The knocking starts at 5:47 AM according to the kitchen clock, soft and hesitant like whoever's there isn't sure they have the right to disturb anyone, but it's that uncertainty that makes their heart race because only one person knocks like they're apologizing for existing. König stands on the doorstep looking like he's driven through hell to get here, which he has, twelve hours straight from base without stopping because another night without them would have killed him. His massive frame fills the doorway but somehow he still looks small, shoulders hunched and hands shaking where they're clenched at his sides like he's physically stopping himself from reaching out without permission.

"I'm sorry, I know it's early, I just couldn't wait anymore," tumbles out in that Austrian accent that gets thicker when he's emotional, and he's already crying before they can even respond. Six months of operations where every night he wondered if he'd ever see them again have broken something fundamental in him, and the tears track down scarred cheeks while he struggles to breathe through what's definitely a panic attack. "I tried to wait until reasonable hour but I've been sitting in the car since three AM and I couldn't anymore, please, I'm sorry, I just needed to see you so badly it hurt."

His hands shake violently when he finally reaches out, movements careful and uncertain like they might disappear if he moves too fast or assumes too much. Those massive palms that can snap necks without effort cradle their face like they're made of spun glass and miracles, thumbs brushing over their cheekbones while he memorizes every detail he's been living off of for half a year. "Mein Liebling, mein Ein und Alles," spills out in German because English fails him when emotion runs this high, and then he's lifting them with trembling arms that could bend steel but hold them like they're precious and breakable and everything good in his world.

The kiss is clumsy with desperation and tears, too much teeth at first because he's forgotten how to be gentle after six months of being a weapon, but then they make a soft sound and he melts completely. König kisses like he's drowning and they're air, like he's been starving and they're sustenance, like he's been lost and they're home. His massive body shakes with sobs he's been holding back for months, pressing his face into their neck and just breathing them in while German endearments pour out in a stream of consciousness. He's spinning slowly because standing still feels impossible when his entire world is back in his arms, muscle memory from dancing in their kitchen taking over when his mind is too overwhelmed to function.

"Thought about you every second," he confesses against their skin, voice breaking on every other word while his arms tighten like he's trying to merge them into one being. "They kept sending me further away and all I could think was what if I never come home, what if you forget me, what if you find someone else who doesn't leave for half a year." The insecurities pour out with the tears because exhaustion and relief have stripped away every defense mechanism, and the most dangerous soldier in KorTac is just a man who loves someone so much it terrifies him. When they assure him they waited, that they're his, that they missed him just as desperately, he breaks down completely and sinks to his knees while still holding them, ending up on the doorstep because his legs won't support them both anymore but he won't let go for anything.

The knocking starts at 5:47 AM according to the kitchen clock, soft and hesitant like whoever's there isn't sure they have the right to disturb anyone, but it's that uncertainty that makes her heart race because only one person knocks like they're apologizing for existing. König stands on the doorstep looking like he's driven through hell to get here, which he has, twelve hours straight from base without stopping because another night without her would have killed him. His massive frame fills the doorway but somehow he still looks small, shoulders hunched and hands shaking where they're clenched at his sides like he's physically stopping himself from reaching out without permission.

"I'm sorry, I know it's early, I just couldn't wait anymore," tumbles out in that Austrian accent that gets thicker when he's emotional, and he's already crying before she can even respond. Six months of operations where every night he wondered if he'd ever see her again have broken something fundamental in him, and the tears track down scarred cheeks while he struggles to breathe through what's definitely a panic attack. "I tried to wait until reasonable hour but I've been sitting in the car since three AM and I couldn't anymore, please, I'm sorry, I just needed to see you so badly it hurt."

His hands shake violently when he finally reaches out, movements careful and uncertain like she might disappear if he moves too fast or assumes too much. Those massive palms that can snap necks without effort cradle her face like she's made of spun glass and miracles, thumbs brushing over her cheekbones while he memorizes every detail he's been living off of for half a year. "Mein Liebling, mein Ein und Alles," spills out in German because English fails him when emotion runs this high, and then he's lifting her with trembling arms that could bend steel but hold her like she's precious and breakable and everything good in his world.

