Has a man ever told you this shit? because I promise you, to me, it's been one of the most painful things to hear.
I like sad stuffs.
Word count: 317
Instinct
The way he turned to you was swift, and as he did, he nearly winced before he stopped you from coming closer, putting a distance between you that felt acres apart.
"Did I ask you to?" he said bitterly, the snarl in his tone possessing all of his collected exasperation and loathing.
-All of which made you pause, your reaching hand retreating as it drew back to your chest.
He'd said so many things to you before, all of which you could come back from, but for some reason that one sentence was all it took to break you down.
It made everything else he'd said fall apart.
They were daggers to your heart, and at that moment you could easily ignore the aching your side felt.
The pain that came from it being reconstructed wasn't properly registered when your very insides felt twisted.
The churning in your stomach made you feel sick, and you swallowed down your words, silently nodding, understanding.
'Of course, he hadn't...'
You thought as you shook your head, refusing to argue, because he never had.
What was there to discuss?
'He never did,' you mused, sadly.
But wasn't love selfless?
Shouldn't it be instinct for him to dive towards you too?
As you looked to him, you offered him one final glance as you tried to remember those brief moments he felt truly yours.
And you tried to remember how sweet he came back after he stung you.
You did your best, but you wondered why you should wait until then to feel loved.
'Shouldn't it be easy for you?' you added, dreading to ask.
As everyone else looked toward you, you could feel their sympathy sent your way, and you offered back an apology before you made the decision to put yourself first.
Defeated, you dropped your shoulders, and what he had assumed to be a walk turned into your departure.
"Oh, is this what you taste like?" he asked, his voice touched with amusement as his fingers gathered more of your spill with dancing fingers.
Long pointed digits strummed back to their master with delicacy as they continued to tease you, leaving burning trails in their wake.
And in the lasting fog your mind was consumed in, you hardly dwelled on how he could possibly make those devilish ends ghost over you so sweetly.
“-Sweet…like nectar…” he cooed, focused on the surrounding warmth your anxiously pressed thighs provided as you felt overwhelmed, yet desperate for more of him and his touches.
He seemed unbothered, much more undeterred in his quest to drive you mad.
" It reminds me of… Fruit." He muses as you lay back in horror and peek at him with hazy eyes, watching as the dreadfully long tongue that he now sports wraps around the long fingers to savor every bit of you he can gather.
With a hard swallow, you regret looking over at him as he drags his gaze over your shaky form, and in his bestial form that defines the word predatory, he looks starved.
Your eyes are shut tightly, and you hold onto the edge of the table with a tight grip as you feel his hands mold the short span of your legs before they find your hips.
Hums of approval fall to your ears as he leans close and feeds you endless praises, all of which melt you more into his caresses.
This beast knows your every weakness, and as you succumb to his tongue, you also taste sweetness, the very essence of what his affection becomes when he's utterly devout.
It amazed him how much you smiled, how much of you suggested the idea that nothing in the world was going to break down that front.
Even as the farm went to hell, and everything in it that had once seemed lively was rendered to waste, you kept that same upward perk.
Against all odds and his initial frustration too, you were a true trooper, dedicated to holding onto that one bit of you, you swore no one could ever take from you.
'It's all I have,' You said quietly as you looked up into the starless sky, refusing to let a single tear fall.
Even when he could see your eyes tear up, brim with would-be tears, you somehow managed to blink them away just in time, smiling right after, almost triumphantly.
-It was admirable, really.
After everything that had occurred, every bit of heartbreak you suffered through, you managed to show off the expression. Even if it sometimes twitched with opposition, wanting to fall into the same gloomy state as everything else around tended to, you managed to salvage it.
You smiled, and he figured that it was out of some stupid luck he'd gotten stuck with you during the escape.
That had to be it,
' - some sort of cursed luck, ' he mused bitterly as you two walked through the noon, trying to find a safe place to rest.
he quietly looked back, his eyes leading back to you, who seemed rather chirpy as you gazed up at the sky, upholding that dammed smile.
And you had the nerve to wave your fingers up as little birds ventured towards the same path you guys seemed to, almost as though you were convinced your bloodied hand was anything to fall for.
It happened too many times to count, and you told him the same thing over and over ;
"We'll get through this," you said while smiling down at him as he sat on the broken porch of the abandoned house.
During his own miserable episodes, he envied you, silently cursing at your naïveté until he finally understood that it was your own strength, your own resistance to the world's evil.
He'd never been one to try and understand the complexity of other people, especially not when he hadn't been one to interact with many before.
He had always been on the move with Merle, so there hadn't been a reason to try and understand anyone else.
To a person like him, you'd been strange at first, a mystery he couldn't properly understand at first glance.
'You should try it sometime,' you suggested with a shrug, mildly considering it after your sanguinity usually ended in some form of accomplishment.
-And he began to smile, his version of a smile at least which was usually just some dickish joke accompanied by a short grin.
Even if it was just a quick motion, you seemed to catch on and appreciated it, praising him for being able to show something other than frustration.
"You have a pretty smile," you said as you stopped in your tracks, taking a moment to look at him before you offered him one of your own and kept moving.
" I like it..."
The moment had been so quick, and he stood stunned as you walked past him, trailing behind Carl with an old box full of dust-coated supplies that consisted of old cans of soup.
Tongue-tied was just what Daryl felt, especially the second time you strolled by.
Luckily, he'd always been a quiet guy, so it wasn't so strange to anyone else.
"Give it here," he said while motioning you close, taking the last of the supplies in his arms.
You didn't fight him on it. soon after, rolling your neck as you thanked him.
"-Tough day huh?" he said while observing you, and you let out a little sigh, "Yeah...but I'm just happy to be home," you answered honestly, walking with him.
And your lips were stretched into a soft smile as you looked up at the tame clouds above.
"Glad you're here..." he said while looking straight, finding it hard to look at you, no matter how pretty you were.
.
.
.
He tried to look away, to keep his eyes on Carol, focusing on his closest confidant to offer her some sort of comfort during the moment because he knew she needed it too.
-More than he did.
He tried to be strong, holding down his voice, keeping it from wavering.
But his heart ached, slowly splitting by its delicate strings as he closed his eyes, shutting them tight as he brought the long-haired woman close to him, embracing her.
He offered her somewhere to hide, to look away from her son as he stared beyond them, out into nothing, avoiding the true sight that hovered over them.
-All while sad eyes glanced down at him.
It was a focus he could feel directed at him no matter how hard he tried to think of everything else but that damning sense.
.
.
.
The lovely curve of your lips that always formed when you smiled was gone as your mouth moved, the sluggish movement hindered by a limp jaw.
Garbled sounds escaped as you spoke in a language he couldn't understand, and hoped never to no matter how much he'd dwelled in your every conversation and clung to your every word before.
Dull, melancholic orbs stared down at him, holding despair gathered from your last moments, as well as every other you always managed to overcome.
Dried tears trailed down your cheeks, leftover from your final moments he tried not to picture.
It was then that it occurred to him that he'd never seen you cry, witnessing nothing other than misty eyes in the past.
Against all else, he couldn't even feel the mourning he should.
He felt something far from sadness or mourning.
Instead, he thought of the Whispers as they tore that smile from you and forced your tears.
He Could hardly think of every beautiful moment he lived with you without imagining them ambushing you and our friends- your family. - his family.
He'd give anything to forget those few seconds he recognized your unfamiliar expression because now, that beautiful memory of you smiling became infected with just that.
-and only that.
Yet, as much as he wanted to break down, he resisted.
Instead, he upheld the falling woman as she was weakened down to her knees, sobbing as she clung to him throughout her collapse.
"What are you looking at?" you asked with a grin, the way your eyes twinkled causing him to laugh because that playfulness of yours was sometimes a bit too contagious.
He shook his head as he huffed, "nothin'..." he said lowly, though he snuck a peek at you.
"You just got a pretty smile," he reminded you, and no matter how many times he repeated the line, you always seemed to grow a little flustered.
And somehow, it managed to make that expression he complimented turn into something more precious.
Unwittingly, you looked at him, your face warm with giddiness as your smile was broken into a grin from which little giggles escaped out of.
As you slowly quieted down, you inched closer to him during your little walk, and as your hand lightly brushed his, you tested the waters.
Out of the corner of your eye, you watched him begin to smile, as his fingers made little attempts to capture yours.
It took a few teasing attempts before you managed to hook one, giving him the push he needed to, to just hold your hand entirely.
"We'll get through this..."
Things had gotten tough lately, but you were sure of it,
"Because we have each other," you added as you gave his hand a little squeeze.
"Right?"
As he looked down, away from the sky, and away from you, he smiled.
It was full of bitterness as he swallowed down that miserable familiar taste of having nothing.
Basically, Bucciarati ships the Abbacchio and the reader.
Word Count : 1086
Working Together
You grumbled incoherent obscenities as you stared down at your wine glass, your lips pursed as you narrowed your sight down at the plum-colored few sips that waited for you.
'I can't stand him...'
"That asshole.." you finally say with a huff that drops your shoulders low before you reach for your drink and decide to finish what's left.
But even your favorite brand tasted bitter.
Everything felt lackluster.
"Why do I even care about him," you say as you continue to stare down at the glass. The few drops that had clung to the glass had already sunken down to the bottom of the container, forming just the smallest amount left over.
And you eyed the dark drink with a half-hearted glare.
"he doesn't even respect me one bit," you say to yourself, reminding yourself of every little backhanded comment he's made since you first met, the freshest moment coming to mind and making you shiver with annoyance.
"- I don't need her around," Abbacchio said while shaking his head.
He sounded displeased at the idea of having you join him, the mere suggestion making him frown deeply.
Even if you couldn't see him, you could only imagine the downturn on his painted lips, and that deep V that was painted on his forehead now was also imagined clearly.
"It's never a bad idea to have some backup," Bucciarati insisted, though he said so with a somewhat sly manner, something you took as simple teasing given how often Leone refused to pair with anyone else.
While Abbacchio was easy to annoy, only Bruno had the privilege of doing so without much retaliation, and he took advantage of it with a few light pushes here and there.
"-Then why don't you join me instead," the long-haired man said with a short, tired sigh, "I'd rather have you there," he added, and the dark-haired male offered him a subtle smile in return.
"I'm flattered," Bruno started, "Though, If you recall, I'm going to look into that florist's request..." he trailed off, pensive over the situation.
"So, You think there's anything to look into?" Leone says with mild uncertainty, knowing that as a grieving parent, it would be hard to accept your own child took their life.
At the end of the day, it could just be nothing but a grieving parent's sorrow operating.
"Something tells me there is," Bruno insists, his arms crossed lazily over his chest.
"Now back to the topic at hand, Mista and Fugo are coming with me, and Narancia has been assigned elsewhere.
It seems that his stand is the only one that is needed, which leaves just you and (f/n)," he added.
"And I want you two, to stick together, " He said firmly.
The plan makes Abbacchio's brows furrow, his entire expression soured,
" Just let me go on my own," he huffs.
He slowly closes his eyes as he shakes his head, " I'm capable enough," he says.
"I never said you weren't," Bucciarati mentions, " I only stated that it'd be in your best interest to have someone watch your back.
I'd suggest that to anyone on our team," he explains with a soft smile, encouraging his friend to simply comply.
The long-haired man sighed softly as he looked down at the ground, "You're really testing me here, aren't you?" he asked with slow defeat.
"Perhaps," Bruno said simply, " But tell me; What would be the difference between having me join you, and having her tag along as a safety precaution?" Bruno asks with a raised brow, leaving the other man silent.
A small pause falls between them before Leone clicks his teeth, his softening expression growing dark quickly.
"I don't have to worry about you," he says irked. " I can focus on the mission and not babysitting," he starts off, and you bite your tongue to not say anything as you hide around the corner.
That, that was the issue.
If it were anyone else, it wouldn't be so personal.
He'd just begrudgingly agree were it anyone else, but with you, there was always a 'but,' and more often than not it was that ;
That he doubted your capabilities.
" I'm not partnering up with a liability," he states firmly, and you have to crane your head back to stare at the ceiling to try and suck in a long breath through your nose instead of letting out a furious screech.
fiercely, you continue to bite down on your tongue as you continue to listen.
"Oh?" Bucciarati sounds as he stares at Abbacchio with skepticism, and he peers into the other man's eyes whilst taking a step closer, " a liability?" he repeats, and the second time the woman hears it, it stings just as much.
It hurts to hear it from Bucciarati, even if he was just repeating the word.
You push yourself off of the wall and decide to go back out into the dining area of the restaurant, aiming straight for your usual table to sit.
"As if I'd go anywhere with him," you grumble as you order a glass of wine, something soothing till, eventually Bucciarati comes to you and tells you to join Abbacchio.
All the while, Bruno continued to pester Abbacchio, chuckling too, "That can't possibly be what you wanted to say, right?" he asked the other man.
"It's exactly what I meant, " Leone grumbled, taking a step back, aiming to leave, but lingering long enough he's stopped before he could go further.
Bruno placed a hand on his friend's shoulder before speaking,
"Just because you can't properly focus, doesn't mean that she's to blame."
Leone could feel his ears burn. It's seconds before his entire expression is falling, yet hidden as it is obscured by long, light-colored strands.
"Meaning...?" he could hardly speak.
His throat felt dry and he had to swallow hard to try and feel something travel down his throat.
He could only spit out that single word.
"Exactly what I meant my friend," the dark-haired male mused as he sauntered away, searching for you.
"I'll be on my way now, but before I go, I'll make sure to speak to her so she's brought to speed. -
-Be sure to brief her on the mission for me, please?" Bruno asked coyly, leaving no room for opposition.
"Oh...and Abbacchio," he said as he turned back one last time, "Figure it out, and soon," he advised.
Your hand slowly hovers over the overworked sheet of your most recent sketchbook, careful not to accidentally brush down the second page and smudge anything, having learned from prior mistakes.
You have A pencil in hand as you create feather-light lines over the once-white sheet, careful not to make any mistakes, though they eventually happen.
However, with every mistake you turn the writing utensil, the eraser gently dabbing the spot before you gently blow over it, little shavings flying off with the gust landing anywhere else on the ship.
Your technique is almost memorizing as You treated the piece delicately, like a new life to this world, needing all of the tenderness of the world.
Every stroke is tender, accented by that look in your eye that's entirely too soft, too devoted, and far too precious.
-It's all the mechanical competitor can describe you as, truth behind every word despite the smoking tone he might persist in using when voicing the observation.
If only you knew how many of his teasing jabs were true praises
Soon, you look satisfied as you look down at your work, the overall expression one that's pleased after so much time has progressed.
The Travel to the new location had lasted half an hour, and you hadn't seemed to think it was too long, holding no complaints unlike some of the other legends who spoke among themselves about the new map.
