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Motorcity: Join Me chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Motorcity or the listed characters Title: Join Me Rating: T+ Summary: AU, Chuck and Mike never met in Deluxe; Chuck is leader of the Burners and Mike is still a Kane’s Commander. Despite being enemies, Chuck and Mike find themselves having feelings for each other, but are both too stubborn to leave their sides of Detroit. Pairings: MikexChuck, DutchxTennie Warnings: Don’t read if you don’t like or are triggered by violence or dystopian societies Author’s Note: For the sake of the AU to work Chuck is OOC and some events have been slightly changed.

~~~

8: Trust Issues

“So… This is a movie about people rebelling against the government?” Mike asked as they were halfway through the second installment of the Star Wars series.

Chuck was still lying on the couch, eating popcorn as they watched the movie “Yes, Mike.”

“…And they’re the good guys?”

“Yes, Mike.” Chuck repeated, almost giggling at the cluelessness of the sheltered Deluxian. In retrospect, it’d make sense why Mike would be so confused about the theme of the movie; he’d lived his whole life having his head filled with pro-government rhetoric and propaganda. Chuck himself had been a little overwhelmed by Motorcity’s radically different lifestyle in the beginning.

“What’re they doing?” Mike asked, noticing that Dutch, Texas and Jacob were setting up decorations. There was cotton that was supposed to look like cobwebs, and bats made of paper.

Chuck tossed another kernel into his mouth before answering “They’re decorating for Halloween, we’re going to have a haunted house.” He anticipated the confusion that crossed the prisoners face.

“Halloween?”

“It’s a holiday where people dress up as monsters or other fictional characters, and go house-to-house asking for candy at night. It’s a scare-themed night.” Like with anything else about living in Motorcity is explained, Mike looked both bewildered and horrified. In the Deluxian mindset that suggestion was at par with saying that kids went door-to-door asking for oxycontin and razorblades.

“You just… let kids go out at night house-to-house with the intent of scaring them?”

“A the really little ones are supervised, or have older kids with them, most are in groups; all the streets are kept lit. It’s all good fun, Mike.” He attempted to reassure, the soldier continued to look skeptical. “Although, judging by the decorations, we aren’t going to scare anyone.” Even the fog machine wasn’t anything particularly startling.

“Maybe we could decorate this room and use Chilton as an attraction, he’s a menace.” Texas suggested as he mixed up the ‘witches brew’ punch, which was basically just regular punch with some chunks of dry ice thrown in there to make it look like smoke was coming out.

“I don’t think of myself as very scary.” Mike defended with a small smile; one thing Chuck learned about this guy was that it was practically impossible to get him down. Even in a hostage situation he seemed upbeat and wasn’t affected by any insults or threats.

It was kind of cute.

‘Don’t think he’s cute he’s Kane’s top dog’ The logical side of Chuck’s brain muttered, and he shook his head in an attempt his get his irrational thoughts out.

“Kane Co military dog out to destroy us and our way of life, in the cadet uniform and all. Kids and their parents would be pretty scared.” Texas muttered.

“Okay we’re not using the prisoner as a haunted house attraction okay?” Chuck put his hands up defensively to Texas “Besides, we don’t need anyone to call the police on us for unlawful imprisonment.” Mike looked surprised again, this time at the fact that Motorcity does in fact have laws and law enforcement.

“Speaking of which, shouldn’t we feed Señor-Sideburns or something?” Foxy inquired, she was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

“Oh yeah, we haven’t done that yet.” Chuck held up a finger, in thought>

“Uh, well-” Mike began, but Chuck held a hand up at him to interrupt.

“You stay there Mike, I’ll be right back.” The blonde rebel said, making Mike roll his eyes at the suggestion that he could move away from his current spot even if he wanted to; Chuck went into the kitchen and grabbed a marker and some food before walking back in.

“I’m not eating whatever poisoned thing you try to feed me,” Mike stated firmly; Deluxians only ate throat-cubes, but that was because it had all of the nutrition they needed, he knew that the primitive food items that Motorcitizens ate were often unhealthy and caused things like diabetes, cancer and obesity. Chuck didn’t respond, just began drawing a series of rings arounds Mike’s mouth with the marker.

Texas started to laugh “Dude, seriously?” His leader was drawing a dart board on Mike’s face - the ‘bullseye’ was the Commander’s mouth.

“Men.” Foxy muttered under her breath with a roll of her eyes, but there was a faint smirk playing on her lips and the racer crossed her arms and watched without further word.

Chuck took several steps back and took his jacket off, but that was so it would be easier to summon his weapon. He slid his hand up his wrist, and his slingshot weapon materialized at the gesture, and he put it on it’s ‘tangible’ setting, which allowed him to fire tangible items instead of energy blasts. In this case, it was food he that was being used as ammo; to be precise, a bread roll from a batch that Jacob had made the other day.

Aiming for the mouth in the center of the rings, he fired.

Mike clamped his mouth shut, so he was hit, but the food item didn’t make it into it’s intended target, it ended up on the floor. “Oh come onnn Mikey,” Chuck mock-pouted, but the other only glared at him without words “Deluxe cubes are nasty, this stuff is actually really good.”

Mike just continued to glare at him.

He tried another roll, a doritos chip, a cookie, and even an okra muffin, but it all ended up on the floor.

“Oh come on Mike,” Chuck groaned in frustration, wrist dropping “why are you being so difficult?”

“Well that is a pretty insensitive and unprofessional approach to feeding a captive.” Foxy pointed from her spot against the wall, but she was smirking in a way that indicated that she was more amused than worried.

Mike spoke up “I’m not letting you poison-”

“Yeah this is getting boring.” Texas said as he walked up and shoved a piece of pizza into the commander’s mouth whilst he was still flapping his gums. Mike’s eyes widened in surprise and he made a half-choking noise. Chuck expected the Deluxian to spit the food out, but to his surprise Mike actually continued to chew and even swallow it.

“Before you ask if you’re gonna die or get fat, the answer is no.” Chuck assured, grinning teasingly at his rival, who again glared at him annoyed. The brunet turned away when the rebel winked at him. “Aw look at that, big shot there’s pouting.”

“There are some people only capable of hate after they meet you, emo-fringe.” Foxy sneered and used her nickname for him; although it was teasy rather than mean-spirited, and she spoke with her characteristic mischievous grin.

He put his hand over his chest and looked up as if he were honored “I’m proud of such an accomplishment.” He announced dramatically, he swore he saw Mike chuckle under his breath.

