#voidhackers

[fransen-art]

sketch - skullpiercer

[hopeless-succubus69]

Safe And Sound {Part 1}

{Intros aren't needed yet, I'm here to contribute fanfics to my favorite ship in apex legends. I’ll let you know who I am later, it’s not too important. I hope others like this ship as much as I do, please enjoy.} 

{Safe and Sound} 

{Fluff and Possible Smut in the future}

{Crypto} {Wraith}

{Tae Joon Park} {Renee Blasey} 

{1268 words}

•───────•°•❀•°•───────• 

A heavy sigh escaped Renee's lips as she walked into the common area of the barracks the Apex Games provides their legends. She shook her head as she looked around, walking down the corridors. Her clouded eyes glancing to every dark corner and shadows. The dim lighting made her feel uneasy, but there were no voices for now, she shook her head.  

She proceeded into the living room the legends shared, Octane had left his game system on again.  He was not surprisingly, passed out on the couch. Renee sighed at the mess he had left around the room. A sigh escaped her lips, her arms crossed as she looked around the room.

She shook her head again, waking to turn the console and the T.V off before she made her way into the kitchen, picking up trash from Octane's mess along the way. She looked around the kitchen for a moment, tossing the trash away.  

It was late, she wasn’t expecting any of the others to be awake. She was more than sure they were all taking steps to prepare themselves for the upcoming games. She should probably be doing the same.  

She shook her head, now noticing the kitchen was in as much a mess as the living room was left in. She sighed, then as quietly as she could, she started to clean up.  

She decided to clean up Octane's mess in the common room first. She walked back out, picking up the dishes. She paused herself, looking to his sleeping form. She rolled her eyes, covering him with a blanket before continuing with the dishes.

She hummed softly, her mind focusing on the dishes she was cleaning. She did her best to keep her mind from traveling back to her past and getting lost in the void once again. The dark circles under her eyes were a clear indication she hadn't slept in a while.  

The stress build up from the week before hadn't caught up with her just yet, but she could feel the beasts fangs at her throat.  It weighed at her shoulders, slightly slowed her movement, clouded her judgement and made her mind wander in a direction that was harmful; to her and those around her.  

'Behind you.'

She jumped slightly as the voices interrupted her thoughts. She started to turn around, her hands instinctively reaching for the kunai she always kept strapped to her hip, when she felt arms wrap around her waist and a face bury to the back of her neck. A soft sigh escaped her lips and she had calmed down.

"Sneaking up on me like that isn't safe." Renee spoke softly, her hands slowly going back to washing the dishes as she relaxed, slightly leaning back against her partner. All the worry seemed to disappear when he was close by.  

"I can't help it." Tae spoke softly, his lips gently peppering soft kisses against her neck. "I didn’t know youd be back today."

"The games are in a couple days.. I have to get some training done before then."  

He seemed to pout at those last few words which caused a chuckle to escape Renee's lips. She rinsed off the last few dishes then dried her hands off. She took a few steps back away from the counter, Tae mirrored her movements.  

He reluctantly loosened his arms around her as she turned around to face him. He watched her as her hand reached up to caress his cheeks. A light blush crossed his cheeks as he felt her touch. His hands slowly reached up to take her hands as he turned to kiss her palms.  

A soft smile formed on her lips as she let him kiss her hands, a heavy weight coming over her. She looked away from him, her eyes suddenly feeling more sore and tired then they were before. She cursed silently to herself, knowing she had overworked herself again.  

"When was the last time you slept?" Tae guided her hands around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tightly against him.  

She chuckled nervously, hiding her face against his chest. She closed her eyes, leaning against her partner. She hummed softly, the voices had started up again. She really was exhausted, wasn’t she? She shook her head, pressing her cheek tighter to his chest. Her hands moving to gently grip onto his shirt.  

'I didn’t think I was.."  

"Shhh" Tae spoke quietly to her. "I am here for you." His hand slowly reaching up to pet her head gently. His fingers slowly untangling her bun and running through her hair.

He gently leaned to kiss her forehead as his hands slowly slid down her body to pick her up and wrap her legs around his waist. Her arms moved to wrap back around his neck as he picked her up.  He carried her back out of the kitchen and to the living room. His eyes wandered around the room for a moment.

Octane was still passed out on the couch, Tae clicked his teeth rolling his eyes before he continued to take his lover up to bed. He hummed softly, hoping at least the sound of his voice would help distract her from the bombardment of voices she was experiencing at the moment. A mild look of concern grew on his face as she tightened her arms around his neck, subtle groans and whimpers escaping her lips.

Tae watched as the doors sensor blinked then let him and Renee in He made a mental not to change the sensor to a scanner later. His hands still firmly holding the skirmisher as he walked in. He locked the door behind them, walking over and gently setting her down on his bed. A slight whimper escaped her as she curled herself up. A slight frown formed on his lips as he gently tended to her, removing her shoes and helping her into more comfortable clothing.  

Renee curled herself up, reaching to pull his blanket over her, clutching one of his pillows to her chest. The rush of voices caused a very harsh migraine to come over her, the pain seemed to immobilize her exhausted and weak form.  Tae knew the signs all too well. Any other person would have written it off as her being quiet or tired, but not him. He was the only one who was able to see through her facade, the cover she put up for everyone else. She ever only truly felt safe with him by her side, that’s where she was comfortable enough to show her weaknesses.  