Friendly chatter existed for good reason as you were all there to become familiar with the area, and nothing more, but you hadn't seemed to partake in any of it, offering nothing but a simple nod here and there when addressed.
-And Revenant was sure you were hardly paying attention each time.
That's how preoccupied you'd been.
He relished that focus of yours because the more the simulacrum trained his gaze on your eyes, the more he was enthralled by the charming way they glimmer.
Slowly, he shifted, and he noted his little move made your lips pout.
You seemed a tad bit annoyed, lightly tilting your head to look back at him from a diffrent angle, something that had made Revenant feel wary the first time he'd caught you.
He wasn't one to trust anyone, but soon after, he hardly considered it anything to be cautious of when he studied you more.
Especially when he realized you had tended to draw him, and only him.
You found him a frequent muse for whatever reason he didn't care to ask. After the discovery, he chose not to prod with questions, especially when he'd learned that all it took to make you frown was a slight shift in his position.
So he benefitted from it too...
"Heh..." A faint huff leaves him as he sees you try and find new focus with his movement.
He can't help but notice everything about your little expressions.
It's both fascinating and annoying at the same time.
Fascinating, as such simple actions can affect your mood, and irksome how he noticed the shifts and their meanings like no one else could.
He'll admit your little frowns are ...cute.
And of course, The fact that the thing you are so invested in is him is flattering too.
-really.
He watches you with his stern gaze, observing every movement, just as you do his.
And during all that time, he can't help but wonder what is happening inside your head while you recreate his image.
A slight crack in his usually stoic steel is made apparent when he realizes just how much he reveres you, especially during these moments when you do nothing to try and impress him.
You do nothing but exist, and he's caught in suspense.
He feels something he didn't think he was capable of, and it makes him uncomfortable, enough to cower.
He looks away before you can see the tiny flicker in his yellow eyes, an indicator of his interest, of something far beyond dismissiveness or even repugnance that he should feel.
He tries to ignore it.
He wants to ignore it but as time progresses he feels mortified by it.
He crosses his arms over his chest as he tries to calm down, but he still can't help stealing glances at you and the piece you're creating -which is near completion.
He feels something when he looks at your finished art piece... because he likes it.
You have a way of making him look beautiful.
You're bold as you look over to him again, this time offering him a soft smile, holding just a bit of appreciation as, by this point, he'd have to know what you've been doing.
-And has done nothing to discourage you.
Not even a snarl was thrown your way.
-And how could he?
He's noticed that you seem more interested in him lately.
The way you watch him, the way you draw him so devoutly.
The way your eyes glint whenever he walks past, keen on every one of his limbs as though you tried to understand their mechanics; trying to figure him out both inside and out.
The way you smile whenever you look at him, whether you think he's looking or not.
His crossed arms tighten and he finally averts his gaze, trying to look away.
'Ugh,'
You make it hard for him not to like you, and it's conflicting.
He's not supposed to feel anything, but these damned feelings of fondness keep creeping up on him, each time stronger as they reemerge.
He's supposed to be a cold, emotionless, heartless killing machine.
That, was his reputation, not whatever he was now, what he is in your presence.
A tired sigh leaves him as he looks away, muttering dejectedly, "Stupid skinsuit,"
He only hopes the ride doesn't last any longer because he doesn't know how much more he can take this.
Another idea somewhat Similar to Follow me , where he finds the reader stranded.
Wordcount: 1061
Fate
The gold-trimmed edge that your exploring digits slid across felt icy as it met their numbness.
It felt like nothing, yet something simultaneously, and in your delirious mind, you couldn't fathom what stood before you.
As you looked up the image of death that stared down, he, himself, was intently focused on your caress; on the acceptance you greeted it with as your knees visbally quivered.
-As your mortality was evident.
"Stay with me…" you begged.
Although it'd been a possibility, you'd always feared dying alone.
But even so, If you'd spent your life seldom, would it be greedy to ask for just a touch of mercy at your end?
Even if it was from death itself.
Somewhere in your mind, where all of your collected thoughts that hardly mattered went, it existed.
"Please?" you were not above begging, hoping to trade off your end with something kinder.
Your hazy vision became even more obscured by your sorrow, making gloom and gold the only thing you could make out.
Heavy thunderstorms boomed far in the distance, their echoes, though merely fractions of their true roar, still making you shiver as they reached you.
'It's cold…'
"It's So cold," you shivered, and you dared to complain with a shattered smile.
You broke before the sky did, and as you did, you cried.
The soaked ground beneath you felt as though it'd swallowed you down with each step you took, and before you collapsed to its suffocating demise, you put all of your strength into holding on to what was closest.
The hooded figure held genuine curiosity that was conveyed by the slow head tilt that proceeded as he watched with interest.
-then surprised at your desperation as your arms held onto his legs.
Much more, when you looked up at him with strangely beautiful eyes that held not only the sorrows of the day but the ghosts of their predecessors.
He felt something odd, something forgiving.
a hand gloved in the same thick, black material that draped over his golden, ghastly face came down to you.
It fell to the crown of your head with its large palm before it dipped down and slowly shifted.
Soon, the back of his fingers scaled down your somber expression before it rested, as the deep blue gaze hidden behind shadows and thick lenses admired you.
Death, as you knew it gazed down at you with a flourish of something tangible as you existed with peace in the comfort of his single hand that had done nothing but form craters and bring disaster.
Beneath his mask that hid his true face, Higgs smiled.
He did so gently as he tutted at such a precious find in this world of seemingly endless cataclysms.
He came down to your level, and as your lip quivered while you tried to speak, a finger was pressed to them, gently seeking silence from you.
"Shhh..."
If only you knew how alluring you looked when you gazed up at him so utterly hopeful for his mercy, you wouldn't later have the insistency to question him on the matter.
★
★
★
"Higgs," you said with interest as you looked over to the large beast he created, bringing it forth with the same hand that had been so gentle with you before and had never once searched for you amid the dooms he created.
"Darlin?" he asked back with a soft purr, hardly turning to look at you, only shifting his eyes.
And without the placement of that mask you've gotten so used to gazing at, you could actually catch the moment his eyes greeted yours, rather than just feel it.
Against your will, your smile formed, although it was soft and nearly nonextant as he addressed you, never with your name, but with something sweeter.
You stepped closer to him and as you did, the gear you wore, and that had once felt like just a bit too much felt like a second part of you.
Either by coincidence or careful planning, it matched his, and it made you feel somewhat closer, moreso when he'd been so animated when he'd presented it to you, pointing out the detail.
-Especially the cloak that flowed just a bit longer than his did.
"More coverage," he murmured as he brought down your hood and marveled at you with what started off as a musing pout, then morphed into a triumphant grin.
He made sure to clothe you properly, where not a drop could reach you, and it was without a doubt he cared about you.
But why?
"Why do you keep me around?" you asked him, and as self-deplorable as the question should sound, you held more curiosity than anything.
You could see his eyes gently close as a little smirk tugged at his lips,
"That little question of yours..." he murmured as his mask manifested, and he finally decided to turn to you, approaching you with ease.
And the man who almost always had something to say, fell silent.
Soon reaching you, the back of his fingers began to caress the length of your face before they dipped down your chin and fell to his side again.
If only he could tell you why he'd kept you so close, saving you from the timefall; why he'd created rifts in dimensions to ensure your safety while knowing nothing about you.
-if only he knew himself.
But all he could really tell you was the events of the day, just as you remembered them.
As he approached you, he moved just as the beast he created did, with a predatory stalk that rounded prey before it pounced.
Soon he stood behind you, and as his arm fell over your shoulder and crossed your chest, he held you close, his obscured face resting by your neck.
He took in a long breath while your body submitted, falling back into his embrace that felt so familiar and comforting.
"Fate... I suppose," he murmured coyly as the sky roared, and the air felt thicker.
And if you admitted to anyone else how much you loved the atmosphere now, you'd be considered just as deranged as the man who held you so gently now.
"So cold..." you breathed, not really bothered by the weather, finding warmth in your gear, and the transferred heat of his embrace.
Involves Seer being interested in a more reserved/shy person.
kinda corny
Wordcount: 724
Nervous
You were like something entirely unexplored, just as unique as the intense feeling you roused too.
And If there was anything the man appreciated, it was the beauties of the world.
And, you, were captivating.
You were remarkable in the sense that you were humble, as though your talents were simply common.
For whatever reason, that desire to fall back into the shadows and blend with everything else made you stand out even more.
-It added more to your charm.
You were alluring even whilst hiding, ultimately becoming the muse to many of his creations.
You had to know how beautiful you were...right?
There were numerous times that Seer wondered if you ever smiled while looking toward a companion; if you ever found yourself comforted enough to look anyone in the eye.
He wondered if your smile ever existed without a modest hand, and much more if he'd ever be gracious enough to catch a glimpse of it, until that day...
.
.
.
"Thank you," you said while reaching out to him.
-Always so hushed and serene, enticing a gentle heat to fan over his face, especially as his heart's rhythm begins to suddenly feel frantic.
He's no stranger to excitement, the adrenaline that rushes deep within too.
-But this is entirely different, it almost frightens him with how he freezes.
It's never in him to run nor cower, and yet he feels too humbled as he's in your presence.
"it is nothing," he insists, and the honey in his voice is much sweeter when he addresses you.
It's warmer too.
The way your eyes drag over to him as you offer him a sweet smile is nearly too much.
The many chords of his heartstrings are strum, and as he sees that single expression offered to him, he feels his hands too warm.
They begin to sweat and he has to subtly brush them over his pants to get rid of that clammy feeling.
"I owe you one," You respond, and as he shakily hands over the item, his fingers gently brush yours.
Almost simultaneously he can hear your heart perform a single leap that matches the one in his chest.
It's a jumpstart that begins all at that one spark that lights between your ghosting touch.
He's at a loss for words, and nothing but a sound escapes him, a soft breath that stutters pathetically as he watches you quickly reach back, away from him.
He's never one to shy down himself, in fact, he's rarely ever anything but bold.
Do you recognize it?
Have you caught on to how much you rattle him?
Or do you feel it too?
Is that why you've chosen to flee, looking anywhere else that's not his illuminated gaze?
It's overwhelming, and silently his hands move over to his chest, not knowing what to say before he takes a bold step forward, finding himself.
your arm that sways at your side as you walk is caught right at the wrist, gently, without malice, yet firmly enough that you can't possibly hold offense.
In your surprise, you turn back to him, eyes curious, beautiful as always, and even moreso enchanting as they seem to sparkle.
Again your heart jumps, and it races soon after as you look at him.
You murmur his name all too sweetly, and he finds himself gazing as the artist who appreciates life and admires it's remarkable elements.
-which includes creating something as extraordinary as you.
His hand glides down from capturing your wrist to gently holding your hand in his, and as he looks to you, he knows he must seem uncertain.
"You have such a lovely smile,"
It's simple, a compliment he could easily spit out to anyone else who had impressed him, and yet it feels like a sentence he has just a bit of trouble confessing to.
The way you offer him another is blissfully torturous because he wants nothing more than to capture it.
-To glance at it longer than these few seconds so he could sketch it down by perfect memory.
-To press his lips to yours and feel their curve as he tastes them.
-To offer the sides of your face with the same gentleness he does now your single hand.
Just the thought leaves him nearly breathless, and he doesn't know how to proceed.
All he's truly comforted by is your small smile that persists.
Kars watched as you continued to sleep through the night, unperturbed by any of his movements, at an ease he hadn't thought could be possible near someone like him.
-For a prey like you to be so trusting ; there was certainly some sort of amusement there for him to muse over.
But of course, he wasn't too surprised.
You were the exception to many of his doubts, a constant reminder of how beautiful humans could be.
-You were truly a rarity to come across, and he appreciated your very existence, as he did most creatures that basked under the sun.
His large hand lightly ghosted over your head, occasionally petting you with a contemplative sigh as he considered slipping out of your home again.
The illumination of the forgiving moon called out to him as it was the only time he could explore freely. His old friend smiled down at him, luring him, yet he resisted.
You wouldn't be aware, only slightly upset when you saw him again, but too grateful to have him return to dwell in it.
He knew you well enough to know that you wanted more time with him, you were sentimental and needy in that way.
-Not that he minded much.
After all, It's the custom as he's never stayed longer than a few gracious hours. Though, he's been willing to extend that time lately.
You're fortunate to have claimed a part of his heart, a piece that was growing furthumore as time progressed.
"I suppose…" he murmurs as he leans down, his lips pressed to your shoulder as he takes a second longer to consider his options before ultimately deciding to stay.
" These few hours will belong to you," he declares with a touch of gentle delight before it takes him a moment to settle, to try and fit close to your smaller frame as he tests out holding you close, your entire body shifting in silent complience he finds to his favor.
If he were inconsiderate, he'd let out a hearty laugh as you immediately cuddle close to him, clutching his hand to your chest and between your two arms that hold it lovingly.
"My precious little gem," he softly says as he holds you from behind, cocooning you with his larger body and falling waves of plum that gently caress your skin.
My perception of time has been awful. Fortunately, I believe I'm finally dragging myself out of that dark hole.
It’s been a while, huh?
Thoughts are italics in quotations = ‘Example’
Flashbacks are in italics = Example
Word Count: 6505
A touch of Mercy
"I hope you never find her," the dark-haired woman breathed, her voice which, until then, had been monotonous, retained just a touch of wish that had only then reemerged within her.
Though, At first, she was surprised at her own words, at the boldness that had made them escape, but as she recognized the valor, she didn't bite them down.
The very will festered in her and came out uncontained as she finally looked up to the man.
Her body was even shaking with the raw emotion she felt, and she hardly did anything to hide it.
The feeling felt foreign by then, after living so long without the ray of light. Yet, she accepted the new glimmer, wanting to believe that such a feeling existed only because it was meant to be.
Without a step missed the other woman would be on her way to escape the evil clutches of the man before her, and by extension their tyrant emperor.
-That’s what her heart told her.
She didn’t know if Shao Kahn had anything to do with Erron Black’s job at that moment, but she could only imagine.
-Nothing good ever came form that man.
"I pray upon the elder gods that she escapes you, " she then added, the tremor in her body fierce as she referenced the very being's she'd long thought had abandoned her.
'I will pray for her flight,' she thought with true faith moving her beating heart, the blood in her veins rushing and burning hot with anticipation as she declared her newfound dedication.
He made a low sound, something to let her know that he acknowledged her, but dismissed her all the same.
She was certain his intention was to mock her, yet, from the way he turned from her and had eyed her even before then, she could note the irritation he swallowed down.
it was evident by the way his lips pursed that her words bothered him to some degree.
He couldn't hide his annoyance, and she was pleased to know that she'd made his arrogant smirk languish until it died out and fell into a bitter scowl.
It was a victory, albeit a small one, but one she rejoiced nonetheless.
