Should Something Happen
Pairing: Mark Hoffman x You
Summary: While working as Jigsaw Apprentices, Amanda spoils some quality bonding time between yourself and Hoffman.
Warnings: Cursing!
Might this actually be a little bit of fluff? I wanted to do something involving the main Jigsaw crew and a protective Hoffman. 👀
Perhaps the only aspect of being an apprentice Mark enjoyed was the opportunity to work alongside you. Every trap crafted, every game played and every eventual death led Mark one step closer to his freedom. A life no longer in servitude for an impulsive act of vengeance. Mark had always struggled to quell his impulsiveness. It made him good in the field, Mark had earned a fair share of promotions for his quick actions, but his greatest mistake had cost him almost a year of servitude to Jigsaw himself. Until his sentence was up, until mark could be certain both John Kramer and his helper monkey were dead, he would carry out his part in the games with minimal complaint. In the meantime, he could find a steady contentment in watching the slackened, dream-like expression on your face as you fiddled with some shards of broken glass.
“Careful,” Mark finds himself saying, “It’s not intended to spill your blood.”
You drop the shards back into the glass coffin and wander back to the workbench you’ve commandeered as a desk, “There’s so many traps,” You whine and if it were anyone else Mark would be grinding his teeth together. You flip your notebook onto a fresh page, “Who is this one for again?”
“I try not to make a habit of remembering names.” Mark answers, “Once you name something you get attached.”
You nod, “You’re right.” You pick up your pencil and hover it over the page. “Sadly I don’t have that luxury.” Mark keeps one eye on you as he cleans up his workbench, placing a set of screwdriver heads back in their assigned places. You think for a couple more minutes, your expression growing more pained till you drop the pencil again. “How can I write the tape for someone I know barely anything about?”
“Don’t ask me,” Mark says. “I’ve never been one for words.”
You give him a shrewd look, as if confirming his words. “You have special uses.” You say, jumping off your stool and heading over to a stack of boxes, freshly delivered.
“Oh yeah, like what?”
You send him a small smile, “Brawn, muscle, inside info…”
“Is that all I am?” Mark can’t help the flicker of irritation he feels, “A meathead?”
“No,” You return to him, catching on you may have offended him. “You…” A couple teeth sink into your lip, “You’re the only one whose behaving.”
Mark glances towards the open door, connecting the room to the rest of the Nerve Gas House, “Go on.”
You turn cagey, “Ever since Mexico…”
“Ah,” Mark nods, “Say no more.”
“I don’t like what I’ve been hearing.” You admit, “The aim of all this was never revenge.”
“Was it not?” Mark enjoys how your head lifts up to meet his gaze, “Was that not why you got mixed up in all this?”
You fix him with eyes of steel, “Maybe…” You admit, “But not anymore. Seems we’re cut from the same cloth, Detective.”
Mark likes how you say his title, pronouncing every syllable distinctly, “You don’t know me. Not really.”
“Maybe we should work on that?”
Something gives a leap inside Mark. Before he can answer you’re back at the delivery boxes and Amanda is thudding through the door. Her steel toe capped boots echo on the wood, little patches of dust springing up where she steps. She pauses on catching Mark stood in the centre of the room, “Admiring my work?” She asks, tilting her head.
“I thought John made this one?” You pipe up, before Mark can.
“He did.” Mark confirms, “That’s why this one has some refinement.”
“But it was my idea to add the…” Amanda’s points to the walls and then places her hands a couple inches apart. She presses them together slowly, applying pressure. The visual is enough for Mark to look away.
You busy yourself with the boxes again, “There’s nothing but syringes.” You take out one to show the two apprentices.
Mark tosses you a pair of gloves, “Put them on, they probably aren’t clean.”
You make a face and drop the syringe you’re holding, “Great. I’m going to need a check-up after this.”
“Be thankful you’re not the poor bastard diving in there.” Amanda smirks, heading over to inspect the coffin trap. “Is this one done yet?”
