DS1 Higgs x Reader // 1.8k words // Who's Ready for Tomorrow - RAT BOY, IBDY
In which Higgs just can't leave you alone while you're at work.
Tags: crack, texting, established relationship, gender neutral reader, Higgs being an absolute PROBLEM
A/N: The first texting fic I wrote was an absolute joy to work on, so I wanted to give it another go!
Taglist: @starshinedowo @sanguis-ghouls-blog @mikaela-homura @raeyanetta @higgsmonaghanlvr @thehouseoflore @cosmiccomrade @higgstoucher (lmk if you wanna be added/removed! <3)
☆*⁀‧₊˚
You weren’t sure how it was possible, but work had somehow managed to get more unbearable. A stack of papers greeted you upon entering your office, and you knew you were going to be putting in overtime that night. Bridges often forgot that its workers were people with lives, after all.
It’d been a few hours, and the paperwork you had to check and log showed only a small dent of progress made. You groaned, leaning back in your chair. The clock told you it wasn’t even noon yet.
“Ugh…”
Ding.
Lifting up your wrist, you checked your cuff link. At the very top of your notifications list was the nickname you’d bestowed upon the greatest annoyance in your life.
Asshole.
Before opening his message, you took a deep breath and prepared yourself. You knew it’d be better to not even look, but curiosity’s a bitch, and presently, you could use the distraction.
so i need ur opinion on smthing
What is it, Higgs?
The reply you sent was read instantly. Three dots appeared, then disappeared numerous times. Your patience was starting to wear thin, and just as you were going to close your cuff link, a response at last chimed through.
contemplatin this
Attached to his message was a picture of his favorite gun aimed right at your facility from far away in a field.
The fuck is wrong with you?
they get u all day :( its not fair
I’m an adult with a job. Get over it.
so am i!!!
Being a terrorist does not count.
keeps me fed, a roof over my head… probably make more than u
You don’t make anything. Whatever you DO have is stolen.
semantics
Well, this was not at all pleasant. I’m going to get back to my job now, and don’t you fucking try anything.
sayin that rlly makes me wanna try smthing!
You rolled your eyes and slapped your cuff link shut. It wasn’t the first time Higgs threatened your workplace, and it wouldn’t be the last. So long as you were in that building, it was safe; you knew that, as did he. Though, it didn’t deter the man from being a pest.
Another dreadful hour passed as you worked through your stack of headaches and sighs.
Seriously? Can no one double check their work in this place?! Why are there so many mistakes… You thought to yourself as the idea of Higgs destroying your facility began to sound real nice.
Ding.
Speak of the fucking devil. You opened your cuff link, and took in his newest message.
u left me on read :(
Wanna watch me do it again? Say something stupid, please.
ur mean 2day. wats botherin u? or who~
Just usual work bullshit.
oh do i have the solution for u!
No. Considered it, but no.
y not?
Because I’d rather deal with this place than you all day.
:(
Need to focus now, so stop messaging me.
nah
No?
ya
Higgs.
me!
I will block your contact.
u wouldnt dare!!
Smiling wide, you pulled up his contact and swiftly pressed the block button. All messages disappeared, and you took pleasure in knowing the man was likely making a stupid face at his cuff link.
Your lunch break finally came, and with it, the smallest of reprieves. Part of you weighed the pros and cons of unblocking Higgs for just a few moments of entertainment. The cons, ultimately, proved to be far too much. You ate in the silence of your cubicle.
Ding.
A heavy sigh left your lungs as you already knew what awaited you. Some-fucking-how. Lifting your cuff link, you saw a notification from a number you did not have saved. Opening its message, it read:
ok. so. u dared.
Yup.
lets start over
What do you mean?
how r u :3
You rolled your eyes, and despite your previous pro/con list, gave in to the man’s antics. There was some time to spare, after all.
I’m tired.
u work too much
I thought we were starting over?
o ya. so like.. wat r u wearing
Yeah, no, we’re not doing that, either.
ughhhhh. okok. can i see u later?