~~~

Texas was out trick-or-treating, Dutch was out at the Cablers settlement so ‘help out’ (in actually he just wanted to see Tennie and hopefully win her dad over), Claire had come down despite Julie being stuck in Deluxe and was currently with Foxy at some other Amazons Halloween party, Jacob was manning the failing Haunted House, and Chuck was left to supervise Mike. He didn’t mind though, for the time being he was serenading the other boy with classic Halloween films and treats. Unfortunately, Mike continued to stubbornly refuse the food. A shame really.

“Nice tattoo.” Mike complimented flatly with his ‘Mike Chilton’ smile; the Burner leader looked to his left bicep where the aforementioned tattoo was, which was visible because he wasn’t wearing his jacket so he was wearing the blue sleeveless shirt he always wore under it - it was a blue feather topped with a yellow eagles head. It was one of the first things he did to try to grasp his own individuality when escaped Deluxe. It was designed after the ‘mascot’ of Blonde Thunder, a bald eagle. Bald eagles were currently extinct birds of prey that wasn’t as fast as other birds of prey like falcons or hawks, and in lore was associated with the mythological creature the ‘thunderbird’. To his knowledge used to be the national bird and animal of the United States of America, so another reason to adopted it was basically to flip the finger to Kane.

“Thanks.” Chuck shrugged, drinking a root beer down quickly “Sure you don’t want anything? Food, drink, anything?”

“Uncuff me?” Mike suggested innocently, more to make conversation that actually request as he knew there was no way that was happening.

“Sorry there babycakes, can’t be done; once I get a man I make them mine forever.” Mike at this point was too used to the innuendo and flirting to be affected by it, at least not at a casual setting like this (as casual as being held captive at the hands and headquarters of your sworn enemy could be, at least.). The Burner looked through a box full of CD’s for music to play, and pulled out one that was still inside of a plastic case “You kind of look like Murdoc Niccals, you know.” Chuck said, as he studied the box art of the case.

“Who?” Mike asked, then Chuck brought the case close to Mike’s mouth to show him the cover art for a band called the ‘Gorrilaz’ for an album titles ‘Demon Days’, the picture showed an american animation styled drawing of four cartoon men, the one Chuck was pointing to was the one in the top-left corner.

