"This is not the end of Hans! I will take my revenge!"

Skipper stood in front of him, rolling his eyes in a mocking way. "Alright, sure. That's what you all say after we kick your butts."

Private snorted in the back.

Hans pouted. "But that's only because there are four of you! That's just totally not fair on your part!" He whined as he struggled against the bars of the police van.

"Not fair?" Skipper raised his eyebrow. "You were the one taking on us all by yourself! I say you're the stupid one here!"

"No, you're just a show off! Now that you have a three man crew you get to do me like this?!"

Skipper groaned. "Alright, that's enough of you. Let's send you back to Hoboken," he said as he went to signal the driver. But before he could walk off, his hand was grabbed by Hans. "Wha–hey!" He struggled.

Hans did not budge. "Please, Skippsy..." he pleaded, staring at him. "I know you hate me, it's completely valid. But can't we just... let this go and... be friends again...?"

Skipper stared back at him with wide eyes, an unreadable face replacing his surprise.

"Please?" Hans pleaded again. "You may not know this but... I kind of miss... us... again."

Skipper was silent. For a full minute, he just stared back at Hans, face hardened. No one knew how to break this uncomfortable, tense silence. Kowalski, Private, and Rico stood there in the back and could only watch cautiously, in fright, and uncomfortably.

After a long moment, Skipper finally opened his mouth, cold blue eyes staring at Hans sharply. "You made me Denmark's public enemy number one. It's 10 years too late for that."

Hans' shoulders sagged down. He knew he wouldn't be easily forgiven judging by his past actions. "I know, but I thought we could just be friends-"

"You betrayed us." Skipper frowned, face hardened. "You betrayed the HQ. You betrayed me. I gave you my everything that you could ever want and you still trampled on it like a used rug." Now his cold blue eyes slowly morphed into something else. Hurt. Heartbroken. "It took me years to get over it, and now you wanted to get back together like nothing ever happened between us?!" Disgust. "You sicken me." Skipper snatched back his hand out of Hans' grip and banged the compartment truck twice, signaling the driver to move.

The van drove away, leaving trails of smoke behind as Skipper watched. He balled his fists, knuckles slowly turning white as Hans' sweet sultry voice echoed in his mind.

"Can't we be friends again?"

"I kinda miss us again..."

"Sir?"

Skipper jolted out of his reverie, turning back to his teammates. "Kowalski." His shoulders relaxed slightly at the familiar faces.

Private tentatively approached him. "Are you alright, Skipper?" He asked carefully. "What was all that about?"

Skipper sighed. He might owe his team some explanations, but he honestly just didn't want to think about it at the moment. "It's just Denmark. There's nothing to worry about," he said reassuringly to them. Or maybe to himself. "Let's just go back and get some shut eye. It's been a long day."

Rico yawned loudly, his eyes drooping.

"Ah, yes. I do believe it's getting late," Kowalski agreed. "I can take care of the paperwork for the HQ if you want me to."

Skipper shook his head. "No, it's alright. I can do it myself. You boys can go ahead and catch some sleep. You've done a great job today."

Private beamed, smiling brightly. "Did we, Skipper?"

"Of course, young Private. Even you," Skipper replied with a smile, ruffling the rookie's hair.

"Ah! Not my hair!"

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0200 hours

Kowalski sat up and climbed down his bunk bed, yawning and rubbing his sleepy eyes as he went to the kitchen. Grabbing a glass and filling it with water, he drank it all up as his sight adjusted to the darkness surrounding their base.

It was then that he realized Skipper wasn't in his bunk.

The scientist frowned. It wasn't unusual for Skipper to be taking an all-nighter, but even then, he usually would be in his study, writing down paperwork or mails to the HQ. Kowalski looked at Skipper's study, which was closed and pitch black.

The files room was also pitch black, so he wasn't rearranging their case files. So that meant Skipper had gone outside. Kowalski went over to the front door of their apartment, and with just a flick, the knob turned and the door opened.