Don’t know. Will probably be here late tonight.
>:(
Just how it goes.
not if i can help it
Higgs, we discussed this already.
yup. and im a terrorist, as also discussed, so i can do wat i want :P
Jfc.
love u!! :3
You cursed yourself for bothering at all and blocked his new number. Finishing up your lunch, you returned to your mountain of work and tried to put the man out of your head.
A few more hours passed and no new messages weaseled their way through on your cuff link. You figured Higgs likely found something else to entertain himself with for the time being, and were glad for it. Each time he reached out, it really destroyed your focus.
You typed away at your computer with a furrowed brow. The newest report you were logging contained a multitude of grammatical errors, and it was taking longer than expected to correct. A headache was building, and your eyelids were beginning to feel heavy.
Ding.
God, what now, you thought to yourself as an email came through on your computer. A silent prayer went off in your head as you hoped it wouldn’t be more work from a superior being added onto your plate.
alright so i can forgive the first time being left on read. but after i say i love u?! rlly?? thats low, even for u :(
How the fuck did he get access to my work email? You thought as you reread his message, trying not to panic over the weak cybersecurity of your facility.
This is my work email. Do not contact me through this. I will get back to you later, okay?
no, not good enough. my feelings are hurt now and i feel like smthing needs to be done over it :/
Are you five?
normally i like ur snarkiness, but rn it just isnt doing it for me
Boo-hoo.
mkay! was givin u the opportunity to apologize, but since u wanna be like that…
Before you could make sense of what Higgs meant, control of your computer was seized from you. Your mouse no longer responded to your inputs, and your keyboard was unable to type. You watched in horror as an email directed to your boss started to materialize before your very eyes.
This is my formal resignation. I would say it’s with great sorrow, but this workplace has become rather toxic for my mental health. I don’t wish you the best, as I honestly hate you and everyone here. I will be leaving today, and not coming back; I can’t spend another two weeks here. Truthfully, I hope the Homo Demens target this place next, as a pile of rubble would be an improvement over the idiocy that dwells within these halls. Goodbye, and fuck you.
You squealed as you pulled yourself from your stupor and jumped, sliding underneath your desk. Before Higgs could click send, you unplugged the damn machine from the wall, and slunk down to the floor.
What is his goddamned issue?!
A coworker passed by not long after, and questioned why your computer was off.
“Needs repairs,” was all you said in response. You were far too fearful to turn it back on for the time being. Knowing Higgs, he-who-never-seemed-to-have-anything-better-to-do, was likely waiting for the moment it came back online to send that life-ruining email.
Asshole. Really living up to that contact name right about now.
So, you were stuck doing things the old fashioned way. Your pen scribbled over each report, and your wrist soon began to ache. Every moment passed with all sorts of colorful curses directed at Higgs in your mind.
“Scuse me,” a man drawled from behind you. Unfortunately, you didn’t need to turn around to recognize the face it came from. However, the more alarming thought was how he managed to get there.
“What the hell,” you hissed, as you spun around in your chair and made eye contact with Higgs. He stood tall and proud in his stolen Bridges uniform at the entrance to your cubicle. “Are you kidding me?”
“Nope,” he laughed. Pointing at your computer, he continued, “Determined, I see.”
“Because you were way out of line!”
“Oh? I was?” His eyes narrowed. “You’re the one playing with my emotions, darlin’.”
“W-what?” Disbelief washed over you; he was actually being serious. “I’m not playing with anything. This is my livelihood that you’re putting at stake, and for what? Because you’re bored?”
“Yup.”
“Fuck you.”
“Sure thing,” he winked, and you dug your nails into the palms of your hands in response.
“How did you even get here?”
“Through the front entrance,” he said with a shrug.
“Jesus…”
“Yeah, security here is shit.”
“I’m realizing that,” you said.
“So c’mon,” he gestured to the exit.
“Uh, no? I still have work to do.”
