Chapter Text
“Remind me again why Brandt, Luther, and I always have to share a room?” Benji whined as the team marched down the hotel hallway.
They were between missions at the moment, having just finished a 4-hour debriefing via video conference with the secretary at a safe spot. They had been informed during the meeting that their next mission would come soon, too soon for them to be flown home to the states. So, for now, they were to stay together in Barcelona.
“Because Luther snores, you talk in your sleep, and Brandt wouldn’t wake up if an earthquake swallowed the hotel. Not to mention he snores as well. Ilsa and I wouldn’t sleep a wink if we shared with any of you and you know what Ilsa’s like when she’s cranky,” Ethan reminded him.
Benji shuddered at the memory of a less than pleasant Ilsa the last time her sleep was interrupted.
Ilsa turned and rolled her eyes, “I’m not that bad.”
“Not that bad?” Luther snorted, “please, you threw an alarm clock at Benji’s head the last time we all slept in the same room.”
“It almost hit me!” Benji squealed.
“Benji, you spent the entire night talking in computer code. Besides, if I wanted to hit you, I would’ve.”
“I still can’t believe I slept through it,” Brandt lamented as they reached their rooms making the whole team giggle.
He tossed a key card to Ethan for the room next door and let his roommates in- Benji still mopping as he passed Ilsa who smirked.
Ethan opened the door to his and Ilsa’s room, “Goodnight guys,” and followed Ilsa in. He almost knocked into her as she stopped abruptly just inside the door.
“Now I’m actually gonna hit him,” Ilsa grumbled as she stared at the item of her dismay.
“What?” Ethan looked around Ilsa and groaned.
He threw his duffel bag on the nearest of the two double beds and made his way to the connecting door between the two bedrooms, opened his side and yelled “Benji!” at the other door.
He stood there listening to the sound of shuffling on the other side of the door before it clicked and swung open to reveal the redhead.
“Benji, What is this?”
“It’s a connecting room, cool right?” Benji smiled, clearly expecting praise.
“Benji the whole point of this is for Ethan and me to be away from you guys so we can sleep. This door kinda defeats that purpose.” Ilsa put her hand to her temple and fell back on one of the beds.
Luther and Brandt cackled from their spots on their beds.
“Did you two know about this?” Ethan glared at them over Benji’s shoulder.
“No-“
“Not a clue.” Brandt tried to cough to cover up his laughter.
“I just thought it would be convenient!” Benji shouted.
“From now on Benji, you are not allowed to book our rooms,” Ethan announced.
“What?! I haven’t even messed up that bad.”
“Bali.” Ilsa quipped.
“Dublin,” Brandt added.
“Tel Aviv.”
“Athens.”
“Okay, okay. I get it. Jeez.” Benji threw his hands up defensively.
“Both doors stay closed tonight to try and be a sound barrier. Goodnight guys,” Ethan closed his door without waiting for a response.
He turned around to find that Ilsa had made her way out onto the balcony. He followed suit, stepping out onto the balcony finding a slight breeze on an otherwise beautiful night.
Ilsa wasn’t surprised when she felt Ethan’s hands wrap around her waist. He pulled in close, the front of his body fitting perfectly to the back of hers, and nestled his face in her hair. She leaned back into him and settled into the moment watching the lights flicker over the city.
“I’m sorry,” Ethan mumbled into her hair.
“For what? This isn’t your fault. Benji booked the rooms.” Ilsa turned around in his arms and placed hers around his neck.
“Yeah, but I put him in charge of booking the rooms. I should’ve known better. I know you were looking forward to some alone time-“ Ilsa held up a finger to halt Ethan’s ramble.
“If you think that stupid door is going to stop me from making love with you all night, you are very wrong. I’m tired of the quickies behind the team’s backs. It’s been almost a month since we’ve had real alone time. Nothing is stopping me.”
Ilsa lifted her finger from Ethan’s lips when he kissed it, allowing him to speak.
“Oh, I have no intention of not delivering on the promises of tonight. I just hate that we have to try and be quiet now.”
“They’re probably all asleep already and honestly with the racket that's going to be going on in that room I’d be truly surprised if they heard us. And if they do, so what? It’s about time they figured it out. We’ve been together since Kashmir so,” she did the mental math, ”that’s 4 months now. I’m actually really surprised they haven’t.” She pressed her forehead to his and smiled.
“Well there’s been a few close calls,” Ethan recalled the few times various members of the team almost caught them sneaking off together or coming back from a stolen moment alone together, “and I actually think Brandt knows.”
Ilsa pulled her head back with her eyes wide and an eyebrow raised.
“He winked at me tonight when we were going into the room.”
“Of course he did,” Ilsa tossed her head back and groaned.
“Benji still seems completely ignorant though, all things considered.” she looked back at Ethan.
“We should probably tell them. Any longer and I think we might give Benji a stroke,” it was Ethan’s turn to groan, “He’s gonna hate me.”
“What? You’re his best friend. He won’t hate you.”
“You know how he is. He’s gonna be so mad that I didn’t tell him.”
“Technically we didn’t tell anyone.” Ilsa pulled him back in close and rested her head on Ethan’s shoulder. “It’ll be alright, love.”
Ethan sighed and held onto her. He knew she was right. Benji would get over it. It would just take some time. There was nothing he could do about it now so he put his worries to the side and focused on the gorgeous woman standing before him.
“You look so beautiful tonight.”
It didn’t matter that she was in the same clothes as yesterday and that she probably hadn’t showered in a few days, the wisps of dry shampoo stood out as evidence. It didn’t matter that her left eyeliner was smudged and her hair hung in knots at her shoulders. Ethan loved seeing her like this because this was the real Ilsa, the badass secret agent who would give her life in a second if it meant saving others. This was the Ilsa he had fallen in love with.
Ilsa looked up and Ethan found himself getting lost in her piercing blue eyes for the millionth time as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Darling, if you’re just saying that to get me in bed, it’s working,” she exhaled before leaning in to capture Ethan’s lips.
It was soft at first, loving. Like they had spent their entire lives kissing each other. Their lips moved gently against the others until Ilsa ran her tongue on Ethan’s bottom lip, asking. Ethan let her in with a sigh, their tongues battled for dominance that Ethan eventually won. Their mouths moved in a rhythm that came naturally to them. Ethan’s hands rested on Ilsa’s hips, pulling her close and then running down over her ass before he lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist with a giggle. Ilsa’s hands were tangled in Ethan’s hair, she tugged lightly and smiled at the moan she was rewarded with. Ethan’s mouth surged forward hard causing Ilsa to let out a low moan that Ethan gladly swallowed before he pulled away. Ilsa whimpered at the loss of contact.
“I don’t know about you, but a shower sounds fantastic right now.”
“Mmmmm. I agree.”
Ethan smiled and leaned in for a quick kiss before carrying Ilsa inside.