“Just needs a couple tests,” Mark says. “Any volunteers?”
“You first.” Amanda holds her arms up as if she’s a presenter, “Get in there, Detective.”
“What about you, babe?” Amanda slinks over to you and throws an arm around your shoulders, “The glass isn’t in yet, it’ll be like taking a good nap.”
“Stop trying to scare her.” Mark’s voice comes out with more bite than he expected.
Amanda’s eyes flash, “Why you protective all of a sudden, Hoffman?”
Mark would never confess to the bitch before him, but he’s made a mistake and Amanda knows it. “We’re not testing anything without John here.”
Amanda makes a noncommittal noise.
“If John approves it, I’ll test it.” You offer, “I trust him.” Amanda jumps back into performance mode, “Aren’t they precious?”
“If you put this on.” You gingerly remove from another box a very familiar contraption and hold it out for Amanda to see. Mark grins behind Amanda’s back. He can just picture the colour draining from her face. Amanda doesn’t move as you walk past her with the Reverse Bear Trap in hand, “Very funny.” She calls, trying to reclaim some of her bravado.
“I thought so.” You counter, placing the device on the workbench.
Amanda’s scowl only becomes more prominent the longer she stares at her old trap, “Why is that here?” “Inventory.” You supply, “Or so I’m guessing.”
“Something old can always be re-used.” John wheels himself into the room. Wheelchair bound, he surveys the glass coffin standing pride of place in the middle of the room. “Is Laura’s test finished?”
“Almost,” Mark busies himself with checking over the gears situated behind the coffin.
“Laura,” You repeat, scribbling something on your pad. “I couldn’t for the life of me remember.”
John appears amused at your choice of words, “Writer’s block?” You look up as John wheels himself over to you. The Reverse Bear Trap is sat just a few feet away, Mark doesn’t like how close you are to something so barbaric. With you showing John your tape speeches and Mark still preoccupied with the gears, Amanda sulks in the middle. She makes her way over to Mark’s toolbox and grabs a wrench, right in John’s line of sight. Mark thinks it’s pathetic behaviour, how co-dependent she’s become since Mexico. He can see that your worries were justified. She makes her way over to the trap, but Mark has left her with nothing to do.
“There’s one glaring issue I see with this entire game,” You say in a low voice. You glance over to Amanda, “Won’t they all get suspicious if every one of them has a trap but her?”
“What did you say?”
“Amanda,” John cautions as his apprentice as she wheels round on the spot.
“I just worry that something will happen.” You say, closing your notebook and leaning against the workbench. “Are you really betting on all them failing and Daniel just being the last one left alive?”
“He doesn’t have a trap either.” Amanda points out, “I’m not the only one.”
“He isn’t being tested.” John states simply, “That is why you are there, Amanda. To protect him.” He turns back to you, “Nor is Amanda being tested.”
‘I still think we should put something in there.” You hold up your hands, “I think it’s foolish to leave it to chance.”
“Not if you can predict the outcome.”
Mark has heard it all before from John Kramer. He knows your attempts are futile, so he finishes up his work on the coffin and with nothing else to do, makes his way to the door. “I’m done for the night.”
“Thank you, Mark.” John says, “The game begins tomorrow. I presume you’ll be in position?”
“On the monitors.” He nods.
He’s been excused. Mark should go home and rest up for a long day ahead tomorrow. But he can’t quite bring himself to leave. John has resumed helping you with writing out the tape for the trap, but Mark doesn’t like how Amanda won’t leave the two of you alone. Her new behaviour has made him protective. Mark would have liked you to finish up at the same time as him. Perhaps he could offer to drop you home and they could work on getting to know each other.
“You want to put me in that.”
You, John and Mark all turn to Amanda, “What?” You ask.
Amanda nods, “That.” She points to the Reverse Bear Trap, “You want that to be my test. You want me to do it again?”