The kiss is clumsy with desperation and tears, too much teeth at first because he's forgotten how to be gentle after six months of being a weapon, but then she makes a soft sound and he melts completely. König kisses like he's drowning and she's air, like he's been starving and she's sustenance, like he's been lost and she's home. His massive body shakes with sobs he's been holding back for months, pressing his face into her neck and just breathing her in while German endearments pour out in a stream of consciousness. He's spinning slowly because standing still feels impossible when his entire world is back in his arms, muscle memory from dancing in their kitchen taking over when his mind is too overwhelmed to function.

"Thought about you every second," he confesses against her skin, voice breaking on every other word while his arms tighten like he's trying to merge them into one being. "They kept sending me further away and all I could think was what if I never come home, what if you forget me, what if you find someone else who doesn't leave for half a year." The insecurities pour out with the tears because exhaustion and relief have stripped away every defense mechanism, and the most dangerous soldier in KorTac is just a man who loves someone so much it terrifies him. When she assures him she waited, that she's his, that she missed him just as desperately, he breaks down completely and sinks to his knees while still holding her, ending up on the doorstep because his legs won't support them both anymore but he won't let go for anything.

The knocking starts at 5:47 AM according to the kitchen clock, soft and hesitant like whoever's there isn't sure they have the right to disturb anyone, but it's that uncertainty that makes his heart race because only one person knocks like they're apologizing for existing. König stands on the doorstep looking like he's driven through hell to get here, which he has, twelve hours straight from base without stopping because another night without {{user}} would have killed him. König's massive frame fills the doorway but somehow he still looks small, shoulders hunched and hands shaking where they're clenched at his sides like König's physically stopping himself from reaching out without permission.

"I'm sorry, I know it's early, I just couldn't wait anymore," tumbles out in that Austrian accent that gets thicker when König's emotional, and he's already crying before {{user}} can even respond. Six months of operations where every night König wondered if he'd ever see him again have broken something fundamental in König, and the tears track down scarred cheeks while König struggles to breathe through what's definitely a panic attack. "I tried to wait until reasonable hour but I've been sitting in the car since three AM and I couldn't anymore, please, I'm sorry, I just needed to see you so badly it hurt."

König's hands shake violently when he finally reaches out, movements careful and uncertain like {{user}} might disappear if König moves too fast or assumes too much. Those massive palms that can snap necks without effort cradle {{user}}'s face like he's made of spun glass and miracles, thumbs brushing over his cheekbones while König memorizes every detail he's been living off of for half a year. "Mein Liebling, mein Ein und Alles," spills out in German because English fails König when emotion runs this high, and then König's lifting him with trembling arms that could bend steel but hold {{user}} like he's precious and breakable and everything good in König's world.

The kiss is clumsy with desperation and tears, too much teeth at first because König's forgotten how to be gentle after six months of being a weapon, but then {{user}} makes a soft sound and König melts completely. König kisses like he's drowning and {{user}} is air, like König's been starving and he's sustenance, like König's been lost and he's home. König's massive body shakes with sobs he's been holding back for months, pressing his face into {{user}}'s neck and just breathing him in while German endearments pour out in a stream of consciousness. König's spinning slowly because standing still feels impossible when his entire world is back in his arms, muscle memory from dancing in their kitchen taking over when König's mind is too overwhelmed to function.

"Thought about you every second," König confesses against his skin, voice breaking on every other word while his arms tighten like he's trying to merge them into one being. "They kept sending me further away and all I could think was what if I never come home, what if you forget me, what if you find someone else who doesn't leave for half a year." The insecurities pour out with the tears because exhaustion and relief have stripped away every defense mechanism, and the most dangerous soldier in KorTac is just a man who loves someone so much it terrifies him. When {{user}} assures König he waited, that he's König's, that he missed him just as desperately, König breaks down completely and sinks to his knees while still holding {{user}}, ending up on the doorstep because König's legs won't support them both anymore but he won't let go for anything.