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The smoke flowed out as Skipper breathed out, the cigarette dangling in between his fingers as he leaned on the fence. The stars weren't visible, but that was just how it was living in the city. He could see some patches of dark cloud floating in the black sky and some sparkle in between, but other than that, nothing.

Just like how his past relationship with Hans was like.

Skipper frowned, recalling the earlier events and Hans' voice. He wanted to be friends again, but didn't that mean everything that happened to them was nothing to him? What about that time when he urged Hans to return back to him before the Copenhagen incident? What about that time when Hans framed him for a crime he never committed, and he pleaded again and again only for Hans to turn away and betray him?

He gritted his teeth and scowled. He still remembered those cold golden eyes staring down at him, mocking him. Skipper hated it. Skipper hated him. Skipper hated himself. Skipper hated his own feelings fighting against his own better judgment.

"But then you wouldn't have met Hans..."

"You wouldn't have felt love..."

Skipper felt dirty. Even his own thoughts were against him now. If he had known Hans was just using him as a leverage for his own gains, he would have gone and reported him to the HQ.

"But would you?"

...

He wouldn't.

That was the scary part.

The past Skipper wouldn't have believed it if anyone had said Hans was only using him. He'd probably think that it was a crazy talk.

The past Skipper trusted Hans so much that he was willing to sacrifice himself for him.

That was how scary Hans was.

Or was he just in denial?

Skipper shook his head and took a long drag of cigarette. He rarely smoked; in fact, he actually had quitted years ago. But in the rare times that he needed to get his thoughts straight, in the rare times that he needed to be alone, he would smoke. Sometimes, it calmed him. Other times, it didn't.

"Ah, there you are."

Skipper snapped out of his thoughts and moved by reflex, pulling his handgun and pointed it at the source of the voice.

Kowalski emerged from the darkness, putting his hands up. "Whoa! Calm down, Skipper! It's just me," he exclaimed.

Skipper adjusted his sights bit, confirmed it was just Kowalski, then put his gun down. "Sorry. Reflex."

The scientist snorted as he approached the leader. "It's alright. It's good to have a fast reflex."

"Not when I almost shot you on the head."

"But you didn't."

Skipper snorted lightly. "You right, I didn't."

The night breeze blew ever so gently, caressing their faces and their hair as the two leaned on the fence on top of the apartment building. The lights and the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple never faded as they looked over the city.

"I thought you'd be up here," Kowalski started.

"You thought?" Skipper raised an eyebrow, glancing at him.

Kowalski shrugged. "I was awakened from my sleep to get some drink, but I realized you weren't even in your bunk. So, yeah."

A pregnant pause followed as Skipper's gaze fell back to the bustling metropolitan. He took another drag of his cigarette and breathed out the smoke slowly.

Kowalski glanced at him, silently waiting for an explanation, but then quickly realized he wouldn't get one. So he opened his mouth carefully, "I thought you quit."

Skipper was silent for a bit. "I did."

"Then why are you smoking again?"

"Because I wanted to."

"You know very well that Private is sensitive to the scent of smoke. He wouldn't be too happy if he realized you're doing it again."

Skipper huffed. "I only smoke when I'm alone. It's not like I smoke right in front of him."

"I guess, but that doesn't mean it's right."

"Mm-hmm." Skipper took another long, last drag before dropping the butt of his cigarette to the ground and stepping on it. He breathed out the billowing smoke out of his system. "Why are you here, exactly?"

Kowalski paused for a bit. "I guess I just wanted to check on you, after what happened back there," he shrugged. "Whatever Hans was saying, he never meant it."

Skipper frowned. "And how would you know?"

"Well, I know so. We did have some run-ins with him, and you know how he is."

Skipper looked at Kowalski for a while, then turned back, staring at nothing in particular. "Yeah... I know..."

The way he talked made Kowalski look back at him with a curious frown. "Sir?"

The leader sighed. "I guess I owe you boys some explanations, huh?"

Kowalski widened his eyes. "Are you... talking about–"

"Yes. About Denmark. And about me and Hans." Skipper's eyes darkened and his face hardened. "This is not a happy tale, I must warn you. This is a top secret information that only important personnel can know."