Tae looked over her quivering form for a few moments, getting up to change into a pair of sweats before he moved closer to her. His hands gently pulled her to his chest, holding her as gently as he could, as if she were made of glass. Her whimpers slowly subsided as she coddled herself to his chest, the soft skin of her cheek pressing to his bare chest. His warmth enveloping her as she took him in, his presence, his scent, his touch. Everything helped to calm her and the void within.  

Renee was soon able to fall asleep in his arms, her hands were now wrapped around his waist lightly. Her body fit perfectly with his , his arms fit beautifully around her. His arms tightened around her gently as he leaned down slightly to kiss her forehead. His eyes lingered on her, taking her curled up in his arms. Her resting expression calmed his nerves and worries.  

" 넌 내 공주여 안전 해."  

[tenebriiz]

Yeah... I don't like quite a lot of ships...

Template: @zombieflowers

[kittymsmithwritesstuff]

The Owls of Suotamo (WraithxCrypto)

AO3 link: click here

Word count: 5.5k

Ship: WraithxCrypto “cryptaith”

Summary

When Wraith gets on the transport to Suotamo to apologize to Crypto, she never thought it would end like this.

Commission page on my tumblr! And a big thank you to @sigmatauris​ for beta reading!

Tags: cryptaith, craith, voidhacker, fluff and humor, first date, first kiss, cute, accidental relationship, drinking and talking, friends to lovers, rated t because Wraith says fuck

---

 “You find out you have a name, and you don’t even want it?” He’d said.

“What do I want with something I don’t even remember? I’m not Renee, I’m Wraith. That’s who I’ve been for the last six years.”

“Glad you were afforded the luxury of choice,” he’d clipped, moving his arms like he was going to throw his hands in the air, but being they were in his pockets he just ended up flapping his coat. Wraith had laughed—she’d not meant to be mean, but he reminded her of a disgruntled owl fluffing itself. He’d left without a word, and it’d taken her a couple mystified minutes to realize she’d hurt him. Though it was usually the other way around, she went to Elliott to ask what she should do.

“Uh, say sorry?” He’d looked at her like she was stupid. She was, of course, but Wraith hardly let herself think like that. The voices created a rather nasty echo chamber sometimes.

“That’s it?”

“Hey, I’m the one that makes ridiculous grand gestures, not you, remember? It’d be out of character.” He’d grinned.

Wraith had to agree, but nobody knew where Crypto lived—if he lived anywhere at all, really—so she had to wait until the next game. She hated giving out apologies at the best of times, but this time it was particularly nerve wracking. The voices were always a bit scrambled around him, but right now it was almost unbearable. “Hey, I’m sorry about last week.”

He rolled his eyes. Usually she’d ignore him as well, but she felt compelled, which was strange. Were the voices persuading her somewhere in their jumbled madness? Was there a reason?

“It wasn’t what you said.” She added. “I mean, I wasn’t laughing at you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What were you laughing at?”

“I was—“ The alarm rang for the start of the match. Crypto began to move to join his squad and thinking she might not get the chance again until next week shot an uncharacteristic bolt of panic through her. “Wait!”

He hesitated, just slightly, the alarm ringing again insistently. “Meet me at 6th later, if you care that much.”

“Where the fuck is 6th?”

He joined his squad, not even looking at her. The voices scrambled so hard they became a ringing in her ear. The cherry on top was being matched with two randos and dying before even reaching the last ten.

If there was a God, and they were trying to teach her a lesson for…whatever reason, well, she got the point, alright?

She didn’t stay to watch the livestream, going straight to her tiny apartment and the three screaming furballs that tripped her soon as she entered. She gave them their due pets, replying to their meows with much more enthusiasm than she ever replied to her human family. She got into the shower, breathing deeply. 

You guys gonna tell me where 6th is? Has to be a street, right? The voices replied in a jumble of no’s and yes’s. When she tried to clear out what the yes’s were saying, it just came out as, finally, so slow, good, and memory. Odd. She stood in the shower so long thinking about it, she didn’t even realize the water had gone cold. After she shivered her way into a bathrobe, letting her uncombed hair airdry, she started scrolling through all the 6th streets, avenues, roads and boulevards in Solace City, but it didn’t seem right—she didn’t even know if he lived on Solace, they never really talked about their personal lives. She bit her lip, thinking. Did anyone know where he lived? Chatty, a voice whispered. Right, she should text Elliott.  

Ugh. For someone who could never shut up face to face, Elliott was one of the most succinct texters she’d ever met. She went ahead and Googled it, finding it about a half-hour from Solace if taking a mega-speed transport. Then she Googled 6th in Suotamo. One street popped up. 6th.

Not 6th Street, not 6th Avenue, just 6th.

Motherfucker.

She pulled on a large, shapeless sweater and leggings, grabbed her keys and phone, and headed to the station. She didn’t really question the fact she was going to all this effort just to apologize. Perhaps some part of her had just figured it was good to have Crypto on her side; word was he had built all sorts of connections, so maybe he could be useful later. Or she just didn’t want to have that awkward conflict when working on a team. It was hard enough watching Loba and Bangalore on the same team, and she didn’t want that kind of disruption on the field—though she didn’t think he was that petty. He was professional, like her, and quiet, unlike 2 of her top 3, which could be nice when Elliott had his chatterbox days.

The longer she spent in the rumbling transport seat, however, the more she let herself admit a creeping truth: maybe she just liked him.

