LOVE UNDERCOVER

Special Chapter

One of my favorite manhuas Here U Are sometimes does  standalone special chapters that skip to the future. And this is what am copying here (though not as good haha).

This chapter is Thyme and Kavin 2 years after the actual novel has ended.

Also, if you haven't read Here U Are, you should! :D

- IN THE FUTURE-
- SOMEWHERE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE-

Kavin's nose bleeds. Fat red drops fall on the gray cold ground.

His eyes blaze with renewed ferocity - he takes a jab at his opponent and then another, landing hard and fast on the other's solar plexus.

It should have spelled victory but as always, the asshole defied the rules of human biology. A swift kick to the shin takes Kavin by surprise and he found himself landing with a thud on the floor.

"Do you surrender now?," Thyme smirks into his face, sweat dotting every inch of his glistening skin.

"Fat chance," Kavin scoffs. He grabs Thyme's torso tight in his arms and pulls him as close as possible. Simultaneously looping his leg around Thyme's.

Thyme struggles against Kavin's tight grip, muscles undulating but proving useless against Kavin's strength.

Kavin traps Thyme's arms now and he gives one big explosive push, flipping Thyme to the side.

They roll around but Kavin ends up on top of Thyme - just as he intended. Their breaths are ragged now. Their bare chests filled with scratches and marks. Their robes pulled loose.

Kavin bares down on Thyme. Hands now on either side of his head. "It seems," he says with a slow, insolent smile. "That you are the one who should surrender."

"To what?"

"To me. You should surrender to me." The victory is clear on Kavin's face as he moves it closer to Thyme's.

"What happens if I don't?"

"I tear you apart with my bare hands," was the half-growled response.

"Just your hands?," Thyme asks, lifting his neck, bringing his mouth so fucking close to Kavin's lips.

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE," MJ hollers from the other side of the MMA gym.

"The two of you should really stop inviting us if you just plan to use us as audience to your PDA," Ren seconds as he leans on the headless human-shaped boxing bag beside him.

"I think my friend who stole and proposed to my fiancée should stop complaining," Thyme says still under Kavin.

He tries to wiggle free but Kavin's grip has turned pythonesque. And he is looking at Thyme now like he wants to throw him over a cliff.

"Fiancée?," Kavin asks, voice cold and scary. "He stole your fiancée?"

"Ex-fiancée. Ex. I meant ex," Thyme says hurriedly.

Ren and MJ laugh.

"I don't know why Thyme keeps sparring with Kavin. It's not like he's ever going to win," Ren muses.

"He likes getting punished," MJ says, under fits of laughter.

"I heard that!," Thyme yells.

"You were meant to!," yells MJ in return.

- - -

It was nice to have the old crew back if only for a week. They go their separate ways again in a few days.

Well, Nani and Ren were going separate ways. Kavin didn't quite know if he wanted to.

Kavin leans against the balcony of his room.
For the last few months, he and Thyme had been "keeping it casual". Mostly because they lived in different continents and they agreed this set up would be less pressure and would feel less stifling.

Kavin doesn't really know why he ever thought that or let Thyme think it. There was nothing casual about how deeply he loved Thyme Paramaanantra. And he was tired of keeping up the appearance of some cool alpha male who could live on crumbs of affection when all he wanted was to curl up as tightly as he could, wedged inside Thyme's arm, nose buried in his armpit. Which Thyme would hate because it made him conscious of his armpits but Kavin would whimper and Thyme will allow Kavin anything he wants when he whimpers.

Kavin shakes his head. He is lost in thoughts of Thyme again. He didn't want to think about him anymore.

He wanted to live with him.

Now and forever.

"Babe?"

Kavin turns around and sees Thyme walking towards him, carrying two mugs of hot tea.

Thyme hands him one of them as he moves in closer. "Penny for your thoughts?" he asks.

"Just a penny?"

"3 Euros then?"

Kavin rolls his eyes but smiles. "I was thinking of you."

"Best 3 Euros I have spent," Thyme answers. "I love it when you think of me."

"Thyme?"

"Mmhmm?"

"What if you fly home with me?"

"To San Francisco? Sure. I can." Thyme doesn't even blink before giving Kavin what he wants.

"Could the gallery survive for another week without you?," Kavin asks, feeling suddenly guilty for asking.

"All I know is, I cannot survive without you," comes Thyme's reply. He says this unblinkingly, undoubtedly.

Soon, you won't have to. Kavin unconsciously runs his fingers in the pockets of his loose wool trousers, feeling the velvet soft box hidden within.

"Was that too much?," Thyme asked, worried that he again sounded too head over heels in love instead of "man casually dating".

"Actually it was a bit insufficient."

"Really now, what did it lack?"

"It was all talk, no action."

Thyme gets their mugs and sets it aside. He moves closer to Kavin. "What kind of action were you thinking of?"

"One where you get pinned under me."

"Jiujitsu again?," Thyme teases.

"You can tap out in jiujitsu. I was thinking more along the lines of making you beg for mercy."

"God, I love dating a spy."

"You just love being handcuffed."

Thyme kisses Kavin.
And it is incredibly tender.
Feather light. Slow. Chaste.

Thyme pulls away and looks deep into Kavin's eyes. "I just love you."

Kavin pulls Thyme in. "I love you too," he says against those impossibly perfect lips.

"Our tea will get cold," Thyme gasps against Kavin's lips, hands already yearning to explore Kavin's smooth creamy skin.

"We will have a lifetime for tea," Kavin says, as they stumble out of the balcony and into the bedroom.

"A lifetime?," Thyme asks surprised at Kavin talking about their future.

Kavin responds by trailing his tongue down Thyme's long neck. Yes, he wanted a lifetime, more than a lifetime but this was hardly the right time to get down on one knee.

But - he grins as Thyme gasps at the touch of Kavin's fingers on his belt - perhaps it was the exact moment to get down on both of them.

So he does.