“Oh, baby, I was not askin’,” he said as he pulled out a gun hidden from inside of his uniform. Taking aim at you, he went on, “Get it? You’re my hostage now, honey! Get up.”
You thought your workday already sucked given the sight you were greeted with upon entering that morning. Yet of course, Higgs had a way of making anything worse. Rising to your feet, you put your hands up in mock surrender as passing coworkers gasped in surprise. Alarms began to blare as someone hit the emergency lockdown. Higgs smiled through it all.
“I mean,” he whispered into your ear as you got close. “Told ya early on I was considerin’ this,” he said, shaking his gun in your face.
“I hate you.”
“No, ya don’t.”
Higgs wrapped an arm around you, while keeping his gun aimed at your head with the other. He walked the both of you through the halls, and your jaw clenched when you realized what he was doing. The bastard could easily jump the two of you out, but he was putting on a show; one that made clear to your coworkers and superiors that for whatever reason, you were a valuable hostage to the Homo Demens.
And a detriment to their company.
You wouldn’t have a job after this, and already you were considering how you were going to make Higgs regret his actions. A solid hit in the balls seemed like a good enough place to start.
But why wait?
You spun in his grip, slamming your knee into his crotch, and a loud grunt left the man. He started to keel over, and before his image could truly be tainted, he grabbed you and the room filled with chiralium.
The jump landed you both back in his camp, and the frown Higgs wore was the best thing you had seen all day.
“R-really? Think ya can get the one up on me?” He choked out the words.
“Seems like I did,” you cooed, amused by the sight of the man still unable to stand straight.
“Ya didn’t. You ain’t gonna have that job anymore, so.”
“And everyone there will remember that your hostage did a number on you, so, semantics.”
DS1 Higgs x Reader // 2.5k words // Semblance of Me - Seether
In which Higgs is desperately trying to keep you alive after he fucks everything up on a mission. During such a panic, it becomes clear how much you truly mean to him.
Tags: hurt/comfort, wound care, blood and injury, very brief mention of throwing up, gun usage, soft Higgs, gender neutral reader
A/N: So I've written the opposite scenario, you caring for Higgs, but considered, how would it go if it was HIM taking care of you? Had a lot of fun with this one. Soft Higgs is always a treat, both to read and write about <3
Taglist: @starshinedowo @sanguis-ghouls-blog @mikaela-homura @raeyanetta @higgsmonaghanlvr @thehouseoflore @cosmiccomrade @higgstoucher (lmk if you wanna be added/removed! <3)
⋆ . ࿔ ˚
“Fuck! Stay with me!” Higgs shouted, his voice a desperate plea to your fading conscience.
Your body was losing its warmth, the blood that flowed from you stealing your life away with each drop. Gloved hands pressed into the wound in your abdomen, attempting to stanch its flow, but the deluge of red continued.
“Look at me! Don’t close your eyes,” Higgs said, a shakiness coating each word.
Removing one hand from your injury, he grabbed your chin and shook your face. Fresh blood smeared across your skin, glistening in the light. Groggy eyes blinked slowly in response. You were still alive, but the pallid tone your skin was taking on threatened you wouldn’t be so for long.
“Goddamn it…” Tears spilled from the man’s eyes above you. Some landed on your cheeks, mixing with the mess of sweat and blood staining your flesh. “Don’t do this. Don’t you fuckin’ do this.”
You were in no state to respond, to tell the man you didn’t want to, that you were trying to stay awake, that you were scared. Your mind wasn’t working as it normally would; you were dying.
And Higgs was the reason why.
–
The clicking of footsteps on tile echoed off of the walls. Higgs walked at your side, the smirk he adopted since entering the building unable to leave his face. His stupid plan was actually working, and the ‘I told you so’ wasn’t enough for him, apparently. No, he needed you to really stew in his success.
In the form of his annoying expression.
“Stop that,” you mumbled.
“No way,” he said, shoving his elbow into your arm. “Knew it would work. Ya need to learn to believe.”
