet the taunt didn't sting. It was true, after all. He had followed a lot of his mother's orders blindly when he shouldn't have. He just loved her deeply; he still couldn't believe she was gone. Luckily, he had his sisters and Alex to help him heal. After a few weeks, he was getting there. He was alright. His girlfriend was able to read that expression on his face. She took his hand in hers, squeezing tightly. Then, she went after Birkhoff, "You certainly know how to bomb conversations."
"Bomb! That's it. Percy needs bomb casings for the plutonium. And guess who's selling some right now. A rogue North Korean general," Startled at the outburst, the team glanced at Michael in confusion. He ignored them. He was beyond certain he had figured out what Percy was planning. The bastard was known for working with corrupt government officials. Of course he'd obtain material for a nuclear bomb from them. The former analyst rushed back to his computer and stacks of paperwork to compile the intel for his team.
"I will never question the intelligence game ever again," Ryan whistled, impressed. Nikita smiled proudly for Michael. She led the team to gather around the analyst and glance over what he had been researching. They couldn't make anything of it. They couldn't make the same connections he could. Yet that was alright. He could do all of that for them while they focused on forming a battle plan and setting it into motion. If they kept getting ahead of Percy and ruining his schemes, he was bound to fall. Everything appeared to be setting up for the end.
"See, Michael. A break was great for you. Now, let's steal those casings before Percy can even think," Nikita decided for the team, though everybody agreed. Michael would debrief them, they'd plan, then they'd roll out to wherever they needed to be. Those simple steps held complications, but with a full team they could manage them. It had to be better than their last disaster op. That had to be a given.