After the terrorists removed its tracker, severing the last link that might bring the Weapon back to its handlers, they brought it to a room.
"Sorry it isn't much," Chloe said, sounding embarrassed for some reason. "But it's what we have."
Leader added, "We'll bring you dinner in a bit."
The Weapon nodded, then made its way into the room. The terrorists closed and locked the door behind it, leaving it alone for the first time since its capture.
The room was... surprisingly nice, actually. The bed had clean sheets and warm blanketsāmultiple blankets. There was a bathroom with an actual door attached, meaning it could have some privacy, even with the window in the door to the hallway.
It sat on the bed, running a hand over the top blanket. It was so soft. It didn't think it had ever felt something that soft. The bed itself was soft, too, much softer than its cot back at the compound. And on the pillow there was aā
Little stuffed bear?
It picked up the thing, squeezing it experimentally. What was the purpose of this? The thing was too small and oddly shaped to serve as another pillow, too well-crafted to be a target for its powers.
The bear was kind of cute, actually. And its fur was as soft as the blanket, if not softer. The Weapon ran both hands over the tiny stuffed creature, enjoying the texture and feel of it.
Eventually, the Weapon found itself curling up on the bed with the bear in its arms. Without even meaning to, it fell asleep.
----------------
Chloe and Sniper brought the Weapon their dinner. Chloe had argued she could do it alone, but Leader had said there should be a minimum of two people. Just in case they try anything, he had said. As if the pitiful creature they'd brought back could do anything. They were practically skin and bones; Medic said they were severely underweight and malnourished.
But then again, powers. Chloe sighed. It was a harder battle than she expected to get the rest of the team to want to help this person.
She knocked on their door. "Hey, it's Chloe. I brought food."
No reply.
She shared a look with Sniper, then looked through the window on the door. It was a bad angle, but she could just make out the form of a person laying on the bed.
"It looks like they're asleep," she said.
Sniper shrugged. "Should take them the food anyway. They can eat when they wake up."
"Is this the part where you argue that this could be a trap?" Chloe asked sourly.
Sniper just shrugged again. "It could be. But you're plenty strong to take them if they try anything." They gave a tiny smirk.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Thank you for your stunning vote of confidence."
She opened the door and slipped inside with the food, leaving Sniper to guard the exit. She set the food down on the table and walked over to the bed.
On the bed, Weapon was curled up withā Chloe stepped closer. They were curled up with the little teddy bear she had left in the room. She wanted them to have something comforting to keep with them.
Apparently it worked. She smiled down at the scene, then slipped out of the room as quietly as she could.
All art is political, but in this day and age why not swing for the fences. Make all your characters queer. Make all your characters POC. Make all your characters women. Make all your characters disabled. Make all the good guys socialists. Make the villain an amalgamation of ICE, the military, Meta, and Lockheed Martin rolled into one. You have nothing to lose but the posers who wouldn't like you anyway
Marcus and Jake are finally safe from AMTEC - although their escape nearly cost them both their lives. Now they are free to heal and discover what they might be to each other - and they learn that AMTECās influence leaves not a single person in their lives untouched.
AO3
Masterlist
This is a sequel series to Beneath Gunmetal Skies. Start here, continued from here.
Marcus didnāt go far. Of course he didnāt; Jake was still in that building. Jake would have to order him away, beat him away, for Marcus to ever leave him. And Jake hadnāt done that ā yet. So Marcus hovered near the clinic, patrolling, pacing, watching for real threats ā not the false alarm that heād nearly killed because he was too volatile to be around normal people.
No wonder they always muzzled and cuffed me when they brought me around the brass. Set me loose around the general population and Iām terrorizing them within days. Too fucking dangerous to be free. Better in cuffs. Better under the chip. Better as a fucking Lev.
He couldnāt go back, though. Not when they would torture him, which would inevitably lead them to Jake. He would have to learn how to be a person and fucking pray he didnāt kill anyone before that happened.
Back and forth, he paced along the edges of the property. As patients came and went, he kept to the bushes and shadows. He didnāt want to frighten anyone, so staying out of sight was probably best. He watched the cars that drove by and memorized the license plates. No cars drove by more than once. That was good.
The light faded. His arm ached as goosebumps shuddered across his skin; autumn was just about here. It was more than the coolness of the night, though. Guilt crawled deep inside him and gripped his insides, pulsed with each beat of his heart. Dread, too.
Lars had raised a hand to him. Not to hit, at least he didnāt think so. Maybe to try and pull the man ā Tobias ā away from him. But Lars had raised their hand, and Marcus had flinched as if a blow was coming.
And Jake had seen it. Jake had seen it all.
Fuck. Jake.
Marcus couldnāt imagine what Jake thought of him now. Jake, with his soft touch and softer heart, who filed off the rough edges of every interaction. Jake, who always seemed to know the right thing to say. And Marcus had marched someone in and tried to kill him in front of him.
Jake would have known not to do that. He would have known what to say, what to do.
Because Jake isnāt completely fucking broken. Jake isnāt a Lev. He never was. Not really. Itās why we escaped in the first place.
Marcus was so fucking stupid. He felt likeā¦ a creature, surrounded by human beings. A creature that always did the wrong thing, no matter the circumstance, no matter the tools presented. With AMTEC, the rules had been awful, but at least there were rules. There was hierarchy. He always knew what to say and do, and what would happen to him if he failed. Here, in the worldā¦ every interaction felt like a maze he had to find his way through. Every single one. He never got better at it.
And he had nearly just killed someone because of it.
He sank into a crouch and pressed his face into his hands. āFuck,ā he whispered. It would be better if he was whipped over this. This deserved a whipping. And at least the world would make sense, even for just for a few minutes, if he was whipped.
He doubted Lars would do it. They almost certainly didnāt have a whip. But ā Marcus knew this from his inventory of their house ā they had multiple electrical cords that would do the trick.
Lars wouldnāt do it. But Celeste might. If he asked. She didnāt seem to like him much.
He rose, turned on his heel, and made his way down the north side of the lot once again. Night had fallen. The streetlight over the parking lot flickered on.
After another hour, the door to the clinic swung open, and Marcus instantly recognized Celesteās footsteps. He watched her head to her car, looking around like she was watching for an attacker. She hurried to her car, climbed in, and mashed down the lock as soon as the door closed.
A lump formed in Marcusās throat as he realized: she was probably watching for him. He watched her drive away. Raye came out next, trailed by Tobias, and they both went to the same car. Marcus watched with distant curiosity as they left together.
That left just Lars and Jake in the clinic. He headed for Larsās car. He figured it would be most convenient if he was waiting inside the car when they got to it ā he didnāt want them feeling like they had to look around for him ā so he tried the handle.
Locked. That made sense.
Instead, he stood awkwardly next to the car, arms hanging by his sides, once again feeling more like a creature than a person. People leaned on cars, he thought to himself. But that feltā¦ wrong, for him to do. He shouldnāt do that. So he just loomed next to Larsās car in the dimly-lit parking lot and waited for them to come out.
Eventually they did. Marcusās chest released as he saw Jake was following them. It was stupid of him to have worried ā heād been in the area this entire time, Lars wouldnāt let anything happen to Jake, and Jake had proven time and again that he was more capable than Marcus often gave him credit for ā but it settled him, to see Jake. It assured him that they really were safe, they really were free.
Even if Marcus didnāt deserve to be.
Lars didnāt see Marcus until they were about twenty feet away. They gasped and leapt several feet into the air. Marcus held perfectly still, doing his best to be as unobtrusive as possible.
āMarcus?ā Lars hissed.
āY-yeah,ā he croaked.
Jake pushed past Lars and folded against Marcusās chest. Marcus allowed his arms to wind around Jake ā but only because Jake seemed to need this. But then, Jake had always been gentle, even when Marcus was cruel to him.
Jake was, perhaps, not the good judge of character Marcus had thought he was.
āHeās okay,ā Jake whispered against Marcusās shirt. āHeās going to stay with Raye. Alright? Andā¦ and heās going to help us out here. Heās not mad. Weāre not mad.ā
Marcus laughed darkly and released Jake. āOkay.ā He glanced at Lars.
Lars was looking at him steadily. āIām really not,ā they said. āHe might end up beingā¦ really helpful. And heāsā¦ā At that, they stared at the ground. āHeāsā¦ cool. So weāre good. You didnāt murder him. So everythingās fine.ā
The image of Lars wielding a whip cut across Marcusās mind. They wouldnāt know what the fuck they were doing, so theyād probably pull their hits. He imagined his back welting and stinging under the blows. He imagined them patching him up after.