" - We'll be back soon," he said lowly, all with a certainty of his own, the sureness in his tone making her lips press together thinly.
Her breath even stilled for just a moment, because there was a gleam in his eyes that unsettled her.
Excitement swam in the dark pools, challenge too, and the woman could only hope he could never reach his prey.
She could only hope he'd return with bitter defeat.
Silently, she watched as he left, trailing behind the young woman with the pretty, starry eyes.
- That same one that had made her feel inexplicably warm upon first glance, and had for whatever reason inspired something so abundantly strange.
Something in her chest had blossomed upon that moment, something that made her want to have faith again, to smile yet again.
'Hope, in this realm of mine...Is it possible?' She questioned herself, having known only the hardships of war and tyranny that her land had succumbed to.
It was hard not to recall her every loss, though somewhere in there, she also remembered something else.
For a moment she recalled the tender youth she used to be so many years ago.
‘Perhaps that’s why she grabs my attention so much,’ she proceeded with consideration.
"It's been so long..." she then murmured with a touch of a smile, the small lift graceful.
"It's been so long since a prayer of mine has been responded to," she added with a soft amusement, the twinkle in her black eyes existing as a stray drop traveled down her face, falling onto the ground.
She's only thought to do so in her helplessness, as a way to sedate the need to gravitate closer to the other woman.
-Because it was all she could have truly done in her cowardice.
“So long since I'd turned my back on my former beliefs,” she added.
Her lukewarm chuckle was the only sound left in the room as her long, slim fingers moved down her face to delicately wipe the escaped sorrow before she continued with her duties with a rather noticeable smile adorning her.
As she then trailed her eyes down to see where her tears had fled, she then paused.
Little petals were scattered over the ground, making her shake her head as she reached for the three little specs on the ground,
“Ah..” she breathed, "of course...This room could use some color..." she then mused as she straightened out and looked over the muted setting she stood in.
All the while, (f/n) had fled, tirelessly aimed at a direction she didn't know where it would lead to.
Along the way she'd run past the people of the village, most of which were unperturbed by her, unbothered at the sight of a frantic, fleeting woman.
She was ignored, even if she desperately begged for help.
Large tears bubbled in her eyes, distress sweated through every fiber of her being, and yet no one seemed to mind.
In truth, it seemed that rather than lure attention, she’d been surrounded by a repellent, alienating her further.
‘Don’t they see me?’ she wondered with worry as she reached out to the person closest to her.
Her shaking hand soon clutched the fabric of a traveling woman's long sleeve, her grasp filled with a silken material of who she would hope would be her savior.
She tried to speak, but before she could let out a word, the woman jutted her shoulder forward, callously forcing the cloth out of (f/n)'s grasp.
And she offered crucial words of advise, advice that would lead the fleeting woman to come to the conclusion that the town they'd stopped at was one catered to ill trade and services.
“ - Unless you have payment... then there will be no services offered to you," The strange woman remarked while she carefully dusted herself off where she’d been touched as she eyed (f/n) with an objective side glance.
“Naïve girl...” she then added with a disapproving tut, “ Here...No kindness is offered without the promise of riches,” She said before continuing down the road.
- She wouldn’t waste time on anything that didn’t benefit her and she wasn’t ashamed to let it be known.
'Mercenaries...' (f/n) inwardly mused, eyeing the displayed weapons most carried.
- could it be?
Familiar emblems also greeted her as she scouted, and when she recognized a common symbol amongst many of the population, her breathing paused.
In her panicked state, she hadn't really taken the time to look around before, but now that she had, she was left stunned.
'The Black dragon...' She notes with disbelief, her teeth gritting.
'Of course, He stopped here because it was in his best interest,' she noted, convinced he had links to the wicked organization himself.
'A man like that...It wouldn't be a surprise!' she added before realizing something else :
“That’s why...” she huffed.
“Nothing that man says holds any value,” she detested.
' He's toying with me again...because I'd never have a chance to run off if we're surrounded by his allies, ' she thinks before she momentarily pauses, swallowing hard as she feels the eerie sense of being watched.
And it's a feeling she dreads now that she realizes she's surrounded by what could potentially be her enemy's organization.
Concerned, she skims her eye to what lies before her, trying to pretend oblivious until she finds the source, but, ultimately, she finds nothing.
She only sees more vendors and travelers, none of which seem any more suspicious than the next person.
None strike her as the watcher; none look her way.
"could I be imagining it?" she asks herself in a short whisper before slowly easing, the tension in her shoulders melting.
‘I have to be,’ she idly thinks as she stands there, the high rise of her eyebrows falling too.
“Yeah,” she breaths as she cranes her head back, looking up at the sky.
Yet, she couldn’t shake the feeling away completely. It was like an itch she couldn’t quite scratch.
That was before she looked over her shoulder and found a lonesome man.
He doesn't look trustworthy himself, especially with that menacing mask he wears, and that covers his entire face.
There are blades strapped over his long, sage-colored coat, crossing behind his back and rising high above his shoulders for an easy overhead reach.
For a moment it’s all she can stare at ; the weapons themselves before she brings her focus to the entirety of the man again.
He stands far away, near a fully hooded vendor that offers gleaming finds which sparkle generously beneath the lighting.
The vendor soon tries to catch the gazing man's attention too, though, gets no result as he refuses to look away from the young woman’s direction, an unnerving detail she notices.
After another, more persistence attempt, the masked man shuts down any more interaction with the seller by lazily picking up one of his hands in a shooing motion.
The dismissive wave is languid, but effective.
‘It’s a coincidence’ she tried to tell herself, hoping it’s only her nerves that have gotten the best of her, and that the man only looks her way out of chance.
It’s possible, right?
‘That has to be it,’ she further goes as she swallows down thickly.
‘It has to,’ she persists while then tearing her sight away, looking down at the ground instead as she tries to calm her racing heart.
However, even with all the self reassurances, something further deep within tells her otherwise. Red flags of caution raise, and she can feel herself grow more concerned.
Slowly, she peers back at him again, cold sweat falling down her brow as she keeps contact with him, her heart tightly constricting the entire time she commits to the act.
As she continues to observe him, slowly, his head lightly tilts to the side, and beneath the metal mask, his right eyebrow rises in peaked curiosity.
Though, he holds no malice as hidden to her, he smiles, subtly.
His interest is doubled as she holds her ground by fully turning to him and staring him down.
It’s a feat he commends given how distraught she seemed in the beginning.
Gradually, his arms pick up, crossing over his chest as he waits for her next move.
- After all he had the time.
He wasn't one to ever waste time by stopping and smelling the roses, but on that particular day, he'd been inclined to.
Something drew him closer to the realm, like a gentle pull, which was strange considering his usual routine.
It’s not that he wasn’t fond of the land, but he preferred being home instead.
Usually, he'd already left the village after a trade, but this time, there was something different.
' I come here...And then I find this,' he huffed.
"Which is odd..." he breathed as his eyes focused on the item held in her little hand.
-There was no mistake, he recognized it.
“No such thing as a coincidence,” he added after being certain. "He's somewhere around here..." He lowly murmurs, recognizing his brethren's arms.
After all, Kano's made enough fuss about them before when selling them to the guy.
' I wonder...' he mused before he spared one last, long glance at the woman, admiring her, though, still not understanding what it was that had him so willing to stay.
However, his nature pulled him away, and he cut the moment short, finally deciding to leave her to her own luck.
“ - None of my business,” he reminded himself, " Not my job...anymore,” he added in a spiteful mutter.
After all, what good ever came from sticking out your neck without something in return?
She performed an extended blink, and after that single action, he was gone.
After that short moment all she found as proof of his presence was the small whirlwind of land he's left floating behind.
Dirt accumulates above the ground, lifted by a quick spin of air that becomes nothing in a matter of seconds.
She takes a step back in disbelief, in utter confusion as she turns her entire body in every direction she can while in search of the strange man, but in the end, she finds nothing that proves he was once there.
The gun clutched within her right hand fell into a tighter grip as her chest heavily rose,
"Was I..." She didn't know what to think, though forcing herself to move forward, not willing to spend more time with anything that wasn't drawing distance from the stop.
"I have to keep moving..." she said with a hard exhale, tearing her eyes away from the spot and continuing towards the same path as before.
No one else offered her a spare glance, and perhaps that was how she so easily ended up where she was; Lost.
- So terribly lost.
.
.
.
.
She’d lasted an entire day moving, living off of what little trade the item she’d carried her had gotten.
She tried hard not to think about how the vendor had completely ignored her at first before she pleaded, offering anything they wanted in exchange for help as she pulled out the only thing she knew had value-
‘Perhaps this isn’t the smartest move...’ she started as she stared down at the lovely engravement of the weapon while she chose to sacrifice it.
‘I don’t even know how much it’s truly worth...If this vendor isn’t taking advantage of my lack of knowledge,’ she mused, feeling just a touch guilty when she remembered how much the man she’d traveled with had cared for them.
He’d spent so much time cleaning it, she couldn’t imagine otherwise.
That gentle smile he’d worn came to mind, and she unwillingly had a touch of remorse, though, it was a fleeting feeling as everything else she felt for him came forth.
-Everything ugly.
‘Lets see,’ she added with consideration.
‘It’s gotten me enough for a canteen … this miserable blade and dried food.’ She thought with lightheartedness as she stared down at what was being offered to her. The little satchel that would hold her consumables was also there, and she wondered if it was truly a fair trade.
‘it should be enough...though I wish I could have gotten myself a creature to travel with...’ she added with disappointment that very quickly diminished as she thought of how impractical it was.
‘Of course.. then I wouldn't be able to feed us both, and there’s no need to sacrifice one of you,’ she mused as she offered a side glance to one of the steeds there, one that reminded her plenty of the one she’d traveled with.
It’s front legs had the same patches, forcing a gentle smile out of her.
She wondered how the creature fared, even if it hasn't been that long since she last saw him.
“ - So...What do you say miss?” the elder woman said with narrowed eyes, and before her new customer could ask anything more, be it more time to think , or, even directions to where to head, she caught sight of the man that was tracking her down.
He moved with the same arrogance she despised, his every step certain, and she cursed his luck for it somehow leading him directly towards her already.
Past the many travelers, she spotted him, forcing her to slam down the payment before stuffing everything in the bag, fleeting.
Without any guidance she soon treaded upon strange land, unaware of what would come as the second nightfall rolled by.
"still no signs of anything...” she said softly, concerned.
After an entire day and a half of traveling she'd yet to find any signs of life.
Silence surrounded her, an unnerving factor that had her looking up at the darkening sky to find a lack of traveling creatures.
Again, she’d find herself sleeping alone, shaking as she curled herself close to whatever she could find.
At least she’d paid attention to the few times the dark eyed man had created a fire.
It offered her some comfort, though, very little.
“Even the land is dead,” she added with a little bite to her lower lip, noticing the lack of vegetation, it’d been that way for quite a bit.
Her eyes then skimmed around the hellish land, unease in her heart, settling after the surge of adrenaline that had originally fueled her began to soon exhaust.
Little chirps of small creatures were unheard of, and if it weren’t worrisome enough, she soon encountered a large, rotten carcass that was mutilated beyond recondition, sending her into a fit of cold shivers.
"This place is desolate," She said below her breath, and before she knew it, her steps inched back, slowly retracting and going over the previous ones she'd left on the sandy floor.
It was only by the fifth that she stopped entirely.
Quickly, a sickening feeling turned over her stomach when she managed to capture the grand sight of the wasteland before her.
'Oh no...' She thought to herself with horror that fell upon her.
The fluttering hope in her chest that kept her heart from sinking stopped all at once at the sudden realization.
'Have...have I gone so far?' She asked herself, knowing of only one place that could fit the ghastly description of the land she had stepped upon.
‘How could I ?…how did I not notice sooner?’
- Even those of other realms who traveled between the worlds knew well enough to step away from the land.
"But how?”
Tears welled in her eyes as she whipped around, her question answered quickly.
'everything looks the same,' She thought to herself with helplessness as she felt the world spin. It was getting harder and harder to see farther than a few feet, the lack of light giving her a massive disadvantage.
Gusts of wind visited frequently, erasing the tracks she left behind, leaving her without any concrete trail to fall back on.
Nothing seemed to be in her favor.
'And it'll be soon... They'll come to me soon,' She thought to herself with anguish.
'And if they don't find me... I'm sure to die alone,' She thought with dismay.
"either way...I'll be consumed," she said with horror.
"If it's not the creatures themselves... then the land will take me," she dreaded as she wrapped her arms around herself, the solo embrace serving no comfort.
"I stand no chance," she sneered, a spiteful glare shot down at the sands.
She then remembered how much food and water she had left, which was only about another day or two if she continued to rest sparsely.
'it's not fair...' she inwardly sneered as her knees felt weak.
The Tarkata roamed the wastelands, finding a home within the ghoulish waste, outcast from the rest of the outworlders as the brutish, cannibalistic creatures they were.
-And she had just so happened to step upon their territory for who knows how long of a distance.
Even while unknowingly treading upon it, she doubted that factor mattered to them.
From what she'd heard...to them a meal was a meal.
'They'll find me...' She started, ' And they'll tear me apart,' She told herself.
She'd only ever seen them from afar and at their most gruesome because as pawns of Shao Kahn, they stood at his side, prideful in every one of their sharp edges, presenting them at every opportunity they could, seemingly enjoying the fear they instilled in others.
She was familiar with them, many of her people where even if they’d never come face to face with one.
After all, they had a certain reputation.
'They'll eat my alive bit by bit!' She then continued, unable to imagine how they would consume her.
Yet her skin itched, attacked by invisible pinpricks that would soon become razor-sharp teeth.
'In the end... I'll meet a fate worse than death, ' She thought to herself, fearing the bloodbath that would occur.
'I'll be devoured whole!' She went on, her angered tears falling onto the sand, the little specs created between her feet.
A short grunt of strain was forced out between her teeth as her hands fisted the grainy ground with frustration.
Little debris dug into her nails and they pushed back into the flesh with discomfort, but none of it was even close to the distress of her heart.
"This can't be it," she told herself. "I finally find myself free, and it's to be in the clutches of another monster," she says with spite, her voice low and dour.
If such a fiend were to take a bite of her heart they would taste nothing but bitter as it was slowly consumed by the sourness that had begun to flood her.
And it was her only solace, that they'd detest every morsel.
Her eyes soon came to a close, and she took a long breath through her nostrils, collecting her thoughts.
"Somehow...” she started as she picked up her head, looking beyond.
“ Somehow, I have to trace back, " she then went on, hoping that simply taking a hundred steps back would bring her to a safe zone.
She was ready to move, however, past the silence of the land was another sound, one that perked her ears.
It was faint at first, the whimpers soon growing with the more she focused.
