anomaly ! ₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
pairing Yandere!ikaris x Transmigrated!Female!reader x Slight Yandere!Platonic!ajak
warnings near-death experience, minor death, yandere tendencies, eternals have trouble expressing their emotions, eternals crave to be imperfect, fear, grief & loss, trauma, paralyzed for a little while, depression, frostbite, swearing, slow-burn to ikaris, BTW i suck at writing so prepare to see lots of grammatically incorrect mistakes
sum in which you've found yourself in the great plains of south dakota where a certain eternal resides in. you might have signed your death sentence when you decided to save an eternal named ajak from the most dangerous and power-deadly eternal, ikaris.
notes please bare with me, it is definitely messy but I tried my best! please, be kind and understanding. love yaaa!
word count 7.2k
Ever since, you woke up face-flat in snow on a chilly dark night, you knew right away something was… wrong. As you stood cautiously on your feet, rubbing your hands together to create heat from the lack of clothes you had on. The only thing being luminated was the moon, the stars and the shining snow.
Your breathing formed small clouds as it escaped your lips. Your nose red from the freezing temperature. As you inspected your surroundings, it dawned on you that it was snowing. Where you lived, there was no possibility that it would snow in a degree of ninety.
Not to mention, you weren't in your bed wearing your comfy pajamas. You were wearing different clothes ones that you've wore on a certain unforgettable day that you wished was erased from your memories. You weren't in home where the land meets the sea, surrounded by sand and sun. Here, you weren't surrounded by anything really but trees and the snow on your bare feet.
You were shivering to the point where you couldn't feel your toes or hands. You stopped rubbing your hands when you caught a bluish-grey on the tips of your fingers making you shudder. Frostbite. This must have been adrenaline because you couldn't feel pain from your finger down to your toes, that achiness that you were supposed to experience.
Then, you began to start walking, trying to find any cover from the freezing cold air but there was nothing anywhere in hundreds of miles.
Your legs could not move as well as you thought they would. You had only taken two steps each five minutes. Your uncontrollable shaking was getting worst by the second. Your breathing no replaced with harsh wheezing.
Your vision, out of focus as you choked from the lack of air before falling back onto the snow. The fall was gentle, peaceful even. You were too preoccupied by the beauty of the snowflakes falling onto you, melting once it touched your face.
Your lips formed a smile as this might be the last thing you ever see before closing your eyes for good.
You didn't even consider you were currently on the verge of dying as your heartbeat decelerated by the second. A singular tear formed at your eyelid. Before it even had a chance of slipping out of your eyelids. You felt a warm finger stroke away your tear.
A grunt escaped your shivering lips as whoever was lifting you off the snowy ground gave soft rubs on your back. A whisper, that seemed to course your whole body with warmth... or was it this person's hands on you, carrying you as if you didn't weight a thing?
"You're fine, little human." A gentle and kind voice that reminded you of milk and honey. It was sweet but too bittersweet to your cold ears. You thought the worst of everything that your self-sabotaging nature started forcing its way through your veins.
An accustomed attack on your body. You couldn't help but think, 'What if this woman was a murder?' You're breathing seemed to quickened and the woman immediately noticed, "You're safe." At that tiny, simple statement, it put you at ease. "Sleep now, my child."
You tried so hard to fight it but it was useless. Your fragile mind was too weak, too futile against the strength of an ancient, inorganic being that lived thousands, possibly more of your lifetime. It wasn't long before your body stilled and loosed as you drifted into unconsciousness.
Your body was vulnerable as this being took you miles by miles away from your spot-stripping you of your only way back home.
The being that had saved your life was named Ajak, a genetically engineered synthetic being-whose only purpose in life was to serve it's creator.
Years ago, after telling her fellow eternals to live their life's by their own choices without following her orders. Ajak would do the same by finally settling down in the Great Plains of South Dakota at a homestead surrounded by nothing but the countryside. Ajak was left alone after sending Sprite to stay with Sersi in London.
Ajak knew it was best for Sprite to stay with her as she felt she needed that change in her life after being in such comfort with her. She wanted Sprite to live her life especially since in a few months everything would be destroyed.
Which lead to Ajak isolating herself from her family not wanting to bare the consequences of killing billions of humans and her family on top of that. Only checking in on the eternals every so few months.
