You know what, this is the perfect chapter for this wonderful day. It's the 9th anniversary of the very old PNG's publication date way back before I rewrote everything and this chapter marks 300k words for this story!

Chapter 162: Bourbon & Jaws Part Five

The Shark Tank, Manhattan - 16:07 PM

Once the SHIELD agents stormed in, apprehending the henchmen and wondering what to do with the shark, Merida knew she and Blake were in the clear. Some consulted her and she told them whatever she could about this operation which wasn't a lot. She uses an arrowhead to cut her and Blake out of the restraints. Once she's free, she turns around to face him and sees that he's already smiling at her, as she expected. When isn't he smiling at her?

"I'd quit my job to spend everyday with you," Blake says, leaning in closer to her.

"Shut up," Merida states. "Are you hurt?"

"I don't feel anything."

Merida repositions herself to check and her eyes widen, nearly popping out of her head when she sees a seeping red stain on the chest of Blake's white button-up. Her body goes into panic mode, resisting the urge to enter a paralytic shock. Meanwhile, Blake looks down directly at the red and isn't fazed, or at least doesn't show it. When did that happen? How didn't he feel that?

Blake sucks his teeth and sighs. "Well, shit. If I die, Sexy Grim Reaper, let this be my final farewell."

"Shut. Up."

Merida's been in enough situations like this on the field and in her training days back in the Academy. However, she'd usually pass it onto Daniel and hope for the best. Besides, he's more skilled in that area. He has a Master's degree in medicine and she has enough field training to remedy a wound until experts handle it combined with Girl Scouts first aid.

"Medic!" Merida screams, hoping one of the scouting agents runs over.

Merida takes action. She forces Blake to lie down and she tears open his shirt. She looks at the red smear and it isn't as dark as she expected. It looks watered down. There's not even a wound. Merida traces her finger and it doesn't smell rusty. She feels it between her fingers and it's just red ink. She looks at Blake and his relaxed face says he already connected the dots.

"Huh, one of my pens just broke and now you tore my favourite shirt," Blake says casually, laughing a little.

"That ink stain wouldn't come out anyways so fuck you," Merida says, shoving his arm a little.

"I love you too."

Merida pauses, wondering if she heard correctly what she thought. " … you what?"

"I said I love you. I'm serious. No jokes, snarky flirting, or charming wit. I mean it. I just had the time of my life while almost losing my life with the love of my life."

Merida's body freezes, possibly going into an even stronger paralytic shock than when she thought Blake got shot. "I think the near-death experience is talking. Adrenaline has that effect and you're only saying that because you're all amped up-"

"Merida, listen to me." He puts a hand on her leg that kneels beside him. "I thought that same thing at Stark's wedding right when I met your parents and even called my mom after to tell her. The moment I saw your deadpanned face after I showed you that I spoke Russian was the icing on the cake for me. And Stark's wedding cake had good icing too but that's besides the point. Now that I know you love me back and don't try to deny it because I can tell, it'll be harder to die."

Merida's mouth dries, unsure what to say. She froze when he used her real name instead of Agent Mer or just Mer. Not even Sexy Grim Reaper. Her full name. So much in that extra syllable or two. She doesn't even know where to look but she keeps her eyes on him. When he grins and winks at her, shirt flaps drape at his side since she broke off all the buttons when she ripped it open. Merida cracks into a smile as Blake holds her shoulder. His hand moves up to cradle the back of her neck as they lean in to kiss each other. Merida puts her hands on his shoulders and has to stop him from running his hands up her poncho and she feels his laugh against her lips.

"Alright, boys, let's bring our stuff back home," the lead agent, Merida's contact, orders her men around. Not new. When she sees Merida kissing Blake in front of the shark tank, she nods approvingly as she walks over. "My, my … the sight of Merida Barton kissing her handsome shirtless man on the ground in front of a shark tank makes the shark tank look normal."

Merida and Blake part, looking up to see Agent Victoria Kovanova. Hasn't changed a day since the Academy, silver hair and all.

"Wait, I know you," Blake says, nudging Merida. "Agent Mer, she told me about this whole drug - or now weapons - thing. She wrote that Rasputin quote on a napkin!"

Merida glares at Victoria who makes a cooing face at her nickname. "I'm throwing you in the shark tank."

"You're always so nice to your friends," Blake states.

Merida ignores him as she stands up and walks up to Victoria. "You told him?"

"Hear me out, I was told to investigate this drug cartel - and I was told drug cartel - but I couldn't infiltrate it myself."

"Why not?"

"My training isn't shooting bad people in the face, most of the time. It's more negotiation, intimidation, persuasion, you know that. I didn't see the potential for a conversation here in your hometown. I knew you wouldn't do it if I asked so when Iyu told me about your Communications-degree boyfriend whom I doubted existed, I had to see what that was all about. I figured that any man bold enough to be with you could convince you to dig into this, and he didn't even have to mention me to get you here. I thought you would've left him at home."

"He wanted to come along."

"Fifth date," Blake chimes in.

Victoria raises a brow, impressed. "So tell me about him."

"You tell me your business first," Merida responds.

"Fine. I owe you that. While I was believing this was a drug cartel hideout, the people in here were waiting for their contacts to pick up their order or at least confirm a shipping location."

Merida nods. "Makes sense since nobody was in charge here. But I'm assuming their contacts didn't reach out?"