**

Suotamo was all industrialism; skyscrapers and towering housing blocks with tiny balconies and smaller windows. In the twilight, electric signs were flickering to life, making a delightful buzz that dampened the voices and cast a great array of color into the street puddles. Her sneakers clattered over perforated sheet metal laid before the crosswalks as she made her way from 4th Street to 5th Avenue, and finally to 6th. The corner she landed on was directly across from a crusty dirt lot with a chain link fence that had been broken and rolled down on one side like a rug. Down one street was a mass of tall neon signs in Hangul; judging by the smell, it was mostly food. The other side was dilapidated housing and a convenience store whose name was also in hangul. She hugged a streetlight pole, looking around with wide eyes as people passed by.

Yes, she was a professional murderer for a living. But she was also a small woman in a strange city, unarmed, where everyone seemed to speak every language but English.

But her nerves were soon soothed when she saw him across the street. She cocked her head to the side when she processed what he was wearing. All of his usual hacker—y looking necklaces, but instead of that stupid vest he wore all the time it was an oversized gray shirt with a green bomber jacket, also one size too big. Slim black joggers emphasized how skinny he really was, and vans pulled together the city—boy look. It…looked really good on him. And fit in with everyone else in the area. Smart.

He cocked his head back at her, which was how she came to realize she was doing that in the first place. She glanced both ways before jogging over. “Hi.”

“Annyeonghaseyo.” He bent his head, nearly entering a bow. He was wearing a small silver stud in one ear.

“Didn’t know you were into fashion.”

“You think I’d be stupid enough to wear my gear out here?”

 “I— it’s just, the only thing I see you in.”

He gave her a once over, possibly a little slower than needed, according to a voice. She told that voice to shut up. “I can say the same for you.” He crossed his arms. “Now, what were you talking about on the dropship?”

Shit, the apology. The entire reason she was there. How had she forgotten that? She’d just sort of focused on the fact they were actually meeting outside of work. “I only laughed because I, uh, because I was picturing you as an angry owl in my head.”

Well. That certainly startled him. “What?”

“Y’know. An owl. Cacaw,” she flapped her arms slightly, realizing she’d been hanging out with Elliott too much. “Like, uh…wait, that’s not an owl noise.”

“Owls hoot.” He said.

She swallowed hard, her stomach twisting around. If it wasn’t for the city noise, she’d be screaming with all the talking going on in her head, beating in tandem with her heart. “I just— when you, you hand your hands in your pockets and kind of flapped them, and your jacket was like, wings, I guess, and I just…saw an angry owl in my head and it was funny. I’m sorry.”

He paused. “What kind of owl?”

“A snowy owl,” she said immediately. “With glasses. I dunno why glasses, you don’t wear them.”

“I do, actually.”

She blinked. “Oh.” A beat. “Can I see?”

He raised both eyebrows. She expected to be rejected—he had to be wearing contacts so why would he even have the glasses with hi—oooookay he had them on him, buried deep in a pocket. Thick black rimmed ones. He popped them on, and warmth burst in her belly as she realized, to her horror, that he was cute.

“I look like a nerd, huh?” There was light amusement in his voice, a rarity. He moved to take them off.

“No!” She said, far too quickly and far too loudly, startling her and him both. “I mean, you look cu—great, you look really good in them.”

He eyed her a moment, slowly lowering his hand. “Really?”

“Really.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and shifted a little awkwardly, looking off. She stared at her shoes until she heard him clear his throat. He looked down on her, not quite as much as Elliott, but he probably had a good five inches on her. “Do you like noodles?”

“Yeah?”

He shifted again, stance somewhere between a soldier ready for war and an awkward teenage boy. “Do you…want to go get some? I know a good place.”

She was too stunned to really react at all. “Sounds good.”

And like that, they were walking toward the neon signs, side by side. A little further from each other than was probably normal, though when others would pass by on the narrow sidewalk, Crypto would lean in, and she’d get the slightest waft of—holy shit, was that Axe? But it smelled good? Last time she’d smelled Axe she’d gotten a headache because Octavio had used it instead of a shower before a game, but this stuff was crisp, a little lemony, she had to try her best not to inhale loudly whenever he got close. 

They came to some little hole in the wall that Crypto had to duck to walk into. Booths pressed as closely together as possible, tables crowding the floor and every seat at a bar filled, faint K—pop weaving around voices and noodle slurping. When they sat at the booth nearest the back, their shoes touched because it was so small. She expected to get a menu, but instead the server came over and said something in Korean to Crypto.

“Do you drink?” He asked.

“Uh, yeah?”

“Like soju?”

“I have no idea what that is.” He shrugged and said something to the waiter. He poured them two glasses of iceless water and left. Crypto pressed himself into the corner of the wall, one leg along the length of the seat, the other on the floor. Wraith also scooched into the corner, she always liked to, and seeing someone else do it made her feel less weird. If he noticed, he didn’t say anything. She fidgeted with her fingers. “Um. So. Weather.”

“I hate small talk.”

“Oh thank God, me too.” She saw it, almost a smile. “Bring up something interesting, you know?”

“Yes, like what kind of owl you are.”

She blushed, looking away. “Shut up.”

“I think you’re a spotted owl.” He sipped his water.

She would never hear the end of it if Elliott had been there, because she perked up like a puppy. “Why?”

“Feels right.”

“Fair enough.” She started sliding the soy sauce bottle between her hands, then glanced up at him and slid it his way. He raised an eyebrow and slid it back. They kept it up while talking. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Do not expect an answer.”

“Just…what to call you. Besides Crypto.”

He warmed the soy sauce bottle with his hands before passing it back. Monkey brain Wraith had the passing thought that it was almost kind of sort of not really like holding hands. “Hyeon. It’s not my…real name.”