Ajak had felt something wrong in the atmosphere. Something very wrong. An anomaly. Something unknown has entered Earth's atmosphere. Ajak had not intended to secluded herself from her house, if she didn't feel this anticipated hope in her. A hope that could shake the very foundations of their view on this earth.
It was freezing below temperature in South Dakota, ineffective to an Eternal. It was a perk to their already warm bodies. Their bodies would not age, get sick, or die. It was part of their design of their creator, Arishem the Celestial.
That's when she found you. You were that anomaly she felt as you laid on the snowy ground. Ajak, the kind-hearted, leading eternal saw you barely clinging onto life, as you smiled right at the face of death. Your spirit gave her humanity. Your soul enlightened her inherently developed purpose after losing faith in humans all those years ago.
That simple, weak spirited smile gave it all back. You would not die-you will not die, not when she had the ability to heal your wounds. As she lifted you off the snow, she immediately began healing you in her hands. Her cosmic energy flowed through you, golden floated your veins as it began to bestow you warmth in your cheeks.
Ajak tried calming you down with her words as she sensed your unease in your breathing but even her words could not calm a human that was terrified. She did the only thing she knew was best for you. Sleep-inducing that small spiraling mind of yours. Ajak wanted so badly to caressed those puffy cheeks, but she had to compose herself. She had to lead in example not by impulsive.
But how could she? You were a human from another world entirely. You were one of a kind. Someone she had to protect from the fate of this world as this was not your world. Why should you have to suffer?
"Do not become attached to this planet. You must focus on the true purpose of your mission." Ajak tried and tried again to composed herself from such thoughts. But, alas your humanness, the one that grinned at death, the one that though she knew she was dying she still slipped a tear at the thought of losing it all. It had coursed through Ajak's design.
Whatever shall she do with you, dear outlander?
The crackling of a fireplace awakened you. Your eyes fluttered open as you stared at the ceiling. You were in bed in a strange room. As you took in your surroundings, one thing flooded your mind. Where were you? You looked down at your hands-which you thought would be beyond repair but to your surprise, your hands could have never looked so polished and clean. It was no longer afflicted by the frostbite
You were wearing completely different clothes-one's suitable for winter days. You cautious lowered the heavy blanket down your legs, lifting the fluffy pants up your knees-checking for any signs of mistreatment. Your legs were in great condition. But how? Back in your world, this would be impossible to do or attempt to do. You were incurable from your condition in the freezing cold. It was already too late for you.
The real question is who the hell changed your clothes?
You bite down on your nails as you anxiously try to figure out what or who could have taken you from your own death. But that was answered when a knock came from the door of the bedroom you were in.
"How you doing?" a voice beckoned, "fine, I hope?”
A woman, leaning against the entryway. This woman had long dark brown hair and eyes that seemed to know all. Her appearance was oddly familiar, a beauty that was difficulty to look at, in fear you'd pass out. She uncannily looked just like that character in Eternals-that you watched years ago during the pandemic-was staring at you.
The Eternals with unexplained, stupidly strong abilities that even you can't comprehend. The woman you are looking at, as you gripped your hands on the blanket, with wide eyes and pursed lips. That same woman who ends up dying at the hands of Ikaris, the betrayer?
What have you gotten yourself into?
"That knowing look in your eyes-I assume you already know who I am?"
Of course, you knew. She was the Ajak. The one you bought a Funko Pop for because you really enjoyed her character. It even broke your heart when you found out she died by her own family-Ikaris. You unavoidable shed tears covering your face with your hands.
'God! How more pathetic can I get?!'
Before you noticed Ajak had moved towards you, seated on the bed in front of you, she removed your hands from your tear-streaked eyes. Her eyes held sympathy for your distress. "Ah, niña pequeña. What has gotten you so sad. Mm? I promise, I am not here to harm you." Ajak said with a soft smile, fondling your hair with such motheringly tenderness that it almost made you burst into tears again.
What if you told Ajak her fate? Would she believe you? Would she think you're insane? That you were not part of this world? That they are not real? Would that change things in this world? You would think you were crazy if you weren't seeing her wiping away your tears.