Victoria claps her lips to prove her point. "Ничего. There were two to handle the weapons transport and a middle man to send messages. The two were allegedly, Angela and Xavier - don't ask since it's a mess being dealt with - and the middle man is another dear old friend of yours."

"Excuse me?"

"This is also supposed to be classified information but your darling friend, Ivory Gates, is their middle man. She was being transported by SHIELD but now the FBI has her imprisoned."

Merida groans, rolling her head back. "I will honestly end that bitch."

"Again, so nice to your friends," Blake adds.

"You keep quiet." Merida looks back at Victoria. "Why would SHIELD give her up? Sigyn got her to surrender. I was there."

Victoria shrugs. "There was some mess-up in the prisoner transport and she escaped. While being a nomad or whatever it is she does, the FBI took her in. Allegedly, SHIELD wants to stage a coup of some sort to get her out."

"So Ivory had contacts on the inside or some who got in the inside."

"Allegedly. Is that man really your boyfriend?"

"Allegedly."

"I'm surprised you never told me about him."

"It's nothing-"

Blake gets up, now standing beside Merida. "It's new. She doesn't tell anyone. Not even Angela or Emily knew for a while."

Merida narrows her eyes. "Blake, this is Victoria, my SO's other bitch. Victoria, this is Blake, my alleged journalist not-boyfriend."

Victoria's mouth forms a dark purple circle before grinning at Merida. She shifts her words to Russian. "Oh, Barton, you've got it bad. Have you slept with him yet?"

Merida takes a sharp breath, annoyed. "FYI, he speaks-"

Blake laughs. "She's got it bad and she has."

"Merida!" Victoria lightly smacks her arm. She's about to continue but some agents call her over. "Okay, that explains why he probably trusted the Rasputin quote. Look, I'll go handle that but I'll be right back. Don't move. I'm proud of you!"

When she heads off, talking into her comm, Merida groans as she faces Blake again. She just wants to go home but knows she'll probably be here for Victoria's debriefing which will interrogate her about Blake. She just wants her bourbon and Jaws, and she now needs a new poncho.

"Look, I'm sorry about the wire they took," Merida says once the memory of him throwing it in the shark tank flashes in her mind. He didn't want her to die. "I could try and recount information because I'll have to do it anyways for Victoria's debriefing report."

"Agent Mer-" Blake starts.

"No, no, stop."

"Merida."

Merida pauses because he said her real name. Again. Before she could say anything, Blake combs a hand through her curls, taking out the ponytail and another wire. Merida squints her eyes, thinking. She put two wires on him and threw one in the tank. That was the reason she gave him two. When did the second one get in her hair? When they were dangling above the shark? No. When he did her ponytail way before they even walked in here. He put it there because he knew they'd be stripped of them.

Now she can't move.

Blake wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her close. "Admit it, I impressed you."

-o-

Bourbon & Jaws, Manhattan - 21:08 PM

After all the weapons and the henchmen were in SHIELD custody and Victoria got called back to submit her debriefing, redacting all information involving Blake at Merida's threatening request, Merida and Blake headed back to her place. They showered and changed, wearing simple tank tops and sweats, and ordered in Chinese. Merida kicked all her weapons under her bed and threw her torn poncho in the laundry.

Oddly enough, her tape of Jaws finished rewinding the moment they got back. After freshening up and getting the food, they sat on the couch with the bottle of bourbon between them and started the movie.

Blake smiles lazily as the jarring theme starts. "It was nice hearing your friend call me your boyfriend and you not denying it."

Merida rolls her eyes. "Alleging it and having not in front of it. It was faster and easier than saying some guy I found on the street."

"I found you on the street ... the second time."

"Then it was easier than saying I was some girl you found on the street."

"I told my mom that."

"You didn't mention the West Coast crime scene? Of course you didn't, now hush. I don't like blood but this movie is great."

Blake looks at her strangely. "You're scared of blood? In your line of work with this movie?"

Merida's are glued to the screen with the opening scene. "Exposure therapy."

Blake looks at her for a second longer before watching the movie with her. They sit silently, minus the sounds of shark attacks, beachgoers screaming, or them eating their take-out. The bottle of bourbon remains unopened. They don't say it aloud but they wouldn't do anything that could make them forget even a single moment of today.

Merida zoned out of the movie, thinking back to those weird few hours. Forget the shark. Blake said he loved her and she stared at him like the life got sucked out of her. Angela, Emily, Sigyn, and Iqadi would be pissed when they find out she didn't say it back. Hell, Freya would be too. Her father as well. Even, no, especially James. The boy sitting next to her is in love with her. Has been for the short while they've known each other.

For almost two weeks now, Merida would probably say she's in love with Blake Wilde. She's painfully aware that she hasn't been hiding it that well but she likes to convince herself she's doing a great job. She didn't want to fall in love, not at all, but at some point, he looked at her in the eyes and holy shit spoke Russian. She fell deep. She knew she was screwed after being screwed. She should tell him sometime. Love is a weird superpower nobody can control. It's crazy and unexpected but doesn't scare her as much anymore, or at least that's what she tells herself.

Also, I know Victoria didn't have much involvement in Rando Week compared to the other randos (some whose chapters aren't even out yet), and that's because before Rando Week came to fruition, I planned for her to appear later.

And that brings us to the end of the second arc of Rando Week. The next arc will see what happened with the supposed middle man, Ivory Gates.