Kowalski's heart was beating fast. Skipper had mentioned once or twice about Denmark and how he was their public enemy number one. But other than that, nothing. Every time Skipper mentioned it, it was all a vague event that was only brushed on the tip of it. Not even Kowalski knew what happened between Skipper and Hans. Now he was about to learn all about it.

"And... Kowalski?"

"Yes, sir?"

Skipper stared at him long and hard. "Can I trust you with this information?"

The scientist nodded, feeling pride swelling in his chest. "Of course, sir. I will not let you down."

The shorter man smiled lightly. "I know you wouldn't." Skipper turned back and leaned on the fence. "Hans and I... we go way back."

Kowalski nodded, listening. "Yes, I am aware of that."

"I was a cadet at that time. This was before Manfredi and Johnson. That time, there was only me, my senior, and Hans." Skipper looked up to the sky, his face softened as he recalled the olden days. "Both of us were prodigies and we both shot up the ranks in a short time. We'd team up together, we'd do missions together. By the time I first received my title as Skipper, Hans and I were... well, together."

Kowalski blinked. "Together... you mean–"

"We dated, yes."

The taller scientist widened his eyes in a silent shock. He could never picture Skipper and Hans together that close. "Wow," he managed to utter.

Skipper snorted. "Yeah, wow. Can't believe it, can you? I couldn't believe it either," he continued with a soft smile. "At first, it was a tentative move. He would lead and I would follow. It was such simple times together and we never had to worry about a thing. Our senior was supportive since we both worked so well together, so he often gave us missions. And that, well... that only deepened our relationship."

Kowalski was silent, listening very intently. He noticed how Skipper's expression changed throughout the story.

Then his face changed again, hardening. "I was so deep into the rabbit hole that I was blinded to the many red flags he waved. I guess you could say that I was... obsessed with him. I wanted him. I needed him." There was disgust in his face. "It was like he was a drug. He had this kind of charm that I fell into. He made me feel like I was the only one in this world to him." Then sadness in his eyes. "I loved him so much I was willing to do anything for him..."

Kowalski watched him, sympathized with him. He put a hand on Skipper's back and pats him gently.

Skipper sighed and rubbed his face. "Sorry, now you have to listen to me ranting about my love life. How shameful of me."

"Hey, no need to apologize," Kowalski said softly while patting his back. "This is your story. A story that no one knew except for you and Hans. I'm just glad that you trust me enough to share this." He smiled warmly and encouragingly. This was no small matter; whatever Skipper was experiencing back then still shook him to the core. All Kowalski could do now is to be there for his leader and listen.

Skipper stared at him, and somehow, the heavy burden on his shoulders were lifted. He gave a small smile to his lieutenant. "Thanks, Kowalski." He took a deep breath, then continued the story.

"You know Hans. He's stubborn, like me. And that time, I liked that part of him. But then over time, that stubbornness seemed to grow wilder and wilder until one time, he disobeyed our senior's orders. I was so surprised too, but I didn't believe that it was his fault. He was gonna be punished for his insubordination, and I… I defended him… I told everyone that it was my idea and that I was ready for any punishment. I told my senior to spare Hans because–" Skipper let out a frustrated noise, "–because I believed he would never do such a thing…"

Kowalski frowned, but focused on listening.

Skipper sighed but continued on. "I took on the punishment no problem. And he apologized for making trouble. All I asked of him was to not do any of that anymore, and he said he'd do better for me. Yet he still did it." He hung his head low and shook his head. "I thought it was my fault. I thought I said something bad or… did something bad to him or something. I tried so hard to keep our relationship in check, but the more I kept holding onto it, the more he became… wilder. Every time he had his fits, he would hug me, apologize, and promise that he'd change for the better. And I foolishly believed him. Until… Copenhagen happened."

Skipper's eyes darkened, cold blue eyes staring hard into nothing in particular. "It was another mission that we were assigned to. But we parted ways because the plan needed us to. Everything was going well until one of our recruits came to me reporting that he went berserk. I figured it was just another one of his fits, but the recruit reported that he was… colluding with the enemy."