He couldnāt imagine them smiling while they did it. For some reason, that was the one thing he couldnāt picture.
His shoulders twitched. Jake reached for his hand and squeezed. āWell, Iāmā¦ sorry,ā he managed as his throat started to spasm shut. āI donāt know what happened.ā
Lars drew in a deep breath and let it out. āWellā¦ letās talk more in the car, okay? Iām fucking exhausted. I need my bed, a snack, and a shower. Maybe in that order. Who fuckinā knows.ā They unlocked the car and got in. āToday, lovebirds. Iām not above leaving you here.ā
Marcus clenched his teeth as he climbed into the back seat with Jake. Jake immediately tucked himself against his side, lips pressing against the side of his neck. His hand closed on Marcusās metal wrist. Marcus only realized that arm had been in pain when it suddenly deadened, like noise disappearing behind earplugs. Lars started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
āItās okay,ā Jake whispered against his skin, for only him. āItās okay, Marcus. Theyāre not going to punish you. Okay? No oneāsā¦ no oneās ever going to punish us again.ā
Something shook loose in Marcusās chest. He couldnāt let it come out ā not now. He didnāt know what would happen if it did. Heat seared his eyes and he squeezed them shut. He pressed a hand against his mouth as tears leaked out and coursed down his cheeks.
āYou wonāt be punished, Marcus,ā Jake breathed. āNever again.ā
Marcus muffled a sob against his hand. He ducked his head against Jakeās chest and wept as silently as he could, quivering with shame, with disgust for himself, and below all that: doubt.
He couldnāt watch the road the way he should as they made their way home. Jake just held him gently in the back seat as Lars drove. By the time they got home, his tears had stopped, but the ache in his chest never faded.
If you want to be on the taglist (including for the spicy chapters,) let me know! I only tag people in 18+ chapters if I know they are adults through conversations or if their age/age range is in their bio.
Marcus and Jake are finally safe from AMTEC - although their escape nearly cost them both their lives. Now they are free to heal and discover what they might be to each other - and they learn that AMTECās influence leaves not a single person in their lives untouched.
AO3
Masterlist
This is a sequel series to Beneath Gunmetal Skies. Start here, continued from here.
Marcus didnāt go far. Of course he didnāt; Jake was still in that building. Jake would have to order him away, beat him away, for Marcus to ever leave him. And Jake hadnāt done that ā yet. So Marcus hovered near the clinic, patrolling, pacing, watching for real threats ā not the false alarm that heād nearly killed because he was too volatile to be around normal people.
No wonder they always muzzled and cuffed me when they brought me around the brass. Set me loose around the general population and Iām terrorizing them within days. Too fucking dangerous to be free. Better in cuffs. Better under the chip. Better as a fucking Lev.
He couldnāt go back, though. Not when they would torture him, which would inevitably lead them to Jake. He would have to learn how to be a person and fucking pray he didnāt kill anyone before that happened.
Back and forth, he paced along the edges of the property. As patients came and went, he kept to the bushes and shadows. He didnāt want to frighten anyone, so staying out of sight was probably best. He watched the cars that drove by and memorized the license plates. No cars drove by more than once. That was good.
The light faded. His arm ached as goosebumps shuddered across his skin; autumn was just about here. It was more than the coolness of the night, though. Guilt crawled deep inside him and gripped his insides, pulsed with each beat of his heart. Dread, too.
Lars had raised a hand to him. Not to hit, at least he didnāt think so. Maybe to try and pull the man ā Tobias ā away from him. But Lars had raised their hand, and Marcus had flinched as if a blow was coming.
And Jake had seen it. Jake had seen it all.
Fuck. Jake.
Marcus couldnāt imagine what Jake thought of him now. Jake, with his soft touch and softer heart, who filed off the rough edges of every interaction. Jake, who always seemed to know the right thing to say. And Marcus had marched someone in and tried to kill him in front of him.
Jake would have known not to do that. He would have known what to say, what to do.
Because Jake isnāt completely fucking broken. Jake isnāt a Lev. He never was. Not really. Itās why we escaped in the first place.
Marcus was so fucking stupid. He felt likeā¦ a creature, surrounded by human beings. A creature that always did the wrong thing, no matter the circumstance, no matter the tools presented. With AMTEC, the rules had been awful, but at least there were rules. There was hierarchy. He always knew what to say and do, and what would happen to him if he failed. Here, in the worldā¦ every interaction felt like a maze he had to find his way through. Every single one. He never got better at it.
And he had nearly just killed someone because of it.
He sank into a crouch and pressed his face into his hands. āFuck,ā he whispered. It would be better if he was whipped over this. This deserved a whipping. And at least the world would make sense, even for just for a few minutes, if he was whipped.
He doubted Lars would do it. They almost certainly didnāt have a whip. But ā Marcus knew this from his inventory of their house ā they had multiple electrical cords that would do the trick.
Lars wouldnāt do it. But Celeste might. If he asked. She didnāt seem to like him much.
He rose, turned on his heel, and made his way down the north side of the lot once again. Night had fallen. The streetlight over the parking lot flickered on.
After another hour, the door to the clinic swung open, and Marcus instantly recognized Celesteās footsteps. He watched her head to her car, looking around like she was watching for an attacker. She hurried to her car, climbed in, and mashed down the lock as soon as the door closed.
A lump formed in Marcusās throat as he realized: she was probably watching for him. He watched her drive away. Raye came out next, trailed by Tobias, and they both went to the same car. Marcus watched with distant curiosity as they left together.
That left just Lars and Jake in the clinic. He headed for Larsās car. He figured it would be most convenient if he was waiting inside the car when they got to it ā he didnāt want them feeling like they had to look around for him ā so he tried the handle.
Locked. That made sense.
Instead, he stood awkwardly next to the car, arms hanging by his sides, once again feeling more like a creature than a person. People leaned on cars, he thought to himself. But that feltā¦ wrong, for him to do. He shouldnāt do that. So he just loomed next to Larsās car in the dimly-lit parking lot and waited for them to come out.
Eventually they did. Marcusās chest released as he saw Jake was following them. It was stupid of him to have worried ā heād been in the area this entire time, Lars wouldnāt let anything happen to Jake, and Jake had proven time and again that he was more capable than Marcus often gave him credit for ā but it settled him, to see Jake. It assured him that they really were safe, they really were free.
Even if Marcus didnāt deserve to be.
Lars didnāt see Marcus until they were about twenty feet away. They gasped and leapt several feet into the air. Marcus held perfectly still, doing his best to be as unobtrusive as possible.
āMarcus?ā Lars hissed.
āY-yeah,ā he croaked.
Jake pushed past Lars and folded against Marcusās chest. Marcus allowed his arms to wind around Jake ā but only because Jake seemed to need this. But then, Jake had always been gentle, even when Marcus was cruel to him.
Jake was, perhaps, not the good judge of character Marcus had thought he was.
āHeās okay,ā Jake whispered against Marcusās shirt. āHeās going to stay with Raye. Alright? Andā¦ and heās going to help us out here. Heās not mad. Weāre not mad.ā
Marcus laughed darkly and released Jake. āOkay.ā He glanced at Lars.
Lars was looking at him steadily. āIām really not,ā they said. āHe might end up beingā¦ really helpful. And heāsā¦ā At that, they stared at the ground. āHeāsā¦ cool. So weāre good. You didnāt murder him. So everythingās fine.ā
The image of Lars wielding a whip cut across Marcusās mind. They wouldnāt know what the fuck they were doing, so theyād probably pull their hits. He imagined his back welting and stinging under the blows. He imagined them patching him up after.
He couldnāt imagine them smiling while they did it. For some reason, that was the one thing he couldnāt picture.
His shoulders twitched. Jake reached for his hand and squeezed. āWell, Iāmā¦ sorry,ā he managed as his throat started to spasm shut. āI donāt know what happened.ā
Lars drew in a deep breath and let it out. āWellā¦ letās talk more in the car, okay? Iām fucking exhausted. I need my bed, a snack, and a shower. Maybe in that order. Who fuckinā knows.ā They unlocked the car and got in. āToday, lovebirds. Iām not above leaving you here.ā
Marcus clenched his teeth as he climbed into the back seat with Jake. Jake immediately tucked himself against his side, lips pressing against the side of his neck. His hand closed on Marcusās metal wrist. Marcus only realized that arm had been in pain when it suddenly deadened, like noise disappearing behind earplugs. Lars started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
āItās okay,ā Jake whispered against his skin, for only him. āItās okay, Marcus. Theyāre not going to punish you. Okay? No oneāsā¦ no oneās ever going to punish us again.ā
Something shook loose in Marcusās chest. He couldnāt let it come out ā not now. He didnāt know what would happen if it did. Heat seared his eyes and he squeezed them shut. He pressed a hand against his mouth as tears leaked out and coursed down his cheeks.