"Tell me," she begged, "I am here for you, child." Ajak's finger wiped away your tears giving you an act of encouragement from your cowardice mind.
You ended up telling her everything. That you weren't from here. Your world being completely different. How her family would accomplish saving the world from the emergence and her ultimate fate sealed by the hands of Ikaris.
"I had a feeling that you knew about us when I felt your presence, I could feel it, little human. You're the only human in this planet that has acknowledgement of us. It makes me feel whole again." She leaned in for a hug that caught me off guard, "thank you."
"Oh!" You blinked, "Uh, your welcome?" You cleared your throat grasping how composed her reaction was. You weren't even sure if she heard you. "You know, for someone who just find out that their own family member is going to kill them-you're pretty calm about it."
Ajak had broke the hug and placed her hands on my shoulders, almost like she was checking something, "I had a hunch." Ajak responded calmly and collectively almost like she expected it. That Ikaris being Ikaris would come to end her life, if she decided to not go through with the emergence. "That's kind of sad-don't you think?" I queried wanting to understand why she wasn't angry or sad about it.
Ajak warmly smiled at me and her arm lowered themselves from my shoulders, "When you've lived millions of years-you start becoming insensitive to certain things."
Makes sense.
Ajak's eyes shimmered before asking if you wanted anything to eat. Missing out Ajak's delicious food that Sprite had mentioned a couple of times in the movie? No way would you miss that! But there was something you needed to know first.
"Wait, uh... d-did you heal me?" I foolishly asked nervously.
"Yes," she smiled. "I did. Why, do you feel any pain?" Ajak, frantically began scanning my body for any injuries she might have missed.
"No! Uh..." You stumbled, "It's just... I never thought an Eternal would think-me as being worthy of such ancient power." You hugged yourself in comfort as you began to remember your struggles back at your world.
Ajak stared at you with absolute puzzlement but recovered "Of course, you're worthy. Why would you think you're not?"
You couldn't answer. How could you? How could you think yourself as deserving? When you failed to protect him-your little brother from himself. He had been bullied by the kids at his school. He tried multiple times to tell you but you were too busy with your own schoolwork. Something you’d end up regretting later in life as his ghost plagued you.
You thought yourself as selfish and awful to your own little brother. You believed if you had changed the course of your decisions-he would still be alive. Possibly, worrying about why you weren’t back from your job. Why you haven’t been responding to your texts or calls. Or, why you weren't in your room? Like you've just suddenly disappeared-as if you’ve been erased from their world.
You really wished he was doing all those things but because of your negligence-caused his ultimate demise.
But, you were only a child as much as your little brother was. Where were your parents? Good question. They were just as neglectful as you were. Pretty tragically ironic.
Hence why you believed you deserved every single bad thing... not Ajak. Ajak did not deserve death for believing in the greater good. You didn't deserve her grace or her mending-because of your sins.
"Niña?" Ajak called you out of your thoughts. You turned your attention to her with pouted lips and furrowed eyebrows. "Regardless, of whether or not you think of yourself as worthy, I know you are valuable with all your human flaws." Ajak smiled, placing her hand over your heart making you falter. "This heart, is why we do what we have to do."
Darn you and your stupid fluttering heart. That small aspiration that you felt in your heart. That you could forgive yourself-that you could let it go. That you could actually experience peace-was nothing more than fleeting.
A god's words seemed to have small effect on you but nonetheless all-consumingly melancholy.
It was strange, hearing an actual god telling you were worth it. Worth all that mending to your injuries. It was kind of her to hold you in such high regards but you did what you did and could not change what you did. Even if a god seemed to think you were some kind of saint.
"Your name is unique." Her words got you out of your mind. You've never given her your name.
"How did you...?"
"Your pocket from your pants," she pointed with her chin at the counter of the room where a rocking chair stood motionless that had your clothes that were neatly folded. You followed her gesture moving to the rocking chair and than falling to her hand which held your identification. You tilted your head.
'That's freaky.' You didn't realize that these clothes that you were wearing when you got here had your identification card. Well, not extremely but not as freaky as being transmigrated to the Marvel universe.
"Your name is quite beautiful; a special name given to a special human from another special dimension."
