Just some funny dynamic between Merc!Reader and Piers because lately their connection is too depressing for me to have fun with!
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For the love of god, it couldn't have been more embarrassing for you.
To recap it; you found yourself in a hot zone with your favourite government team of all time. Alpha Team. The BSAA's big guns. Chris' band of puppies.
And you just ate straight shit after having a rather cool moment. You slipped, you slammed into the ground and laid there awkwardly for a solid second before you decided to get up.
The team? They saw everything.
Piers? He just stared at you before he forced himself to look away.
Chris? Barely held back a smirk before he concentrated back on the mission.
"Jesus Christ—"
Your last words before you dusted yourself off and left without even daring to look at the snickering visages of the band of soldiers.
—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—–—
"Save me, Piers!"
Your voice echoed over the chaos of combat. You tried your best to get Piers' attention, knowing the man was merely a few feet away from you.
And he did react. He turned to look at you before his attention snapped back to another B.O.W., one that attacked Finn, of all people.
"Push through it, Insurgent!"
Oh, you did not like that tone.
And by the way your expression fell, some of Alpha's members realised it too — when they weren't busy staring death in the eye.
The next bullet hit a B.O.W. straight in the face as you stood there all unceremoniously (literally an NPC, just this 🧍♂️), staring at Piers fighting his way through the onslaught.
"YOU'RE STILL CALLING ME THAT?!"
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"You know—"
"Don't."
"Damn, I didn't even start!"
"You didn't have to. You laying there like that was annoying enough."
Meanwhile you were just sprawled across the table he was trying to work on. Your head was held up by your fist, one of your legs bent at the hip and knee to stand upright while a 12.7mm round twirled between your fingers.
You were the very picture of seduction.
And Mister Discipline Professional didn't give a single damn about it.
He didn't even look at you!
Piers just tried to read the report he had in his hands.
"And they call me an asshole."
"You are a distraction, alright?"
When those hazel, puppy dog eyes finally snapped up to meet your own [eye colour] ones, it felt like you won the lottery.
Not only did he actually pay attention to you, but he also said something rather valuable. At least it was to you.
Piers glanced back down at his report before he saw something move in his peripheral.
He looked back up and paused visibly in his chair.
"Where the hell did you get that rose?"
Your hand, which also harbored his anti-material round, plugged the flower from your mouth. The plush pillow of your lower lip got caught between your teeth before you smelled the rose almost sensually.
"So I'm distracting you, huh, Lieutenant?"
...
You've never seen a man stand up that fast to leave a room before.
And you couldn't help but call after him with an undignified "HEY!!".
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I just did three for now. I hope you like them! Do tell me if you'd like more short moments like these! I feel like Merc!Reader and Piers were up to some good buffoonery — mainly just the mercenary but that's another story.
Love you all!
(I absolutely adore just his straight face as he slides down the slide. HE'S SO SERIOUS ABOUT IT!!)
Just some short snippets of conversations between Merc!Reader and pre Edonia Alpha Team.
My first time doing this. It helps me get the thoughts out without actually making up a whole story in the process.
It's Piers Nivans/Merc!Reader, ofc. Have fun!
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Chris: "I hope you won't sneak out on us again?"
You: "Okay, first of all, I didn't sneak out on you guys—"
Piers: "Right, you full on sprinted."
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Piers talking to Chris: "[Your Name]'s still an insurgent and dangerous. We can't trust [him/her/them]."
Chris glancing over his shoulder to look at you:
You currently catching Finn after convincing him to do a trust fall from one of the Rovers:
Chris turning back to Piers: "Dangerous is debatable."
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Andy: "Have you seen the way the Insurgent looks at Nivans?"
Carl: "Real romantic."
Ben: "Have you seen the way Nivans chased [her/him/them] out of the recon tent?"
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(The incident in question)
You: "Jeez, if you put this much focus into maintaining your rifle, I bet nothing around you ever leaves unsatisfied, sugar."