āYou wonāt be punished, Marcus,ā Jake breathed. āNever again.ā
Marcus muffled a sob against his hand. He ducked his head against Jakeās chest and wept as silently as he could, quivering with shame, with disgust for himself, and below all that: doubt.
He couldnāt watch the road the way he should as they made their way home. Jake just held him gently in the back seat as Lars drove. By the time they got home, his tears had stopped, but the ache in his chest never faded.
If you want to be on the taglist (including for the spicy chapters,) let me know! I only tag people in 18+ chapters if I know they are adults through conversations or if their age/age range is in their bio.
@newbornwhumperfly behold what you have done. I blame you, and I'm delighted.
Isaacās eyes roll back as he sits on the bed, tilting his head to give Gavin better access to his neck. Gavin sits behind him and sucks gently at the scarred skin of his throat, his hands lightly gripping Isaacās upper arms. Holding him in place, holding him for pleasure ā not for pain. Vera kneels beside Isaac, her fingers ghosting over his nipple, the planes of his abdomen. Tori sits back against the headboard, her legs spread wide, her own hand between her legs as she tips her head back and watches through lidded eyes. Isaac allows himself a moment of greed ā he wants to be touching her, too. But this is enough. Heās being touched by his husband and his best friend, and itās more than enough. Itās so much more. He can hardly bear the waves of pleasure that break over him.
Every inch of Isaacās skin is ablaze. His breath catches in his throat as Gavinās teeth graze his earlobe, and goosebumps erupt over his body. Veraās breath is warm on his cheek as she leans in closer. Her hair brushes his temple, and he turns his head to kiss her.
Vera groans into the kiss and straddles Isaacās leg, grinding down on his thigh so he can feel how wet she is. Isaac gasps and cups her cheek, opens his mouth to her. He whimpers when she pulls away and breaks the kiss. Gavin steals a kiss over Isaacās shoulder. A silver ring on Gavinās ring finger glints in the warm, golden light from the lamp. It matches the ring on Isaacās finger, complements the gold rings that Tori and Vera wear. Isaacās heart swells, and he winds his fingers in Gavinās hair. Gavinās lips are soft, his breath mingling with Isaacās as their mouths move together. Isaac slides his hand down the back of Gavinās neck. He shivers as his fingers brush the scars there. All four of them have them, now.
Isaac gasps with a burst of pleasure and lets out a strangled sigh as Vera reaches down and palms him between his legs. āMmm,ā he moans against Gavinās lips. āAhhā¦ā
āDo that again,ā Tori breathes.
Isaac whimpers softly as Gavin rolls his hips, pressing his cock against Isaacās ass. His head is swimming with pleasure, soft and golden and intoxicating. He canāt tell where his body ends, and Gavinās and Toriās begin. He can feel their hands on him, can feel them all breathe together. Gavin rolls Isaacās nipple between thumb and forefinger, and Isaac gasps. Vera chuckles softly against his ear.
āYou like this?ā Vera whispers.
Isaac swallows hard and nods, breaking the kiss with Gavin as he gasps for air. āY-yes,ā he rasps.
āMmn, look at you,ā Vera murmurs. She and Gavin play his body like an instrument, and Tori watches the show. āI can feel how much you want this. I can feel you trembling, Isaacā¦ Do you want me to touch you? Do you want Gavin to suck your cock?ā
āY-yes,ā Isaac gasps. He canāt catch his breath. He is so warm, so comfortable, so wrapped up in the touches of his dear ones. His eyes burn with sudden tears that he blinks away. He wants to see Vera, wants to see Tori, wants to see Gavin. āV-Vera, y-yes, fuckā¦ā
Vera tips her head back and laughs. The sound is pure joy. Her bare breasts brush against Isaacās chest as she moves on his thigh, rolling her hips in time with Gavin behind him. Tori moans with them, her body moving in the dim, golden light, muscles moving under her dark skin as she brings herself pleasure in tandem with Isaac.
Veraās mouth curves into a gentle smile. Thereās a wicked twinkle in her eye as he places a finger under Isaacās chin. She tilts his head back until heās looking up at her, helpless, quivering under her touch.
āBeg,ā she whispers. Heat sweeps through Isaacās body, every heartbeat a thrum of pleasure inside him.
āPlease,ā he murmurs, trembling. He can feel Gavinās cock against his back and canāt decide whether he wants to bury himself inside Gavin, or have Gavin bury himself in himā¦
Veraās lips twitch as she pulls Isaac into a kiss and wraps her hand around his cock. He whines softly and bucks into her hand.
Gavin and Isaac are married?! This is canon to me I'm sorry I need them to be happy and together always šš Their silver rings matching Vera's and Tori's gold ones ohhhh such a great detail
I love this story so much everyone needs to read it and buy the books NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wrote this before the chapter in book 6 when Gavin says he doesn't think he would ever get married, but yeah they stay together as long as they live š
@newbornwhumperfly behold what you have done. I blame you, and I'm delighted.
Isaacās eyes roll back as he sits on the bed, tilting his head to give Gavin better access to his neck. Gavin sits behind him and sucks gently at the scarred skin of his throat, his hands lightly gripping Isaacās upper arms. Holding him in place, holding him for pleasure ā not for pain. Vera kneels beside Isaac, her fingers ghosting over his nipple, the planes of his abdomen. Tori sits back against the headboard, her legs spread wide, her own hand between her legs as she tips her head back and watches through lidded eyes. Isaac allows himself a moment of greed ā he wants to be touching her, too. But this is enough. Heās being touched by his husband and his best friend, and itās more than enough. Itās so much more. He can hardly bear the waves of pleasure that break over him.
Every inch of Isaacās skin is ablaze. His breath catches in his throat as Gavinās teeth graze his earlobe, and goosebumps erupt over his body. Veraās breath is warm on his cheek as she leans in closer. Her hair brushes his temple, and he turns his head to kiss her.
Vera groans into the kiss and straddles Isaacās leg, grinding down on his thigh so he can feel how wet she is. Isaac gasps and cups her cheek, opens his mouth to her. He whimpers when she pulls away and breaks the kiss. Gavin steals a kiss over Isaacās shoulder. A silver ring on Gavinās ring finger glints in the warm, golden light from the lamp. It matches the ring on Isaacās finger, complements the gold rings that Tori and Vera wear. Isaacās heart swells, and he winds his fingers in Gavinās hair. Gavinās lips are soft, his breath mingling with Isaacās as their mouths move together. Isaac slides his hand down the back of Gavinās neck. He shivers as his fingers brush the scars there. All four of them have them, now.
Isaac gasps with a burst of pleasure and lets out a strangled sigh as Vera reaches down and palms him between his legs. āMmm,ā he moans against Gavinās lips. āAhhā¦ā
āDo that again,ā Tori breathes.
Isaac whimpers softly as Gavin rolls his hips, pressing his cock against Isaacās ass. His head is swimming with pleasure, soft and golden and intoxicating. He canāt tell where his body ends, and Gavinās and Toriās begin. He can feel their hands on him, can feel them all breathe together. Gavin rolls Isaacās nipple between thumb and forefinger, and Isaac gasps. Vera chuckles softly against his ear.
āYou like this?ā Vera whispers.
Isaac swallows hard and nods, breaking the kiss with Gavin as he gasps for air. āY-yes,ā he rasps.
āMmn, look at you,ā Vera murmurs. She and Gavin play his body like an instrument, and Tori watches the show. āI can feel how much you want this. I can feel you trembling, Isaacā¦ Do you want me to touch you? Do you want Gavin to suck your cock?ā
āY-yes,ā Isaac gasps. He canāt catch his breath. He is so warm, so comfortable, so wrapped up in the touches of his dear ones. His eyes burn with sudden tears that he blinks away. He wants to see Vera, wants to see Tori, wants to see Gavin. āV-Vera, y-yes, fuckā¦ā
Vera tips her head back and laughs. The sound is pure joy. Her bare breasts brush against Isaacās chest as she moves on his thigh, rolling her hips in time with Gavin behind him. Tori moans with them, her body moving in the dim, golden light, muscles moving under her dark skin as she brings herself pleasure in tandem with Isaac.