It took you a second to process what she said, then realizing that she had said the word, 'special' three times. "Wow, you must think all humans are absolutely special, amiright?" Your chuckles faded at the end when you noticed she was being for real. Great, cracking a joke at inappropriate time. Nice work.
Ajax smiled at your reaction, her interest towards you was getting harder to contain. "Yes," she began. "Humans-I've seen all their imperfections but we, as Eternals were made to be immaculate; without flaws which in a way makes me envious for humans-for you."
Freewill was something each and every Eternals have craved, to feel as humans felt, to make choices. Even if they bore the same skin and bled your blood, they were farther from being human. They were inorganic, synthetic, immortal beings that were created for one purpose.
They would feel as you could feel but it was on a whole other level. Eternals could cry, laugh, and love but to be so innocent about the truth of the universe was yearned for them, especially Ajak. It would have been better if she didn't know anything about the emergence. Hence, Ajak's emulation towards humans-but her admiration towards you was aimed different.
You were the embodiment of faulty; something that's rare to see in humans these days, humans that have suppressed their normal human traits; being flawed. The transgression was so forbidden from a viewpoint of an Eternal; yet If humans could do it, why couldn't they?
Be as it may, as much as they wanted to have willpower on their own volition- it always ended with Arishem having control over them. That was what Ajak thought until you came along-something changed in her. She obtained resentment towards Arishem.
"In other words, mi niña." Ajak held my hands, caressing them, "You have opened my eyes; revealed the possibility of redemption. I have decided to let go of my duty because of you."
Ajak's endless duties of serving a Celestials for the price of billions was fleeing as she decided that she would stop the emergence in your name-for your safety, for all human life.
"Now, let's see if you've not contracted any complications from your travels."
You've been in this farmhouse for a two months already with Ajak. She took care of you like a mother would-she didn’t have to but she chose to. Ajak surprised you often from her view on humans-how perfect and imperfect humans are. You thought she was quite stubborn but you knew she means well.
Ajak, would have her random moments of sharing wisdom with you-that it was okay to forgive yourself and let go of the past. That was almost impossible for someone like you to do, at the time. When she saw that you didn't gain any trauma from coming here and saw you were fine. She gave you choices. If you wanted to leave, you could or you could stay with her as long as you liked. Either way, Ajak would not hold you back.
Honestly, Ajak was the only one you knew here and you didn't want to leave her especially with knowing her future and all that. 'Oh, shit, right.' You've growth so attached to her-like how she grew attached to you. This feeling of safely with her had made you forget the reason why you were sticking by her side-to find a way to save her.
Ajak always talked about redemption and her desire to feel that-her words was practically starting to rub off on you that you've began to understand her. Her way of thinking was transcendent.
You knew that you had to change her future. You were-you had to, you couldn't let another innocent person be killed again from your negligence. You decided to do this-mostly for her, half for yourself as an act of redemption.
You had one mission and one mission only, to secure Ajak's fate from Ikaris. You just had to tell her to run away, move away to safeguard her future. Then, everything would be alright. You wouldn't have anymore nightmares of her dying in your arms. You wouldn't have to see that beam of golden light in the sky nor that deviant sucking the cosmic energy out of her in Alaska.
You were blindsided-on how much you thought you knew Ajak. She denied all your suggestions. Of course, she would not escape; a god never escapes from their duty. Her duty to protect all humans-your life.
"How dumb." You confessed, "you do realize that without you, Sersi will feel so alone and have to take your role as the prime Eternal? Sprite would miss her mother figure-and even Ikaris would fly to the sun for daring to hurt his own family!" You tried so desperately; begged to wake some sense into her. "Come on! Please, have some fight in you!" You choked out the words as tears began falling down your cheeks.
"Ah, my gorgeous, niña." Her hands lifted to your face, cupping your cheeks as she wiped away your tears while looking at you so endearingly. You were sure you would waver even further.
"Who am i to defy the already set in stone tomorrow?"
She was an immortal so why wouldn't she just take the chance to escape this fate? This chance to flee? The chance to fight against Ikaris? Is it because of denial-no, that doesn't make sense. She had to believe you because you knew everything about them. So, what is it?
"I've lived millions of lives serving Arishem, I can't escape the inevitable. Moreover, I couldn't bare the thought of disrupting that life meant to my Eternals, especially yours."