Piers, refusing to even look at you: "Do you always have to be this annoying?"
You, grinning like you've won the lottery: "Honey, I'm charming. But continue clutching that cleaning rod so tightly and people might start to get ideas."
(Cue you running out of the tent with Piers stopping short of the rolled up flaps, cleaning rod in hand and a mean glare watching after you.)
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Finn talking about Chris: "Is he always this awesome?"
Piers, speechless for a solid second before he shook his head and turned to walk away:
You, having eavesdropped and falling into step with him: "Come on, you think the same."
Piers barely glancing at you: "Shut up, Insurgent."
You, practically grinning at his attempt to hide away his own smile:
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Finn to Piers: "To fight Bioterrorism, Sir!"
Piers: "I know what we're here for, Rookie."
You, clutching Ben's tactical vest and roughly dragging him closer: "He'll catch a stray one of these days."
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You: "Why are you built like a double door fridge?"
Chris, looking up from his report comically slow to meet your gaze: "What is that supposed to mean?"
You, sitting down on the edge of the table: "You're built like Arnold Schwarznegger in his twenties. What's up with that? Got someone to impress?"
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You: "Well, aren't you just a tall glass of water?"
Piers: "You just got shot! Stop with the flirting?!"
You, pausing for a second to look at the bullet wound in your chest: "Oh shit, you're right."
You, again after a minute of tense silence: "Stuff your finger in there, might just moan in return. Pain and pleasure are pretty close on the scale."
Piers, exasperated and beyond done with the operation: "Jesus Christ, [Your Name]!"
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Chris: "Don't distract him from his duties. We need him on point."
You: "I could flash him with everything I got and he'd be more interested in a B.O.W. anyway."
Piers: "Please, don't ever do that."
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Finn: "Explosives are set and ready to detonate! Just say the word, Captain!"
You, piping in before Chris could actually answer: "Alright, blow your load then, Rookie!"
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You, dismantling a gun with ease while keeping intense eye contact with Piers across the table:
Piers, refusing to back down and keeping his gaze locked on yours:
Carl whispering to Andy: "Either they're going to kiss or slit each other's throats."
Ben just piping in: "The sexual tension is turning radioactive at this point."
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You, having taken down a crowd of J'avo and continuing on your way: (over the comms) "Still my guardian angel, babydoll?"
Piers, disgruntled and glaring at your form through the scope of his sniper rifle: "I told you to stop calling me that."
You: "And miss that cute little vein popping out of your neck whenever you get like this? Not a chance. Babydoll."
Piers, grumbling and resisting the urge to fire a round right into the back of your head: "One of these days..."
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Finn, turning to you as the Team finished up an operation: "You should come with us back to HQ sometimes."
You: "I'd love to, doll, but your superiors would have my head."
Carl: "You mean Lieutenant Nivans specifically?"
You: "LT Nivans specifically."
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You, catching a glimpse of Piers' dogtags through his shirt: "You should let me wear them."
Piers, looking at you before he watched your finger point at the solid steel necklace beneath the fabric: "Why?"
You: "You'll have a reason to come back then."
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Ben to Andy, Carl and Finn: "Get yourself someone who looks at you like [Your Name] looks at Piers."
You, simply staring at Piers with the most heart-eyes looking heart eyes possible:
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Special cameo!!
Jake: "Man, I'm so hungry I could literally eat a [Your Name] [Your Last Name]."
Piers, turning comically slow to look at Jake: "What did you just say?"
You: "LT's the only one who can eat me."
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You: "Oh, bite me, Muller."
Jake, already grinning like a moron:
You: "You're a freak, I forgot."
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Jake: "Where's the puppy?"
You: "Where's the blonde babysitter?"
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Piers: "You had something with that other insurgent?"
You: "Maybe. Maybe not. Why? You jealous?"
Piers, incredulous to why you even ask that: "Not visibly, no."