She nodded. “I figured. You gotta be cautious, even if they know, to a point.”

He sat up a little, some part of him smoothing out; Wraith couldn’t see it, but she could sense it. The voices, so scattered, like TV static, reduced themselves to a buzz in the back of her head. “Yah. I do.”

The soju came first. A green bottle and two shot glasses, which Crypto—Hyeon? She’d keep Crypto mentally, for now—he poured while saying, “Youngest pours first, traditionally. And you pass it with two hands and take it with two hands.” He held the shot glass and passed it to Wraith, who made sure to use both hands. He seemed entertained. “You don’t have to do it that way every time, though.”

“That’s fascinating,” she said, truthfully. “Why so specific?”

“All relates to the old ways things were done, back on Earth. So many cultures got jumbled together in the Frontier, but at least in Sutoamo, Koreans have kept most of theirs.” He paused before knocking back the shot like a professional. Elliott would be eating his hat if he was there. “It’s traditional not to sip the first shot.”

She raised an eyebrow—the corner of his mouth was twitching, thinking of smiling. He was enjoying this. Well, she was too. She braced herself and knocked back the whole thing, surprised by the flavor—a bit like a sweet vodka, with a hint of strawberry. She almost didn’t cough. “Wow, that’s something.”

“You like it?”

“I think I do.”

He smirked and poured for her again, then himself, sipping this time. “You’re not supposed to leave a friend’s glass empty, either.”

She smelled it—sweet, crisp. Definitely strawberry. “So, we’re friends?”

He seemed to think a moment and downed that shot as well before speaking. “I’ll consider it. At the very least I don’t look so sad drinking with someone else for once.” From the look on his face, that was soju—fueled word vomit. “It’s just against tradition to drink alone, people think there’s something wrong with you,” he added hastily.

“Right.” She didn’t get a chance to screw that up as a bowl of steaming noodles was placed in front of her. They were dark glass noodles, and there were vegetables, and meat. That’s all she knew. The waiter also gave her a fork, but not Crypto.

“Japchae,” he said, snapping apart the wooden chopsticks. “It’s usually a side—dish, but it’s all they make here. It’s a stir fry.”

“Hell yeah.” That actually got a chuckle out of him, and she knew it wasn’t just the soju making her feel warm. Her focus was stolen by the food, however, as she was starving, and anything fried and/or noodles made for a very happy Wraith. She stirred it all up, a bed of rice hidden underneath it, and started shoving sweet and savory into her face. Crypto was no better. Between the japchae and soju they talked, Crypto’s words flowing with fewer pauses, no clipped edges, smooth and cool. Once they finished the bottle bubbles of laughter began to escape between his lips.

He was acting like…a normal dude, for the most part. Telling her about more Korean drinking traditions, all of which seemed centered on getting everyone at the table drunk as quickly as possible. Mentioning his other favorite places to eat, but all of them were Korean names she couldn’t comprehend, let alone pronounce. They ordered another bottle and he served again, hand steady, aim…slightly off, but Wraith just wiped up the spot. The warmth of company and drink was enough to rile up a little courage in her, risk trying for actual personal questions. “Do you have any pets?”

“Huh? Ah, yah. Heh. I have a cat.”

She grinned. “I have three.”

“Show me.” He leaned forward, and she pulled up pictures of her trio, a white Persian, a tortoiseshell, and a Siamese. “Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup.”

“Oh, like the show?”

“Yeah, I love it.” She bit her lip, smiling sheepishly. “I uh, love cartoons.”

He snorted, tapping the corner of his glasses. “I can still name every Pokémon. All of them.”

She laughed. “Show me your cat.”

He pulled out his phone, scrolled and then held up a picture of an orange striped behemoth. Wraith almost squealed. “He’s so cute!”

“Tofu. My trash son.”

“Why is he your trash son?”

“I found him in the trash. Little kitten,” he leaned to the side funny while showing how small with his hands. “Was eating old tofu skins out of a takeout box. So, Tofu. It’s his favorite food, too.” He looked down at the photo. “Jibang. Fatty.”

“Perfect fatty.”

“Yah.”

They got halfway through the second bottle before finishing their meals. Crypto paid with cash and swiped the bottle of soju on the way out. It was fully night now, a humid chill pressing against her skin. The street was lit by a mixture of streetlamps and neon light as the nightlife took flight. She glanced over to see Crypto swigging straight from the bottle. Soon as he caught her eye he snorted and pulled the bottle away with a half—clumsy sidestep, arm over his nose as his chest shook with restrained laughter. She stopped to stare at him, grinning stupidly, though she didn’t know it. Alcohol had a wonderful voice dampening affect. “Caught you,” she said.

A giggle escaped into his sleeve. Red splashed over his cheeks and nose, bright in the streetlights. “I think I’ve drank too much. I’m going to say something I shouldn’t.”

“Probably just do something stupid, like drink straight from the bottle. What if I want some more, huh?” She said this all teasingly. She’d never been like this with anyone but Elliott.

He grinned, the most she’d ever seen from him, and it was silly, and light, and beautiful, and he held the bottle by the lip and swung it idly. “Guess it’s too bad, huh?”

Too bad her ass. She swiped it and drank without hesitation. She relished the look on his face and did something quite unlike herself, holding out the bottle and tapping the lip to his chin. “You still want some?”