When you told her about her dooming fate; she didn't flinch, didn't think much of it until she thought what it'd meant for you. You looked up to her. You reminded her so much of a human that she grown to love as a daughter. But, after a very complicated path, her daughter was led astray and she lost herself. Ajak would not let you go down that same path.
Ajak understood why you would want to avert her fate but what if that branch of her possibly escaping had made you pay the price? The price of defying fate always comes with consequences that could end your life. Ajak's made up her mind; If it meant the price of losing you, she would die a thousands times by Ikaris.
You felt defeated; you felt as if you lost a battle against an army of soldiers. You were only just a defenseless human who've crossed space and time to find yourself in an Eternals care. What could you hope to do trying to convince an Eternal to go against what they believe in-what's against their design.
You've been gloomy these past few days; not wanting to show yourself to Ajak-not wanting her to see you at your lowest. Not wanting her to see you wipe your tears at the thought of losing her again-losing your little brother again.
Ajak's knocks on your door would be ignored; her calling your name would be ignored-even her freshly home-made meals would rot outside the door on the floor. This was unmistakably your self-sabotaging nature.
You knew you were neglecting her now; punishing her at this point for not taking in consideration of your wishes. You were human, of course you'd try to manipulate her emotionally. You hated being this sick, twisted human being; that you began seeing yourself as worst than Ikaris.
He may have taken her life and betrayed his family members but you'd had done something unforgiveable, something you'd promise not to do anymore when things didn't get your way.
Avoiding.
You were escaping from your anger, your emotions were getting the best of you. You could not let it consume you-not like with your little brother's funeral that you couldn't even attend. You were horrible to not face the aftermath of your actions.
All these negative emotions derived from your family members as they whispered these things, knowing full-well you could hear everything. Without bearing in mind, that they were accusing a sixteen year old who had just lost their little brother.
You could not sulk any longer, listening to these hostile thoughts, trap yourself in darkness. No matter how much you wanted to respect her wishes. No matter how much you wanted to accept it-that it was just inevitable to do anything about her fate.
In your tiny mind, you could not bear the thought of her dying by some cruel fate that was mended by some directors and authors, you would not let that happen.
You were done with fate choosing it's path for you. Not when there was a chance for you to save a life regardless if it comes to the cost of yours. No, you were going to be the author in your own world-this creation, this world that you were thrown in. It had to be a sign that you were the one that was going to change this world forever.
"I have to try."
Recently, you finally took the initiative by stepping out of your room-taking in that nothing has changed a bit in here. The snow had already melted, the sun greeting the Great Plains, the semi lukewarm air that you've grown accustomed to. The smell of Ajak's cooking, the wood creaking underneath your feet, the coziness as it felt as you were being hugged by her.
The seasonals changing was a bitter reminder of what's approaching. You were running out of time. You had only three days before Ikaris would come for Ajak. When you stepped on the last step of stairs, Ajak immediately turned around taking in your weak form as you stood apologetically, rubbing your elbow for comfort.
Before you could say anything in a blink of your eyes, Ajak was hugging you so tightly but not enough to kill you; keeping her cosmic strength in check. Her gentleness; her cuddling seemed to melt all your worries.
Even so when you tried speaking, she hushed you wanting to concentrate on healing you. From what? Well, apparently you were suffering from a mild case of a cold.
You tried speaking again but you were interrupted again. Your apology; Ajak didn't need it. There wasn't anything to apologize for. These lonesome days made Ajak realize how her words, her rashness words have driven you into isolation.
Her tolerance towards the acceptance of her own death made you feel helpless which made Ajak wished she could harbor your feelings as you did.
The feeling of dread never was something that bothered the Eternals especially towards themselves. Ajak could see why you'd feel the way you did. It wasn't her intention at all to cause you any distress when all she wanted was for you to take her death as an act of surrender for yourself.
A mercy for a righteous path to ensure your own. If she didn't than she would be no less than an Eternal; a protector of humans. There were no deviants nearby but she still chose to protect you.
A bitter pill to swallow but a necessary evil for a certain inorganic Eternal being.