You rolled your eyes and adjusted your Bridges cap. The suit Higgs managed to scrounge up for you was clearly quite old. With a broken zipper, only half of the top portion could be closed shut.
“Where the fuck is the data room?” You asked quietly, glancing around. The workers who passed the two of you paid you no mind, but anxiety still coursed in your veins.
“‘Spose to be in the back somewhere. Didn’t memorize it.”
“What?!” You hissed, snapping your head to look at the buffoon beside you.
“What?” He stopped, matching your gaze.
“This is one of the few facilities that allows firearms. Ya’know, dangerous secrets and all that? Shit Bridges can’t have gettin’ out? Stuff worth killing and dying for?”
“Uh huh.”
“And you didn’t memorize where we needed to go to steal the network schematics? Are you fucking stupid?”
Higgs smiled, and placed his hands on your shoulders. “Darlin’, please calm down. You’re gonna start attractin’ attention.”
“Steve,” you said through gritted teeth, reading Higgs’ stolen nametag. “Why the fuck are you like this?”
“I got faith, honey.” He dropped his hands, and continued forward down the hallway. You paused for a moment while you exhaled your annoyance. Once your blood was no longer boiling, you had to jog to catch up with the man’s long strides. “And I got this,” Higgs continued once you were back within earshot, patting his side.
Hidden under his suit was his beloved old pistol. You were reminded of yours in your boot; your holster having been visible when worn properly. It wasn’t ideal. If a fight broke out, it’d be harder to reach, but you prayed it wouldn’t have to come to that. After all, the clearance Higgs stole for the two of you didn’t come with firearms permission.
“Shouldn’t have agreed to this,” you said with a shake of your head.
“Oh c’mon, you’re the best one for the job!” Higgs said, slapping a hand onto your back. “You’re good with people, you honestly look super natural in that uniform, and–”
Your glare cut off his sarcasm.
“Alright,” Higgs conceded, dropping his hand. “You’re my best locksmith. Don’t trust any of those stupid fucks back at camp with this, also.” His tone got serious, and for once, you finally felt a sense of calm wash over you. The two of you were in deep shit in that facility, and you needed Higgs to take it seriously.
A response formed in your head, and just as your lips parted to speak, the world came crashing down around you. Security rounded the corner at the end of the hall, rifles raised. Your breath held in your chest as you took in your surroundings. The hall had cleared, only you and the man who weren’t supposed to be there occupied the space.
A goddamned trap.
“Higgs,” you whispered.
His hand was already deep into his suit, slowly pulling the gun from its holster.
“You gotta jump us out of here,” you continued.
“Don’t move!” The woman at the front of the security detail shouted. “You two are under arrest for attempting to steal government property.”
“Higgs,” you prodded again, heartbeat thundering loud in your head.
What the fuck was he thinking?
“We need this,” he finally said, whipping his gun out, aiming it at the first sorry soul he could.
BANG.
A man dropped dead to the floor before anyone could process the fight Higgs just started. You reached down for your gun, but the trigger guard snagged onto your sock.
BANG.
Another body at the end of the hall fell.
BANG. BANG.
The floor next to you chipped, and chiralium flashed as Higgs dodged the bullet meant for him. Your gun finally pulled free, and you stood up, taking aim–
BANG.
An explosion of pain blossomed from somewhere deep in your stomach. The world around you went hazy, as a burning hot sensation spread through your veins. Your legs felt weak all of a sudden, and you looked down.
Blood gushed from your abdomen, the full metal jacket having ripped through your body entirely. Then, all pain was gone. Your hands felt numb. Higgs said something. Another bang echoed in your ears. A flash of gold. Darkness.
–
Higgs pressed his hands deeper into your wound, tears flowing freely from his eyes. He wasn’t sure where he wound up after his chiral jump, but no one seemed to be around. Safe, for now.
Swiveling his head around, desperate eyes searched for anything that could be used to save your life. Unluckily for the both of you, all that surrounded were desks, computers, and Bridges branded fucking pens.
“Goddamn it!” Higgs clenched his teeth, eyes finding their way back to your face.