Desperate snivels caught her attention, forcing the (h/c) haired woman into a sudden halt.
It was proceeded by a large swallow of breath that nearly choked her with how quickly it'd been downed as she realized she was accompanied in her misery.
Her widened eyes skimmed around, wanting to know what creature had released those despairing sounds. Somehow, they'd sounded much more desperate than her, and she was curious as to who else had the misfortune to find themselves so utterly helpless.
‘Someone’s run the same luck I have...’ She bitterly mused, her sights set to where she assumed the sound came from.
'But Who..?' she started, slowly going towards the sound.
She did so slowly, each of her steps languid as she listened to the muffled sound with perked ears.
She walked for only a short minute before she found herself rounding a large, sharpened stone, soon catching sight of the sniveling being.
Her heart halted as she came in visual contact with the creature that cried so softly and miserably, and who just so happened to be of the terrorizing ones she was dreading.
(f/n) shivered, trembling under not just the sudden chilliness that had been cast over the land, but also by the very luck she had.
miserable; just miserable.
'I should run...' she thought to herself as she swallowed hard, her hand quickly reaching for the blade she'd strapped on the sash she wore at her waist.
It was only a precaution as she also steadied her footing to sprint away too.
As for the other creature, upon realizing she’d been found, her slumped body jolted upright with a low hiss of pain escaping her.
Her glowing amber eyes also flew wide open, fear evident in them as she gazed at her before they flew off to the side, beyond where there could only be darkness to greet her before her attention shot back to (f/n).
At the sudden movement, instinctively, (f/n)’s knees lightly bent as she was ready to bolt.
'I should....run...' she added as the reaching hand's energy died out, making it fall back to her side lifelessly as she continued to watch the other being whilst she curled further against the stone, injured.
She seemed to have no other option than to somehow press herself tightly against the piece of land with pathetic, little whimpers as she looked to (f/n).
‘ I have to ... run,' the lost female thought again as she settled into the wasteland.
She cautiously approached the Tarkatan woman further, each of her steps being executed warily, the hesitance she displayed done as a way to show her harmlessness to the other female as well as keep herself safe.
A moment of sanity struck her as she came before the Tarkatan, questioning her own motives, as well as her actions themselves.
'Run...' a feeble voice whispered with dread laced through the single order, but it was ignored.
She faintly recalled the dread she’d felt before, the utter bitterness at the thought of being handled by their kind before a different feeling overpowered that fear.
‘I would have never thought..’ she inwardly mused, feeling a touch guilty for how she’d dammed them all.
Now that she faced a defenseless one, something in her felt soft.
'Poor thing,’ She thought while eying her, certain that cowering nature was not common amongst their kind.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have the reputation they did.
‘If I could hurt you I wouldn't be shaking so much,' she inwardly mused instead, the cold sweat that dotted her forehead slowly falling as her lips curved up into a shaky smile.
Meanwhile, she was hoping there would be a quick understanding that she meant no harm, because she truly didn’t.
how could she?
"I won't hurt you," she started off, not knowing if she was understood, which was responded to by a deep glare that yet again shifted to the side, as though she searched for more, perhaps her people.
‘They don’t usually move lone,’ (f/n) realized, wondering what happened.
They had their own language too, and (f/n) wasn’t sure if this particular one had learned another beside the one native to her.
(f/n)’s arm was soon outstretched, reaching as far as she could, her hand tentatively offered during the moment, hoping it wasn’t bit off for the attempt.
"Hey..." She breathed, the single spoken utter shaky.
"I want to help you," She assured the creature, all while drawing closer to the cowering being with steps that while shuffled and uncertain, didn’t cease.
'Strange...Are they all this small?' the woman wondered while realizing the female before her was much tinier than the imposing size of her male counterparts, which did serve her some comfort.
She’d also seen their female warriors too, but even then this particular Tarkatan seemed much less fearsome with her lithe form.
- As even from afar they were typically monstrous.
She seemed that way, but perhaps her eyes were playing tricks with her, immediately lured by her shriveled state.
Granted, she was still a terrifying sight with her fierce markings and sharp edges that served as teeth, yet with the cowering nature, she seemed even smaller and somehow sweeter.
'I didn't know they could look this helpless,' (f/n) mused, finding the sight somewhat endearing, the flicker of warmth gracing her heart easing some of the anxiety she felt.
‘I didn’t ever think I'd ever see one as pitiful either, ‘ she then added while gazing at the blood-soaked ground with pursed lips.
The sight was not pretty, nor was it pleasing in any way when she thought of how each injury was gained.
‘She dragged herself here...’ (f/n) determined, feeling even more inclined to offer her aid.
‘You’re a survivor,’
‘But for how long have you been...?’ she wondered, seeing the torn tendons on her ankles, both viscously sliced through with a blade, making sure her legs were only dead weight to be dragged.
‘How cruel, whoever had done this has done so to watch her suffer,’ she deduced.
Otherwise, it made no sense.
“You know,” (f/n) started, "I've always been strange," the woman then mused while gently closing the space between her and the other female, leaving her almost knelt before the Tarkatan woman.
Meanwhile, Her (e/c) colored eyes softened, her expression melting so much that the traces of wariness she had felt evaporated from her very being.
She even felt lighter.
" I have always been like this..." she mused with an outstretched hand, her empty palm still presented.
“From what I recall from my time in this life...” she said while not mentioning her dreams which she knew were somehow a part of her past.
"I think it's love...even if I've never known it... I’d like to think it is because of how lovely it feels,” she spoke, true awe in her tone.
“ Or, perhaps it's mercy," she said without truly understanding, not sure of much anymore. Ever since she’d been taken from her home there were a lot of things she hadn’t quite understood and questioned.
"What I'm getting at is that something makes me capable of saving you... of wanting to save you," she said with a bemused chuckle.
" So, don't be alarmed," she said with a gentle touch to her tone, "I just want to help you," she assured the female yet again.
'I remember what it's like to be held by you...without remembering your face... your voice... your very presence... that same feeling is familiar when I want to touch life.
-When I want to bring warmth.
And now more than ever.. it’s like a calling.
After recognizing you and knowing you more,
it’s like what I imagine you felt looking down at me so long ago.
- before your love dried out.
-before you cast me away. '
And something clicked in her,
‘Of course... this must be that virtue you graced me with,’
"Will you let me help you?" She asked before fully reaching out and leaping past the final space between them.
Contemplation whirled in the other being's face, though understanding soon formed on her features.
her glowing eyes that were wide before shut once into a tight grimace as she accepted whatever fate that was to come.
Having no other choice, A fierce nod was preformed, pleasing (f/n).
With a soft smile, She then nodded back .
"I understand," she breathed before she found herself at true ease before the Tarkatan woman.
Both of her knees fell to the ground as she took a seat, feeling strangely certain of safety.
"I hope I do...” she voiced before a hand fell over the other’s shoulder to ease her onto her spare arm.
Grimacing, the Tarkatan fell back into the hold with struggle before being let down gently.
‘Her body is warm like mine...why is that so strange to believe?’
"Let my mercy wash over you ," (f/n) breathed in a soft hush.
A small vine emerged from a pale, open palm, the color green dancing up before the child's eyes.
Green then sprouted White, and the little closed blossom beneath her nose opened, the sweet fragrance of it greeting her as the fresh petals waved at her kindly.
(e/c) colored eyes were wide with wonder, and a soft chuckle fell to her ears.
"Lovely, isn't it?" her mother said with tenderness, her eyes cast down to her child as she continued to watch the blossom, entranced.
"Hmm..." she didn't speak, instead, responding in an eager nod before she looked up to her mother, her eyes sparkling.
Her eyes danced with more than just amusement, something that Cetrion noted.
" You look to me with such wonder..." the elder mused with a soft chuckle.
"But for now close your eyes instead," Her mother said while gently brushing her fingers down the child's face.
Along the way the gently traveling pads brushed down her offspring's eyelids, shutting the wonderous gaze.
"Now," she hummed.
"What brings life to this world?" she questioned her child, her voice soft, always comforting.
"- What creates?" she asked with a voice so satiny and low, it was almost like a lullaby.
(f/n)'s small mouth moved to speak, but was stopped by a sole finger that pressed itself to her lips.
"Ah..." her mother said while smiling, amused by her young one's eagerness.
"no words.." she breathed.
“Because there’s no one true answer, no one true feeling. Only this,” she advised.
"it comes from here," she started, while a finger pressed over her heart, before both of her hands fell to her shoulders.
They then traveled down until they reached her hands, and for just a moment they rested on her wrists, her thumbs brushing over the collection of veins that lay under her child's delicate flesh.
"And then," she proceeded as she let her fingers graze over her open palms, "It emerges from here," she said with certainty, watching as very slowly, magic emerged from the child's hands.
It was nearly identical to her own light, and she stepped back with a smile, watching the flowing of light bask her precious young one.
The sight of such small hands in hers was truly a feeling like no other, and like the doting parent she was, she stepped back with a hand to her chest, proud.
"You are my child for certain," The god said with pride, a vanity that was seemingly unwashable.
Silently she fell to her knees, her ethereal face before the child as she spoke,
"My darling fruit so sweet and tender..." she murmured.
And like so many times before, it seemed as though she wasn't truly speaking to (f/n), even if she did address her.
She realized her mother was strange at times, though, It never made her cower.
Because she could never quite read through the lines.
Her innocence still existed, obscuring those very lines.
"- grasping to your mother's branch, " the goddess said with a touch of pride still present, and it made the little girl's face burn with humble bashfulness.
"You can create," she told the little girl, reminding her again.
Though this time, at the display of power she was certain. At the showcase of natural talent, there was no doubt,
"- And You can also destroy," she let her know, letting her know the balance that she should uphold.
"This world," she says while over open hand, a little sphere takes shape.
It's decorated by greenery and aqua alike, just like the earth itself, replicated into her very hand.
It was no illusion, no trickery of the eye, but rather a show of her great power; to create an entire planet within her palm, and she let her child see.
- All on a whim.
"It is yours," she breathed before crushing it, just as easily destroying it and turning it into nothing yet again, all with a smile.
Glowing eyes that held entire galaxies watched, entranced.
The familiar voice of her mother was a distant memory that emerged, offering her some comfort as she praised her,
- "You can create."
'I've only ever done this in my garden,' (f/n) thought while running her palms over the female's bloodied leg.
'I think...' She added with uncertainty, no longer certain to what is in her past.
If what she’d seen were her true memories, then this was nothing in comparison.
She also knew browning leaves were nothing close to flesh, yet she was still willing to try.
She eyed the long jagged gash with benevolence the creature had never quite understood and would have studied more if the glowing brilliance that danced over her flesh didn't steal her attention more.
It felt warm, like a ray of sunshine, a comfort she hadn’t known could come from someone else, especially not one outside her kind.
The abused flesh was mended before the gentle pads of dancing fingertips traveled over the length, giving it a final inspection of how tender it was before they moved onto the various carving over her exposed abdomen.
Multiple lines of different depths were carved over her midsection, each jagged and rough.
'What a mess they made of you...' (f/n) noted, her eyebrows furrowed as she trailed each one with a sorrowed gaze.
In disbelief, the outland creature soon scampered up, testing her new health with the movement.
A grand smile expressed her great joy before she found herself gazing at (f/n) again, though lacking the initial startle and caution.
Her enthusiasm very quickly settled as she acknowledged the person who'd made it possible.
She knew humility, as well as loyalty and recognized the gesture of peace.
The female then hovered over (F/n), soon standing at her full height, making (F/n) realize the true difference between them, which was a whole two heads taller.
'I guess they're not so small,' she thought with a small hitch to her breath before she stood too, silently eyeing the other female, showing no fear.
Perhaps a hint of an unsettled air surrounded her, but her posture didn’t shift, nor did her stern face that showed she was ready for anything that came.
‘ I knew the risk, and yet I acted.’ She reminded herself.
‘so now I ask myself ; Would you be kind and show me the same mercy?’ (f/n) idly wondered in anticipation.
‘If your nature is truly that of a beast... then will you at the very least offer me a kinder end?’ She added, hoping that even the most gruesome outcome will be touched by leniency.
After no initial movement, quietly, (f/n) reached out and was grateful to find compliance at her bold act.
Silently, her index and middle finger followed the line of crimson that oozed down the larger being's sharp cheek.
'You are no warrior...' (f/n) thought with sympathy, the blood that caked over the painted marking she wore soon coating her fingers.
‘I know that much.’
'You were nothing more than an easy hunt... for someone intending more harm than glory.
And this was no act of survival on their part.
There was no virtue here;
hunting the defenseless.'
She could accept anyone wanting to survive, slaughtering one of her kind as a form of defense.
-But she could not justify harming a creature that posed no threat, such as the one before her, especially not on her territory.
conflicting feelings on her mere existence surged, though they equalized as she mused,
‘If I want to be accepted as I am, how can I judge a creature who is born differently? who cannot fight against it’s own nature?’
Tenderly, (f/n)'s touch eased before her hand fell to her side and she presented the other woman with a small, halfhearted smile.
After a short moment of peace, a raspy huff left the Tarkatan before she jumped back.
Though, rather than flee, she stared the kind woman down before her hand reached over her chest and roughly tugged at a dangling accessory she wore, tearing the string that had it properly positioned.
She then stretched her arm out to (f/n), stunning her.
" For me?" (f/n) said with surprise in her demeanor before slowly reaching for the held-out piece, not at all shaken, simply surprised.
A brief nod was all she got in response, and it roused a sweet smile from her, the expression more true than the previous one.
'Does this mean a lot to you?' (f/n) wondered. 'Or is this just something you carry around?' She wondered, appreciative of the gesture in spite of what answer would be the truth.
"Why?" she breathed, still smiling, her heart warm.
"Mercy..." there was a single, guttural word uttered before there were no more glances in exchange, the other female running off with lightning speed, using her healed legs at a max capacity to reach her tribe.
looking down at the necklace, (f/n) took notice that the center piece was a tooth, one wrapped with what looked like red twine to make an accessory.
'What is this...?' (f/n) wondered with confusion as she held it up, getting a different angle, 'This looks like a tooth, but it's huge,' She thought with confusion, though still smiling.
Little beads also decorated it, saved from the tear as they were secured by a knot that kept them from shifting.
"- It's a gesture of peace," a familiar voice informed her, and as she heard it, her breath hitched.
Her silent musing was cut short , and the piece she’d been left with was crushed by dread.
Her grasp on the tooth went tight before she brought it to her chest, her steps faltering as she backed away.
'Oh no...' She thought to herself, having thought she'd lost him.
‘You mean to tell me he’s found me all the way out here?’ she thought annoyed. ‘Or has this jerk been following me the whole time?’ she considered, not putting it past him, though wondering how if there was nothing to aid him in that deviousness.
had he watched her the entire time with that smug grin she detested?
" Those things aren't known to be kind," Black said, as though it wasn't clear before, as though she needed to be reminded.
And it irked her.
"It’s rare...but it’s A gesture of peace for your kind act," Erron added while delivering a haughty chuckle, the emphasis on the single word detestable in its obnoxiousness.
Though, she overlooked it as she took in his spit of knowledge with understanding.
It made sense,
"Mercy..." (f/n) then breathed, understanding, her expression softening.
It warmed her to think so.
“I didn’t think it was possible,” she said while thinking back to her previous thoughts of the Tarkatan’s as a whole.
" -And I thought you were naïve, but not downright stupid," He then admitted, shaking his head as a low sigh fell from him.
his right hand went up and calmly his index and thumb held the end of his hat as he tilted his head back to look up at the starless sky.
" she would have eaten you alive if she had the chance," he informed her, and at that (F/n) grit her teeth, her hands fisted to the side.
“-if it had been any other day,” he added softly.
Gone was her face of gentle musing as he continued to talk and belittle her.
'I'm not an idiot...of course, she would have. I'm well aware,' she thought while knowing, the tooth that was in her right palm digging into her flesh.
' but how could I just sit and watch?' she wondered.
" she pleaded with me; With her eyes, she begged.
I couldn't understand her, but I know well enough what plea and much more, mercy are.
-Something you clearly don't know." she said accusingly, speaking through clenched teeth.
How could anyone turn their back?
' How could I just walk away, knowing that there was a chance I could do something? '
‘ I know what it’s like to be cast away... to be forgotten.’
her chin rose higher than he'd seen it rise, and there was a jaded look in her eyes as she offered no room for debate.
‘It’s more than anything you would have ever done you rotten man,’ she thought tiredly.
' Bewitching a cannibalistic beast...' The mercenary thought to himself wearily, watching her, certain she'd yet to understand how remarkable that truly was.
'- One that would have eaten her without hesitation,' he then added with frustration, a tight-knit between his brows as he continued to watch her, gazing at the way she then looked down at her hands.
She’d taken a moment to gaze down at them as though she was reflecting on her actions, processing the ability.
-And what was possibly it’s true extent.
And he, too glared at them because the feat of taming such a beast was outshined by how she'd done it.
It wasn’t just some silly little trick, nor wicked sorcery from what he could surmise.
He’s been witness to enough to know when it was used.
There was no trace of corruption to be detected.
'Just what are you...?' he wondered with the same bitterness laced in his thoughts, though the touch of awe she struck him with was still there too.
The masked man stood beneath the night sky, mesmerized by the moon, enchanted by the beauty to the degree his gaze could not leave its glory.
He waited there, lonesome until the sound of spurred steps approached, snapping him out of the visiting fog of deep musing he's succumbed to.
- It happened so frequently now...so absurdly often.
He recognized it, though it would soon stop.
Once he had her, she would mend his every burden.
- she’d be his fortune and grace.
His shoulders fell further into a slacked state as he craned his head back more, continuing to admire the scenery above.
"You're late," he commented as the hired mercenary soon stopped at arm's length, releasing a short sigh, dissatisfied himself.
"-A prior engagement," The cowboy explained, omitting any more details, but they dealt with a certain vampires' who’s persistence was astonishing.
"Well...it's As expected. you are a busy man after all..." his new client said before turning over to him, " Though I desire your full loyalty once I hire you.
Meaning...I don't want you distracted by anything else." He said firmly, the tone making Erron's nonchalant stance straighten with annoyance.
"Can do," he said curtly, speaking through tightly pressed teeth.
Silence fell between them before a scroll was passed between them.
" Erron Black...Have you ever desired something so fiercely...your blood proceeds with an unnatural flow...?" he asked as he then continued to look up at the pillowey clouds above.
"...It burns hot... with a fire you've never known before..." he adds, the words falling short of the true feeling in his chest, but it was the only thing he could say to quickly summarize it.
His glove-covered fingers danced over his torso as he let out a short huff before finally looking over to Erron, knowing the lunacy of his actions, and his words too.
Amusement danced in his hazel eyes as out of the corner of his eye, he watched the other man look over at him with a sort of disfavor.
-Perhaps his giddiness was strange, unbecoming to him too, but it was something he had trouble suppressing.
"- Perhaps not," he says as he's greeted with a flat look.
'Fire...' Black meanwhile thinks, musing over the very color that burns so brightly, and for a moment he's reminded of his own flame, a frequent companion of his that's been the only one to come close.
Though, it's not worth the mention, because whatever his client harbored then was not simply a fleeting lust and familiarity.
- It was certainly so much more, because he’d never go out of his way like this guy was.
"- Can't say I know what you mean," Black spoke truthfully.
Beneath his mask, the dark-cloaked male smiled with vainglory,
"Of course..." he murmured, because how could he expect anyone to know the feeling?
"My goddess is... one and only," he states.
"She's stolen the star from our sky, and harbors every single one in her lovely eyes," he state, a comment Black muses over as he trails his eyes up to the darkness that hangs above.
"Has she?" he asks with little trust in his words, only entertaining the man with small talk as he rambles on about his target.
Truthfully, he hadn’t cared too much about the ' why's. '
- He never has had following questions, but now as he stares into her eyes, he has far too many.
It was no exaggeration, they truly were beautiful.
"She would have eaten you alive," he repeated, and she was quick to step towards him, her hardened eyes fierce,
"And I would have let her if it means upsetting you," she said sternly, and he can detect amusement in her voice, almost as though it struck her with giddiness to scorn him.
Part of him, perhaps the sadistic side of him considered the idea that maybe, just maybe she’d missed him, and the chance to tease him.
The sound of her voice in that spiteful tone was... anticipated...missed even.
"If it meant I didn't have to fall into your hands again," she sneered after, noticing he had the gun she’d traded right at his hip.
That, or he’d been lucky enough to find an exact replica which she doubted.
Whatever the case, she was displeased.
"- If you end up with nothing then I'll die happy," she added with a large smile, her arms stretched out as though she were inviting the opportunity.
Her heart was fiercely racing, and yet, she felt no angst.
‘Why do I feel so...strange?’ she wondered, not understanding why dread wasn’t the lasting feeling.
Of course she’d been surprised to know he found her, frightened by his sudden appearance, but it wasn't something that consumed her.
His laughter then filled the silence that fell in between as he craned his head back, and a nauseatingly warm feeling festered in the pit of her stomach at the sound.
soon his hands rested at his hips as he looked down at her with mirth.
" A lot of talk for a gal that's seconds away from being roped again," he taunted, earning him a strange smile from her, one he hadn’t had the delight of seeing until then.
It was nearly kittenish, full of mischief, morso cockiness leftover from the fact that she was special in some sort of way.
'It's strange...' she mused.
'beneath this darkness... with all of the unknown surrounding me, and much more this man before me... I feel strange.'
‘Have I missed him?’ It was a question she briefly thought of before she quickly tried to forget it just as shamefully as she tried to overlook how strongly her heart had jumped at the possibility.
He approached her, each step slow, certain as always.
And soon she took in a sharp breath, calculating.
Her leg went back before jutting forward , kicking the sand before her with all of her mustered strength, sending the risen grains toward him in a blinding cloud that forced him to wither.
With a short grimace, he picked up his right hand lifting over his eyes as his left hand took the scarf the red-lined scarf up to his nose to not inhale any of the debris.
He expected her to flee, but to his surprise, she lunged forward, tackling him down as she aimed for his midsection.
In his moment of surprise, she took advantage, immediately reaching for his gun before she sent it flying far with a swing of her arm.
With her other hand, she reached for the other at his side before pointing it down at him with eyes that were opened wide, filled with a surprise of her own.
‘I... I did it...?’
She’s disarmed him, meanwhile, As he looked up at her, his dark eyes were filled with a coat of something that made them seem almost pitch black.
Rather than the scowl of defeat she expected him to present, he offered her a look of initial surprise that settled into amusement.
His features lifted with delight as he looked up at the woman and the pointed weapon so close to him it would be an instant end to his long life.
And while he stared at death, he did what he always did ;
audaciously tease it.
His arms lay stretched out at his sides, nowhere near reaching for her, the attempt not there.
And she felt her heart achingly race as she looked down at him subdued, for the moment.
His only movement was a heaved chest, the heavy rise suspended as he waited, not knowing what was to come.
- but there was one thing for sure, he'd never felt so thrilled before in his life.
Revenant stared down at the device in his hand, a searing glare shot down at the bright, flat screen that stared back at him with vibrant colors.
The image moved in silence, displaying only a preview before he decided to simply click on it, his curiosity getting the better of him.
-Something in him was burning, somehow aching.
Slowly, he pressed the tip of his finger over the screen, holding in an imaginary breath.
The overzealous brat Mirage spoke, his elated words heightened by that damned smile of his that had begun to become even more infuriating as of late.
" I'm just here with my favorite girl!" he claimed as he had an arm wrapped around you, surprising you as you nearly dropped your recently purchased drink.
It took you a moment to compose yourself and smile too, though, still seeming more entertained with your tea.
Elliot pulled you close, his cheek pressing right against yours for just a second before he pulled back and continued to address his audience instead, something you didn't seem to mind much as you focused on your straw.
Occasionally during the live feed, you laughed, showing no signs of wanting to peel yourself off of his side.
countless shares and comments were left just as curious as Revenant was, and the replies were no better, insinuating something he's tried to not think of.
Lately, you've been busy....is this why?
Him...
"Ohhh man...." he heard a familiar voice mutter beside him, and that breath alone was an indicator of who it was.
The accented rasp in his voice was unmistakable, and it made Revenant feel even more irritated.
The speed demon stood still, and Revenant could see from the way his unobscured, brown eyes glanced over to the screen that he was just as surpised, yet strangely not all too taken back.
" Tough luck amigo," Octavio added as he shook his head, and it made Revenant snatch the phone away from his sight with a low grunt.
"- Like I give a damn," he said back as he pulled back his arm, his fingers pressing down on the device with an iron grip that began to overwhelm the phone, crushing it in a matter of seconds.
And it was something Octane saw and snickered at,
"Right..." Octavio said lowly before relaseing a short sigh, and halfhearted shrug.
“He just snatched your girl right from under you,” he muttered with just a bit of tease.
"- Why should you care?" he added with a little hum, discreetly eyeing the broken piece of technology still in the bot's hand.
He only mused over how much 'Che would have the time of her life gloating over how she just knew the Simulacrum had something of a heart in him.
"You're crazy," Octane said while walking alongside his childhood friend.
"Come on Silva, just think about it," she urged him.
"I've never seen him act so...so unlike himself," she said. " just pay attention," she advised him, and from then on, he had kept a close eye on you and Revenant.
And he was surpised to notice the little things.
Like, your laugh around him.
There was a little pitch you reached that made him roll his eyes when he noticed.
And the bot's eery way of standing over you had become less intimidating the more he paid attention.
Instead, it seemed cheesy, like a man leaning in for some attention, lingering for something more.
Octane then began to chuckle lowly, almost losing himself in a fit of giggles as he wondered what the Simulacrum would do when he found out it was nothing but a PR stunt.
"But just don't tell anyone," you said after he'd caught you and Mirage talking about it.
"I mean, I love my girl," Mirage said with a smile, "But it's just business," he told the other male offhandedly.
"Just a bit of teasing the crowd," he added simply.
"You think anyone could really hold down all this?" he asked while slowly turning as if proving a point, and it made you stare flatly at Octane.
"It's just such a shame," you grumbled, not really convincing anyone you were heartbroken about the reality of your romance.
You loved Elliot, but he really was something of a manwhore, and while he was a funny guy, you pitied the person that actually fell for him.
" Anyways, It's innocent too. We're just spending a bit of time together to get some buzz, especially since they're coming out with new merch for this one," he said while pointing at you, reminding Silva of the new, upcoming event.
"It's really been up to the fans for debate, which is fun," he added with a chuckle, but you disagreed, cringing at some of the comments.
-And the fanart?
You burned with embarrassment at some people's talent.
Meanwhile, Octane nodded, understanding.
Was it meant to tease the bot?
Perhaps, but there was just something exciting about it;
"Senior loincloth, if only you'd been faster," he added with yet another chuckle as he drew back.
perhaps fluff, ( YK, as far as slashers can get with fluff)
Word count: 1483
Flattered
Your finger lightly petted the falling wax that gently ran down the long, white candle, toying with it betwixt your thumb and pointer before it cooled into a thin coat over them.
You released a little hum before using a nail to peel off the remains with ease, soon feeling just a bit happy with how soft your skin felt afterward.
Though, the delight was short-lived.
- It usually was.
Boredom had you sitting here with a halfhearted gaze, wondering if you'd ever get out.
The man that held you captive did nothing much but put himself to work, occasionally looking back at you to confirm that you were still there.
As if you could go anywhere else but under his nose.
It made no sense as you didn't know where else you could go but sit, making you wonder why he did so, so often.
"I'm not going anywhere," you reminded him in a soft voice as you then lay back on the bed there.
It was the only thing that had been saved from the touch of the melted substance he worked with, and you were grateful. You were surrounded by it.
"Can't," you mumbled before closing your eyes tiredly.
Like hell you'd try anyways when his brother was lurking anywhere the masked one wasn't.
'I'm better off here,' you inwardly mused.
If you were completely honest, you preferred being stuck with this man instead.
At least he just kept you there at a distance, something the other one had trouble doing when you first got into town.
You didn't even want to think about what he would have done to you if Vincent hadn't intervened, pulling you to him with a sort of claim that had you conflicted.
Because you didn't know if being with him was going to be better or worse, luckily, things had gone pleasantly thus far.
-You weren’t dead and that counted as a victory.
He didn't try and touch you, excluding the few moments his soft hands grazed your cheek, feeling the texture of your flesh to what you concluded was inspiration to his more innocent work.
Gently his fingers trailed the line of your lower lip, and as you tried to follow the movement of the exploring digits, your eyes practically glowed at the act.
He wasn’t stupid enough to think of it as anything other than utter interest, but even then he adored the look you possessed.
You quickly lost your initial cowering when you realized he wouldn’t draw lower than our jawline, or roam anywhere else other than your face.
So, you let him do as he pleased, occasionally voicing out little teases that got you little, flustered responses.
‘Having fun?’ you questioned him while trying not to laugh to much at the way his movements would be interrupted by a sudden, minuscule jerk that would be akin to a stutter in someone’s voice.
You noticed the way his fingers would tremble, and for whatever reason it was ….cute.
For just a moment you opened your eyes again, a half-lidded look pointed to where he continued to run the warm metal utensil over little mistakes he’d made.
You blinked your eyes open wide before you suddenly turned your whole head, your face pointed to his direction, your entire body soon following the movement until you lay at your side, observing.
‘Is that what he’s been up to?’ you asked yourself, realizing how it made sense the amount of times he stared at you, studying.
"Is that me?" you asked with a touch of a smile, asking from where you now sat, your legs hanging off from the side of the bed.
At the finishing details, you finally found yourself eased enough to ask just as he took a step back to give it a final once over.
Granted for the past few days, you hadn't talked , but the simple boredom of all those hours had you begging for some interaction.
At your question Vincent turned back to you and nodded slowly before looking down, shifting awkwardly.
You watched as his hands toyed with the tool he held, and as you observed, you detected what was perhaps bashfulness.
His lack of words made his body language much more exaggerated, that was for sure.
But, of course, you didn't mind much.
"Can...um...can I get a better look?" you asked with a crooked smile, waiting for his response.
His head shot up and he looked at you for a long minute before he nodded.
You weren't sure why, but you felt a bit amused before you walked over to him and the wax figure, eyeing it as it was just at your height.
Your hand went out to touch it before it retreated, and you looked up to the massive man, uncertain,
"Can I?" you asked, afraid to ruin his work.
Though, he nodded fiercely, the hand closest to him hesitating before it reached for yours, guiding it towards your replica's face.
That's where you started, petting an eyebrow before skimming down it's chin.
You then brought the hand to your own face, feeling the difference with awe.
"It's amazing," you said while looking op to him, the single eye that stared you down holding appreciation.
Though, you could hardly see it as it was hidden by the shadow of his mask and jet black strands that had framed his face.
"You're really talented," you told him, flattered by the work, moreover appreciating that he had only used you as a muse and not the base for his sculpture.
"I'm nowhere near your skill, but maybe I can sculpt you sometime, " you joked while looking the work over more.
He even caught the fabrics of your clothes right, making you softly sigh.
It had only been a silly remark, because you doubted you could pull it off anyways, but he seemed elated.
his hands both took your wrists captive as he turned you towards him, the act nearly tearing a scream out of you in frightened surprise. Other than the first time he’d practically tore you out of his brother’s brute grasp on you, it was the first time he’d used any real force.
He lightly shook you as he bent down a bit, looking down with a tilted head, not speaking, but communicating with a nearly muted hum you found somewhat endearing.
Quickly, your terror subsided as you took in his response.
"Ah, You like that idea?" you said with a short chuckle, and he nodded quickly, excited.
"I'll take that as a yes," you said as you eased your wrists out of his grip, only doing so thanks to the dying pressure of his hands.
He'd never had anyone try and capture his likeness.
Not even he bothered to do so.
But you had offered, and it was something he didn't know he yearned for until he watched you try and mimic the steps he'd taken to create yours.
You explained to him how you’d work on a much smaller scale, the figure no larger than six inches, giving you a small enough goal that didn’t require all of his precise touches.
He helped you start of, slowly guiding you with silent advise and little nudges you smiled at.
You were somewhat sloppy, and when you weren't, you were far too considerate, your pace careful, almost afraid of messing up.
Soon after, he let you try your hand while he sat back and watched for hours, giving you the workspace needed to become familiar while he stayed out of the way.
However, it didn't mean he sat back and did nothing, because he found the sight of you moving around his usual workspace to be charming as you copied many of his movements , even the unnecessary ones.
It was cute watching you move around in his apron with no real direction.
He’d help you out, but given how determined you were to do it on your own, he refrained from it after you pleaded with him on the first attempt.
Flattered was in no way near what he felt, because it was far greater.
In his sketchbook he recorded the various faces of your process, the purse of your lips, the lines of frustration and consideration that decorated it too.
-And especially your moments of little victories as you saw your efforts pay off.
Even the light smudges of dried wax you had dotted on your cheeks as you wiped them occasionally had been captured.
He recorded it all on paper, and hoped that after he finished the moments, you thought of them as fascinating too.
Gently his fingers ran down the slick wax that protected his face, realizing how warm he felt beneath the mask, his cheeks flushed with color that spread over his ears too.
for a moment you looked back at him, his living muse smiling preciously.
As you lay on your bed, your belly was pressed against the mattress with your forearms fitting snug in between a fluff of assorted pillows.
Elliot sleeps next to you without a care in the world, entirely vulnerable as he continues to snuggle into the comfort of the mattress even more.
He’s a heavy sleeper, one that tends to sleep through the morning time, while you wake up early. It’s not always by choice, but it tends to happen often enough for him to gloat about how you two are a perfect fit.
Sometimes you can fall back to sleep, but on that morning you didn’t feel like making an attempt to try doing so.
-Not when you catch sight of him.
The way he scrunches his face makes you smile, but not any more than when he says your name in a little, whiney voice that has you softly giggling.
You shake your head too, amused, and tickled pink.
His voice is soft, nearly hoarse as he calls for you, not knowing you are right there with him, and the idea that he's in a world where anything is possible, yet he includes you, has your heart soaring.
your face gently warms as you brush your fingers over the messy curls that have become tangled during his sleep. The curls have become frizzed with his nighttime turning, and they've shrunk moreso, becoming tighter springs you adore.
It’s a shame he doesn’t wear his natural hair out more often.
Soon, you can't help but have your fingers skim over one of his eyebrows before resting your hand over his cheek, lightly caressing it before your hand falls to his chin.
The second your thumb brushes over his lower lip his mouth puckers, and you can't help the way you feel, what you itch to do.
You come down to offer him a slow, little kiss to his forehead before you leave a quick one on his lips, in the end unable to resist his charm.
You then slowly melt onto the mattress with a little sigh that morphs into a yawn.
You hadn’t been too sleepy before, but the longer you look at him, and you watch him sleep with such ease next to you, you think that it’s a better deal to cuddle up next to him again.
It's not like he can get you pregnant, but he enjoys the act.
Regrettably, he can't possibly ever give you a child, but with the way he's on you, you'd swear it was the only thing on his mind, that it was his mission to go against reality itself.
He loves pressing down, looking into your eyes the moment it happens.
He loves seeing you try to quiet down before, making a poor attempt to gather yourself together even while you press your plush thighs around his waist, desperate to hold him down.
It's adorable how you look at him with anguish as you press your hand to your face, your gaze someone spiteful as you have the cynicism to blame him for something you're both doing.
-As if he forced you.
-As if you weren't the one with the beautiful pleasing eyes and irresistible pull he can't draw back from.
Little sounds escape you, tiny whimers that make you shut your eyes more, and he relishes in your misery.
"shh…"
You hate when he does that,
-when he leans close and hushes you, warning you that just about anyone nosey enough could interrupt as you're on the ship.
"I hate you..." you seeth, the harsh whisper spoken through a crack in your fingers before he offers a vengeful thrust forward.
"Of course you do," he muses with a low voice as his hands both knead the meat of your hips before gliding his hands down and taking hold of your ankles.
Your thighs are pressed close to your chest, and you nearly break entirely as he releases a nasty sneer,
"Now shut up and cum,"
IM SO SORRY THAT LAST LINE HAS ME GIGGLING, KICKING MY FEET.
He'd caught you by surprise, your eyes skimming over him at first before they took a long pause, one that lasted long enough for him to notice and feel tense.
He's always been one attentive to his surroundings, - having so many enemies did that to him.
And as the assassin he was now and had been for centuries, he couldn't overlook the feeling of being watched.
Much less, with the intensity in that look directed at him.
"What are you staring at?" said his artificial voice, the underlined threatening tone always present in it, even if you two were fairly accustomed to each other by then.
It's not like you were friends, but you did say hi every now and then, to which he occasionally offered you a dismissive wave, a little acknowledgment that encouraged you to keep greeting him.
It took you a moment to answer, and during that short pause you continued to stare, your eyes wider than they'd ever been as they resumed staring at him and his new attire, which wasn't a simple paint job.
There was a more human touch to his appearance this time, even if it was the smallest bit, and for whatever reason it had you staring.
Slowly, your eyes trailed down, skimming his entire form before your sights fell to your hands and the over-excessive way your fingers toyed with each other, which further surprised you.
You hadn't even realized it.
'Do I always do this...?' you wondered idly before you remembered he'd asked you something.
Shaking your head fast, you choked out a response, "Nothing!" you insisted, peeping out the response.
"I was just...thinking," you added and before you could finish he was already on his way, brushing past you with something close to a grumble, an annoyed one.
After all, idle chit-chat wasn't something he was accustomed to.
His clear bother made you feel somewhat guilty because you weren't doing it to be rude, and you wondered If he got the wrong idea.
You could feel a thick lump in your throat as you swallowed down and he continued on his route, leaving you staring at his back.
'That's not what I wanted to say,' you lamented as you trailed behind him, something he noticed.
Your mirroring steps had him seconds away from snapping at you, from asking you what had gotten into you because it wasn't like he invited you along.
Nor did he imply you were welcome.
Meanwhile, you struggled, wondering Why it was so difficult to offer him a simple compliment.
Sometimes you even stumbled to thank him for proper teamwork, which hadn't happened with anyone else, even when you'd been new.
It's not that he terrified you, entirely, that is.
There were other Legends that sometimes intimidated you, all for different reasons, and yet you remained composed.
"-I meant to say, you look nice," you corrected yourself, your voice softening down right from the start of your praise.
Slowly his steps stalled before he took a pause, while you felt your heart pick up its pace, suddenly feeling excited.
Why? You weren't sure.
But it was enough so, that you hadn't had much time to really think over what you were saying as you stood right behind him, at arm's length.
"You always look good, but today, it's diffrent. Today, you look..."
'He looks...' So many words hit you at once, but only one left you.
"- Handsome," the single word escaped you, and when it did, he finally looked back at you from over his shoulder.
You watched as he looked back at you, the bot taking in the slow realization that shifted your features to a more timid expression that reflected your immediate regret.
Your hands had even moved up, fingers brushing over your lips as you covered your soundless gasp.
Beneath the digits, your lower lip found itself captive between your teeth as he continued to look at you and that endearing face you continued to make.
-Handsome?
Were you teasing him?
He wondered if you were, but judging by the way your eyes looked over at him with helplessness, the consideration didn't last long.
You wouldn't do that, even if you had decided to tease him in some way, it wouldn't be like this.
This wasn't planned at all.
"Is that so?" he asked simply, and you nodded shortly,
"Yeah," you breathed.
Even if it had been so sudden to say so, it was true.
Even if you felt your face nearly melt, you owned up to it.
"hm..."
It took him a while to respond with anything more, inwardly musing over all the diffrent things he could say, ultimately deciding that he'd leave it at that for now.
Mercy was his form of gratitude, and as amusing as it was to watch you look so helpless, he'd grant you that.
Much more, he wouldn't put you through hell for complimenting him.
He'll take the praise, and with a bit of satisfaction too considering that you weren't hard to look at.
'I suppose... there's something about her,' He thought dismissively before he dropped his shoulders with a bit of defeat as he corrected himself on the matter because you weren't just easy on the eyes.
He actually viewed you as quite lovely.
He rolled his shoulders back and he stood tall before quietly turning back with a little, amused hum.
As you watched him leave, you felt your body shrink with relief, your hands slowly falling to your side as you let out a tired sigh,
"What was that about?" you wondered, asking yourself what had gotten into you. There was leftover tension in the air and you sighed at it.
And his response was just as questionable.
Which, while it had been nothing but a simple glance and humored sound, left you feeling nervous, the knotting in your stomach unbearable.
How dufuk dat Totem work. Also obv this is before his Rework. Daddy didn't need no fancy shmancy work to be HIM.
Word count: 3528
By Choice
Your first encounter with teh simulacrum was something you hardly forget, and you constantly think of given how different a dynamic you now have.
It leaves you in awe, and he shares the same feeling, unable to understand how a single person can mean so much.
The tanned-skinned woman offers you a stern look, a mix of pity and spite facing you as you look at her with happy eyes that have yet to understand the shift in mood.
She'd just offered you words of encouragement, even if they held playful tease, but now as she looked at you, she seemed rather sour.
-All to your confusion.
"Loba?" you say with uncertainty, your face showing just how concerned you are.
She seemed to have regretted speaking to you in the first place, and the truth was, she'd rather forget who you were now because it wouldn't make sense to remember someone who wouldn't last.
At your address, she tried to force a smile, an unconvincing one that made your earlier valor slack. For whatever reason you felt less confident about your debut.
"It's nothing dear," she said with that same unconvincing curve to her lips.
It took you a moment to understand why, and You didn't have to ask why her expression had changed as you then turned and followed her line of vision, soon looking at the banner next to yours.
'Oh...'
-To think you'd be paired with the synthetic nightmare on your first match as an Apex Legend.
For a prolonged second, you stared at the banners with wide eyes, in disbelief before another contender approached, coincidentally the same who'd be your teammate.
Loba practically sneers as your partner makes his way towards you, sizing you down as you stare back at him with a sternness that wavers the closer he comes.
She doesn't stay long after that, and she doesn't even bother to tell you anything more either, all of which you overlook as you are more concerned with the bot's presence.
You swallow down thickly as your heart speeds and aches in pain, uncertain of what is to come, feeling unfortunate that not only would you have to watch out for potential enemies, but consider your partner a possible hostile too.
To say the least, you were on edge the entire time and were relieved to part ways after. Even if there had been nothing truly eventful about your match other than him shoving you out of the way a couple times.
You clenched your fist each time but bit back saying anything more than a short huff the second time it happened.
You were glad it was over, much more that you came back in one piece. But luck would have it that you'd find yourself working with him more than once, so much that you wondered if it was fate.
You wondered if there was something you couldn't escape waiting for you at the simulacrum's side.
'maybe death,' you mused darkly at first.
-That or the games were somehow rigged.
Though, you pondered if your fate was as horrifying as you had initially thought given how you no longer felt threatened by him.
He was a dick to you, but even his attitude began to ease as time passed, and so did yours.
He went from disliking you, to simply ignoring you....to suddenly being pleasant, earning your favor, something that wouldn't have been too difficult from the beginning.
'Maybe he just takes some warming up,' you mused with relief at your newfound partnership, finding things worked better when he actually considered your plans.
-And from pleasant, he went to confusing.
.
.
.
' Alluring little thing,' he constantly thinks so.
He regularly observes you, memorizing your every movement, even the most subtle breaths that leave you.
He regularly keeps track of your heartbeat and does so with the same tranquility one would find with the sound of gentle music.
He's keen on the existing twinkles in your eyes throughout the day, under different lighting, and inspired by different emotions.
It's all so interesting to him.
You are interesting.
The fixation he has for you digs deep, further than anything else he's ever felt, bypassing the searing wrath that has, until then been his only drive.
Unscathed, he made his way towards you, his long legs reaching you in short strides.
"You came back..." you say with relief, the words leaving you in a low breath. You sure are surprised, he can tell by the way your eyes look at him as though the sight of him is the last thing you'd thought to catch.