Slowly he took it, cocking his head to the side, which she copied, and sipped. Then passed it back to her, walking side by side, mirrors of themselves in the earlier evening, but closer, and warmer. She imagined the sweet strawberry to be the taste of kissing him, and the chill wet press of the night air against her skin his hand. She felt like it would be clammy. Or would it be warm and firm—the same feeling as a hand she’d held a lifetime ago, the memory of another Wraith threading it through the crinkles of her brain.

It didn’t matter, she decided, what that old hand had felt like, just like it didn’t matter what her old name had felt like on her lips or sounded coming from another’s. The now mattered, the now and the to—be. And while the to—be was still blurry and a little scary, the now was warm and hazy, it made no sense at all and she loved it. She took the last sip as they came to the convenience store she saw earlier, and both stopped, staring at the blinding white around the sign letters. They looked at each other and came to the mutual decision to get drunk snacks.

The lights were almost painful, and the shelves, while hosting the expected candy and chips, were also filled with an erroneous amount of instant ramen, teas and drinks with cubes of jelly in them, gimbap, bibimbap, banchan and a surprising variety of meat on sticks for…some reason. She recognized some things and not others, leading to the two of them standing in one of the middle isles while Crypto drunkenly talked about a sandwich, which you were supposed to bring up front to be cooked. The one he was holding was strawberry jam and cream cheese. Wraith wasn’t sure she trusted it, but they ended up getting it, along with some type of Japanese chips and a handful of other things that two drunks thought sounded good. They stepped out and Wraith looked at their bag. “Hyeon, where are we going to eat this?”

Crypto looked around, rubbing at his face. The synthetic skin crinkled like the normal skin, which she hadn’t expected. She’d always thought of it like metal plating. He nodded towards the sketchy ass dirt lot. For some reason that seemed like a good idea, and so Wraith sat on a cinderblock in the outskirts of a streetlamp with a guy who a few hours ago had been little more than someone to talk to between matches, half—drunk and rifling through a bag of food she only vaguely recognized. Some inkling of a voice seemed to suggest that this was a bad idea in one universe, but two or three threaded together to tell her they were safe, even if it didn’t seem like it.

She did feel safe with him, there was just something about him, the longer she spent in his air. She really didn’t know too much about him, just that he had a lot of open secrets with the Syndicate, and that Caustic was under a gag order regarding his real identity, since they were both from Gaea, but otherwise he thought Mirage was an idiot and didn’t talk to people outside of the ring. Except for you, a voice reminded her, a gentle nudging tone to it. It made her heart skip a beat when he passed her one of the strange jelly drinks.

“It’s called Mogu—Mogu. Means “to chew” in Japanese,” he said.

“Do you speak that too?” She sipped it and, yeah, she was definitely chewing it. She didn’t know how she felt about chewing her drink, but the flavor was good.

“No. My sister was just obsessed with these.” He stopped, a drop in the mood so sudden she could almost hear it. She’d heard rumor about his sister having passed. The voices suggested nefarious things had happened. “She got them every day before class. When we had money.”

She swallowed. “It is pretty good.”

“Yah.” He rolled his shoulders, staring off. She continued sipping, the cinderblock suddenly uncomfortable, the chill almost too much, the neon blue glow over low, old industrial buildings to their back metamorphosizing from lively to sinister. But all at once that was pulled away again when he sighed and readjusted himself, looking up at the sky. It was a big expanse of dark blue fog, not a star to be seen. Solace was the exact opposite. “Wraith?”

“Yeah?”

“I miss her.”

She adjusted herself, staring at the drink. At a loss, she offered it to him. And that’s when she saw it, breaking to the surface, cracking through layers and layers: a smile, for real. Not for fun, but something brighter, from somewhere deeper. It felt like being shown the inside of a treasure chest. He took the drink, sipped it, and breathed deeply. “I’m going to say something stupid.”

“Okay.”

He half—laughed. “You’re not even going to try and stop me?”

“Nah.”

He laughed fully, and even that felt realer than it had earlier. “Well. Well,” he swallowed, and sipped the drink, seeming to steel himself. “I…Taejoon Park.”

She understood immediately—his real name. And no wonder Caustic was on a gag order, because that name had reached Solace, Gridiron, and even Talos. The voices began to gather and flood her with information—the admission had been a catalyst. Taking a moment to collect herself, she picked the sandwich out of the bag, broke it at the seam created by the panini press, and offered him half. He furrowed his brow but took it. “I like it,” she said.

“What?”

“Your name. Taejoon. It fits you.”

He blinked, looking at the sandwich, then back at her again. His mouth was fallen in confusion, and he was squinting at her. Like a mole that had surfaced into the daylight. A very cute mole. “You, uh, you don’t recognize it?”

“I recognize it. And I know what you did,” she gestured at her head, and his eyes widened.

“I didn’t. I n—never would.”

“I know,” she said, and she hoped he could tell how much she meant it. There was still alcohol warmth in her cheeks, but her mind was clearer than it had been. “They fucked you completely.”

He swallowed. “I haven’t said my name in…I don’t remember when.”

“Can I keep calling you it? Not in front of the others.”

He seemed to think, and she hoped part of his thoughts were on what she was insinuating—that they’d meet again, outside the ring, outside the dropship. “Please,” he said finally.

She grinned, and so did he, before taking a huge bite of the sandwich, chewing a moment, and then letting out a bark of laughter and falling from his cinderblock into the dusty lot ground, sandwich resting on his chest. He started giggling and Wraith stood to look down at him, chewing, committing the way the orange edges of streetlight cast a brassy gleam on his ruddy cheeks to memory. Is this the memory the voice was mentioning? “Dude?”

