If I was smart, I would like release chapters on a weekly schedule or something.
I just get so excited when I finish something, and I want to post it. So I just end up dumping a bunch of content in the span of like 3 hours and then going silent for several business... months
Hey, can y’all rb this if it’s okay to send you messages asking about your ocs, cause on god I wanna interact with y’all but I am terrified of being annoying lol
If you're a creator and you needed to hear this today:
You have no idea how many people lurk on your work. No idea how many times people go back to revisit your work. How big they smile when they simply think about your work. How fast their heart beats, how excited they get when they see that you posted something.
People are shy with their feedback. Sometimes it’s because they’re simply shy. Other times it’s because they assume you already know how great and talented you are. Could be both.
My point is, even if you barely have any likes or reblogs, don’t get discouraged. You have a lot of silent fans, but they are still your fans. Keep on creating. Because there is always someone out there who will love what you have made.
This sentiment is sweet but if creators get less and less feedback, we stop creating. We don’t know if there are “silent fans” or just… no fans.
And honestly, no one that creates and posts thier stuff on any type of public forum is just “only doing it for themselves” because if we wrote/drew just for ourselves? They wouldn’t be posted in public. So yeah, interaction matters for continued fandom content creations.
me not having the time to create content for them constantly or the funds to commission lots of art of everyone: i am the architect of my own torment (torment being Wants Content With My OCs And Wants It NOW)
This takes place several months after Three’s a Crowd, after Carter has completely healed and cleared for duty.
"Alright Carter, come on out!" Ares said into his walkie-talkie. He, along with Skyla and half the base's crew, was standing in front of the suit-up hangar. Carter had recently received a new set of armor after her near-death experience. This new suit used the melted metal from the original, and was lighter, yet as durable as the old design.
Heavy footsteps thudded toward the waiting crowd, until Carter strode into the sunshine, stopped, and struck a pose. Cheers and whistles filled the air as the brand-new armored suit glistened dark blue.
Ares stepped forward, turning to address the crowd. With a tap of his headset, he connected with his partner as well. "This suit, which we call the Mark Four, is an improvement over the Mark Three suits that are currently in use." Behind him, Carter made a rude gesture at the other five giant soldiers in attendance. Ares tried not to smirk. "It's lighter, which increases the power plant's overall capacity. Smoother, sleek surfaces means less for opponents to grab. Carter, could you turn around and show the bottom of one of your boots?"
"Yeah, let's see that butt!" One of the giants called teasingly from the back of the crowd. This time, Ares made the rude gesture.
"As you can see, the power plant is fitted with a secondary system, which we are testing. This will be to provide short-distance propulsive assistance. The nozzles of said propulsion system are here, on the bottoms of the boots. Thank you Carter, you can turn around now."
The next feature that Ares had to cover made him uncomfortable, but he grit his teeth and plowed ahead. "In the event of Carter or any armored soldier becoming incapacitated and unable to escape, there is a new feature in the suit that would allow the pilot to take control and remove themself and their partner from danger." He felt a shudder as he thought about it. Carter knocked unconscious, Ares having to pilot her like some kind of marionette. The thought made his skin crawl for some reason. Why Sentinel Project's predecessors ever thought that was an okay thing to do would vex him forever.
"Ares?" Came Carter's voice through his headset. "You okay? Kinda zoned out there."
Quickly, Ares shook his head. "Yeah, just thinking how to bring up this last feature," he lied.
"Okay, this last feature-" he stopped to snicker under his breath, "-is referred to as Stealth mode, for use during low-light situations. Here, Carter models it in dark blue. And here-" another snicker, then a snort, "-she models *snort* her personal Standard p-paint scheme." He ducked his head, shaking with silent laughter as he changed the suit's color with a remote.
A chorus of "Whoa!" and "Lookin' sharp, Hopkins!" echoed around the base. Carter had no idea what the deal was, until a video feed was patched from the ground to her helmet.
I will get you, Ares Myron Costelnock, she mentally vowed. Her suit had changed colors, from that dazzling dark blue to… white, with light-green trim. Getting a bad feeling, she turned and adjusted position so she could see the bottoms of her boots. "Ares…" she growled.
The target of Carter's anger was currently shaking with barely-contained laughter. "Yes?" he squeaked.
"Are the bottoms of my boots…?"
"Purple? Mm-hm!" He barely kept from laughing into his headset.
The armored giant growled. "I can't believe you."
Ares and most of the crowd, except for a couple of giants, managed to get themselves under control. "Oh relax, Carter," the pilot scoffed. "You look pretty sharp… Space Ranger."
Carter's helmet opened and she stared at Ares, seething.
She wanted to be mad. She tried. But there's that thing where he's trying not to laugh and he lets out a little giggle-snort. God, that's cute.
The very next day, Carter was hooked up to four helicopters on the way to a mission. The camera feed in her helmet allowed her to see Ares readying himself with a shit-eating grin on his face.
"You gotta!" Ares insisted.
"No, I don't ‘gotta’ do anything," Carter replied.
The chopper pilots cut in. "Uh ma'am? We have orders from Commander Costelnock not to take off until you say it."
Carter sighed and deadpanned the four words Ares was waiting so excitedly to hear-
"To infinity and beyond."
Ares deflated slightly as the choppers began take-off. "That's it?"
"That's all you're getting, Woody."
There was several seconds of dead air before Ares let out a resigned sigh. "We'll work on it."
"Trainee Bennett, enter." Commander Costelnock was seated at her desk, Alastor's personnel file open in front of her, along with three computer chips, roughly the size of sticks of gum. Behind and to her right, Ares stood at parade rest, a stern look on his face.
Alastor entered the room and saluted before quietly taking a seat across from the Commander. "Trainee Bennett, reporting as ordered."
A small voice recorder was placed on the table between the two, and Commander Costelnock pressed the record button. "Delta Base Commander Skyla Costelnock recording. This inquiry has been called to determine the events of June 9th, involving trainee pilot Bennett and mech soldier Hopkins." She looked up at Alastor. "State your identity for the record."
"Alastor Thurston Bennett, Mech Pilot Trainee. Service number 735621-97."
"Here in observational capacity is the official partner of the mech soldier involved. State your identity and that of your partner."
Ares came to attention. "Captain Ares Costelnock, Mech Pilot First-class. Partnered with Major Carter Hopkins, Armored Soldier, First-class." His part done, he returned to parade rest, scowling slightly at Alastor.
Skyla stared at the trainee for a few moments. "Recount the events of June 9th, for the record," she ordered quietly.
Gulping, Alastor began. He started with being in Carter's quarters and Ares showing up, giving him an 'unprovoked dressing-down' and punching him in the face. Skyla raised an eyebrow but stayed quiet. Alastor's story continued, up to when Carter was attacked by the second creature. "...at which point I must've hit my head and blacked out. My next memory was being pulled from the cockpit."
Skyla looked down at her notes, and Alastor's file. She slid the three computer chips to the center of the table. "You know what those are?" she asked quietly.
"Data chips, ma'am."
"Know what's on them?" she asked as she picked up the chips, plugging them one by one into ports near her on the table. A holographic projector came to life in the center of the table's surface.
"Probably information concerning the attack, ma'am."
"You're two for two, trainee. What kind of information do you think I'll find?" Not waiting for an answer, she called up everything- camera recordings, Carter and Alastor's vital signs, suit power usage, even audio. Skyla played the video and audio.
"Here it comes, Al. You ready?"
"Always!"
The sounds of scuffling, as Carter's camera caught glimpses of a Nimean Lion, a fierce monster with some vaguely feline attributes. But something wasn't right. The suit's power usage hadn't gone up.
"Al? Could use a little juice." Carter grunted.
"Oh! Y-yeah, yeah." Alastor hesitated and then ramped up the throttle… only halfway.
The fight continued. "Al, I'm serious! Could use some help!" Carter was starting to tire without assistance from the suit, or her partner.
Ares' stomach clenched as he saw and heard everything- Carter's surprise when the Xeno showed up, the metallic screeching as the suit was pulled apart, Carter's begging for help from Alastor… and the silence that came from the pilot.
Finally, Skyla stopped the playback when the SOS beacon engaged. "For the record, when the recovery team had arrived, they found the Nemean Lion and the Xeno, both dead, having destroyed each other fighting over Carter's body," she said with quiet coldness.
The room's temperature seemed to drop over twenty degrees. Ares felt a chill run down his back as his big sister stood up and leaned forward, getting into Alastor's face.
"You froze, trainee. You froze at a crucial moment, and one of my best soldiers nearly lost their life due to your damn incompetence!" Skyla started quietly, but ended up yelling. "How many hours did you put in on a simulator, huh? Twenty? Forty? Sixty? Not fucking nearly enough, as far as I'm concerned! How did those sims end? They all go good? 'Mission accomplished' and head out for a beer with your buddies?" Skyla stared into Alastor's eyes, daring him to say something.
Alastor gulped, but stayed silent.
Ares bit his lip to keep from smiling. The prick was getting what he deserved.
"This-" Skyla waved a hand around, "- is not a simulation. It's not all Captain Kirk "I don't believe in no-win scenarios" out here. This is very real danger. People have died out here. Someone very nearly did on June 9th, because of your incompetence."
Staring for a few moments longer, Skyla finally stood up with a sigh. "I'm putting in your file that you're unfit for duty. You will be returning to the academy, for more extensive training. I will notify your commanders that their training regimen needs to be overhauled. Pack your bags, Bennett. Your business on my base is finished. Dismissed," she said coldly.
Alastor numbly got to his feet and saluted before turning and walking out, all with the expression of someone who'd been slapped.
As his sister tried to wind down, Ares reached down and shut off the recorder. He turned to look at Skyla. "Need something from me?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah," came the sighed response. "In the top right drawer of my desk, there's a bottle and two glasses. Get them and pour two drinks."
Ares started to comply, then stopped. "Two drinks?"
Skyla turned to look at him. "Yeah, two. I'm kinda stressed and I shouldn't drink alone. Besides, we don't get enough time to chat and I need a laugh. So tell me about cracking that asshole in the face."
Chuckling, Ares poured the drinks. "Well, it started like this…"
----------------------
"Henry the Eighth, I am! Forty-third verse, same as the first!" Ares paused for a moment to take a sip of water. He'd been sitting next to Carter's bed for nearly two days, singing… longer than he cared to admit, waiting for his partner to wake up.
"I'm Henry the Eighth I-"
"Finish that line, and I'll render you unconscious," Carter croaked, her eyes still closed.
Ares' head snapped over to look at Carter, a happy, relieved smile on his face. "Well, Sleeping Badass has finally awoken!" He chuckled, throwing back the rest of his glass of water before getting out of his chair.
Slowly, Carter's right eye opened and turned toward the man on her nightstand. "Did you try True Love's Kiss, Prince Charming? Or did you figure on annoying me back to consciousness?"
Pausing for a moment to stretch, Ares got several satisfying pops from his back. "Tried the kiss thing four times, yeah. Didn't seem to be working and I got desperate."
Letting out a little puff of air through her nose, Carter shook her head. "Such a big size difference, gotta give it more time to work. Lot of person to wake up here."
Ares lightly slapped his forehead with his palm. "Of course, size difference. Should've realized."
"Well, now you know for next time."
"Don't even kid about there being a next time," Ares replied, his voice suddenly stern.
The silence that followed was awkward, tense. It remained that way for several moments until Carter finally wet her lips with a flick of her tongue. "So, uh… how long have I been out?"
"Couple few days, something like that," her partner sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets.
More silence. "... Alastor?"
Ares looked up at the bedbound giant. "Soon as he was medically cleared, Skyla gave him a dressing-down and had him thrown off the base. Something about him being unfit for duty."
Carter turned toward her nightstand. "Can I get a drink?" When she'd downed several gallons, with Ares' assistance, she sighed and sat back. "I suppose you're happy he's gone, hm?"
"Like a pig in shit, but I don't wanna talk about him." Ares should've smiled, but his face remained drawn in a preoccupied, glum expression.
Carefully rolling over in the bed, Carter adjusted so she could see her partner easier. She reached out and put her hand on the nightstand. "So what would you like to talk about?" She asked softly.
Pulling his hands from his pockets, Ares moved toward his partner's hand and hugged her thumb, holding it like she'd disappear if he let go. He was quiet for several moments. "You almost died out there," he finally said in a quiet voice thick with emotion.
"But I didn't-"
"You almost did, though!" Ares barked, looking up at Carter, almost on the verge of tears. "You didn't come back, a-and you didn't come back… I was so worried," he nuzzled her thumb for a few moments. "And then, w-when the choppers b-brought you in… the p-possibility of life without my partner a-and best friend flashed in front of me…"
Carter's fingers slowly closed around Ares in an approximation of a hug as she let him confront and ride out his emotions.
"... I was so scared, Carter," he whispered, half-sobbing. "M-more scared th-than I've ever b-been in my, in my life!" He finally broke down, holding Carter's thumb, scared to let go.
Slowly and carefully, Carter picked up her sobbing partner and lifted him to her chest. "Shh, it's okay. It's okay, I'm here now," she whispered comfortingly, rubbing his back with a finger. She continued doing this until the tiny man was reduced to shaky, labored breaths.
"Ares?" The giant whispered. "Ares, can you look at me, please?" When he complied, she saw his eyes were swollen and bloodshot, and his face was wet. He looked miserable.
"Oh Ares," she cooed softly as she rubbed his back. "I'm so sorry for what happened. I'm sorry I didn't see what was happening with Alastor. And I'm sorry for almost leaving you alone. I feel terrible for scaring you like that. But I want you to listen to something. You hear that?" She was quiet, and Ares could hear the slow, steady thump-thump, thump-thump of his partner's massive heart.
"Hear it? That means I'm here, I made it. Knowing I had a partner and best friend waiting for me kept me around." Carter slowly lifted Ares to her face and nuzzled him with her cheek. "Next time, I'll see if Skyla can take me off-duty too. Cuz I don't want anyone else by my side."
Ares sniffled, before letting out a relieved huff and returned Carter's nuzzle. "Well, it sounds like we'll be off-duty together. I'm on medical leave for a bit."
"Oh? What happened?" Carter asked as she lowered Ares back to the spot over her heart.
"I, uh, kinda lost my cool when you were brought in. Almost fought off four MPs trying to get to you."
"Almost, hm?"
Ares yawned. "Yeah. Could've taken three, but four was the tipping point." He yawned again. Feeling feelings was kinda taxing, he thought. But he felt better. Lighter. Maybe he'd be able to sleep for the first time in a couple days. "I'm bushed," he sighed.
"Good idea," Carter mumbled, her eyes already closed.
Closing his eyes, Ares wiggled slightly to get comfy. "Carter?" he asked after a few quiet moments.
"Hm?"
"Know a song to help get to sleep?"
Carter's voice was pretty, Ares thought. Even when she was half-asleep, it was beautiful. Even when she started quietly singing what he only knew was payback.
"I'm Henry the Eighth I am, Henry the Eighth I am I am…"
Ares was asleep with a smile before the verse was half through.
The four MPs escorting Ares toward the chapel watched him closely, ready for him to make a move. So when he stopped and stared at the closed doors of the med hangar, they all tensed, expecting him to make a break for it.
"Hear anything on her condition yet?" he asked quietly.
One of the MPs, Sargeant Addams, shook his head. "No sir, nothing yet."
Ares stared for a few more moments before sighing. "Okay." He turned and resumed his walk to church, his escorts quickly falling into step with him. As they neared the chapel, Ares spoke again. "Guys… I'm sorry. For what I did earlier. I just… kinda lost my cool, I guess."
Sargeant Addams spoke again. "We understand, sir. You and Miss Hopkins are close, that sort of reaction is understandable. I personally can't fault you for feeling your emotions, sir."
Ares nodded and gave Addams a weak smile as the group arrived at their destination. The MPs took positions by the door as Ares continued inside.
Once the door closed behind him, he was engulfed in stillness and calm. The chapel had been soundproofed when it had been built, which Ares was thankful for. Reaching into his pocket, he carefully took out his great-great grandmother's rosary and knelt in the front pew. Clutching the beads in his hand, he stared at them as he tried to remember the associated prayers. Nothing. The only prayer he could think of was Grace, and even that was rusty. He sighed. How can I help if I can't get in touch with the boss? he silently lamented.
"Can I help you, son?" a voice gently asked.
Ares turned around to see Father Donovan carefully closing the door behind him. "Oh, hi Father," Ares quietly greeted. He held up his rosary. "Just, uh, sat down to have a chat. But I've been gone so long, done some things…" Ares turned to face forward again and hung his head. "I don't know if He'd even want to talk to me."
Father Donovan slowly slid into the pew next to Ares. "Oh, I don't know about that. The conversation may seem a bit one-sided, and like you're talking to yourself, but I assure you, He is listening and would love to talk with you." Donovan placed a comforting hand on Ares' shoulder.
"Thanks Father, but I don't know…"
"Well, I'll tell you what. I'll talk with you if you'd like. Anything spoken in confidence here will not be repeated out there." Father Donovan chuckled quietly. "Even your sister, with all her power, can't make me squeal."
Ares smiled a bit, before it dropped again. He thought for a few moments before he spoke. "Well… it started when Alastor showed up after I broke my hand…"
He talked and talked, relaying the whole story to Father Donovan, who largely remained quiet, but never in judgement. The priest would nod, sometimes with "I see" or a bit of gentle encouragement.
Eventually, Ares' story came to its conclusion. "... And now, after I said those things, she's over there in that hangar… I'm scared, Father. I don't know if she'll live. I-i don't know i-if she'd f-forgive me…" Ares tried to stifle his tears, only to give a few hiccuping sobs. "I d-don't know if-if I c-could forgi-forgive myself!"
Father Donovan slowly rubbed Ares' back as the young man tried to rein in his emotions. After a few minutes, the priest spoke. "You know, my son, this reminds me of a story. May I tell you?"
Ares nodded tearfully.
"There were two sisters, both beautiful and talented. The older sister was warm and loving, like the Sun. Everywhere she went, everyone she met, was graced with a glowing smile, and warm, brilliant words. The younger sister was cool and calm, like the Moon. She carried with her a calming presence, capable of dispelling doubts and fears with only a few words or a gentle touch.
"However, the elder sister's brilliance caused her to cast a long dark shadow, which unfortunately fell over the younger. As time went on, the shadow grew darker, causing jealousy to grow in the mind and heart of the younger sister. But the elder, whose mind had been taken hold of by the limelight, in its sweet way, did nothing to stop the destruction of the sister she loved.
"The sisters had a terrible fight, with the elder prevailing. She and her little sister didn't speak for many years. But the first thing that was done when they met again? The older sister forgave the younger, because she loved and cared for her too much to let one fight stand between them."
Father Donovan smiled at Ares. "It seems to me the story is playing out here now. I know, deep down, that Carter would forgive you in an instant, because she loves and cares for you, Ares Costelnock, with all her heart. The question is, can you learn to forgive yourself?"
The pair sat quietly as Ares mulled over the priest's words for a couple minutes.
"That's a beautiful rosary, my son. May I ask where you got it?"
Ares looked down at his hands, at the black rosary clutched in his hand. He'd forgotten about it. "It's a family, uh, heirloom," he quietly answered. "Passed down from Great-great Grandma Darlene. Skyla has one just like it." He offered the beads to the priest.
Father Donovan inspected the rosary, almost lovingly. "Glass beads, beautiful… Black really catches the light." He handed it back. "Seems to have gotten plenty of use", he smiled.
"Yeah, just not from me. Can't even remember how the prayers go anymore," Ares sighed.
Father Donovan gave a small smile and knelt down. "What do you say we see if that rosary still has some power to it? Don't worry, I'll pray with you."
So, Ares got down on his knees with Father Donovan. With his thumb on the first bead, he recited the associated prayer as the priest gently dictated it to him. This went on, from one decade of beads to the next, and the next.
As Ares continued to pray with everything he had, he thought about Carter and how much he cared for her. He felt tears prickle in his eyes as he remembered her caring smile. His anger and jealousy began to melt away as he recalled her eyes, her contagious laugh, as well as her soft, gentle touch and how she felt safe, like home. A tear ran down his cheek as he thought about how he loved and trusted her more than anyone else, including his own sister.
----------
Ares wasn't sure how long he'd been in the chapel. But when he finished praying, he realized he was alone. He stood and slowly walked to the door and out to the base.
It was dark outside, and quiet. Ares thought maybe it was a little after sundown, but it didn't feel right. Things were too quiet. Turning to the MP guarding the door, he noticed it wasn't one of the guys who'd escorted him here earlier.
The tall brawny woman stood a head over him. Her muscles stretched her sleeves taut as she stood with her arms crossed. "Religious, sir?"
"You've been in there all night. It's a few minutes before sunrise."
His eyes widened as he mentally repeated the information. He was about to ask her if she was joking, but he was interrupted by someone calling his name. Turning around, he saw Doc Palmer striding toward him. "What's going on, Doc?"
Doc Palmer took off his glasses and wiped them with a corner of his coat. "Well, I was just looking for you. Figured I'd give you a quick report on Miss Hopkins."
"If it's bad news," Ares warned.
Palmer shook his head. "Just listen. First of all, she was attacked by at least two creatures, near as we can tell. One was a Xeno, we found venom in her system, along with some deep scratches. She has a broken hand, as well as a black eye and a concussion." Doc paused before continuing. "We've done everything that we could…"
And?
Doc smiled, "... and she's gonna make it. Carter Hopkins is gonna live."
Ares pounced on Doc Palmer, crushing him in a thankful hug. As he continued to squeeze the poor doctor, he repeatedly whispered "Thank you, thank you thank you!"
Opening his eyes, Ares was just in time to see the Sun rise. Bathed in the warm glow of the breaking day, tears rolled down his cheeks. He kissed Doc Palmer's cheek and sobbed thankfully into the surprised man's coat.
"One last cut, and… there!" Doc Palmer smiled. "That's four weeks, done! knew you could do it, Ares." Doc patted Ares' hand and started putting his saw away.
Ares sighed. "Yeah, yippee," he said listlessly.
Doc turned to look at Ares, concerned. "What's the matter with you? Four weeks ago, you threatened to break my nose if I put that cast on you. Now this?"
"Oh, um, sorry Doc. Just… got something on my mind."
A nod was his only response.
---------
The lack of approaching helicopters was beginning to concern Ares. We never had an assignment lasting this long, he thought. His mind drifted toward an image of Alastor and Carter, sitting on a hill to watch the sunset, before he shoved it away. They wouldn't be loafing. That wasn't Carter's style. Something wasn't right.
He laid down in his bunk, stomach turning uneasily, when a sudden siren made him sit up again. His blood froze when he realized which siren it was. He'd only heard it once before, but he'd never forget it and what it meant-
A downed mech.
Launching himself out of his bunk, he bulldozed the door to his quarters and ran outside, nearly being run over by three engineers heading for the medical hangar. The sound of helicopters reached Ares' ears and he looked in their direction. His heart sank into his boots.
A torn-up mech was being airlifted toward the medical hangar, perhaps by the same helicopters that took her out yesterday. She was being carried face-up, possibly the position she'd been found in. Her armor bore deep hateful gashes, through which her blood dripped. Whole pieces of her suit had been torn off, including her power plant and half of her helmet.
The closer she got, the worse the damage became. Ares didn't know whether to cry, or scream, or vomit. He'd never seen Carter in this bad of shape before, even in a simulation. Seeing her, his partner, like this made him sick.
He started walking toward the medical hangar, where the giant was being lowered onto a cot. Tears prickled at the edges of his eyes as he began to jog, then run. He tried to call out to her but his voice caught in his throat.
As soon as Carter was laid on the cot, engineers and mechanics swarmed her body, working hard to quickly remove her armor. The moment a piece of armor was removed, medics immediately took over in their efforts to stop the bleeding and take stock of Carter's injuries.
"C-Car… Carter! Carter!" Ares yelled as he ran closer, hoping that maybe she could open her eyes, look at him, give him some clue that she was okay. Anything would be better than lying there motionless.
Two MPs raced toward him to cut off his advance. Their boots skidded on the pavement as Ares dragged them with him. Two more MPs ran up, and barely managed to stop Ares' advance. "Sir, please, you can't get any closer!" They insisted as Ares tried to fight them off.
Doc Palmer turned and saw the fray. He gave quick orders to a nurse and jogged over. "Ares! Ares! We're going to do everything we can to help her, I promise. But you need to go, so we can do our jobs. Doctor's orders, go back to your quarters and calm down. Hysterics won't help anyone."
If Ares heard the doctor, he didn't show it. He continued frantically yelling and crying, calling Carter's name, fighting the quartet of MPs with all he had.
Finally, Doc Palmer lost his patience. "Get him out of here!"
Snorting like plow horses, the MPs managed to get their feet under them and slowly forced Ares back. Foot by foot, they pushed him til they were at the hangar door.
“PALMER!"
Doc's eyes snapped back to Ares.
"If my partner dies, I'll never forgive you!" Ares howled tearfully as he was pushed out the door. "If Carter Hopkins dies, I'll never forgive you!"
Doc Palmer sighed as he turned back toward his patient. "If she dies," he whispered, "I'll never forgive myself."
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Pacing his quarters like a tiger in a cage, Ares went back and forth, his hands clenching and unclenching. He wanted to throw something, but he wanted to just keep pacing, but he wanted to go see Carter, but he wanted to just flop on to his bed, but he didn't know what he wanted.
Sitting heavily on the bed, he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. So many feelings to sort through.
Okay, so first of all, he was… angry? Yeah, angry felt right. Angry at what? Whatever did this to Carter? Duh. What else? Alastor? Maybe later. Carter herself? Why? Okay, so not mad at her, but because this happened? Absolutely.
That's one emotion down, what else? Sad? Clearly. Hungry? …Maybe in a bit. What else?
Ares racked his brain, but there was only one more emotion he could really identify, and he hated to admit it. He didn't know if he could bring himself to name this last feeling.
At least not here.
Standing up again, he went to his bookcase and took out a green-covered book. He looked at the cover. Second edition Alliance Mech Operator's Manual was written across the top in gold font. At the bottom was the author's name, Cmdr. C Bagley.
Opening the cover, Ares revealed the hollowed-out space and what was hidden within. He reverently removed the family heirloom from its resting place and stared at it for a few moments, before putting it in his pocket and replacing the book.
He opened the door to see the four MPs snap their attention to him. Not like he was surprised. "Hey kids," Ares quietly greeted.
"Sir, if you're thinking of going to the med hangar…" the nearest one began, before he was waved off.
"Nah," Ares sighed. "Just headed somewhere I haven't been to in quite a spell." At the look the MP gave him, he quietly said one word. "Church."
So, I’ve had some work done on another story with Carter and Ares but I wasn’t able to post it. But, since I have wifi available for a bit, I’m gonna take advantage of it. Again, Ares and Carter are part of a GT Mech Suits AU, created by me. The original work was created by @unicornofgt and is compiled at @gt-mech-suits
Damn it all, Ares grumped as he left the medical building, his right arm in a sling. He'd just been placed on restricted duty for the next four weeks by Doc Palmer. Stupid gremlin. Hope he gets a hangnail.
Restricted duty meant no going out on assignments with Carter, and that bothered Ares the most. What was he supposed to do now? Laundry? Crossword puzzles? Polish his boots? The thought made him almost shudder.
He made his way to the prep hangar, where Carter's suit-up berth was. Riding the elevator to the top walkway, he saw Carter was already in her berth, being test-fitted with new shoulder armor.
"Hey, Ares," the giant greeted, turning her head to look at him. "You coming from Doc Palmer's place?"
Ares nodded sulkily. "Yeah, and I wanna punch him in the face. I'm on restricted duty for the next four weeks."
Carter's face dropped a bit. "Aw, you poor thing," she sympathized, before brightening up. "Hey, it's only four weeks though. It'll be over before you know it, and we'll be back together, no sweat."
Ares nodded. "I hope so."
Two new footsteps sounded on the walkway, and Ares turned to see the newcomers, before standing up straight. Commander Costelnock and a young man were walking down the catwalk. When they got to him and Carter, they stopped.
"Mister Costelnock, Miss Hopkins," the commander greeted. "Glad to see you're both here, cuz that saves me the trouble of hunting you down."
"What's up, Commander?" Ares asked, his professional mask sliding into place.
Skyla shook her head. "Nothing much, just bringing our new pilot to meet Miss Hopkins here.". She gestured to the newcomer, who stood at attention. "Well, go ahead, don't be shy."
The newcomer saluted crisply. "Alastor Bennett, Mech pilot trainee, sir!" He spoke clearly and sternly, so he couldn't have been out of the academy all of two weeks.
Ares eyed Alastor. Green eyes met dark brown, almost black. A weird feeling went down Ares' spine. He didn't like this kid, for some odd reason. But, with his left hand, he still returned the salute, as was protocol. "Ares Costelnock, Senior Mech pilot, First-class."
A clang of metal and an engineer's profane outburst turned nearly everyone's head. Ares continued eyeing the newcomer.
Skyla turned back and got Ares' attention. "Ares, I need you to report to my office. Got a bit of paperwork for you."
"Yes, ma'am," Ares replied flatly.
"And Mister Bennett, you can stay here, get acquainted with Miss Carter, and familiarize yourself with the cockpit, as well as get fitted for a suit. Understood?"
Commander Costelnock nodded. "Very good. Dismissed," she replied before taking her leave with Ares in tow.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Hopkins. I didn't know angels were so big…" Ares heard Alastor say before the elevator door closed behind him. God, he wanted to vomit after hearing that. Ass-kisser.
----------------------
Carter couldn't have been more wrong, in Ares' opinion. One week felt like a month, two weeks felt like half a year. And everytime he wanted to talk to Carter, that little twat Alastor would be there, sweet-talking the giant. Either that, or he'd show up and manage to smoothly sidestep Ares out of the conversation, turning him into the third wheel.
It wasn't completely bad, though. His boots had never been better polished. And he hated it. As he scrubbed his boots and polished everything that needed it, his resentment toward Alastor continued to simmer. Ares grit his teeth. "Fuckin Alastor," he growled under his breath.
Things finally came to a boil the day before Ares' cast was due to come off. He'd gone to Carter's quarters to talk with her and hopefully vent. The idea went out the window when Ares heard Alastor's voice from the top of Carter's nightstand.
Ares' teeth ground together as he rode the elevator to the top. He'd finally had it. Alastor had officially worn out his welcome.
The elevator had barely stopped when Ares burst through the door, storming toward Alastor. "Gotta be everywhere I am, huh?" He demanded. "Wasn't enough for you to just visit while I was on the mend, now you're trying to take over my life, is that it?!" Ares went nose-to-nose with the other pilot. "What's next, gonna start wearing my underwear, huh?!" he demanded.
Carter put a hand between the two, trying to separate them. "Ares, what's gotten into you?"
Ares rounded on the giant, his eyes wide. "Wanna know what's gotten into me? Huh? I'll tell ya, Hopkins. I've been watching Tweedle Dee over there take over my damn life for the last month! Everytime I've come to talk to you about anything, he shows up like a goddamn shadow and sidesteps me out of my own conversation!" Ares' voice was getting a little thick. "And you fuckin let him, you damn enabler!"
Carter's brow furrowed. "Now you just wait a minute Costelnock. If you remember what the commander said, one of her orders was for him to get acquainted, so he's part of the team," she reminded sternly.
"He's been doing a bang up job with that, huh?" Ares steamrolled ahead. "I'm starting to wonder who the real team is, honestly. How 'acquainted' has he gotten, anyway? What base are you two on?" he accused.
The giant brought an angry fist down on the nightstand, making the ground shake and knocking Ares off his feet. "Don't you dare accuse me of anything like that, Ares Myron Costelnock!" Carter barked, leaning towards Ares, shooting him a look that could melt steel.
Ares clambered to his feet, returning Carter's expression. "Well how do I know it isn't happening, Carter Lorraine Hopkins? See, I can play the middle name game, too."
The two continued to glare at each other, until Alastor tried to interject. "Now now, let's back up and be reasonable-"
He was cut off when Ares hauled off and cracked him across the face with his unbandaged hand. "Shut up!" Ares roared as Alastor stumbled back and fell to the ground.
"Al!" Carter yelped, turning her attention. Carefully, she picked him up in her hand. "Are you okay?" She asked softly, gently touching him with her fingertip.
Alastor gave a slightly-dazed nod.
"It's okay," Carter assured, before turning her attention to Ares. Her eyes narrowed. "I think you should go," she coldly told him.
Ares, who had been looking at his hand, slowly turned to look up at the giant. "Carter, I-"
"Go. We have nothing more to say."
Ares tried again to say something, anything. But his voice choked in his throat. Finally, he turned and walked back to the elevator, a somewhat dazed expression on his face.
The walk back to his quarters was a blank. He barely heard the klaxon going off two hours later. "Team Two, report to launch hangar! Team Two, launch hangar!"
Ares watched out the window as Carter jogged to the launch hangar to get suited up, no doubt with Alastor riding in a pocket. He was still watching when Carter strode out in her armor. Two helicopters ran cables to her shoulders, while two more were tethered to the front and back of her armor.
As she was airlifted away, Ares sighed and covered his window. What did he care? He was getting his cast off tomorrow, and things would go back to normal. Alastor Bennett was as good as gone.
Hey everyone! Sorry for being absent for so long, but I've been busy with work and life in general. I should be posting more writing (I've got a few pieces that I'd like to show y'all!), but I don't have internet at my apartment yet and using mobile gets kinda tricky.
However, I will be going home to see my parents this weekend, and I'll be able to use their wifi, so keep an eye open for some new posts!
Til then, take care! Hydrate, take your vitamins and meds if you need them, and remember to treat yourself kindly. You deserve it.
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