“…My skin isn’t green and my eyes aren’t yellow.” Mike rolled his eyes.

“He could be a cartoonized, palette-swapped, British version of you.” Chuck insisted.

“…Was he real or?”

“Naw, he was part of what they call a ‘virtual band’, it was a rather popular one in the late nineties called Gorrilaz; all of the members were fictional and the music was made by, I think two, three musicians?”

Mike blinked in confusion as he processed this information; he didn’t understand ‘life as we know it’ prior to Detroit Deluxe, only the parts about many homeless and poor people, and all unhealthy lifestyle choices that the previous form of government just let people make like smoking and becoming so alcoholic they were abusive to their loved ones. He always imagined that the culture was self-serving and dog-eat-dog, so little pleasant details like that were unexpected.

A red window suddenly popped up from Chuck’s communicator; a distress signal. “What the…” Chuck muttered as he pressed the answer button, and immediately cringed at the screaming from the other end, which forced him to reduce the volume “Texas? What’s wrong?” He demanded, concerned; the only response he got was the Stronghorn driver screaming about candy and being eaten alive, before the call died. “Is he O.D’ing on candy again? For fucks sake.” The blonde muttered and grabbed his jacket and keys “Gonna have to check on him and make sure he’s okay.”

“Are you just gonna leave me here?” Mike asked dryly.

“Do you think I’m stupid? The minute you’re off of the wall, you’ll find a way out of your bonds even if I had you hogtied; because you’re Mike Chilton.” A flattering but disappointing statement, because Mike really was tired of just hanging there,

The window suddenly broke open, a green pod of some kind fell in.

“Well that’s different than the eggs or TP we usually see on Halloween.” Chuck muttered as he leant down to pick up the pod and throw it away.

It exploded a gasious substance that he unfortunately breathed in. The gas, being heavier than air, didn’t reach Mike who was higher elevation than Chuck.

The sclera of Chuck’s eyes were suddenly saturated in pitch-black, and with a gasp, he fell to his knees.

“Chuck?!” Mike inquired in concern - the only gas he could think of that was heavier than air was mustard gas.

Not hearing him very well, Chuck began to pant heavily as everything around him swirled and distorted. His vision of Mike became incredibly skewed to where the Kane Co soldier suddenly descended to the floor, his skin was sickly green and his eyes bright yellow, and his had a snake-like tongue hanging out with an evil expression.

‘This is an illusion..’ Chuck’s last rational thought screamed at him, but he quickly became engulfed into his trepidation, and like any other time he was extremely afraid, tears streamed out of his eyes and down his face, even though he remained silent.

The spectre walked up to the Burner and grasped him by the front of his shirt, hoisting him up to be face to face “You were foolish to assume I could be rehabilitated.” It hissed “Why would I ever even consider taking your side? I’d never leave Kane.”

He saw the walls were beginning to ooze blood, and the silhouettes of dead bodies, one pile clearly being the bodies of his friends.