-Especially with how he reacted just before he stalked off after your earlier spat about strategies
And you beam as a result, unknowingly letting him know just how much it meant that he turned back.
Before long, slowly his hand fell to your face, the back of his fingers gently drawing down your moistened cheek as you'd just crawled away from the water you'd fallen into during your last scuffle.
Blood gently grazes his affectionate digits, and while he's familiar with the feeling, it's not quite as tantalizing as it's always been.
-And it's been an issue with you lately that he can't seem to understand, or express.
Instead, it's an oddly hollow feeling he feels, even if it's nothing more than a scratch that's marked your face.
Realizing that your pain brings him no pleasure is strange and bothersome, but he doesn't voice his new discovery. Instead, he masks it, pulling back his hand too for being so impulsive.
Why has touching you become such an obsession?
-He burns to know.
"hn...Get up," he demands while helping you up, pulling you by the arm after giving you a quick heal.
Your legs scramble to find ground as he quickly pulls you to him faster than you can gather your thoughts or try getting up on your own.
Though, throughout the trip, you had newfound vigor.
Because If he came back there had to be a reason. He had to find you useful, and you wouldn't disappoint. You'd show the simulacrum that you were just as worthy of a contender, an equal partner that wasn't going to be a commodity like he'd stated before he left you earlier.
As snappy as his words are, you only huff with triumph, nodding, looking at him the entire time with that little twinkle in your eye.
However, as soon as he helped you up, your breath paused and that little spike in courage was forgotten.
You lean close to him as a consequence of his gruff pull, for a second lingering as you look up at him and put on an uncertain face, curious of him as he is of you.
-At least, that's what he would like to imagine; That you are just as interested in him as he is in you.
It's considered, and For whatever reason he stays there by you, silent.
You lick your lips, subtly, not at all seductive, yet all the same, looking alluring as you offer him eyes that question him for every one of his actions that seem so unlike him.
For instance, his persisting hold that has gone from your arm to your side.
A single hand stays there and he watches as you direct your pretty eyes down to the side it resides after looking away from his own sight.
As of late, he's gotten closer throughout every interaction, and you've noticed.
'What's he doing?' You want to ask him, but you feel embarrassed too, silly too.
'He's a robot....well, Simulacrum,' you think with correction. 'Aren't they... somewhat human? At one point wasn't he?' You don't know what to think, but as you remember that, a part of you feels happy.
Something in you warms at the idea of there existing a part of him that holds the emotional capacity you do...that could somehow understand what it is that you are feeling at that very moment.
And your skin tingles as he takes the tiniest step forward while still gripping your hip.
'It's silly right?' you wonder, 'What should I do?' you wonder without direction.
While lost in thought, your hand rises, instinctually drawn to him, but he stops you midway by breaking the moment with a step driven back.
He has to peel himself away from you, being the first to move as he advises you to heal while turning to face east, and you are grateful he does.
It's not like you wanted him to draw distance, but at least he saves you the embarrassment by looking elsewhere.
'Maybe it's for the best,' You think.
"That's where we're heading," he tells you while marking the map, and he threatens to leave you behind again while waiting, eyeing you to make sure you're prepared to move, not missing the way you can't meet his gaze.
-Observant to how you seem to smile as you look at anything but him, even if it's not entirely joy-filled. There's a touch of something more but he can hardly catch it as you do your best to hide your face.
Though, occasionally you slip, and it's adorable as you try and peek at him, much more when you pretend it's not what you wanted.
It's not just enchanting how you look, but why you look that way.
And he's insistent on being the one to cause those reactions, on being the only one you show those precious responses to.
He feels scorned when anyone else can make you happy.
it's sickening at first how much he craves you. It's humiliating to him how he needs to point you to him instead, though, it's watered down when you seem to need less and less of a pull.
it's satisfying when you seek him, when you stop looking at him with question, and merely act on the same instinct he has when near you.
As his hand falls over your cheek, you stand surprised, your eyes peeled wide as his fingers move in soft caresses.
'It's just like before...' you think back to when he'd first done so, to that moment so many weeks ago.
You'd thought about it so much, nearly obsessed over it, and just how excited you felt no matter how hard you tried to pretend it didn't happen.
Your eyes flutter close, acceptant to his cold touch.
Soon, you become eased into the act, expectant of it, and he loves the way your eyes flutter close, taking in a long breath to enjoy the moment like it's an otherwordly pleasure.
The more he repeats the act, the closer he feels you, and before long there's less uncertainty.
Now, he's amused at knowing the touch of his razor-sharp claws can cause you serenity. Furthermore, it's something you need from him as you become bold, taking his kind hand, cradling it in your own as you lead it to your face and offer him sweet eyes and a pout that fills him with the slightest guilt for making you wait.
Never before would he have thought he'd succumb to a simple look, much less one as bratty as the one you pull.
These were the kinds of things he'd see people do and scoff at... How is it that he's now just one in the mass of these annoying, unbearable skinbags?
Curiosity led to experimentation which, opened the path to a routine that brought forth a side of him he forgot existed.
It'd been lifetimes ago since he'd felt the insistency to touch anyone so softly, or even be the recipient of such a feeling.
He soon becomes content with his own fill of affection, moving on without any address.
In a sense, it's like a kiss to you, an 'I've missed you' without words, moreso when it's been longer than a few hours apart.
-And that's another thing, he can't stay away.
It's not long before you pay him back with the same gentle touches, enamored by his every edge and smooth plating, an idea he thought impossible.
He feels almost naked sometimes, far too much, and while it's overwhelming at times, he doesn't tell you to stop or urge you back.
Knowing that he can also fill you with desire makes him feel alive, existent in a realm he's made of something more than wires and programming.
And one day he pushes further, coming down to your lips, pressing his own.
There's no movement from his mouth, and yet you press your soft one to his, pretending there is flesh there.
Your unbothered behavior sends him to the moon as you hold his hands, passionate in the lasting kiss.
He can feel it, your lips on his, the warmth and devotion in what you offer.
Somehow...can you?
'Can a machine love?' Noxx has dared to ask, and even if his genuine curiosity holds obnoxious condescension, it's made Revenant wonder.
-Enough to ask you.
Your eyes open wide, and you look at him with stupefaction.
"W-why do you..." you can hardly ask without stumbling over your words, and he noted your heart is fighting to jump out of your chest, it's restless as it races.
it stills when his fingers catch your chin, holding it there delicately as you continue to lay beneath him, caged down by his outstretched arm.
"You're a smart girl," he compliments because he truly does find you fascinating, even if he teases you.
He considered your thoughts worthy of contemplation, even the silly ones.
" What do you think?" he wants to know.
He wants you to speak the possibility into reality, because if you say so, then he's willing to believe.
He doesn't love himself enough to consider being happy, but if you, as fascinating and wonderful as you are tell him it's possible, then he has no doubt.
he feels something in him sinking as your eyes hold back tears, and he prepares himself for the worst, nearly certain that somehow this has all been too good.
"If I can love one... I'd hope he could feel the same for me," you say as you offer him a smile, a soft one he wants to call his and keep safe.
"If I can say I love you and be sure of it, even when I feel so afraid - could you admit it to me too?" you're begging, because you're at the point of no return, and his question feels like a make it or break it moment.
'Are you capable of that?' you think with worry.
The uncertainty in the question he asks fills you with worry because you know what you feel for him. You love Revenant and were sure every step you'd taken together was one taken with love from both sides.
' Or is this when you tell me... when you show me your true self?'
It filled you with dread to think that this was somehow a game of his, that he was truly evil and treacherous.
it's been on your mind for a while,
'Silly little Girl... you're nothing more than a game to him.' Revenant's voice echoed in your head, startling you.
You thought it had been your teammate at first, that Revenant had found his way to you already, but that hadn't been the case. You couldn't see him anywhere, and you wondered if you'd imagined the voice at first.
The sound of static occasionally fell in the background and you pressed your lips thinly wondering why your comms were failing.
"Rev... I can't hear you," you try to communicate with your partner, though, getting nothing back but choppy static.
Laughter surrounded you, and you grew weary of it.
It sounded just like Revenant, and the more he spoke, the less you were sure it was just your imagination.
"What's happening?" you thought with uncertainty, feeling sick.
There was only one thing you could think of, but you were unsure because this hadn't happened the last time you'd used his Totem. it was nothing similar.
'Poor little skinsuit...' He murmured.
' - used as just some entertainment in between matches where he can do what he actually loves,' he persists, and you had to bite back.
"That's not true," you start with annoyance that soon deters the longer he repeats the words, the more he continues to taunt you. It feels as though you'd been listening to him for an eternity, wearing down your will.
Ignoring him hadn't worked, but it seemed that arguing back was worse.
Laughter follows as a retort before he speaks again,
'It's what he was made for, It's ALL he is.'
The words are spat out, sharp, and sinister.
Just as you find refuge, you look down at your hands, and your breath comes out short and quick, as the air feels sparse.
"he's not like that, " you say as you look down at your empty palms covered in black smoke. "I thought he was, but he's not." you continue.
'Revenant, He's gentle... soft.
he's different with me...' You tried to remember that.
"he's different," you voice.
'ooh?' coos the voice, 'different you say?' he asks.
'I see he's got you all worked up with his fingers. You're familiar with them, but have you ever seen them painted red? Don't you know that same hand has sliced through more hearts than your little one could ever bear?'
"I know already, what he's done... what he is," you say.
'Do you? ' He asks with doubt.
'Do you think he's a victim? that he's some poor, trapped soul?' He asked with scrutiny.
'Aren't you sweet... you pity him don't you?' he asked with amusement.
'you want to save him, right?' he persisted with the same sneer.
'Well let me tell you something, he's earned his place in this hell! No one forced him to be the monster he is! he's made killings far before he was trapped in that body.' He informed you, making you bite your lip down harshly.
'Did he tell you that? of course not, he hasn't even told you his real name, has he?' he asked confidently.
"When he's ready he'-" Your voice died when he interrupted you.
'He knows your every secret while giving you nothing but breadcrumbs.
Sweet, sweet (f/n).
You trusted the wrong person again, didn't you?' he sang as your vision blurred, and you had to admit that stung.
Just the idea...
'That's right...' Revenant's voice starts as your face slowly falls into bleak realization.
'And you were so easy...' he added with a chuckle, 'All he had to do was offer you a little petting, like a dog.
he hardly did anything before you leaned in for more, ' and you recall it.
'Were you that touch starved?' he asked with mock pity.
At that, you closed your eyes tight, and you shook, denying it.
'Love me! love me! Oh please! Look at me! Please, someone love me!
- Pathetic!' The sound of laughter made you shrink.
' Even in this dimension, you're pathetic,' he said with a cackle.
His words continued until Familiar hands took a grasp at your shoulders, holding you tight and making you open your eyes in shock, a strangled breath leaving you.
Revenant, your Revenant in his physical form looked down at you, and as his hands squeezed you, you came to with a start.
"What the hell did you do?" the question came out irate and nasty as he stared at your shaky form, his voice making you flinch as you continued to stare at him with surprised eyes that soon filled with fright.
'This is who he is, All he is....' the voice said before it became quieter, leaving you with nothing but doubt. 'Remember that when he touches you...'
You could only shake your head in denial, not knowing what you were trying to wash your hands of exactly.
Meanwhile, You shook in his hold, and that very expression you couldn't wipe away had him unsettled,
"What did he tell you?" it was the only question he could ask, and you couldn't answer him.
Your voice refused to work, nothing but a small sound came out before you took a frantic step back.
He noticed and pulled you back, his hands refusing to let go. the ends of his digits dug deep into your arms, the grasp becoming aching enough to make you wince.
"Answer me!" his anxiousness deepened through his words and the desperate way he held you.
As you looked up at him, truly gazed at him you remembered how scared you'd been when you first met him, and why.
You recalled one thing: that after all, he was meant for killing.
How could you forget?
'He's right, at least about one thing,' you thought with dismay as the step you took back returned, the foot falling back to its earlier place after he restrained you.
The haunting voice had been right because you can't fight back. even if you had the strength to pry him off, you had no will to draw further.
'it is pathetic...'
Where else could you run to?
there was nowhere else you wanted to go, no other arms you sought for refuge.
-Because you loved him.
And it was the first time you truly admitted it.
Soon, you clung to him, needing to hold him, having a desperation to feel his arms coiling around you.
You'd wondered what it'd be like, and it was as serene as you'd expected, offering you a comfort no one else could.
'Even if this is a game to you, give me more time, let me enjoy this more.'
"Shut up..." your voice stayed soft as you pressed your cheek close to him, " Please... please shut up,"
His voice was no comfort to you right now, especially not when it melted with the vicious one from earlier and you begged him to stay silent.
But you wanted him close.
"Just hold me... touch me... don't let me go...Rev, "
"Stupid little skinsuit," he muttered, still annoyed, though complying with a gradual approval.
He hadn't imagined you'd ever lean on him the way you were now, so desperately.
"I warned you," he really wanted to scold you, because he told you not to touch his totem, that it was only his to enter.
There was a reason for his forewarning.
The longer he'd been with you, and the more he was starting to feel for you, the more unbearable it became to go through it, and he just knew it'd be a true nightmare for you.
His lips grazed the crown of your head, gently pressing down, 'How could I resist?' he wondered, his earlier fury settled.
'Especially when you cling to me like this...'
Though, he insisted on knowing what you were told. It would take some digging, but he'd figure it out. But later, because at that moment, you were more important, comforting you was his only objective.
"Do you love me?" you ask him with that soft tone to your voice that has him feeling sparked with something vibrant.
"Because I love you, " you say while you lean close, and he comes down to try and meet you. His hand shifts to hold your cheek, marveling at the delicate skin and how there's a touch of flush to it.
One of your arms is draped over his shoulder, fingers scrunching the red cloth that covers the back of his head whist your other hand is pressed to his chest.
"Revenant? Do you feel something for me? Something similar?Anything?"
He's always been fascinated by your heart, and he wishes you could feel something beneath your palm. He wishes you could feel how much his heart would be speeding at your confessions and the sensual way you peer at him.
" I feel you mine," is what he first says, marveling at your sight.
"And only you have my mercy," he tells you, as his fingers brush your cheek. Without much thought you turn your head, your lips aimed to brush over his hand.
Successfully, you land a kiss before looking up at him with eyes dimmed with yearning.
"You have what no one else has, or ever will," he says with certain.
"And what's that?" you ask softly.
"- Me." he answers simply.
"My devotion, and conscious loyalty," he affirms. "Something no one, not even Hammond will take from me again," he swore to you and himself.
"With you, I'm a puppet by choice," he said while nuzzling his face to your neck, and as strange as it may be those words meant much more than a simple I love you.
From Revenant, their meaning was profound.
There was a knot in your throat, and to save yourself from what would be choked words you pressed your lips to his, finding your own way to translate the Phrase.
