Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandom:
Relationships:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Series:
Part 4 of Two Sparks in the Dark
Stats:
Published:
2025-09-01
Words:
723
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
11
Kudos:
12
Hits:
66

Breathe Again

Summary:

After the fall. Before the final chapter.

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

Neo's eyes snapped open, heart thundering like a desperate drumbeat. Disoriented for the barest fraction of time and before his senses fully adjusted, he was on his feet, moving toward the chair beside him.

Trinity.

She looked pale, and her slender body was bent forward as she assessed her injuries, the pain still radiating from her torso. Her hand checked her side and let out a sharp gasp when she pressed on her ribs, a clear reminder of the violent chaos they had just endured. It pierced through Neo’s tension, making it futile to think of anything else but her. Her palm remained there.

“I need to at least bandage it, ok?" Link said uneasily, voice tight with concern. She nodded slightly, willing her mind to focus.

“Few minutes. That’s all you've got.” Morpheus’s words filled the air, a sign of the limited time available. Neo didn’t need more, he intended to make it count. Link and Morpheus exchanged quiet glances, silently understanding the seriousness of the moment. Morpheus inclined his head towards the door, giving Link a nod. They quickly slipped out, their footsteps disappearing in the corridors, leaving Neo and Trinity alone in the dim glow of monitors and equipment.

His mind replayed the rooftop scene. Her fall, the bullets whizzing in the air, the split second when the world appeared to shatter, and then the overwhelming relief, the impossible success of catching and saving her. Trembling hands instinctively found her face, framing her delicate features and softly brushing the dampness of her skin. Trinity's eyes locked onto his, her pupils widening as recognition washed over her. She also remembered the final moments in the Matrix with vivid clarity. She exhaled shakily, concentrating on his presence and anchoring in the warmth of his touch.

“I'm here... I'm here…”, reaching up to grip his wrists, steadying herself.

Neo felt his throat tighten as relief surged through him again like a mighty tide, nearly forcing him to his knees. He hadn't realised how tightly he had been holding it together until now - her voice, a sound he loved beyond reason, confirmed she was fine. Alive.

He briefly considered the possibility of failure and the consequences it would bring for Zion. But he pushed the thought aside. Right now, it was only her he cared about. Her pain, her survival, the feeling of her skin beneath his fingers. He could hold the universe with a glance, but all he truly wished to hold was her.

Neo gently smoothed her short, dark hair away and tucked it behind her ear, eyes searching her face anxiously as he tried to reassure himself. Trinity sensed his fear, the echo of his panic as clearly as if it were her own.

“I'm alright, Neo," she repeated softly, her voice now calm and soothing. "You caught me. I'm still here.”

He shook his head slightly, a shadow of anguish crossing his face. He pressed his forehead to hers, his strong arms wrapping around her, pulling her close against his chest. Trinity let out a quiet breath as she leaned into his embrace, closing her eyes. The scent of him, the heat of his body, was comforting in a way nothing else ever could be.

"I couldn't let you go, Trin...” he murmured. "Everything we’re fighting for doesn’t mean anything without you..." He spoke with genuine honesty, and he felt her press against him more firmly.

She subtly withdrew, meeting his gaze, her expression softening as their breathing slowed and became synchronised, while she traced her fingertips along his jawline. Neo kissed her slowly, genuinely, and all else faded into insignificance, at least for now. This fleeting moment belonged entirely to them.

Reluctantly, they moved towards the kitchen, his arms provided support and protection. Each step was taken carefully and deliberately to ensure her comfort and safety. An invisible but unbreakable bond always connected them, deeper than words. The room’s light illuminated both figures. Neo gently kissed her head, lingered at her temple, and let her hair brush against his lips. Trinity sat on the bench. Link looked up, a flash of awareness evident on his face, then began his work with wraps. Morpheus paced nervously, his mind racing as he grasped the importance of the night.

“I don’t understand it. Everything was done as was supposed to be done…”

Series this work belongs to: