#141hc2025

[cooliofango]

Watch Your Hands

Halloween Countdown 2025|Info|Masterlist| — Day 2: Pumpkin Carvings

Pairing: Simon Riley x GN!Reader

Word Count: 749

Synopsis: Simon takes the holidays off to spend time with his civilian partner

TW: None!

“Watch your fingers, love.” A large scarred hand tugs yours down a tad as you drive the large serrated knife into the top of the pumpkin.

“I got it, I got it..” Simon could only raise a brow at your dismissiveness. Each sawing motion only made him focus more on your hands more. 

You are too eager to continue this shared activity to stop now. It’s not often that Simon is able to take time off- especially during the holidays. To make the most of this time together was and is your goal. The goal for both of you. The two of you had been planning this break for months, wanting to spend the spooky season side by side. 

To commemorate the occasion, you insisted that the two of you do all of the fun halloween activities. Outside on the lawn, the home was already decorated nicely with lights, streamers, props, and even inflatable ghosts and skeletons- ones you specifically picked out for no particular reason at all. Simon didn’t believe that it was a simply convenient choice, of course, but who was he to complain? He missed you and your antics.

Some of your antics. Right now, your stubbornness left him a little.. alert, for a lack of better word. Each shift of your hand to hold the pumpkin still and the force you were using to drive the knife in and out of the pumpkin makes him beyond worried you’ll accidentally cut yourself trying to get the top off the large vegetable.

A beat of silence passes.

“At least hold it a little lower,” Simon urges with a little less than amused tone to his voice, placing his own knife onto the tray his own pumpkin sat upon. He had already finished cutting the top off his. The stem and its base sat on the left side of his tray, the edges neat with only mildly concerning precision. 

A grunt of strained effort fell from your lips with another downward force of the knife, having to lean your body weight down into it. A huff left your lips as you sat up. Each flex of your fingers left a slight ache in them upon releasing the handle of the knife, the pain aching in the joints. You hiss softly in response, “How’d you cut yours so easily?” 

You are met with silence. “..What?” you question at the sight of his raised brow. Silence lingers once more, though a bit longer than the first time. Simon’s shoulders drop. A breath of amusement blows through his nose and he comes around to your side of the counter. 

“What?!” Your hands fly to your hips with an accusatory look. Narrowed eyes follow him until he places himself behind you.

Large arms move to gently cage you against his chest, his hands guiding yours back to the pumpkin. “You’re gonna give me a heart attack trying to cut the damn thing..” His voice was gruff towards your left. One hand covers yours over the knife’s handle and the other is securely behind the knife. 

Simon’s grip is strong as he pulls the knife back up and carefully angles it before driving it back into the pumpkin. “Do it more like this, yeah?” 

The proximity tugs at your heartstrings. The natural warmth he emanates spreads along your back, bringing you a flustered sense of comfort. It was familiar yet foreign all at once. The time away did quite the number on you. It makes you crave being in his arms the instant they had wrapped around you and even more so the second they leave.

“Are you listenin’?” Amusement laces his tone and it's followed by a soft chuckle at the way you tense up under him. He loves seeing the way you blush from embarrassment. The way you stumble out an apology was too cute.

“We’ll have plenty of time to cuddle as much as you once you finish, love.” Simon moves his hands to your hips and gives them a firm squeeze. He presses a rough lipped kiss on your cheek before pulling away and making his way back to his side of the counter.

“R-right..right,” You quip back in return, quickly nodding before going back to sawing at the pumpkin with slight urgency now that there is a secondary goal burning at the back of your mind. Simon could only chortle at your rushing, fishing a large spoon out the drawer nearby to begin scooping out the seeds.

[cooliofango]

“Perfect”

Halloween Countdown 2025|Info|Masterlist| — Day 11: Masquerade

Pairing: Lloyd Garmadon x GN! Reader

Word Count: 717

Synopsis: Lloyd’s on a mission

TW: Light mentions of blood

The music was as elegant as the ballroom. Towering concrete pillars held up marble ceilings. Sparkling chandeliers hung down and illuminated the large room in brilliantly warm light that made everyone’s formal attire sparkle and shimmer. Jewels glittered and satin glistened with every turn and twirl the people within the crowd made. His hand was secure around your waist as he pulled you around the room with a grace he had to practice day in and day out for this mission. The last thing he needed was his cover blown over clumsily made footwork. “Is this your first time dancing like this, stranger?” “Huh?” 

Your words pulled him from his thoughts, blinking rapidly under the cover of the mask. “You’re tense. Nervous.” There was a painfully obvious drip of amusement in your tone and it was emphasised by the playful grin tugging the corners of your lips upwards. Lloyd swallowed at the mischievous glint in your eye, “Is it obvious? And here I thought I was doing pretty good.” Play it off, he thought to himself. Act casual. He stepped back in time with the violin’s crescendo and you followed like it had come natural to you. “I never said you were a bad dancer.” You emphasized, gripping your conjoined hands just a tad tighter as he began to spin you in place- perfectly timed with the crowd. Everyone was synchronized as if every move had been meticulously planned down to the letter. Your empty gloved hand filled itself with the suit’s fabric that hugged his shoulder perfectly. “You’re too focused on where to place your feet. Let it come naturally.” “Naturally?” Lloyd scoffed with a disbelieving lopsided grin.

“Naturally~” You pressed. The two of you swayed. Each stroke of the piano keys had you two moving left. Each blow from the sax had you swaying right. Each step the two of you took had you moving as if you were over ice, gliding across the intricate marble floor and around the other dancers.

Naturally, he repeated in his mind. 

Bright green eyes focused on yours. It was a little bit of a surprise to see how intensely they already held his as if they were waiting with powerful anticipation to meet. They held his gaze like a moth drawn to a flame or polarized magnets pulling towards each other with yearning attraction. 

The two of you flowed across the room. The band blared its seemingly never ending symphony to the sea of masks, suits, and ballroom gowns. “Much better,” the solid declaration of approval from you made him feel a small, almost childish, swell of pride in his chest.

He was distracted. The mental reminder that he was on a mission crept up his spine with another twirl heading clockwise. It took unbelievable amounts of will power to pull away from your hypnotizing gaze in order to scan the room, attempting to hide each straying gaze with each turn and spin. Where was the one behind the disappearances? Who was the next target? The hand on your waist shifts you closer. “You seem to have practiced- but can you finish it off?” wondered you with a dreamy tone to your voice. “Finish-?” “Don’t fall behind now, stranger!” The crowd moves in sync. The dominant partner spins their dance partner out, hands held and arms out stretched. Then they’re twirled back into the chest of the lead. Arms were wrapped securely around each other and the lead would dip their partner low. LLoyd held onto you tightly, your faces mere inches from one another. The lights went dark. Waves of gasps flooded the room and murmurs filled his senses. That wasn’t what pulled the look of surprise on his face.

Against his neck he felt cold and sharp steel. Your hand in his tightened and the one around his neck pressed the blade more against it, drawing a thin line of blood. It trickled down hotly to his button up collar, the white fabric soaking up red like a drop of water in the middle of a desert.

His gaze was stuck to yours for a different reason now. The look in your eyes sharpened and your lips held more of a smirk.

He swallowed thickly against the blade, forcing another drop to slip past it.

“Perfect.”

[cooliofango]

Too Far Into the Future

Halloween Countdown 2025|Info|Masterlist| — Day 10: Werewolves

Pairing: John Mactavish x GN!Reader

Word Count: 677

Synopsis: Trick or Treat prep!

TW: None!

“Stay still!” Your giggles hang in the air. “Are th’ ears necessary?” “Very.” “Very, very!!” The cheers of your five year old daughter, Emily, are sung into the air as the brims of her witch’s hat flop with every jump she makes. “See? The oh-so powerful witch of the infinite candies decrees it so.” The young girl giggles at the sophisticated tone you picked up. You feel your husband’s shoulders sag under one of your hands while the other adjusts the clip-on ears you bought. This year, your daughter insisted that he’d go as a werewolf- you were told to be a vampire- while trick-or-treating. Neither of you could say no to that precious face, especially Johnny. She had him wrapped around her finger since the day she came home. The cloak around your shoulders swayed as you stepped back. The fake fur on the clip-ons matched his hair color perfectly! A grin tugs at your lips with the wave of victory that washes over you. Emily squeals, running to her father and jumping into his already outstretched arms, “Daddy you look so cool!” “Oh yeah?” “Yeah!”

Johnny stands, lifting her into his arms. Emily holds onto her hat as the sudden motion yet her smile never falters. “Well I think th’ witch of infinite candies is wayyy cooler. Awesome magic an’ endless candy? I think ya got me beat.” God they were so cute. There is no stopping the loving smile on your face as your husband and child banter back and forth about who is cooler. Cherished moments like these remind you of the beautiful life you created with the man you adored more than anything. 

You fished your phone from the pocket of your pants to check the time. Six o’clock on the dot. “Alright-” The phone was returned with ease, instead placing your hands back on your hips for a small dramatic flare. “Who’s ready for some trick-or-treating?!” Seeing your daughter’s eyes light up with pure excitement and joy made your heart swell. Johnny smiled with an equal warmth as she wiggled out of his arms.

“I’ll go get my basket!!” Your little girl disappears down the hallway towards her bedroom- she had been playing with it and her dolls earlier today- snatching her broom up on the way.

Arms wrap around you from behind. They’re tender and warm, giving you a sense of comfort. You lean back into his chest. The feeling of his lips against your jaw was soothing and heart fluttering all the same. Even after being married for many years he still has that effect on you.

“She’s growin’ up so fast.” The mumbled words tickle your neck. “Ugh- don’t remind me!” You pout at the mere thought of your daughter getting older and older as the years feel like they’re flying by. A chuckle rumbles from his chest and against your back. The arms around your waist tightened and he playfully sways you two from side to side. “Before we know it-” “Oh don’t start..” “She’ll be in highschool-” “Johnny-” “Then college-” “Please-” “Then she’ll be married-” “Stop it-” “And have a family of her own~!” “Come onnn..!” Your whine was both playful and serious. The way your heart clenched in your chest proved it so. All Johnny could do was laugh heartily. It was like music to your ears. “Let me act like she’ll be five forever for now,” You leaned the side of your head against his. Both of your cheeks squish together, muffling your voice ever so slightly, “we’ll miss it when it’s gone.” “I got it! Lets go, lets go!”

Emily runs back in, the zippers on her boots clinking against the metal. She pauses at the sight of you two. The way her father hugs you and the way you lean so affectionately back into him- it caused her little button nose to scrunch up.

“Ewww, gross!” She sticks her tongue out playfully before running past you two and towards the door, the plastic of the pumpkin shaped bucket thumping against the broom.

[cooliofango]

My Best Work Yet

Halloween Countdown 2025|Info|Masterlist| — Day 7: Mad Scientist

Pairing: Sebastian Solace x Scientist!GN!Reader

Word Count: 1005

Synopsis: You’re gifted a new test subject

TW: Reader is a little bit of a sadist, needles

“The less you squirm the easier it’ll be for the both of us, you know.” “Fuck you!” “Hey now.. No need for foul language.” The glass tinked with each flick against the syringe. Bubbles within the deep blue substance floated to the top, prompting you to push the plug further up. A tiny bit of the chemical within drops along the needle. The sight of it makes him visibly shudder under the restraints. The leather squeaks with each strained tug, his brows furrowing from both frustration and the bubbling fear in the pits of his stomach. Sebastian eagerly took the offer to avoid the death penalty all those months ago. Since being here, though, it’s something he’s grown to deeply regret. Months were made to feel like years thanks to all of the testing and experimentation done on him. He was exhausted and weak. He had lost weight and everything done here made him feel on edge. 

As scared as he was right now, he was just as angry, his eyes boring into your figure as you approached with the syringe of god knows what. “Such a magnificent fire in your eyes,” There was a chilling admiration in your tone, “Fierocity like that is quite admirable!”

You stopped at the table. Eyes drug over his figure eagerly. “Yes.. you will do quite nicely.”

The glass glimmered in the surgical lights glaring down at him. Sebastian could see the dark blue substance swirl as you carefully began to bring it near his neck. “Don’t- Don’t bring that thing anywhere near me!” He hissed, attempting to pull his bound head away.

“It’ll hurt less if you relax, you know.” A dry laugh left your lips, your tone mocking. Watching him squirm was enthralling- exciting even! You’ll have to thank the higher ups profusely for such a delightful subject. Your empty gloved hand dragged along the sweat slicked surface of his neck, gently gripping on it just enough to pull the skin taught. The feeling of his quickened pulse gave you such an odd sense of satisfaction. It was that kind of thrill you chased in this field of work, but this one felt different. This one felt better. “If my hypothesis is correct- this shouldn’t last too long for you.” The needle pierced the skin with ease. Sebastian tenses at the feeling, yelling out from the stinging pain and arching within the restraints as his body reflexively tries to escape it. You hum in pure delight, pushing the carefully made chemical into his body. It slowly disappeared into his blood stream. There was not a drop left behind. Sebastian thrashed violently in the restraints as the pain grew more intense by the second. The needle is removed with swift precision and you’re quick to back away as your concoction  takes effect. The screams of pain were music to your ears. Your eyes were wide with pure fascination as he began to change. 

He grew larger, scalier. Enlarging hands ripped themselves from the restraints, and as the rest of his body grew larger, the rest of the restaurants snapped too. Sharp talon like claws gripped at his head and his body rolled to the opposite of the table with a heavy thud. Then the screams went silent. “What?” Your voice went quiet, brows furrowing. Steps were heavy as they started towards the table, but they were quickly stopped as a large force pounced at you. A heavy groan ripped itself from your lips as your back met tile. Brows furrowed, looking up at the beast hovering over you with wild eyes burning with fury. 

“What the hell did you do to me?!” Sebastian growled, the sound coming out animalistic and bone chilling. Dark red blood clung to his body in places where new body parts had grown. Around a newly formed third arm, dripping down the center of his forehead from where the antennae-like appendage grew from. The blood from his forehead dripped onto your face, the grin pulling back to your face with the purest satisfaction. Your creation. The large hand caged you to the ground completely, your neck gripped in the space between his index and middle finger. Your arms threaded through the space between his fingers as well, gripping the leathery texture eagerly.

“Look at you!” You laugh almost maniacally, “Who knew you’d take to the serum with so much ease!”

Sharp teeth bared down at you as you continued to laugh. His grip on your throat tightened and the claws dug into your shoulders forcing your laugh into choked out coughs.

“You-”

The door was bashed open and gunfire rang into the air. It wasn’t bullets that hit his bare back and shoulders, but tranquilizers.

Sebastian yelled out in fury, turning to them with concerning speed and dragging you up with him. His arm raised to block the tranqs from hitting his face, a few lodging into his arm instead.

Movements began to slow, his body swaying unsteadily. Your legs dangled with each jerking movement he made. Gloved hands clung onto his engulfing hand tighter as one of his free ones grabbed the table he was previously strapped to and flung it weakly towards the guards. It knocked down a few, but only just.

Sebastian hit the ground hard. You did too, a shout of pain leaving your own lips from the heavy impact. You gasped for air. Yet your eyes never left him for even a second. During this whole resistance attempt, they never did.

“G-get..” You panted, carefully getting to your feet with the help of one of the guards as the rest filtered in with guns aimed at Sebastian in case he hadn’t been fully knocked out, “Get the trucks ready.” The rubber surface of your gloves gently rubbed at the stinging pain on your neck, yet you didn’t seem fazed at all. “We’ll need to keep him under observation.”

You took careful steps to him, crouching in front of his large head, “You have to be my best work yet~”

[cooliofango]

Weakened

Halloween Countdown 2025|Info|Masterlist| — Day 1: Vampires

Pairing: Cole Brookstone x Vampire!GN!Reader

Word Count: 808

Synopsis: Cole’s captured in the clutches of a blood thirsty villain. Literally blood thirsty.

TW: Suggestive, Nonconsensual kissing, MDNI 🙏

“G-Get off of me!”

The plea came out strained. Weak. A thick groan of effort dragged itself into the heavy atmosphere, muscles feeling like jello beneath the weight pinning him to the floorboards. As someone who prided himself on his strength, he felt weak in a way he’s never felt before. Any efforts to wiggle his wrists from under the pressure of knees being dug into his skin was only met in vain. He couldn’t even bring himself to move his legs from under the figure that held him down to try and kick them off. 

A sultry hum pierced his ears. The sound was like a splash of cold water, sending tremors down his spine. All words of protest died in his throat and each anxious swallow only felt like a wave of flames igniting in his neck. A stinging pain surged along the side of it- it was like tiny daggers were suddenly yanked from his flesh. The sensation caused what little muscle strength he had left to tense in response. The earth ninja moaned in pain and his face twisted into one of discomfort. Eyes screwed shut and teeth gritted in an attempt to bare it.

The person on top of him laughed shallowly and he felt the grip on his jaw move his face in their direction. “Oh come on, Cole,” ridicule dripped like fine wine with each drawn out syllable, “don’t be that way~”

Cole’s brows furrowed, prying his eyes open to glare up at them. The sight of blood- his blood- coating their lips made his stomach churn. He pressed his own lips tight with frustration when their tongue dragged over their sharp teeth. It was to mock him for his failure. This was a punishment for thinking he could get away so easily. They knew that. He knew that.

“You-” brows furrowed with strain and his shoulders tensed as he attempted to pull one arm free, “You won’t get,” a heavy sigh of exhaustion broke the sentence, going limp once more, “away with this..!” Cole panted. Everything felt fuzzy and the throbbing in his neck was painfully present, forcing its way to the very forefront of his mind. “Th-the others- they’ll stop you!” 

The being scoffed in daring amusement. Cole locked his jaw in place as they began to grin. He eyed the way his blood ran down their bottom lip when they stretched thin into an alluring smile. For a moment, they seemed to notice, sensing the liquid flowing across their skin. Their tongue swiped up the blood with slight eagerness, but missed a bit. A drop slipped by and landed onto his paling cheek with a wet tap. The wet warmth sent a chill down his spine.

The eyes of the bloodsucker narrowed down at him, their nails digging gently into his soft flesh. “I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” overconfidence was blatantly prominent in their tone, their head tilting to the side mockingly. They tilted his head as well to match their movements. The tension this caused on his wound made him wince, glaring back up at them. “But.. they,” they moved both of their heads to his left, “can,” to the right, “tryyyy~!” and back to the left. Their sweet giggle was sickening. Each head tilt made pain pulsate like hundreds of needles pricking his neck all at once and made his head spin. The blood loss was starting to get to him. He couldn’t help the guttural groan that left his lips from the feeling. If he didn’t pass out first, he felt like he’d hurl.

They inhaled deeply, leaning their face close to his. “Besides,” they exhaled slowly, “even if they do reach the two of us…” while one hand continued its firm grip on his face, the other raised to wipe the small drop of blood from his cheek with a cold thumb.

That same thumb dragged heavily against his lips to smear the metallic smelling substance on its surface. Cole’s brows furrowed and he let out muffled sounds of weak protest. It was the most he could do in this state as his eyelids lowered from the growing exhaustion permeating his body. “You, my dear,” the pet name rolled off of their tongue like thick honey, “will already be mine.” 

Eyes grew heavier and heavier as his energy continued to drain, his body lulling him to the depths of unconsciousness. He didn’t see what they did after that, but he definitely felt it. The heavy pressure against his lips and the brush of their tongue hungrily cleaning the blood off them. The way their grip on his jaw tightened, forcing it open to allow their tongue to slide against his and the sharp fangs to gaze against his lips. 

Everything went dark after that point, the world slipping entirely from his mind.

[cooliofango]

Blood to the New Moon

Halloween Countdown 2025|Info|Masterlist| — Day 9: Cults

Pairing: MCD! Laurence Zvahl x Cultist!GN!Reader

Word Count: 814

Synopsis: A new sacrifice has been procured

TW: Blood, Religious themes, Reader is slightly sadistic (again)

Screams of pain echoed off the stone walls of the chapel, each followed by a sharp thwack against wood. Your men step back, giving you a lovely view of the one you managed to ensnare this time. His head hung low, light brown hair hiding his sweaty face. The armor had been stripped already and his shirt had been torn all the way down the middle in order to have a crystal clear view of his torso that heaved with each shaken breath taken. 

Hands had been nailed to each side and feet to the bottom of the large wooden cross that you had ordered to be meticulously carved for the ceremony, just as the ritual has called for time and time again. The man above you shook from what you could imagine was excruciating pain. His heavy breathing was audible from where you stood. “Brothers and sisters!”

Warm candlelight illuminates your form as you turn with beautifully dramatic flare, the silk robes you wore glimmering in its wake. Your arms raise up and outward to those who have stood around you and in the pews just behind them. “Tonight’s another night of the blessed new moon, and as such his great lordship has spoken to me!” Your hands fall to be parallel to your hips, palms facing up.

 The chapel is dead silent other than the slight whimper of the knight pinned to the cross behind you. From the strain in his breaths, you’d have to guess he was trying to get himself free of the thick nails. The thought alone tugs the corners of your lips upwards.

“Your brothers Issac and Vincent have done well, and acted bravely, to bring us..” Your voice trails off with one hand moving to gesture behind you. Icy blue eyes meet yours, hazy yet burning with hatred. You return it with a look of satisfaction, “this lovely specimen…” Turning back to the crowd slowly, your hands clasp in front of you. The smile on your face never leaves, “as our sacrifice.” “What?!”

“Now, my brethren! Let us begin!” The devotees clasped their hands and dip their heads in unison. Chanting, low and eerily melodic, echoed within the cathedral. It was in a language he wouldn’t understand- one he would never get the chance to understand. “Y-you-” Laurence lifted his head and attempted to sit up against the back of the cross. He winced, groaning from the pain pulsing throughout his limbs with every little movement he made. “Won’t get away with this..” His words trembled. “Oh?”

The chanting silences your footsteps as you begin to approach him, looking at the pedestal beneath his feet. The stone held intricate carvings of symbols and ancient text. 

Placed on top of its surface was a long, curved dagger with the same ancient text. The blade shimmered under the flicker of firelight. You had personally cleaned it yourself for this occasion.

The wood creaked under the heavy weight of your imposing steps as you stepped onto the platform next to him. The engravings were rough under the pad of your thumb, memorizing each indention as you’ve done so time and time again. “We already have, oh great knight.” The blade pressed into the skin on his chest, slowly dragging along its surface. You could feel every one of his muscles tense, yells of pain joining the continuous chanting below them. His chest heaved with rushed breaths, groaning with each twist and curve. The symbols steadily being carved matched those on the podium. The chanting grew louder as you finished, leaning back to admire your work. Blood dripped down the blade, making sure to angle it up so it would follow the metal down to the handle instead of dropping to the stone podium prematurely. You couldn’t help but admire the sight before you, eyes narrowing. Blood flowed down through the crevices of his muscles and began to soak into the fabric of his pants and the torn shirt that was still close enough to touch the viscous red substance. “It’s a shame..” Your voice suddenly goes soft, your hands raising to his face. The blade grazing against the side of his face causes him to flinch. His brows furrowed and his eyes were hazy as they stared back into yours. “..to have to put such a pretty face to waste.” The smell of blood grew stronger as you leaned in closer to his face.

“I’ll make sure your sacrifice won’t be in vain, my dear~” One hand gripped onto his jaw, tilting his head back to expose his neck. The limpness made this easy.  You pressed the cold blade against his neck, holding it there only long enough to join in on the chanting for one verse before dragging the blade clean across the soft flesh.

The blood spilled quickly. He thrashed for only mere moments, choking, before falling limp.

[cooliofango]

Holy Light

Halloween Countdown 2025|Info|Masterlist| — Day 8: Angelic Horror

Pairing: John Price x Angel!GN!Reader

Word Count: 688

Synopsis: Death brings unexpected guests

TW: Reader’s appearance inspired by Seraphims

“Captain!” Gaz’s voice is fuzzy in his coms, heavy coughs tearing its way out his throat. The dust and fallen debris on top of him made breathing difficult. Pain permeated in his chest. His legs were numb and his head spun from the impact. Alarms blared above, making the throbbing in his temple more prominent. “Shit! Did he get caught in the blow?!” Soap’s voice cut through the ringing. “We need to go get him-” Ghost began, only for Price to interrupt. “N-no..! No- the building’s collapsing. You’ll-” A rough cough broke up his sentence, “only get stuck in here too.” His hand shook against the button, barely being able to keep it pressed in. “But what about-” “The mission,” his voice strained, “is more important.. than getting me out of here.” His hand fell with a groan. The distant sound of rumbling echoed through the building as more of it collapsed in some nondisclosed location. The worried voices of his comrades grew fainter with each passing second. John's forearms pushed onto the stone ground. Muscles tensed. It felt like every part of him was on fire, and the feeling only intensified when he tried to pull himself from under the heavy concrete. He let his upper body collapse back onto the ground with a heavy grunt from the effort and the intense waves of pain that coursed through him with every small movement. For a moment, he just laid there, focusing on breathing steadily. Legs were likely broken if the huge chunks of ceiling hadn’t paralyzed him entirely. The lower half of his torso was just barely pinned under the debris as well. He was able to shift around in place, but not pull himself out. Pairing all of that with the continuous rumbling and crumbling of the building around him.. he didn’t think he would be getting out of here. John lowered his head, eyes falling shut. He was tired. “How unfortunate.” John’s eyes snapped open, quickly looking up. The creature sat kneeled before him, almost bathed in a soft light. They were wrapped in garbs of white and their skin was so unblemished it almost looked like porcelain. Their touch was soft like the skin of a peach and as light as a feather as one of their hands reached out to caress his bruised and bloodied jaw. He felt frozen in place, like the world had stopped breathing. There was no sound of the building collapsing around them anymore. There was no sound of the team speaking into the coms at all now. Suddenly, he felt no pain. One second he was in agonizing pain and preparing for the inevitable death that was sure to come, the next he sat in awe- like he was witnessing something ethereal. Perhaps he actually was.

He couldn’t look away from the large wings behind their back. Twelve of them total- but six large ones on their back and six small ones on their head. The smaller set was folded around the being’s head, hiding their face. Their presence alone brought about a wave of calm like no other.

“Wh-who.. are you?” John’s voice was quiet. It was soft, as if he’d break something fragile if he spoke any louder.

They didn’t answer. Instead, they began to lean forward. Their torso slowly folds forward and their free hand meets the other side of his jaw. He couldn’t help but relax under the oh so gentle hold as if it was a natural instinct. He felt as if he was covered in a thick blanket of warmth, his eyes starting to fall shut.

Then they snapped back open with a shock of fear shooting down to his core.

The being’s small wings slowly fluttered open with grace. It was what laid under them that instilled fear.

Eyes.Lots of eyes.There were at least a dozen of them, each of them wide and centered solely on him. There weren’t any color to them. Where his iris were, theirs held the same pitch black as their pupils.

“Are you ready…” the words echoed in his mind, “to see the light?”

[cooliofango]

Too Late

Halloween Countdown 2025|Info|Masterlist| — Day 5: Skeletons

Pairing: Kyle Garrick x GN!Reader

Word Count: 733

Synopsis: Rescue mission has a not so happy ending

TW: A bit angsty

It had been about 5 months since Kyle went missing. A mission had gone wrong and he was taken prisoner. You all had gotten sloppy, not realizing the enemy approaching from behind. Many were injured and nearly killed but only Kyle was the only one to be captured. 

The team had immediately begun finding out what they could do to get him back- but they were limited due to their injuries. The most they could do was have Laswell gather as much intel as her abilities and connections would allow her. At the time of their initial investigation, even that was limited. 

Those who had minor injuries that wouldn’t impair them or that have healed quickly went out as soon as possible to gather more intel. Those of you that had more life threatening injuries that were slow to heal had no choice but to stay at base. Staying lying around doing nothing while Kyle was god knows where made you squirm. If it weren’t for the bullet wound you suffered to the abdomen, you would’ve been out there way sooner than you did. Thankfully it didn’t take too long to heal since it missed your vital organs but your worry made those few weeks feel like years. 

The moment your wounds were healed enough to get back to work, you set off to follow lead after lead. But each lead would run dry within the week you picked it up.

It frustrated you beyond belief. It frustrated the entire team and the collective worry for Kyle only continued to grow. What could they be doing to him each time you ran into a dead end? Every time you and Soap busted a supply drop or every time you and Ghost infiltrated a data center, were they harming him more? Was Kyle even alive? These questions plagued your mind so frequently that it began to affect your work. Price nearly put you on leave when you passed out in your office looking disheveled and the room a mess. Even if he had put you on leave, you wouldn’t have stopped. Not even for a second. And you didn’t. You kept going, chasing lead after lead with that hope heavy in your heart. “All of that for nothing.”

Your hands shook with overwhelming emotion. The dirt encrusted dog tags were clutched so tightly in your hands, they had begun digging into the skin of your palms. They felt so heavy for once. Tears blurred your vision as the name on them burned into the back of your skull. Kyle Garrick.

“Y-You couldn’t have… held out a little longer?” Overwhelming pain dripped like venom with each frustrated word you spoke. Your eyes drifted upwards from the tags to the corpse in the center of the room you stood in.

He was slumped backwards, head lolled backwards with a painfully obvious hole dead in the center of his forehead. Arms and legs were bound tightly to the chair he was sat upon. The air hung heavy with the smell of dust and rot. It was clear he had to have been sitting here for at least a few months, corpse abandoned in the ghost town that was once used as a temporary base of operations. His body was half rotted away. Bone was exposed and dead tissue clung to his skeleton. Flies buzzed and maggots were visible from the orifices. 

It made you feel so sick. 

Literally, when you had entered, you nearly hurled. Dead bodies weren’t new to you, yet you never got used to the smell of decay. You definitely would never get used to the smell of your friend decaying in front of you. The memory would haunt you, you believed. Your free hand shook as it rose up to the collar you wore for communication. A sharp sniffle filtered through your nose, followed quickly with a soft gag. 

“Gaz- he’s…” You almost choke up, tears finally slipping past your eyelashes down your cheeks. 

“What? You found ‘im?” Price’s voice cuts through the speaker in your ear. It was rushed and hopeful. When you didn’t respond, it sounded more hesitant. “Seargent…?”

In order for you to speak again, you had to swallow heavily. A deep shaky breath inflates your lungs, “He’s KIA. Has been.. for a while now..” your breath shakes as you release it, hand dropping from the button on your communicator.