You had passed out moments before, after his pathetic attempt at keeping you awake. There wasn’t much time. He was about to lose the one person he’d grown to feel truly comfortable with.
Happy with.
“Ah!” A soft voice exclaimed, bringing Higgs’ attention to the doorway of the office.
An idea formed instantaneously. One hand remained pressed deep into your death sentence, while Higgs pulled another from its holster. Taking aim, he said, “Where’s your fuckin’ infirmary?”
The woman put her hands up in surrender, eyes going wide with fright. Trembling lips parted and replied, “I-it’s just down the h-hall…”
“Take me,” Higgs growled, slipping your body quickly into his arms. More of your blood seeped into his suit, and he tried to not feel sick over its warmth. Carrying you bridal style, he kept his gun pointed at the innocent from under your legs.
“T-this way,” she said, tears bursting from her eyes as she led Higgs down the hall and to the place with the only chance at saving you.
Stepping inside, Higgs took aim at the nurse inside. “Save this one’s life or I’m endin’ yours,” he snapped at the man, placing your body down gently on the table.
The nurse’s eyes were as wide as the woman’s, but he nodded. Higgs kept his pistol pointed at the man while he moved around, gathering supplies. The poor officeworker was put to work at the behest of the nurse as well, pressing gauze into your oozing gunshot wound. Higgs locked the only door leading into the room while they shuffled around.
Anxiety rattled Higgs’ bones. He’d never felt so afraid, not even when his Daddy almost brought his own oblivion upon him. This was his fault, he knew it, and if you died because of his mistake, he would never be able to forgive himself for it.
He paced. And paced. And paced.
The only sounds in the cold room came from the work the two frightened innocents were doing. Cleaning, stitching, dressing. It felt like it took hours, and hell, maybe it did. Alarms blared the entire time, the whole facility on lockdown as security swept the building. They likely believed Higgs left the premises already, but in his panic, he didn’t actually get that far. The place was large, and who knows how long he had until they eventually came across a locked room, with no response from inside.
He couldn’t think about that now. Looking back to you, his eyes burned as more tears started to bud; you looked so weak and so delicate; so human. Higgs wanted to destroy; to hurt the people in front of him, the very ones who were saving you. He wanted to hurt the asshole that put a bullet through you. He wanted to hurt himself.
“How’s it lookin’,” the question finally managed to form, surprising the people lost in their work.
“It’s not great,” the nurse replied. “The bullet avoided most organs,” he said as he wiped the back of his forearm across his forehead. “Will still be a long road to a full recovery, but the bleeding has finally stopped.”
“Are you done then?”
“Almost,” the nurse replied.
As more indecipherable time passed, it took everything within Higgs to not lose his mind while he waited. A bang from the door brought fight or flight back into his weary bones.
“Open this door at once!” A booming voice shouted from the other side.
“Hurry the fuck up,” Higgs hissed at the duo in front of him, raising his gun to emphasize his point.
The two people moved more frantically, finishing up your final dressings. Blood stained their gloves, turning the blue rubber into a deep purple. Higgs tried to not think about it.
“Get this open,” the voice beyond the door mumbled to someone else. The doorknob began to jiggle as a key was entered.
Higgs knew he couldn’t risk another firefight. You were his priority now, and getting you back to camp safe and alive was all that mattered. Fuck the schematics. Fuck revenge. He bounded over to where you lay, and shoved the man hunched over you who was cleaning up some of the blood on your face.
His arms slipped underneath you once again, and he lifted you up. Holding you safely against himself, the first thing he noticed was how much stronger your breathing had become.
“Thank you,” he whispered to the people he no longer wished to kill, and vanished in a flash of sour, gold chiralium.
It was the first time he ever spoke such words.
–
Your head bumped against something rather hard. A groan escaped your lips as your eyes peeled open from a slumber that was almost permanent.
“Shit,” Higgs said under his breath.
