The first thing Nani became aware of was warmth.
Not the suffocating heat of his nightmares.
Not the burning, metallic scent of blood.
Something solid. Grounding.
A steady rhythm-not his own.
Nani's fingers twitched. He felt fabric under his palm.
Soft. Worn.
He inhaled slowly. The faintest scent of gunpowder and cologne.
Familiar.
Safe.
Sky.
His body finally caught up to his mind.
He was being held.
A slow, firm grip around his shoulders. A warmth at his back.
He wasn't alone.
And that was almost more terrifying.
Nani's body tensed.
The moment he stiffened, Sky noticed.
The arms around him eased slightly, giving him space.
But Sky didn't pull away completely.
Didn't say anything right away.
Just let Nani breathe.
Slowly, shakily, as if relearning how.
The air in the room felt too still.
Like even the squad was holding their breath.
Then-finally-Sky spoke.
"...You back?"
His voice was quiet. Steady.
Nani's fingers curled into Sky's sleeve.
Not gripping, not pulling-just anchoring himself.
A small, almost involuntary motion.
He swallowed. "...Yeah."
Sky didn't push him away.
Didn't tell him to move.
Didn't break the moment with a joke.
He just exhaled, slow and controlled.
Like he'd been holding onto something too.
---
The Weight of the Past
Nani licked his lips, trying to shake the residual heaviness in his chest.
His throat felt raw. His mind felt like it had been dragged through glass.
But still-he spoke.
"...Thanom and Elias."
Sky's breath hitched just slightly.
But he didn't interrupt.
Nani let out a slow, uneven exhale. "They died saving me."
For me.
He didn't say that part.
Didn't need to.
Sky already knew.
Nani's hands curled slightly. "...I couldn't save them."
A beat of silence.
Then-Sky's voice, lower. Firmer.
"That's not on you."
Nani let out a sharp breath. "It feels like it is."
Sky's fingers tightened slightly on his shoulder
"You're here. That's what they wanted." Sky's voice was quiet but unwavering. "Don't make their sacrifice mean nothing."
Nani closed his eyes.
That was the worst part.
Because he knew-Sky was right.
But that didn't make it hurt any less.
---
A sharp knock at the door.
The moment fractured.
The warmth faded too fast.
Nani blinked hard, pulling back slightly. Sky let him go-but not all the way.
Nani felt the loss of warmth instantly.
Then-a familiar voice.
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
Agent Matteo Laurent.
The room's energy shifted instantly.
Sky's body tensed.
The squad's stances hardened.
Nani forced his breathing to steady.
Because the real interrogation was about to begin.
------
Laurent stepped further into the room.
He didn't look rushed. Didn't look angry.
Which meant he was twice as dangerous.
His sharp gaze locked onto Nani.
"We need a name, Officer Hirunkit."
Nani's stomach turned to ice.
Because he didn't have one.
His chest tightened.
But before he could even open his mouth-
Sky moved.
Sky's Immediate Shutdown
"Not happening."
Laurent's head tilted slightly. "Excuse me?"
Sky stepped forward, placing himself directly in front of Nani.
Blocking him.
Protecting him.
His stance was calm but unyielding. "He's not ready."
Laurent's expression didn't change. "Then he needs to get ready."
Sky's jaw ticked.
The squad tensed behind him.
Even Joong-who usually kept a neutral stance-leaned forward slightly.
Santa folded his arms. "You heard the Captain. Back off."
Laurent ignored them. "If he saw the traitor's face, then he holds the key to everything. We don't have the luxury of waiting-"
Sky's voice dropped lower. "And pushing him won't magically unlock his memory."
Nani gritted his teeth. He hated this.
Hated feeling like an object being fought over.
Hated that Laurent was right.
But Sky was right too.
Forcing it wouldn't work.
But Laurent wasn't backing down.
Laurent's expression remained cool. "I'm not asking for your permission, Captain Wongravee."
Sky's lips curled into a humorless smirk.
"That's your mistake, then."
Laurent's gaze narrowed. "We need him to remember."
Sky's voice was dangerously low. "And you'll get your answers. But not tonight."
Laurent's patience finally cracked.
"You don't have the authority to make that decision."