The nightmare Mike’s hands were soaked in the blood, it spread and stained onto Chuck’s shirt and jacket, until it dripped down his own hands. His hands were stained in their blood because he was had made a mistake in thinking Mike could change, trusting the Kane Co soldier was a mistake that would cost his loved ones their lives.

~~~

Mike watched in confusion and horror as the usually cocky and collected blonde rebel sat on the floor, hugging his knee’s with tears riveting down his face, staring at something in front of him that Mike couldn’t see. Whatever was happening to Chuck, it was because of that pod. But what had happened? What was it?

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry….” Chuck began stammering, who or what he was talking to or about Mike didn’t have the foggiest idea “I miscalculated… I was wrong… I’m sorry..” The despair on his freckled face the other boy couldn’t help but sympathize him.

Jacob just then thankfully walked in, seeing the Burners leader crouched down on the ground unstable made him run over to investigate. “Chuck! What’s wrong? Did he hurt you?” He looked up accusingly at Mike as he held the blonde close, who didn’t seem to even notice the older man’s presence and kept muttering that he was sorry for being wrong.

Mike got defensive “I didn’t touch him! I’m completely restained! Look at the broke window - someone threw in some plant pod that released gas that Chuck breathed in” even if he wasn’t on their side that didn’t mean he was some murderous psychopath.

Jacob picked up the withered green pod off the ground “This?”

“Yes.”

“…Terra’s.” Jacob muttered, barely audible, but Mike still heard him.

“Who?” He inquired, all he knew about ‘terra’ was that it was a term for earth.

“Crazy eco-terrorists, bent on destroying Deluxe.” Jacob explained as he gently placed Chuck onto his back and brought his communicated up to try to call Texas, Dutch, and Foxy. Chuck continued to silently twitch and cry, looking legitimately traumatized, watching such a display made the center of Mike’s chest twist up with an unknown emotion.

Texas didn’t answer, but Dutch’s head icon appeared finally appeared “The Terra’s are attacking the Cabler settlement!” He said, there was the sound of Tennie’s voice in the background.

“For pete’s sake.” Jacob muttered “Do you know what they’re doing?”

“I have no clue, but whatever they’re firing at people it’s turning them into screaming masses.”

“They hit Chuck with one, he’s just laying there looking terrified of something.”

“Bug… bug…” Chuck suddenly muttered, struggling to break out of whatever spell was binding him.

“Bug?” Dutch inquired.

“Put a tracer bug on one of the Terra’s if you can, I’m on my way. I have to try to find Texas first.” Jacob commanded, he closed the call down and carefully pulled Chuck to the center of the living room so he wouldn’t knock anything down and hurt himself if he thrashed around. He grabbed the keys to Sasquatch and left.

Mike looked down desperately to Chuck - whatever drug was clouding his thoughts it was really potent. He just kept silently crying, just like that time they were dangling off of the cliff-

It hit Mike like a ton of bricks. Fear! That’s what made Chuck cry, that’s what was current;y making him into the paralyzed, crying lump on the floor. “Chuck,” Mike said is his commanding voice, the one he used when ordering troops “whatever it is that you’re afraid of, you can’t let it rule you - you have to face it head on.”

For several seconds it didn’t seem like Chuck heard his adversary at all.

Then suddenly, Chuck shakily pulled himself onto his feet, his sclera still pitch black; he trudged his way over to the other boy who was completely defenseless, he was reaching up.

‘He’s going to murder me isn’t he.’ Mike thought, heart pounding.

The brunet was shocked as Chuck, instead of wringing his hands around his throat, reached up to grab the cuffs, punching in a code that activated the catch-release. Tan wrists were freed of the cuffs and the Kane Co soldier fell onto his feet, looking up to the Burner in surprise.

“G-Go ahead…” Chuck stammered, but he was somewhat regaining composure “prove me right or wrong… Can I trust you?”

Mike’s mouth closed into a line, not knowing what he meant, he just stood there before asking “…How do we stop the Terra’s?” He didn’t side with the Burners, but if the Terra’s were bent on destroying his home he needed their help.

Chuck blinked profusely - the tears stopped and the blackness cleared out of his eyes “We’ll take my car.” He instructed, grabbing Mike’s shoulder he dragged him over to Blonde Thunder.

~~~

“You can’t protect Deluxe forever!” Kaia shrieked before she revealed a pair of wings under her cloak, using which she soared away.

“…Well,” Mike said as he reverted his metal staff back into it’s skull module “That was interesting.” He turned to Chuck, who nodded in agreement “But at least Deluxe is safe… Why would you want to keep Deluxe safe? Don’t you want it destroyed too?”

“Just because I revoked my Deluxe citizenship doesn’t mean I hate Deluxians.” Chuck retorted, rather defensive at the assumption made by his rival “They’re just like you - Deliuxe cinnamon rolls who have no idea what they lost. And if I didn’t kill you, why would I want to kill them?”

Before Mike could answer, Chuck turned away towards Blonde Thunder “You’re free now Chilton,” he said, strained without looking at the others face “Better peace the hell out before I change my mind.” Mike lingered for a few silent seconds to stare at the boy who he’d earlier watched silently cry out of terror, the boy who for the past few days had shown him the culture he had in Motorcity without any truly cruel action towards him, despite all the times he’d tried and almost succeeded at arresting him for being a defector.

He turned and ran back to Deluxe without another word.

(Authors note: Chuck’s tattoo design link - http://sta.sh/028kj4v7ne1a it’s a rough version)

#i'm sorry for not updating sooner i had a busy weekend #mayhem night #au #motorcity #mike #mike chilton #chuck #muck #muckles