Taejoon giggled again, back of his hand hiding his mouth. “I haven’t felt this light in years.”

That makes me so happy. “I’m glad.” She said.

His cheeks moved, his hidden grin wider. He pointed with his other hand. “You have jam on your face.”

“Huh?” She leaned down, because his hand had muffled his words, and suddenly his thumb was at the corner of her mouth, pressing and swiping.

“Jam,” he said, resting the tip of one long finger at the corner of her mouth. “Right there.”

“Oh.” She whispered. Neither moved for a moment, and then, guided by desire or a silent voice, she wasn’t sure, Wraith simultaneously lowered herself to her knees while Taejoon pushed himself up on his elbow. Do it, do it, do it, said a chorus of voices. “If you want to do something else stupid,” she said, “I’d do it now.”

His eyes scanned her face, the sharpness dulled by drink, but not the longing. “I don’t know if it is too risky.”

“Might be riskier not to,” she whispered.

“I don’t know…”

“Taej—!” He leant up and kissed her, quickly, almost a peck, and then again. Not like any of the nasty suck—the—air—out—of—your—lungs kisses she saw in movies, but a warm press of the lips, three seconds as most, fueled by want and wish and fuck—it—ness. Not that she’d kissed a lot of people, two to be exact, but it was still quite possibly the best kiss she’d ever had, for reasons that would crowd a page. She realized the memory the voice had mentioned wasn’t the gleaming light on his cheeks, but now, when he looked up at her, eyes huge with awe that he’d actually done it, biting his lip against a nervous little smile. Glasses crooked. “You,” she started, licking over her lower lip, tapping the glasses into place, “you taste like strawberries.”

“So do you,” he breathed. “T—This isn’t just the soju, right?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Me either.”

“So this—“

“It’s a thing.” He said.

“A good thing.”

“It is?”

“I think it is. You don’t?”

“I do,” he said, finally sitting up. She grabbed hold of his hand, and she had been completely wrong—it wasn’t clammy, but warm, dry, rougher than she guessed. “But, well, I’m kind of a disaster.”

“You’re talking to an interdimensional freakshow,” she said.

“You’re not a freakshow.”

She smiled a little. “Interdimensional gremlin disaster then.” 

He snorted, turning to face her, back to the light. He tilted half into her and then pulled himself up again, steadying with a hand to her shoulder. “You’re not a very steady drunk, are you.”

“Nope,” he said with absolutely zero hesitation. She chuckled. She felt his hand move to hover hesitantly by her cheek, and she looked at him while she leaned into it. He breathed deeply and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear like in one of Elliott’s shitty romcoms she might have secretly enjoyed. The voices were a joyful thrum in the back of her head. Heh, maybe having cheerleaders is fun sometimes. Wraith held on to that moment, against the dark and the uncertainty of what she was supposed to do—there wasn’t exactly a social guideline of what to do after kissing your coworker in an empty lot following what could be a life ending confession, if she was anyone else.

Some part of her decided they at least should be standing, and, being the far steadier of the two, she reluctantly left his hand and ended up helping him to his feet, giggling a bit as he stumbled into her. He smiled shyly, running a hand through his hair while she grabbed their bag of half eaten goods.  She knew he was watching her, and when she turned back to him, he was frowning. “What’s wrong?”

“I…am serious, about, ah, being a disaster. I mean, I’m wanted for murder. I have prices on my head for more than that, on three planets at least. The Syndicate has let me live so far but…” He sort of shrugged. “I don’t know how long that will last.”

She paused. “What was your plan, when you joined the Games?”

“Take them down. The whole organization.”

“But you didn’t.” She felt a nudging near her temple, a sort of confirmation in her thoughts. “You got to know us.”

“I did. I thought you were all monsters, but…well, Gibraltar, he’s just trying to help people he…cares about.” His shoulders slumped and he angled his head toward the sky, breath condensing like dragon smoke. “Lifeline, too. Bangalore needs money to find her family, Pathfinder is looking for his creator, and even Witt, with his mother and, and you…” He looked back at her. “You just want to figure out who you are.”

“It’s all I’ve ever known,” she confirmed.

“And knowing that, I don’t know if I can just…destroy it, without leaving something for…for people who…” He held up a hand, wavering, and then dropped it. “I just don’t know.”

It looked like it pained him, physically, to admit that. She also highly doubted he’d have admitted it if he was even half an inch more sober. She thought carefully before offering her hand, which he took. She half pulled him along to the rolled fence, clambering up and out like they had earlier. “I don’t care if it’s dangerous to be around you,” she said.

“I don’t want someone else getting hurt,” he said.

“You’re trying to drive me off, aren’t you?”

“I think so.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have kissed me if you wanted to do that.” She smiled just slightly. In the full lamplight, he looked doubly as shy as he had earlier.

“I did do that, huh.”

“You did.”

He cursed in Korean, and she chuckled. They held hands as they walked; they moved through the nightclub and food stall crowds like blood in water, swirling and dipping, unnoticed in the menagerie of humanness. “So, you’re saying I’m stuck with you?” He asked as they bled back into the dim night.

“I’m saying I’m willing to work with the whole ‘wanted criminal’ aspect.”

“Mm.” Taejoon was quiet then, from there to the transport station. It wasn’t awkward, like how it could be with Elliott or Path, but more like with Natalie. A subject was left hanging, but that was fine. Silence fosters thought, mon ami, and with that comes some shocking revelations…get it?