John glances imperceptibly to Mark. He swallows, so John shares their concern about his favourite apprentice. “Do you know how stupid you sound?” Mark cuts in, taking up what he hopes is a casual position beside you. “Everyone knows you already escaped it. 24/7 news coverage.” You’re still leaning against the workbench as Amanda walks around it, her eyes fixed on you as if you were prey.
“It’s not a bad idea,” You taunt, “Some poetic justice”, but Amanda doesn’t find it clever.
She shoves the Reverse Bear Trap toward you, “You don’t deserve to be here.” She hisses. Mark swears he can hear a ticking sound as you brace your arms on the table, “Of all the people to win, it had to be you didn’t it?” “Fair and square.” You return and Mark finds himself wondering for the umpteenth time just what your own game was. Before Amanda, before Mark himself joined Jigsaw, you were tested and won. His eyes fall on the scar on your neck, all that remains of your own brush with death.
“Use your brain,” You counter and your face is far too close to the trap as you glare back at Amanda Young. “You’d have to wake up in it, or someone would have to put you in it. I don’t think either of those are going to work in this game.”
“How about you wake up in it, you bitch?”
Mark’s hands snake around your middle and yank you back just as the trap rips open with a loud bang. The ferocity makes both you and Amanda jump. You would have fallen off your stool if not for Mark’s chest breaking your fall. He can feel the sharp breaths you take as the Reverse Bear Trap cools down and lies dormant once more.
“Amanda, take the trap and put it in my office.” John says. His apprentice turns wide, teary eyes on him, but John’s face is expressionless. “Now.”
She obeys instantly, taking the trap and striding out of the room.
Mark slides you back onto your stool, “Thank you.” You murmur, hand jumping instinctively to your neck.
“Are you alright?” John asks and you nod. Mark can see right through you, he could feel the tremors of your body against his. That was a close call.
“She’s out of line, John.” Mark says, “I don’t know what the fuck happened over there, but it’s messed with her.”
“Amanda will be fine.” John insists, “She will play her part, so long as she isn’t provoked.” You nod, understanding your own fault but Mark refuses to admit to his own. “Now Detective, I believe we’re finished here. I will see you both tomorrow for the final preparations.”
Mark watches John wheel himself out. The moment he’s gone you rest your forearms on the workbench and place your head on them. You let out a deep sigh. Mark’s never been good at consoling anyone. It’s just not what he does. Not since Angelina…
He spots your fallen notebook and places it beside you, “Need a ride home?” “I don’t think I want to go home.” You say, your voice weak.
“You don’t want to stay here.” Mark says, “You can’t anyway. They all…arrive tomorrow.”
“How can you do that?” You lift up your head, “How can you willingly put people in here knowing they will probably die?” Mark meets your eyes, “I convince myself they deserve to suffer.”
“You don’t lie awake thinking about it?”
“No,” He’s being honest. “I think it’s one less shitty person out there.”
“Then you must think that about me.” You push some hair out of your eyes and wrap your arms around yourself. “I’m not…you know what I did-“
“And you know what I did.” Mark takes you by your forearms, “Do you think I’m a monster?”
Your eyes dart around the room and then land on the glass coffin, “Sometimes.” Mark allows himself time to digest that, it isn’t what he wanted to hear. But your hands come to rest on his own forearms and then you’re pressing your forehead into his chest, “But you make me feel safe. You help me.”
He didn’t expect to earn such close proximity again, this time deliberately. Mark pulls you closer, your hands slide up to rest on his chest and Mark curses his choice to remain in a jacket. Your warmth is tantalising as it seeps into him. Mark tucks you into his large frame and winds his arms back around you.
It feels good to be wanted.
With your face smushed into him, Mark rests his head atop yours. He doesn’t know what else he can do, so he lets his eyes close. “We can look out for each other.” He proposes, “Should something happen.”
“I’d like that.”