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Jake, leaning against the frame of one of the rovers: "So you and [Your Name]?"
Piers, elbow deep in grease to work on the engine: "That's none of your business."
Jake, grinning like a cheshire cat: "Oh, there's totally something."
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Jake, just fishing for a reaction: "Let's be honest, I'm the better man for [Your Name]."
Piers, barely glancing at the other man: "There's a reason [he/she/they] left you."
I would love if you could write about and a fellow comrade reader who joins as a rookie with STELLAR profile, I'm talking top of the class or sum like that and quickly tops the ranks to eventually end up in the alpha team. Piers ends up crushing on reader and almost fails to keep his composure as time goes on and reader is oblivious (or are they??) Pretty please and thank you :3
ALRIGHT! I love the idea lowkey. It reminds me of a fic I used to read on AO3 actually!
(This is the fic btw. It's also Piers Nivans/Reader and supposed to be slow burn.)
I'll try my best to keep Piers in character but I will already apologise if it's not quite accurate in some spots.
I'm unsure if I'll make this a full blown story but for now it'll be tiny moments between the two and overall a concept of their relationship, not a full work.
Although I can change it up, if it's not what you wanted in the end! But I still hope you'll enjoy this, dear anon!
Honestly? I really liked my past idea about Teammate!Reader being a whole unit on their own.
Just imagine it, you went from the, I don't know, the marine corps or something to the BSAA with the intention of really making a difference in the world.
Thing is: boot camp, or rather the BSAA's academy, was supposed to be the hardest obstacle any recruit had yet to pass. They prepare you for the real nighmare that lurked in the darkest corners of the earth, after all.
But you? You passed with flying colours. Mastered every obstacle. Bodied almost every other recruit in your platoon. A literal crackshot with whatever firearm you got between your eager, grabby digits.
Of course, you'd managed to find your own little troop of friends. Just a tiny circle of four people — you included.
Everybody around still kept guessing how they had the nerves to stick around you. You were standoffish and arrogant, a total asshole in their eyes. That smirk on your lips infuriated half of your year, the other recruits practically seethed in burning rage whenever the drill sergeants made you the best example of an ace student.
It hadn't even taken long before Alpha Team caught wind of your ever rising ascend to fame. Everybody in the academy knew who you were by then. And when the man, the myth, the legend himself, Chris Redfield decided to look into your file? It caught Piers attention aswell.
He's heard of you. Of your arrogance.
Your attitude.
Your skill.
He'd seen the reports. Has read through them and eventually even started listening to every word that was uttered in connection to your name between the recruits.
◇
And you've heard of him.
The BSAA's Golden Boy.
Legendary sniper and Captain Redfield's right hand.
Piers Nivans.
Ah, what a name, am I right?
"You know I don't care 'bout his little title, Reeves."
Your voice echoed across the table you currently stood at, your arms crossed over your chest and that damned smile curling on your lips.
Reeves, the man sitting just opposite of you, stared at you for a solid second before he glanced at Nordstrom to his right and Chavez to sitting next to you.
"Yeah, well, he is the standard, you know? BSAA's putting him on a pedestal for a reason."
He argued in return and stabbed into the mush that was supposed to be mashed potatoes. It looked like something you'd find in an alleyway, honestly.
"'Cause he's the inspiration for every Ken doll in the world and Captain Redfield's loyal puppy."
"Ay—"
Chavez was almost in disbelief as her head turned to gawk at you for a minute. How the hell did someone have this much confidence and be so mouthy at the same time?
Sometimes your team figured you never got your shit rocked properly in, like, your whole life.
You didn't even notice the atmosphere literally shift as the noise around your table quitened down. Your tounge found it's way over your teeth when you noticed your three pairs of eyes flickering to the side.
The footsteps that approached your round sounded like a death toll. A steadfast rhythm against the lynoleum flooring of the mess hall.
You knew who it was.
You always knew.
But your gaze never found his. And his own merely flicked to you for a short second before his hazel eyes snapped back forward.
It's like seeing egos clash in real time. Discipline against arrogance.
"Mornin', Golden Boy."
The only words you offered him just as he walked past. A wonder he was on his own, usually he was flocked by his usual group of senior recruits and teammates.
But he barely slowed in his pace. He didn't even return the greeting. It's like your words bounced off of a solid stone wall.
"Ouh, petty."
Yeah, you really were trying to get a reaction out of him.
◇
Just imagine Piers' growing dislike for you over the next few months in your initiation.
You kept testing him.
You kept poking him like a bear you wanted to desperately wake.
You kept challenging him in his own specialities.
Like, who does that?
And the second he hears from Chris the offer he made you? Piers felt like looking down the barrel of his sniper and eat a straight 12.7 mm round.
And you, you dickhead? You actually take up the Captain's offer and have the nerve to look at Piers with that horribly infuriating smile. Like you had everything figured out.
He did try to talk Chris out of it. But you little shit actually had the audacity to listen to orders like a veteran K9 unit. So there was nothing to complain about other than your attitude with the other recruits, and Chris was having none of it.
"Like it or not, Piers. [She's/He's/They're] a good soldier. The best of [her/his/their] year. We need someone like that in our team. Your little quarrel is none of my business."
He hated it. Piers absolutely loathed it.
And he made it very clear whenever you were around.
Clipped words. Harsh glares. Silent treatment. The works.
So you just met his hostility with comments and snorts of amusement. It didn't bother you. Not even for a second.
As long as he didn't shoot you in the head, you were fine with his tantrums.
◇
Nevertheless, he never would've seen the shift coming.
The longer you stayed with the team and got comfortable around the bunch, the more your facade seemed to slip.
Don't get him wrong, you were still an absolute asshole. But it wasn't as bad as it used to be.
You really seemed to connect with Finn Macauley, of all people. The former rookie was a sweetheart through and through. A little naive maybe but he was great.
He reminded you of Nordstrom. They shared quite a few similarities, if you were honest.
Finn was genuinely nice to you and even marveled at some of your impossible moments, where others would've glared and grumbled instead. You liked the guy.
So imagine Piers' surprise when you saved Macauley for the first time, slamming into his form to skid behind cover just as the B.O.W.'s opened fire.
"You okay?!"
Your voice called out through the chaos that erupted just above your heads. Your [eye colour] eyes ran over every possible spot on Finn's body that might've been hit before you stared back into those very-similar-to-a-puppy brown eyes of his.
"I'm fine! Thanks for the save!"
The former rookie called back and offered you a breathy smile before he forced himself to his knees to engage again, just as you did too.
From Piers' position, he saw everything. The worry etched onto your features. The way your hands quickly skimmed along Finn's arms and legs to make sure he wasn't hit by a stray. The fact your smile turned almost bashful before you sprung back into action.
Maybe you weren't that horrible after all.
◇
It wouldn't be the last time you jumped at your teammates to tackle them to the ground either. Or just get them out of trouble in general.
Months might've passed since your transfer to Alpha Team and you've saved everybody on the team at least once. Even Piers. Even Chris Redfield himself. Once.
Well, nothing much to say except for the fact that you've turned out to be nicer aswell?
Your bravado had toned down to reveal the genuine person beneath. You gave compliments for no real reason, your smile lacked it's usual arrogance and your words weren't laced with the well-known mocking ignorance that you sported. It was as if you stopped caring about being the best and just harmonise with the group altogether.
Everybody saw the shift and everybody started to eventually warm up to the change.
Even Piers, surprisingly.
◇
So imagine how floored he was the first time he felt his stomach do a literal flip after you shot that genuine smile his way.
He didn't even know when it started.