Sky took another measured step forward.
His presence was a wall.
A clear, unmovable force.
His voice dropped to something lethal.
"Try me."
The room felt like a trigger waiting to be pulled.
Santa let out a slow whistle. "Well, this is fun."
Dunk muttered. "I'd bet on Sky, honestly."
Joong shot them both a look. "Not the time."
The Squad Stands Their Ground
Laurent exhaled sharply.
"Fine." His voice was clipped. "For now."
But his meaning was clear.
This wasn't over.
He turned on his heel, walking out without another word.
The door clicked shut behind him.
A tense silence followed.
Then-Dunk let out a breath. "Okay. That was intense."
Santa arched a brow. "Ten bucks says Laurent's punching a wall somewhere."
Joong rubbed his temples. "I don't care what he does, as long as he's doing it far away from us."
Sky, still facing the door, exhaled slowly.
Then, finally, he turned back to Nani.
And Nani-his pulse still racing-realized something.
Sky had just bought him time.
And he had no idea what to do with it.
-----
The Room Was Too Quiet
Not the kind of quiet that felt peaceful.
The kind that came after a storm.
Laurent was gone. The squad had moved on. But Nani?
Nani was still stuck in the past.
The memories clung to him-half-formed flashes of blood, fire, voices calling his name.
His pulse was too fast. His mind still fogged.
And Sky-
Sky was still looking at him.
Just...watching.
Like he saw something no one else did.
Like he was making sure Nani was still here.
And somehow-that did more damage than Laurent ever could.
Nani exhaled slowly.
He wasn't good at this.
At thanking people. At admitting when someone had stepped in before he even realized he needed them to.
But Sky had.
Without hesitation.
Without question.
And that-that deserved something.
He shifted slightly, fingers tapping against the desk.
"...Thanks." His voice was quieter than usual.
Sky raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
Nani huffed. "For stopping him before I had to."
Sky didn't look away. Didn't let the moment slip.
His next words were simple. Certain.
"I'd do it again."
Nani's breath hitched.
Not because of the words-
But because of how easily Sky said them.
Like it was obvious. Like it wasn't even a question.
Like it was already decided.
Nani swallowed hard. "...That's dangerous."
Sky's lips curled slightly.
"So are you."
The words sent a slow, warm pulse through Nani's chest.
His fingers tightened against the desk.
He needed to look away. Say something sarcastic.
But before he could-
Sky moved.
Not just his hand.
Not just a light touch.
Something firmer. Something no one expected.
Sky grabbed Nani by the collar and pulled him forward.
Not rough. Not aggressive.
Just firm. Unyielding.
Nani stilled
The squad stilled.
Nani's breath caught. His body tensed-
Because suddenly, Sky was too close.
Close enough that Nani could see the sharp focus in his eyes.
Close enough that he could feel the heat radiating from him.
Close enough that it felt like a statement.
A warning.
A promise.
Sky's voice is lower now. Steady. Too steady.
"If I have to step in every time to stop you from breaking yourself," he murmured, "then I will. Even if I die."
Nani felt his pulse slam against his ribs.
His mind screamed at him to react-
To push Sky back, to say something sharp, to laugh it off-
But he couldn't.
Because Sky wasn't joking.
And for once, Nani had no words.
---
The Squad's Chaos
Joong, flipping through a case file, paused mid-page.
Santa, leaning back in his chair, dropped his pen.
Dunk-who had been half-distracted with his phone-choked on his drink.
Perth, typing at his laptop, actually stopped typing.
The air shifted.
Not mocking.
Not teasing.
Just... stunned.
Because-Sky Wongravee-controlled, composed, cold-blooded Sky-just grabbed Nani Hirunkit like it meant something.
Something that should've been private.
Santa was the first to break the silence.
"...Holy. Shit."
Joong slowly shut his folder. "Okay. That's new."
Dunk, still coughing, wheezed. "New? NEW? That was-what the fuck was THAT?"
Santa blinked. "Sky. Buddy. Captain." He gestured wildly. "Are we not gonna talk about that?"
Sky ignored him.
Didn't let go.
Didn't step back.
Just stood there.
Nani, still trapped in Sky's grip, couldn't even process.