But, alas Ajak could no longer keep up with this charade of her own lies-her delusions-her fear of harming you even further. She finally gave in when she saw you walk down those stairs with that dejected look on your face. It affected you as much as it affected her.
You were like a kindled fire for Ajak; to hold and protect but also to love. She wanted to be there for you, not leave you. Ajak was finally feeling what humans felt; to cherish someone regardless of the consequences.
All things considered, the only obstacle in the way was Arishem and Ikaris. One at a time. So, how could Ajak convince an inorganic, synthetic Eternal being as strong-willed and powerful as he to not end her life?
According to your version of her future-she had confined in Ikaris, telling her of her hope to save this planet from the emergence. The thing that made up his mind about her-to end her life.
So, Ajak would do just that-not say anything about the emergence about wanting to stop it. That's why she had her more reasonable Eternals. If one Eternal went rogue, there would always be someone to replace them. She'd leave him in the dark about everything, only giving him what he wants to hear and than he'll leave once he's satisfied.
Right?
As the unclosed window from the porch enabled the breezy air inside the house making the curtains sway revealing Ikaris sitting on a lounge chair beside Ajak, who was also sitting beside him on a lounge chair as they both looked at the view. A family reunion after not seeing each other for decades, she would have loved if it were under different circumstances.
Ajak broke the silence, beginning to reminiscing about their time together as a family. The corners of his mouth slightly tugged upwards, he shifted against the chair, his head slowly turning to face Ajak. She felt his gaze on her so she followed.
What could she have possible gave away for him to give her such an unsettling expression on his face. His eyes were completely dead, devoid of the man she once knew. His imposing facial expression was unpleasant to say the least. But, what came out of his lips made the family reunion all the more unwelcoming.
"Where is she?" His words were unwavering, firm with his thick Scottish accent.
"What are you talking about?" Ajak chuckled. As far as Ajak knew she was currently home alone. You were somewhere miles away from the house to make sure he wouldn't sense you, hear you, or even as much as smelling you. A necessary precaution for a deadly force such as him.
Ikaris stood from his seat and walked towards her with stride steps, his looming figure that cast a shadow over her. A gaze that could make anyone think twice before defying him.
"The girl, Ajak-where is she? I won't ask again." He demanded his tone increasingly sharpened and he was certainly not going to repeat himself a third time.
Ikaris had felt your presence months ago too-how imposing your presence felt in this universe. Completely different than what Ajak felt. Your presence sickened him, you had practically became an entity that needed to be removed. An embodiment of turmoil-a turmoil that needed to be eliminated.
Ajak wasn't expecting this. She expected for Ikaris to not have known anything about you and was only coming here to speak about the emergence. Still, you were technically protecting a threat and a threat that needed to be removed by Ikaris.
Ikaris would only say Ajak was being foolish to be doing this all for a human being at the cost of her life. However, it didn't matter because you were far away from his inorganic sight. Ajak knew she could not beat him but it gave you some time to get far away.
Ajak sighed, standing up from her seat, this was a violation to their beliefs. "You can not harm a human-that's against everything we were made for, Ikaris."
"Aye, I could. She is the very thing Arishem designed us for, warned us about. She could damage everythin' in this universe that's already set in stone. Those seven thousand years would be a pure waste." He spoke with venom in his tongue.
She scrutinized him, taking a good look at him, paying attention to his words, he had the wrong intention to go through with this but she knew that if he got to know you, he would change his mind. She knew that it was out of his hands. His need to serve Arishem and completely obliterate you was troubling him internally.
"I remember when you married Sersi. I was so happy for you and Sersi. As well as, understanding why you left her, why you spared her of that knowledge of the emergence." Ajak held a reminiscent smile, her eyes filled with love for her family. She would hate for that to be ruined.
"You thought it was best to keep her in the dark because you knew how crushed she'd be. That willingness to protect your loved ones from the torture is something you've forgotten, Ikaris." Ajak, the wise one. Her words could no doubt make a god feel conflicted of their mission. "And in a way, I've forgotten before someone opened my eyes."
Ajak lifted her arms, hugged Ikaris, her ear against his chest hearing his synthetic heartbeats before uttering, "Oh, Ikaris. I never should’ve told you about the emergence." She tightened her arms around him.