Veraās mouth curves into a gentle smile. Thereās a wicked twinkle in her eye as he places a finger under Isaacās chin. She tilts his head back until heās looking up at her, helpless, quivering under her touch.
āBeg,ā she whispers. Heat sweeps through Isaacās body, every heartbeat a thrum of pleasure inside him.
āPlease,ā he murmurs, trembling. He can feel Gavinās cock against his back and canāt decide whether he wants to bury himself inside Gavin, or have Gavin bury himself in himā¦
Veraās lips twitch as she pulls Isaac into a kiss and wraps her hand around his cock. He whines softly and bucks into her hand.
Gavin and Isaac are married?! This is canon to me I'm sorry I need them to be happy and together always šš Their silver rings matching Vera's and Tori's gold ones ohhhh such a great detail
I love this story so much everyone needs to read it and buy the books NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marcus and Jake are finally safe from AMTEC - although their escape nearly cost them both their lives. Now they are free to heal and discover what they might be to each other - and they learn that AMTECās influence leaves not a single person in their lives untouched.
AO3
Masterlist
This is a sequel series to Beneath Gunmetal Skies. Start here, continued from here.
Contents: aftermath of whump, misunderstandings, past dissociation, unemployment, PTSD, past conditioning, implied past noncon, recovery
~
Lars stared at the boy kneeling on the floor in front of them. Their brain fucking ached with shock, with horror, with borderline revulsion as their eyes skipped over the bruises Marcus had left on his wrists, on the tears that streamed freely down his cheeks. They struggled to put each event of the past few minutes in a row: Jake came and told them they needed to go into lockdown. Celeste herded all the patients from the waiting room into the back, then shut them all into a clinic room with Raye. Jake picked up the fucking stapler from their desk to use as a weapon; it was the closest thing to a weapon they had in the entire clinic, since the aluminum broom handle probably wouldnāt have done much more than scare anyone trying to come in. And then Marcus had knocked on the door with a face like state-sanctioned death itself, dragging the boy and throwing him at Larsās feet. Now Marcus was fuck knows where doing fuck knows what, and the boy ā though he was probably pretty close to Larsās big age of twenty-four ā was still crying like his guts were hanging out of his body.
The thing that Larsās stupid fucking brain kept fixating on, though, was how incredibly fucking pretty the guy was. Full lips, long lashes framing large brown eyes, tan skin so clear it looked like paper. They blinked.
I donāt need this. Of all things, of all weeks, I donāt fucking need this.
Jake was still staring at the door where Marcus had disappeared. Lars swallowed their exhaustion and their shitty fucking mood, and knelt on the floor in front of the guy.
Tobias. He said his name was Tobias.
āUmā¦ hey,ā they said softly. āYou okay? Iāmā¦ Iām sorry aboutā¦ Hey, itās okay.ā
Tobias held a trembling hand to his mouth and shook his head desperately. āIām sorry, Iām sorry,ā he breathed. āI sh-shouldnāt have tagged your building. Iām really, really sorry.ā
Lars blinked. āThatā¦ that was you?ā A half-hysterical laugh bubbled from their throat. āāFuck the systemā? āFuck AMTECā? What was thatā¦ babyās first activism? Come on, man, why were you tagging this particular building with that shit?ā
Tobias gulped and took a steadying breath. āB-becauseā¦ there were no security cameras,ā he whispered.
Lars rolled their eyes. āWhat, and you didnāt think a building with cars outside and no security cameras might be doing some fucking of AMTEC of our own?ā They groaned as they got to their feet. Tobias stayed on his knees.
āā¦no,ā he said in a small voice. āNo, I didnāt think of that.ā
They heaved a sigh and held out a hand to him. āWell, get up, dipshit. Sorry to scare you.ā He gingerly took their hand and got to his feet. Jake was still staring out the door to the waiting room. Tears stood in his eyes.
āCome on, Jake,ā Lars murmured. āWeāll figure out where he went in a bit. We should let everyone know that weāre notā¦ you knowā¦ under siege or something.ā They turned and rapped on the first exam room door. There was a shriek from inside. āWeāre all good,ā they said loudly. āJust a little misunderstanding. Marcus caught someoneā¦ uhā¦ loitering outside.ā They kept themself from laughing, but only just.
Fuck, it had been a long week.
The door clicked open, and Celeste, Raye, and two patients peeked out. They all stared at Tobias.
Tobiasās crying had at least slowed down. Jake was silent, and he swiped at his eyes.
āJesus, what did he do to him?ā Celeste grumbled.
āI really am sorry,ā said Tobias. āI was justā¦ just fucking around and Iā¦ I shouldnāt haveāā
Lars waved their hand. āItās fine. Heās fine. Marcus is just, uh, jumpy.ā
Underselling it a bit, but that was fine. Their skin prickled at the memory of Marcus launching himself at the hammer in Larsās spare room, raising it to bash their skull in. The only thing that stopped him was his own blood loss. He had shoved them into a wall, too, when they got between him and Jake.
Theyād never seen him like this, though. Face blank, voice flat, like it was someone else behind his eyes.
No. Not someone else. Like there was nothing there. Nothing but orders put into him so he could spit them back out in the form of bullets and flashing knives. Like he was a machine, a thing.
Theyād never seen him look like a Lev. Until now. Until today.
āI need to go after him,ā Jake whispered.
āNo, you donāt.ā Lars opened the other two clinic rooms. They were empty. āHeāll come back. Or heāll meet us at home. But he would kill me if he found out I let you wander off on your own, afterā¦ā They dipped their head at him.
He might actually kill me. And Iām just not in the mood to risk that.
āHe must beā¦ fuck, he must be soā¦ā Jake swallowed hard.
āHowever heās feeling, Iāve got other shit going on,ā Lars snapped. āCeleste, would you mind going back out front? I think someone else has an appointment soon, and I donāt want her showing up to an empty waiting room.ā They nudged the other patients toward the door. āYou can head out there too, and Iāll be out in a bit. I need to get my shit together andā¦ and Iāll be right out. Okay? Weāll get started.ā They ran their fingers through their hair.
Tobias just stared at them. āWhat is this place?ā he breathed. āWhat are youā¦? What goes on here?ā
āWhat the fuck, why not?ā Lars threw up their hands. āMarcus already marched your happy ass in here. Itās an HRT clinic. So if you donāt mind, Iām gonna get back to handling that. This is sort of the last thing I needed. No offense. You can go out the way you came in.ā They turned to go.
Tobias took a step forward. āW-wait, wellā¦ do you needā¦ more people? Iāve been trying to find a job, but uhā¦ turns out itās kinda hard to find a job.ā He let out a weak laugh.
Lars slowly turned. āItās all volunteer here,ā they said flatly. āWe wouldnāt be able to pay you. So, no, not really.ā Their eyes darted over him once more, taking in his designer clothes ā even if they were a little worn ā as well as his ten-step-skincare-routine complexion. āUnless youāre interested in doing some charity work, rich boy.ā
Rich boyās cheeks flushed a brilliant shade of pink. āIām not rich,ā he hissed. āNotāā He didnāt finish whatever thought had been about to make its way out between his teeth. āBut Iā¦ I do need money. Or at least a place to stay. Could Iāā
āMy guest room is full,ā Lars snapped. āDo you even have any medical background, anyway?ā
āNo,ā Tobias said, and his voice took on a hint of a whine. āBut Iā¦ I did about two years of a business degree. I could help there, if youā¦?ā
It was at this point that Lars realized Raye was still in the hall, staring at them. Lars blinked at him. āWhat?ā
āBusiness help might be nice,ā Raye said easily. āAnd Iāve got a couch.ā
Lars ground their teeth. āFine,ā they said. āRich boy stays with you. So long as I donāt have to fuckinā deal with all this shit. Okay?ā When they turned once more, Jake was still standing in the hall, looking moments away from breaking down. Raye led Tobias further into the clinic, and the two were alone.
Lars finally let out a shaking breath. āSo,ā they said awkwardly. āHave you everā¦ seen him like that?ā
Jakeās brows pulled together. āOf course,ā he said softly. āWhen weā¦ when he had toā¦ when we were on missions, yeah. And when he knew he was going to beā¦ punished. Thatās how he was. Alwaysā¦ flat. Andā¦ umā¦ā He blinked, and two tears ran down his cheeks.