God Nat, I love you, you little pun goblin.

They stopped at the transport station, and Wraith bought a ticket from the kiosk and headed to where the other three people stupid enough to be out that late were boarding. She turned to Taejoon when the doors creaked open, taking both his hands, the bag at her elbow. She felt a tingling nervousness in her toes at the words pushing her tongue to move, to speak. “So, we’re going to do this? Try this…as something?”

He squeezed her hands, biting his lip and boy howdy did that make her feel some things. “Yeah,” he said, softly, “lets make this something.”

She grinned, all a flutter as she popped up on her toes and kissed him. This must be what people mean when they say they feel like a kid, she thought, almost skipping away to the transport, calling to the mildly surprised Taejoon that she’d see him at the next game. She found a seat and for once in her memory fidgeted not in pain or discomfort or anxiety but in utter jiggly joy. She chanced a last look back as the transport lulled out of the station, pressing her face to the glass sealed in preparation for space travel in order to see him.

Taejoon was still staring at the transport, hands idle in the air where she’d held them. Then, slowly, he pumped his fists into the air and twirled around, grinning like he’d won a championship.

[redfiels]

Some random CryptoxWraith headcanons

- Both of them have trouble sleeping at night - Wraith because of the voices, Crypto because he spends his nights hacking. They regularly happen to encounter each other in the corridors as the only people awake at night in the facility. One morning, some of the other Legends find them both asleep in the common room, out of pure exhaustion after yet another sleepless night. (Wattson thinks it's très mignon, while Lifeline just smirks and gets some blankets for both of them.)

- Both of them are rather the quiet type, but they understand each other with few or even no words whenever they're in the same squad. Their mostly silent, yet smooth teamwork often leaves their third squad mate with a whole lot of metaphorical question marks around their head, but still, they are usually victorious. (Hence to her Voices of the Void and his drone, some even secretly call them the "all-knowing team".)

- Between such bubbly characters like Lifeline, Wattson, Octane or Mirage, it had always made Crypto feel more comfortable knowing that he's not the only one with some darker secrets. Wraith keeping just as quiet as him whenever the others would share joyful stories had always made him feel less like an outsider.

[hopeless-succubus69]

{Safe and Sound} {Part 2}

{Intros aren't needed yet, I'm here to contribute fanfics to my favorite ship in apex legends. I’ll let you know who I am later, it’s not too important. I hope others like this ship as much as I do, please enjoy.}

{Safe and Sound}

{Fluff and Possible Smut in the future}

{Crypto} {Wraith}

{Tae Joon Park} {Renee Blasey}

{1229 words}

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

Renee shifted, the sun light that peaked through the blinds bothered her tired eyes. She rolled herself over, hiding her face against a pillow. She laid there for a few moments before she sat herself up, realizing she was alone. She hugged Tae's pillow to her chest,  rubbing her eyes as she looked around the room. Her eyes fell upon her hacker toying around with the access panel for the sliding door.  A soft yawn escaped the skirmishers lips as she fell back onto the bed again. She looked up to the roof,  closing her eyes again.  

Moments later the door slid open, then closed again. Tae looked up from the doors control panel, nodding in aprovement at his work. Hack whirred and hovered around Crypto's head. It seemed excited that Tae was happy with his work. Tae stood back up, , letting the camera scan and register him before it slid open.  He leaned back down to close up the panel, and sealed it. He cleaned up his tools then put them away before he looked over to Renee.  

He motioned for Hack to go over and scan her, which the drone did happily before returning to Tae's side. He grabbed the drone, reaching to plug it into one of the ports on the panel. After a few moments, Hack beeped then flew from Crypto's hand. Tae rolled his eyes before turning his focus back to Renee.  

He watched her for a couple moments, his mind wandering to all those nights she had spent in his room, or his nights in hers. Renee had always spent the couple days prior to the games in his room, making sure he was taking care of himself. Making sure he was fit and ready for the games.  

His nights with her were often after the games, with him making sure she was tending to her own wounds. She always seemed to push herself during the games, win or lose, she always pushed herself past her breaking point. Tae shook his head, not wanting to focus on those long night he spent worried over his lovers fate.  

A soft smile formed on his lips and he crawled back into bed with her, his thoughts returning to the fact she was alive and well, and with him. He crawled onto her, resting his head on her chest, he listened to her heart beating. He closed his eyes as he hid his face against her chest. Her arms slowly wrapped around him, hugging his head to his head to her chest. She gently pet his head, her fingers slowly running through his hair as she held him.  

"Did you sleep?"  

A soft chuckle came from Tae as he shook his head and looked up to her. He nodded as he rolled off of her, he reached to take her hand. He lightly rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, his eyes falling to the scar on her arm. He shook his head, turning his attention back to her hand.  

"You’ve been asleep over twenty-four hours, 내 사랑." He gently kissed the back of her hand. "You aren't sore are you?" He kept his lips to the back of her hand as he looked to her.  

She paused her thoughts, pondering what he had told her. She gently took his hand, pulling it close as she softly cuddles herself up to him.  

"I'm fine, a little groggy though." She softly kissed his palm, she looked up to him. She studied his expression, his eyes, his lips. A light blush crossed Renee's cheeks when she realized she was studying him so closely.  

A soft chuckle escaped Tae's lips as he watched her. He pulled her closer to him, gently he pressed his lips to hers. Their eyes slowly closed as their lips met. They kissed softly and tenderly, Renee's arms slowly moved to wrap around his neck. Tae pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist, when a knock at the door interrupted them.  