All he remembered were the quiet conversations you to had about everything and nothing at once. Your arrogance was still there, making itself known in your teasing words or silly jabs, but that genuine friendliness threw him off the course like a leaf being swepped away by the wind.
And ever since then?
You've been nothing but trouble.
And he hated himself for it.
He just could not stop staring at you. His gaze consistently finding their way back to your form.
He found himself checking your equipment, fixing your vest or the straps of your backpack.
And you, dear [Your Name], you just watched him spiral in real time.
You knew something was up with him but if he cared for you this much at the moment? Who were you to tell him to back off?
You loved the attention.
And you loved the sight of Piers slowly losing his marbles the longer you payed him attention.
You really don't want to know how many times you've heard the phrase "Do not even think about fraternizing within the unit." from Chris aimed either at you or Piers himself – whenever you managed to eavesdrop enough.
And it was hilarious to see the Golden Boy himself, Piers Nivans, trying to fight his feelings with the conviction of his legendary dicipline.
(I'M SORRY THE ENDING IS RUSHED BUT I LITERALLY HAD NO CLUE HOW TO KEEP IT GOING! I swear I'll flesh it out at some point — when I actually have ideas — and satisfy what you were asking for. I love you. Please don't hang me in public.)
Imagine Merc!Reader meeting Piers for the first time.
I think it would've been even before the events of RE6. Like Alpha Team was on a mission somewhere in Europe, investigating in a flaring hot zone that swallowed an entire village. The BSAA was worried about another outbreak so of course they sent their favourite elite force.
And you? You just had the misfortune of infiltrating that very same hot zone to retrieve some samples of this new strain of a virus.
But you didn't exactly complain. Money was money and you wouldn't receive little for it either. Your contact had hooked you up with the buyer, vouching that you were the best in the field — which true but not just to toot your own horn. You were damn good.
So imagine how barely you missed each other in certain spots. You've been aware of the team the second you heard the assembly of footsteps in one of the abandoned buildings. But they didn't know you were there aswell.
And you intended to keep it that way. You were hired to retrieve something, not kill a military squad that seemingly had to do the same as you did.
But they caught onto it pretty quick. The mutated corpses you left behind was enough to alarm the team of your presence. They didn't know who was there but they knew someone was there. They weren't alone and it forced them on edge.
It was like a cat and mouse game at some point. You've always been a step ahead of them and irritated the Captain and his men.
◇
You had just finished up another grueling fight with one of the infected, watching the man's mutated form incinerate before it melted into a pool of goo and flesh. It had your lips curling into a disgusted expression before a shiver visibly forced itself down your spine.
"Fuckin' hell. That's past disgusting at this point."
You murmured to no one in particular and looked away from the pile of mush just as a wave of nausea causing your stomach to spin uncomfortably. Your eyes closed for the briefest of moments before you took a deep breath.
A clear attempt at swallowing the bile back down your throat.
But your attempt was cut short as you heard the door open from the far end of the warehouse.
You looked around frantically before simply diving behind one of the many crates lining the dust catching shelves.
The low murmur of voices resonated through the space, the footsteps accompanying them allowing you to at least try and count the pairs.
You've got...five? Five people. No, wait, six—
Have you lost the ability to count or what?
You reprimanded yourself mentally and just opted to peek around the corners to count heads that way.
The softest click echoed from your form as you unholstered that darling HK45 and waited from the group to slip down the row of crates and dead bodies.
But you slipped through the shadows just behind them, trying to figure out how to eliminate each one without alerting the whole group.
It was then that you saw him for the first time. The man you'd give your own life for in just the span of two years of knowing him.
Piers Nivans. Although you didn't know him yet. You just saw him as a obstacle to the stack of money you would earn once you got out of here with the vial.
But you also took note of Chris just a few steps infront of him. The other man was an immediate threat to you. Bigger than the others with a look in his eyes that foretold the horrors he had seen in his years of serving the BSAA. You made sure to plan a whole mag for him in the worst case.
