Work Text:
Kyle knew it from the moment he saw you - you were trouble. And he liked that, really. Sometimes too much, even, judging by how hard his heart fluttered in his chest when he felt your eyes catching his and giving him a passing, mischievous wink, reserved only for the two of you. Kyle is stunned stupid each time you pull something like this, cheeks burning, pupils dilating, and hands digging into the muscle of his thigh inside of the pocket of his jeans. He is fighting demons so he doesn’t grab you right then and there and pull into a warm, tight embrace just to hide his expression in your shoulder.
He wished he was as nonchalant as Ghost is, or as experienced as Price, or as approachable as Soap, but he was just…himself. With all his unresolved feelings and unreciprocated affection bubbling inside of him, only for this piping hot mixture to pour over the edge more often than not.
Kyle didn’t know how you still hadn’t noticed just how much he was falling for you, each second more and more. It felt more like tumbling down flights upon flights of concrete stairs, than gradually descending the pipeline of pure adoration towards you. God, you were so stupid. Both of you were, actually. But at least Kyle was self-aware about it.
He doesn't want to talk about it. Not about the way you make his day better by just existing in the same space as him. Not about the way you’re so stupidly fucking beautiful. Not about your shitty movie taste. And definitely not about the way he wants to pull you into a passionate kiss each time you start ranting about whatever thing you like at the moment.
Kyle didn’t catch the moment when the childish, a bit boyish, and bashful “I like you”s his thoughts would regurgitate when he saw you turned into “I love you”s. And if you were not there to see it, his head would drop right into his hands each time. He wasn’t sure if it was frustration or knowledge that it was just fucking stupid.
He tried his best to repress those things he felt for you. For the sake of you and him both. Oh, how miserably Kyle failed to keep his promises to stop pining for you.
Kyle loved you at your best and your worst, it didn’t matter to him, really. As painful as it was for him to feel you crying into his shoulder at two in the morning, trembling and clinging onto him, swiping hot tears and snot all over his jumper, it was still you. And how can he not love you like this as well? Just like he loves you when he sees your eyes crinkle as you smile at him, sunshine playing in your irises through the dark lenses of your tac eyewear.
When your head inevitably falls on Kyle’s shoulder while you’re coming back from a tiring mission he can feel your soft breathing on his neck. His fingers immediately reach towards your hair, swiping it off your forehead and running his fingers over the shorter parts. If you had been in the field for several days and hadn't had the chance to take a proper shower and wash your hair, he would mutter some snide remarks about Price letting you run wild through rows of chicken coups, barnes and haylofts, while his fingers picked out some debris from your hair. Kyle relishes in your warmth that he can feel even through several layers of clothes separating you. That’s one of the rare times he can enjoy your physical affection without having to explain himself. He’d trade his soul to stay like this with you forever. Kyle can feel his heart jumping out of his chest, head growing woozy with exhaustion and your overwhelming presence. The best type of daze.
This kind of relationship between the two of you was certainly…something. Kyle enjoyed it though. To him it was more than friendship. But god forbid he ever told you that.
Or so he thought.
Kyle decided to invite you to his place for your leave. He was living alone, in a good enough apartment, but it always felt a bit too empty and hollow. Like nobody lived there and no one was there to stay. Lack of any personal items or wall decorations, it only now started to sink in how unappealing it looked, after he briefly saw your place. It gave an impression of being looked after, well-loved even, with all the…stuff you had. When did you have the time to decorate your apartment anyway?..
It didn’t matter though, Kyle was just excited to spend time with you, ignoring the insistent jumps of his heart while he was waiting for you to finally arrive. Obviously you have visited him before, but not for such long periods of time, so naturally, he was nervous. But you were only friends, so why was he even getting so worked up over, essentially, nothing? He knew why. But thinking about it would only make all of it worse, so he preferred to pretend like those feelings were never there.
Kyle contained himself when he saw your beaming smile while he greeted you near the door. He kept it to himself when he observed you throwing together a quick snack for him, motions so fluid and relaxed. And god knows he tried keeping it together when he saw you walk out from the shower, hands ruffling some stray drops of water out of your hair. Of course he looks at you longer than usual. But he hopes you don’t notice.
He doesn’t initiate any physical affection in fear that this particular time it’ll tip him off. Kyle knows he won’t be able to stop himself if it ever comes to it. He doesn’t trust himself to. So when your hand gently cradles his cheek, fingers brushing over slight stubble and lips finally connecting with his, Kyle doesn’t tell you to stop. He only lets out a choked breath, along with a soft “please”.
He doesn’t tell you to stop when your fingers lace with his own. He stays silent and his eyes flutter closed when your lips trail over his jaw, peppering soft kisses over his heated skin. Instead of begging you to stop he only pleads for more, words stinging his throat.
And when Kyle comes to his senses it’s already too late, you’re curled into him on the bed, and exhaustion, as sweet as honey, spreads through his body in pleasant waves. He can feel lovebites stinging the skin of his neck and he shudders when you swipe your hand over fresh scratches on his back.
It’s already too late. But he just might be fine with it. He’s willing to give it a try. Maybe you’ll fall for him as hard as he did for you.