You were laying in the backseat of a truck. A migraine pulsed behind your eyes, but the terrible burn in your side was far worse. The vehicle hit another bump, sending your body jerking against the leather once more.
“Ow,” you mumbled.
Higgs gasped as the truck slowed to a complete stop. “You’re awake,” he whispered, turning around from the driver’s seat to look you in the eye.
“Wish I wasn’t,” you rasped.
“I know. We’re almost back at camp,” Higgs said, stringing the words together in a way that told you he was scared shitless. “Couldn’t jump us all the way back. Would’ve been too much on your system. The last time you kept throwing up…”
You cringed at the account you had no recollection of.
“Twenty minutes,” he continued. “Think ya can manage?”
“What else can I do?” You scoffed. Memories began to flood your mind of the day’s events. “I told you it was a shit idea,” you added.
“Yeah,” Higgs breathed out. “Go ahead.”
“I fucking told you so,” you said, relishing in the small victory that was throwing his very own words back at him. “You’re a goddamned idiot.”
“Uh huh, wanna keep goin’ or wanna save that strength of yours?”
You tried to sit up, but the pain quickly stopped you, so instead, you used said strength to get under Higgs’ skin more. “I told you so!” A pause to catch your breath as your wound screamed in response. “I was right and you were wrong.”
“Yup,” he nodded, seemingly not at all bothered. In fact, the man was smiling.
The fuck?
“Be mad,” you grumbled.
“No way, can’t,” he laughed. “You’re alright.”
Your amusement quickly washed away. The shake in his voice betrayed his usual holier-than-thou facade, and the tinge of red in his eyes told you he had been in battle with his emotions for quite a time. Apparently you weren’t as disposable as the rest, for those two final words were the greatest thing he’d ever uttered.
“You better figure out how you’re gonna make this up to me,” you said. Confronting such complicated thoughts was too difficult for your current state, so you chose to ignore it altogether. For now.
“Don’t worry,” Higgs replied. “Been mullin’ it over.” He seemed to appreciate your choice.
After all, Higgs himself was still reeling from how much his heart hurt over it all. Seeing the bullet rip through you, your body falling to the ground seconds later, the look of fear in your eyes as you tried to hold onto your fleeting life.
He always knew you were different; he liked you more than the rest. But now, he was realizing it wasn’t just that. Higgs needed you; not just for your skillset, but because of what you offered his mind. There was a calm you brought to his disheveled thoughts that he had subconsciously grown dependent on.
And that scared him almost as much as losing you.
“Ya hungry?” He asked.
“Not really,” you said.
“Well, ya will be. What’s your favorite kind of pizza?”
You smiled, and told him your preferred type. Pizza was Higgs’ realm, no one got a say in it other than him. It was, in truth, his form of an apology, but also, a small step towards confronting the scary emotions that had begun to swarm in his mind.
The ride continued in silence, and when you later had the appetite and strength to eat, the slice of pizza you downed was the best thing you ever tasted. Healing would be a long journey, but Higgs made it clear he was gonna take care of you every step of the way, and you were okay with that. The ‘I told you so’s’ continued, and Higgs was okay with that, too.
This morning, as the snow was slowly falling outside your window, you’d been snuggled up on the couch under half a dozen blankets, reading as you attempted to stay warm. And of course, you’d only just reached peak warmth when you were interrupted by a touch-starved man who apparently possesses the world’s coldest hands.
You’d told him there’d be consequences if he continued to run his freezing fingertips over your body, but in pure Higgs fashion, your warnings were ignored.
That’s how you ended up where you are now, sat atop him straddling his hips, an ice cube held delicately between your teeth. Your warm lips followed up each freezing stab of the ice, and as much as he denied he liked this little punishment, you could feel him quickly filling out beneath where you sat.
Because again, in pure Higgs fashion, his little gasps and yelps of shock were accompanied by a look in his eyes that let you know his mind was swarming with delicious predictions about where this would go. So you reassured him that it was okay, you’d thought about what that ice cube would feel like running along his warm, flush 🐓 too. How about we find out?