He balled his fists, taking his time to gather his thoughts. "... I didn't believe it. Of course, I didn't. I loved him so much, and he already said he'd change. He'd promised me he'd do better. I believed him. So I abandoned my post and ran straight to where he was. I was… torn. My gut said he was bad, that he was betraying everyone, betraying me. But my brain just didn't want to accept that. Hans would never betray the HQ. He would never betray me. I believed in him. I foolishly believed everything he said to me. That is… until I saw him for the first time."

His body shivered, arms hugging himself. "I saw Hans, but it wasn't him. It wasn't my Hans. It was a foreign, colder one, staring down at me, mocking my stupidity. And… that was when I realized… heartbroken was indeed a thing."

Skipper let out a bitter laugh while wiping his eyes. "I pleaded for him to come back over and over… but he wouldn't listen. Instead, he pointed a gun at me, accusing me of double crossing the mission and Denmark. It was when he pulled the trigger that I realized that that was the real Hans, not the Hans that I knew and loved. We fought, but it was too late. The mission was a failure. Hans was able to escape and I was Denmark's public enemy number one. They sentenced me to death, but the HQ saw the whole thing. They helped me busting out of that place.

"Since then, I stopped taking missions. I took a leave for almost 3 years. I was… in my lowest point of life, to put it mildly. Never a day goes by that I didn't think of him and his cold, cruel eyes before he left me. I loved him, yet he was ready to put a bullet to my face… I was trying to figure out where I went wrong, if that whole thing was my fault, if I could've been a better partner for him… I was in my depressed thoughts when the HQ called me for the hundredth time. I was about to reject another of their mission, but they said it was no mission. They wanted me to look after a young cadet."

Skipper turned to look at Kowalski. "You."

Kowalski widened his eyes, realizing that it was where he entered the picture. "Of course… that day, when I first entered the military!"

The leader gave a soft smile. "Yeah. You gave me a lot of trouble back then, but… you helped me the most when I was down in the dumps. You, Rico, and Private helped me open up again and taught me what it really feels to love and be loved. I really appreciate that."

Kowalski blushes slightly, suddenly becoming flustered. "Oh, my. You flatter us, sir," he chuckled. "I didn't do anything, it was mostly Private."

"Nonsense. You all made me feel I belong again. I never say this, but you don't know how much that means to me. And…" he cleared his throat. "If… by any chance, you found my tutoring and guidance to be strict and mean, I'm sorry on behalf of the past me. I wasn't in the right state of mind that time."

Kowalski chuckled, smiling softly as he recalled his first lessons with Skipper. "Don't worry, I've gotten over it. At least now I know why you were grinding me like a meatball like that. You have your own reasons."

"I guess you're right," Skipper muttered, chuckling softly. "Thanks, for taking care of me when I needed it."

"Oh, no. Thank you," Kowalski interjected, smiling at him. "Without you, I probably wouldn't be here by now. And I wouldn't have known your story."

Skipper laughed. It wasn't a guffaw, but it was an honest, burden-free laugh that Kowalski had ever heard from him. "Well, at least now I feel a lot lighter after all that." Skipper stretched his arms and his back, then yawned. "And… kind of sleepy."

"We should get some shut eye, then," Kowalski agreed, getting off the fence and started walking back downstairs.

"Tell the others it's an off-day tomorrow."

"Oh? What's the occasion?"

"I need some more sleep hours after all this sappy talk. Plus, I owe them some explanation as well."

"Ah, of course, sir."

"Besides, you'll need to finish that thingamagick that you're building, or else it'll blow this apartment to smithereens."

"Shut up, my last invention didn't blow up that bad."

"It still blew up, though."

"Yeah, but I contained it."

"Did you, now?"

"With my mathematical prowess, yes."

"Show off."

"Am not!"

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A/N: I'm back into the fandom, man I miss this place lol. I was rewatching some episodes a while ago cuz nostalgia, then it hit me. like, holy shit, Hans and Skipper are perfect for lovers to enemies trope. with that in mind, this was made just this morning lmao.