āFuck,ā Lars breathed. āSo he thought he was going to be punished?ā
āYeah,ā Jake said. āThatās why he was asking for clarification. I donāt think heā¦ rememberedā¦ where he was. I donāt think he realized we were out. I think he thoughtā¦ he was still in. And that heā¦ā He pressed his hand to his eyes. āAre we ever going to be out?ā
āHey. You are out.ā Lars took Jakeās free hand and squeezed gently. āOkay? So his brainās a littleā¦ fucked up. Thatās to be expected, right? After all the time you spent in AMTEC? They fuck with your brains in there, right? With likeā¦ mind control, and shit?ā
āI donāt know if itās mind control,ā Jake said. āBut itāsā¦ itās conditioning. Torture. Following orders until your brain feels weird when there are no orders to follow. The chip when you hesitate. The whip when you mess up. Andā¦ā He wet his lips. āWorse. For Marcus.ā
Lars didnāt ask him to elaborate. They had a feeling they knew.
āAnother testing kit. You need toā¦ to test me.ā
They swallowed hard. āIām sorry.ā
He shrugged awkwardly. āItās over now,ā he rasped. āHe saved me. He got us out andā¦ and saved me. But itās stillā¦ in us, sometimes. In him. I was only in for a few months. Less than a year. He was in forā¦ for so long. I donāt know how long exactly. I donāt know if he doesnāt remember, or if he doesnāt want to tell me. Butā¦ long. More than fifteen years, I think.ā
āJesus Christ,ā Lars grunted.
āI swear,ā Jake said. āHe doesnāt want to be like this. Neither of us do.ā
Lars held Jakeās gaze. āI know.ā It felt a little like a concession, after the week theyād had. But on the other handā¦
Fifteen years. Lars couldnāt even imagine. They liked to think they would hold up under torture, that they would tell AMTEC exactly how to shove it and where, that they would die before letting AMTEC break who they wereā¦ but just the thought of having the chip punched into their neck made them shudder. They couldnāt imagine having it activated. And to hold up under a whippingā¦
And then consignment. The constant, aching threat of being murdered if a defect was ever found. And they were bound to find oneā¦ because of all their fucking cameras.
No. Lars would crack after just a week of that. After just a few hours. They knew that.
But still.
āIf he wants to keep coming aroundā¦ā they said carefully. āHe canāt keepāā
āI know,ā Jake said. āI know. Weāll keep working on it, okay? I promise. He wants to get better too. He does.ā
Lars snorted. āI meanā¦ would he consider seeing a therapist?ā
Jake shrugged. āAt this point, I think heād try just about anything.ā
If you want to be on the taglist (including for the spicy chapters,) let me know! I only tag people in 18+ chapters if I know they are adults through conversations or if their age/age range is in their bio.
Marcus knows his role on his team: he's the one who carries the gun, makes the hard calls - and takes the hits. He has no time or patience for anyone or anything else. But when Jake - a brand-new recruit Marcus has been tasked with training - messes up on his first mission and gets them both captured, nothing could prepare Marcus for the way his world quickly spirals out of control.
Levy: (historical) the act of enlisting someone for military service
AO3
Book 1 chapters here
Book 2 chapters here
Cast:
Marcus (he/him) - for as long as he can remember, Marcus has been a Levy: a class of soldier owned by AMTEC, the military police overseers of River City. He's seen the worst in people for as long as he can remember.
Jake (he/him) - Jake was offered a choice: become a Lev, or suffer far worse consequences. He's never met anyone willing to take a hit for him before.
Lars (they/them) - Lars is a med tech by day, and runs an illegal HRT clinic by night. They had things pretty much under control, until a half-dead Marcus fell into their lap, begging them to help him free Jake from a mysterious blacksite.
Todd (he/him) - Todd lives a quiet life in Lars's town as a piercer. His past as a doctor and his skills developing bionic enhancements come in clutch when Lars brings an injured Marcus to his doorstep.
Celeste (she/her) - Celeste spends every moment she can at the HRT clinic, and makes a living as a lab tech at a local laboratory. She has her own reasons for hating AMTEC - reasons she hopes don't contaminate her, too.
Tobias (he/him) - until recently, Tobias lived a life of privilege - until he saw the cost of that life. Now he's on his own... if his old life doesn't return to haunt him.
Isaac/Lunar crossover with @wolfeyedwitch
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Accidentally Hurt by Friend for @badthingshappenbingo
Requested by anon
Red is for posted, white is for requested/planned/written, feel free to send requests!
Marcus and Jake are finally safe from AMTEC - although their escape nearly cost them both their lives. Now they are free to heal and discover what they might be to each other - and they learn that AMTECās influence leaves not a single person in their lives untouched.
AO3
Masterlist
This is a sequel series to Beneath Gunmetal Skies. Start here, continued from here.
Contents: chronic pain, prosthetic, Marcus's powers of organization, past torture, insensitive comment about fascists killing themselves, triggered whumpee, PTSD, implied control of news media, perpetrator guilt, dissociation, whumpee thinks caretaker will hurt them, manhandling, living weapon, begging, past noncon, fear of noncon
~
Everyone at the clinic liked Marcusās piercings. There was a nurse who worked there ā Raye, the one who had put on the gas mask the first day Marcus showed up ā who gave Marcus a smile and a thumbs up when he saw them. The patients in the waiting room seemed to like them, too; Marcus recognized them all, and he supposed they were starting to recognize him, too. Even Celeste cracked a smile as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.
āNice,ā she said. āYou donāt look nearly so much likeāā
āCeleste,ā Lars sighed as they rolled their eyes.
She rolled hers right back. āWell. You donāt. Itās a good look.ā
Jake just grinned.
Marcus followed Lars and Jake into the back of the clinic, rolling his shoulders and ignoring the phantom ache in his right arm. At this point he had tackled the storage room and the three patient rooms, as well as a different storage closet that he figured was probably left over from when this building had just been an office space. It held reams of copy paper, office supplies, holiday decorations, expired snacks, and piles of other junk that Marcus had combed through and organized until it looked as good as the rest of the clinic. The only room left to get through was Larsās office. He figured it might take some convincing to let him organize that space. He wondered if he could simply lock them out until he was finished. They probably had other shit to do, anyway.
He glanced and Jake, wondering whose side he would take. He had to catch his breath. Jake was staring at him, looking better than he had sinceā¦
Since. He still had the slightest limp if someone was paying attention ā and Marcus was always paying attention ā but the bruises had faded. The brace was still on his forearm, but there was no other sign of the torture heād survived for so long.
Except for when he smiled. His front tooth was still chipped, and probably would be forever. Marcus almost didnāt want to know what the men had done to him that had caused that. Maybe he would ask, one day. Or maybe Jake would tell him, when he was ready.
Jake took his metal hand. It ended the buzzing pain he hadnāt even realized had been gathering at the corners of his awareness. Jake squeezed; Marcus would have felt that, even before Todd adjusted the settings. But then Jake stroked his thumb back and forth against the back of Marcusās hand, settling a brief wave of tingles. That, Marcus wouldnāt have felt until now. He ā gently, carefully ā squeezed back.
Marcus kissed his temple, and Jake melted against his side.
Lars dropped their keys on their desk with a sigh. Marcus eyed the piles of paper littering their desk, the floor, the shelves around them. He swallowed hard and shifted his weight from side to side.
āIf you both are up to it,ā Lars mumbled, āI didnāt have time to restock rooms when I left last night. Would you be willing to do that?ā
Marcus glanced up. āStockā¦ rooms?ā The piles of papers and boxes of syringes were so tantalizing. He already knew where he would start: there was a big pile of paper near the door with a sheet on top with giant letters scrawled across that said TO SHRED. It would be so easy. He would take those to the shredder, feed the papers through, then take the bags of paper bits out to the trash to make room in here forā
āYeah, do you mind?ā Lars said. āWeāre out of almost everything. I think weāre entirely out of 21 gauges in the room closest to the waiting rāā
āRoom one, yeah,ā Marcus said. āYeah, I canā¦ā He glanced around at the papers again. āIf thatāsā¦ what you needā¦ā
āWhat I need is about ten million credits a year, a full-time staff, and for every person who works at AMTEC to suck-start a shotgun, preferably on national fucking news,ā Lars snapped. Marcusās eyes flicked to theirs as he froze.
Jake drew in a deep breath. āLars,ā he said gently. āYou okay?ā
āYeah,ā they griped. āJustā¦ Iām fine. Sorry. Itās just been a shitty week. Will you please justāā
āOn it, yeah,ā Marcus said, turning to go. A flush prickled across his cheeks and neck. He felt it again, that horrible urge: shoulders back. Hands behind his back. Head tucked. And another urge: to flinch away from a raised hand, a baton, a whip.
Yes, sir.
Even though he knew Lars would never do that, never want that from him. Lars was the farthest person from an AMTEC officer Marcus had ever met.
Lars was exactly the type of person Marcus would have been sent to kill a few months ago. Quickly, quietly, so there would be no news footage. The news would spin a story from the aftermath anyway, like they were paid to. Heād seen it so many times.
Terroristsā¦ Drug smugglingā¦ Heroic AMTEC raidā¦ No civilian casualtiesā¦ Increasing AMTEC budget once againā¦
He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat at the thought.
How many of the people Iāve killed were like Lars? Like Celeste and Todd?
Like Jake?
Jake squeezed his hand once more, startling him out of his reverie. āTheyāre just having a bad day,ā he whispered. āItās okay.ā
Marcus pressed an absent-minded kiss to Jakeās cheek. āI know,ā he said. āI know that.ā He headed into a room. āIāll start on this one, you start on the next?ā
Jake held onto his hand and pulled him up short. āSure,ā he said, giving Marcus one last kiss. āLove you.ā
āLove you.ā
Marcus blew out a slow breath as he trudged to the first cabinet and opened it. Things inside werenāt as bad as Lars made them out to be; they still had enough linens to get through four patients, and enough syringes to probably get through the entire evening. But Lars liked things a certain way. Marcus supposed he could understand that. He opened the next cabinet. There was no extra butcher paper for the exam table. That, he conceded, was a more immediate problem.
The hair on the back of his neck stood up. His head turned toward the paper-over window before he even realized what he was listening for.
Then the noise happened again: footsteps. Outside. Near the back of the building, where no patients had any reason to be.
He stepped out of the clinic room, flexing his metal hand. āJake,ā he said flatly from the hallway. āGet everyone into the back. Now.ā
He didnāt turn to see if he would be obeyed. He knew he would be. Heād trained Jake too well for any other outcome.
He stalked down the hallway and through the lobby. Celeste glanced up at him and fell silent at the look on his face.
āGet everyone in the back now,ā he said.
She wordlessly rose. The two patients in the waiting room didnāt move. Marcus ignored them. Everyone had their orders. Now he had his role. He pushed the doors open and snuck soundlessly out into the evening.
Heād heard the footsteps on the north side of the building, so thatās where he headed. If they were circling the building, or if there was more than one, wellā
He told Jake to keep the others safe in the back. Marcus just had to make sure no one got that far. Not when Jake was still hurt. Not when he was stillā
I never wanted him to have to fight again.
He crushed that thought. At the moment, it was irrelevant.
Overgrown bushes lined the northeast corner of the building, and so he immediately ducked into them. He shuddered as the branches trailed along his metal arm, sparking bizarre sensations.
He felt naked without his gun, or at least his knife. But heād killed with his bare hands before.
A few yards away, gravel crunched under someoneās shoe ā and it was definitely a shoe. Not a tac boot.
That was something, at least.
A metallic rattling sound.
A curse.
Marcus registered all these sounds, doing his best to pinpoint the assailant in space before he struck. He hoped there was only one.
If there wasnāt, at least he had warned the others.
He launched himself out of the bushes and closed the distance to the assailant in two quick strides. The man ā maybe about Larsās age ā cried out as Marcus tackled him to the ground. The spray paint can flew from his hands as Marcus twisted both arms behind him.
āAgh! Fuck, fuck, Iām sorry, Iām sorry, I, I didnāt know anyone wasāā He cut himself off with a gasp as Marcusās metal hand compressed his wrist.
A storm raged in Marcusās head. Habit ā more than habit, it was training, repetition, instinct ā battered at him, bent his body toward a specific shape. Gun, if no gun then knife, if no knife then strike the face and neck. Execute and move. Execute and move. He couldnāt remember if he was supposed to kill this man. He couldnāt remember who sent him outside. Had he done that on his own? He wasnāt allowed to self-deploy, not unless that was specifically stated in the mission objectives. Had someone ordered this manās death? Had someone ordered him to kill any hostiles he came across?
He didnāt know. He wasnāt sure.
He needed clarification. Unauthorized executions by Levs were punishable by consignment. He had to seek further orders.
Back inside it was, then.
Marcus wordlessly wrestled the man to his feet. The man was pleading, sobbing, but Marcus didnāt hear it. He had learned not to hear it, when people begged for mercy ā not that people often lived long enough to beg, with him. He was so, so good at this. He grabbed the manās wrists in metal hand and seized the collar of his shirt in his other, shoving him toward the clinic entrance. He figured it didnāt much matter if the man saw the inside of the clinic. Once Marcus got clearance to dispatch him, heād do it, quickly. Maybe he would be given his gun back. He wasnāt sure where it was. Heād be whipped for that. He might get worse than a whipping.
He released the manās collar only for long enough to yank open the door and shove him ahead of him. He could feel the manās wrists bruising under his grip. Cuffs would have been easier, but he didnāt seem to have those, either. He had fucked up with his equipment, and badly. Why the fuck didnāt I pack for this mission properly? His mind flitted to Jake. But no, he would have checked everything to make sure his trainee didnāt fuck them over this badly. This was his fault, whatever had happened.
Whatever had happened, he was going to be punished for it. He was going to be beaten. Depending on who the XO for this mission was, he might just find himself bent over a table for it. But if he hid ā if he avoided the consequences ā it would be so much worse. And if he just killed this man and hid the evidence of his failureā¦ He shuddered to even imagine. The sooner he handled this absolutely massive fuckup and dealt with the consequences, the sooner he couldā
He wasnāt sure what he expected to happen after that. Something was tickling at the back of his mind. He shoved the man forward anyway, approached the door leading into the back of the clinic the base, and knocked. The door was locked. He knew he should wait.
āM-Marcus?ā came the shaking voice from behind the door.
Heā¦ knew he shouldnāt answer to that name, that he should answer to Levy Unit C9I4M3, but that was the name that had been used. āYes,ā he croaked. āI have the assailant. Permission to execute.ā
The door swung open, and Marcus stared into Jakeās eyes. He blinked.
Lars stood right behind Jake. Marcus shook himself. Thatās who he reported to. Heād forgotten for a moment. He lifted his head and cleared his throat.
āSir,ā he said. āI need clarification on my orders.ā
āStop,ā Lars breathed. āMarcusā¦ Who the fuck is this?ā
The man started blubbering. āM-my name is Tobias, Iām sorry, Iām so sorry, please donāt kill me, I didnāt know what this place was, I was justā¦ I didnāt realize it wasā¦ oh, fuck, Iām sorry, I didnāt know this was AMTEC, I didnāt know, I swear to gāā
āWeāre not AMTEC,ā Lars said, pushing past Jake. āMarcus, let him goāā
The man squirmed in Marcusās grasp. Marcusās brows pulled together. This wasnāt how this was supposed to go. Heād never ā ever ā been told to release a captive before. AMTECās prisoners got put down, or put in a hole. Thatās how it worked.
Perhaps heād misheard.
He shoved the man to his knees. His arms were pulled back in Marcusās grip, and he cried out, rocking forward to relieve the pressure.
āSir,ā Marcus said. āIā¦ I apologize for my sloppiness, in letting him get so close. But Iā¦ n-need clarification.ā They were going to think he was stupid. And stupid Levs got consigned. But if he didnāt ask, they werenāt going to tell him, and releasing a prisoner into the base seemed like a profoundly stupid idea, even if it had been ordered by a superior officer. āDo Iā¦ have permission to executeāā
āMarcus,ā Jake whispered. āMarcus, you need to look around, okay? Weāre not in AMTEC anymore. You donāt have toāā
Rage surged through Marcus. Jake was going to get them both killed. He twisted the manās wrists up, forcing him to bend further forward. He sobbed into the floor.
Lars lunged forward, hand raised toward the man. āMarcus!ā they snapped, sounding to all the world like someone correcting a disobedient dog. āMarcus, enough.ā
Marcus let the man go. Shoulders back. Hands behind his back. Head tucked. Lars yanked their hand back like theyād been scalded. Jake just looked at Marcus with an unreadable expression.
No. Not unreadable. It was pity, written across his features clear as day.
āFuck,ā Marcus breathed. He took a halting step back. There was no one else in the hallway; the clinic doors were all closed, and he suspected all the patients and nurses had barricaded themselves inside. Thatās where he was: the HRT clinic. He was at the clinic. Not the base.
The man sobbing at his feet wasnāt AMTEC. He didnāt look like a patient, either; his clothes looked dirty, but they were well-fitting and expensive looking. Marcus watched as Lars knelt down and grasped his shoulders, helping him sit up. There were dark bruises on his wrists where Marcus had held him.
The horror didnāt quite land, though. Not until his eyes returned to Jakeās, and he saw tears there.
Heat flooded his throat.
āMarcus,ā Jake said softly.
Marcus didnāt wait for whatever Jake had been about to say. He turned and ran.
If you want to be on the taglist (including for the spicy chapters,) let me know! I only tag people in 18+ chapters if I know they are adults through conversations or if their age/age range is in their bio.
Accidentally Hurt by Friend for @badthingshappenbingo
Requested by anon
Red is for posted, white is for requested/planned/written, feel free to send requests!
Marcus and Jake are finally safe from AMTEC - although their escape nearly cost them both their lives. Now they are free to heal and discover what they might be to each other - and they learn that AMTECās influence leaves not a single person in their lives untouched.
AO3
Masterlist
This is a sequel series to Beneath Gunmetal Skies. Start here, continued from here.
Contents: chronic pain, prosthetic, Marcus's powers of organization, past torture, insensitive comment about fascists killing themselves, triggered whumpee, PTSD, implied control of news media, perpetrator guilt, dissociation, whumpee thinks caretaker will hurt them, manhandling, living weapon, begging, past noncon, fear of noncon
~
Everyone at the clinic liked Marcusās piercings. There was a nurse who worked there ā Raye, the one who had put on the gas mask the first day Marcus showed up ā who gave Marcus a smile and a thumbs up when he saw them. The patients in the waiting room seemed to like them, too; Marcus recognized them all, and he supposed they were starting to recognize him, too. Even Celeste cracked a smile as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.
āNice,ā she said. āYou donāt look nearly so much likeāā
āCeleste,ā Lars sighed as they rolled their eyes.
She rolled hers right back. āWell. You donāt. Itās a good look.ā
Jake just grinned.
Marcus followed Lars and Jake into the back of the clinic, rolling his shoulders and ignoring the phantom ache in his right arm. At this point he had tackled the storage room and the three patient rooms, as well as a different storage closet that he figured was probably left over from when this building had just been an office space. It held reams of copy paper, office supplies, holiday decorations, expired snacks, and piles of other junk that Marcus had combed through and organized until it looked as good as the rest of the clinic. The only room left to get through was Larsās office. He figured it might take some convincing to let him organize that space. He wondered if he could simply lock them out until he was finished. They probably had other shit to do, anyway.
He glanced and Jake, wondering whose side he would take. He had to catch his breath. Jake was staring at him, looking better than he had sinceā¦
Since. He still had the slightest limp if someone was paying attention ā and Marcus was always paying attention ā but the bruises had faded. The brace was still on his forearm, but there was no other sign of the torture heād survived for so long.
Except for when he smiled. His front tooth was still chipped, and probably would be forever. Marcus almost didnāt want to know what the men had done to him that had caused that. Maybe he would ask, one day. Or maybe Jake would tell him, when he was ready.
Jake took his metal hand. It ended the buzzing pain he hadnāt even realized had been gathering at the corners of his awareness. Jake squeezed; Marcus would have felt that, even before Todd adjusted the settings. But then Jake stroked his thumb back and forth against the back of Marcusās hand, settling a brief wave of tingles. That, Marcus wouldnāt have felt until now. He ā gently, carefully ā squeezed back.
Marcus kissed his temple, and Jake melted against his side.
Lars dropped their keys on their desk with a sigh. Marcus eyed the piles of paper littering their desk, the floor, the shelves around them. He swallowed hard and shifted his weight from side to side.
āIf you both are up to it,ā Lars mumbled, āI didnāt have time to restock rooms when I left last night. Would you be willing to do that?ā
Marcus glanced up. āStockā¦ rooms?ā The piles of papers and boxes of syringes were so tantalizing. He already knew where he would start: there was a big pile of paper near the door with a sheet on top with giant letters scrawled across that said TO SHRED. It would be so easy. He would take those to the shredder, feed the papers through, then take the bags of paper bits out to the trash to make room in here forā
āYeah, do you mind?ā Lars said. āWeāre out of almost everything. I think weāre entirely out of 21 gauges in the room closest to the waiting rāā
āRoom one, yeah,ā Marcus said. āYeah, I canā¦ā He glanced around at the papers again. āIf thatāsā¦ what you needā¦ā
āWhat I need is about ten million credits a year, a full-time staff, and for every person who works at AMTEC to suck-start a shotgun, preferably on national fucking news,ā Lars snapped. Marcusās eyes flicked to theirs as he froze.
Jake drew in a deep breath. āLars,ā he said gently. āYou okay?ā
āYeah,ā they griped. āJustā¦ Iām fine. Sorry. Itās just been a shitty week. Will you please justāā
āOn it, yeah,ā Marcus said, turning to go. A flush prickled across his cheeks and neck. He felt it again, that horrible urge: shoulders back. Hands behind his back. Head tucked. And another urge: to flinch away from a raised hand, a baton, a whip.
Yes, sir.
Even though he knew Lars would never do that, never want that from him. Lars was the farthest person from an AMTEC officer Marcus had ever met.
Lars was exactly the type of person Marcus would have been sent to kill a few months ago. Quickly, quietly, so there would be no news footage. The news would spin a story from the aftermath anyway, like they were paid to. Heād seen it so many times.
Terroristsā¦ Drug smugglingā¦ Heroic AMTEC raidā¦ No civilian casualtiesā¦ Increasing AMTEC budget once againā¦
He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat at the thought.
How many of the people Iāve killed were like Lars? Like Celeste and Todd?
Like Jake?
Jake squeezed his hand once more, startling him out of his reverie. āTheyāre just having a bad day,ā he whispered. āItās okay.ā
Marcus pressed an absent-minded kiss to Jakeās cheek. āI know,ā he said. āI know that.ā He headed into a room. āIāll start on this one, you start on the next?ā
Jake held onto his hand and pulled him up short. āSure,ā he said, giving Marcus one last kiss. āLove you.ā
āLove you.ā
Marcus blew out a slow breath as he trudged to the first cabinet and opened it. Things inside werenāt as bad as Lars made them out to be; they still had enough linens to get through four patients, and enough syringes to probably get through the entire evening. But Lars liked things a certain way. Marcus supposed he could understand that. He opened the next cabinet. There was no extra butcher paper for the exam table. That, he conceded, was a more immediate problem.
The hair on the back of his neck stood up. His head turned toward the paper-over window before he even realized what he was listening for.
Then the noise happened again: footsteps. Outside. Near the back of the building, where no patients had any reason to be.
He stepped out of the clinic room, flexing his metal hand. āJake,ā he said flatly from the hallway. āGet everyone into the back. Now.ā
He didnāt turn to see if he would be obeyed. He knew he would be. Heād trained Jake too well for any other outcome.
He stalked down the hallway and through the lobby. Celeste glanced up at him and fell silent at the look on his face.
āGet everyone in the back now,ā he said.
She wordlessly rose. The two patients in the waiting room didnāt move. Marcus ignored them. Everyone had their orders. Now he had his role. He pushed the doors open and snuck soundlessly out into the evening.
Heād heard the footsteps on the north side of the building, so thatās where he headed. If they were circling the building, or if there was more than one, wellā
He told Jake to keep the others safe in the back. Marcus just had to make sure no one got that far. Not when Jake was still hurt. Not when he was stillā
I never wanted him to have to fight again.
He crushed that thought. At the moment, it was irrelevant.
Overgrown bushes lined the northeast corner of the building, and so he immediately ducked into them. He shuddered as the branches trailed along his metal arm, sparking bizarre sensations.
He felt naked without his gun, or at least his knife. But heād killed with his bare hands before.
A few yards away, gravel crunched under someoneās shoe ā and it was definitely a shoe. Not a tac boot.
That was something, at least.
A metallic rattling sound.
A curse.
Marcus registered all these sounds, doing his best to pinpoint the assailant in space before he struck. He hoped there was only one.
If there wasnāt, at least he had warned the others.
He launched himself out of the bushes and closed the distance to the assailant in two quick strides. The man ā maybe about Larsās age ā cried out as Marcus tackled him to the ground. The spray paint can flew from his hands as Marcus twisted both arms behind him.
āAgh! Fuck, fuck, Iām sorry, Iām sorry, I, I didnāt know anyone wasāā He cut himself off with a gasp as Marcusās metal hand compressed his wrist.