Tae growled slightly as Renee broke the kiss, her attention turning to the door. He buried his face to her neck and held onto her tighter. Renee lightly kissed his cheek before she started to get up. He tightened his arms around her for a moment, keeping his face against her neck. A soft chuckle escaped Renee's lips as she pet his head gently, she kissed his cheek.  

"Can't we just ignore them?"

"No, we can't." She gently unwrapped herself from his arms before she got up to answer the door. Tae rolled over, a slight frown on his lips as he watched her.  

Lifeline was standing there, her arms crossed as she looked over Renee. She had forgotten to let Ajay know she was back.  

"A-Ajay, I'm sorry."

"Anita said ya trainin was supposed to be yestaday, when ya didn’t show up, it worried us. Yuh neva missed trainin before."  

"I know, I wasn’t planning on.."

Ajay walked past Renee, her finger jabbing the air towards Tae. "And yuh! Yuh need to let us know when shes back, we worry about er too."

Tae squinted as he looked at her, sitting up slowly. He looked down, knowing Renee would get upset if he said anything rude back, But Ajay was right. He let her sleep all that time and despite running into the other legends around the barracks, he had not mentioned Renee being back.  

Ajay, seeing the conflicted look on Crypto's face, let a sigh escape her lips. She sat on the edge of the bed, looking between the two. She motioned for Renee to sit with her. Renee complied, sitting on the bed next to her and Tae.

"Look, wit all dats happened recently.. " Ajay started to speak, searching for the proper words to say. "We all worried sick about yuh two, well most of us are." She looked to her lap, her hands folding. "Yuh two disappea off on yuh own so often.."  

Renee moved to hug Ajay, knowing Tae would be uncomfortable if Ajay had hugged him. Ajay returned the light embrace, holding onto Renee gently.

"I'm sorry Ajay.. We'll be more cautious from now on." Renee spoke softly. "I promise."  

Ajay held the embrace a few moments longer before she let go. A soft smile on her lips now, she nodded as she looked to Crypto, who nodded in agreement. Ajay let a light chuckle escape her before she stood up.  

"I'll hold yuh too it." Ajay looked to them, sighing slightly before nodding. "Yuh should get ready for trainin lata today, Anita's upset wit bot of ya's." And with that, she walked out of the room.  

Wraith and Crypto stayed quiet for a few more moments before Renee turned to crawl back over to him. Tae watched her, gently reaching to pick her up and place her on his lap. He leaned close to her, pressing his lips against her temple.  

"I should remember that you are not only important to me." He spoke softly, now resting his chin on his head. He felt her arms slowly wrap around his chest and she hugged him firmly. He smiled slightly, he always seemed to be smiling with her close by. At times, even during the games, he's found himself smiling with thoughts of her on his mind. He closed his eyes, simply relaxing and taking her in.  

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

[kittymsmithwritesstuff]

Official alternative name for CryptoxWraith because I said so: VoidHackers

[lighami]

Voidwalker’s path

This is something I’ve written about a year ago, and it’s based on the Voidwalker cinematic! I tried to capture the final moments we got to see Voidwalker Wraith in, and the fact that she used one of Crypto’s devices in the cinematic. 😌

Fandom: Apex Legends

Characters: Voidwalker!Wraith/Crypto (Renee Blasey/Tae Joon Park)

Word count: 437

SFW!

Trusting someone is hard. Especially in a world like this.

Who would’ve thought that she - especially she - could ever find someone she’d trust so much that the thought of goodbye actually hurt?

“We won’t make it!” The voice of another dimension’s version of herself echoed through her head, leaving a heaviness inside of it that even numbed the gunshot wound on her upper arm.

“It’s finished.” Crypto turned around in his chair, away from his desktop to face her, in his hands a little… USB stick?

“That’s it?” Wraith raised her left eyebrow, just slightly, while looking at the little piece of metal that was supposed to change… well, literally everything.

“That’s it. Your way in.” Confidence filled his voice - partly reassuring, partly proud of his own work. She couldn’t blame him - nobody else could’ve done what he just did. Nobody else could’ve done so much for her.

Yet, the only words that escaped her lips in response were “thank you”. A meaningful, warm one, which was still by far not enough to truly express her gratefulness… both of them weren’t exactly good at expressing their feelings, though, which was immediately proven by the silence that filled the room after she had taken the USB stick from him, that gesture causing their fingertips to brush against each others for the glimpse of a moment.

“So…” He finally broke the silence after some seconds. “I guess that means your mission has now officially begun?”

“Yes.” She already wore a white, elastic bodysuit - perfect for free movement to run and fight. She was prepared for everything, since days, since weeks, since.. well, ever since she could think. “Whatever alternate universe I’ll end up in, I’m ready. I’ll just have to f-”

“Take care of yourself.”

She stopped mid-sentence. It definitely wasn’t easy to surprise her, but that… that caught her completely off guard. She just simply blinked while he looked at her with an even more serious facial expression than he usually wore. They both knew pretty well that what she planned on doing was dangerous, even though none of them had ever said it out loud. And it remained unsaid.

“I… I will. Thank you, Crypto.”

“My name’s Tae Joon. You better come back soon to tell me yours, too.”

Probably no one besides the two of them could’ve even begun to imagine the importance and intimacy of that little sentence.

While thinking about it, she could almost feel the little smile that had appeared on her lips back then again. Her fingers had freed her wrist from the technical device in the meantime. “No, we won’t.”