This is based on this post I saw a long time ago about what rings the legends would gift their darling.
I can’t remember where I saw it and I'm upset because I want to share the inspooooo. All I remember seeing the ring and being like, yee.
cutesy drama
Also I'd love having Seer as a friend. He’s so pretty and artsy!
Word count: 2080
Admirer
The pad of your thumb lightly stroked the tip of your ring finger, all as your eyes looked down at the red gem that glowed so beautifully under the lighting it was graced with, it was mesmerizing.
You'd inspected it thoroughly, twirling the accessory left and right so many times in awe that you knew its every perfect angle, and not once did you think of just taking it off.
- No.
Since you put it on, it's been like a part of you, something dear, and it was something your friend took notice of.
" A rather interesting piece," Seer said with a halfhearted smile as his right hand's palm was presented to you as a motion to encourage you to present your accessorized one.
With a little bemused shake of your head, you placed your hand over his where he graciously took hold of it, capturing your digits between the pads of his long fingers and pressing thumb.
"How lovely, " he mused while eyeing the gem that sat beneath your knuckle, his gaze lasting for a few seconds before slowly traveling up your arm.
Soon after, the mystical blues were trained on your face and the rather flustered expression you wore and tried to mask.
It's like you held in a secret, one you wanted to tell, yet held back from, and it had him softly chuckling, finding it endearing.
For him, it was hard not to smile.
"It's special to you," he then said knowingly as his hold on you loosened, your hand slipping from his lax grasp before it lazily fell to your side.
"Yeah," you admitted with a bashful smile, trying to not to grin any harder.
Someone liked you, really liked you based on how lovely the ring was.
You couldn't imagine it was thoughtlessly bought, because you could only figure that it was specially made for you and no one else in mind as its wearer.
You adored its peculiar craft, the little skulls that sat on either side of the heart-shaped ruby something you appreciated just as much as the elegant black spins that adorned the band and were accented by little diamonds.
So many little gems were fit into a single piece and you had trouble believing it was anything cheap.
'These are real,' you admired, your eyes sparkling.
'And it's all so beautiful,' you added. You had such an attachment to eve, even whilst being someone who ever went out of your way to own such expensive jewelry.
You tried to think of who it could be, who your admirer could be.
Who knew you that well?
- enough to know that, that wonderful splash of red on your finger was to your taste far more than any other gemstone.
'I love it,' you thought as that vibrant red had you thinking of a certain someone.
Your expression notably softens, and your ever-so-observant friend is quick to make a remark,
"You have someone in mind," he notes, but you just laughed it off, trying hard not to put your hopes up, or entertain the thought any further.
"Of course not," you chuckled, waving Seer off.
"But..." you then breathed, "it's the oddest thing," you start while looking down at your gift.
"I came back to my room and just found it there on my nightstand," you revealed.
"-There was this flower there too, "You added as you finally broke your concentration on the beautiful details to look at your friend.
"It was just as red as the stone, " you add with a small smile.
"And whoever had put it there had left all of the thorns in tact, " you told Seer while shaking your head, your voice full of wonder.
"What kind of strange person does that?" you said with a huff before you looked up at the ceiling, a musing hum escaping you soon after.
"-someone who knows you like them that way," he interjects, remembering how much you toyed around with the sharp edges, delicately petting them every so often with a charming affection.
As convenient as they were , you detested dethroned flowers.
At his words your hands are flying to your face, covering up your entire expression of giddiness that simply came to life at that moment, becoming uncontainable.
"I know!" you practically squeal.
You feel so alive, so full of something you can't quite place, but know is making you feel an excitement you'd never felt nor expressed before.
"I have got to be crazy, right?" you then say as you look back to Obi and wildly grin,
"Because I wasn't even angry someone had been in my room," you reveal.
Logically, you should have been, but that hadn't been the case,
" No, the first thing I thought was; wow, I should really plant this," you chuckled.
"- keep it alive for as long as I can; one day grow an entire bush out of that single stem.
And the ring?" you proceed to ask.
"I admired it for so long! heck, I looked at it under every lighting I could and couldn't help but fawn over how beautiful the damn thing is," you say with awe.
"it just made me think of Rev-" immediately your mouth shut, and you looked at your friend with wide eyes as a hand found its way over your mouth.
You'd babbled so much that you'd said too much, and while you seemed horrified, he laughed at your reaction, the warming voice seasoned with mirth,
"I see..." he says, and it's not much he voices, but it has you flustered.
The way his eyes squint together makes him look kittenish, awfully playful as his lips curve into a little smile too.
"No need to feel shy," he enthuses. " I already had a growing suspicion," he says as he holds a fisted hand up to his mouth to hide the way his soft smile morphs into a wild grin.
"Don't start," you plead, because he's poked at the idea before.
However, you'd always had a quickness to deny it, and a slight offhandedness that sometimes convinced him you were telling the truth.
-but this time you'd slipped up, and you'd showed your truth with what you didn't finish saying.
"No need to be embarrassed," he tells you again, though it doesn't stop him from looking entertained.
"But there is a need to feel stupid," you tell him with a soft, blue sigh, and he raises a brow, confused.
"-Of?" he asks.
"You know..." you start, your eyes sheepishly rolling.
'He has the nerve to ask,' you think tiredly.
"He's...well," you find it hard to say as you lightly scratch your cheek," I don't know if he's capable of feeling that way, you know?" you ask, not waiting for an answer back before you continue to talk.
"I know he feels things... but does that mean he can also feel love?" you voice.
"Normally, I've got two feet on the ground, but then with this situation... " you say with briefly shut eyes, "This whole time, he's the only person I could think of," you acknowledge, admitting that there's no one else you'd want more.
- Maybe that’s what it was. That you yearned it to be him, you convinced yourself that no one else could be your admirer.
"He's the one I could only hope it's from," you then confess, and he nods as he listens along.
" Obi, I'm crazy for falling in love with a literal murder machine," you exclaim, your worried expression tilted more toward distress as he looks at you with genuine surprise at your sudden outburst.
"I feel like my heart goes crazy when he's around, like it's trying to jump out to him," you say while your right hand repeatedly pats your chest where the little traitor of a muscle rests.
It’s not like you planned to fall in love. You didn’t choose to, one day you realized it happened.
Against all logic, it swayed to the direction of the simulacrum.
"It's trying to reach him...
- Towards someone that could quite literally tear it out of my chest, “ you joke.
“ Do you know how crazy that is?" you ask him, not noticing how his eyes slowly skim past you to look over your shoulder.
Briefly, the mystical blue orbs hold an even brighter glow before they calm, his expression melting,
"Really?" he asks, and you just let out a tired breath.
You begin to pace left and right, only looking at the ground as your thumb's nail is repeatedly chewed without any real tear, the anxious action mindlessly carried out.
"He's so awful! He's such a jerk...a complete asshole," you then say with a touch of edge, and you faintly register a stifled chuckle coming from your friend.
"But he makes me laugh...and all of his bitterness just makes his sweet moments more special," you immediately add, your voice softening towards the end as you think about how those little instances feel so precious.
"He makes me feel special.... He feels special...unique."
The moment of tenderness ends as you then hug yourself, your head furiously shaking, and it's easy to see you're fighting a battle with yourself. The internal battle your heart and mind continue with is perfectly acted out.
You seem uncertain of anything at first.
Though, suddenly that list of reasons why you shouldn't feel the way you do towards Revenant begins to be outweighed by the reasons why the first shouldn't matter.
" He weighs like a ton! " you complain, thinking about how he's impossible to move, literally.
You think of how much he's teased you with that sole advantage. He’d childishly pressed you against the wall to steal the items you’ve had your eye on before.
" but when I think about having him crawl all over me...when I remember how strong he is..." you say as you bite your lip with a little hum.
Your face steams.
Slowly your eyes drift towards a wide-eyed seer who looks just slightly taken back " you know... remember that dream I told you about?" you then huff out.
"It was him, it was with him, and it's been killing me that I haven't told anyone!" you spill, choosing to fiddle with the ring, twisting it as you tell him.
no one else knew about the infatuation that you're slowly realizing isn't just an
' infatuation.'
Not even the word desire could define it.
"Oh..." you then sound, so much emotion in a single breath as you suddenly deflate,
"-I think I'm in love with him," It's like the realization actually dawns upon you.
You don't just find him pretty, beautiful would be the word, if not mesmerizing.
you're not content with his presence, and happy wouldn't even do justice to what it is you feel.
'Is there a word for happier than happy?' you mused.
Elated falls short, and as you continue to think about it you hide your face in your hands, and the lack of comment that leaves your friend has you suspicious.
After all, he’s always quick to say something.
"You're not going to say anything?" you ask, peeking over at him. "I just realized I'm in love with Revenant and you have nothing to say?" you question him, and he suddenly bursts into a fit of laughter.
"It's the third time you've said it," he tells you, amused that you'd let such a thing slip the first time without even realizing it.
And moreover, that you've said so right before the object of your affection.
Perhaps it was a bit cruel, but you hadn't given him a moment to warn you. He’d made an attempt to by lifting up a hand to stop you from rambling, but in your speech, you hadn’t even noticed.
How was he supposed to know you were going to suddenly lay your heart out?
He feels just a sense of satisfaction realizing how Revenant is frozen in place and utterly silenced.
He’d snuck up on you, initially pressing a finger before his lips to warn seer not to interfere because he wanted to get a quick giggle out of taunting you.
And when you finally turned stiffly towards him with horrified realization, there was a lack of amusement.
“Ah...I think you two have plenty to talk about,” Obi then interjected as he kindly patted you on the back and slipped away, wishing you luck.
it takes a single moment for you to be struck by the love bug
Dude, I LIVE for simp/ Bloodhound whether they are a sick Yandere or a sweet, devout partner. I’m trash
Word count: 1123
It took a moment, just a single instance for it to happen.
For Bloodhound, it was as though time had suddenly slowed down, the world giving them a moment to appreciate the wink of time just a bit longer so they could truly cherish it to its fullest glory.
The bullets that had zipped past them traveled at such an agonizingly slow pace, that they felt brazen enough to pick at them from the air and toy with them during their travel.
It was complete lunacy, yet, the Legend felt exhilarated at such a sensation, such a heated rush that felt like a wild surge of electricity had fallen upon them, in a thunderbolt. shockwaves danced over their flesh in little tingles that needed the touch of this very delightful new affection.
Urgency filled them, the newfound desire almost unbearable.
You, who had, until then been someone unknown to them, though pleasant enough to be acquainted with, looked rather lovely.
'No...' they then thought, not going further with the thought without correction,
You looked beautiful, marvelous, too good for words.
- Too perfect to not admire.
'- A gift from the gods,'
Rarely had they ever thought of anyone so divine, and you were one of the only few who had made them think so.
Your pretty lips were bruised at the side, a partial split decorating them from where you'd been hit earlier. You wore it so carelessly, almost unbothered by it after the initial long press of your thumb to it confirming there was a lesion.
You'd both initially landed hot, narrowly escaping the battle with evasive moves that kept you both out of the line of fire that came from competitors fortunate enough to get their hands on a weapon.
And while you'd left with little to nothing in your hands, the fight for survival had been fierce given your lack of gear.
Guided by their Raven’s claw, they pathed way for an escape, a chance to come closer to victory.
Your hair was in various tangles from the travel down, something you'd muttered about to yourself as you'd descended, and it had been something Bloodhound sighed tiredly at.
"What?" you said with a raised brow, offering your partner a cheeky grin.
"You should worry about the battle more than your appearance," they suggested, making you huff out in dismissiveness as you pressed your thumb to your lower lip, the blood that dotted the flesh making you squint hard in annoyance.
"Of course, you would say that," you added quietly before looking away.
You were fairly new and were taking advice from another Legend, one you’d easily befriended .
Mirage had given you little pointers, advising you that good Media was also a part of the gig.
-You had to either look good or look cool.
Besides, after you'd read a couple of the fan's reblogs of you... you decided that perhaps a bit of self-care was needed.
'Being in the public eye sucks...' you thought dishearted.
Bloodhound’s retort was a soft, dismissive hum, though they inwardly questioned why you would be concerned when you presented yourself just fine.
You now found yourself in an anxious flee, weaving through an open space of tall vegetation.
"Come on..." you breathed, hoping your partner pulled through.
It had been a rather risky, yet creative plan you offered to them after looking down at your only gun between the two of you. Though, it was thoroughly thought out as you planned to follow a specific route, calculating every move no matter how fretful and uncoordinated they might have seen to the offending party.
- That was, of course, the plan.
You had only one weapon, a long-ranged weapon with no optics, and much more out of your favor, 6 shots.
"Looks like we got a pretty shitty drop," you said with a low huff, passing the other Legend the sniper with no reluctance, without a question of any sort.
"It is yours," Bloodhound said in response to the offer, quickly skimming their eyes from the offer, and instead searching the trail they'd followed for signs of another competitor lurking.
Because the last thing they needed was to get ambushed.
"I think it would be of better use in your hands," you said kindly, being humble enough to admit that their aim was certainly better.
Afterall, their sight definitely was.
This was a sport to you, to them hunting others had been their life far before the games.
"We don't have much to work with," you started, "But luckily people are still landing, so we might have a good chance of an ambush," you offered with a devious, little chuckle.
"We just have to play it smart," you murmured, mentally preparing yourself because if you screwed up in any way, you were toast.
Meanwhile, Bloodhound had trouble deciphering whether or not the chance you took was admirable, or simply an act of recklessness on your part.
It only made sense to them as to why you got along with the speed demon so much, why you jumped at being paired with each other because perhaps Octane was one of the only other people willing to dive headfirst into disaster and walk out grinning whatever the outcome was.
Win or lose, it was just fun to complete, that was his philosophy, and something you often claimed too.
Momentarily, you smiled at them, an excited grin shot the hunter's way as you craned your head back and got a good peep at your partner from where they'd been posted.
"You're amazing," you beamed back at them, your voice reaching them thanks to the coms. The excitedness and awe you conveyed through those two words had Bloodhound somewhat dumbfounded enough that a simple thank you that felt the custom was released with mild difficulty.
It was strange, but you were greeted with silence, though you didn't seem too troubled by it.
Meanwhile, Their keen eyesight had been witness to a smile that left them stunned, struck by something that left their chest feeling wounded.
From that very moment you ...
You, who had really been nothing but a good, occasional companion had become the center where their life gravitates to, the very essence of allure in every sense, even in your most distasteful moments.
You dug through your new loot, happy as could be while you relayed your finds through the coms as they made an approach towards you.
By then, Bloodhound sees you for what you truly are; a gift from the gods.
You are their destiny, their intended life companion.
Unknowingly you grin at them, and they cherish the expression, reflecting on how you'd always been beautiful.
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