"Maybe, you shouldn'y have." Ikaris' voice trembled, "But, it doesn'y change the fact that she could kill us all, just her presence here could cause us trouble."
And you? You were suppose to be miles away from here. You were suppose to be doing nothing. You promised you would do nothing prior to Ajak's instructions. However, you could not hide like a coward. Not when Ajak was risking her life for you.
Not after you realized something big. If Ajak felt your presence, surely the other Eternals felt you, as well. That included Ikaris. You just found out, he was coming after you, not Ajak. So, you did what you thought was best which was coming back.
A mistake to come back? Maybe, but this was not going to end with Ajak's dead and honestly, if it was gonna end up with you dead, you'd take the chance, take the risk, just for her to live.
Ikaris immediately pushed Ajak away from him. He could hear you, smell your stench from that other universe you came from. He even heard your heart beats quickening as you ran the fields from the back of the house.
You busted in through the back door, breathlessly seeing them outside the porch. Fear started gripping you down to the wooden floor but you shook that out of your head.
The front door stood halfway open as you stepped out. Your face held such defiance and determination staring at the exact face of death.
This was not going to end with Ajak dead and honestly, if it was gonna end up with you dead, you'd take the chances just for Ajak to be alive. However, one way or another, this was going to end with your remains splattered.
"Child, go back inside!" Ajak shouted, grabbing Ikaris' arm from going any further to you. His lips twitched as he took in your appearance, at your sight. He was terrifyingly, intimidating with his large frame, his icy blue eyes, devoid of humanity. His brown hair with that streak of silver hair that you've begun to stare at.
You lowered your gaze, taking a glance at Ajak smiling at her concerned expression on her face. Then, with a raised chin and a steady gaze, you locked eyes with him.
"I see that you’re looking for me, right Ikaris? Honestly, I thought you would come for Ajak but I can see that’s not the case. Your true intentions, is me. You’ve come for me… to end my life."
"Aye," Ikaris shook off Ajak's hold on him and swaggered to you. "You have become a hindrance to our sacred mission." His unflinching gaze, looking down to you.
"Then, but all means I'm willing to die in exchange for Ajak’s life…" His whole body faltered, his eyebrows furrowed from your carelessness or was it your act of surrender? "If you can guarantee her life will live on. I, without complaints will gladly lay down my life for her."
You were quite the opposite of what he'd thought you'd be-a selfish, self-centered human that he's seen enough in the humans here. You had guts, he will give you that. But, you were human at the end and he'd ponder how long your resolute would last until it'd shattered.
Ajak panicked, shaking her head in protest as she locked eyes with you. "You can not take her from me!" she ran towards you. Ikaris looked over his shoulders before pulling you close to him, guiding both your arms around his shoulders.
Uttering a quiet warning to you, "hold on tight." His ascent off the ground, almost made you slip off and fall. But, surprisingly, he adjusted you right back onto his body-his arms around your back, preventing you from falling.
Though, he was known for his supersonic flight capabilities; he was only using half of it to not have you suffocate to death from the lack of oxygen in your airway.
As the piercing cold breeze again in your face made you tremble. You'd take cover in his inorganic neck giving off heat to you; something Ajak would do with you when you were cold. You buried yourself, frantically as a whimper escaped your lips causing him to turn, glancing at your trembled form as you held tightly on him for dear life.
The way how you clung onto him-the way how you shed tears for Ajak, made his perseverance to end you weaken.
Slightly.
You knew where he was taking you, the same place he took Ajak. Alaska. You knew his plans for you in Alaska. He would not use his devastating power on you. No, he'd do something worst-have the deviants take care of you like he did with Ajak.
As he descended onto the ground, his blue eyes were still on you, not being able to take his sights off you. He landed first on the ground. Then, your shoes, that Ajak gave you landed on the ground. Ikaris released you and walked ahead of you as your gaze followed him. You tighten your coat around your now, cold body as you followed behind him.
"You have been nothin' but trouble, human." Ikaris stopped in his tracks, you slowed your steps, just until you were almost six inches from him,
"Do you have any idea what you are walkin into?!" Now, his body turned to face you, irritation plastered on his face from your lack of motivation to live.