Because Sky wasn't just grabbing him.
He was holding him there.
Like he was proving a point.
Like he was making sure Nani felt every word.
Santa ran a hand through his hair, looking genuinely lost. "I mean-I knew there was tension, but DAMN."
Dunk muttered, "I need a drink."
Joong let out a slow breath. "So... do we pretend that didn't just happen?"
Perth, finally recovering, and start typing again. "We could."
Santa grinned. "But we won't."
---
Nani's eyes flickered toward Sky's hand.
Still there. Still solid.
He should push him off.
But for once-he didn't.
He just exhaled.
And let it be.
Let Sky be.
Because maybe-just maybe-
He didn't have to carry this alone.
Not anymore.
His voice was quiet. Barely above a whisper.
"...Thank you."
Sky's grip finally eased.
Not all the way.
Just enough.
And when he stepped back-he didn't step far.
And Nani-Nani wasn't sure if he wanted him to.
------
The Squad Starts Digging
After all the reaction came back to normal.
Joong stretched his arms before cracking his knuckles. "Alright. Now that we're done arguing with Interpol and annoyed Sky, let's get to work."
Santa leaned over Perth's desk. "Interpol isn't sharing jack shit. We need our own way in."
Perth's fingers flew over the keyboard.
"Already working on it."
Dunk frowned. "How do we even start? The whole thing is classified."
Joong smirked slightly. "That's why we have Perth."
Perth barely glanced up. "I like how you all assume I can hack Interpol."
Santa shrugged. "You can."
Perth sighed. "...Yeah, I can."
Dunk grinned. "Good. Let's break some laws."
Joong rolled his eyes. "Let's not."
------
Santa plopped into a chair, spinning lazily. "So, are we officially going rogue?"
Dunk grinned. "I vote yes."
Perth, already typing, muttered, "We're not going rogue. We're just being proactive."
Santa smirked. "Proactively ignoring Interpol, got it."
Joong shot them both a look before tapping the crime board. "We need to start from the beginning."
Dunk tilted his head. "Meaning?"
Joong grabbed a marker, circling the three-year-old case. "Thanom. Elias. The betrayal. We figure out who wanted them dead, and we find our missing name."
Perth pulled up files on his monitor. "Interpol isn't sharing classified data, but I can cross-check their past cases."
Santa leaned back. "What exactly are we looking for?"
Perth's fingers moved swiftly. "People in Thupa's network who either disappeared, got promotions, or were conveniently overlooked."
Joong nodded. "Whoever betrayed them didn't just vanish. They had to land somewhere."
Dunk leaned forward. "Okay, but how do we know the mole wasn't killed off too?"
Santa smirked. "Because if they were, we wouldn't be dealing with this mess now."
Nani, silent until now, crossed his arms. "There's another way to look at this."
Joong arched a brow. "Go on."
Nani's expression was unreadable. "The person who betrayed us three years ago... might not have been acting alone."
Silence.
Perth's fingers paused.
Dunk's face scrunched in thought. "...You mean, like, they had a boss?"
Sky, still listening, finally spoke. "Or a new employer."
Santa whistled low. "Damn. Now it's getting interesting."
---
Across the city, in a luxury penthouse, The man studied the skyline.
A phone sat on the table, the screen still glowing.
A message displayed:
The ghost is alive.
He smirked.
Well.
Wasn't that unexpected?
Behind him, a man in a dark suit stood stiffly. "Orders, sir?"
The man swirled his glass. "Who confirmed the intel?"
"An inside source. Reliable."
His smile didn't fade. "We'll see about that."
He sipped his drink. "How much does Interpol know?"
"They're still chasing shadows."
He hummed, pleased.
Good.
He wasn't worried about Interpol.
But the special investigations unit?
That was annoying.
Especially since the Captain-Sky Wongravee-wasn't as easy to buy.
He set his glass down.
"Put pressure on their squad."
His man hesitated. "How much pressure?"
The man smile was sharp. "Enough to remind them who they're dealing with."
His man nodded. "Understood."
He leaned back, satisfied.
He hadn't planned on dealing with the ghost personally.
But now?
Maybe it was time to have a little fun.