"And even though they never said it to each other, they knew."

F A L C O N D I D N ' T have the patience to deal with Penn. He was itching to get back to Freya, but he couldn't just leave the guy there like another juvie sentence just waiting to happen. For the sake of both him and his girl, Falcon had to make sure Penn kept his mouth shut.

"So you got the girl," Said mouth began blabbing.

Falcon rolled his eyes at the voice out of habit. Penn chuckled, spitting out a string of blood that had collected in his mouth.

"Not for long," He grinned the best he could with two swelling eyes and a split lip.

Falcon ignored his words, assuming he was talking about the supposed arranged marriage between Penn and his baby. Like he was ever going to let that happen.

"You know," Falcon began, staring down at Penn with a smug smile. "I think I like this look on you. Suites you. Maybe I should do it more often."

Penn let out a snort, heaving his battered body into a seated position.

"What's a few broken bones when I'm the one who's going to win in the end?" Penn asked as he wiped away the blood from his face.

Falcon's eyebrow raised at the rhetorical question.

"This isn't a game, Harris," He gritted his teeth, trying to manage his anger. "This is her life. She should be able to choose what she wants, not get shipped off to the highest bidder as if she was cattle."

A glee-filled smile grew on Penn's lips as his eyes sparkled with amusement.

"You don't know, do you?" He let out a weak laugh, his smile growing. "I'm not talking about Freya. To be completely honest, I couldn't really care less about whether she lives or dies."

Falcon's nostrils flared as he clenched his jaw. Penn knew all the right buttons to press and he was playing Falcon right into his hands.

"However," Penn cleared his throat slightly, tilting his head further up. "She does pave a straight path right into her father's business. Not to mention she's gorgeous, and with her naivety, she could make to be quite a pretty little pet."

The comment earned Penn a newly bleeding nose as Falcon's fist flew out faster than he could control it. There was a pain in Penn's eyes, but he laughed it off, holding his gushing nose.

"But still, not my point," He chuckled. "There are a lot more secrets around than just the one about your relationship. You know one of them, others..."

Penn trailed off, shrugging carelessly.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see," He got up from the ground, holding a hand to his ribcage as he stumbled forward a few steps.

It brought him closer to Falcon's tense form and Penn laid a warning hand on his shoulder.

"I'd be careful the next time you send a fist flying anywhere near my face," Penn squeezed Falcon's shoulder painfully, but he held back the wince.

"So, you mean I can do this?" Falcon lifted a hard knee to the juncture between Penn's thighs, stabilising himself on Penn's shoulders.

A gasp ripped out of the boy's mouth as he curled over in pain. Falcon waited patiently for him to speak again and once he caught his breath back, a nasty scowl creased his face.

"Nothing stops me from reporting this, Anders," Penn growled. "You're beginning to get in my way, and with your history, you'll be locked up for a whole lot longer than last time."

Falcon smiled, not letting his growing fear show in his expression.

"And with my history," He began. "You should have an idea about what happens to you if you do."

A sliver of fear crossed Penn's expression, but he covered it with a smirk.

"My father has more than enough connections to have you locked up for life if need be," Penn stated. "Threatening me isn't earning you any mercy."

"As if you would have given me mercy in the first place," Falcon spoke in a straight voice, impatient to leave the conversation and find Freya. "Just keep what I said in mind. Open that fucking mouth of yours and you're a dead man."

"Better dead than rotting away in a cell for the rest of my life," Penn stuffed his bruised hands into the pockets of his dirtied slacks. "Never to see the things, the people, I love. Ever again."

Falcon didn't justify the comment with an answer, choosing to walk away. His fists clenched repeatedly at his sides and tremors shook his body, making it hard to continue walking as the adrenaline rushed through his veins.

He was scared. For the first time, he had something to lose and he was coming frighteningly close to her disappearing from his life forever. He wanted to fix this, to keep her by his side but he was at a loss as to how. He had a terrifying suspicion that Penn may have been on his way to the police station right that moment. With fresh evidence and Falcon's record, there was nothing to save him.

Falcon's heart hurt and frustrated tears stung his eyes. If he could go back in time and beat some sense into his fifteen-year-old self, he would. He had regretted his actions the moment they got him arrested, but now he downright hated himself for it.

The one thing that made him feel like his life wasn't complete shit was on the line and for what? The adrenaline, the feeling of family, the outlet for his anger.

He was naive back then, but now he knew the truth. Those people he surrounded himself with and called friends were never family. They couldn't be family. Falcon doubted they even knew what love felt like. But man, for a boy who had had nothing, the promise of everything he had ever dreamed of had been too good to pass up.

A lie.

It was all a fucking lie.

And he had no one to blame for it but himself.

~🎀~

Freya knew something was wrong the instant Falcon came into view. He looked sad and when his eyes landed on her, his look was so full of hurt and guilt that she felt her heart clench in her chest.

He was hesitant to walk up to her, an internal fight that Freya couldn't understand raged beneath his skin and screamed at him not to go near her. Not to hurt her. But he needed her. By god, did he need her.

He didn't know how he had managed before her. How he had quenched the burning rage in his gut that seemed to rise whenever she wasn't around. How had he survived before her?

Almost blindly, he walked into her embrace, feeling the most at home there in her arms - in the middle of their school's hallway - than he had anywhere else in the world.

He hadn't managed, was the answer. He had spiralled out of control, hurt people, and landed himself into a place that he might very well be going back to. The thought of leaving Freya, of being without her, caused his heart to race and his arms to tighten around her tiny frame.