"...I'm sorry you feel that way," you stoically expressed. Your eyes held empathy for him. He never wanted to do this especially with Ajak. But, he had to. The same way how you didn't want to give up your life; never wanted to die. You wanted to be with Ajak's but you knew that the cost of you being here would be devasting for them.
It seems he was the one who shattered first.
Ikaris gritted his teeth at your pettiness before saying, "tak' the lead," he didn't ask but he commanded, gesturing behind him to your tomb, along the cliff that lead to the icy remote area filled with deviants.
You began to stroll with courageous ambition, clinging to your coat as protection as you passed him. Your eyes would not look away from his agitated stare as he followed your eyes until you broke it, walking past further.
"Keep your head up. Don't show him your fear."
Ajak's words echoed through your head. A day after, Ajak would repeat these words to herself, almost like a mantra. Her fear for your life was all-the-more real and crushing. That's when she sent you away before he got to South Dakota.
Her rational optimism would stick to you, a beacon of hope for you.
"Never show him fear," you uttered under your breath, your own mantra against the forces of a timeless being. Ever since you came into this world. You decided to thank whatever gave you the chance to come here. For not that, you'd have never known to forgive yourself for something so tragic, for someone so young.
That tiny bit of hope you had with her was worthwhile and you wouldn't have it any other way. You were grateful for the time you had with Ajak and her kindness. You were also glad, you were going to die in place of someone else. An act of redemption, if you will.
As you reached the cliff, you took in your surroundings. Everything looked the same from the movie. The snowy fields, the frozen lake below, the deviants growling and Ikaris' stopping a few feet behind you.
"You know, I thought I’d be so afraid of you, but I honestly feel bad for you. Your only existence to be serving a Celestial, that’s been lying to you all those millions of years and never to live life how you wanted to. It must make any being falter to their knees."
Ikaris would only listen with intent, as he stood cautiously, listening to your words-your last words.
"It’s pretty sad and lonely, isn’t it?" You turned around facing him, standing by the cliff of the snowy edge with a compassionate expression. Not with hate, or distress but with a forgiving smile.
Ikaris stalked closer-this time almost to the point where he could push you down to your death. With his empowering stand, he stared down at you as you began to feel suffocated from his blue eyes.
Your expression screamed, "I'm not afraid but I do feel pity for you." You were dying for someone worth dying for and that is what makes him crack by a weak, feebly human girl who had no choice but to die.
"It’s the only path I know," he confessed, his eyes beginning to water. Ikaris loved humans; but ever since finding out their true purpose, their fate for the emergence, a Celestial. Ikaris knew he would have to stop loving them. Even if that meant leaving his family or killing them.
You gazed at his frustration; something that is difficult for a Eternal to express. "Hey, I don't hold it against you," you paused, looking for the right words. "A broken soldier-yes. You are just a broken soldier, a product of your environment."
Truthfully, he’s been watching you since you first landed in that snowy forest. He was only in Alaska for thousands of years, close by Ajak. Him being an Eternal, it wasn't so difficult to see you-see the clouds part and welcomed you-a human from another dimension.
Ikaris' hands held your shoulder. He didn't know why he couldn’t push you like he did with Ajax, not that he has recollection of it, but he wasn’t sure why his body wasn’t doing what he wanted it to. The only thing he could do was hold you, embrace you as his blue eyes flickered with his golden cosmic energy.
"Uh, w-what’s happening?" you stood awkwardly, against his chest hearing his artificial heartbeats that quickened the more you struggled. Why was he hugging you? Was this some kind of different outcome? An outcome that you never wanted... Without Ajak hugging him here, it was Ikaris hugging you instead?
Ikaris lived millions of your lifetime and he had never met someone quite like you. He had never felt this way towards someone, not even Sersi. You were someone he wanted to protect from your own fate; your own naiveness.
Perhaps, Ikaris could keep you? Find a way with the other Eternals to stop the emergence from happening, insuring your survival. You were mortal but don't worry, he would find a way to make you immortal even if he, or his own family had to use their own cosmic energy to maintain your body healthy without illness, sustain your aging and prolong your lifespan.
But, first Ikaris had to start where it all began, the forest, the only place back to your dimension. Ikaris had to destroy that gap between your dimension and his, block your only path to escape from this planet, escape from him.
"Oh, boy. What have I done..."