iiii. 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 - 𝐭𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐰𝐬

𝟎𝟎𝟔

Everett managed to get ahold of Joaquin and got an update from him on Sam and Bucky.

"They're going with him? Where?"

"I don't know, Ev. All Sam said was 'Just tell Ev that we'll be fine.'"

She rolled her eyes, and felt her hand be gripped tighter. She met Kashim's eyes and gave him a soft smile.

"Okay. Are you still in Berlin?"

"Yeah. I figured you weren't with the crazy duo."

A laugh escaped Everett's mouth, "Yeah. I've got a friend with me, I'll be there in 20 minutes, tops."

"Okay. Be safe."

"I always am," Everett replied. She ended the call and looked at Kashim.

"You ready to go home?"

Kashim's dark eyes widened as he looked at her. "Home?"

Everett nodded, leading Kashim through the busy streets. "Mrs. C's place isn't there anymore, unfortunately, but I rent an apartment just down the street from there. I've lived there almost six years now."

Everett watched something come over Kashim, a dark veil passing over his eyes, directing them to his feet. He didn't reply to her, and just kept walking.

She tugged on his hand, prompting him to look at her. "Hey. What's going on?"

"Is it safe?"

The whispered words caught Everett off guard. She studied her friend. Then she remembered why they were even talking right now.

The Flag Smashers. Kashim had been a member, maybe for a while.

"Yes. You know who I am." Everett watched Kashim's eyes return to hers. "My apartment is probably the safest place you could be."

He nodded, continuing to watch her. A smile came over him.

He was going home.

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Everett and Kashim sat on one of the benches in the cargo plane as Joaquin flew them back to D.C. Her head rested on his shoulder and her fingers intertwined with his. Breaths flew out of her calmly, slowing Kashim's own racing heart.

"Do you want to tell me what happened? I get a call from you after almost eight years of no contact, and you tell me that they were gonna come for me. That's kind of weird." Everett's voice was barely above a whisper, her gaze staying locked in front of her.

A sigh escaped Kashim as he remembered the hours prior. He didn't want to tell Everett, didn't want to bring more fear to her, but he knew she wouldn't leave it alone.

"The Flag Smashers were talking about you. I don't know why, but somehow, they knew you were going to get involved. So they were talking about the easiest ways to take you out. Sedatives, bullets, mercury poisoning. Nothing was off the table." Kashim's voice wavered, his fear barreling through him. His best friend was a target of some of the most dangerous people he knew, and he had been apart of them. "Karli knew our history. I don't know how, but she did. She brought it up as an option. I said no. There was no way in hell I was going to help them hurt you. She didn't really like that answer, but before she could anything, our base got raided. Shots were fired, and I thought I was a target. I got out, but there was blood on me, and I didn't know if I was shot or not. My first instinct was to call you."

The words flowed out of Kashim in a single breath, desperate to show his friend that he had never wanted to hurt her.

"Kash. I get it. It's okay. We're okay. We're safe." Calming reassurances came out of Everett, a balm to Kashim's frantic soul. Her thumb traced softly on the back of Kashim's hand.

"Everything's going to be okay."

No matter how much Everett knew that that wasn't true, she needed Kashim to believe it.

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"Brystal? Sorry I didn't call, but I brought some company!" Everett's voice echoed through the apartment. Kashim's gaze drifted around, taking in the space. Warm lighting and plants filled the space. It reminded Kashim of how Everett decorated her room above the deli.

Brystal walked through the hallway, startled to see her roommate with a man she didn't recognize standing in the doorway. Her eyes tracked over the man's bloody shirt, and tear tracks on her roommate's face. Worry filled her eyes.

"Ev? What the hell?"

Everett cringed. "I know this looks bad. But this is Kashim. We just need a place to crash for a couple of days."

Brystal's eyes widened at the name, and then a smirk grew. "Girl, you live here. You aren't just 'crashing here'. And, yes, this does look weird, but imma trust you, okay?"

Everett laughed. "Thanks, Brys."

Brystal nodded, eyeing Kashim with skepticism.

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hiiii baby chapter before we get back into the show plot

i wavered between including everett in madripoor, but it just didn't really make sense to me, so we have everett and kashim content!!!

okay i do need help: do you guys want kashim to be involved in the sam bucky everett stuff, or only for him to come back in at certain points? bc i still don't know lol

OKAY LMK WHAT YOU THINK LOVE YA