And so you threw a tiny locator at one of the soldiers, watching it latch onto the man's vest without his notice and waited for your turn. You decided to surprise them from a different spot. A warehouse wasn't your first pick if you had it. Too open, too much potential of being caught in the open, much more space for them to get away.
So you sneaked out through a different exit, moving through different corridors of the building and evading them like a master. Your gaze kept flickering to the small screen of your watch, observing where the group was heading until you found a junction of hallways. You deemed it good enough and waited in the shadows for their arrival.
Hallways were just as horrible as an open warehouse but you were a demon in close quarters. Had figured it out years ago. This wouldn't be much of a problem.
◇
You slowed your breathing enough to be barely audible as the team approached your location.
Disable, don't eliminate. Break an arm or a leg, don't kill. They aren't your objective, just an obstacle.
That was the mantra you repeated in your head as you saw Chris move just past you to clear the hallway on the other side.
But before he snapped to the other side — the side you hid in — your booted foot connected with his stomach.
His grunt and sudden rustle of movement caught the other's attention and you moved in a second.
"Contact!"
Someone had yelled but you were too fast. You shoved the nuzzle of Pier's rifle out of your face just as a spray of bullets now imbedded themselves into the ground. Your fist connected with his jaw in a mean right hook before the two of you engaged in a quarrel of close combat.
The others caught strays from you left and right but you used whatever body was closest to keep Chris at a distance, either you shoved them into him or used them as shields to prevent the Captain from shooting.
Of course you tanked some punches yourself but powered through and delivered the next hits with just as much force.
It took just a few more second of Chris watching his team struggling with their assailant before he got involved himself. The rifle dropped to the ground and his shoulder rammed into your midsection in the blink of an eye.
"Shit!"
You hissed out and immediately slammed your elbow into his head before your back crashed into the wall. It forced you to lack and before you knew it, Chris' gloved fist connected with your jaw.
It felt like your lights blowing out like bulbs shattering but you needed to blink through the pain. The iron taste of blood laced your taste buds in seconds and it caused you to huff through your nose.
"Captain!"
Piers called out and you mentally cursed yourself for the sight you saw from your peripheral.
The rifle. Aimed straight at your head. Not just one but multiple now that the team collected themselves again.
Your gaze snapped back to the Captain just as he glared at you again. You should've shot him in the head when you had the chance to.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
He growled, his voice something gravelly while his meaty forearm pressed down on your throat. An essential tactic to keep you pinned.
But you didn't answer. You simply leveled him with the same glare before a gasped "Insurgent" echoed from a shaky voice. He sounded young. Probably a rookie from what you briefly saw in your fight.
And that forced them to tense altogether. Piers, who still leveled the firearm at your head, sniffled his nose and grit his teeth.
"[Your Name]."
That was the only information you provided before the snarling sounds of infected echoed down the hallway they came from. It seemed the struggle and blaring sounds of bullets being shot alerted the ones closest to you all.
Chris' glare didn't break for a single second even after his soldiers started to shift nervously as the infected approached.
And then the space went up into smoke. You wrenched yourself free from the Captain, your foot slamming into his crotch before you delivered a mean left hook. It forced him to stumble back while the team suddenly scrambled in their restrictive sights.
You slammed into Piers on the way, wrenching his firearm from his hands in a perfected twist. He barely had time to react as the smoke forced his eyes shut and burned in his very lungs.
And as soon as you appeared, you disappeared again. Your feet slamming into the ground as you made a run for it.
Okay, now you really are going for the vial. Your attempt to disable the group went horrible.
◇
You stormed into the next room and looked around just as frantic. It wouldn't take long until they catch up with you again.
Your tounge darted out to lick your busted lip, nose sniffling as drying blood started to stuff it.
But soon your found your way out of the building, leaving a practical horde of B.O.W.'s behind for Alpha Team to take care of. Just to win back some time.