A storm raged in Marcusās head. Habit ā more than habit, it was training, repetition, instinct ā battered at him, bent his body toward a specific shape. Gun, if no gun then knife, if no knife then strike the face and neck. Execute and move. Execute and move. He couldnāt remember if he was supposed to kill this man. He couldnāt remember who sent him outside. Had he done that on his own? He wasnāt allowed to self-deploy, not unless that was specifically stated in the mission objectives. Had someone ordered this manās death? Had someone ordered him to kill any hostiles he came across?
He didnāt know. He wasnāt sure.
He needed clarification. Unauthorized executions by Levs were punishable by consignment. He had to seek further orders.
Back inside it was, then.
Marcus wordlessly wrestled the man to his feet. The man was pleading, sobbing, but Marcus didnāt hear it. He had learned not to hear it, when people begged for mercy ā not that people often lived long enough to beg, with him. He was so, so good at this. He grabbed the manās wrists in metal hand and seized the collar of his shirt in his other, shoving him toward the clinic entrance. He figured it didnāt much matter if the man saw the inside of the clinic. Once Marcus got clearance to dispatch him, heād do it, quickly. Maybe he would be given his gun back. He wasnāt sure where it was. Heād be whipped for that. He might get worse than a whipping.
He released the manās collar only for long enough to yank open the door and shove him ahead of him. He could feel the manās wrists bruising under his grip. Cuffs would have been easier, but he didnāt seem to have those, either. He had fucked up with his equipment, and badly. Why the fuck didnāt I pack for this mission properly? His mind flitted to Jake. But no, he would have checked everything to make sure his trainee didnāt fuck them over this badly. This was his fault, whatever had happened.
Whatever had happened, he was going to be punished for it. He was going to be beaten. Depending on who the XO for this mission was, he might just find himself bent over a table for it. But if he hid ā if he avoided the consequences ā it would be so much worse. And if he just killed this man and hid the evidence of his failureā¦ He shuddered to even imagine. The sooner he handled this absolutely massive fuckup and dealt with the consequences, the sooner he couldā
He wasnāt sure what he expected to happen after that. Something was tickling at the back of his mind. He shoved the man forward anyway, approached the door leading into the back of the clinic the base, and knocked. The door was locked. He knew he should wait.
āM-Marcus?ā came the shaking voice from behind the door.
Heā¦ knew he shouldnāt answer to that name, that he should answer to Levy Unit C9I4M3, but that was the name that had been used. āYes,ā he croaked. āI have the assailant. Permission to execute.ā
The door swung open, and Marcus stared into Jakeās eyes. He blinked.
Lars stood right behind Jake. Marcus shook himself. Thatās who he reported to. Heād forgotten for a moment. He lifted his head and cleared his throat.
āSir,ā he said. āI need clarification on my orders.ā
āStop,ā Lars breathed. āMarcusā¦ Who the fuck is this?ā
The man started blubbering. āM-my name is Tobias, Iām sorry, Iām so sorry, please donāt kill me, I didnāt know what this place was, I was justā¦ I didnāt realize it wasā¦ oh, fuck, Iām sorry, I didnāt know this was AMTEC, I didnāt know, I swear to gāā
āWeāre not AMTEC,ā Lars said, pushing past Jake. āMarcus, let him goāā
The man squirmed in Marcusās grasp. Marcusās brows pulled together. This wasnāt how this was supposed to go. Heād never ā ever ā been told to release a captive before. AMTECās prisoners got put down, or put in a hole. Thatās how it worked.
Perhaps heād misheard.
He shoved the man to his knees. His arms were pulled back in Marcusās grip, and he cried out, rocking forward to relieve the pressure.
āSir,ā Marcus said. āIā¦ I apologize for my sloppiness, in letting him get so close. But Iā¦ n-need clarification.ā They were going to think he was stupid. And stupid Levs got consigned. But if he didnāt ask, they werenāt going to tell him, and releasing a prisoner into the base seemed like a profoundly stupid idea, even if it had been ordered by a superior officer. āDo Iā¦ have permission to executeāā
āMarcus,ā Jake whispered. āMarcus, you need to look around, okay? Weāre not in AMTEC anymore. You donāt have toāā
Rage surged through Marcus. Jake was going to get them both killed. He twisted the manās wrists up, forcing him to bend further forward. He sobbed into the floor.
Lars lunged forward, hand raised toward the man. āMarcus!ā they snapped, sounding to all the world like someone correcting a disobedient dog. āMarcus, enough.ā
Marcus let the man go. Shoulders back. Hands behind his back. Head tucked. Lars yanked their hand back like theyād been scalded. Jake just looked at Marcus with an unreadable expression.
No. Not unreadable. It was pity, written across his features clear as day.
āFuck,ā Marcus breathed. He took a halting step back. There was no one else in the hallway; the clinic doors were all closed, and he suspected all the patients and nurses had barricaded themselves inside. Thatās where he was: the HRT clinic. He was at the clinic. Not the base.
The man sobbing at his feet wasnāt AMTEC. He didnāt look like a patient, either; his clothes looked dirty, but they were well-fitting and expensive looking. Marcus watched as Lars knelt down and grasped his shoulders, helping him sit up. There were dark bruises on his wrists where Marcus had held him.
The horror didnāt quite land, though. Not until his eyes returned to Jakeās, and he saw tears there.
Heat flooded his throat.
āMarcus,ā Jake said softly.
Marcus didnāt wait for whatever Jake had been about to say. He turned and ran.
If you want to be on the taglist (including for the spicy chapters,) let me know! I only tag people in 18+ chapters if I know they are adults through conversations or if their age/age range is in their bio.
Just having some thoughts today about James, Gavinās favorite servant growing up.
James saw what was going on in that household. He knew there were people suffering under the Stormbecksā domain, but he was well-paid and relatively safe. He saw what the Stormbecks were doing to their child, that they were twisting him into a monster like they were. It hurt his heart to see Gavin, a bright, smiling boy, punished for what his parents called his weakness and softness.
James continues to serve the Stormbecks even after Gavin moves out. He retires a few years later. A few years after that, when he hears that Gavin Stormbeck has returned to his mother to claim his dead fatherās birthright, James feels shame for having felt pity for the boy. He resents the fact that Gavin became a monster like his parents. When he hears that Gavin Stormbeck is dead, wellā¦ he allows a little sadness into a tiny corner of his heart.
But when he begins hearing rumors that Gavin Stormbeck was shot dead by his own mother while helping Isaac Moore and his family escape Colleenās captivity. James immediately knows that that is the truth. He knows that Gavin was killed for his soft heart. James allows himself to cry for the boy that deserved so much more.
In the aftermath of Colleenās death, James decides to flee north, to the checkpoint where he will surely be found out, tried, and put to death as a syndicate sympathizer.
However, a week before he arrives in Crayton, Daniel Schiester is killed. The mayorās cruelty and murder is revealed to the entire north. James passes through the checkpoint, unharmed. He settles in a town northeast of Crayton and raises chickens, something heās always wanted to do.
After a while, he begins hearing rumors that not only is Gavin Stormbeck still alive, he is living in the north and married to Isaac Moore. James smiles to himself and wishes that were true. It sounds like the type of ending Gavin deserved. After all, he was just a broken boy, torn apart by the inhuman cruelty of the syndicates. James often thinks about Gavinā¦ and a small, secret part of him wishes he had taken the boy and run, while he had the chance.
bangs fists on the floor, sobbing šššš
ATHENA WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO MEEEEEEE??
i always always wondered in the back of my mind about james and what had happened to him! and if he ever had seen gavin again! but he got out! and he loved gavin! AGHHH. my heart. š it hurts so fucking much to know there were people who did - and would have - loved gavin more like real love than his own fucking parents did š
@whump-tr0pes crack!au where rebels raid the mansion but james narrowly escapes out a secret entrance with Little Gavin in his arms and they have to maybe go into hiding for a long time and james knows this is just his (former) bossā kid and that he should deliver gavin back to his cousin maybe or even deliver him up the rebels to secure his own safetyā¦.
but he doesnāt. and he raises gavin quietly, in secret, the two of them sneaking under the radar. justā¦jamesā conscience taking over.
LOOK, IDK WHERE THIS IS GOING, IāM JUST SAD ABOUT BABY GAVIN ššš
stormborns
yousharknotpass
areudirty
gamechangershow
discoholicmusic
gracieabrams
tangentwithtanner
prguitarman
andulkaphoto