He didn't know how much time he had left. A few hours, maybe. Days, if he was lucky.

God, he hoped luck would be on his side for once.

"Skip today with me," Falcon murmured into the skin of Freya's neck, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine.

"Bu-but you said-"She began arguing but Falcon cut her off with a soft kiss.

"I know what I said, baby," He lightly rubbed his nose against hers before pulling back to look at her. "But please? Let's just take the day off. For us."

As if Freya could ever say no to him.

"Okay," She whispered in an embarrassingly breathy voice.

Falcon grinned, though it didn't quite reach his eyes in the way it usually did around her.

"Thank you," He pecked her nose before releasing her from his hold and grabbing her hand. "Come on."

Once they had reached the stairs of the school, Freya couldn't stand the depressing silence any longer. She tugged back on his hand slightly, making him turn to her in question. He seemed like he needed another hug, and her feet were hurting. She held her arms out to him.

"Carry me?" She asked.

Falcon let out a small laugh, a genuine smile coming to his face as he took a step towards her, hoisting her up onto his hip before continuing to walk down the stairs. Freya snuggled into his neck, wrapping her legs tighter around his waist as Falcon readjusted his hand under her thighs to make sure her skirt was secure.

"Where are we going?" Freya asked as they approached his bike.

Falcon shrugged a little, careful not to jostle her too much.

"Where do you want to go, sweetheart?" He sat her down on the seat of his bike, strapping her helmet on before doing up his own.

Freya thought for a moment, though with her answer, Falcon wondered why he had even needed to ask.

"Ice cream?" She bit her lip as she looked up at him with pleading doe eyes.

Falcon smiled at her lovingly.

"Ice cream it is," He agreed, pressing a kiss to her temple before seating himself behind her on the bike.

It was a short ride to the parlour, but Falcon savoured every second; memorising the feeling of her body against his, the way wisps of her hair flew in the wind, her little hands clutching his arms.

He prayed to God he wouldn't be made to live without her. He'd do anything, suffer anything, as long as it meant that one day he could come home to her every night and wake up beside her every morning. As long as it meant she would love him, he'd do anything.

They soon reached the parlour and Falcon lead Freya inside, keeping one arm around her shoulder as he pushed open the doors. He wasn't able to keep hold of her for long, as within seconds of entering the store, her nose was pressed up against the cool glass of the displays, her eyes flitting over the multitude of flavours.

Suddenly the world didn't seem so dark in Falcon's eyes. As long as Freya remained there, with that childish excitement and wonder clear in her expression, he knew things couldn't be that bad.

It seemed so obvious to him now. There was no maybe, or any hesitation. He just knew.

"What do you want, love?" Falcon asked, wrapping his arms around her as he came up behind her.

Freya's dainty finger slammed onto the glass, pointing at a particular flavour.

"Raspberry?" Falcon look at her in question to make sure he was correct.

Freya nodded a few times in fast succession, drawing a chuckle from Falcon as he headed to the cash register. Freya slowly followed behind him, her big brown eyes looking around the store, her smile widening every time her gaze landed on a child. Falcon couldn't help but smile as he watched her, his expression remaining intact as he approached the cashier.

"Good morning," The girl behind the register sent Falcon a large smile, eyes twinkling.

Falcon nodded in greeting, his smile ever so slightly strained.

"One double raspberry and one single caramel, please," His eyes wandered back to the girl who was now kneeling in front of a little boy, matching smiles on both of their faces.

Falcon's eyes softened and he turned as the cashier spoke again.

"That'll be $10.50 and your number," She said, winking.

Falcon simply raised an eyebrow, placed eleven crumpled dollar bills on the counter in front of them and began walking away.

"Keep the change," Was all his response consisted of.

He made a beeline for his girl and picked her up in one swift move.

"Come on, baby," He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Let's get your ice cream."

He walked back to the front of the store, Freya in hand to collect the filled cones out of the blushing cashier's hold. He gave Freya her own first before grabbing his. However, when he turned back to the girl in his arms, there was a pout set on her perfect lips.

Falcon's brow furrowed as he bumped her up on his hip.

"What's wrong, baby girl?" He asked as he walked them to a booth in the corner. "You alright?"

Freya let out a breath, slurping up a bit of ice cream that had begun to drip down the side of her cone.

"Tell me what's wrong, sweetheart," He prodded a little more.

Her eyes darted back to the front of the store before focusing back on him. He followed where her eyes had been and found the cashier girl still staring after them. Falcon looked back to Freya and smiled.

"What?" He asked knowingly.

Freya grumbled, hugging closer to Falcon's body as she ate her ice cream.

"She looks at you like I look at you," Freya mumbled quietly. "I don't like it."

Falcon pursed his lips to hold in the laugh that threatened to escape. He didn't know how it was possible for anyone to be quite as perfect as she was.

"That's not possible," He said definitively. "No one could match the look in your pretty eyes."

He sealed the statement with a quick kiss and Freya's cheeks were left burning. She hid her embarrassment by practically sticking her face into her ice cream as she licked it. She felt a cold sensation on her nose and upper lip but she continued to eat away at her treat.

A small laugh from Falcon had her pausing for a moment as his face came closer before he licked her nose.

"You had something there," He murmured with a small smile before kissing the space between her nose and lips. "And there."

Freya scrunched up her nose at the feeling of wetness on her nose. She rubbed at it, turning it the most endearing shade of pink before focusing her eyes back on Falcon.

"Be mine," He said suddenly. "Officially. Be mine. Please."